bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of key components in designing a social skills training content using virtual reality for high functioning autism youth—A Fuzzy Delphi method
Authors: Ahmad Basri Mohd Akif Farhan , Wan Ismail Wan Salwina , Kamal Nor Norazlin , Mohd Tohit Noorlaili , Ahmad Mohammad Nazir , Mohamad Aun Nur Saadah , Mohd Daud Tuti Iryani
Published: April 2024

The use of virtual reality in social skills training for high functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) youth has been found to be engaging and enjoyable. Despite the promising results, previous literature indicates that there has been no consensus on the social skills target in the training content. There is also limited research on how evidence-based strategies like cognitive and behaviour techniques are instantiated into the VR environment to teach social skills. The aim of this study is to determine the key components to design a social skills training content using virtual reality for youths with HFASD. The Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) was used to obtain expert consensus on social skills difficulties and cognitive behavioral techniques included in the content in three phases. In phase 1, a questionnaire was developed from in-depth interviews and scientific literature review. The in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 HFASD youth, 7 parents and 6 experts. In phase 2, 3 experts rated the relevance of the items in the questionnaire using an item-level content validity index (I-CVI) assessment. In phase 3, the questionnaire was distributed to 10 experts to rate their level of agreement on each component using a 7-point Likert scale. Components that received a value above 75%, threshold value (d) ≤ 0.2, fuzzy score (A) ≥ α - cut value = 0.5 and higher rank based on defuzzification score were prioritized to be included in the content. Items that received higher expert consensus on social skills difficulties included assessing non-verbal responses, initiating, maintaining, and leaving conversations, emotional difficulties and difficulties in perspective taking. Cognitive and behavioral techniques that received higher expert consensus were psychoeducation, modelling, relaxation techniques, reinforcements, and perspective-taking questions. These key components can be used as a framework for the development of virtual learning content for social skills training in future studies.
Pathogenic characteristics of an aggregated diarrhea event caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides from stream
Authors: Zhang Peng , Yao Huimin , Ji Lei , Chen Liping , Xu Deshun , Yan Wei
Published: April 2024

This study aimed to investigate the cause of a foodborne disease outbreak in Huzhou on August 14, 2023. Multiple enteropathogens were detected using FilmArray, and the pathogen was subsequently isolated and cultured from anal swabs of the cases and stream water. The isolated strains were identified using VITEK MS, and antimicrobial susceptibility test, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) molecular typing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were performed on the isolates of Plesiomonas shigelloides. Gene annotation and sequence alignment were used to analyze the virulence genes and drug resistance genes of the strains. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and homology analysis was conducted to trace the origin of P. shigelloides. A total of 7 strains of P.shigelloides were isolated, with 3 from stream water and 4 from anal swabs. All 7 strains exhibited the same PFGE pattern and showed resistance to amikacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, cefazolin, streptomycin, and florfenicol. The isolated strains carried the same resistance genes and virulence factors. In the sequences of the isolated strains from this outbreak, 11 mutation sites were detected. The phylogenetic tree based on SNP sites showed that these strains were homologous. This foodborne disease outbreak caused by P.shigelloides was the first reported in Huzhou. WGS can be used as a complementary method to PFGE for epidemiological investigations of disease outbreaks.
What determines participation in sport for older adults in England: A multilevel analysis of Active Lives data
Authors: Brinkley Andrew , Sandercock Gavin , Lowry Ruth , Freeman Paul
Published: April 2024

Physical inactivity within an ageing population is an ongoing public health concern for policymakers. Engagement in sport forms a foundation of policy designed to encourage physical activity participation and improve health and wellbeing. This study aimed to (i) understand the extent to which older adults participate in sport and the (ii) correlates that predict this involvement within an English population sample of older adults. A further aim was (iii) to examine the extent in which sports participation may vary due to the opportunity provided across Active Partnerships in England. To address this, a multi-level analysis framed through COM-B was conducted of the 2021 English Active Lives dataset (i.e., during the COVID-19 pandemic). The Active Lives survey provides population-level insight into sport, exercise, and physical activity participation across England. It samples upwards of n = 180,000 participants beyond the age of 16 years and asks questions on factors that influence participation. Our findings drawn from a sample of n = 68,808 older adults (i.e., >60-years of age) indicate that when accounting for variation across regions sports participation was significantly predicted by age (β = -.246, p = .040) and multiple deprivation (β  = .706, p = .030). Further, our analysis suggests sports participation across regions is associated with changes in the perceptions of opportunity to participate (β = -28.70, p = .001). As the UK transitions from the COVID-19 pandemic, findings have implications for the promotion of sports participation for older adults, in that local, regional, and national stakeholders must do more to change perceptions of social and physical opportunity within an ageing population. This may be achieved through adaptations to the recreational sporting landscape, raising awareness, and supportive policy changes on a national level.
Continuing Medical Education Questions: April 2024
Authors: Davila Raquel E.
Published: April 2024

Article Title: Effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori treatments according to antibiotic resistance
Low-Cost Small Scale Autonomous Vehicle
Authors: Bogrekci Ismail , Demircioglu Pinar , Goren Mustafa Yasir
Published: April 2024

A low-cost small-scale autonomous vehicle refers to a self-driving vehicle that is affordable and designed for smaller applications or purposes. The firefly algorithm was used to solve obstacle-avoiding problems due to dynamic or static uncertain positioned obstacles. The autonomous vehicle reached the determined position, which could be considered accurate. Regardless of the starting point, it arrived at the defined destination in an area with a diameter of 5 meters. Considering the costs of the sensors, simple algorithm, not very powerful processor and circuit elements, sufficient success has been achieved.
GIS Tips & Tricks
Authors: Eaton Chloe , Winters Zachary , Karlin Al
Published: April 2024

As we are writing this column from Florida, it is early January, and the trees are beginning to leaf out. I am reminded that spring is still three months away. So, looking forward to the spring, we are thinking of helpful, hidden (aka Easter eggs), and not-so-obvious features that are
easy to overlook in GIS software programs. With the help of my colleagues, Chloe Eaton and Zac Winters, we compiled three GIS Tips and Tricks to increase your GIS workflow efficiency using not-so-obvious features.
Ekonomia finansowa jako nauka normalna: ujęcie krytyczne z perspektywy koncepcji paradygmatów Kuhna oraz naukowych programów badawczych Lakatosa
Authors: Walasik Artur
Published: April 2024

Badanie zjawisk i procesów pieniężnych zachodzących w gospodarce stanowi przedmiot zainteresowania szerokiego grona przedstawicieli środowiska akademickiego. Osoby analizujące wskazane zjawiska i procesy, podejmując wysiłek w tym zakresie, uznają go za działalność naukową – prowadzenie badań naukowych. Czy w związku z tym ekonomia finansowa posługuje się oryginalnym zbiorem założeń ontologicznych i epistemologicznych? Czy i jeżeli tak, to co zasługuje na uznanie za paradygmaty ekonomii finansowej? Próby odpowiedzi na te pytania są przedmiotem artykułu poświęconego ocenie ekonomii finansowej z perspektywy filozofii nauki. Odpowiedzi na te pytania pozwolą nie tylko wyodrębnić istotę tego, czym jest ekonomia finansowa, określając w ten sposób jej ontologiczne granice, lecz również z perspektywy epistemologicznej ustalić, czy występuje charakterystyczna dla ekonomii finansowej metoda poznania ich istoty. Artykuł zawiera krytyczną weryfikację ekonomii finansowej z perspektywy filozofii nauki, w szczególności podjęto w Kuhnowskiej konwencji próbę identyfikacji paradygmatów ekonomii finansowej oraz ich krytycznej analizy. Artykuł pozwolił ustalić, że ekonomia finansowa jest nauką normalną, w rozumieniu zaproponowanym przez Thomasa Kuhna, czyli badań wyrastających z jednego lub wielu osiągnięć naukowych przeszłości, które dana społeczność uczonych aktualnie akceptuje i traktuje jako fundament swej dalszej praktyki. W pracy wskazano fundamentalne dzieła, które stanowią twardy rdzeń programu naukowego ekonomii finansowej w rozumieniu założeń naukowych programów badawczych Imre Lakatosa.
A. B. Strawińska, A. Walicki i A. Łętowski, O stanie polszczyzny północnokresowej. Ortografia – Fonetyka – Zagadnienia gramatyczne. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku / A. B. Strawińska, Leksyka północnokresowa jako element deskrypcji zagadnień ortoepicznych w poradnikach Aleksandra Walickiego i Aleksandra Łętowskiego, Białystok 2022
Authors: Lewaszkiewicz Tadeusz
Published: April 2024

Recenzje: Tadeusz Lewaszkiewicz, Aneta Bogusława Strawińska, Aleksander Walicki i Aleksander Łętowski o stanie polszczyzny północnokresowej. Ortografia – Fonetyka – Zagadnienia gramatyczne. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku, Białystok 2018, ss. 175; Aneta Bogusława Strawińska, Leksyka północnokresowa jako element deskrypcji zagadnień ortoepicznych w poradnikach Aleksandra Walickiego i Aleksandra Łętowskiego. Wydawnictwo PRYMAT, Białystok 2022, ss. 198.
Multiple concentrating solutions for a fractional (p, q)-Choquard equation
Authors: Ambrosio Vincenzo
Published: April 2024

We focus on the following fractional (p, q)-Choquard problem:

(

−
Δ

)

p

s

u
+

(

−
Δ

)

q

s

u
+
V

(

ε
x

)

(

|
u

|

p
−
2

u
+
|
u

|

q
−
2

u

)

=

1

|
x

|

μ

*
F

(

u

)

f

(

u

)

 in 

R

N

,

u
∈

W

s
,
p

(

R

N

)

∩

W

s
,
q

(

R

N

)

,

u
>
0
 in 

R

N

,

$\begin{cases}{\left(-{\Delta}\right)}_{p}^{s}u+{\left(-{\Delta}\right)}_{q}^{s}u+V\left(\varepsilon x\right)\left(\vert u{\vert }^{p-2}u+\vert u{\vert }^{q-2}u\right)=\left(\frac{1}{\vert x{\vert }^{\mu }}{\ast}F\left(u\right)\right)f\left(u\right) \,\text{in}\,{\mathbb{R}}^{N},\quad \hfill \\ u\in {W}^{s,p}\left({\mathbb{R}}^{N}\right)\cap {W}^{s,q}\left({\mathbb{R}}^{N}\right), u{ >}0\,\text{in}\,{\mathbb{R}}^{N},\quad \hfill \end{cases}$

where ɛ > 0 is a small parameter, 0 < s < 1,

1
<
p
<
q
<

N

s

$1{< }p{< }q{< }\frac{N}{s}$

, 0 < μ < sp,

(

−
Δ

)

r

s

${\left(-{\Delta}\right)}_{r}^{s}$

, with r ∈ {p, q}, is the fractional r-Laplacian operator,

V
:

R

N

→
R

$V:{\mathbb{R}}^{N}\to \mathbb{R}$

is a positive continuous potential satisfying a local condition,

f
:
R
→
R

$f:\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}$

is a continuous nonlinearity with subcritical growth at infinity and

F

(

t

)

=

∫

0

t

f

(

τ

)

d
τ

$F\left(t\right)={\int }_{0}^{t}f\left(\tau \right) \mathrm{d}\tau $

. Applying suitable variational and topological methods, we relate the number of solutions with the topology of the set where the potential V attains its minimum value.
Incentive-Induced Social Tie and Subsequent Altruism and Cooperation
Authors: Gioia Francesca
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we studied the spillover effects of cooperative and competitive incentive schemes on subsequent decisions involving altruism and cooperation. We collected data with a laboratory experiment where subjects were asked to perform Mini Dictator games and a Public Good game after playing an incentivized real effort task. We found that cooperative incentives foster higher subsequent altruism and cooperation as compared with competitive or individual incentives. By contrast, competitive incentives induced more envy towards competitor peers and more spiteful behaviour when giving implies a larger payoff for the recipient. The effect of incentives on altruism and cooperation was moderated by relative rank in the incentivized effort task and by individual level of impulsivity.
Smartphone swabs as an emerging tool for toxicology testing: a proof-of-concept study in a nightclub
Authors: Willeman Théo , Grunwald Justine , Manceau Marc , Lapierre Frédéric , Krebs-Drouot Lila , Boudin Coralie , Scolan Virginie , Eysseric-Guerin Hélène , Stanke-Labesque Françoise , Revol Bruno
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Smartphones have become everyday objects on which the accumulation of fingerprints is significant. In addition, a large proportion of the population regularly uses a smartphone, especially younger people. The objective of this study was to evaluate smartphones as a new matrix for toxico-epidemiology.

Methods

This study was conducted during two separate events (techno and trance) at an electronic music nightclub in Grenoble, France. Data on reported drug use and whether drugs were snorted directly from the surface of the smartphone were collected using an anonymous questionnaire completed voluntarily by drug users. Then, a dry swab was rubbed for 20 s on all sides of the smartphone. The extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry on a Xevo TQ-XS system (Waters).

Results

In total, 122 swabs from 122 drug users were collected. The three main drugs identified were MDMA (n=83), cocaine (n=59), and THC (n=51). Based on declarative data, sensitivity ranged from 73 to 97.2 % and specificity from 71.8 to 88.1 % for MDMA, cocaine, and THC. Other substances were identified such as cocaine adulterants, ketamine, amphetamine, LSD, methamphetamine, CBD, DMT, heroin, mescaline, and several NPS. Numerous medications were also identified, such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics, and painkillers. Different use patterns were identified between the two events.

Conclusions

This proof-of-concept study on 122 subjects shows that smartphone swab analysis could provide a useful and complementary tool for drug testing, especially for harm-reduction programs and toxico-epidemiolgy studies, with acceptable test performance, despite declarative data.
Metformin inhibits knee osteoarthritis induced by type 2 diabetes mellitus in rats: S100A8/9 and S100A12 as players and therapeutic targets
Authors: Wang Xin , Qiao Yu , Yuan Fahu , Liu Yi , Hu Jun , Zhang Qingfu , Wang Fuyan , Zhao Zhigang
Published: April 2024

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a significant risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA), and metformin, as the main therapeutic drug for T2DM, has shown positive effects on OA without a clear mechanism. This study aimed to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of oral metformin in T2DM-induced OA. We identified differentially expressed genes, using the GSE117999 and GSE98918 datasets, and protein–protein interaction networks were analyzed using the MCODE algorithm in cytospace to finalize the OA hub genes (S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12). To validate whether S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 are potential targets of action for OA, we randomly divided 40 SD rats into a control group (CG, n = 10) and a T2DM group (n = 30). We modeled rats in the T2DM group with streptozotocin (35 mg/kg, i.p.) and a high carbohydrate and fat diet. Finally, 20 were randomly selected and divided into the T2DM group (n = 10) and the treated group (Met + T2DM, n = 10), and the treated group was given Met (180 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 8 weeks. We subsequently used histological assessment to show that oral metformin mitigated the development of T2DM-associated OA as indicated by the OA Research Society International score and articular cartilage thickness, and immunohistochemistry also confirmed that metformin significantly reduced the expression of S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 in the knee joints of OA rats. In conclusion, metformin demonstrated a protective effect against OA in T2DM-induced rats, slowing knee OA progression by inhibiting S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 expression. These findings suggest potential biological targets for future OA treatments.
Microwave-assisted ultrafine silver nanoparticle synthesis using Mitragyna speciosa for antimalarial applications
Authors: Darakai Vanessa , Punsawad Chuchard , Jitonnom Jitrayut , Nisoa Mudtorlep , Rattanakit Parawee
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the antiplasmodial activity of ultrafine silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, 2–5 nm) synthesized using a green approach involving the Mitragyna speciosa extract and emphasizing the microwave-assisted irradiation technique. Various synthesis parameters were optimized, resulting in the successful production of spherical AgNPs, which exhibited a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at around 440 nm. The synthesized AgNPs demonstrated high stability, indicated by a zeta potential value of −28 mV. The antimalarial efficacy of the microwave-assisted AgNPs against the P. falciparum strain was evaluated, demonstrating a half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 1.56 µg·mL−1. Further enhancement in the antimalarial performance was observed when the AgNPs were conjugated with chloroquine (CQ), a traditional antimalarial drug, achieving an impressive IC50 value of 24 ng·mL−1. Additionally, all formulations exhibited low toxicity, with a cytotoxic concentration (CC50) exceeding 800 µg·mL−1 in Vero cells. Complementing these experimental findings, specific computational studies offered insights into the interactions between silver atoms and bioactive compounds in M. speciosa, as well as shedding light on the dynamics of CQ functionalization. These experimental and computational findings emphasize the potential of a sustainable, low-toxicity, and cost-effective AgNP synthesis process, showcasing significant promise in advancing green nanotechnology for the development of effective antimalarial medications.
Facile synthesis of Ag2ZrO3 nanocrystals with highly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity
Authors: Fabbro Maria Tereza , Santos Luís P. S. , Yamamoto Felipe M. , Matsushima Jorge T. , Baldan Maurício R.
Published: April 2024

This paper describes the synthesis of Ag2ZrO3 nanocrystals using coprecipitation and microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods. These nanocrystals were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and UV–Visible spectroscopy, and their photocatalytic performance for methylene blue degradation under visible-light irradiation has been tested. The X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy analyses indicate that the Ag2ZrO3 nanocrystals have good crystallinity and no secondary phases. The UV–Visible spectroscopy results showed a variation in the optical band gap values (2.71–2.97 eV) with increasing temperature, which indicates the possible presence of defects in the crystal lattice at a medium range. Field emission scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the nanocrystals have uneven spherical shapes and average particle size around 50–70 nm. The good photocatalytic efficiency can be attributed to defects in the silver zirconate structure capable of forming the active adsorption sites. Finally, we discuss a photocatalytic mechanism to understand the photocatalytic process in cationic dye (methylene blue) degradation in aqueous solution.
Spatial roles in hockey special teams
Authors: Arsenault Jonathan , Cunniff Margaret , Tulsky Eric , Forbes James Richard
Published: April 2024

Special teams (i.e. power play and penalty kill) situations play an outsized role in determining the outcome of ice hockey games. Yet, quantitative methods for characterizing special teams tactics are limited. This work focuses on team structure and player deployment during in-zone special teams possessions. Leveraging player and puck tracking data from the National Hockey League (NHL), a framework is developed for describing player positioning during 5-on-4 power play and 4-on-5 penalty kill possessions. More specifically, player roles are defined directly from the player tracking data using non-negative matrix factorization, and every player is allocated a unique role at every frame of tracking data by solving a linear assignment problem. Team formations naturally arise through the combination of roles occupied in a frame. Roles that vary on a per-frame basis allow for a fine-grained analysis of team structure. This property of the roles-based representation is used to group together similar power play possessions using latent Dirichlet allocation, a topic modelling technique. The concept of assignments, which remain constant over an entire possession, is also introduced. Assignments provide a more stable measure of player positioning, which may be preferable when assessing deployment over longer periods of time.
Career path clustering of elite soccer players among European Big-5 nations utilizing Dynamic Time Warping
Authors: Wolf Viktor , Lanwehr Ralf , Bieschke Marcel , Leyhr Daniel
Published: April 2024

Prior clustering approaches of soccer players have employed a variety of methods based on various data categories, but none of them have focused on clustering by career paths characterized through a time series analysis of yearly performance quality. Therefore, this study aims to propose a methodology how a career path can be represented as a time series of a player’s seasonal qualities and then be clustered with players that have a similar career path. The underlying data focuses on soccer players from the five largest European soccer nations (Big-5). This allows for the identification of different types of career paths of players and the investigation of significant disparities between career paths among the Big-5 nations. In line with our proposed methodological approach, we identified and interpreted 13 different clusters of player career paths. These range from the cluster with the highest player quality scores to the pattern comprising players with the weakest scores. Further, the detected clusters show significant differences regarding variables of soccer players’ early career phase in adolescence (e.g., age of debut in professional soccer, years spent in a youth academy). The presented approach might represent a first step for stakeholders in soccer to get an objective insight in players’ career by utilizing mainly freely available data sources.
Crystal structure of 4-amino-3,5-dibromobenzonitrile, C7H4Br2N2
Authors: Jiang Jinke , Jiang Hui
Published: April 2024

C7H4Br2N2, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 42.364(10) Å, b = 3.9052(4) Å, c = 23.783(3) Å, β = 120.984(9)°, V = 3373.2(10) Å3, Z = 16, Rgt
(F) = 0.0415, wRref
(F
2) = 0.1073, T = 298 K.
Crystal structure of Ba6Cd12Mn4SiF48
Authors: Kim Sun Woo
Published: April 2024

Ba6Cd12Mn4SiF48, cubic,

I
m

3
‾

$Im\overline{3}$

(no. 204), a = 12.57060(10) Å, V = 1986.41(5) Å3, Z = 2, Rgt
(F) = 0.0286, wRref
(F
2) = 0.0784, T = 296(2) K.
Simulation study on basic road performance and modification mechanism of red mud modified asphalt mixture
Authors: Wu Duo , Yin Yuxue , Fu Tao , Liu Fuming
Published: April 2024

In order to study the basic road performance and the mechanism of red mud modified asphalt, Marshall test, rut test, freeze-thaw splitting test, and immersion Marshall test were carried out for matrix asphalt mixture and red mud modified asphalt mixture, and molecular simulation technology was introduced to study the mechanism of red mud modified asphalt. The results showed that the penetration rate of red mud modified asphalt was lower than that of the matrix asphalt, and the softening point of asphalt was significantly improved after the addition of red mud, and the mixing of red mud reduced the asphalt ductility greatly. The intensity ratio (test strength ratio; TSR) of the freeze-thaw test of red mud modified asphalt under 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11% was increased by 13.18, 11.22, 13.54, 12.01, and 8.45%, respectively, compared with the matrix asphalt mixture, and the dynamic stability value increased by 127.23, 176.87, 200.99, 96.23, and 12.95%; the residual stability value of the immersion Marshall test increased obviously. Generally, the research of red mud modified asphalt is quite worthy, it can solve the problem of aluminum ore slag and reuse of resources, and provide a new way to extend the industrial chain.
Integración regional y equidad económica: Perspectivas sociopolíticas de los países de Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
Authors: G´élvez-Rubio Tatiana , García-Parra Pío
Published: April 2024

The right to non-discrimination and respect for difference have made significant progress at the global level in recent decades. However, there has been slight improvement in terms of economic equity, even with their incorporation into the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. The situation is even worse in developing world. In the absence of effective responses from multilateral mechanisms on a global scale, the response of regional integration mechanisms seems to be more directly in tune with the imperative of social justice.
The countries of East Asia and Oceania, through integration mechanisms such as ASEAN, APEC and more recently RCEP, offer valuable expectations in terms of equity, given some advances in terms of objectives and goals that could respond more directly to the current development conditions of the countries that make up the partnership. In this context, the present article proposes to address the following question: how is the RCEP partnership doing in terms of equity and what perspectives can be envisaged from its current situation? Based on an analysis of social complexity, progress and redistributive challenges are evaluated to determine the viability of the process in the future. According to the indicators analyzed and the prospective exercise, integration is likely to deepen if the group can respond to the triple challenge of internal legitimacy, political transformation, and regional security.
La pertinencia de la Cumbre de Belém de Pará para implementar el Tratado de Cooperación Amazónica
Authors: Salinas Montes Carlos A.
Published: April 2024

The IV Belém Summit in Pará, Brazil, held in August 2023, brought together the leaders of the member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA) to discuss a new sustainable agenda for the region. The Amazon was the focus of attention due to its global importance as the largest watershed and the most extensive and diverse tropical forest on the planet. The Summit highlighted the importance of strengthening OTCA as the only intergovernmental coordination mechanism to implement the agreed presidential agenda. The Belém Declaration established priorities for effective regional cooperation, including sustainability, environmental preservation, and inclusive development. The challenges to be faced include the efficient management of OTCA, the improvement of governance and positioning as a center for regional and international technical and political cooperation. The successful implementation of the agreed agenda will require the commitment of the Amazon countries and the active participation of all stakeholders, especially indigenous peoples and local communities.
Dostoevsky’s Calligraphy: Problems of Study
Authors: Tarasova Natalia
Published: April 2024

The article is devoted to the problems of studying Dostoevsky’s calligraphy. The first paragraph discusses the historical and theoretical aspects of handwriting studies, as well as its main definitions that are important for the analysis of Dostoevsky’s handwriting. When studying the author’s calligraphic sketches, the reasons and conditions for their appearance are important, including the sources that Dostoevsky could use when forming his idea of calligraphic writing and mastering the art of calligraphy. In accordance with this task, an episode of the novel “Idiot” in which Prince Myshkin talks about calligraphy is analyzed in the second paragraph of the article. The information about the historical varieties of calligraphic handwriting is provided, and, according to the novel descriptions, samples of Old Russian writing and letters of Modern times from book sources, including Western European and Russian manuals on cursive and penmanship of the 18th — 19th centuries, are exhibited. The third paragraph analyzes the material of the writer’s workbooks, which contain numerous examples of his own calligraphic exercises, often distinguished by the individualized nature of the writings. The article raises the question of identifying the calligraphic handwriting in Dostoevsky’s notes. The analysis shows that the notes identified as calligraphy have significant differences in their graphic characteristics. Noncalligraphic entries may mistakenly qualify as calligraphy. Thus, when examining handwritten material, it is necessary to develop more precise criteria for the scientific description of Dostoevsky’s calligraphy and similar typefaces, to determine the gradation of their types, which depends on the graphic characteristics of notes and the degree of their similarity to the calligraphic samples.
N. N. Strakhov and Dostoevsky’s “Pushkin Speech”
Authors: Viktorovich Vladimir
Published: April 2024

The article considered three versions of N. N. Strakhov’s essay on the Pushkin Celebration of June 6–8, 1880 and Dostoevsky’s Speech delivered there. A comparative analysis of the texts published in 1880, 1883 and 1888 reveals the evolution of their author’s consciousness and fills in the existing gap in the history of his attitude to Dostoevsky, which has led to the infamous letter to Tolstoy dated November 28, 1883. According to Strakhov, the artistic flair manifested in Dostoevsky’s “Pushkin speech”, originates directly in God, whose mouthpiece the artist becomes aside from his own earthly personality, which does not only lack a connection with the meanings being transmitted, but may also directly contradict them. This is the ideological ground (combined with personal antipathy) on which the “aversion” to Dostoevsky ripens. As he revises his essay, Strakhov arrives increasingly closer to explaining the triumph of “Pushkin’s speech” solely as a victory of the “party,” and ultimately explains it by the insignificance of the event itself. The article draws a conclusion on the ambivalent nature of Strakhov’s thinking. One and the same phenomenon — in this case, Dostoevsky’s “conciliatory attitude” — is “exaggerated” by the critic alternately in a positive and in a negative sense. In regard to the significance of “Pushkin’s speech” in the history of Russian culture, Strakhov moves from unconditional approval to destructive doubt (from I. Aksakov to K. Leontiev).
Electronic Catalog of F. M. Dostoevsky’s Graphics: Sign, Letter, Text
Authors: Panyukova Tatiana
Published: April 2024

Based on the digital archive of F. M. Dostoevsky, containing images and research transcripts of the texts of his notebooks (http://dostoevsky-archive.ru/), work was underway to create a commented corpus of the writer’s graphics in 2020–2023. This article discusses issues that have arisen in the course of practical work on filling the catalog of graphic samples, indicates possible ways to solve them, identifies ways to use the created online database. One of the main practical applications of the developed platform was the ability to use special tools to recognize hard-to-read Dostoevsky records. The choice of the description unit became important: instead of the minimum spelling unit — grapheme, the grammatical category of word forms was used. The emphasis on the word as the main unit of description created conditions for the gradual selection of material for an online dictionary of the writer’s manuscripts, if necessary, coordinating the requirements for graphics (as a description of the external features of the text, sketches) and grammar (as a structure-forming principle). The search for ways to solve the issues that arose resulted in the description of individual word forms: semantic homographs that are different parts of speech, suppletive forms of a word, proper names (including anthroponyms, toponyms, common names, as well as appellatives that are equivalents of proper names — this creates prerequisites for creating a dictionary of names inside the online dictionary of manuscripts). Structurally complex lexical units are also described as a single word form: polynomial synonyms, names, complex conjunctions and prepositions, introductory and phraseological combinations. A separate promising group for the study consisted of Dostoevsky’s author’s signs, hybrid in form: these include both words (“February”) and author’s signs (as symbols or proof-reading signs). When describing Dostoevsky’s calligraphic works, on the one hand, it became obvious that it was necessary to differentiate the variants of the writer’s calligraphic inscriptions, systematize the available knowledge about the peculiarities of his calligraphic handwriting and determine the criteria for selecting and describing the material. On the other hand, it turned out to be possible to use the samples already available in the database as the basis for the attribution of autographs and stationery copies in Dostoevsky’s handwritten legacy. Thus, the created electronic database of Dostoevsky’s graphics turned out to be the optimal platform for solving multidirectional tasks — codicology, textual studies, the study of the author’s language and style, attribution, scientific commentary, onomastics — and, thanks to the software potential embedded in it, has fairly extensive development prospects.
“Iskra” Versus “Vremya”: Controversy Over “Soil”
Authors: Zakharova Olga
Published: April 2024

“Soil” (“pochva”) as a metaphorical name for the political and literary direction of the “Vremya” (“Time”) and “Epokha” (“Epoch”) journals was the subject of newspaper and journal polemics in many periodicals in the 1860s, including the satirical and humorous press. One of the implacable opponents of the Dostoevsky brothers' magazines was the weekly “Iskra“ (“Spark”) (1859–1873), whose publications are considered in this study. In the fight against opponents, the authors of “Iskra” used the possibilities offered by satirical genres: they published caricatures, cartoons, parodies, satires, pamphlets, feuilletons, jokes on literary topics, fantastic scenes and dramatic fantasies. A feature of the controversy was the sharp criticism of the political and literary program of the Dostoevsky brothers’ magazines and their direction. The periodicals' hostility was mutual. F. M. Dostoevsky called Iskra “Firebrand” on two occasions and created a negative image of an employee of the satirical magazine in the story “A Bad Joke.” In response to criticism, the Dostoevsky brothers calmly explained the “soil” ideas, notions and concepts of their journals.
GEOGRAPHY OF MIGRATIONS IN POPULATION OF UKRAINE: CONSEQUENCES OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION
Authors:   Chernivtsi Yuriy Fedkovych National University, Chernivtsi, Dzhaman V. O. , Dzhaman Ya. V. ,   Chernivtsi Yuriy Fedkovych National University, Chernivtsi
Published: April 2024

Population migrations (causes, regions of departure/arrival, directions, scope, intensity, and consequences) are predefined by economic, social, political, inter-confessional, interethnic, ecological and other factors. Problems of migration in Ukraine have become specifically painful under the conditions of russia’s war aggression and its invasion of the sovereign state of Ukraine in 2014. It was in the pre-war peaceful period (2006–2013) that migration flows in Ukraine became stable both quantitatively and in aspects of their major directions. The majority of regions (25 of 27) showed a positive interstate balance of population. Interregional migrants were attracted by 7 regions (City of Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, Odesa Oblast, City of Sevastopol, Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and Chernivtsi Oblast), while 20 regions had a negative balance of this type of migration. In the conditions of russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine (2014–2021), the interstate migration balance was still positive, but its volume was down by 30% (with no figures available for the temporarily occupied territories). The disproportion between the figures of interregional migration available for oblasts grew (in comparison to the pre-war period) 1,6 times. The Kyiv Oblast and the City of Kyiv, together with the Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts, have become the most attractive localities for migrants from other Ukrainian regions. Significant growth was observed in interregional migrants who departed from the localities of direct combat activity (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizzia, and Kherson oblasts). A new category of forced migrants—internally displaced persons—appeared. The russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine (beginning on February 24, 2022) has resulted in the occurrence of substantial forced migration flows. The war has brought an increase in the number of refugees, internally displaced persons, temporarily protected persons (when abroad), forcibly transferred persons (to Russia), etc. The directions and the scale of migration flows depend on the geography of the hostilities. Spatial specificities of interstate and interregional migrations in the population of Ukraine are defined for the prewar period, the period of russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine (2014–2021), and the full-scale russian-Ukrainian war (beginning on February 24, 2022). The scope and the directions of migrant departures/arrivals are disclosed, as well as their effect on the dynamics of population number in Ukraine and its regions.
Nutritional Status and Perceived Stress of Healthcare Professionals in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors:   Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, Adeojo O. M. , Dada I.O. ,   Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, Ajayi K. ,   Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
Published: April 2024

Background: The healthcare profession has been associated with stress which has been found to affect nutritional status. Purpose: This study was aimed at evaluating the perceived stress-nutritional status nexus of healthcare professionals in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 414 healthcare professionals. The study sample was obtained by using a two-stage cluster sampling approach. Data on socio-demographic and meal pattern was collected through a pretested self-administered questionnaire. Results: Body Mass Index (BMI) was obtained from height and weight measurements and classified as underweight (BMI<18.5), normal weight (BMI=18.5-24.99), overweight (BMI=25.0-29.99), obesity (BMI≥30). Perceived stress was evaluated using the perceived stress scale version 10 (PSS-10). Data were analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26 and subjected to Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis to establish relationship and predictors of perceived stress at 5% level of significance. The healthcare professionals’ age was 35.91±9.31 years with 86.2% being ≤ 45 years and 60% were females. Two meals a day were taken by 85.7%. BMI showed 49.3% to be overweight/obese. The mean perceived stress score was 15.02 with 47.6% having high perceived stress. Age (p=0.016), gender (p=0.001), marital status (p=0.001) and professional group (p=0.048) had significant relationship with perceived stress. The association between BMI and perceived stress was not significant (Chi-square = 0.562; p=0.905). Predictors of stress were gender (OR: 0.505, CI=0.308-0.830; p=0.007) and marital status (OR: 1.914, CI=1.143-3.208; p=0.014). Conclusion: The study showed high level of obesity and perceived stress. Nutrition education intervention is recommended.
Advocacy for Equitable Recess in Washington State
Authors: Tandon Pooja S. , Westerlind Linnea , McCleery Julie ,   King County Play Equity Coalition’s Advocacy Action Team
Published: April 2024

Recess in schools is a critical opportunity for children to engage in important behaviors that can promote their health and well-being, and daily recess is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other national organizations. In Washington state, school recess is not equitably provided, with parents reporting a wide range from as little as 10 minutes to >45 minutes daily. State laws can help promote equitable and high-quality recess, but most states in the United States do not have recess laws. In 2023, a bill (Senate Bill 5257) mandating a minimum of 30 minutes of daily recess for all elementary students with provisions for other recess best practices (including not withholding recess as punishment and encouraging movement breaks for middle/high-schoolers) passed with bipartisan support in the Washington state Legislature and was signed into law. In this case study, we describe the process undertaken and lessons learned by the cross-sector coalition that spearheaded the advocacy efforts, which included pediatricians, parents, educators, community organizations, and youth.
Historia de la Utilización de Medidas Coercitiva en la Atención Psiquiátrica en Canadá Durante los Periodos de Pre Institucionalización e Institucionalizados
Authors: Beryll Hull Melodie
Published: April 2024

Este artículo presenta una visión histórica de la utilización de medidas coercitivas como medio para controlar el actuar y la violencia en las instituciones psiquiátricas en los períodos pre - institucionales e institucionales de atención de salud mental en Canadá, (mediados de los años 1800s - 1970s). Se exploran las prácticas y los resultados, que incluían la reclusión, la hidroterapia, quirúrgico, químico y restricciones físicas. Los tratamientos considerados eficaces durante el período, también tuvieron efectos adversos pero lo más importante es que se utilizaron de manera coercitiva contra los pacientes. La evidencia será proporcionada para apoyar esto. El advenimiento de la aplicación de la psicología en el siglo XX , a la práctica clínica y la introducción de la enseñanza de enfermería psiquiátrica es discutido brevemente en relación con el tema. Por último, el artículo habla brevemente de las tendencias y prácticas actuales en la atención de salud mental, tomando nota de la reducción significativa en el uso de medidas coercitivas en el período post-institucional.
Mejorando los Aprendizajes Mediante la Innovación en la Evaluación.
Authors: Vásquez Aqueveque Ana María , Gallardo Salinas Karen , Bonilla Meneses Pilar
Published: April 2024

Estudio descriptivo, transversal, que plantea: ¿Es posible mejorar los aprendizajes de los estudiantes de la carrera de Enfermería, innovando las metodologías de evaluación? Para responder la interrogante, se propuso el siguiente objetivo; recoger la percepción de los estudiantes de la carrera de Enfermería de la Universidad de La Serena Chile, con respecto a la utilización del examen clínico objetivo estructurado, no sólo como un instrumento de evaluación, sino también como una metodología de aprendizaje. Para lograr el objetivo, se realizaron algunas variantes a la metodología inicial del examen; para ello se consideró que en cada estación al finalizar el desempeño del estudiante, se destinara un minuto para realizar de inmediato una retroalimentación del accionar, destacándose las fortalezas y los aspectos por mejorar, teniendo en cuenta un lenguaje positivo, de modo de no generar angustia o temor al estudiante, asegurando con este método el no interferir en el desempeño en las de estaciones posteriores. La población objeto de estudio, estuvo integrada por los estudiantes regulares de la carrera de Enfermería de la Universidad de La Serena, Chile. El muestreo es no probabilístico, intencionado, voluntario; se aplicó consentimiento informado a los estudiantes para su incorporación en el estudio. Los resultados revelan que los estudiantes valoran la retroalimentación positiva en cada estación, reconociendo que había cierto nivel de nerviosismo, expectación. Aprecian que se les comunique de inmediato su desempeño. Mostrar hallazgos de los procesos formativos del talento humano en Enfermería a nivel del pregrado, permite tomar decisiones en función de la evidencia científica.
Sprachenvielfalt von Bratislava. Eine Linguistic Landscape-Analyse am Beispiel der Michalská- und der Zelená-Straße
Authors: Gašová Zuzana
Published: April 2024

The empirical study presents the quantitative representation of languages in the investigated areas – Michalská and Zelena Street – in the linguistic landscape of Bratislava. At the same time, it emphasizes the necessity of further qualitative data analysis with regard to the perception of individual languages – present in the language landscape under study – by a specific type of recipient. Important evaluation criteria in the analysis process are (1) the visual accessibility of the sign, (2) the rate of distribution of the sign in the investigated area and (3) the classification of the sign (top-down vs. bottom-up signs).
Personality organisation and mentalisation in group of individuals with alcohol use disorder
Authors: Mamełka Klaudia Izabela , Fabjanowicz Aleksandra
Published: April 2024

Introduction and objective: The personality organisation model proposed by Otto F. Kernberg allows for describing an individual at different levels of personality organisation: healthy/neurotic and higher/moderate/low borderline. It is assumed that there is a correlation between an individual’s ability to mentalise and the level of personality organisation. The aim of the study was to find out whether there is a relationship between personality organisation and the ability to mentalise in a group of alcohol-dependent individuals. Materials and methods: The research was conducted in a group of 91 alcohol-dependent individuals. The mean age of the respondents was 43.50 years (standard deviation, SD = 12.90). The research used the Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO) by John F. Clarkin, Pamela A. Foelsch and Otto F. Kernberg, the Mentalization Scale by Aleksandar Dimitrijević et al., the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test published by the Polish Agency for the Identification of Alcohol-Related Problems and an original sociodemographic questionnaire. Results: The study showed significant correlations between different aspects of personality organisation and mentalisation. The higher the severity of abnormalities in personality organisation, the lower the ability to mentalise. Alcohol-dependent men and women were also shown to differ significantly in their ability to mentalise, intensity of aggression and moral values. Conclusions: The study showed that the ability to mentalise in alcohol-dependent individuals decreases with increasing deficits in personality organisation, which seems to be relevant for the design of therapeutic interventions.