bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yemeni refugees’ health literacy and experience with the Dutch healthcare system: a qualitative study
Authors: Al-Tamimi Abdulhakeem , Parić Martina , Groot Wim , Pavlova Milena
Published: May 2023

Background

The Netherlands is receiving increasing numbers of Yemeni refugees due to the ongoing war in Yemen. Since there is a lack of knowledge about access to healthcare by refugees, this study investigates the experiences of Yemeni refugees with the Dutch healthcare system from a health literacy perspective.

Methods

Qualitative semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted among 13 Yemeni refugees in the Netherlands, to gauge their level of health literacy and investigate their experiences with the Dutch healthcare system. Participants were invited using convenience and snowball sampling. Interviews were done in Arabic and then transcribed and translated ad verbatim to English. Deductive thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed interviews based on the Health Literacy framework.

Results

The participants knew how to use primary and emergency care, and were aware of health problems related to smoking, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet. However, some participants lacked an understanding of health insurance schemes, vaccination, and food labels. They also experienced language barriers during the first months after arrival. Furthermore, participants preferred to postpone seeking mental healthcare. They also showed mistrust towards general practitioners and perceived them as uncaring and hard to convince of their health complaints.

Conclusion

Yemeni refugees in our study are well-acquainted with many aspects of Dutch healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion. However, trust in healthcare providers, vaccination literacy and mental health awareness must improve, as also confirmed by other studies. Therefore, it is suggested to ensure appropriate cultural mediation services available for refugees as well as training for healthcare providers focused on understanding cultural diversity, developing cultural competence and intercultural communication. This is crucial to prevent health inequalities, improve trust in the healthcare system and tackle unmet health needs regarding mental healthcare, access to primary care, and vaccination.
Assessing the quality of hospital outpatient services in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Farrokhi Pouria , Bagherzadeh Rafat , Arab-Zozani Morteza , Zarei Ehsan
Published: May 2023

Background

Quality healthcare services are considered one of the most effective vehicles for healthcare managers to achieve organizational goals. Therefore, this study aimed to combine the findings of comparable studies to identify consistencies and contradictions in the quality of outpatient services in Iran.

Methods

The current systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted in 2022 according to PRISMA guideline. All relevant English and Persian studies were searched in databases, including Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, Scientific Information Database, and Magiran. No year restriction was applied. The quality of the studies was assessed by the 22-item Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist. The meta-analysis was conducted by using Open Meta Analyst, and between-study heterogeneity was investigated with I-squared statistic.

Results

Of the 106 retrieved articles, seven studies with a total sample size of 2600 were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of mean for overall perception was 3.95 (95% CI: 3.34- 4.55, P< 0.001, I2= 99.97), while the pooled estimate of the mean for the overall expectation was 4.43 (95% CI: 4.11- 4.75, P< 0.001, I2= 99.93). The highest and lowest perception mean scores were related to tangibility (3.52, Gap= -0.86) and responsiveness (3.30, Gap= -1.04) dimensions.

Conclusion

Responsiveness was identified as the weakest dimension. Therefore, managers are recommended to design suitable workforce-development programs which focus on the provision of timely and prompt services, polite and courteous interactions with patients, and prioritization of patients’ needs. Moreover, training public sector practitioners along with incentives can fill up the existing gaps.
Interindividual variation of progesterone elevation post LH rise: implications for natural cycle frozen embryo transfers in the individualized medicine era
Authors: Coughlan Carol , Ata Baris , Gallego Raquel Del , Lawrenz Barbara , Melado Laura , Samir Suzan , Fatemi Human
Published: May 2023

Background

The key to optimal timing of frozen embryo transfer (FET ) is to synchronize the embryo with the receptive phase of the endometrium. Secretory transformation of the endometrium is induced by progesterone. In contrast, detection of the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge is the most common surrogate used to determine the start of secretory transformation and to schedule FET in a natural cycle. The accuracy of LH monitoring to schedule FET in a natural cycle relies heavily on the assumption that the period between the LH surge and ovulation is acceptably constant. This study will determine the period between LH rise and progesterone rise in ovulatory natural menstrual cycles.

Methods

Retrospective observational study including 102 women who underwent ultrasound and endocrine monitoring for a frozen embryo transfer in a natural cycle. All women had serum LH, estradiol and progesterone levels measured on three consecutive days until (including) the day of ovulation defined with serum progesterone level exceeding 1ng/ml.

Results

Twenty-one (20.6%) women had the LH rise 2 days prior to progesterone rise, 71 (69.6%) had on the day immediately preceding progesterone rise and 10 (9.8%) on the same day of progesterone rise. Women who had LH rise 2 days prior to progesterone rise had significantly higher body mass index and significantly lower serum AMH levels than women who had LH rise on the same day with progesterone rise.

Conclusion

This study provides an unbiased account of the temporal relationship between LH and progesterone increase in a natural menstrual cycle. Variation in the period between LH rise and progesterone rise in ovulatory cycles likely has implications for the choice of marker for the start of secretory transformation in frozen embryo transfer cycles. The study participants are representative of the relevant population of women undergoing frozen embryo transfer in a natural cycle.
LRP5-/6 gene polymorphisms and its association with risk of abnormal bone mass in postmenopausal women
Authors: Li Jun , Liu Zebing , Ren Yanxia , Shao Han , Li Siyuan
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To assess LRP5-/6 gene polymorphisms and its association with risk of abnormal bone mass (ABM) in postmenopausal women.

Methods

The study recruited 166 patients with ABM (case group) and 106 patients with normal bone mass (control group) based on bone mineral density (BMD) results. Multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was used to analyze the interaction between the Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) gene (rs41494349, rs2306862) and the Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) gene (rs10743980, rs2302685) and the subjects’ clinical characteristics of age and menopausal years.

Results

(1) Logistic regression analysis showed that the subjects with the CT or TT genotype at rs2306862 had a higher risk of ABM than those with the CC genotype (OR = 2.353, 95%CI = 1.039–6.186; OR = 2.434, 95%CI = 1.071, 5.531; P < 0.05). The subjects with the TC genotype at rs2302685 had a higher risk of ABM than those with the TT genotype (OR = 2.951, 95%CI = 1.030–8.457, P < 0.05). (2) When taking the three Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) together, the accuracy was the highest with the cross-validation consistency of 10/10 (OR = 1.504, 95%CI:1.092–2.073, P < 0.05), indicating that the LRP5 rs41494349 and LRP6 rs10743980, rs2302685 were interactively associated with the risk of ABM. (3) Linkage disequilibrium (LD) results revealed that the LRP5 (rs41494349,rs2306862) were in strong LD (D′ > 0.9, r2 > 0.3). AC and AT haplotypes were significantly more frequently distributed in the ABM group than in the control group, indicating that subjects carrying the AC and AT haplotypes were associated with an increased risk of ABM (P < 0.01). (4) MDR showed that rs41494349 & rs2302685 & rs10743980 & age were the best model for ABM prediction. The risk of ABM in “high-risk combination” was 1.00 times that of “low-risk combination”(OR = 1.005, 95%CI: 1.002–1.008, P < 0.05). (5) MDR showed that there was no significant association between any of the SNPs and menopausal years and ABM susceptibility.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that LRP5-rs2306862 and LRP6-rs2302685 polymorphisms and gene–gene and gene–age interactions may increase the risk of ABM in postmenopausal women. There was no significant association between any of the SNPs and menopausal years and ABM susceptibility.
Profile and outcome of patients with Warfarin Toxicity admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Bhutan: a cross-sectional study investigators and institutions
Authors: Penjore Yeshey , Dorji Thinley , Dorji Sangay , Tamang Saran Tenzin
Published: May 2023

Objective

To study the profile, clinical presentation and outcome of hospital stay among patients admitted with warfarin toxicity at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Bhutan. This was a cross-sectional study with a review of hospital records of patients admitted between 01 and 2018 and 30 June 2020.

Results

There were 22 admissions due to warfarin toxicity. The mean age of patients was 55.9 (± SD 20.2) years, the median duration of warfarin therapy was 30 months (IQR 4.8, 69 months). The indications for warfarin were atrial fibrillation (9, 40.9%), mechanical heart valves (6, 27.3%), deep vein thrombosis (6, 27.3%) and pulmonary thromboembolism (1, 4.5%). The mean of dosage of warfarin was 4.3 (± 2.6) mg and the cumulative dosage in the week prior to admission was 30.9 (± 18.6) mg. The mean of INR at presentation was 7.7 (± 4.3) with the maximum noted at 20. The patients presented with gastrointestinal bleeding, muscle haematomas, epistaxis and oral cavity bleeding. There was no mortality related to warfarin toxicity. The reasons for warfarin toxicity included patient dosing error and drug interactions. Warfarin therapy requires appropriate patient education, adequate facilities for follow-up and avoidance of warfarin wherever possible in clinical settings.
Molecular epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from tuberculosis-suspected patients
Authors: Tarashi Samira , Sakhaee Fatemeh , Masoumi Morteza , Ghazanfari Jajin Morteza , Siadat Seyed Davar , Fateh Abolfazl
Published: May 2023

It is a growing problem around the world to deal with nontuberculous mycobacteria infection (NTM), but its clinical significance is still largely unknown. This study aims to investigate the epidemiology of NTM infections from various clinical samples and determine their clinical significance. From December 2020 to December 2021, 6125 clinical samples were collected. In addition to phenotypic detection, genotypic detection through multilocus sequence typing (hsp65, rpoB, and 16S rDNA genes) and sequencing was also conducted. Records of patients were consulted for clinical information, such as symptoms and radiological findings. Of the 6,125 patients, 351 (5.7%) were positive for acid-fast bacteria (AFB). Out of 351 AFB, 289 (82.3%) and 62 (17.7%) subjects were identified as M. tuberculosis complex (MTC) and NTM strains, respectively. Isolates of Mycobacterium simiae and M. fortuitum were the most frequent, followed by isolates of M. kansasii and M. marinum. We also isolated M. chelonae, M. canariasense, and M. jacuzzii, which are rarely reported. Symptoms (P = 0.048), radiographic findings (P = 0.013), and gender (P = 0.039) were associated with NTM isolates. M. Fortuitum, M. simiae, and M. kansasii presented with bronchiectasis, infiltration, and cavitary lesions most frequently, while cough was the most common symptom. In conclusion, Mycobacterium simiae and M. fortuitum were presented in seventeen and twelve NTM isolates from the collected samples. There is evidence that NTM infections in endemic settings may contribute to the dissemination of various diseases and the control of tuberculosis. In spite of this, further research is needed to evaluate the clinical significance of NTM isolates.
Are COVID-19 systematic reviews up to date and can we tell? A cross-sectional study
Authors: McDonald Steve , Turner Simon L. , Nguyen Phi-Yen , Page Matthew J. , Turner Tari
Published: May 2023

Background

COVID-19 led to a rapid acceleration in the number of systematic reviews. Readers need to know how up to date evidence is when selecting reviews to inform decisions. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate how easily the currency of COVID-19 systematic reviews published early in the pandemic could be determined and how up to date these reviews were at the time of publication.

Methods

We searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses relevant to COVID-19 added to PubMed in July 2020 and January 2021, including any that were first published as preprints. We extracted data on the date of search, number of included studies, and date first published online. For the search date, we noted the format of the date and where in the review this was reported. A sample of non-COVID-19 systematic reviews from November 2020 served as a comparator.

Results

We identified 246 systematic reviews on COVID-19. In the abstract of these reviews, just over half (57%) reported the search date (day/month/year or month/year) while 43% failed to report any date. When the full text was considered, the search date was missing from 6% of reviews. The median time from last search to publication online was 91 days (IQR 63–130). Time from search to publication was similar for the subset of 15 rapid or living reviews (92 days) but shorter for the 29 reviews published as preprints (37 days). The median number of studies or publications included per review was 23 (IQR 12–40). In the sample of 290 non-COVID SRs, around two-thirds (65%) reported the search date while a third (34%) did not include any date in the abstract. The median time from search to publication online was 253 days (IQR 153–381) and each review included a median of 12 studies (IQR 8–21).

Conclusions

Despite the context of the pandemic and the need to easily ascertain the currency of systematic reviews, reporting of the search date information for COVID-19 reviews was inadequate. Adherence to reporting guidelines would improve the transparency and usefulness of systematic reviews to users.
What acceleration data from wildlife collars and animal body mass tell us about seed dispersal
Authors: Buchmann Carsten M. , Dreyling Lukas , Constantin Mihaela , Schurr Frank M.
Published: May 2023

Background

The seeds of many plant species can be dispersed over long distances in animal fur (epizoochory). Quantifying epizoochory in the wild is, however, challenging, since it is difficult to measure the retention times of seeds in fur. These retention times depend on the acceleration that seeds experience and that can detach seeds from fur. Wildlife collars containing accelerometers may thus provide crucial information on epizoochorous seed dispersal. However, this is only the case if acceleration of the animal’s neck (where collars are attached) is informative of acceleration of the animal’s main body (where most seeds are transported).

Methods

We used accelerometers to simultaneously measure acceleration at the neck, breast and the upper hind leg of 40 individuals of eight mammal species spanning a large range of body masses (26–867 kg). We then quantified maximum acceleration as the 95%-quantile of the resultant acceleration (of all measured values in data intervals of 5 s).

Results

Maximum acceleration was comparable between the neck and breast but substantially higher at the hind leg. Maximum acceleration measured by neck collars and body mass jointly explained 81% of the variance in maximum acceleration of the breast and 62% of the variance in maximum acceleration of the leg.

Conclusions

Acceleration measured by neck collars is informative of the acceleration experienced by seeds attached to other body parts (breast and leg). When combined with animal movement data and lab measurements of how fur acceleration affects seed release and retention times, widely used collar accelerometers can thus be used to assess distances of epizoochorous seed dispersal.
Selenide-linked polydopamine-reinforced hybrid hydrogels with on-demand degradation and light-triggered nanozyme release for diabetic wound healing
Authors: Li Wenjing , Bei Ying , Pan Xiangqiang , Zhu Jian , Zhang Zhengbiao , Zhang Tinglin , Liu Jieting , Wu Dan , Li Meng , Wu Yan , Gao Jie
Published: May 2023

Background

Multifunctional hydrogels with controllable degradation and drug release have attracted extensive attention in diabetic wound healing. This study focused on the acceleration of diabetic wound healing with selenide-linked polydopamine-reinforced hybrid hydrogels with on-demand degradation and light-triggered nanozyme release.

Methods

Herein, selenium-containing hybrid hydrogels, defined as DSeP@PB, were fabricated
via
the reinforcement of selenol-end capping polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogels by polydopamine nanoparticles (PDANPs) and Prussian blue nanozymes in a one-pot approach in the absence of any other chemical additive or organic solvent based on diselenide and selenide bonding-guided crosslinking, making them accessible for large-scale mass production.

Results

Reinforcement by PDANPs greatly increases the mechanical properties of the hydrogels, realizing excellent injectability and flexible mechanical properties for DSeP@PB. Dynamic diselenide introduction endowed the hydrogels with on-demand degradation under reducing or oxidizing conditions and light-triggered nanozyme release. The bioactivity of Prussian blue nanozymes afforded the hydrogels with efficient antibacterial, ROS-scavenging and immunomodulatory effects, which protected cells from oxidative damage and reduced inflammation. Further animal studies indicated that DSeP@PB under red light irradiation showed the most efficient wound healing activity by stimulating angiogenesis and collagen deposition and inhibiting inflammation.

Conclusion

The combined merits of DSeP@PB (on-demand degradation, light-triggered release, flexible mechanical robustness, antibacterial, ROS-scavenging and immunomodulatory capacities) enable its high potential as a new hydrogel dressing that can be harnessed for safe and efficient therapeutics for diabetic wound healing.
Effervescent cannabidiol solid dispersion-doped dissolving microneedles for boosted melanoma therapy via the “TRPV1-NFATc1-ATF3” pathway and tumor microenvironment engineering
Authors: Shi Jiachen , Ma Qiuling , Su Wenting , Liu Congyan , Zhang Huangqin , Liu Yuping , Li Xiaoqi , Jiang Xi , Ge Chang , Kong Fei , Chen Yan , Qu Ding
Published: May 2023

Background

Conventional dissolving microneedles (DMNs) face significant challenges in anti-melanoma therapy due to the lack of active thrust to achieve efficient transdermal drug delivery and intra-tumoral penetration.

Methods

In this study, the effervescent cannabidiol solid dispersion-doped dissolving microneedles (Ef/CBD-SD@DMNs) composed of the combined effervescent components (CaCO
3
& NaHCO
3
) and CBD-based solid dispersion (CBD-SD) were facilely fabricated by the “one-step micro-molding” method for boosted transdermal and tumoral delivery of cannabidiol (CBD).

Results

Upon pressing into the skin, Ef/CBD-SD@DMNs rapidly produce CO
2
bubbles through proton elimination, significantly enhancing the skin permeation and tumoral penetration of CBD. Once reaching the tumors, Ef/CBD-SD@DMNs can activate transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) to increase Ca
2+
influx and inhibit the downstream NFATc1-ATF3 signal to induce cell apoptosis. Additionally, Ef/CBD-SD@DMNs raise intra-tumoral pH environment to trigger the engineering of the tumor microenvironment (TME), including the M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and increase of T cells infiltration. The introduction of Ca
2+
can not only amplify the effervescent effect but also provide sufficient Ca
2+
with CBD to potentiate the anti-melanoma efficacy. Such a “one stone, two birds” strategy combines the advantages of effervescent effects on transdermal delivery and TME regulation, creating favorable therapeutic conditions for CBD to obtain stronger inhibition of melanoma growth in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

This study holds promising potential in the transdermal delivery of CBD for melanoma therapy and offers a facile tool for transdermal therapies of skin tumors.
The safety of lookalikes: a new THC beverage enhancer and a non-THC counterpart
Authors: Brown Geoffrey W. , DeGelorm Anthony , Bellnier Terrance J.
Published: May 2023

A new tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) beverage enhancer is available to medical and recreational cannabis consumers across the US. Beverage enhancers that do not contain THC, but instead contain flavored concentrates and/or other additives such as caffeine, are used by squirting the contents of a bottle into water, or other beverage of choice, ad libitum and can be used in a titratable manner according to the user’s preference or taste. The THC beverage enhancer described herein has an important safety feature: a mechanism that allows users to measure out a 5-mg dose of THC before they add it to their beverage. This mechanism, however, can be easily bypassed if a user attempts to use the product exactly the same way that its non-THC counterparts are used, by turning the bottle upside down and squirting the contents of the bottle into a beverage ad libitum. The THC beverage enhancer described herein would benefit from additional safety features such as a mechanism that prevents the contents of the bottle from leaving the device when turned upside down and a THC warning label.
Peritoneal deposits: PET/CT the keen observer
Authors: Mikawy Nora Nabil Abdou Ahmed , Elnaggar Heba T-allah Mohammed Yousry
Published: May 2023

Background

The peritoneum is the largest serous membrane in the body, it is a preferred site for metastasis of primary malignancies like mesothelioma. Accurate monitoring of tumor response to chemotherapy and detection of tumor recurrence is critical in management planning. CT is the gold standard for the detection of peritoneal deposits. PET scans are performed on patients with a variety of malignancies.

Results

The study included 70 patients, 36 females, and 34 males. The age ranged from 5 to 76 years. 59 patients presented to the PET CT unit with known 1ry tumor while 11 patients presented with metastasis of unknown 1ry. Lymphoma followed by colon were the commonest sites for the primary tumor with 15 and 13 patients for each respectively. Breast came in the 3rd place followed by endometrial carcinoma with 12 and 6 patients respectively. Bronchogenic carcinoma came after with 4 patients. Then melanoma, cervical, ovarian, and NET with 2 patients for each. One case had HCC. After performing the PET CT scan we detect the primary neoplastic process for 8 patients out of the 11 previously unknown cases and 3 cases being the unknown origin. These 8 patients were found to be 3 cases with 1ry breast lesions, 2 cases with ovarian masses, and the last 3 cases were colonic, HCC, and lymphoma. 60 of the patients included had peritoneal deposits while 10 were free. Ten patients were reviewed, finding 8 patients were free on CT and PET images, while 2 patients had avid spots. These spots were reviewed turning to be normal bowel activity. Visibility of the peritoneal deposits on CT images was observed, 33 patients had deposits that were not visualized on CT, and 27 were visible. The avid peritoneal deposits were observed. Fifty-eight patients had avid deposits while two patients had non-avid deposits. Fifty-five patients had high-grade avidity deposits while 3 patients had low-grade avidity deposits.

Conclusions

Evaluation of peritoneal malignancies with PET/CT is rewarding adding substantially to CT scanning alone.
Partnering With Patients and Caregivers in Cancer Care: Lessons From Experiences With Transgender, Hispanic, and Pediatric Populations
Authors: Katz Naomi T. , Alpert Ash B. , Aristizabal M. Paula , McDaniels-Davidson Corinne , Sacks Bronwyn H. , Sanft Tara , Chou Calvin L. , Martinez Maria Elena
Published: May 2023

A cancer diagnosis thrusts patients and caregivers into a foreign world of health care with systems, protocols, and norms that can leave little room for individual needs and circumstances. Quality and efficacious oncology care requires clinicians to partner with patients and caregivers to understand and incorporate their needs, values, and priorities into information sharing, decision making, and care provision. This partnership is necessary for effective patient- and family-centered care and access to individualized and equitable information, treatment, and research participation. Partnering with patients and families also requires oncology clinicians to see that our personal values, preconceived ideas, and established systems exclude certain populations and potentially lead to poorer care for all patients. Furthermore, inequitable access to participation in research and clinical trials can contribute to an unequal burden of cancer morbidity and mortality. Leveraging the expertise of the authorship team with transgender, Hispanic, and pediatric populations, this chapter provides insights and suggestions for oncology care that are applicable across patient populations to mitigate stigma and discrimination and improve the quality of care for all patients.
Synthesis of N-Unprotected Diaryl Ketimines and Alkyl Ketimines from Ketones and Ammonia Using Porous Solid Acids with Analysis of Their Adsorption Behavior
Authors: Shibata Shintaro , Masui Yoichi , Narukawa Naoki , Shiroshita Takuya , Miya Haruhiko , Sato Rintaro , Tokutake Shunta , Tanaka Yoshiki , Onaka Makoto
Published: May 2023

The most atom-efficient synthetic method for N-unprotected ketimines (N-H ketimines) from ketones is the dehydration condensation reaction with ammonia (NH3). However, until now, few synthetic methods for N-H ketimines with high versatility have been known. In this study, we examined various solid acids and found that N-H diaryl ketimines with various functional groups on the aryl groups could be synthesized in high yields from diaryl ketones and NH3 under solvent-free conditions using silica-alumina (SiO2-Al2O3) or proton-exchanged Y-type zeolite (H-Y). Solid-state 13C and 15N NMR measurements indicated that the N-H ketimine formed in the pores of acidic zeolite was coordinated to NH4+ species on the pore surface. By quantum chemical calculations we also discussed the reason why the dehydration-condensation reaction between ketone and NH3, which is an endothermic reaction in a vacuum, was biased toward the product side in the actual experiment. In addition, this synthetic method can be applied to synthesize N-H alkyl ketimines with α-acidic hydrogens, which are less stable and more sensitive to hydrolysis and oligomerization than diaryl ketimines.
A planar geometrical non-linear bistable auxetic metamaterial mechanism
Authors: Dachis Ioannis , Hadjigeorgiou Evangelos
Published: May 2023

Mechanical metamaterials are artificial systems with tailored physical and mechanical properties defined by their structure rather than their chemical composition. Therefore, they can be considered as mechanisms that can produce the desired properties by designing the base cell of which the lattice is composed. A structure that have negative Poisson’s ratio is called auxetic and bistability is the property of having two stable equilibrium positions within the range of its motion-deformation. In such cases the mechanism stores energy during part of its motion, and then releasing it as it moves toward a second stable state. If the deformation gradient is large enough then the non-linear terms of strain tensor cannot be overlooked, the structure exhibits geometrical non-linearity. The present study develop a planar bistable auxetic mechanical meta-material based on a re-entrant arrowhead auxetic topology and analyse the structure’s mechanism and its properties.
A novel ESG Materiality methodology combining criterion level and sector-based approaches.
Authors: Kakogiannis Nikolaos , Doukas Haris , Chrysanthopoulos Nikolaos , Mexis Filippos Dimitrios , Stouris Konstantinos
Published: May 2023

As the ESG principles are rapidly becoming critical in the decision-making process of investment undertaking, companies must deal with ESG reporting either to fulfil obligatory requirements according to EU legislation or, to stay competitive and in line with the investing trends. In the market, several ESG rating methodologies exist consisting of numerous criteria and indicators that companies must consider in their reporting. Nevertheless, neither all ESG rating frameworks consider the same criteria, nor do all criteria have the same materiality weighting when estimating the final ESG rating. Thus, the establishment of a standardized and normalized ESG criteria materiality framework is considered crucial. This will enable the fine-tuning and calibration of the ESG evaluation, with materiality values that reflect accordingly the significance of the most important criteria. In addition, this methodology will enhance the comparability of the results of the different companies’ evaluations while creating a harmonized framework. The present manuscript introduces an integrated methodology for the estimation of the ESG materiality factors putting emphasis on the most frequent criteria of the main economic sectors. The methodology analyses data from several sources, including academic papers and methodologies, companies’ reports and globally established rating frameworks. The proposed approach results in the estimation of the materiality values for each criterion of a specific ESG rating scorecard, as well as introduces an overview of the materiality issues for each economic sector.
The genome sequence of the Chevron, Eulithis testata (Linnaeus, 1761)
Authors: Lees David C. ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: May 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Eulithis testata (the Chevron; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Geometridae). The genome sequence is 308.1 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.9 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 16,167 protein coding genes.
SERVICE LEARNING IN PREPARING STUDENTS TO ENSURE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY OF SCHOOLCHILDREN
Authors: Demchenko Natalya A. , Shmeleva Elena A. , Kislyakov Pavel A.
Published: May 2023

Relevance. The article substantiates the relevance of the search for practice-oriented technologies in the training of university students. The subject of the research is service learning technology, which combines academic training and practical activities of future teachers in specific situations in the interests of people in need of support. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the potential of service learning technology in preparing students to ensure the psychological safety of schoolchildren with limited health opportunities.

Research methods: literature analysis on the research problem, data systematization, survey, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, including percentage analysis. Study participants: students of T.G. Shevchenko Pridnestrovian State University (Republic of Moldova).

The results of the study. The awareness of students about the service learning method and their readiness to master it is revealed. The essence of the concept of service learning is revealed, the experience of its application in foreign and domestic universities is described, the possibility of its use in the work of preparing students to ensure the psychological safety of schoolchildren with disabilities is substantiated. The model of formation of students’ readiness to ensure the psychological safety of schoolchildren with disabilities is presented.

Conclusion. The practical significance of the research is expressed in the creation of a comfortable and safe educational environment declared for the priority purposes of the state. Service learning technology ensures the effective formation of professional competencies among students to ensure the psychological safety of children with disabilities and involves the use of trainings, games, exercises to relieve anxiety and aggressiveness of children, identifying threats and risks of psychological safety in real conditions of specific situations.
SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF SATISFACTION BY COMMUNICATION
Authors: Kuznetsova Irina V. , Okoneshnikova Nadezhda L. , Vinogradova Yana E.
Published: May 2023

Background. Communication is an essential element of human existence. At the same time, communication can be a goal or a means. The question of satisfaction with communication is often associated with the effectiveness of activities, the achievement of the “necessary” result or satisfaction with life in general. However, the process of communication itself, subjective satisfaction with this process, the quantity of communication and its quality - much less often fall into the focus of scientific attention.

The aim of the study was to examine the subjective perception of the available and desired amount of communication of respondents engaged in different professional spheres.

Research Methods. In this research respondents were offered a questionnaire to assess various characteristics of communication, such as the amount of communication in general, the distribution of communication by areas (with family, friends, colleagues and clients), the purpose of communication (information exchange, self-expression, experience of emotions, entertainment). This questionnaire is filled out twice - the description of the existing and ideal situation. For our study it is the difference between the actual and the desired that is of interest. As it is this variable, in our opinion, is an indicator of satisfaction with communication. The data were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics Subscription. The following methods of mathematical statistics were used in the study: comparative analysis, Pearson Chi-square, Student’s t-test, multiple analysis of variance (Scheffe test and intergroup effects criterion).

Results of the study. As a result of the study, three groups of respondents were identified: those who lack communication, those who overcommunicate, and those who are satisfied with communication. The distribution of the groups showed that there was no relationship between subjective satisfaction with communication and gender, as well as the sphere of activity (“man-human”, “man-technique”), i.e. regardless of the type of activity there were respondents both satisfied with their communication, and experiencing its deficit or overabundance. Communication fatigue is caused by an overabundance of communication with colleagues and clients with a lack of communication in the family. Lack of communication is associated with a lack of opportunity for informal communication in a professional environment and substitution of superficial, shallow communication in a close, family circle.

Area of application of the results. The results can be used to work on improving the psychological well-being of the person, through adjusting the quality and quantity of communication in different spheres. The results may be of interest for psychologists, psychotherapists and coaches.
Towards the Representation of the Linguistic Identity in the Contemporary French Political Discourse (Based on the Latest Speeches of the Acting French President Emmanuel Macron)
Authors: Loginova Polina
Published: May 2023

The paper deals with French political discourse. The scope of research includes the latest speeches of the acting French president Emmanuel Macron illustrating his anti-russian declamations which could represent the peculiarities of the linguistic indentity of the acting French leader. The object of research consists of E. Macron’s word usages extracted from such speeches delivered throughout the year 2002 as «Discours du Président Emmanuel Macron à l’Assemblée générale des Nations unies 2022», «Sonférence de à l’issue du Sommet informel des chefs d’État et de gouvernement de l’Union européenne», «Guerre en Ukraine: l’intégralité de l’allocution d’Emmanuel Macron», «Bénin: «La Russie a commencé au fond un nouveau type d’une guerre hybride”. Macron accuse la Russie d’être “l’une des dernières puissances impériales coloniales”». It is attempted to illustrate that his linguistic identity is diverse and could be designated by excessive metaphorical modeling, literature-centricity straightforwardness and picturesque descriptive words. While studying the metaphorical meanings of the lexical units under consideration the method of contextual analysis, component analysis method and the descriptive method are being used. The aim of the research is to represent the specifics of E. Macron’s verbal behavior by the example of anti-russian declamations in mass media. The relevance of the study is determined be citing and analyzing the latest interventions and declarations of the acting French president that illustrate contemporary political framework. The paper contains a large number of examples. The article may be of interest to experts in the field of French political discourse. The practical significance of the study consists in the possibility of inclusion of the examples of analysis of E. Macron’s speeches in didactic materials while designing special courses in the language of the French political communication for training students of such Master’s Degree programs as “International Relations”, “International Strategic Communication”, “Global Politics”, and “Information Support of State Interests”.
On the Issue of the Communicative Effectiveness of Commercial Names Formed on the Basis of a Precedent Text
Authors: Novichihina M.
Published: May 2023

The subject of the research in this work was the commercial nomination of confectionery products, formed on the basis of a precedent text.

The relevance of the study undertaken is due, on the one hand, to the in-creasing practice of using a precedent text in the name and, on the other hand, to the urgent need to optimise the process of commercial nomination. The paper is based on the hypothesis that the use of a precedent text in a commercial name increases the communicative effectiveness of the name among potential consumers. It is shown that the communicative effective-ness of a name is determined by the potential inherent in the word for its use as a commercial name, and its components are the associative corre-spondence of the word name, its informative value, motivation and phonetic attractiveness. At the same time, the named components are not equally important, the leading role in communicative efficiency is played by the so-called motivation of the name, understood as the degree of actualization by the word-name of a certain consumer motive.

The author’s methodology for the study of the motivation of commercial names based on the precedent text is proposed. This methodology involves the calculation and further comparison of the preference index of names based on precedent and names containing no elements of precedence. The implementation of this technique confirms the hypothesis of a correlation between the use of a precedent text in a commercial name and the communicative effectiveness of this name.

The conclusions obtained as a result of the study can be used in real prac-tice of creating effective commercial names of different types.
Physical Stores as Warehouses for Online Channels: Implications for Channel Choices Under Competition
Authors: Tang Ping , Chen Jianqing , Raghunathan Srinivasan
Published: May 2023

With the development of new technology and business innovation, firms are actively adjusting their channel choices. Some retailers operate a hybrid and special omnichannel structure referred to as New Retail promising to tightly integrate online and physical channels. In the meanwhile, some retailers such as Ross choose to only operate physical channels. In this paper, we provide insights into competing firms’ retail-channel choices among online channel, physical channel, and omnichannel under the New Retail model. We find that firms’ channel choices determine which channels compete directly with each other and hence the intensity of competition between firms. Firms’ channel choices also give rise to three other effects-market expansion, consumer segmentation, and intrafirm cannibalization. The tradeoff among these effects along with the nature and intensity of competition determine the equilibrium channel structure in the market.
How Do Interest-Only Mortgages Affect Consumption and Saving over the Life Cycle?
Authors: Larsen Linda Sandris , Munk Claus , Nielsen Rikke Sejer , Rangvid Jesper
Published: May 2023

Using a unique data set with detailed information on Danish households and their mortgages, we show that young and old households are more likely to use interest-only (IO) mortgages compared with middle-aged households. Young households use IO mortgages because they expect higher future income and old households because IO mortgages allow them to circumvent an otherwise binding liquidity constraint. Through different channels, IO mortgages thus facilitate consumption smoothing for young and old households. Our detailed data also allow us to examine how households with IO mortgages differ from households with repayment mortgages in terms of leverage, debt and asset composition, and pension contributions.

This paper was accepted by Tomasz Piskorski, finance.

Funding: All authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Danish Finance Institute.

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4787 .
A (Slightly) Improved Approximation Algorithm for Metric TSP
Authors: Karlin Anna R. , Klein Nathan , Oveis Gharan Shayan
Published: May 2023

In “An Improved Approximation Algorithm for TSP,” Karlin, Klein, and Oveis Gharan design the first improvement over the classical 1.5 approximation algorithm of Christofides-Serdyukov after more than 40 years. Their algorithm first chooses a random spanning tree from the maximum entropy distribution of spanning trees with marginals equal to the optimum LP solution of TSP, and then, similar to Christofides’ algorithm, it adds the minimum cost matching on the odd degree vertices of the tree. To analyze their simple algorithms, they prove and exploit new tools from the theory of strongly Rayleigh distributions.
Reliability Structures Consisting of Weighted Components: Synopsis and New Advances
Authors: Triantafyllou Ioannis S.
Published: May 2023

Throughout the lines of the present article the family of reliability systems consisting of weighted components is examined. A synoptic exposition of the existing reliability structures with n weighted components is carried out. Among others, some newfangled and crucial points for every structure that belongs to this class are reported. In addition, a new weighted consecutive-type structure is introduced, while its characteristics are also studied in some detail.
Building Envelopes Toward Energy-Savings in Hot and Humid Climates: A Review
Authors: Alamin Etaib , Kamaruzaman Natrah , Kamar Haslinda Mohamed
Published: May 2023

Energy-efficient measures are being increasingly implemented in the building sector to reduce the increasing energy consumption with the growing population and the rapid development of urban building layouts. In hot and humid climates, energy-saving measures for the building envelope elements have attracted increasing interest in research and practice due to their effectiveness in upgrading the building energy performance by reducing the amount of heat gain and solar glare to the building’s indoor environments. Accordingly, as evidenced by our review of the literature, an increasing number of publications on energy-saving measures for the building envelope are being published in peer-reviewed articles. However, a few literature overviews covering all possible energy-saving measures of building envelope elements, which can provide insight into determining the value of their effective parameters to achieve the best performance and evaluate the feasibility of energy efficiency improvements. This paper attempts to fill that gap by reviewing recent advances in energy-saving measures for building envelope elements and comparing their various parameters to suggest the best design options. This study summarised that applying individual measures to a certain degree is straightforward energy-saving potential. Otherwise, high energy-saving levels must incorporate an optimum combination of many energy-saving measures and balance their conflicting influences on energy performance criteria. This study may be handy for stakeholders responsible for decision-making during the design of new or retrofitting existing buildings.
Spatial-spectral resolution tunable snapshot imaging spectrometer: analytical design and implementation
Authors: Ji Yiqun , Tan Fenli , Zhao Shijia , Feng Anwei , Zeng Chenxin , Liu Hongjun , Wang Chinhua
Published: May 2023

A snapshot imaging spectrometer is a powerful tool for dynamic target
tracking and real-time recognition compared with a scanning imaging
spectrometer. However, all the current snapshot spectral imaging
techniques suffer from a major trade-off between the spatial and
spectral resolutions. In this paper, an integral field snapshot
imaging spectrometer (TIF-SIS) with a continuously tunable
spatial-spectral resolution and light throughput is proposed and
demonstrated. The proposed TIF-SIS is formed by a fore optics, a
lenslet array, and a collimated dispersive subsystem. Theoretical
analyses indicate that the spatial-spectral resolution and light
throughput of the system can be continuously tuned through adjusting
the F number of the fore optics, the rotation angle of the lenslet
array, or the focal length of the collimating lens. Analytical
relationships between the spatial and spectral resolutions and the
first-order parameters of the system with different geometric
arrangements of the lenslet unit are obtained. An experimental TIF-SIS
consisting of a self-fabricated lenslet array with a pixelated scale
of 100×100 and a fill factor of 0.716 is built.
The experimental results show that the spectral resolution of the
system can be steadily improved from 4.17 to 0.82 nm with a
data cube (N
x
×N
y
×N
λ
) continuously tuned from 35×35×36 to 40×40×183 in the visible wavelength range from
500 to 650 nm, which is consistent with the theoretical
prediction. The proposed method for real-time tuning of the
spatial-spectral resolution and light throughput opens new
possibilities for broader applications, especially for recognition of
things with weak spectral signature and biomedical investigations
where a high light throughput and tunable resolution are needed.