bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collaborative research efforts and related activities of the Office of Rare Diseases Research at the USA National Institutes of Health
Authors: Groft Stephen C.
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Rare diseases present unique challenges to meet the numerous and varied needs of the rarediseases community and it is required to identify and address these needs. Significant financial andpersonnel resources are required to address these needs identified. The Office of Rare Diseases Research(ORDR) at the USA National Institutes of Health (NIH) has attempted to meet many of these needs incollaborative efforts with the research Institutes and Centers of NIH and other partners in the private andpublic sectors in the USA and around the world. Several of the activities of the NIH and the ORDR arepresented as possible collaborative efforts available to research investigators and include the Rare DiseasesClinical Research Network, the Bench-to-Bedside research program at NIH, the Genetic and Rare DiseasesInformation center, the genetic test development program, and the information on clinical research studiesmade available through Clinical trials.gov. The value of an appropriate family medical history is discussed asare the provisions of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). Definitions of rare ororphan diseases vary from country to country and may cause some confusion to the rare diseases community.Conclusions: Rare diseases are not limited by geographical or historical boundaries and global partnershipsof the rare diseases community are experiencing rapid expansion to assist in the development of orphanproducts for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases and conditions. The unmet needs of therare diseases community require additional innovative research and educational programs to reach theextensive global populations affected by the thousands of different rare diseases including activities with theNational Organization for Rare Disorders and the Genetic Alliance.
Evaluation of radon levels in indoor gymnasia of Palermo (Sicily) and Sassari (Sardinia)
Authors: Firenze Alberto , Calamusa Giuseppe , Amodio Emanuele , Morici Mariagrazia , Di Paquale Maria , Mazzucco Walter , Azara Antonio , Muresu Elena , Dettori Marco , Maida Giorgio , Gelsomino Viviana , Vitale Francesco
Published: June 2024

Background: In the last decades, there has been increased worldwide interest in the management of healthrisks from indoor radon.Methods: From 2006 to 2008, a survey on air radon levels was carried out in a total of 57 indoor gymnasiarespectively located in the urban area of Palermo (Sicily) and Sassari (Sardinia).Results: The indoor radon levels were generally low with different geometric means in the two geographicareas (14.3 Bq/m3 in Palermo and 36 Bq/m3 in Sassari, respectively). Overall, in both groups increasingvalues of radon were found during the night and the early morning, with radon concentrations significantlylower during working time than at other times. The analysis of structural parameters showed that directcontact with the soil significantly correlated with increased levels of radon in gymnasia located in Palermo’sarea (p<0.05). Furthermore, higher radon levels in Sicilian structures were also associated, although notsignificantly, with lack of sumps (19.3 vs 12.9 Bq/m3), location below the ground level (18.8 vs 8.7 Bq/m3),lack of windows (25 vs 13.2 Bq/m3), presence of forced ventilation (15.5 vs 7.3 Bq/m3) and with cracks ormoisture tracks (15.7 vs 13.2 Bq/m3).Conclusions: Radon tends to accumulate in indoor sites and it’s monitoring, especially in buildings withpotentially overcrowded conditions, could be of public health interest. Mitigation measures and minimizationof the number of structural and functional risk parameters should be strongly encouraged in order to limitradon accumulation especially in countries with higher radium concentration in the soil.
The Mantel-Haenszel procedure. 50 years of the statistical method for confounders control
Authors: Mannocci Alice
Published: June 2024

The Mantel Haenszel procedure represents a simple and useful tool to obtain estimates of association, adjusted for the effect of one or more confounders. Nathan Mantel (1919-2002) was a biostatistician. In 1947 he was hired as a member of a new biometry group at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the National Institute of Health (NIH), Maryland, and in this time he collaborated with William M Haenszel (1910-1998). Haenszel, who was a sociologist, mathematician and statistician, had been working on interpreting the case-control studies of the connection between smoking and lung cancer, requested Mantel’s assistance on how to analyze the retrospective data. In the 1959 they published the “Statistical aspects of the analysis of data from retrospective studies of disease” on the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Assessing Vaccines and Vaccination Programmes in the Field
Authors: Lopalco Pier Luigi
Published: June 2024

Background: The impact of universal vaccination programmes in terms of reduction of disease burden is notquestioned very much in the scientific community. Nevertheless assessing safety and efficacy of vaccinationproducts in the field is an essential part of the success of any vaccination programme. In addition to that,there are several aspects of vaccination programmes that have to be evaluated and carefully assessed in orderto improve the overall quality of vaccination programmes.Methods: Several different epidemiological methods have been developed during the last decades for thesepurposes. A critical review of innovative epidemiological methods used for assessing vaccines in the field wasundertaken.Results: Availability of innovative methods and progress made in the field of health informatics allow easyevaluation of large volumes of information.Conclusions: In addition to scientific and technical support, political commitment is required in order toincrease the amount of resources available for public health professionals. International organisations canplay an important role at the EU level.
Rubella seroprevalence in childbearing age women: a cross sectional study in the province of Frosinone, Central Southern Ital
Authors: Langiano Elisa , Ferrara Maria , Lanni Liana , Atrei Patrizia , Martellucci Giuseppe , De Vito Elisabetta
Published: June 2024

Background: Congenital rubella infection can be prevented by protecting women of reproductive age throughvaccination. The aims of this study were to estimate the seroprevalence of rubella virus antibodies amongfemales aged between 15 and 45 years in the province of Frosinone and to assess knowledge about Rubellaand Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) and the association between rubella immunization status andvarious risk factors.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out involving 1242 females recruited by random selection.Enzyme immunoassay method was used to detect and quantify human anti IgG antibodies for rubella virus in1242 anonymously females aged between 15 and 45 years. A questionnaire was used to collect demographicdata including age, sex, previous history, previous vaccination and knowledge about rubella. Statisticalanalysis was carried out using the program EpiInfo 3.3.Results: The majority of the females recruited to the study were 15-24 years old (66%), unmarried (71.2%),students (61%) who had not previously given birth (87.9%). Rubella Seroprevalence was 90.3% in womenaged 40-45 years old and 68.8% in those aged 15-19 (p=0.0001). Only 137 participants reported havingreceived rubella vaccination. Generally knowledge about rubella and congenital rubella syndrome waslacking.Conclusions: In the province of Frosinone, women in each age group were in need of active immunization.Furthermore, the susceptibility rates for rubella are far from the value of national serosurveys for similar agegroups (8%) and even further from the target set by the National Plan for Measles and Congenital RubellaElimination launched in 2003. For females of reproductive age, immunization is an effective but underutilizedmethod of CRS prevention and although rubella vaccine is free charge for these women and pre-conceptionscreening is available, these opportunities remain substantially underutilised.
Magnitude and shape of income inequalities in hospitalization for all causes in Italy
Authors: Marinacci Chiara , Schifano Patrizia , Cesaroni Giulia , Caranci Nicola , Russo Antonio , Costa Giuseppe , On Inequalities in Health Care Italian Study
Published: June 2024

Background: Few of the studies that have evaluated the impact of income on health and health services utilisation have been conducted in southern Europe and have focused on the shape of the relationship. This study aimed at evaluating the hospitalisation gradient by small area income and to analyse its shape, with data from four large Italian cities.
Methods: Census tract (median 260 residents) median per capita income was computed through record linkage between 1998 national tax and local population registries in the cities of Rome, Turin, Milan and Bologna (total population of approximately 5.5 million). Census tract median income was assigned to general acute hospital discharges in the period 1997-2000 among residents in the cities, on the basis of the patient’s residence. Within each stratum defined by gender and age group (0-64, 65+), standardised hospital discharge rates were computed for quantiles of census tract median income. A segmented non-linear model was fitted to discharge rates across percentiles, as function of median value of census tract median income in each percentile.
Results: This study showed an inverse gradient in hospitalizations with increasing small area income. A less marked decrease in the standardised discharge rates was shown above approximately €12,000 census tract median per capita income, for both males and females and for the two age-groups considered.
Conclusions: Small area income seems to have a strong association with hospitalisation, acting through a differential occurrence of diseases and/or access to health services. Among the wealthiest persons, the results suggest the diminishing return of health and/or appropriateness of health care with increasing income.
Food and dietary patterns and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study in Belgrade (Serbia)
Authors: Pekmezovic Tatjana D. , Kisic Tepavcevic Darija B. , Mesaros Sarlota T. , Dujmovic Basuroski Irena B. , Stojsavljevic Nebojsa S. , Drulovic Jelena S.
Published: June 2024

Background: The aetiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is unclear, but numerous studies suggest that differentexogenous factors can lead to the development of the disease in genetically susceptible individuals. Theobjective of this case-control study was to determine the role of food and dietary patterns in patients with MSin the population of Belgrade (Serbia).Methods: In this matched case-control study, we included 110 cases with definite MS according to McDonald’scriteria, in whom the onset symptoms occurred up to 2 years prior to the interview, who were followed-up atthe Institute of Neurology, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade. The identical number of controls from the sameinstitution, individually matched by sex, age and area of residence, was recruited from patients with variousnon-autoimmune neurological disorders. Dietary information was obtained by using a frequency historyapproach.Results: According to univariate conditional logistic regression analysis the following factors weresignificantly related to MS: body mass index (BMI) less than 25 (OR=2.2, p=0.009), frequent consumption ofbeef (OR=1.7, p=0.043), chicken (OR=2.0, p=0.045), meat of the lamb (OR=2.1, p=0.013), butter (OR=1.7,p=0.056) and ice-cream (OR=1.8, p=0.031), with dose-response relationship. Consumption of majority ofvarious fruit was more frequently reported by controls. According to multivariate conditional logisticregression analysis, BMI less than 25 (OR=2.3, p=0.008), consumption (weekly) of beef (OR=2.0, p=0.017)and butter (OR=1.9, p=0.027) was significantly related to MS, while regular consumption of cherry (OR=0.4,p=0.024) had protective role.Conclusions: This study might assist in potential defining of the dietary factors that could contribute to therisk of developing MS
Development of a Geographical Information System for the monitoring of the health infrastructure in rural areas in Tanzania
Authors: Schweikart Jürgen , Henke Stefanie , Masumbuko Bruno , Poppschötz Ronny
Published: June 2024

Background: Setting up Geographical Information Systems (GIS) on the existing health infrastructure and ongoing and planned interventions in public health in Tanzania is still in its infancy. While there are several activities on gathering information and attempts of documentation there does not exist an overall systematic approach of generally capturing all health related facts and bringing them together into a unique information system yet. In order to strengthen the information system in the health sector in general, and to assist Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) in better receiving an overview of health related infrastructure and intervention data for management purpose, a first-pilot GIS was built up in the Mbeya Region in cooperation with Tanzanian German Programme to Support Health (TGPSH)/Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).
Methods: The Health-GIS contains information on all health facilities (HF) in the region and their infrastructure. Therefore, personal interviews were conducted in selected HF based on a comprehensive questionnaire. The spatial coordinates of the HF were taken with a Global Positioning System (GPS). In a relational database, the newly coded HF are linked to the gathered information pertaining to them and in a second step are analysed and visualised with help of GIS. Results: First results show newly collected geometry and attribute data for a considerable number of HFs in Mbeya Region, which are then supplemented by information on the street network lately surveyed during the fieldtrip. With the help of a database management system (DBMS) all information are stored and maintained within one health database. By their spatial relation, data may be analysed and mapped with a Health-GIS. Because of the targeted cooperation with people and institutions from the local health sector, the way for integrating the Health-GIS into the health planning infrastructure is open. Also, the funding of an IT group comprised of members from national and international institutions is another step to gaining local acceptance for the system.
Conclusions: First steps have been taken to introduce the Health-GIS as a pilot project in the Mbeya Region. It has proved to be useful in order to collect the essential attributes of the HFs. Further development of the GIS will have to be taken into account simplicity of use. Hence this requires that the GIS needs to be integrated into the planning process.
Urban green and its relation with air pollution: ecological studies in the Metropolitan area of Rome
Authors: Manes Fausto , Salvatori Elisabetta , La Torre Giuseppe , Villari Paolo , Vitale Marcello , Biscontini Daniele , Incerti Guido
Published: June 2024

Tropospheric ozone (O3) and Particulate Matter (PM) have become a major concern in mostEuropean cities. In particular, in Italy the O3 concentrations exceed the limits established for the protection ofboth human health and vegetation. More integrative studies are revealing that urban trees could concretelyhelp in improving air quality, not only because of their well known aesthetic and recreational benefit, but alsofor their capability to reduce air temperature and to remove air pollutants. This reduction takes place bothdirectly, by dry deposition to plant surfaces and uptake through stomata, and indirectly, by mitigation of theurban heat island intensity by canopy transpiration and building shading, that lowers the activity of chemicalreactions that led to the formation of photochemical pollutants in air. This is of particular importanceespecially for those cities located in the Mediterranean Basin, whose urban vegetation is often characterizedby VOC-emitting species that can contribute significantly to the O3 formation and destruction dynamics. Theaim of this paper is to present a short review of ecological research performed on vegetation of themetropolitan area of Rome, at different spatial and temporal scale, in order to evaluate the functional role ofurban green to monitor and improve urban air quality. In the frame of the project HEREPLUS (EU FP7), all ofthis information, opportunely integrated with climatic and pollutant data, will be implemented in a GIS and,by the use of geo-statistical methods, the ameliorating effect of urban vegetation will be quantified andmapped.
Navigating from the heights of technical rigour to the swampy reality: Lessons from New Zealand in population health outcomes monitoring
Authors: Wren John
Published: June 2024

Background: The objective of this paper is to describe and discuss two documents produced by the NewZealand Ministry of Health concerning the monitoring of outcomes of public health programs.The New Zealand Government is increasingly expecting planners and managers of publicly funded services toshift their focus from the delivery of ‘outputs’ towards achievement of ‘outcomes’. Intervention logic modelsand outcomes monitoring are promoted by central government agencies as suitable management methodsfor implementing the change. [1-3]Methods: To help managers design and implement comprehensive, effective and measurable populationhealth programmes the Ministry of Health recently published two guidance documents. The first documentprovided guidance about how to plan programmes using a generic logic model approach.[4] The second setout in detail a process on how to monitor population health programmes.[5] The intent of the documents wasto help managers navigate between the heights of technical rigour and the swamps of reality in the deliveryof population health programmes.[6]Results: A number of issues and implications for how population health programmes are planned monitoredand performance assessed have been identified by the guidance documents. Issues include the problem ofsmall numbers, understanding the difference between outcomes monitoring and traditional forms ofevaluation, and outcomes monitoring being seen as a tool for punitive performance management rather than‘continuous programme improvement’. Implications include more time spent on the design of programmes.Planners will need to focus upon better sequencing of activities, setting more specific and time limited goals,and to be more informed about how to use research to inform the selection of interventions.Conclusions: The guidance documents promoted by the Ministry of Health have provided useful advice abouthow to develop and use logic models and outcomes monitoring in the planning of population healthprogrammes. Practitioners particularly welcomed the inclusion of a glossary that included explanatorycomments and examples. Two key issues have been identified with the application of outcomes monitoringthat need to be managed. The first is the issue of statistically small numbers associated with relatively rarehealth events. The second is to promote outcomes monitoring as a tool for continuous programmeimprovement, rather than as a potentially punitive.
Predictive value of testing for multiple genetic variants in multifactorial diseases: implications for the discourse on ethical, legal and social issues
Authors: Janssens A. Cecile J. W. , Khoury Muin J.
Published: June 2024

Multifactorial diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease are caused by acomplex interplay of many genetic and nongenetic factors, each of which conveys a minor increase in the riskof disease. Unraveling the genetic origins of these diseases is expected to lead to individualized medicine, inwhich the prevention and treatment strategies are personalized on the basis of the results of predictive genetictests. This great optimism is counterbalanced by concerns about the ethical, legal, and social implications ofgenomic medicine, such as the protection of privacy and autonomy, stigmatization, discrimination, and thepsychological burden of genetic testing. These concerns are translated from genetic testing in monogenicdisorders, but this translation may not be appropriate. Multiple genetic testing (genomic profiling) hasessential differences from genetic testing in monogenic disorders. The differences lie in the lower predictivevalue of the test results, the pleiotropic effects of susceptibility genes, and the low inheritance of genomicprofiles. For these reasons, genomic profiling may be more similar to nongenetic tests than to predictive testsfor monogenic diseases. Therefore, ethical, legal, and social issues that apply to predictive genetic testing formonogenic diseases may not be relevant for the prediction of multifactorial disorders in genomic medicine.
Moderate alcohol consumption and cardiovascular risk reduction: open issues
Authors: Costanzo Simona , Di Castelnuovo Augusto , Donati Maria Benedetta , Iacoviello Licia , De Gaetano Giovanni
Published: June 2024

Background: The inverse relationship between low to moderate alcohol consumption and several favorablehealth outcomes has been well established in many epidemiological studies and meta-analyses. However,several questions still remain controversial.Aims: To discuss a number of open questions relating to the healthy effect of a moderate intake of alcohol(especially wine) on cardiovascular disease and total mortality. This will be based on findings from theliterature, with a particular emphasis on meta-analyses.Results and Conclusion: The role of different alcoholic beverages, age and sex, confounding, former drinkersand study design has been discussed.Whether wine is better than beer or spirits, though suggestive, remains to be established.Cardiovascular morbidity and total mortality is significantly reduced both in men and women who are regulardrinkers of low amounts of alcohol; however, the predicted protection in women disappears at lower dosesthan in men.The primary protection of alcohol decreases after adjustment for known variables, thus confirming the importanceof confounding in assessing drinking effects, but it remains significant and of undoubted public health value.As the cardiovascular protection by moderate alcohol consumption might have been unduly overestimated byinclusion in control groups of former drinkers, we compared studies that used as a reference group the categoryof no alcohol intake and/or formally excluded former drinkers with studies which did not: the protection wasindeed somewhat lower in the former than in the latter studies, but was still statistically significant.We conclude that the dose-response relationship between alcohol intake and cardiovascular risk or totalmortality, consistently described by J-shaped curves, can be reasonably attributed to a combination of bothreal beneficial (at lower doses) and harmful (at higher doses) effects of alcohol or wine consumption.
Health Technology Assessment’s Italian Network: origins, aims and advancement
Authors: Cicchetti Americo , Marchetti Marco , Ricciardi Walter
Published: June 2024

The Italian National Health Care Service, as many other industrialised countries’, has to cope with increasinghealth care needs in spite of limited resources available.Therefore, it is necessary to assess diagnostic-therapeutic procedures, technologies and organizationalstandards, in order to allocate the available resources appropriately.Health Technology Assessment provide scientific support to the policies that all countries have adopted inorder to rationalize, and sometimes to ration, health care services.Since in Italy dissemination and utilisation of HTA as means to support health care policies are still limited,in 2003 The Ministry of Health Care, within the development of Special funding Programmes – art.12 bis,comma 6, Law 229/99n. – , financed the establishment of an HTA Italian network, in order to foster the appli-cation of principles of technologies’ management in health care organisations.
Determinants of traffic accident mortality in Italy, 1997-1999
Authors: La Torre Giuseppe , Mannocci Alice , Quaranta Gianluigi , La Torre Fulvio
Published: June 2024

Traffic accidents represent an important public health issue in Italy. In order to explore the relationshipbetween traffic accident mortality and factors such as road behaviour, vehicles and road characteristics, fourdifferent linear regression models were performed using data from the end of the 1990’s provided by theNational Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) and from the Automobile Club Italia (ACI). In Italy regional differencesin traffic mortality and injury rates can be observed. Strong predictors are the number of motor vehiclescirculating and road length (inversely associated) and the number of new vehicles circulating and suspendeddriving licenses (directly associated).
Legal evolution in the financial realm: Propelling auditor accountability in England
Authors: Foster James
Published: June 2024

This article advocates for a fundamental shift in England’s legal approach to professional negligence, particularly within the domains of accounting and audit. English law should move away from its intricate and unclear case law surrounding professional negligence towards a clearly defined test for professional misconduct. Drawing upon a comparative analysis with the legal framework in the United States, where auditors are not shielded from liability under the law, the article highlights the need for a more consistent and accountable legal landscape in England. One of the main aspects that necessitates change is the proximity test, as set out in the Caparo case, which currently prevents auditors from being held liable for negligence to investors (as third parties)—despite investors relying on auditors for their professional skill to audit accounts. As investors rely on audited accounts when making financial decisions, a well-defined test for professional negligence should align English law with international standards and empower victims to seek compensation from the auditors themselves and/or the auditors’ professional indemnity insurance. Such a change would enhance trust and transparency in the financial domain.
La fase de prueba en el juicio ordinario y su clausura mediante la citación para oír sentencia: reflexiones a partir de un estudio de campo
Authors: Silva Álvarez Óscar
Published: June 2024

El presente artículo aborda la interacción que existe entre el trámite de citación para oír sentencia y la fase de prueba en el juicio ordinario de mayor cuantía. Para ello, en primer término, se expone un análisis de los trámites posteriores a la prueba. En segundo lugar, se exhiben los resultados obtenidos a partir de un muestreo probabilístico de 100 juicios ordinarios ventilados en los territorios jurisdiccionales de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar y Santiago, proponiendo dos posibles explicaciones para la aplicación poco rigurosa del art. 432 del CPC.
Higher Education Dropout: A Scoping Review
Authors: Santos Cassilda Alves dos , Pereira Gabrielly de Queiroz , Pilatti Luiz Alberto
Published: June 2024

Objective: To identify the scope, methodologies, and emerging trends related to dropout in higher education.
 
Method: A scoping review using the PRISMA-ScR methodology, covering articles published between 2019 and 2023 in the databases SciELO, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 articles were selected and critically evaluated to identify patterns and gaps in the literature on higher education dropout.
 
Results and Discussion: The main findings highlight the effectiveness of predictive models and personalized interventions in student retention and the importance of sustainable practices for the longevity of higher education institutions. Numerous factors influence dropout in higher education, and personalized interventions and sustainable practices are essential to increase retention and promote the sustainability of institutions.
 
Research Implications: The research highlights the need for personalized interventions and sustainable practices to reduce dropout, outlining a current framework for researchers in the field and providing elements for managers and policymakers.
 
Originality/Value: The study comprehensively maps the methodologies and emerging trends on higher education dropouts, using a scoping review with methodological rigor and contributing an updated and detailed view of the field.
Palliative Care Fundamental Principles and Interdisciplinary Approaches
Authors: Tanaka Tatiana de Lima , Mendes Jeniffer da Silva Alencar , Barreto José Riccardo Ferrette , Figueiredo Jessica Thaynna Resende , Sotolani Brenno Lira , Coquemala Júnior Carlos Nei , Scaravonatti Maria Eduarda Fideles , Gonçalves Jennifer Freitas Galvão , Rodrigues Kamila de Oliveira Pinheiro , Vazão Pedro Henrique , Pagotto Lígia Cristina , Rodrigues Caroline Vaucher , Rios Mateus Felipe Batista , Krettli Herbert Gonçalves , Moura Dávinna Nyara Lima
Published: June 2024

Objective: This article aims to consolidate and synthesize existing knowledge on the fundamental principles and interdisciplinary approaches of palliative care, identifying gaps in literature and exploring collaborative improvements across medical specialties to enhance clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients in advanced disease stages.
 
Theoretical Framework: Palliative care is essential for integrated patient management in serious illnesses, focusing on alleviating suffering and significantly enhancing quality of life.
 
Method: A systematic review was conducted using major scientific databases to gather relevant articles on palliative care, utilizing specific keywords to identify studies on its principles and interdisciplinary approaches. This facilitated the synthesis of effective practices and the identification of research gaps, supporting evidence-based clinical practices.
 
Results and Discussion: The review highlights that interdisciplinary approaches in palliative care significantly improve patient quality of life by addressing medical and psychosocial needs. It also shows a strong correlation between early palliative care integration and improved outcomes for patients and families. However, gaps in practice uniformity and integration of non-medical support services suggest areas for future research and improvement.
The Influence of Regulations on Green Marketing Through Consumer Behavior in Shrimp Exporting Companies
Authors: Purwanto F.X. Adi , Harahap Nuddin , Khusaini Moh. , Ciptadi Gatot , Aminuddin M. Faishal , Badriyah Nurul
Published: June 2024

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the influence of regulations on green marketing through consumer behavior in shrimp exporting companies in East Java.
 
Theoretical Framework: In this topic, regulations refer to how policies and rules set by the government or regulatory bodies influence the way consumers act, behave, or make decisions in consumption activities. These regulations can apply in various economic fields and sectors, such as health, environment, finance, consumer products, and others.
 
Method: A quantitative method was used, while data were collected through a survey of shrimp exporting companies in East Java. The samples comprised 42 shrimp companies and data were analyzed using SEM-PLS.
 
Results and Discussion: The results showed that government regulations have a significant effect on consumer behavior in shrimp exporting companies. Regulations that effectively guide consumers towards selecting environmentally friendly products can motivate companies to further improve green marketing.
 
Research Implications: The results provide practical guidance for shrimp exporting companies in the quest to achieve sustainable growth through environmentally responsible business strategies.
 
Originality/Value: This research highlights the role of regulations in encouraging companies to adopt environmentally friendly marketing practices and is specifically carried out in shrimp exporting companies in East Java, Indonesia.
An overview of the theoretical aspects and practical experience of foresight in the international context
Authors: Kulikova Tatyana Andreevna , Petricheva Alina Sergeevna
Published: June 2024

Having appeared relatively recently, foresight as a strategic planning tool has become widespread all over the world. However, experts often limit themselves to a narrow set of the most well-known, traditional tools and algorithms for individual countries. At the same time, modern realities require an active exchange of accumulated international experience in the field of strategic planning, the introduction of advanced foresight methods, as well as their further refinement in accordance with specific tasks and specialization of activities. The purpose of the study is to develop recommendations for adapting traditional foresight methods and algorithms to use in conditions of increasing complexity and uncertainty of business conditions, which will contribute to improving the accuracy of forecasts and making effective strategic decisions. The subject of the study is the theoretical aspects and practical experience of using foresight in the international context.  The work is based on the method of scientific mapping, which allows analyzing and visualizing the results of research in the field of foresight. A bibliographic analysis of the publications presented in the Elsevier database over the past 23 years has allowed us to systematize knowledge and practical experience in the field of foresight in an international context. A total of 13241 scientific publications were reviewed. Modern approaches to understanding foresight, its role in forecasting in conditions of uncertainty, innovation, and value creation of organizations are considered, actual tasks for which it can be used are identified, and the specifics of organizing interaction between participants in foresight research are highlighted. Using the modeling method, the structure of the "foresight field" for the industry of the region is constructed. It is recommended to pay special attention to the stage of determining the cost items for conducting a foresight and evaluating their feasibility. The refined stage of the post-foresight includes an assessment of the results, the effectiveness of the implemented foresight, as well as planning further iteration of the foresight project. The results of the study contribute to the body of empirical work in the field of foresight and are intended for use by management practitioners and scientists interested in developing fresh ideas for new approaches in strategic management.
Reversible Anticoagulants: Inspired by Nature, Designed for Safety
Authors: Dockerill Millicent , Winssinger Nicolas
Published: June 2024

Upon biting, blood sucking insects inject an anti-coagulant to enjoy their meal. These anti-coagulants have inspired approved drug. Combining this concept with supramolecular chemistry, we developed a novel bi-functional drug. It shows strong in vivo effects and can be reversed with an 'antidote,' a sought-after trait in anti-coagulant treatments. This property extends to other therapies like immunotherapies, broadening its potential impact on diverse medical applications.
Un Presidente donna... in gamba. La mise au ban des femmes lors de l’élection du Président de la République en Italie
Authors: Attruia Francesco
Published: June 2024

Cette étude est consacrée à une analyse discursive des propos populistes circulés dans la presse généraliste italienne lors de l’élection du Président de la République, au mois de janvier 2022, à la suite de laquelle l’ancien chef de l’État Sergio Mattarella a été réélu pour un deuxième septennat. L’objectif est, d’une part, de décrire comment les partis dits « populistes », notamment La Ligue de Matteo Salvini, Le Mouvement 5 Étoiles de Giuseppe Conte, mais aussi Italia Viva de Matteo Renzi, exploitent, en les manipulant, plusieurs ethe de femmes à des fins politiques, voire électorales. D’autre part, il s’agit d’observer comment la presse, sous prétexte de dresser un profil des candidates autorisé et empreint de l’air du temps, puise dans un arsenal de topoï ses propos sur le rôle politique et social des femmes à travers le pays. Elle nourrit ainsi une représentation stéréotypée de la femme, qui échappe à tout régime de rationalité.
StreaMD: the toolkit for high-throughput molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Ivanova Aleksandra , Mokshyna Olena , Polishchuk Pavel
Published: June 2024

Molecular dynamics simulations serve as a prevalent approach for investigating the dynamic behaviour of proteins and protein-ligand complexes. Due to its versatility and speed, GROMACS stands out as a commonly utilized software platform for executing molecular dynamics simulations. However, its effective utilization requires substantial expertise in configuring, executing, and interpreting molecular dynamics trajectories. Existing automation tools are constrained in their capability to conduct simulations for large sets of compounds with minimal user intervention, or in their ability to distribute simulations across multiple servers. To address these challenges, we developed a Python module that streamlines all phases of molecular dynamics simulations, encompassing preparation, execution, and analysis. This module minimizes the required knowledge for users engaging in molecular dynamics simulations and can efficiently operate across multiple servers within a network or a cluster. Notably, the tool not only automates trajectory simulation but also facilitates the computation of free binding energies for protein-ligand complexes and generates interaction fingerprints across the trajectory. Our study demonstrated the applicability of this tool on several benchmark datasets. Additionally, we provided recommendations for end-users to effectively utilize the tool.
Crónicas del siervo de Dios Rafael García Herreros
Authors: Cacua Prada Antonio
Published: June 2024

“Recordar es vivir”, afirma el adagio popular. Este libro, amable lector, recoge en sus páginas una serie de vivencias y recuerdos de un personaje inolvidable, quien me supo enseñar y orientar cuando fui su alumno, hace 79 años, en el Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Jesús y de María, en un pueblito llamado San José de Miranda, en la provincia de García Rovira, en el departamento de Santander, de esta Colombia inmortal.
Los Mutis en Bucaramanga
Authors: Cacua Prada Antonio
Published: June 2024

La dinastía de los Mutis según los entendidos en tan importante especialidad, se inició en el viejo mundo, en una isla del norte de Europa, en Shetland, archipiélago al septentrión de Escocia, denominado Tule. De ahí pasó a Pisa, a Roma, luego a Mesina, Italia, y posteriormente a la isla de Mallorca, y Ceuta.
Architectural Liberation
Authors:   , Mills Harrison
Published: June 2024

This thesis seeks to question the relationship between architecture and capitalism, in the hopes of identifying areas of underperformance in pursuit of radical solutions that reorientate the architectural practice towards a more equitable, sustainable future. The purpose is to create a framework of principles in response to the findings that architecture’s current relationship with capitalist society does foster inequalities that impede the human experience of architecture. Both this research and the framework are to be used as an informative tool to reorientate the relationship between architecture and capitalism towards human needs and environmental sustainability. This is done with the hopes that in the future, architects will be the drivers of change in establishing a more equitable, socially interconnected and environmentally conscious society which offers a richer quality of life for everyone, rather than a privileged minority.
The Transition of the United States from World Leader to Hegemony During the Cold War
Authors: Zhao Yiyun
Published: June 2024

This text scrutinizes how, during the span of the Cold War, particularly at the commencement of hostilities, the United States metamorphosed from a world leader to a dominion of hegemonic might. It perceives the Cold War as a period of ideological corruption within a nation’s ethos. The article first assesses the United States’ geopolitical status before World War II and signs of its role as a world leader, then discusses the role and performance of the United States as a world leader through its actions during and after World War II. Subsequently, it analyzes the transition to U.S. hegemony, using Modelski’s model and Wallerstein’s theory to study the shift in U.S. global strategy and influence, with key events such as the Marshall Plan. The article also examines the ideological shift within the United States during this period, including the impacts of policies from Roosevelt to Truman to Eisenhower. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of key shifts in the geopolitical image of the United States during the Cold War. It bridges geopolitical analysis with critical theory, providing fresh insights into the subtleties of U.S. foreign policy and its global impact.
Analysis of the Development of Drones and their Application in the Logistics Field
Authors: Zhao Qi
Published: June 2024

This study discusses the evolution of drone technology and its application in the logistics field, analyzes its impact on the logistics industry, and predicts future development trends. Through case study and technology comparison, this article thoroughly researches the technological development, classification, characteristics of drones, and their application in the logistics field. The application of drones in the logistics field has gradually become widespread, and it shows significant advantages in the aspects of aerial transportation of cargo, inventory management of warehouses, and planning of distribution routes. The results show that drone not only improves logistics efficiency and reduce cost but also have a unique value in special environments and emergencies.
Study on Effects of Hydrothermal Heat Treatment Method on Fertilizer Efficiency of Biomass Waste
Authors: Xu Chuanyang , Tang Jianheng , Yang Ying , Xu Qing , Cao Geng
Published: June 2024

This study explores a new way of utilizing biomass waste as fertilizer based on the hydrothermal heat treatment method. Hydrothermal heat treatment was carried out on common biomass waste, including corn stalks, livestock manure, and vegetable waste. by heating them to 120°C and then to 240°C respectively, while measuring the contents of organic matter, total nutrients, and humus in hydrothermal solid products. The experimental results are as follows. With the increase in temperature, the pH of three kinds of biomass waste hydrothermal products is reduced to different degrees. The content of organic matter in the solid products of corn stalk increased with the increase of temperature, the content of organic matter in the hydrothermal products of vegetable waste was opposite to that of corn stalk, and the content of organic matter in the hydrothermal solid products of pig manure was higher than 30% at different temperatures. The total nutrient content of the hydrothermal product of corn stalk decreased first and then increased with the increase of temperature, and reached the minimum value of 10.12 g/L at 180°C. The total nutrient content of the solid product of vegetable waste showed a negative correlation with temperature, and the total nutrient content of the raw material of pig manure was 60.55 g/kg. The total nutrient content of solid products after different hydrothermal temperature treatments was 41.8–59.03 g/kg, which was lower than that of raw materials. With the increase of temperature, the humic acid content of the solid product of corn stalk first increased and then decreased, the humic acid content of hydrothermal product of pig manure continued to increase with the increase of temperature, and the humic acid content of hydrothermal product of vegetable continued to increase with the increase of temperature. At 210°C, the contents of humic acid and fulvic acid reached the maximum, and the humification rate reached the maximum of 0.856.
Study on the Area of Waiting Space in the Old Area of a Tertiary Hospital Based on AnyLogic Simulation
Authors: He Jing , Guo Haoxu
Published: June 2024

The waiting space is the place where patients stay the longest during the entire medical treatment process, and the adequacy of its spatial area to the number of waiting patients has a significant impact on the treatment experience. Due to the continuous expansion of the medical scale and the increasing outpatient volume, congestion in the waiting areas of the old area of tertiary hospitals in Guangzhou is common, seriously reducing patients’ medical experience. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the optimal waiting area space in the old area based on the number of consultation rooms and evaluate the current situation of the waiting area to optimize the waiting area reasonably. Taking the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University as an example, this study determines the daily outpatient volume of departments under specific consultation room numbers, uses AnyLogic to simulate the medical treatment process of patients, outputs the change in the number of patients in the first waiting area. Based on the mean and peak number of waiting patients during peak hours, the study calculates the areas required for “generally adequate” and “specially adequate” waiting space respectively. These are then compared with the current area to evaluate the adequacy of the current waiting space.
A Study on the Influence of ESP Teaching Strategies on Reflective Thinking, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Achievement Motivation
Authors: Yao Xiaochao , Shi Lin
Published: June 2024

This study aims to investigate the impact of teaching English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching strategies on English learners’ reflective thinking, academic self-efficacy, and achievement motivation. The research first introduces the theoretical background and related concepts of ESP strategies, including their application in English education, and delves into the theoretical foundation and relevant studies of ESP strategies, laying the groundwork for subsequent research. Secondly, the study elucidates the concept of reflective thinking, clearly defines the measurement standards of reflective thinking in the study, and explores how ESP strategies cultivate students’ reflective thinking, especially in specific fields or disciplines. Furthermore, the study discusses the concept of academic self-efficacy, clearly defines the measurement standards of self-efficacy in the study, and investigates how ESP strategies enhance students’ academic self-efficacy, boosting their confidence and motivation. Finally, it explains the importance of achievement motivation, clearly defines the measurement standards of achievement motivation in the study, and examines how ESP strategies influence students’ achievement motivation, particularly motivation related to specific professional field goals.
Research on the Construction of an Emergency Group Injury Classification Management Model based on the Six Sigma Methodology
Authors: Ding Jun
Published: June 2024

Objective: This study aimed to investigate an effective management model for coping with critical incident group injuries. Methods: The study started and ended from January 2022 to December 2023, in which 68 patients with critical incident group injuries admitted from January 2022 to December 2022 were selected as the control group in the conventional management mode, and 76 patients with critical incident group injuries admitted in the hospital were selected as the study group in the classification management mode based on the Six Sigma method to compare the management effects of the two groups. The management effects of the two groups were compared. Results: The study group took less time to rescue than the control group, and the resuscitation success rate was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The classification management model based on the Six Sigma method is effective and can be popularized and applied in medical institutions.