bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic Review : Violation of Integrity from the Perspective of Psychology, Organizational Context and Community Culture
Authors: Rahayuningsih Idha , Suhariadi Fendy , Suhariadi Fendy , Hadi Cholichul , Hadi Cholichul
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe report on the crackdown on ICW corruption cases in 2019 explained that during 2019 there were 271 cases in Indonesia, as many as 29 (10.7%) cases occurred at the national level and 242 (89.3%) occurred in various regions in Indonesia. These data indicate the existence of integrity violations committed by public officials. The purpose of the literature review is to explore the psychological, organizational, and cultural factors of society that affect integrity violations. Research methods are systematic reviews. The results of the literature review: 1) psychological factors include low universal basic values and virtues, low moral judgment, low risk perception, low shame and guilt, high love of money, high machiavellianism, external motivation, authority, wealth, status and affiliation motivation, luxurious and hedonistic lifestyle and low happiness;Â Â Â Â  2) organizational factors are quite varied, including an ethical climate that is perceived negatively and self-oriented, less transparent organization, Human Resources and performance systems, politicization of the bureaucracy, the role model of the leader / superior is not good, several other factors; 3) Community cultural factors include high power distance, high masculinity, high collectivism and avoiding low uncertainty.Key Word : Violation of Integrity, Psyhology, Organizational Context,Â  Community Culture
Physical Activity Frequency and Mental Health in Old Age: A Bidirectional Association
Authors: Juhendra Juhendra , EkaIzzaty Rita , Wibowo Yoga Setyo
Published: February 2025

The association between physical activity and mental health have been found bidirectional in the literature. However, evidence of this bidirectional association is lacking from developing countries. This study was aimed at investigating the bidirectional relationship between physical activity frequency and mental health in old age using data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey with a sample of 8,323 old individuals aged between 45 and 90 years.Â  The results revealed that the bidirectional association holds true in old age. Specifically, an increase of one unit in frequency of physical activity is associated with a decrease of 14% in depression after controlling for a set of confounding variables. Similarly, an increase of one unit in depression is associated with a decrease of 3.4% in frequency of physical activity. The results of this study suggest that health policies should take into account the importance of the frequency of physical activity.Keywords: frequency of physical activity, mental health, depression, old age, Indonesia
Formação Identitária e Projetos de Vida na Adolescência: Relato de Experiência
Authors: Miyazaki Grigoletto Giovanna , Dos Santos Kimura Letícia , Lovato Dellazzana-Zanon Letícia , Longo Mantovani Paola
Published: February 2025

Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar uma intervenção para promover autoconhecimento e contribuir para a formação identitária e desenvolvimento de projetos de vida com adolescentes, no âmbito de um relato de experiência de estágio na área da psicologia escolar. A intervenção, implementada por três estagiárias de psicologia, foi composta por seis encontros e teve a participação de 23 estudantes, sendo 12 do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 14 anos, do 8º ano de uma escola pública, localizada numa cidade do Estado de São Paulo. Os resultados sugerem que a intervenção promoveu um espaço no qual comportamentos, sentimentos e potencialidades, antes não observados nos distintos ambientes da escola, floresceram, favorecendo a formação identitária e a construção do projeto de vida dos participantes. A intervenção mostrou que a crença na potência dos estudantes e a promoção de projetos de vida podem ser muito positivas para o desenvolvimento saudável dessa fase da vida. O fornecimento de exemplos e modelos e a construção de um vínculo respeitoso e de afeto com os estudantes foram fundamentais para o desenvolvimento satisfatório da intervenção.
There's an app for that
Authors: Joines Fiona
Published: February 2025

In part four of this series, Fiona Joines provides a guide to using apps designed for young children and families
Just like that
Authors: Wass Sam , Goldenberg Gemma
Published: February 2025

Prof. Sam Wass and Dr. Gemma Goldenberg of nestkids.co.uk explain the neuroscience behind why children often prefer familiar food
A Comparative Floor Assembly Design and Life-Cycle Assessment Study of Steel–Timber and Steel–Concrete Composite Structural Systems
Authors: Rohde Ellrich Emma , Via Brian , Roueche David , Sener Kadir
Published: February 2025

Steel-timber composite (STC) structures, which utilize mass-timber cross-laminated-timber (CLT) floor panels compositely connected to steel framing, have emerged as a viable alternative structural system with a low carbon footprint along with potential improvements in the structural performance and constructability against traditional steel–concrete (SCC) systems. This paper focuses on the floor assembly design and sustainability aspect of STC systems relative to SCC systems with particular emphasis on results from a comparative whole-building life-cycle-assessment study conducted on functionally equivalent STC and SCC office buildings at 7 and 18 stories. Embodied carbon was lower in the STC systems since the total embodied carbon reduced by 50 and 42 percent in the 7- and 18-story structures, respectively. Embodied fossil energy was also lower in the STC systems since the total embodied fossil energy reduced by 32 and 21 percent in the 7- and 18-story structures, respectively. Sensitivity studies on biogenic carbon inclusion have shown substantial impact on the results.
The Enigma of the Hyksos Volume VI
Authors: Vilain Sarah
Published: February 2025

Stratégiquement établie dans le Delta oriental du Nil, Tell el-Dabՙa a livré un large éventail de productions importées qui témoignent du dynamisme des réseaux d’échanges au sein desquels la cité était intégrée. Les assemblages funéraires et domestiques offrent une large part aux céramiques venues de Méditerranée orientale, de Moyenne- et de Haute-Égypte, ainsi que de Nubie. La prise de pouvoir des rois Hyksôs, événement sans précédent dans l’Histoire égyptienne, n’a cependant pas été sans conséquences sur les liens diplomatiques et commerciaux établis avec ces régions. Entrepris dans le cadre de l’axe de recherche Trade and Crisis Analysis du projet ERC Advanced Grant "The Enigma of the Hyksos" (dir. M. Bietak), cet ouvrage propose, d’une part, d’examiner l’impact de la prise de pouvoir de la XVe dynastie sur les connections à longue distance du site et, d’autre part, d’interroger le rôle des facteurs économiques dans la chute des Hyksôs.
Ashened Heart, Lost Hope, Cut-off Wish – On the Shades of Sadness in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Sroka Anna
Published: February 2025

This study aims to examine the semantic and
lexical nuances of three lexemes denoting sadness-
type emotions in Mandarin Chinese, which
are often regarded as closely related terms: 望
shīwàng, 绝望 juéwàng, and 灰心 huīxīn. These
feelings are semantically associated with losing
hope from unmet expectations. The study employs
the methodology of linguistic worldview
and cross-cultural semantic research developed
by Anna Wierzbicka, to reconstruct meanings.
Each unit is accompanied by the author’s proposal
for explication in the natural semantic
metalanguage. The study reveals that the differences
between the analyzed emotions relate to
their intensity, duration, and emotional context –
understanding them is crucial for precise communication
in Chinese.
“You’re making our life unbearable, Mr. MP! Objection against your objection” – emotions and emotional expression in Szymon Hołownia’s parliamentary speeches
Authors: Rybka Małgorzata , Wrześniewska-Pietrzak Marta
Published: February 2025

On November 13, 2023, Szymon Franciszek
Hołownia became the Marshal of the10th Sejm
in Poland. The new Marshal's statements evoke
lively reactions from supporters and opponents,
and the viewership of the first session of the Sejm
was extremely high, it became a YouTube sensation.
It was also commented by Internet users.
Politicians and political commentators say that
Hołownia has mastered the art of using words
to perfection, he is a skillful orator, a wise and
witty man from television who introduced the atmosphere
of a TVN talent show to the Sejm, but
also someone who sanctifies banality and trivialism,
and his statements function as memes. It
is emphasized that Szymon Hołownia speaks a
language from a different reality and they
wonder whether emotionality is his way of approaching
politics. The subject of analysis was
the linguistic reactions of Marshal Hołownia
during his parliamentary speeches. The authors
of this study try to answer the questions
about what the new Marshal communicates
using the names of emotions, what emotional
states he expresses using expressive vocabulary
and syntax, and what is the signature of the
described emotional states. They also attempt
to indicate the component of controlling recipients'
emotions, and combine cognitive description
with paying attention to changes in emotional
formulas and multimodal analysis.
Names for the emotion of anger [złość] and relational affective states in modern-day Polish
Authors: Paluszak-Bronka Anna
Published: February 2025

The subject of the article are the names by which
we define anger [złość] and the emo tions related
to anger in contemporary Polish. The aim is to
demonstrate that they can provide a great deal
of different information about anger itself.
Research shows that anger involves a strong
emotional tension; a condition in which a person
becomes easily irritated with varying degrees of
intensity. It also entails open displays of strong
dissatisfaction, distress or rage, as well as a
negative attitude toward a person, thing or situation;
hostility toward a person; a desire for
something bad to happen to someone. These
names also allowed us to identify the symptoms
of anger, e. g. anxiety, irritability, nervousness,
etc., and characterize the behaviors of a person
feeling anger. These behaviors are violent, aggressive,
and uncontrollable.
The analyzed names revealed an entire spectrum
of causes that trigger the emotion of anger,
such as inability to meet a need, achieve a desired
goal, fatigue, conflict, unfriendly relations,
irritation, pestering someone, etc.
Around the phraseologism odkleić się, odklejać się od rzeczywistości (peel away from reality) as an expression of human mental state
Authors: Piotrowicz-Krenc Anna , Witaszek-Samborska Małgorzata , Mickiewicz Adam
Published: February 2025

The authors of the article present the mechanism
behind the emergence in Polish at the turn of the
20th and 21st centuries of the phrases odkleić
się (peel away), odklejać się od rzeczywistości
(peel away from reality) and the expressions
odklejenie się od rzeczywistości (peeling away
from reality) and odklejony od rzeczywistości
(peeled away from reality) (also with variant
components od świata (from the world), od życia
(from life), od ramy (from the frame)), followed by
the contextual independence of the verb odkleić
się – odklejać się (peel away) in the sense of
‘have (or experience) problems with reasonable
thinking; behave strangely, irrationally; live in a
self-created bubble’. They also discuss the productivity
of this neosemantism as a derivational
base for originally youth-oriented, but now generally
colloquial Polish noun formations: odklejka
(and from it odkleja), odklejony (the result of
substantivisation), odklejeniec, and odklejus.
Manifestations of emotions exemplified by a Germanlanguage online forum for people trying to have a baby
Authors: Stypa Hanna
Published: February 2025

According to a recent statistical survey in Germany,
one in ten couples between the ages of
25 and 59 is affected by infertility. Many of them
join online communities of people struggling with
the problem. In online forums for people trying
to have a baby, they share experiences and
exchange information about treatment options
for fertility disorders. The authors of the posts
(predominantly women), in addition to the purely
medical aspects, address the issue of mental
burdens that the process brings. They describe
their emotional state in many ways. The purpose
of this article is to show which linguistic and
extra- linguistic means manifest the emotions of
the forum users. The research material consists
of 130 posts on a German-language forum that
is part of the website www.wunschkinder.net.
The following levels are considered: 1) lexical
–lexemes naming emotions (Wut, Glück,
traurig, sich freuen) and lexemes expressing
emo tions, including emotive nouns (Krümel chen,
En gel, Mist), emotive adjectives (wunderschön,
perfekt), emotive adverbs (leider) and phrases
(tief am Boden zerstört sein, wie im siebten
Him mel sein), 2) syntactic – e. g. formulating
exclamatory sentences (Ich hatte drei Fehl gebur
ten in einem Jahr!) and rhetorical questions
(Wa rum schon wieder?), 3) typographic – the
use of iconic means to render phonetic phenomena
(ICH BIN SCHWANGER!!!, Vielen
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank!), as well as emojis.
Boxing as a vehicle of emotions in novel and film – Ladislav Fuks and Juraj Herz
Authors: Kowalczyk Marcin
Published: February 2025

Sports are usually associated with emotions felt
by players and spectators. In the former, the
intense nature of the performances can trigger
anxiety, happiness, fear or anger. The audience's
experience, on the other hand, is stretched on a
scale whose limit points are ecstatic joy and utter
despair. However, sports not only generate certain
feelings related to the competition itself and
the final outcome, but as an activity with great
potential for meaning, it is embedded in nonsport
discourses. A special case here is boxing,
which often becomes a kind of vehicle for emotions
related to important issues for a given community.
Indeed, fistfighting has the potential to
dramatize conflicts that have their roots outside
the ring. A good example of this is Ladislav Fuks'
1967 novel The Corpse Burner and its film adaptation
directed by Juraj Herz (Spalovač mrtvol,
1969). Both authors understand the semantic
potential of boxing, although they use it somewhat
differently. The analysis shows how, under
certain specific conditions, boxing becomes a
carrier of emotions, while touching on content
semantically or contextually unrelated to it.
Political invective in Old Attic Comedy (and the emotions behind it)
Authors: Szefliński Waldemar
Published: February 2025

The article’s primary aim is to present a sample
of Old Attic Comedy political invective directed
towards historical figures living in classical Athens
in the second half of the 5th century BCE and
selected social groups comprising the Athenian
society. Additionally, it will attempt to match
the invective with a potential emotion that might
have caused a particular utterance and might
have appeared in its recipient. For reasons discussed
later, the latter objective of the current
text is of a somewhat lighter nature, meant to be
a playful extension of the invective presentation,
a foray into what one could theoretically assume
the emotional load of the very act of hurling and
receiving abuse in the context of Athenian comedy
– without any attempt to formally examine/
analyze or label the emotions. In other words,
the labeling offered in the current text does not
reflect any particular psychological theory of
emotion (but makes indirect reference to specific
such theories, considered in general terms).
Phraseological units as linguistic exponents of emotions (on the material of private correspondence of Henryk Sienkiewicz)
Authors: Mariak Leonarda
Published: February 2025

The article presents the role of phraseological
units in verbalizing and naming feelings, as well
as illustrates the usefulness of these units as exponents
of expression. The analysis deals with
semantic and functional phenomena related to
phraseological units and marked lexis related
to the expression of feelings, which Sienkiewicz
shared in correspondence with his closest family
members.
An important part of the article is devoted to theoretical
considerations on the scope of meaning
and understanding of the most important concepts
and terms related to the studied issues,
such as: expression – emotionality, feelings –
emotions, as well as a problematized review of
the linguistic literature on feelings and emotions
and phraseological units as means of expressing
them. The extensive literature on the subject
organizes the current state of knowledge in this
area. Based on the analysis of the included publications,
the most important areas of interest of
linguists in this extremely diverse and important
sphere of human life are indicated (feelings
in general; verbalization of feelings, linguistic
expression, characterization of individual feelings
or their categories, analysis of feelings in a
contrastive approach, verbalization of feelings
due to the sign of emotions, valency, non-verbal
ways of expressing feelings, research on feelings,
emotions from the perspective of other –
non-linguistic fields of knowledge).
The study of phraseologisms conducted on the
basis of the available literature on the subject
and the private correspondence of H. Sienkiewicz
revealed the great qualities of these units
in expressing emotions and the power of their
expression, which makes them an important and
attractive means of linguistic communication allowing
for multiple shaping of utterances of different
nature.
We do not die – we buy the farm, kick salt away, or cover our ear – how does part for whole metonymy shield people around the world from the negative emotions related to death and dying? – thoughts about universality and variation *
Authors: Wachowski Wojciech
Published: February 2025

Metonymy is not just a figure of speech, but a
phenomenon that often determines how we
think, what we experience and how we behave
on a daily basis. As Littlemore (2015) notes, metonymy
serves many different functions. One of
them – so-called de-emphasizing or hiding –
allows us to divert attention from taboo content,
such as death, and protect ourselves from the
negative emotions that such content might otherwise
evoke. In this chapter I focus on one type
of metonymy – part for whole – and show how
this relationship is used by people of different
cultures, using different languages, to think and
talk about death and dying.
You look great for your age, or how not to compliment someone
Authors: Peplińska Monika
Published: February 2025

Negging – a technique of emotional manipulation
– is constantly present in interpersonal
contacts. A person using this strategy seemingly
positively evaluates the intended recipient, but
then adds a hurtful remark, often an expression
of jealousy, aversion or – more frequently – aggression,
which causes the recipient of the message
to feel negative emotions and discomfort.
The aim of this article is to show what pseudo-
complementation is in the context of emotions
and their connections with language, which we
understand pragmatically and situationally. Due
to the structure of the speech act in question,
which belongs to the group of expressivisms (discomfortives),
in the article we invoke the concept
of a compliment and then discuss the strategy of
negging. The last part of the article is devoted to
the analysis of anti-compliments, which have a
negative impact on both the recipient’s emotions
and well-being.
¿COMO SE LLEVA UN LIBRO DE HISTORIA A LA PANTALLA? UNA PROPUESTA DE TRABAJO
Authors: NIGRA FABIO
Published: February 2025

El presente estudio efectúa un desarrollo teórico sobre el concepto de trasposición, lo que antes se denominaba adaptación, de un texto literario a una película, a fin de utilizar las herramientas relevantes para trabajar sobre un texto histórico académico o periodístico rigurosamente elaborado, para ser llevado al cine de representación histórica. A tal fin, luego del recorrido conceptual, se propone un modelo de trabajo concreto sobre un libro y la película resultante, que permite comprender las omisiones, elipsis, síntesis, condensaciones, simbologías y presentación efectuada.
Witchcraft tourism in Catemaco, Mexico: a liquid modernity perspective
Authors: Speakman Mark
Published: February 2025

The picturesque town of Catemaco in Mexico is popular with nature enthusiasts. However, it is also known as the “Land of the Witches” and has become a centre for witchcraft tourism. While most who participate in witchcraft are involved in innocuous white magic rituals, others are motivated by black magic, engaging in what is labelled malevolent tourism, rather than dark tourism. The study investigates, from a societal perspective, why individuals travel to take part in witchcraft practices in Catemaco. It uses Zygmund Bauman’s liquid modernity as a lens from which to view contemporary Mexican society and to consider whether the increasingly fluid, dynamic, and changing nature of society, which can result in personal distress and uncertainty, is a contributing factor towards witchcraft tourism at Catemaco. A qualitative approach is adopted that involves interviews conducted with participants who have travelled to the annual International Witchcraft Congress at Catemaco with the intention of participating in brujeria, along with further interviews undertaken with residents and a witchcraft practitioner. Findings suggest that witchcraft serves as a coping mechanism for certain individuals facing social challenges that have arisen from liquid modernity, such as relationship problems and work-related issues. While most of the participants required white magic rituals, a smaller, yet significant proportion were driven to indulge in black magic.
Veränderungen der Organisationskultur und des Business-IT-Alignments während und nach der COVID-19-Pandemie am Beispiel einer Schweizer Hochschule
Authors: Russ Christian , Sieber Marcel R. , Weber Christian , Leikert-Böhm Ninja
Published: February 2025

In einer Fallstudie aus dem Jahr 2020 wurden auf Basis eines Business-IT-Alignment-Modellansatzes die Ausprägungen verschiedener Organisationskulturtypen im Hochschulkontext während der COVID-19-Pandemie analysiert. Hierbei wurden Mitarbeitende der Abteilung Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie sowie betroffene Stakeholder interviewt. Die Studie zeigte unterschiedliche Abstimmungs- und Kulturformen auf verschiedenen Managementebenen auf, die halfen, den Hochschulbetrieb während der Pandemie aufrecht zu erhalten. Im Jahr 2022 wurde mit einem vergleichbaren Setup eine Folgestudie durchgeführt, um mögliche Veränderungen nach der COVID-19-Pandemie festzustellen. Es zeigten sich partielle Unterschiede in der Zusammenarbeit und der Führung. Der Fokus der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie hatte sich von strategischen Überlegungen hin zu operativen und kundenorientierten Dienstleistungen verschoben. Die Hochschulleitung wurde vorwiegend als Prioritätensetzerin wahrgenommen, während sich das Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie-Management vermehrt auf die Umsetzung von Strategien konzentrierte. Zudem hatte das während des Beobachtungszeitraums eingeführte agile Framework SAFe® für Verschiebungen gesorgt. Die Organisationskultur wurde vorwiegend als eine Mischung aus Clan- und Hierarchiekultur beschrieben, wobei Innovation und Risikobereitschaft ein Stück weit verloren gingen. Die Rückkehr zur Normalität richtete das Augenmerk verstärkt auf strukturierte Abläufe; einige positive Aspekte der Pandemiezeit, wie Teamzusammenhalt und Innovationsgeist, hatten etwas nachgelassen. Die Studie lässt den Schluss zu, dass eine nachhaltige Kulturveränderung einen längeren Atem benötigt und die Einführung einer agilen Organisationsform noch weitere Reifegrade durchlaufen muss. Diese Ergebnisse können im Sinne einer IT-Business-Partnerschaft Anregungen geben, um in Zukunft besser auf radikale Veränderungen vorbereitet zu sein und den Wertbeitrag der IT als Ganzes zu steigern.
Diabetes-focused food recommender system (DFRS) to enabling digital health
Authors: Ahmed Esmael , Oumer Mohammed , Hassan Medina
Published: February 2025

The integration of digital health technologies into diabetes management has shown the potential to improve patient outcomes by providing personalized dietary recommendations. This study aims to develop and evaluate the Diabetes-Focused Food Recommender System (DFRS), a system designed to assist individuals with diabetes in making informed food choices. Using a combination of advanced machine learning algorithms, nutrition science, and digital health technologies, DFRS generates personalized recommendations tailored to individual needs. The methodology involves data collection from diverse patient profiles and model development using Graph Neural Networks (GNN) and other machine learning techniques. Hyperparameter tuning and rigorous performance evaluation were conducted to optimize system accuracy. The results demonstrate that after optimization, GNN achieved an accuracy of 94 percent, significantly enhancing the precision of dietary recommendations. Clinical validation of the system showed a reduction in HbA1c levels, glycemic variability, and incidents of hyper- and hypoglycemia. Therefore, DFRS has proven to be an effective tool for improving dietary management in diabetes care, and its integration into clinical workflows offers the potential to enhance health outcomes and streamline healthcare delivery.
Morphological changes in the human mandible associated with the presence of exostoses: A cross-sectional study in two archaeological populations from southern France
Authors: Casazza Estelle , Ballester Benoit , Philip-Alliez Camille , Ardagna Yann , Raskin Anne
Published: February 2025

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate morphological changes in the human mandible in archaeological collections associated with the presence of bony exostoses at the mandibular angle, which is described in the literature as related to specific behaviours of the masticatory apparatus like parafunctional activities. The skeletal sample investigated comprised adult individuals from two archaeological series. Sixteen measurements of the mandible were selected to evaluate anatomic variation in the two populations. Mandibles from both series were pooled for statistical analysis into two groups according to the number of exostoses at the mandibular angles: group 1 (number of exostoses ≤1) and group 2 (number of exostoses ≥ 2). Measurements could be made on eighty mandibles. A statistically significant difference was demonstrated between group 1 and group 2 for the following parameters: distance between mandibular angles, bicondylar width, ramus height, left condyle length, and right and left coronoid process height. For each of these parameters, values were higher in group 2 than in group 1. This study presents an original methodology for studying anatomical variations of the mandible in the context of parafunctional activity, highlighting certain mandibular modifications. The impact of parafunctional behaviours such as bruxism on the mandible therefore has many anatomical expressions. The considerable variability of results found in the literature shows that more studies are needed to reach a consensus on the impact of parafunctional activities on the mandible.
Media technology is not the culprit: Factors influencing users’ quarrelsome behavior in political social platform use
Authors: Fangqi Zhong , Shuixing Lian , Meijie Song , Lingyan Yan
Published: February 2025

Social platforms are seen as hotbeds of political debate, where squabbles between users with different views and positions have become commonplace. From the perspective of social cognition, this study considered the individual variables (degree of political firmness and political efficacy) and situation variables (news credibility and life satisfaction) synthetically to construct a structural equation model. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing users’ quarrelsome behavior in political use on social platforms. The results show that users’ political firmness, the credibility of news in the media environment, and real-life satisfaction all contribute to their quarrelsome behavior on social platforms.
Clinical status and cytokine profiles in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease vaccinated against influenza
Authors: Kostinov Mikhail , Chuchalin Alexander , Chebykina Anna , Khrapunova Isabella , Cherdantsev Alexander , Solov’eva Irina , Akhmatova Nelli , Polishchuk Valentina , Kryukova Nadezhda , Kostinova Aristitsa , Vlasenko Anna , Loktionova Marina , Albahansa Yvette , Shmit’ko Anna , Shogenova Lyudmila
Published: February 2025

Background

Influenza vaccine is a tool for preventing infection and reducing exacerbations in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the associations between clinical outcomes and changes in the levels of inflammation markers have not been fully delineated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical course and the changes in the levels of inflammation markers in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for one year after vaccination against influenza.

Methods

The prospective study for one year included 34 patients with asthma, 20 patients with COPD vaccinated against influenza, both groups being under a basic maintenance therapy, and 26 healthy individuals vaccinated with the trivalent polymer-subunit (adjuvanted) vaccine, containing 5 μg of influenza virus strains and 500 μg of azoximer bromide. The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline and 6 and 12 months after vaccination.

Results

Over a year after vaccination against influenza, the frequency and duration of bronchopulmonary exacerbations significantly decreased both in patients with asthma and those with COPD: by 1.9–2 and 2.2–2.5 times, respectively. There was also a significant reduction in the frequency and duration of hospitalization (by 2.0–2.5 and 2.3–3 times, respectively). Other changes observed over the one-year follow-up period included a 1.6-fold reduction (р<0.01) in the need for outpatient care and a reduction in the number of courses of systemic corticosteroids (by 16.7%; р<0.05) in asthma patients; and a 3.6-fold decrease (р<0.05) in the number of courses of antibiotics in COPD patients. Twelve months after vaccination against influenza, the study participants had significantly lower IL-6 levels, and COPD patients, additionally, showed a reduction in IL-10 levels compared to baseline. Our study identified certain correlations between positive clinical outcomes of vaccination and levels of inflammation markers.

Discussion

Analysis of the immunological, clinical and functional parameters in asthma and COPD patients showed that vaccination not only reduces the risk of influenza and other respiratory infections due to activation of non-specific protection, but also improves the clinical course of asthma and COPD.
Investigating the practices and preferences of health scholars in sharing open research data
Authors: Wibowo Muhamad Prabu , Mon Lorri
Published: February 2025

This survey-based study examines health science scholars’ perceptions of collaborative research behavior and sharing open research data in university settings. A total of 362 health science scholars from U.S. universities participated in an online questionnaire consisting of 59 questions. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses of the data included frequencies, cross-tabulations, descriptive ratio statistics, and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Four open-ended questions were also analyzed to provide further insights into the survey findings. The study reveals that health scholars share their data with colleagues within their institution or project, demonstrating a lesser inclination toward open research data sharing practices through institutional repositories and journal supplements. Motivating factors and challenges influencing researchers’ decisions to share their research data were also identified. While scientific and knowledge advancement served as major incentives, health scholars working with human-related data expressed concerns about privacy and confidentiality breaches, which are primary barriers to data sharing. Some participants indicated that requirements and policies also influenced their willingness to share data. Disciplinary variations were observed regarding data-sharing practices through journal supplements, secondary data analysis, and personal communication. Furthermore, significant differences emerged between funded and non-funded scholars, impacting their practices, motivations, and challenges in sharing open research data. Important factors driving health science scholars to share open research data include resources, policy compliance, and requirements. This study contributes valuable insights for policy development by investigating factors that can foster openness and sharing of research data in the health sciences. The findings shed light on the complexities and considerations associated with open data-sharing practices, enabling stakeholders to develop effective strategies and frameworks.
Distribution of ilmenite minerals in placer deposits along the middle coast of Southern Brazil using spaceborne and ground-based remote sensing
Authors: Prates Hallal Gabriel , Porcher Carla Cristine , Veettil Bijeesh Kozhikkodan , de Almeida Espinoza Jean Marcel , Beatriz Alves Rolim Silvia
Published: February 2025

Titanium oxide is of fundamental strategic importance in the global market as it is used as a raw material by several industries, such as medical prostheses, paints, pigments, and, more recently, electronic chips. The main source of titanium oxide is ilmenite, a mineral deposited in many coastal areas of the world, including the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Southern Brazil in its central coastal plain, under specific morphodynamic conditions. Some geological targets, such as mineral oxides, show distinct thermal spectral features. The present study evaluated the surface concentration of ilmenite in Southern Brazil using thermal spectroscopy (μFT-IR). The emissivity spectral signatures of pure ilmenite between 8 and 14 μm were determined and some indicative features were identified. The obtained emissivity spectrum has been employed as a reference for the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Linear Spectral Unmixing (LSU) image classification algorithms. An image from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission Radiometer (ASTER) sensor (AST_05 emissivity product) was used to recognize the occurrence and assess the richness of the ilmenite. The outcomes of the present study indicated pixels with ilmenite concentration between 0 and 29.6%, with the highest concentration occurring under the transgressive dune field. In contrast, a lower concentration is found in the backshore. To obtain the degree of purity of the ilmenite, a quantitative microanalysis of the samples was conducted in a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the results indicated that 80% of the minerals were ilmenite. Qualitative microanalysis showed that ilmenite is in the primary alteration phase, with a low degree of weathering and a lower concentration of impurities. Integrated techniques for analyzing multispectral and hyperspectral data in the thermal infrared were able to identify and map minerals rich in titanium oxide (ilmenite) quickly, effectively, at low cost, and non-destructively.
Health-promoting text messages to patients with hypertension—A randomized controlled trial in Swedish primary healthcare
Authors: Borgström Bolmsjö Beata , Bredfelt Jenny , Calling Susanna , Glock Hanna , Nymberg Veronica Milos , Bengtsson Boström Kristina , Jakobsson Ulf , Nymberg Peter , Pallon Jon , Rööst Mattias , Wolff Moa
Published: February 2025

Due to the high prevalence and great cardiovascular risks of hypertension, we need effective and evidence-based treatment strategies. Health-promoting one-way text messages could be a beneficial complement to antihypertensive drugs. However, this has yet to be proven in a primary healthcare setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate if health-promoting text messages could improve patients’ blood pressure in primary care. The PUSHME (Primary care Usage of Health promoting Messages) randomized controlled trial included 401 patients from 10 primary health care centers in southern Sweden. Patients in the intervention group received four text messages weekly for six months along with treatment as usual. The PUSHME study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04407962). Patients in both the control group and the intervention group lowered their blood pressure during the study, but there was no significant difference in change between the groups. However, subgroup analyses showed that there was a significantly larger reduction in diastolic blood pressure favoring the intervention for patients with poor self-rated health: -4.5 mmHg vs -1.4 mmHg (p = 0.019), and patients with a sedentary lifestyle: -5.2 mmHg vs -2.4 mmHg (p = 0.034). Our findings indicate that text messages with lifestyle advice to a general hypertensive population do not have any significant effect on blood pressure. However, it could be an effective complement to conventional antihypertensive drug treatment for specific patient groups.
Potential of methanol extracts of Nephelium lappaceum (Sapindaceae) and Hyphaene thebaica (Arecaceae) as adjuvants to enhance the efficacy of antibiotics against critical class priority bacteria
Authors: Seukep Armel Jackson , Tamambang Fula Mabel , Matieta Valaire Yemene , Mbuntcha Helene Gueaba , Bomba Francis Desire Tatsinkou , Kuete Victor , Ndip Lucy M. Ayamba
Published: February 2025

Botanicals have shown promise in mitigating antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This study examined the efficacy of methanolic extracts from two food plants (Nephelium lappaceum and Hyphaene thebaica), alone and in combination with antibiotics, against critical class priority bacteria, including multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Escherichia coli. The herbals underwent testing using a 96-well microplate serial dilution technique before being analyzed for their effects on bacterial cell membrane integrity and H+-ATPase-mediated proton pumping. Phytochemical analysis was carried out using established techniques. The bioactive extracts displayed very good to weak antibacterial activities (128 ≤ MIC ≤ 2048 μg/mL). The bark, leaf, and peel extracts of N. lappaceum were found to be effective against all studied MDR bacteria. N. lappaceum leaf extract exhibited the best activity (128 ≤ MIC ≤ 1024 μg/mL on all studied MDR bacteria). Interestingly, all MBC/MIC ratios calculated were ≤ 4, suggesting bactericidal activities. N. lappaceum leaf extract has shown significant inhibition of bacterial H+-ATPase-mediated proton pumping and changes in the cell membrane integrity, suggesting possible modes of action. N. lappaceum (leaves and peels) and H. thebaica (fruits) extracts demonstrated a notable potential to synergize with tetracycline, vancomycin, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, and cefixime (up to 8-fold reduction of the antibiotic’s MIC was recorded). N. lappaceum leaves and peels, and fruits of H. thebaica significantly improved the efficacy of all antibiotics tested against K. pneumoniae ATCC11296 at MIC/2. Similar effects were observed against P. aeruginosa PA01 and E. coli AG100, respectively, with leaves and peels of N. lappaceum. No antagonistic interactions were recorded. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, phenols, and saponins in all test extracts. The findings of this study are promising and suggest that N. lappaceum and H. thebaica can be used either for direct action on bacteria or to revitalize outdated antibiotics that are gradually losing their potency due to resistance.
Comparison of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary functions of adult male cigarette smokers and non-smokers in Sri Lanka; A comparative analytical study
Authors: Herath Prasanna , Wimalasekera Savithri Wasundara , Amarasekara Thamara Dilhani , Fernando Manoj Sanjeewa , Turale Sue
Published: February 2025

Background

Cigarette smoking has long been associated with decreased lung function and increased respiratory symptoms globally. While this relationship is well-established, a critical gap exists in our understanding of the specific impact of smoking intensity on individual lung volumes, particularly among the general population. Despite numerous studies conducted on this topic worldwide, there is a noticeable absence of research focusing on the Sri Lankan population, and South Asian studies in this context remain sparse. This study evaluated the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function changes among chronic cigarette smokers and compared them with non-smokers. Furthermore, the proposed study intends to close this gap by undertaking a systematic assessment of the influence of cigarette smoking on lung function and respiratory symptoms in the general population of Sri Lanka. Additionally, the present research represents the first-ever Lung function study conducted in Sri Lanka specifically targeting cigarette smokers.

Methods

Adult male daily smokers (n = 360) and matched non-smokers (n = 180) from the Colombo district, Sri Lanka, were chosen. Smokers were compared in age, height, and weight with a matched nonsmoking control group. An interviewer provided a questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic information, smoking behaviors, and clinical respiratory symptoms. Lung function tests were performed with a calibrated PC-based Medikro® Pro (Finland) spirometer and forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and FEV1/ FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF 25–75%) were measured.

Results

Smokers had a significantly higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms and significantly lower FVC, FEV1, FEV1/ FVC, and PEF, FEF 25–75% values than non-smokers. There was a significantly negative correlation of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/ FVC, and PEF, FEF 25–75% with the duration of smoking, and the Brinkman Index. According to the Multiple regression analysis, smoking significantly contributed to deteriorated pulmonary function variables.

Conclusion

This study revealed that continuous smoking accelerates the deterioration of lung function and increases respiratory symptoms. Early strategies to reduce tobacco use are recommended.
Human capital, gender, institutional environment and research funding: Determinants of research productivity in German psychology
Authors: Schröder Martin , Habicht Isabel M. , Lutter Mark
Published: February 2025

Which academics are more productive? The “sacred spark” theory predicts that some researchers are innately more productive than others, while the theory of cumulative advantage argues that small initial inequalities accumulate to large differences in productivity over time. Using a virtually complete panel dataset of all academic psychologists found in German universities in 2019, including their career information and publications, we examine under what conditions male and female psychologists publish more peer-reviewed articles. The strongest predictor of this is prior experience in publishing peer reviewed journal articles, irrespective of other prior endowments. This relationship between earlier and later productivity is not strongly confounded by career stage, affiliation with elite institutions, receipt of third-party funding, or parenthood. The effect of prior publications on current productivity explains why female academic psychologists publish less than men do. While female psychologists publish 34% less than their male counterparts, this gap diminishes to 17% after controlling for prior publication experience. This lends supports to the theory of cumulative advantage, which explains overall differences in productivity over entire careers by the accumulation of minor initial inequalities to large outcome differences over time.
Reading between the lines: Novel insights on wild Pacific harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) social communication through narrow-band high frequency click trains
Authors: Migneault Amy , Dracott Karina , Tregenza Nick , Robinson Chloe V.
Published: February 2025

For cetaceans that produce narrow-band high-frequency click trains such as the Pacific harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena vomerinae), social acoustic behavior is poorly understood. While harbour porpoises have a reputation of being generally non-social and often solitary, few studies have aimed to quantify acoustic social communication for this species. In the waters surrounding the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, Canada, harbour porpoises are often seen in groups where they have been observed attempting mating and surface-active behaviors. To assess the extent of social communication amongst porpoises in this region, we analyzed a long-term passive acoustic monitoring F-POD dataset collected from two sites, coupled with a detailed social acoustic criterion for detecting patterns of non-foraging click trains. Based on these criteria, porpoises were found to be producing patterns of obvious, discrete, and repetitive click trains that were marked as social. Generalized additive models were used to identify significant temporal trends in the dataset. On average, 5.3% of click trains produced by porpoises were social. Monthly and diurnal fluctuations in social detection positive minutes (DPM) followed a similar trajectory to non-social DPM, with peak activity observed during periods of darkness and from spring to early summer with a smaller increase in the fall. At one site, 11.1% of the DPM in May were classified as social. In general, proportionally more social DPM were found during periods of more overall DPM, suggesting that porpoises were socially communicating while in proximity to one another. Notably, overall DPM significantly decreased by 53.7% over three years. This novel methodology can be replicated in other regions to gain further insight into the social acoustic behavior of harbour porpoises.