Subgroup Detection in Ideological Discussions

The rapid and continuous growth of social networking sites has led to the emergence of many communities of communicating groups. Many of these groups discuss ideological and political topics. It is not uncommon that the participants in such discussions split into two or more subgroups. The members of each subgroup share the same opinion toward the discussion topic and are more likely to agree with members of the same subgroup and disagree with members from opposing subgroups. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised approach for automatically detecting discussant subgroups in online communities. We analyze the text exchanged between the participants of a discussion to identify the attitude they carry toward each other and towards the various aspects of the discussion topic. We use attitude predictions to construct an attitude vector for each discussant. We use clustering techniques to cluster these vectors and, hence, determine the subgroup membership of each participant. We compare our methods to text clustering and other baselines, and show that our method achieves promising results

Some Biochemical Changes Associated with Taking Oral Contraceptive Pills among Healthy Women in Gaza City

Aim: To evaluate some biochemical changes associated with oral contraceptive (OC) pills administration on healthy women in Gaza City (GC). Methodology: The study design was a case control. The sample size was 80 healthy women aged 20-35 years from the Swidey Clinic who had taken OC pills for at least three continuous cycles. The control sample was healthy married women who were not going on OC before and match the cases in age and residence. The study questionnaire included issues about the following information: age, gender, weight, height, health history, blood pressure, Nature of menstrual cycle, bleeding, insomnia, pain in the stomach, difficulty in breath, pain in hands and feet, appetite and headaches. Blood parameters analysis of the study population included complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), high density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), and triacylglycerol (TAG). Leptin determination was carried out using a commercially available diagnostic system test kits. SPSS were used to analyze obtained data. Results: The results showed statistically significant differences among study population with respect to regular of menstrual cycle (MC) (c2=5.371, P= 0.024), increased appetite (c2= 4.386, P= 0.002), increased headache (c2= 6.82, P= 0.000), increased body mass index (c2= 7.31, P= 0.015), cholesterol were significantly higher among the cases compared to control (179.1± 4.3mg/dl vs 157.5± 4.12mg/dl, and p=0.000), LDL-C were significantly higher among the cases compared to control (97.6±3.8mg/dl vs 86.2± 3.4 mg/dl, and p=0.002), increased C-reactive protein (c2= 5.381, p= 0.034), there were a significant increase in the mean level of leptin among the cases compared to the controls (36.3± 2.3 ng/ml vs. 28.6± 2.1 ng/ml, and p= 0.003), and the levels of WBC, Gran and Mch were significantly higher among the cases (7.2±2.1 K/µL, 60.7±8.3 % and 26.9±2.2pg) compared to the controls (6.6±1.7 K/µL, 54.9±11.7 % and 25.7±3.4 pg), with p=0.001, p=0.000 and p=0.003, respectively. In contrast, the results showed no statistically significant differences among the study population with respect to frequency of bleeding (c2=0.192, P=0.135), frequency of insomnia (c2=0.411, P=0.353), pain in stomach (c2=0.386, P=0.183), difficulty in breathing(c2=0.497, P= 0.209), frequency of pain in hands and feet (c2=0.631, P= 0.309), Systolic blood pressure ((c2=2.351, P=0.139 ), diastolic blood pressure (c2=1.372, P=0.382 ), HDL-c (51.2±1.7mg/dl vs 47.6±1.3mg/dl and p=0.148), TAG (119.2± 6.0mg/dl vs 108.2± 8.6 mg/dl and p=0.218), the changes among the study population in Mid, RBc, Hb, Hct, Mcv, Mchc and PLt (7.8±8.7 %, 4.6±0.7M/µL,12.2±0.9g/dl, 38.0±2.4%, 80.8±11.9fl, 32.5±1.1g/dl and 279.3±87.6K/µL) compared to control were not significant (8.6±6.6 %, 4.6±0.47M/µL, 12.3±1.1g/dl, 37.5±3.7%, 80.6±8.5fl, 32.3±1.7g/dl and 267.8±74.0 K/µL), with p=0.352, p=0.394, p=0.387, p=0.571, p=0.415, p=0.272 and p=0.185, respectively. Moreover, the results showed strong correlation between BMI and leptin (p= 0.000) among the study population

A deep learning energy-based method for classical elastoplasticity

The deep energy method (DEM) has been used to solve the elastic deformation of structures with linear elasticity, hyperelasticity, and strain-gradient elasticity material models based on the principle of minimum potential energy. In this work, we extend DEM to elastoplasticity problems involving path dependence and irreversibility. A loss function inspired by the discrete variational formulation of plasticity is proposed. The radial return algorithm is coupled with DEM to update the plastic internal state variables without violating the Kuhn-Tucker consistency conditions. Finite element shape functions and their gradients are used to approximate the spatial gradients of the DEM-predicted displacements, and Gauss quadrature is used to integrate the loss function. Four numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the use of the framework, such as generating stress-strain curves in cyclic loading, material heterogeneity, performance comparison with other physics-informed methods, and simulation/inference on unstructured meshes. In all cases, the DEM solution shows decent accuracy compared to the reference solution obtained from the finite element method. The current DEM model marks the first time that energy-based physics-informed neural networks are extended to plasticity, and offers promising potential to effectively solve elastoplasticity problems from scratch using deep neural networks

Determinanții sociali la pacienții cu tuberculoză pulmonară

Introduction. People with social vulnerability, such as those without a place for living, migrants, unemployed, and marginalized by addictive behaviors have a high risk for tuberculosis. Objective of the study. The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of the social determinants in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Material and methods. A retrospective, selective, longitudinal study was performed that included 419 patients diagnosed with tuberculosis and registered with a socially vulnerable state in Chisinau during 2017-2019. Results. According to the sex distribution, it was identified that the ratio men/ women consisted 3.5/1; the age group of 35-54 years was prevailed with 226 (54%) cases, followed by the age group of 18-35 years with 125 (30%) cases and the group of 55+ years – with 56 (16%) cases. Unemployed were 328 (78%), low level of education had 342 (82%) cases and poor living conditions had 281 (67%) cases. There were in detention 41 (9%) cases and recently migrated were 53 (13%) cases. Harmful habits such as chronic alcoholism had 61 (15%) cases and patients who are addicted to drugs – 7 (2%) cases. HIV/AIDS was diagnosed in 52 (12%) cases, mental disorders – in 14 (5%) cases, malnourished were 32 (7.6%) patients, undernourished – 28% cases. 48 (11%) cases were in tuberculosis contact. Conclusions. The social determinants of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were dominated by unemployment, low level of education and poor living conditions, which often were associated with harmful habits, TB contact, undernourished and HIV-infection.Introducere. Persoanele cu vulnerabilitate socială, precum cele fără loc de trai, marginalizate prin comportamente adictive și migranți constituie un risc sporit de îmbolnăvire de tuberculoză. Scopul. Scopul a fost de a evalua distribuția determinanților sociali la pacienții cu tuberculoză pulmonară. Material și metode. A fost efectuat un studiu retrospectiv, selectiv, descriptiv care a inclus 419 pacienți diagnosticați cu tuberculoză pulmonară și care au fost înregistrați cu un statut social vulnerabil în Chișinău în perioada 2017-2019. Rezultate. Distribuind pacienții în dependență de sex, am identificat că raportul bărbați/femei a constituit 3,5/1, a predominat grupul de vârstă 35-54 ani cu 226 (54%) cazuri, urmat de grupul de vârstă 18-35 ani cu 125 (30%) cazuri și grupul de vârstă 55+ ani – cu 56 (16%) cazuri. Șomeri au constituit 328 (78%) cazuri, nivelul scăzut de studii au avut 342 (82%) cazuri, condiții de viață sărace – 281 (67%) cazuri. Au fost în detenție 41 (9%) cazuri și au migrat recent 53 (13%) cazuri. Deprinderi nocive ca alcoolism cronic au avut 61 (15%) cazuri și au utilizat droguri 7 (2%) pacienți. HIV/SIDA s-a diagnosticat la 52 (12%) pacienți, tulburări psihice – la 14 (5%) cazuri, malnutriți au fost 32 (7,6%) pacienți și subnutriți – 28% cazuri. În contact tuberculos au fost 48 (11%) cazuri. Concluzii. Determinanții sociali la pacienții cu tuberculoză pulmonară au fost dominați de șomaj, nivel redus de școlarizare, condiții nesatisfăcătoare de trai, care frecvent s-au asociat cu deprinderi nocive, contactul tuberculos, subnutriția și infecția HIV

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS IN PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Universitatea de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu”, Chişinău, Republica MoldovaIntroducere. Persoanele cu vulnerabilitate socială, precum cele fără loc de trai, marginalizate prin comportamente adictive și migranți constituie un risc sporit de îmbolnăvire de tuberculoză. Scopul. Scopul a fost de a evalua distribuția determinanților sociali la pacienții cu tuberculoză pulmonară. Material și metode. A fost efectuat un studiu retrospectiv, selectiv, descriptiv care a inclus 419 pacienți diagnosticați cu tuberculoză pulmonară și care au fost înregistrați cu un statut social vulnerabil în Chișinău în perioada 2017-2019. Rezultate. Distribuind pacienții în dependență de sex, am identificat că raportul bărbați/femei a constituit 3,5/1, a predominat grupul de vârstă 35-54 ani cu 226 (54%) cazuri, urmat de grupul de vârstă 18-35 ani cu 125 (30%) cazuri și grupul de vârstă 55+ ani – cu 56 (16%) cazuri. Șomeri au constituit 328 (78%) cazuri, nivelul scăzut de studii au avut 342 (82%) cazuri, condiții de viață sărace – 281 (67%) cazuri. Au fost în detenție 41 (9%) cazuri și au migrat recent 53 (13%) cazuri. Deprinderi nocive ca alcoolism cronic au avut 61 (15%) cazuri și au utilizat droguri 7 (2%) pacienți. HIV/SIDA s-a diagnosticat la 52 (12%) pacienți, tulburări psihice – la 14 (5%) cazuri, malnutriți au fost 32 (7,6%) pacienți și subnutriți – 28% cazuri. În contact tuberculos au fost 48 (11%) cazuri. Concluzii. Determinanții sociali la pacienții cu tuberculoză pulmonară au fost dominați de șomaj, nivel redus de școlarizare, condiții nesatisfăcătoare de trai, care frecvent s-au asociat cu deprinderi nocive, contactul tuberculos, subnutriția și infecția HIV.Introduction. People with social vulnerability, such as those without a place for living, migrants, unemployed, and marginalized by addictive behaviors have a high risk for tuberculosis. Objective of the study. The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of the social determinants in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Material and methods. A retrospective, selective, longitudinal study was performed that included 419 patients diagnosed with tuberculosis and registered with a socially vulnerable state in Chisinau during 2017-2019. Results. According to the sex distribution, it was identified that the ratio men/ women consisted 3.5/1; the age group of 35-54 years was prevailed with 226 (54%) cases, followed by the age group of 18-35 years with 125 (30%) cases and the group of 55+ years – with 56 (16%) cases. Unemployed were 328 (78%), low level of education had 342 (82%) cases and poor living conditions had 281 (67%) cases. There were in detention 41 (9%) cases and recently migrated were 53 (13%) cases. Harmful habits such as chronic alcoholism had 61 (15%) cases and patients who are addicted to drugs – 7 (2%) cases. HIV/AIDS was diagnosed in 52 (12%) cases, mental disorders – in 14 (5%) cases, malnourished were 32 (7.6%) patients, undernourished – 28% cases. 48 (11%) cases were in tuberculosis contact. Conclusions. The social determinants of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were dominated by unemployment, low level of education and poor living conditions, which often were associated with harmful habits, TB contact, undernourished and HIV-infection

Comparison of Methods for Purification of DNA From Rice

Three techniques were employed to purify genomic DNA from deomstic rice (Oryza sativa L). Following extraction, the DNA was electrophoresed through agarose to determine its integrity. We determined that spooling yielded better quality, through lower quantity DNA than either of the other two techniques

Evaluation of Direct Immunofluorescence Test with PCR for Detection of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus during 2009 Pandemic

During the 2009 novel influenza (H1N1) pandemic, the sensitivity of direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA) for H1N1 infection was 62% (266/429) of that of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The sensitivity of the DFA differed significantly with the age of patients: the sensitivity was the highest (71.8%) for patients aged <10 years and the lowest for patients aged ≥30 years. The sensitivity of DFA in patients aged ≥30 years was 40.7%. Furthermore, the sensitivity (67.3%, 171/254) of DFA was higher for patients who had a high temperature at admission. An increase in the incidence of H1N1 infection did not influence the sensitivity of DFA (62.1% vs. 62%; p=0.984) test, but resulted in a decrease in the negative predictive value, from 92.4% (700/757) to 69.6% (247/355). PCR may be useful as the initial test for diagnosing H1N1 infection in patients aged ≥30 years with a normal temperature at presentation

Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in ulcerative colitis patients in Jordan and its relationship to patient-reported disease activity

Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to the general population. We aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with ulcerative colitis and correlation to disease activity. In this cross-sectional study, we collected data from 70 consecutive ulcerative colitis patients over one year at our inflammatory bowel disease outpatient clinic through an interview and a questionnaire containing patient demographics and disease characteristics. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were characterized using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively, with ulcerative colitis disease severity assessed by the Partial Mayo scoring system. The majority of our patients were females (68.6%) and the mean age was 39.3 years. Rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms among ulcerative colitis patients were 65.7% and 58.6%, respectively. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with patient-reported disease activity (r = 0.361; p = 0.010). Significant percentages of ulcerative colitis patients were appreciated to have anxiety and depressive symptoms, and there was a correlation between patient-reported disease activity and depressive symptoms. At this high rate of prevalence, it is justified to screen patients for the presence of psychiatric comorbidities

Knowledge Management Processes and Their Role in Enhancing the Strategic Decision-Making Process - An Applied Study at Al-Azhar University - Gaza

This study aimed to highlight the nature of the relationship between knowledge management and the strategic decision-making process, considering that strategic decisions are formulated and made based on a specific knowledge perspective. The study targeted the university management, deans of faculties, and college directors at Al-Azhar University - Gaza. The study followed a descriptive-analytical approach, and data was collected through a questionnaire designed to cover six dimensions related to knowledge management processes and an axis related to strategic decision-making. The data was analyzed using various statistical methods. The study results showed a statistically significant positive relationship between the role of knowledge management processes and activating the strategic decision-making process at Al-Azhar University - Gaza. The study recommended that the university pay more attention to the processes of knowledge awareness and application as they serve as the link between existing knowledge and the creation of good knowledge. Furthermore, these processes are considered the essential means through which the university improves the effectiveness of strategic decisions and enhances its position

The Reality of Spreading the Culture of Entrepreneurship and Proposals for Activating It (An Applied Study on the University of Al-Azhar in Gaza)

The study aimed to investigate the reality of spreading the culture of entrepreneurship at Al-Azhar University from the point of view of students of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and diagnose the most important obstacles that limit its activation. The researchers used the descriptive approach (survey) to achieve the objectives of the study, and relied on the questionnaire as a tool for applied study. The study concluded that: The reality of spreading the culture of entrepreneurship at Al-Azhar University from the point of view of the students participating in the study came with an average degree of approval, while the most important obstacles and possible proposals for activating it came with a high degree of approval, which indicates the existence of strengths of Al-Azhar University in spreading the culture of entrepreneurship among students. Deficiencies must be corrected through proposals. In light of the results of the study, it was possible to develop a number of recommendations that can contribute to activating the culture of entrepreneurship at Al-Azhar University. Including the establishment of a specialized center for entrepreneurship within the university, develop a declared strategic plan to spread and develop the culture of entrepreneurship, allocate a sufficient budget to sponsor and support entrepreneurial ideas and projects for students and provide specialized cadres and certified trainers in the field of entrepreneurship