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Here is a clue: He is honored by his name being used for a tickborne protozoan infection. A) Emile Roux B) Victor Babes C) George Duncan D) Ronald Ross E) [...]

Abstract Background Worldwide, rural populations are recognized to be exposed to increased health challenges due to their living and working environment, socioeconomic status, and access to health services. According to the Romanian Country Health Profile 2023, approximately 46% of all deaths recorded in Romania in 2019 could be attributed to behavioral risk factors such as tobacco smoking, dietary risks, alcohol consumption and low physical activity. No data on rural versus urban areas are available to date, and research is needed to document health inequalities, identify barriers to health services, and explore solutions. Methods This study is an analysis of data collected during the Health Evaluation Survey carried out by the National Institute of Public Health in 2022 and aimed to reveal differences in health risk factors between rural and urban areas. The analysis was carried out under the methodological framework of the Health Evaluation Survey 2022, which is coordinated by the National Institute of Public Health. Results Our study’s objectively measured data revealed that the overall health profile of rural communities is characterized by lower education levels, lower incomes, and higher binge drinking rates than those of their urban counterparts. Additionally, rural inhabitants more often have high blood pressure, are more overweight and obese (per body mass index measurements) and have higher fasting plasma glucose. The health profile of the urban population revealed higher education levels and greater proportions of people with adequate monthly income, people with daily alcohol consumption, people who smoke, and people with hypercholesterolemia. Access to primary health care evaluated through proxy indicators was lower in rural areas but was relatively good overall. Conclusions Our analysis of the health profile of rural communities revealed a greater prevalence of obesity and overweight, especially among women, and an increased prevalence of heavy drinking among men. Access to primary health care evaluated through proxy indicators is lower in rural areas but is relatively good overall. Lower education levels and the possibility of lower health literacy underpin the need for targeted health education campaigns. Sustainable strategies for rural health need to be identified, especially in the field of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Trial registration This study is observational research involving human participants where no interventions were applied to the study population.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major public health problem worldwide, currently ranking third in cancer incidence and second in mortality. Multiple genes and environmental factors have been involved in the complex and multifactorial process of CRC carcinogenesis. VDR is an intracellular hormone receptor expressed in both normal epithelial and cancer colon cells at various levels. Several VDR gene polymorphisms, including FokI and BsmI, have been evaluated for their possible association with CRC susceptibility. The aim of our study was to investigate these two SNPs for the first time in Romanian CRC patients. FokI (rs228570 C>T) and BsmI (rs1544410 A>G) were genotyped by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 384-well plates using specific TaqMan predesigned probes on a ViiA™ 7 RT-PCR System. A total of 441 subjects (166 CRC patients and 275 healthy controls) were included. No statistically significant difference was observed between CRC patients and controls when we compared the wild-type genotype with heterozygous and mutant genotypes for both FokI (OR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.56–1.28; OR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.51–1.79, respectively) and BsmI (OR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.63–1.49; OR 1.10, 95% CI: 0.65–1.87, respectively) or in the dominant and recessive models. Also, we compared allele frequencies, and no correlation was found. Moreover, the association between these SNPs and the tumor site, TNM stage, and histological type was examined separately, and there was no statistically significant difference. In conclusion, our study did not show any association between FokI and BsmI SNPs and CRC susceptibility in a Romanian population. Further studies including a larger number of samples are needed to improve our knowledge regarding the influence of VDR polymorphism on CRC susceptibility.

This study examines the relationship between permissive parenting style and atypical behaviour in preschool children, focusing on the mediating role of generalized anxiety. A community sample of 293 children, aged 3-5 years, were tested with measures assessed by parents and teachers. Regression analyses were employed. The psychometric tests used were: "Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire -- Mother Form," "Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition," "Teacher Rating Scale, and Preschool Anxiety Scale -- Parent version." Children whose parents have a permissive parenting style exhibit a high level of atypical behaviour, and a very high level of generalized anxiety. Generalized anxiety adds significant explanatory variance for atypical behaviour in preschool children over and above permissive parenting style. Generalized anxiety has a partial mediating effect on the relationship between father's permissive parenting style and atypical behaviour and a total mediating effect on the relationship between mother's permissive parenting style and atypical behaviour.

Multicultural education is a critical issue in increasingly heterogeneous modern societies. Multicultural values must be instilled early to build understanding, appreciation, and positive attitudes towards cultural diversity. One effective approach is to explore local wisdom within communities. This qualitative case study examines the multicultural values embedded in the Nguras Enceh tradition at the Mataram Kings' Cemetery Complex in Imogiri, representing a unique form of local wisdom in Yogyakarta. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentary studies during the Nguras Enceh tradition. From the perspective of citizenship education, the values of togetherness, cooperation, tolerance, and respect for diversity in the Nguras Enceh tradition serve as important assets for instilling multicultural attitudes and national identity among the younger generation. This research demonstrates that the Nguras Enceh tradition is not merely a cultural heritage but also contains noble values that align with efforts to strengthen good citizenship following the spirit of multiculturalism and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity). The results of this study underscore the importance of appreciating and preserving local wisdom as a medium for learning multicultural values in the context of citizenship education at local, national, and global levels. Integrating local wisdom into citizenship education curricula can strengthen the inculcation of citizenship values that are more contextual, meaningful, and applicable in students' daily lives.

Every individual is entitled to education, protection, and respect regardless of race, religion, gender, group, or social status. Bullying in schools violated the right to a safe and comfortable learning environment. Human Rights, which were inherent from birth, could not be taken away. This research resulted in a fable book that showed how negotiation could resolve conflicts and prevent bullying among early children in kindergarten. The study aimed to analyze and describe the feasibility of the fable book in stimulating the moral development of young children. The research methodology used was R&D with a 4D model, consisting of Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate. The steps in creating the fable book were: 1) Define: analyzed the needs for the fable book medium; 2) Design: created a storyline (storyboard) and designed the necessary elements; 3) Develop: the process of creating the medium; 4) Disseminate: conducted a small-scale trial with 8 students at TK Khoiru Banisaderi. Data collection in this study used interview, unstructured observation, documentation and expert validation questionnaire. Product feasibility validation was conducted by media experts, content experts, and through small group trials at TK Khoiru Banisaderi. The validation results were: 90% from media experts, 92.5% from content experts, and 91% based on students’ responses. Therefore, the book was considered suitable as a medium to stimulate the moral development of young children.

School accreditation as a quality assurance system for education in Indonesia aims to assure the entire community that education is professional and quality. The accreditation process requires serious efforts from all relevant parties so that the accreditation value becomes a reflection of the quality of the school being assessed. This study explores teachers' views on school accreditation as a quality assurance system for education in Indonesia based on their experiences. The problem of this research is how Indonesian teachers view school accreditation based on their experiences. This study used qualitative research methods. Participants were determined by purposive sampling, namely as many as two principals and eight teachers. We collected the data through individual in-depth interviews. The results of the study show that, in general: (1) the participants view that fulfilling the evidence of accreditation performance is not easy; (2) school accreditation as a school quality assurance system has been carried out according to standards and is transparent; and (3) the value of school accreditation plays a role in influencing public interest in making decisions about the destination school where their children study. Thus, all participants recognize the school accreditation system as a quality assurance system trusted by process and results.

The main process carried out by the retail industry is distribution. The distribution flow starts from receiving goods from suppliers by the receiving division, the picking process carried out by the warehouse division, sending goods to retailers carried out by the distribution and delivery division, as well as receiving returned/returned goods (unsold goods) from retailers by the returns division. The problem faced by the retail industry is the high value of returned products identified as inventory. From the results of problem identification using the six sigma method, it was found that the cause of the high inventory of returned products was the late arrival of returned goods from retailers. In general, returned goods can be returned to the supplier/manufacturer if the maximum expiration date is 3 months. If the expiration date is less than 3 months, the item cannot be returned/replaced with a new product. Delays are caused by the system for checking returned goods that are nearing their expiry date, which is still done manually, so there is no system that can warn retail employees to immediately return the returned goods. This problem can be avoided if there is a product identification system that will expire. This identification system is called an early warning system. Early signal system design uses the Structured Analyzed and Design Technique (SADT) design method. The operating system chosen is Android base. The use of the Android base was chosen because it is more effective and efficient for use in retail branches or retail industry outlets. The process of creating this early signal system uses a MySQL database. The application creation process uses PHP and Android Studio. With an early signal system, delays in returning goods by retailers can be minimized.

Social moral obligation, its automatism and false faces, declarative and regulatory laws, the individual and social ego, collective solidarity and the pulsation of creative emotion, intelligent and instinctual society, open and closed social dynamics, Divinity as a transcendent religious reference point and Reason as the limit of moral-philosophical endeavors - all these concepts and themes are just a few of the major subjects that crystallize Bergsonian vitalism's conception, a conception that cannot be identified with religious forms of metaphysical approach but clearly approaches the scenario of thought and experience proposed by these forms. This text attempts to capture such a similarity and dialectical interplay between the concepts evoked above.

International military relations are complexly determined by the strategic and political framework of cooperation, and by the dynamics of diplomatic relations within the volatile geostrategic and geopolitical context, with relevance and impact at the regional, European, and trans-Atlantic levels. In this context, the present paperwork aims to disseminate the most efficient methods and tools through which the military higher education institutions can contribute to the enrichment of international military cooperation policies, directly by stimulating the academic process of internationalization, which is extremely beneficial for promoting higher standards in the harmonized training of military personnel, in line with the updated technical, technological, and operational requirements at the European and international levels. For this purpose, the authors have considered the present importance of the Internationalization process of the Higher Education System, aiming to offer a strategic instrument for conceiving an operational framework in designing the qualitative and quantitative expressions of international actions, as part of the institutional strategic plan and medium and long run perspectives. The article represents in fact, the first step toward a wider research, where the authors are aiming to identify the way in which the internationalization process can bring a competitive advantage on the academic services sector. The examples are brought from the Military Higher Education System, where the academic, training and research services are connected to a higher level of international affairs and diplomacy, the present paperwork configuring the prior analysis of how the internationalization strategy could became a strong vector for international cooperation process.

Civil Servants (PNS) are still often associated with negative views such as corruption, collusion, nepotism, lack of discipline, lack of competence, lengthy bureaucracy and inefficiency. Several factors are thought to have an influence on the performance of civil servants, including education and training, discussing studies on the Analysis of Technical Human Resource Development for General Administration of Civil Servants Group II and III. The aim of increasing the competency of civil servants, especially groups II and III, is that they are able to carry out their duties professionally. The method used is mix methods. The approach applied is a descriptive approach, which aims to obtain an in-depth understanding of the qualitative and quantitative aspects of competency and the population consists of 85 Class II civil servants and 91 Class III employees. So, in total, there were 176 people who were respondents in the scale distribution. The results of the study show that 1) General Administration Competencies are required by class II and III civil servants regardless of educational background; 2) Class II civil servants must have 11 aspects of competency including main tasks, teamwork and communication; 3) Class III civil servants need to have 18 aspects of competency including duties, management, technology and conflict; 4) Competency measurement is carried out through self-assessment; 5) The majority of class II civil servants are quite competent but require improvement; 6) Training needs for class II civil servants including communication, problem solving and technical; 7) Development of class III civil servants including communication, decision making and technical matters; 8) Increasing the competency of class II civil servants through strategic planning monitoring, good working relationships and awards; 9) Increasing the competency of class III civil servants through strategic planning monitoring, problem handling and conflict resolution.

Establishing a cultural community becomes a valuable asset capable of supporting the dissemination of cultural values. The community in Kampung Adat Cireundeu Village, Cimahi City has long upheld traditional values. This research aims to explain how the Cireundeu community can preserve and maintain its culture despite the absence of an official adat leader. Using a qualitative method with a case study approach, data collection techniques were derived from interviews, observations, and documentation studies. This research found that the Cireundeu community successfully overcame this challenge through collective leadership mechanisms and the use of modern technology. Community figures, including elders and the deputy adat leader, play a crucial role in preserving customs and traditions through the effective distribution of responsibilities and active involvement in various customary activities. Despite facing some obstacles, such as uncertainty in decision-making and suboptimal coordination, the Cireundeu community has adopted adaptive strategies that allow them to maintain cultural preservation and ensure their social continuity. This research demonstrates that even without an Indigenous leader, community strength, local figures, and local innovation can support cultural preservation in sustaining the Indigenous community.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efektivitas strategi pemasaran digital yang diterapkan oleh Batik Cipaku dalam meningkatkan penjualan dan mempertahankan eksistensinya di pasar yang kompetitif. Di era digital saat ini, perkembangan internet telah mendorong pergeseran gaya hidup dan kebiasaan berbelanja masyarakat dari metode tradisional (offline) ke metode digital (online). Batik Cipaku Bandung memanfaatkan berbagai platform media sosial seperti Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok untuk menjangkau konsumen dan mempromosikan produknya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi pemasaran digital yang diterapkan Batik Cipaku efektif dalam meningkatkan jumlah penjualan. Kepercayaan konsumen meningkat karena produk yang dijual sesuai dengan spesifikasi yang tercantum di media sosial dan pengiriman barang yang tepat waktu. Batik Cipaku juga berhasil menggabungkan pemasaran online dan offline melalui toko fisik, partisipasi dalam pameran seni dan kerajinan, serta kolaborasi dengan desainer lokal, yang semakin memperluas jangkauan pasarnya. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa penerapan strategi pemasaran digital yang tepat dapat membantu perusahaan batik seperti Batik Cipaku untuk tetap kompetitif dan relevan di pasar. Strategi pemasaran yang berfokus pada nilai-nilai budaya dan kualitas produk terbukti efektif dalam menarik minat konsumen dan memposisikan Batik Cipaku sebagai salah satu pemain kunci di industri batik Indonesia.

Since the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system of the face (SMAS) of the face is still controversial, we intend to highlight the anatomical and especially vascular differences that exist between different regions of the face. Material and Methods We performed dissection and we examined intraoperatively the oral region, achieving particular aspects. We used HE stain technique as well as IHC particular markers for detecting endhotelial cells, collagen type III fibers and muscle fibers. Results The dissection showed that SMAS presents different areas regarding the mobility. The central portion of each hemifacies presents the greatest degree of mobility and peripheral portions are fixed, as a result of the existence of mounting configurations, skin muscle insertions, but also the different thickness of infraSMAS layer. Discussions The existence of a well established subcutaneous fat layer leaves the facial expressions muscles of without antigravitational support. The density, distribution and topograhpy of the blood vessels differes from a region to another. Conclussions Our results lead to specific improvements of the SMAS surgery and the issues that allow different surgical techniques of mobilization and repositioning of folds in perioral surgery, for reconstruction or face lifting.

Objective: This study examines the relationship between anxious thoughts and well-being, with physical symptoms and sadness rumination as mediators, in young people who suffer from anxiety in the first two years after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A community sample of 198 participants, 94 males and 104 females, aged between 19 and 35 years, all of them experiencing an anxiety disorder in their past, answered an online survey during the years 2022–2023. The instruments were the Rumination of Sadness and Anger Questionnaire, The Burns Inventory, and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale. The data analysis used hierarchical regression. Results: The results show that the conditional indirect effects of anxious thoughts on well-being are statistically significant (β = −0.29, SE = 0.08, p < 0.001) for high physical symptoms of anxiety (β = 0.25, SE = 0.11, p < 0.001) and for high sadness rumination (β = −0.82, SE = 0.04, p < 0.001). Physical symptoms of anxiety (β = 0.25, SE = 0.11, p < 0.001) and sadness rumination (β = 0.05, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001) have a partial serially mediating effect on the relationship between anxious thoughts and well-being (β = −0.74, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001).

An ectopic thyroid (ET) involves numerous scenarios of detection and outcomes, while its current management is not standardised. A mediastinal ET (MET) represents a low index of suspicion. In this paper, we introduce a 47-year-old female who was accidentally identified with an MET, and a modern surgical approach was provided. An anterior mediastinal mass of 3.2 cm was found at CT upon a prior COVID-19 infection. Previous to the infection, she experienced non-specific complaints for a few months (intermittent night sweats, facial erythema, chest pressure, and dyspnoea). Also, CT identified a thymus-like mass and a left adrenal incidentaloma of 3 cm. The endocrine panel was normal, and the subject declined further investigations. She was re-admitted 12 months later: the MET had increased +1 cm (+45% volume) and was confirmed at a 99mTc pertechnetate scintigraphy. Noting the symptoms, mediastinal anatomy, and size change, the MET was removed via a minimally invasive trans-cervical approach (eutopic gland preservation) with the help of a Cooper thymectomy retractor (which also allowed for a synchronous thymus mass resection). No post-operatory complications were registered, the thyroid function remained normal, and the mentioned symptoms were remitted. A histological exam confirmed a benign MET and thymus hyperplasia, respectively. To conclude, this case pinpoints important aspects, such as the clinical picture became clear only upon thoracic surgery due to the complete remission of the complaints that initially seemed widely non-specific. The incidental MET finding was associated with a second (adrenal) incidentaloma, a scenario that might not be so rare, following multiple imaging scans amid the COVID-19 era (no common pathogenic traits have been identified so far). The co-presence of a thymus mass represented one more argument for surgery. Minimally invasive cervicotomy associated with eutopic gland conservation and the use of a Cooper thymectomy retractor highlight modern aspects in video-assisted thoracic surgery, which provided an excellent outcome, involving one of the lowest mediastinal thyroids to be removed by this specific procedure. Awareness of such unusual entities helps inform individualised, multidisciplinary decisions for optimum prognoses.

Background and Objectives: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a multifactorial condition, encompassing genetic, anatomical, immunological, endocrine, as well as infectious and environmental factors; however, the etiology remains elusive in a substantial number of cases. Genetic factors linked to RPL include parental karyotype abnormalities (e.g., translocations, inversions, copy number variants), an increase in sperm aneuploidy, fetal microchimerism, severe skewing of X chromosome inactivation, and various gene polymorphisms. Our study aims to explore the value of routine conventional parental karyotyping in couples with RPL. Materials and Methods: A total of 213 couples (426 individuals) with a history of RPL were enrolled in this retrospective study. The peripheral blood samples included in this study were referred to the Human Genomics Laboratory of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Craiova, Romania, for conventional cytogenetic analysis between January 2013 and December 2023, by the Outpatient Medical Genetics Clinic of the Emergency Clinical County Hospital of Craiova. Chromosome analysis was performed using standard protocols and karyotypes were reported according to ISCN. Results: Out of 426 patients provided with conventional G-banded chromosome analysis, 410 had a normal karyotype (96.2%) and 16 had chromosome abnormalities (3.8%). The most common chromosomal abnormalities were reciprocal and Robertsonian translocations, with chromosomes 8, 11, 14, and 21 being most frequently involved. A single numerical anomaly was detected (47,XYY). One or multiple chromosomal polymorphisms were identified in 104 subjects (24.4%). In addition, we conducted a stratified analysis of the unselected group and detected chromosome abnormalities in only four cases (0.94%). Conclusions: Our results are consistent with recommendations for paternal karyotyping after an individual risk assessment in instances such as a previous live birth with congenital anomalies and/or the detection of unbalanced chromosomes or a translocation in product of conception or chorionic villi/amniotic fluid samples. In the absence of a positive history, blindly karyotyping couples may prove too expensive and labor intensive, while providing no information on fertility status or live birth rates.

Objectives: Presently, data on the vascularization of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system of the face (SMAS) are lacking. Thus, the present study aimed to provide new conclusive data about the topography, density, and relationship of the SMAS blood vessels with other components, namely, the fibrous connective tissue and muscles. Methods: The study included a control lot of 42 cases from the archive of the radiology department. In this group, nuclear magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed in order to identify the main sources of vascular supply. In the second group, tissue samples were collected from the midfacial region of 45 patients from the Oro-Maxillo-Facial and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery clinics of ‘St. Spiridon’ County Clinical Emergency Hospital, Iasi. These patients received surgery for excision of tumoral formations that did not involve SMAS components. These samples underwent micro-CT analysis, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, as well as immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for collagen type III, muscle tissue, and the vascular endothelium. Results: We discovered the particular way in which the SMAS components interrelate with vascularization and the regional differences between them. We have discovered a new vascular network specific to the SMAS, highlighted by both the micro-CT technique and microscopy on slides with special IHC staining. Significant differences were observed in the topographic arrangement, density, and relationships of the microscopic vasculature across midfacial regions. IHC staining provided morphological and functional information about the structure and vascularization of SMAS. Conclusions: The MRA technique could not detect the structural blood vessels of the SMAS and other methods for their in vivo visualization must be sought. The blood vessels of the SMAS mainly follow the topography of the muscle fibers. From the SMAS layer where they are found, the distribution branches reach the stroma of the region and the hypoderm. Our data can contribute to the development of surgical techniques tailored to each individual patient, as well as the enhancement of methods for stimulating cutaneous angiogenesis, improving scarring in this region, and advancing biotissue engineering techniques.