bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relato de experiência: ação extensionista sobre avaliação cardiológica e nutricional em uma escola em Maceió
Authors: SANTOS Elayne Vieira dos , ARRUDA Allana Maria Newton , CARNAÚBA Aline Tenório Lins , PEIXOTO Ângela Cavalcante , BESERRA Áthina Karla Vieira Nunes , SOUZA Bruna Figueiredo Vasconcelos de , CARVALHO Juliana Ester Ribeiro , MACHADO Letícia Brêda Rêgo , BRÊDA Maria Fernanda Montenegro de Carvalho , JESUS Marina Guerra Coelho de , PEDROSA Melina Pimentel Cavalcante
Published: February 2025

Promover saúde desde a infância é crucial para reduzir fatores de risco cardiovascular, considerando determinantes sociais. Este estudo descreve uma ação extensionista com o objetivo de avaliar riscos e promover hábitos saudáveis entre alunos do ensino médio em Maceió. Acadêmicos de medicina realizaram a ação em uma instituição pública com 106 escolares. Resultados indicaram que 10,37% dos alunos apresentaram risco cardiovascular de obesidade. Observou-se que 31,1% não praticavam atividades físicas, sendo 18,18% desses obesos, enquanto 45,45% dos obesos mantinham prática regular de atividade física. Hipertensão arterial sistêmica foi identificada em 4,71% dos alunos, sem correlação com obesidade. O consumo elevado de embutidos (89,6%) e a baixa ingestão de vegetais (23,8%) contribuíram para o aumento do risco cardiovascular. A ação promoveu conhecimento e interesse, destacando a integração entre universidade e comunidade para a transformação social na área da medicina.
Harnessing financial advice and literacy for financial well-being in the digital age
Authors: Gupta Anju , Mishra Shekhar , Kumar Behera Deepak , Abhilash Abhilash
Published: February 2025

Under complex financial circumstances, individuals are empowered to improve financial decision-making by trusting financial advice and utilizing digital technology and resources. Though the extant research has explored numerous factors impacting financial well-being, the specific influence of financial advice and digital financial literacy remains underexamined in the Indian context. Thus, grounded on Social Cognitive theory, this study aimed to examine how insights gained from financial advice and digital financial literacy integrate into individual’s decision-making and, subsequently, influence their financial well-being. The data were collected using purposive sampling from Southern India, with 508 respondents recruited using social media platforms. The research hypotheses were empirically validated through hierarchical regression and mediation analysis using the Hayes Process Macro. The study’s findings reveal that financial advice positively predicted financial decision-making (β = 0.667; p < .000). Similarly, digital financial literacy has a positive impact on financial decision-making (β = 0.369; p < .000). Additionally, financial decision-making (β = 0.105; p < .065) positively predicted financial wellbeing. Thus, both factors emerged as transformative predictors of an individual’s financial well-being. Moreover, the findings reveal the mediating role of financial decision-making between financial advice, digital financial literacy, and financial well-being. Therefore, the study underscores that by leveraging the cumulative effect of professional financial advice and digital technologies, policymakers and government regulatory bodies can augment the critical ability of informed decision-making. Thus, these factors could navigate overcoming individual financial challenges and benefit the overall well-being of a diverse population.
Transformative Insights into Corrosion Inhibition: A Machine Learning Journey from Prediction to Web-Based Application
Authors: Dzaki Asari Surya Putra  , Nicholaus Verdhy Putranto  , Nibras Bahy Ardyansyah  , Gustina Alfa Trisnapradika  , Muhamad Akrom
Published: February 2025

This study focuses on the exploration and evaluation of machine learning (ML) models to analyze expired pharmaceutical data for their potential use as corrosion inhibitors. Additionally, the entire modeling process is integrated into a user-friendly platform through a Streamlit service-assisted corrosion inhibitor website, facilitating broader accessibility and practical application. The models are trained offline to ensure accurate performance, eliminating the need for users to retrain the models themselves. This approach simplifies the user experience by offering a ready-to-use prediction service directly on the website platform. Among the various ML models implemented, XGB demonstrated the highest performance with an R2-score of 0.99999999. Given that many chemists are not familiar with informatics coding, the researchers developed a Streamlit-based website that includes tools to customize the models. The end product of this work is a corrosion inhibitor experimentation tool that eliminates the need for users to code, making advanced ML techniques accessible to a broader audience within the chemistry community.
The Conceptual Design e-Wallet for Rupiah Digital
Authors: Zulmy Mohamad Faisal , Kurniawati Monica Vivi , Yazid Setiadi
Published: February 2025

This research study the advancement of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) spurred by fi-nancial technology progress. It focuses on Rupiah Digital, Indonesia's CBDC initiative led by the Bank of Indonesia (BI). The study explores the technical aspects of Wholesale and Retail Digital Rupiah, proposes an e-wallet system for seamless digital transactions in related to blockchain technology, specifically Permissioned Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). The objective of this research to provide recommendations to BI regarding appropriate e-wallet conceptual design based on study literature review (LR) methods and qualitative research method by conducting interviews throughs forum group discussion (FGD) and e-mail with leading economic (banks), legal (BI and Government), and technical experts (banks, academic expert on this field, BI and Government) to get reviews and input regarding the e-wallet conceptual design that was proposed. As result, we recommended the architecture for Rupiah Digital using Hyperledger Fabric blockchain with two-tiered distribution and user layer backed by digital token using ID on mobile apps to enhance the security of the system. The FGD with experts and executor result in approval on those conceptual design to be part of the option on development of CBDC in Indonesia.
E-Government Between Developed and Developing Countries: Key Perspectives from Denmark and Iraq
Authors: Totonchi Ahmed , Abd Rahman Ahlan  , Hazwani Bt Mohd Mohadis
Published: February 2025

E-government involves using technology to provide public information and services digitally. This study examines key factors addressing infrastructure, cultural, political, technical, and social challenges in e-government implementation. By exploring diverse contexts, from citizen engagement to data frameworks, it will elucidate best practices and lessons for overcoming hurdles on the bureaucratic and user sides. The research aims to uncover how states can successfully transition services online. Insights can inform policymakers seeking to digitize governance and leverage information and communication technologies to improve state-citizen relations. Additionally, it aims to compare and analyze e-government systems in a developing country (Iraq) and a developed country (Denmark) to highlight key differences that could inform e-government development efforts in developing nations. Iraq and Denmark were chosen due to the disparity between their e-government systems, enabling the identification of weaknesses in Iraq's e-government initiatives and providing insights from Denmark's more advanced experience. Examining this e-government gap between a developing and developed country will allow developing nations like Iraq to pinpoint areas for improvement and potentially benefit from Denmark's success in this area.
Preprocessing Impact on SAR Oil Spill Image Segmentation Using YOLOv8
Authors: Syakrani Nurjannah , Kurniawan Dimas , Nugraha Wili Akbar , Hidayatullah Priyanto , Firdaus Lukmannul Hakim , Sholahuddin Muhammad Rizqi
Published: February 2025

Synthetic Aperature Radar (SAR) is a sensory equipment used in marine remote sensing that emits radio waves to capture a representation of the target scene. SAR images have poor quality, one of which is due to speckle noise. This research uses SAR images containing oil spills as objects that are detected using machine learning with the YOLOv8 model. The dataset was obtained from MKLab by preprocessing to improve the quality of SAR images before processing. Preprocessing involves annotating the dataset, augmenting it with flip augmentation, and filtering it using threshold and median filters in addition to a sharpen kernel that finds the optimal midway value. The default value of the YOLOv8 hyperparameter is used with addition of delta as well as subtraction of the same delta.
The implementation of preprocessing and combination of hyperparameters is examined to optimize the YOLOv8 model in detecting oil spills in SAR images. Based on 10 experimental scenarios, initial results with the original MKLab image provide an mAP50 of 49.7%. Implementing Flip augmentation alone on the data set increases the mAP50 value by 18.8%. Followed by the sharpen 1.2 kernel filter increasing the mAP50 value to 68.89%, while the median and thresholding filters tend to reduce the mAP50 value. The combination of experiments with the best results was preprocessing with flip augmentation and sharpen 1.2 kernel filter with hyperparameters: epoch 200, warmup 4.0, momentum 0.9, warmup bias lr 0.01, weight decay 0.005, and learning rate 0.000714, resulting in an mAP50 value of 68.89%.  In addition, it was found that the sharpening kernel with a real number midpoint of 1.2 and combination with flipping augmentation had the greatest impact on increasing the MAP50 value in SAR oil spill image segmentation by YOLOv8.
Multilabel Hate Speech Classification in Indonesian Political Discourse on X using Combined Deep Learning Models with Considering Sentence Length
Authors: Angger Saputra Revelin , Sibaroni Yuliant
Published: February 2025

Hate speech, as public expression of hatred or offensive discourse targeting race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, is widespread on social media. This study assesses BERT-based models for multi-label hate speech detection, emphasizing how text length impacts model performance. Models tested include BERT, BERT-CNN, BERT-LSTM, BERT-BiLSTM, and BERT with two LSTM layers. Overall, BERT-BiLSTM achieved the highest  (82.00%) and best performance on longer texts (83.20% ) with high  and , highlighting its ability to capture nuanced context. BERT-CNN excelled in shorter texts, achieving the highest  (79.80%) and an  of 79.10%, indicating its effectiveness in extracting features in brief content. BERT-LSTM showed balanced  and  across text lengths, while BERT-BiLSTM, although high in r, had slightly lower  on short texts due to its reliance on broader context. These results highlight the importance of model selection based on text characteristics: BERT-BiLSTM is ideal for nuanced analysis in longer texts, while BERT-CNN better captures key features in shorter content.
Efficient Design and Compression of CNN Models for Rapid Character Recognition
Authors: Parulian Onesinus Saut
Published: February 2025

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are extensively utilized for image processing and recognition tasks; however, they often encounter challenges related to large model sizes and prolonged training times. These limitations present difficulties in resource-constrained environments that require rapid model deployment and efficient computation. This study introduces a systematic approach to designing lightweight CNN models specifically for character recognition, emphasizing the reduction of model complexity, training duration, and computational costs without sacrificing performance. Techniques such as hyperparameter tuning, model pruning, and post-training quantization (PTQ) are employed to decrease model size and enhance training speed. The proposed methods are particularly well-suited for deployment on edge computing platforms, such as Raspberry Pi, or embedded systems with limited resources. Our results demonstrate a reduction of over 80% in model size, decreasing from 43.73 KB to 6.25 KB, and a reduction of more than 45% in training time, decreasing from over 150 seconds to less than 80 seconds. This research highlights the potential for achieving a balance between efficiency and accuracy in CNN design for real-world deployment, addressing the increasing demand for streamlined deep learning models in resource-constrained environments.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT AS A SPACE FOR DIALOGUEN
Authors:   Penza State University, M. Kirillov German
Published: February 2025

Background. The scope of the study is the modern information and communication environment as a space of dialogue. The author focuses on the influence of artificial intelligence on communication. The aim is to find out whether artificial intelligence is capable of being a full-fledged partner of a person in communication or whether it will have a negative impact on his/her communication capabilities, as well as whether dialogue is preserved as an element of classical culture in the context of total mediatization and predominance of mass communication. Materials and methods. The methodological position of the author is to consider the interaction of a human as a biosocial being and a carrier of consciousness on the one hand and artificial intelligence on the other – in a phenomenological perspective. Scientific literature and online information sources concerning various aspects of the influence of artificial intelligence on both an individual and modern society as a whole are analyzed. Results. Artificial intelligence has already become an important human assistant and can replace it in hard routine work, but it is not capable of becoming a full participant in the dialogue. Meanwhile, dialogue is critically important for the formation of such fundamental properties of consciousness as self-awareness and reflection in an individual. Nevertheless, artificial intelligence is able to change the natural environment of human communication, which can have ambiguous consequences. Conclusions. The current level of development of artificial intelligence makes significant changes in the aspects of communication, in particular, in its composition. Transformations of this order require the creation of a theoretical basis for human–artificial intelligence–human communication. Artificial intelligence is able to actively influence people’s consciousness. The integrity of consciousness may be at risk. In this regard, it is of paramount importance to preserve the natural environment of human interpersonal communication outside of which dialogue cannot exist. The ideas of M. Merleau-Ponty in the new ontology about the inseparable connection of human spirituality and corporeality become particularly relevant. In the perspective of the new ontology, the ecology of language assumes particular significance.
ENSURING RELIGIOUS SECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF IDEOLOGICAL PLURALISM AND SECULAR STATE
Authors:   Penza State University, F. Meshcheryakova Anna
Published: February 2025

Background. In legal science, the issues of ensuring religious security are considered mainly in the context of national security and countering the spread of extremist activity. Based on the development of the geopolitical situation in the world, ensuring religious security acquires a new perspective. The article attempts to highlight these issues from the standpoint of forming secular state and providing ideological pluralism. The aim of the study is to comprehensively analyze these threats and ways to counter them in the context of the rejection to establish state ideology and total control over religion. Materials and methods. The study is based on an analysis of the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and legal acts governing the security issues in the field of religion, materials of judicial practice, doctrinal sources. A formal legal method is also used, which enables revealing the essence of religious security as a legal category, describing the threats arising in this field, and systematizing the results of the study. Results. The main threats to religious security are characterized. Some aspects of state-religion interaction implemented in order to counteract these threats are analyzed. The national ideology is considered as an alternative to Western and narrowly religious value systems. The constitutional amendments concerning the preservation of the traditional spiritual and moral foundations of society are examined. Conclusions. In the context of secular state and ideological pluralism, ensuring religious security becomes a priority task, the solution of which is facilitated by strengthening the spiritual and moral foundations of society and forming a national idea as the basis for respect for traditional religious values. Countering threats to security in the religious field involves limitation of freedom of conscience, as well as cooperation between the state and religious associations, but it requires strict observance of the principles of separation of religious associations from the state and their equality under the law. State-religion interaction in this field has vague regulation at the legislative level, which requires improving the regulatory framework.
Brief Historical Study of Environmental Thought. Review of Environmental Thought: A Short History by Robin Attfield
Authors: Sayem Md. Abu
Published: February 2025

SEeB Editorial Team doesn't provide abstracts for review articles.
Using the Theory of Protracted Social Conflict and Structural Violence to Unravel the Tigray-Ethiopian War
Authors: Afriyie Frederick Appiah , Asomani Frank Boateng
Published: February 2025

Ethiopia, Africa's oldest independent nation and a key player in the Horn of Africa’s security, has undergone significant political and economic transformations. Despite emerging as a regional powerhouse, Ethiopia faces a complex ethnic landscape with diverse demographic groups. The historically influential Tigray region, plunged into a civil conflict in November 2020, and involved ethno-regional militias, the federal government, and Eritrean forces. This conflict stems from historical tensions, including the autocratic rule of Meles Zenawi and the dominance of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who heralded for fostering unity, took office in 2018 but faced escalating ethnic tensions. Postponed elections and federal interventions fueled discontent, leading to the outbreak of the Tigray War in November 2020. Abiy's military offensive, initially portrayed as a targeted operation, escalated into a brutal conflict, drawing international concern. Accusations of civilian mistreatment and Eritrean involvement were initially denied but later acknowledged by the Ethiopian government. The Tigray War underscores the challenges of achieving ethnic harmony and political stability in Ethiopia. This paper analyzes the Tigray War in Ethiopia, tracing its origins from the 19th century to the present, examining its consequences. The article specifically employs the Protracted Social Conflict and Structural Violence Theories to explain the conflict.
Received: 12-01-2024
Revised: 01-07-2024
The Role of Intelligence Agencies in Repression and Torture by Myanmar's Military Junta Intelligence and its Human Rights Abuses During the 2021 Revolution
Authors: Maung Htwe Tin
Published: February 2025

Myanmar's political landscape has been marked by repeated military coups, leading to prolonged periods of authoritarian rule through systemic human rights violations, particularly repression and torture. This study explores the critical role of Myanmar's intelligence agencies in the systematic repressions and torture practices under the military junta during the 2021 revolution. By utilizing Political Violence Theory, this study exposes authoritarian regimes, intelligence operations, and their methods and strategies to uphold the military's power against civilian uprisings. The primary focus of the study is to discuss how these entities contributed to human rights violations in Myanmar. 
Received: 11-10-2024
Revised: 01-10-2025
Through applying a qualitative approach of in-depth interviews with 35 stakeholders and incorporating historical context, interviews, and secondary data, this research identifies the multifaceted roles of intelligence in enforcing state-sponsored violence and fear. The findings illustrate the operational dynamics of intelligence agencies actively orchestrating arrests and killings through legal and extrajudicial control, enforced disappearances, and torture, alongside pervasive surveillance, targeted repression, and use of civilian Pro-Military Groups. This paper argues for a robust international response to address these human rights abuses, recommending strategies for accountability and structural reform within Myanmar's intelligence apparatus.
SENDING CLEAR MESSAGES: STEADFAST DEFENDER 2024
Authors: Allison Kendrah , Patterson Benjamin
Published: February 2025

On November 20th, 2024, Lieutenant Colonel Kendrah Allison and Benjamin Patterson from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe presented Sending Clear Messages: Steadfast Defender 2024 for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the Steadfast Defender exercise itself, the online perception of the exercise, and the measurable deterrence and assurance outcomes.
Received: 12-11-2024
Revised: 01-29-2025
DISRUPTIVE ASPECTS OF THE CANADIAN INFORMATION SPACE
Authors: Al-Rawi Ahmed
Published: February 2025

On November 19, 2024, Professor Ahmed Al-Rawi presented Disruptive Aspects of the Canadian Information Space for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed revolved around how disruptive information encompasses verified false information with the potential to distort scientific or societal consensus. Wealth elites, political figures, media outlets, and disguised state actors are major contributors, using disruptive information to influence democratic trust and societal stability. This contributes to social fragmentation and radicalization to violence, as seen in cases like the Quebec Mosque shooter, who was influenced by far-right conspiracy theorists.
Received: 12-13-2024
Revised: 01-18-2025
ANTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO DISINFORMATION: THE ROLE OF TRADECRAFT IN STRENGTHENING RESILIENCE
Authors: Arcos Ruben
Published: February 2025

On November 21, 2024, Dr. Ruben Arcos presented Anticipatory Approaches to Disinformation: The Role of Tradecraft in Strengthening Resilience for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a simulation/scenario-based discussion in which the participants worked in groups and used proactive analysis to better understand anticipatory approaches to disinformation. Dr. Arcos designed the fictional scenario and introduced injects based on real cases to move the discussion forward. The simulation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the evolving information landscape, the impact of disinformation and hybrid threats on democracies, and existing frameworks and responses including anticipatory approaches to countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).
Received: 12-19-2024
Revised: 01-29-2025
BLOCKADES, INFLUENCERS, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Authors: Coffin Kelly
Published: February 2025

On November 19, 2024, A/D Kelly Coffin presented Blockades, Influencers and Entrepreneurship for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the nature of the work conducted by the PSIO during the blockade of Coutts, AB in January and February 2022 and the importance of being transparent about the capabilities and limitations of the analysis being conducted.
Received: 12-21-2024
Revised: 01-30-2025
THE NECESSARY EVOLUTION OF COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE IN RESPONSE TO FOREIGN INTERFERENCE
Authors: Executive CSIS
Published: February 2025

On November 21, 2024, a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Executive presented The Necessary Evolution of Counter Intelligence in response to Foreign Interference for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key theme discussed was how intelligence work has transformed since the end of the Cold War and in response to the threat of Foreign Interference in particular. The presenter outlined why Canada is an attractive target for Foreign Interference threat actors and highlighted how Canada’s intelligence professionals and legislative framework has had to evolve as a result.   
Received: 12-30-2024
Revised: 01-27-2025
KEY TAKEAWAYS REGARDING THE INTENTIONS OF RUSSIA’S MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
Authors: Davis Julia
Published: February 2025

On November 20, 2024, Julia Davis presented Key Takeaways Regarding the Intentions of Russia’s Media Campaigns for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were Russia’s potent hybrid warfare capabilities, how Russian media acts as an extension of its intelligence apparatus and should therefore be viewed as such, and why the West should view Russian rhetoric with greater caution given that media groups often explicitly outline the State’s broader ambitions.
Received: 12-20-2024
Revised: 01-15-2025
INCENDIARY ALCHEMIES: HOW CONSPIRACY THEORISTS, INTERNET ALGORITHMS, AND FAKE NEWS STORIES FOILED FIRST RESPONDERS AND UNDERMINED EVACUATION ORDERS IN THE SHUSWAP FOREST FIRES
Authors: Deisman Wade
Published: February 2025

On November 18th, 2024, Dr. Wade Deisman presented Incendiary Alchemies: How Conspiracy Theorists, Internet Algorithms, and Fake News Stories Foiled First Responders and Undermined Evacuation Orders in the Shuswap Forest Fires. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the erosion of the conditions of possibility for democratic engagement, the role of digital culture in the process of public opinion formation, and the need for framework which acknowledges that the confluence between corrosive forces can create cascading synergies.
Received: 12-27-2024
Revised: 01-28-2025
THE LANGUAGE OF TERRORISTS: ASSESSING RISK OF VIOLENCE IN ONLINE SPACES
Authors: Ebner Julia
Published: February 2025

On November 19th, 2024, Dr. Julia Ebner presented The Language of Terrorists: Assessing Risk of Violence in Online Spaces for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the connection between identity fusion and violent behavior, the associated use of kinship language by ingroups, and the impact of shared dysphoric experiences like combat military trauma on identity fusion.
Received: 12-15-2024
Revised: 01-28-2025
QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE RECENTLY RELEASED CANADIAN INTELLIGENCE PRIORITIES
Authors: Gilmour John , Pyrik John
Published: February 2025

On November 21, 2024, Dr. John Gilmour and Mr. John Pyrik presented Questions Raised by the Recently Released Canadian Intelligence Priorities for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were tactical and strategic priorities for Canada’s intelligence community, the evolving nature of threats to Canada, and how to counter non-traditional threats.
Received: 01-01-2024
Revised: 01-27-2025
THIRD DAY OPENING REMARKS
Authors: Gilmour John
Published: February 2025

Dr. Gilmour’s remarks focused on defending sovereignty in an environment that, due to evolving threats, is more complex than ever. Subsequently, a fundamental problem for modern states is defending against threats while maintaining sovereignty. Dr. Gilmour concluded that international cooperation is fundamental to addressing threats, however previous alliances and multilateral institutions, of which Canada is a key contributor and beneficiary, are coming under increased threat.
Received: 01-02-2024
Revised: 01-26-2025
COMMUNICATING CRITICAL CITYWIDE INFORMATION IN AN ERA OF MIS AND DISINFORMATION
Authors: Hastie Heather
Published: February 2025

On November 18th, 2024, Ms. Heather Hastie presented Communicating Critical Citywide Information in an Era of Mis and Disinformation for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the rupture of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, challenges experienced by The City’s Crisis Communications team, and how effective communications can drive necessary behaviour change despite the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation.
Received: 12-30-2024
Revised: 01-24-2025
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR PCO, IACOP, AND CAIA
Authors: Henry Hugh
Published: February 2025

On November 18, 2024, Dr. Hugh Henry presented Latest Developments and Best Practices for PCO, IACOP, and CAIA for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The key points discussed were why an Intelligence Analyst Community of Practice (IACOP) is necessary, what the IACOP is working on to better the intelligence space, and how the IACOP operates.
Received: 12-13-2024
Revised: 01-20-2025
THE IMPACTS OF THE CHANGING NATURE OF WARFARE ON INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING
Authors: Holtz David
Published: February 2025

On November 20, 2024, Lieutenant-Colonel. David Holtz presented The Impacts of the Changing Nature of Warfare on Intelligence Collection and Processing for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points focused on the progression of technology and intelligence methods from the Second World War (WWII) to current conflicts shows ongoing improvement in data gathering and analysis, providing more accurate support for operations. Ever-expanding data volumes increase complexity, requiring more effective prioritization, validation, and simplification to maintain operational clarity. To prepare for the wars of the future, governments should focus on working closely with allies and preparing personnel for quick, informed action in dynamic operational conditions.
Received: 12-29-2024
Revised: 01-25-2025
PROTECTING DIGITAL DEMOCRACY: THREATS AND RESPONSES
Authors: Irish Jennifer
Published: February 2025

On November 18th, 2024, Ms. Jennifer Irish presented Protecting Digital Democracy: Threats and Responses for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were threats to digital democracy and the core response imperatives: intervention and inoculation.
Received: 12-16-2024
Revised: 01-28-2025
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND FRICTION IN MARITIME SECURITY OPERATIONS
Authors: Kelshall Jason
Published: February 2025

On November 18th, 2024, Commander Jason Kelshall presented International Cooperation and Friction in Maritime Security Operations for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the challenges of combating illicit maritime trade, transnational organized crime, and environmental crimes within the framework of SEACOP VI. 
Received: 12-14-2024
Revised: 01-29-2025
2024 WEST COAST SECURITY CONFERENCE: OPENING REMARKS DAY 1
Authors: Kelshall Candyce
Published: February 2025

On November 18th, 2024, Adj. Professor Candyce Kelshall presented the opening remarks for the first day of this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The key points discussed were the growth of CASIS Vancouver since its inception, the organization's goals, and the purpose of the conference.
Received: 12-14-2024
Revised: 01-20-2025
HUMAN INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY
Authors: Kelshall Candyce
Published: February 2025

On November 19th, 2024, Adj. Prof. Candyce Kelshall presented Human Infrastructure Security for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the notion of human infrastructure security and identity-wellbeing, the weapons used in soft and hybrid war, and the creation of new spectacle violence frameworks.
Received: 12-23-2024
Revised: 01-23-2025
SHAPING PERCEPTIONS IN THE ARCTIC: THE ROLE OF NARRATIVE AND INFLUENCE IN A CONTESTED REGION
Authors: Lajeunesse Adam
Published: February 2025

On November 20, 2024, Dr. Adam Lajeunesse presented Shaping Perceptions in the Arctic: The Role of Narrative and Influence in a Contested Region for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed included China’s Arctic narrative, evolution of Chinese narratives in the Arctic and the Chinese-Russian cooperation.
Received: 12-30-2024
Revised: 01-20-2025
PUBLIC GOODS, SOCIAL EXTERNALITIES, AND POLITICAL POLARIZATION
Authors: Levin Simon
Published: February 2025

On November 19, 2024, Dr. Simon Levin presented Public Goods, Social Externalities, and Political Polarization for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed included erosion of public goods, complex adaptive systems, and political polarization and its impact.
Received: 12-22-2024
Revised: 01-24-2025
MULTITASKING, DISTRACTION, AND VULNERABILITY: HUMAN SECURITY IN A DIGITAL AGE
Authors: Mark Gloria
Published: February 2025

On November 18, 2024, Dr. Gloria Mark presented Multitasking, Distraction, and Vulnerability: Human Security in a Digital Age for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the correlation between technology use and attention spans, human interventions with AI, and regaining control over our attention spans in the digital world.
Received: 12-26-2024
Revised: 01-29-2025
D-RAIL: DIRECTING RESPONSES AGAINST ILLICIT INFLUENCE OPERATIONS
Authors: Miller Carl
Published: February 2025

On November 19, 2024, Mr. Carl Miller presented D-RAIL: Directing Responses Against Illicit Influence Operations for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed included the strategic disruption of influence operations, as well as the importance of asymmetrical responses and coordination and contextual approaches.
Received: 12-30-2024
Revised: 01-28-2025
BUILDING PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENCES AGAINST MISINFORMATION
Authors: Van der Linden Sander
Published: February 2025

On November 20, 2024, Dr. Sander van der Linden presented Building Psychological Defences Against Misinformation for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were that misinformation can drive public confusion, spark social discord and weaken trust in legitimate sources. Debunking falsehoods after they spread may not reverse deep-seated beliefs, so priming individuals to spot the techniques behind misinformation is a more robust safeguard. Lastly, as new tactics like deepfakes and AI-driven distortions emerge, countermeasures must stay flexible and creative to maintain an effective defence.
Received: 12-14-2024
Revised: 01-20-2025
Qualitative study on health information-seeking behavior and ability in patients with ischemic stroke based on the COM-B system (Preprint)
Authors: Xie Haojie , Wu Dongxu , Liu Yang , Wu Linxue , Xu Liang , Liu Lei , Shen Li , Wei Xuelian , Lu Fengping , Li Guiling
Published: February 2025

UNSTRUCTURED

Background :Given the high prevalence rate of stroke and the increasingly popular concept of "Internet health", improving the health information behavior of patients with ischemic stroke to promote their rehabilitation is critical. However, the reasons for the low level of health information behavior and how to improve it still need to be discussed. Methods :From July to October 2024, 18 patients with ischemic stroke in the Department of Neurology of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College were interviewed using the semi-structured interview method. Interview data from the subjects were analyzed and summarized based on the COM-B system and Colaizzi 7-step analysis method. Results: In regard to the low level of health information behavior, three themes and eight sub-themes were extracted: ability factors (electronic product use disorder, negative feedback, insufficient information recognition ability), opportunity factors (environmental factor, multiple external support), and motivation factors (rehabilitation outcome expectation, health information value perception, electronic product experience). Conclusion :Medical staff should develop scientific and effective intervention strategies with high uptake, acceptability, and effectiveness according to intervention factors so as to improve the level of health information behavior of patients with ischemic stroke, promote patient prognosis, and reduce the medical burden.
Passive Measures of Physical Activity and Cadence as Early Indicators of Cognitive Impairment (Preprint)
Authors: Ding Huitong , Brown Stefaniya , Paquette David R , Orwig Taylor A , Spartano Nicole , Lin Honghuang
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Emerging research shows regular physical activity reduces cognitive decline risk, but most studies rely on self-reported measures, which are limited by recall bias, subjectivity, and a lack of continuous monitoring capability.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore passive physical activity measures as early indicators of cognitive impairment by examining their association with cognitive impairment incidence and neuropsychological (NP) test performance.

METHODS

We included participants from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), a community-based cohort with longitudinal cognitive impairment surveillance. Participants wore an Actical accelerometer for at least 3 days, excluding bathing. Thirty physical activity measures were grouped into intensity-specific durations, step and cadence summaries, and peak cadence. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to assess their associations with incident cognitive impairment, adjusting for age, sex, education, and accelerometer wear time. Predictive performance for incident cognitive impairment was evaluated using time-dependent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) generated by random survival forest models. Additionally, linear regression models were employed to investigate the relationships between these measures and 18 NP tests.

RESULTS

Among 1212 participants from the FHS Offspring cohort (mean age: 70±8 years; 53.7% women), 10 physical activity measures, including all peak cadence metrics, showed nominal significance with incident cognitive impairment. Models incorporating either peak 1 minute cadence or moderate to vigorous physical activity and total steps/day increased AUC for predicting cognitive impairment by 1.4-4.2%% at 8 years, compared to base models including age, sex, education, and accelerometer wear time. Peak 1 minute cadence and total steps/day also showed significantly positive associations with Trail Making Tests A and B.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis highlighted significant associations between accelerometer-based physical activity and cognitive performance, emphasizing the role of moderate movement in supporting cognitive health.
Trends in Factors Surrounding Mental Health in Singapore: An Observational Text Mining Study from Reddit Forums (Preprint)
Authors: Alba Charles , Ang Abel Beng Heng , Abbasian Vahid , Chung Gerard
Published: February 2025

UNSTRUCTURED

Text mining of mental health-related posts from Singapore-based Reddit communities uncovered ten themes, with (1) loneliness, (2) access to affordable mental health care, and (3) education challenges emerging as the most prevalent, while temporal analysis revealed a rise in discussions on social isolation and emotional struggles, as well as on access to mental health support and services.
Prevalence and factors associated with acute stress disorder among adults ever infected with COVID-19 during the ending phase of the pandemic in China: a cross-sectional study in seven Chinese cities (Preprint)
Authors: Yang Ziying , Yu Yanqiu , Lu Hui , Wang Xu , Xu Yong , Ying Junqiang , Wen Xianying , Luo Lei , Wang Meng , Liu Muwen , Geng Xingyi , Zhao Xuchong , He Biyu , Liu Tao , Maimaitijiang Remina , Gu Jing , Lau Joseph
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Acute stress disorder (ASD) among people ever infected with COVID-19 (PEIC) is prevalent and may lead to post-trauma stress disorder. Soon after China relaxed her COVID-19 control measures in November/December 2022, the infection rate surged rapidly, creating huge uncertainty and stressful situations.

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about situations regarding ASD at the ending phase of the pandemic. Potential personal cognitive/emotional factors and environmental factors of ASD were investigated in this study.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5,545 PEIC aged 18-60 years from December 27, 2022 to January 9, 2023 living in seven cities of China. The 5-item Chinese version of the Primary Care PTSD Screen was used to assess ASD. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors of ASD.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ASD was 21.2%. Adjusted for the background variables, significant personal cognitive risk factors (COVID-19 infection severity, perceived high reinfection risk and perceived weak natural immunity acquired), emotional risk factors (worry about the long-term physical harms, and panic about infection of elderly or young family members), and significant environmental risk factors (difficulties in getting information and medical supplies, having unvaccinated old/young family members, and having significant others suffering from severe COVID-19 symptoms) were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of ASD among PEIC was noticeable. It is warranted to identify those at high risk of developing ASD and provide them with care and early interventions to prevent deterioration. Such programs may consider modifying the risk factors found in this study.
Appeal of editor-in-chief
Authors: Authors No
Published: February 2025

No abstract
Dynamics of hormonal and immunological parameters in patients with acute pleural empyema
Authors: Tkachenko V.V. , Boyko V.V. , Kritsak V.V. , Sochnieva A.L. , Minukhin D.V. , Merkulov A.O. , Hroma V.G. , Ponomarova V.V. , Sharmazanova O.P.
Published: February 2025

Background. In case of acute pleural empyema, pronounced violations of cellular and humoral factors of immunity, as well as non-specific resistance of the body are revealed. The purpose of our research: to analyze and identify results of hormonal and immunological research in patients with acute pleural empyema depending on the severity of disease. Materials and methods. Dynamics of hormonal and immunological changes has been studied in 64 participants with acute pleural empyema who were treated with classical and minimally invasive surgical methods. Patients were classified into 5 groups depending on disease severity determined according to the criteria which included clinical and laboratory parameters, such as respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature reaction, the number of affected particles, leukocytosis, SpO2. All the patients underwent a standard examination, as well as determination of serum concentration of interleukin (IL) 6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, C-reactive protein (CRP). Results. Assessment of blood cytokines in patients with acute pleural empyema allows detecting hypercytokinemia with an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Meanwhile, the degree of their elevation differed depending on the disease severity. Study of structure of cytokine status allowed us to identify that patients with severe course of pleural empyema had a significant increase in IL-6 and CRP. Nevertheless, the severe course of the disease is associated with insufficient increase of IL-8 and TNF-α. Patients of the older age group have deficiency of IL-8 and to a lesser extent IL-6. Complete blood count revealed higher total number of leukocytes, neutrophils, pronounced left shift, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with a severe course of the disease. Conclusions. There have been identified factors which affect severe course of acute pleural empyema: a decrease in oxygen saturation to less than 94 %, severity of dyspnea which exceeds 2 points on the Borg scale, damage to 3 or more segments of lung tissue, and also numerous clinical signs of violation of anti-­infective protection, pronounced decrease in neutrophils, an increase in the concentration of CRP and insufficient increase of IL-8 and TNF-α in blood serum.
Associations of obesity, abdominal neoplasms and comorbidities
Authors: Malyshevskyi I.O. , Stepan V.T. , Iftodii A.G. , Glushenko T.A. , Sydorchuk O.I. , Kyfiak P.V.
Published: February 2025

Background. Multiple recent studies suggest that at least 5–10 % of all malignancies are attributed to metabolic disorders and obesity. Excessive weight may also significantly influence outcomes and aggravate treatment-related adverse effects and patients’ follow-up. The purpose of the study was to clarify the clinical and pathogenetic significance of excessive body weight and comorbidities in patients with abdominal malignant neoplasms. Materials and methods. This cohort-based observational research involves a total of 952 patients (mean age 62.35 ± 11.57 years) with abdominal malignancies divided into study (23.95 %, body mass index ≥ 26 kg/m2) and control (76.05 %, body mass index ≤ 25 kg/m2) groups. The diagnosis, staging, prevalence of the process, and concomitant pathology, several anthropometric and statistical parameters were determined, and treatment outcomes (duration of the postoperative period, incidence of postoperative complications) were assessed. Results. No significant differences in the staging of abdominal malignancies were identified between study and control groups. Relative fat mass was significantly higher in study group compared to controls — 33.56 ± 1.01 % vs. 27.01 ± 2.25 %, p = 0.009. Edmonton Obesity Staging System showed significantly higher stages for study group as well. The mean Charlson comorbidity index in the study group was significantly higher (p = 0.005), especially in male population. Obesity as a factor influencing the incidence of postoperative complications showed prevalence of 0.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51–0.78), sensitivity of 0.88 (95% CI 0.71–0.96), and specificity of 0.65 (95% CI 0.39–0.85). Conclusions. Excessive body weight is significant factor aggravating condition of patients with abdominal malignancies, increasing the risk of postoperative complications by 1.29–6.96 times.