Standard Software Research Articles

Indicators of cognitive impairment of varying severity in the acute period of ischemic stroke

To assess phenotype and identify biomarkers of cognitive impairment (CI) of varying severity in patients in the acute period of ischemic stroke (IS) based on the analysis of clinical and paraclinical indicators. Two hundred and forty patients with diagnosed IS and presence of CI were examined. Depending on the scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n=182) with mild CI, group 2 (n=58) with dementia. On admission, stroke severity according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), activities of daily living assessed by the Barthel Scale and patient independence assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were determined. Neuropsychological examination was performed on day 14 and included investigation of episodic memory, executive functions, speech, gnosis, praxis, and the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) parameters. Immunological diagnostics included a study of the concentration of cytokines of various groups (interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-6, IL-16, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), chemokines CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL9, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)). Neuroimaging parameters were assessed using brain MRI data with verification of the STRIVE criteria and the medial temporal lobe atrophy scale (MTA). The standard application software package SPSS Statistics, Pandas and SciPy libraries were used for statistical analysis. Patients of group 2 had lower scores in all cognitive domains with the greatest reduction in perception, constructive praxis, semantic information processing and mnestic function. These analyses revealed a higher degree of IQCODE, prevalence of features corresponding to STRIVE/MTA criteria in patients of group 2, while patients of group 1 had higher NIHSS and mRS scores. When serum concentrations of cytokines were assessed, patients of group 1 showed higher concentrations of IL-1b, IL-6, GM-CSF and TNFα, while group 2 patients had higher concentrations of cytokine CXCL10. The presence of pre-stroke CI, baseline indicators of the patient's functional status, neuroimaging parameters of MTA/STRIVE and age are reflected in the structure and severity of cognitive deficit in the acute period of IS. Investigation of the role of interleukins, GM-CSF, TNFα and CXCL10 in the pathogenesis of IS and their association with the progression of post-stroke CI requires further studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up period.

Optimal tool path for extrusion-based additive manufacturing to improve geometrical accuracy and productivity

The objective of this study was to improve the geometrical accuracy and productivity of extrusion-based additive manufacturing processes. Four algorithms were developed to adaptively change the track width in each layer (i.e., adaptive rastering); optimize the rastering orientation for each layer; adaptively change the layer thickness (i.e., adaptive slicing); and optimize the overall orientation of part. These algorithms were implemented in a commercial 3D printer and several case-studies were conducted to examine their efficacy (individually and combined). The results were compared with standard tool path planning software and indicated a significant improvement in both geometrical accuracy and productivity.

Profile of patients presenting at the echocardiography laboratory of a tertiary institution in the central region of South Africa

Introduction: Worldwide cardiovascular disease is associated with substantial economic challenges and profound morbidity and mortality. Considering the dearth of information for the central region of South Africa, this study aimed to assess the profile of patients who were referred to an echocardiography laboratory at a tertiary institution. Methods: A hospital-based, observational, descriptive study was conducted. Demographic, anthropometric, socio-economic, clinical and echocardiographic data were collected. Patients were categorised by hospitalisation status and reason for referral. Standard transthoracic echocardiograms were performed. Data were analysed using standard statistical software. Results: The study population had a mean age of 51.8±17.38 years, was predominantly black (64%) with a slight female preponderance (55%). The majority of patients were from a low-socioeconomic background (H0-H2; 91%). Most patients were from the Mangaung district (37%) and the referral pattern showed that regions with more hospitals tend to refer more patients for echocardiography. Alarmingly, two-thirds of the study population were hypertensive (64%) and 57% had a body mass index exceeding 25 kg/m2. Cardiology referred most patients for echocardiography (49%) and inpatient and outpatient referrals were almost equal (48% vs 52%). Abnormal echocardiographic findings were reported in 74% of patients with myocardial dysfunction being the most significant pathology (73%). Sixty-three percent of referrals were for routine echocardiographic assessment. Conclusion: This is the first study describing the profile of patients referred for echocardiography in the central region of South Africa. Travel distances and obtainability of health services appeared to have impacted referral patterns. Specific patterns of disease related to the individual referring specialist health care services. Hospitalisation status did not influence referrals.

A Fast and Accurate Raytracing Approach for Assessing Photovoltaic Performance of Monoand Bifacial Panels in Complex Irradiance Conditions

Numerous tools exist for evaluating photovoltaic (PV) system performance, these include design parameters and complexity that can deter non-specialist users. To facilitate wider adoption of PV technology in early-phase design, we present an approach that combines advanced raytracing integrated into the widely used building modelling tool Rhino 3D. This toolset includes models for both monoand bifacial PV panels, that process raytraced results and account for realistic heat loss and thermally dependent efficiency. Validation against measurements as well as comparison with industry standard PVsyst software in two urban scenarios, confirms the toolset's acceptable accuracy. A case study of agricultural PV showcases the tools versatility and running time. The user-friendly interface and advanced radiation modelling capabilities empower both specialists and non-specialists to assess PV system performance accurately and efficiently during the early design phases.

Асертивність як чинник соціально-психологічної адаптації жінок-мігранток

B a c k g r o u n d . Assertiveness is considered to be a significant characteristic of a woman, which determines her ability to effectively interact with the surrounding society on an equal footing and maintain mental health. The article presents a study of assertiveness as a factor in the socio- psychological adaptation of Ukrainian migrant women. The study is based on the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between the development of assertiveness and the success of social and psychological adaptation of migrant women. It is assumed that the presence of assertiveness in such women is also associated with their higher subjective well-being. M e t h o d s . To obtain empirical data, the following methods were used: "Research of Assertiveness Level" (V. Capponi and T. Novak), Method of Social-Psychological Adaptation by C. Rogers and R. Diamond, "PERMA-Profiler" Questionnaire (Butler and Kern). The SPSS Statistics version 26.0 statistical package and the standard MS Excel program package were used to analyze the obtained data. Descriptive statistics are used to calculate group mean, minimum and maximum values, and standard deviation of mass data. Also applied: Kolmogorov – Smirnov and Shapiro – Wilk criteria, Kruskal-Wallis criterion for independent samples, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Sample. 52 Ukrainian women aged 19 to 72 years who, because of the Russian-Ukrainian war, became migrants or ended up in safer regions of Ukraine as internally displaced persons. R e s u l t s . During the study, direct connections of assertiveness as a factor in the organization of the interaction of migrant women with representatives of an unfamiliar environment with the effectiveness of their social and psychological adaptation processes and the level of subjective well-being were statistically confirmed. C o n c l u s i o n s . Assertiveness is a statistically significant factor that helps Ukrainian women, who ended up abroad because of the war, to overcome life challenges associated with a forced change in the social and cultural environment.

The road to a modernized NJOY

The modernized version of the NJOY Nuclear Data Processing System is being built from a series of components that enable the traditional work required of the production version of NJOY while also providing a much more interactive user experience through a modern interface. This new version of NJOY is being developed in C++. Python bindings on top of the C++ interface are provided as well. Standard Python packages such as Matplotlib, NumPy or SciPy can thus be seamlessly integrated with NJOY components. We distinguish two component types: format components such as ENDFtk and ACEtk that read and write formatted nuclear data and processing components such as scion which provides many of the common operations needed during processing of nuclear data. The backbone of the modernized NJOY is dryad which provides a format agnostic nuclear data interface that insulates the modernized processing components and modules from the various data formats that NJOY needs to serve.

Practice of Enhanced Recovery after Caesarean Delivery: A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial in a Tertiary Hospital in Yaoundé-Cameroon

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a new and evolving concept whereby strategies are put in place in the perioperative period to ensure better and accelerated patient recovery with fewer complications. Being a new protocol in our milieu, the need for pre-implementation trials motivated our study in elective caesarean section (CS) in the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (YGOPH). Aims: To analyse the benefits of the enhanced recovery after caesarean section program (ERAS) over standard care in women undergoing elective caesarean section in the Yaoundé Gyneco – Obstetric and Paediatric Hospital. Materials and Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial, in the ratio 1:1, from December 2020 to August 2021, compared the ERAS in caesarean section (ERAS-CS) treatment package, with our standard care package (Non-ERAS group). The ERAS-CS package included pre-operative counselling, reduced pre-operative fast, warming of fluids intraoperatively, use of Dexamethasone and Ondansetron (to prevent post-operative nausea and vomiting) and early oral feeding as well as early mobilisation. Satisfaction 24 hours after surgery as well as complications were evaluated in both groups. Data analysis was with STATA. Results: We enrolled 42 women, 21 in each arm. Average age of participants was 31.9 years. A body temperature drop of 0.6 degree Celsius in the ERAS group versus 1.7 degree Celsius in N-ERAS group, p=0.001 was noted. Intraoperative nausea and vomiting (IONV) was significantly decreased in the ERAS group (p=0.038) as well as per-operative hunger and cold. ERAS patients felt significantly more capable of looking after their personal toileting and hygiene, and in control with a greater feeling of well-being than those in the N-ERAS group, 24 hours after surgery. Conclusion: The ERAS-CS program led to fewer per and post-operative complications, and faster recovery of patients.

Fostering Flexibility: How Medicare Advantage Potentially Accelerated Telehealth Benefits.

In 2018, the US Congress enacted a policy permitting Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to cover telehealth services in a beneficiary's home and through audio-only means as part of the basic benefit package of services, where prior to the policy change such benefits were only allowed to be covered as a supplemental benefit. MA plans were afforded 2 years of lead time for strategizing, negotiating, and capital investment prior to the start date (January 1, 2020) of the new coverage option. Our data analysis found basic benefit telehealth was offered by plans comprising 71% of enrollment in 2020 and increased to 95% in 2021. At the same time, remote access telehealth was offered as a supplemental benefit for 69% of enrollees in 2020, a decrease of 23% compared to 2019. These efforts by MA plans may have enabled traditional Medicare (TM) to leverage an existing telehealth infrastructure as a solution to the access issues created by public health policies requiring sheltering in place and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of this MA policy prompts consideration of additional flexibility beyond the standard basic benefit package, and whether such benefits reduce costs while improving access and/or outcomes in the context of a managed care environment like MA. Subject to oversight, such flexibility could potentially improve value in MA, and facilitate future changes in TM, as appropriate.

Viabilidade do uso de drone aplicado no mapeamento da pesca artesanal comercial: um estudo de caso na Baía de Sepetiba, Rio de Janeiro

ABSTRACT: This article presents an experimental study to verify the feasibility of using the emerging UAV technology in the mapping of fishing grounds exploited by artisanal fishing in Sepetiba Bay, in the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, aiming to better understand the functionality and information generated by the equipment, and whether the data can help improve local fisheries management and also provide information for the implementation of simplified traceability for regional fish. The study area included four locations, Ilha da Madeira, Vila Geny, Coroa Grande and Ponte Preta, all located in Sepetiba Bay, located in the municipality of Itaguaí, in the southern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The aerial mapping was carried out in September, October and November 2017, between 10 am and 12 pm (GMT-3), employing a Phantom 3 Professional UAV (DJI, Shenzhen, China), Anac Brasil registration number PP-011092014. The onboard camera a DJI 4K Edition Sony Exmor R Model IMX117: 7.81mm equipped with a CMOS sensor dimension of 6.2 mm, 4000 x 3000 12 megapixel resolution, with an f/2.8 lens and field of view (FOV) of 94, having a focal length of 14mm. Images were collected perpendicularly to the main plan. Flight height was set at 80 m, flight speed was determined based on the overlap of 80%, dimension of area to be mapped, and battery life. Hence, the operator utilized a average flight speed of 25 km/h. ground sample distance (GSD) was 1.20 cm/px. and an overlap of 80% between images was established to avoid possible failures and orthomosaic information gaps. For each fishery mapped, standard software processing was carried out, which consists of: aligning the photos, creating a point cloud, creating a digital elevation model, and finally the orthomosaic itself. Once processed, the orthomosaics were exported from Agis Soft Photo Scan Professional to Google Earth (Google Inc.), where it is possible to make a more comprehensive assessment of fisheries in a much more practical and faster way. A total of four flights were carried out, one for each study area, averaging 10 minutes each. As a result, the technology proved to be viable to apply, since it made it possible to identify and map the areas defined for this research, generating data such as distance and, characteristics of the place, which could be used to track the fish caught and landed, in addition to enabling the monitoring of vessels and fishing, and thus improve the management of local fisheries.

My Instructional Tools Software for College Faculty

This study was conducted using the research and development methodology over the course of three stages. The first phase involved conducting a survey to determine the faculty needs in terms of information and communication technology. According to survey findings, faculty members were particularly interested in using offline educational software. The second phase involved creating offline instructional software in accordance with the system development life cycle. The three information technology professionals examined and evaluated the software to verify its quality. Pilot testing and rolling out the program to the faculty were part of phase three. The program was evaluated using the Department of Trade and Industry/Bureau of the Philippines Standards software quality models and the International Standard 25010:2011 Systems and Software Quality Requirements and Evaluation System. Eight characteristics make up this product quality model, which is further broken down into subcharacteristics that relate to software's static and dynamic qualities. The stated quality criteria were used as a checklist to assure a full treatment of quality needs, and offered a framework for anticipating the ensuing effort and activities necessary during system development. When defining or assessing the quality of computer systems or software products, the qualities in the quality in use model and product quality model were meant to be used together as a set.

CCN+: A neuro-symbolic framework for deep learning with requirements

For their outstanding ability of finding hidden patterns in data, deep learning models have been extensively applied in many different domains. However, recent works have shown that, if a set of requirements expressing inherent knowledge about the problem at hand is given, then neural networks often fail to comply with them. This represents a major drawback for deep learning models, as requirements compliance is normally considered a necessary condition for standard software deployment. In this paper, we propose a novel neuro-symbolic framework able to make any neural network compliant by design to a given set of requirements over the output space expressed in full propositional logic. This framework, called CCN+, integrates the requirements into the output layer of the neural network by applying multiple inference rules that ensure compliance with the requirements and adapts the standard binary cross-entropy loss function to the requirement output layer. As a result, not only the outputted predictions are guaranteed to be compliant with the requirements, but the neural network itself learns how to exploit the domain knowledge expressed by the requirements to get better performance. We conduct an extensive experimental evaluation of CCN+ on 19 real-world multi-label classification datasets with propositional logic requirements, including a challenging dataset for autonomous driving. Our experimental analysis confirms that CCN+ is able to outperform both its neural counterparts and the state-of-the-art models.

The switching and learning behavior of an octopus cell implemented on FPGA.

A dendrocentric backpropagation spike timing-dependent plasticity learning rule has been derived based on temporal logic for a single octopus neuron. It receives parallel spike trains and collectively adjusts its synaptic weights in the range [0, 1] during training. After the training phase, it spikes in reaction to event signaling input patterns in sensory streams. The learning and switching behavior of the octopus cell has been implemented in field-programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware. The application in an FPGA is described and the proof of concept for its application in hardware that was obtained by feeding it with spike cochleagrams is given; also, it is verified by performing a comparison with the pre-computed standard software simulation results.

Viability of Open-Source Wind Resource Assessment Software

As the world shifts towards renewable energy sources, newer and larger projects come to fruition every year. Renewable energy projects require a complex analysis before proceeding with development. Part of this analysis procedure is resource assessment. This research aims to determine the viability of using open-source software for industry applications. This is performed through a comparison of the current industry standard software, WAsP, and Continuum. A site with a wide range of land cover conditions is chosen to see how the different software performs under varying conditions. Multiple different measured wind data inputs are used in the comparison, allowing for a comprehensive study. A focus is made on the software’s accuracy, while also comparing the analytics and outputs. The interface, workflow, input data, outputs, computational cost and additional requirements of each software package are discussed. It is found that Continuum is accurate within 8% when compared to WAsP’s annual energy production and capacity factor outputs. Due to the open-source nature of Continuum, it also lends itself to further customised developments that could be advantageous when performing resource assessments. WAsP is found to have preferential reporting outputs, however. This research highlights the opensource resource assessment process, from input to output. Keywords: Wind resource assessment, open-source software, WAsP, Coninuum, AEP, wind energy software

A digital and interoperable support for the risk assessment of existing bridges

The topic of environmental, economic, and social sustainability is increasingly recurring in the development strategies of governments and international organizations. The Recovery Fund, part of the Next Generation EU, follows this direction, establishing itself as a new European tool for recovery. With specific reference to the sustainability of infrastructure, Italy has recently presented the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), which identifies the structural thematic areas of intervention through 6 missions. In particular, Mission 3, "Infrastructures for sustainable mobility," allocated approximately 32 billion euros, aims to introduce remote digital monitoring systems for the safety of road arteries and urgent works for the safety improvement of deteriorated roads, bridges, and viaducts. This mission is consistent with the Guidelines for the assignment of attention class and risk management, safety assessment, and monitoring of existing bridges, approved by the Superior Council of Public Works on May 6, 2020, and incorporated into Ministerial Decree no. 578 of December 17, 2020. The adoption of these guidelines by managers is also important in case of incidents to avoid potential legal issues. To ensure the development of this strategic approach and achieve the desired results within the established timeframe, it is necessary to equip oneself with suitable digital methods and tools, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and BIM-oriented software. Harpaceas, through a scientific research project with the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering at the University of Pisa, has aimed to utilize standard software, included in the new solution "PontiSicuri" (Safe Bridges), in order to enable the digital management of the assignment of risk attention class and safety assessment of existing bridges in Italy in accordance with the new Guidelines. The Authors will describe this innovative approach in the present paper.

Functional transcranial dopplerography is a diagnostic tool for cognitive impairment syndrome

Functional transcranial dopplerography (FTCD) is a non-invasive ultrasound examination that allows recording the dynamics of cerebral blood flow parameters under conditions of factors stimulated the activity of the structures of the central nervous system. Judgments about the sensitivity and specificity of FTCD are based on the close connection between changes in the activity of the nervous (somatic) system and the response of regional cerebral blood flow (CBF). The technique is a portable and accessible diagnostic method used in assessing the possibility of expanding functional activity during the recovery period after a stroke. An increase in mental activity in response to the presentation of a cognitive task, accompanied by an increase in glucose and oxygen consumption and naturally requiring an increase in cerebral perfusion parameters, can also be assessed by changes in regional blood flow parameters while maintaining the reactive mechanisms of autoregulation. A search of literature sources was carried out in the electronic databases PubMed and Scopus. For the subject search, Medical Subject Headings were used. A total of 36 sources that mentioned the terms «cognitive function» and «functional transcranial Doppler» were selected for preliminary analysis. At the present stage, methodological problems are obvious, requiring the development and implementation of a standard package of targeted functional tests to assess cognitive status. Available equipment and software require technological solutions to ensure objective recording of changes in cerebral blood flow during testing and training.

Bio-efficacy of Cuprous Oxide 86.2% Wg against Bacterial Blight, False Smut and Blast Diseases of Paddy

To know the effect of Cuprous oxide 86.2% WG on bacterial blight, false smut and blast diseases of rice crop the experiment was laid out with 8 treatments and replicated three times in RBD design at ARS, Gangavati during Kharif 2021-22 and Kharif 2022-23 cropping season. The variety BPT-5204 was sown with the spacing of 20 cm x 10 cm in plot size of 5 X 5 m2 with all regular agronomic practices followed as per the standard package of practice of University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur. During kharif 2021-22 and kharif 2022- 23, among all the treatments, Cuprous oxide 86.2% WG @ 1000 g/ha, reduced the blast disease to the minimum PDI of 14.37 and 13.15 per cent at 10th day observation after 3rd spray when compared with highest PDI of 35.62 and 32.56 per cent at 10th days after 3rd spray in control, respectively. Similar results were obtained during kharif 2021-22 and kharif 2022-23, Cuprous oxide 86.2% WG @ 1000 g/ha, reduced the bacterial blight disease to the minimum PDI of 7.92 and 8.90 per cent at 10th day observation after 3rd spray when compared to highest PDI of 33.56 and 38.30 per cent in control, respectively at 10th days after 3rd spray. Similarly, the incidence of false smut disease was 1.9 and 0.67 per cent when compared to control treatment with the severity of 40.47 and 31.41 per cent at 15 days before harvest with Cuprous oxide 86.2% WG @ 1000 g/ha during kharif 2021-22 kharif 2022-23, respectively. The higher grain yield of 58.00 and 58.80 q/ha was recorded with Cuprous oxide 86.2% WG @ 1000 g/ha during kharif 2021-22 and kharif 2022-23, respectively. Lowest yield of 35.10 q/ha and 35.40 q/ha was recorded in untreated control during both the season.

Penguatan Branding dan Digitalisasi Marketing UMKM Marning Desa Pontang, Kecamatan Ambulu, Kabupaten Jember

Village SDGs can be achieved with the synergy of various parties starting from government, academics and society. Through the Community Service Program implemented by academics including lecturers and students who are actively involved in community business development programs, it can help improve community welfare. This program is partnering with MSMEs Marning which is owned by Mr. Misladi in Pontang Village, Ambulu District, Jember. The partner problems are related to the lack of identity on the product, still using standard plastic packaging, and not being familiar with digital marketing. The solution provided to overcome this problem is to provide assistance in strengthening branding by creating product logos, updating packaging shapes, installing banners and registering businesses on Google Map. Assistance is also provided by providing insight into digital marketing to expand marketing.

INVESTIGATION OF THE WEAR PROCESS OF MIXER ELEMENTS USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Today, mechanical engineering is one of the dynamically developing sectors of the economy of Kazakhstan. Any production process involving machines imposes requirements for reliability and durability to ensure stable and trouble-free operation of technological processes. In this regard, ensuring the operational characteristics of machines for a long time is a key factor when choosing a manufacturer. The quality of the materials used in the production of machines significantly affects the service life and operational characteristics of machines. The wear of machine parts is one of the main causes of breakdowns and accidents. The financial costs of car repair items are quite large. To date, the wear control of the mixer elements, removable elements of the blades is carried out only visually and replacement occurs without a system, after complete abrasion or breakage. Since these elements are not always available in the warehouse of the enterprise, downtime of equipment can take a considerable time. Modeling of the wear process of mixer elements in the matlab program allowed us to develop a simulation model using the vibroacoustic control method. Analysis and processing of vibration signals is carried out using standard programs. The developed algorithm of the process of monitoring the wear of the mixer elements allows you to form a library of signals and noises, comparing them with the reference values of the signals, to determine the degree of wear of the mixer elements. The algorithm can be implemented on standard hardware and software devices. Keywords: Mixer, wear, model, control, matlab, management.

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE CARBAPENEMASE GENOTYPE AND PHENOTYPIC ANTIMICROBIAL PROFILES OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

The aim of the study was to determine the correspondence between the carbapenemase genotype and the phenotypic antimicrobial profiles of P. aeruginosa. Materials and methods. The study included 51 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, isolated from the patients with post-operative complications of the respiratory organs. The final identification of the obtained isolates was performed in the Riesbeck laboratory using MALDI-ToF (Bruker), followed by the determination of their sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs at the EUCAST Development Laboratory (Växjö, Sweden). Determination of the resistance genes was carried out by using polymerase chain reaction in real time (PCR-RF). The antimicrobial resistance index (ARI) was determined according to the method of G.V. de Socio. Statistical analysis was performed using the standard IBM SPSS Statistics software version 22.0 and GraphPad Prism Software 10.1.0. (USA, 2023). Results. 39 strains of P. aeruginosa (76.5%) showed polyresistance, and 26 of them (51.0%) were resistant to all antibiotics. According to research data, P. aeruginosa isolates most often carried the blaVIM gene. Genetically determined production of oxacillinase group -lactamase class D among clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa occurred somewhat less often. Based on the obtained results, four carbapenemase genetic resistotypes of P. aeruginosa as pathogens of respiratory tract complications in critically ill patients were established. We detected the antimicrobial resistance index (ARI) based on the phenotypic characteristics of P. aeruginosa at the level of 0.690.39. The phenomenon of statistically reliable correlation of the ARI of microorganisms by phenotypic characteristics with their carbapenemase genetic resistotypes was established. Conclusions. 76.5% of strains of P. aeruginosa show polyresistance, and 51.0% of them are resistant to all antibiotics. Four different carbapenemase genetic resistotypes of P. aeruginosa as pathogens of respiratory tract complications in critically ill patients were established. There is the phenomenon of statistically reliable correlation of the ARI of microorganisms by phenotypic characteristics with their carbapenemase genetic resistotypes.

Developing a union catalogue of Pakistani University libraries: status, problems, and prospects

PurposeThis study aims to examine the status, explores the hurdles and identifies the prospects for developing a union catalogue of university libraries in Lahore, Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a quantitative research approach, a questionnaire was developed from literature and authors’ experience. After ensuring its validity and reliability, data were collected from librarians after the census. A total of 105 librarians were approached, of whom 73 (71%) responded to the survey.FindingsUniversity libraries in Lahore are well organized, have adequate collections and information technology-literate staff, are well automated, have good internet connections, are equipped with integrated software, follow cataloguing rules and MARC standards; however, the absence of standardized software, lack of funds, absence of uniform policy, professional workload and absence of standardized vocabulary are significant challenges. Private-sector librarians reported facing more challenges. Librarians consider all prospects vital for developing a union catalogue. These prospects include the availability of relevant information, incentives to librarians, coordination with librarians, a realization that sharing is caring, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan taking initiative and librarians’ training.Research limitations/implicationsUniversity librarians in Lahore are ready to cooperate with the development of a union catalogue; however, they seek support from higher authorities, professional library associations and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first of its kind that examines the status, explores the hurdles and identifies the prospects for developing a union catalogue of university libraries in Lahore. It would lead to the development of a union catalogue of university libraries in Pakistan.