bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large-Format Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing for Circular Economy Practices: A Focus on Product Applications with Materials from Recycled Plastics and Biomass Waste
Authors: Romani Alessia , Levi Marinella
Published: September 2024

Additive Manufacturing has significantly impacted circular design, expanding the opportunities for designing new artifacts following circular economy principles, e.g., using secondary raw materials. Small-format 3D printing has reached a broader audience of stakeholders, including end-users, when dealing with filament feedstocks from plastic and biomass waste. However, using large-format extrusion-based additive manufacturing with recycled feedstocks remains challenging, resulting in limited applications and awareness among practitioners. This work analyzes the most relevant product applications using large-format material extrusion additive manufacturing with recycled plastics and biomass waste feedstocks. It reviews the case studies from 2010 to mid-2024 dealing with new materials and applications from academic research and practical contexts. The applications were analyzed to outline the current situation and trends for large-format 3D printing with recycled plastics- and biomass-based feedstocks, focusing on secondary raw materials, manufacturability, impact on product aesthetics, application fields, and products. Despite more consolidated sectors, new technical applications using granulate feedstock systems, e.g., transportation, are emerging. Academic research studies new secondary raw materials and distributed practices through large-format 3D printing. Practitioners are exploiting different approaches to design products, optimizing building times, costs, and material usage through different manufacturing strategies, strengthening the product identity by highlighting circularity. Spreading specific expertise could enlarge the range of application sectors and products, as well as foster real-world collaborations and scaling-up. Thanks to this work, new synergies between the research and practical contexts can be encouraged for new circular economy practices, detecting and exploring new scraps, material categories, or Additive Manufacturing processes in the future.
New Insights for Teaching the One Health Approach: Transformative Environmental Education for Sustainability
Authors: Pérez-Martín José Manuel , Esquivel-Martín Tamara
Published: September 2024

The One Health approach often reaches classrooms through Environmental Education (EE), which aims to guide society’s response to current crises (environmental, health, economic, values). However, traditional EE teaching has focused on isolated ecological concepts and standardised solutions, ignoring the multidimensional nature of EE and failing to integrate the interdependence between environmental, animal, and human health. Moreover, teacher training often neglects didactic content knowledge, preventing students from acquiring the systemic vision needed to address eco-social problems and create sustainable solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This limits teachers’ ability to influence students’ concerns and behaviours. In this context, this study aims to reflect on the current state of the issue and propose strategies informed by Science Education research to improve EE teaching, enabling the integration of One Health dimensions through effective didactics to achieve Transformative Environmental Education (TEE). For this purpose, we begin by addressing the limitations identified in recent systematic reviews, shifting the paradigm towards a symbiosis of EE and Science Education through scientific practices. We then present practical examples showcasing successful EE initiatives that foster a deeper understanding of socio-environmental issues, encourage innovative solutions, and nurture engaged citizens from early education onwards. These proposals can support classroom practice and ongoing teacher self-development. Pedagogical strategies include tackling issues that require systemic and critical thinking by developing scientific and epistemic practices while raising awareness of Environmental Justice. Thus, this study advocates for a new vision of EE, integrating the One Health approach, which could be applied to develop new educational programs, including teacher training. This would lead to a new learning evaluation model and help identify key determinants that trigger pro-environmental behaviours.
Impact of Accountability on the Economic Performance of Hospital Entities: The Moderating Role of Gender
Authors: Pereira Cláudia , Bertuzi Rui , Lima Armindo
Published: September 2024

This study examines on the association between the accountability and economic performance of Portuguese hospital entities after the entry into force of the new Public Accounting Standards, taking into account stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, and institutional theory. Furthermore, we investigate whether accountability, underlying procurement, and other entity operations act differently in public and private hospitals. For this purpose, we collected data for 56 Portuguese hospital entities in the period from 2018 to 2022. We conducted a quantitative analysis, testing the hypotheses using econometric regressions estimated with panel data. The results show a reduction in the return on assets for both sectors. Our evidence suggests that being a public hospital entity harms economic performance. In this sector, size and gender positively affect economic performance. Still, the level of provisions negatively affects it. In contrast, in private hospital entities, the determinants of their economic performance are the number of directors (with a negative impact) and provisions (with a positive one). These results show that when hospital entities are committed to governance structures and social responsibility, or environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors underlying sustainability strategies, they can enhance their performance. This article contributes by collecting evidence on the effect of accountability on the performance of public hospital entities, the features of which tend to be different from those of private hospital entities.
Mitigating Health Disparities among the Elderly in China: An Analysis of the Roles of Social Security and Family Support from a Perspective Based on Relative Deprivation
Authors: Yan Guozhang , Li Lianyou , Sohail Muhammad Tayyab , Zhang Yanan , Song Yahui
Published: September 2024

The joint involvement of family and society in elderly care is a crucial factor in improving the health status of older adults and narrowing health disparities, which are essential for achieving sustainable development goals. However, the interactions between these entities and their mechanisms of influence require further investigation. By utilizing data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) spanning 2014 to 2016 and employing the Kakwani index of individual relative deprivation in conjunction with a two-way fixed-effects model for unbalanced panel data, in this study, we investigated the mechanisms through which social elderly care security and familial support influence health inequalities among the elderly. The findings reveal that only senior benefits (=−0.009, p < 0.05) significantly mitigate relative health deprivation in this population. Enrollment in pension insurance amplifies the sense of relative health deprivation among the elderly, but this effect becomes insignificant after controlling for temporal effects. Both economic support (=−0.002, p < 0.05) and emotional support (=−0.004, p < 0.01) from offspring significantly reduce the level of relative health deprivation among the elderly. Mechanism testing results indicate that individual attitudes towards aging serve as a mediator in the relationship between relative health deprivation and preferential treatment, economic support, and emotional support. The results of further heterogeneity tests suggest that the impact of various elderly support models on relative health deprivation differs by age, gender, and residential area.These findings confirm that support from both society and family plays a crucial role in achieving sustainable health outcomes for the elderly. Consequently, it is recommended to enhance the social elderly care security system, bolster familial support functions, cultivate positive individual attitudes towards aging, and address health inequalities among the elderly in accordance with their distinct characteristics, thereby improving their quality of life and sense of fulfillment, and contributing to the broader goals of sustainable development.
Exploring the Impacts of the Digital Economy on Carbon Emissions: Lessons from 268 Cities in China
Authors: Huang Dunping , Yang Fan , Wang Donghui , Yin Kai , Gong Bin , Cui Lianbiao
Published: September 2024

Based on the panel data from 268 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011–2020, this study explores the impact of the digital economy on China’s carbon emissions and its mechanisms. The results reveal that the digital economy has a significant urban carbon emission reduction effect, and the robustness test results confirm the reliability of this conclusion. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that regional and city endowment influences this effect, with the effect being relatively stronger in the eastern region and high-grade cities, whereas the effect is not notable in the central and western regions and low-grade cities. In addition, digital economy development in the central region and non-resource cities can reduce carbon emissions, although its impact on peripheral and resource cities remains uncertain. Further mediation effect tests show that the urban carbon emission reduction effect occurs through energy consumption reduction, industrial structure upgrading, and green technology innovation. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions, which is significant for formulating digital economy policies to reduce carbon emissions.
An Evidence-Based Assessment of Biophilic Interior Design in a Traditional Context: The Case of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Shbaita Alis Saad , Denerel Simge Bardak , Asilsoy Buket
Published: September 2024

Biophilia is a concept that suggests humans have an innate connection to nature. Biophilic design needs to be addressed under the umbrella of environmentally sustainable design, which is crucial in regard to the current urban development agenda. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a Gulf country possessing valuable traditional architecture with rich local diversity, also needs to implement strategies for the establishment of sustainable development goals. The evaluation of biophilic design in the interior design environment through the values of traditional architecture can be a positive step towards reconnecting the built environment with nature. Within this scope, after a theoretical evaluation of biophilia, biophilic design (BD), and existing BD frameworks, in this study, we used the Biophilic Interior Design Matrix (BID-M) to assess biophilia in traditional Saudi architecture. Three heritage buildings in each of the four regions, amounting to twelve buildings in total, were rated for each of the BID-M matrix’s 54 listed features. According to the findings of a quantitative assessment based on the qualitative evaluation of biophilia in the chosen heritage buildings, these traditional buildings have a remarkably high score regarding biophilia. As such, there is a clear indication of the potential for aligning heritage building values with biophilic interior design features. This new approach, uniquely tailored to the rich and diverse cultural identity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is crucial for incorporating sustainability into modern construction and has significant implications for the future of architecture in this region.
Estimating Sludge Deposition on the Heat Exchanger in the Digester of a Biogas Plant
Authors: Teleszewski Tomasz Janusz , Hożejowski Leszek
Published: September 2024

The presented research addresses a problem occurring in a biogas plant, which we know plays an important role in sustainable development. The sludge deposited on the walls of the digester’s heat exchanger impairs heat transfer to the substrate. It leads to a temperature drop inside the biogas plant and threatens its correct operation. The thickness of the sludge layer cannot be directly measured when the plant is operating. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop and then validate a method for estimating, based on the operating parameters of the exchanger, the thickness of the sludge layer and to give theoretical foundations for designing an automatic sludge monitoring system. Two mathematical models (and methods) were developed: one- and two-dimensional. The former model was solved analytically while the latter by the Trefftz method. The numerical results from these two approaches showed very good agreement with each other and with the actual measurement taken directly after removing the substrate from the fermentation chamber. According to the calculation results, the growth of the sludge layer was linear with time, and its rate was 0.0064 mm per day. Finally, a schematic diagram of an intended sludge monitoring system was proposed. It could optimize biogas plant operation and thus become a step towards more sustainable energy production.
Temporal–Spatial Characteristics of Carbon Emissions and Low-Carbon Efficiency in Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Li Qiaochu , Zhang Peng
Published: September 2024

Clarifying the temporal and spatial characteristics of regional carbon emissions and low-carbon efficiency is of great significance for the realization of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. This study calculated the carbon emissions in Sichuan Province from 2015 to 2022 based on four major units: energy activity, industrial production, forestry activity, and waste disposal, and its time evolution characteristics and key sources were investigated. Meanwhile, based on the Super-SBM-Undesirable model, the low-carbon efficiency of Sichuan Province and its 21 cities (states) was evaluated, and its spatial heterogeneity characteristics were investigated. The empirical results reveal the following: (1) energy activity was the main contributor to regional carbon emissions, with thermal power generation and industrial energy terminal consumption as the key sectors. Inter-regional power allocation could indirectly reduce the regional emission intensity. The carbon emissions of industrial production showed significant aggregation in cement and steel production. The forest carbon sink had a significant effect on alleviating the regional greenhouse effect. The carbon emissions of waste disposal were small. (2) From 2015 to 2022, the low-carbon efficiency of Sichuan Province showed an overall upward trend. Chengdu had a high level of economic development, a reasonable industrial organization, and a continuous increase in its urban greening rate. Heavy industrial cities such as Panzhihua and Deyang made great efforts to eliminate backward production capacity and low-carbon transformation of key industries. Therefore, they were the first mover advantage regions of low-carbon transformation. Zigong, Mianyang, Suining, and Leshan enjoyed favorable preferential policies and energy-saving space, and were developmental regions of low-carbon transformation. But they need to actively deal with the problem of industrial solidification. The low-carbon efficiency of plateau areas in western Sichuan was relatively low, but they have unique resource endowment advantages in clean energy such as hydropower, so the development potential is strong. Cities such as Ya’an and Bazhong faced a series of challenges such as weak geographical advantages and the risk of pollution haven. They were potential regions of low-carbon transformation.
The City as a Power Hub for Boosting Renewable Energy Communities: A Case Study in Naples
Authors: Aruta Giuseppe , Ascione Fabrizio , Fistola Romano , Iovane Teresa
Published: September 2024

This study introduces an innovative methodology for designing sustainable urban energy districts using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The scope is to identify specific parts of the urban fabric, suitable for becoming energy districts that can meet the energy needs of dwellings and activities and produce an energy surplus for the city. The method uses building archetypes to characterize the districts and perform simulations through an algorithm based on correction coefficients considering variables such as total building height, exposure, year of construction, and building typology. By leveraging GIS, this approach supports the creation of urban energy maps, which help identify and address potential energy-related issues in various urban contexts. Additionally, the research explores different scenarios for developing energy communities within the district, aiming to optimize energy use and distribution. A case study in Naples, Southern Italy, demonstrates that installing photovoltaic panels on the roofs of buildings can allow a complete electrical supply to the building stock. The final goal is to provide a robust tool that enhances confidence in urban energy planning decisions, contributing to more sustainable and efficient energy management at the district level. This approach may support the urban and territorial governance towards sustainable solutions by developing strategies for the creation of energy communities and optimizing the potential of specific sites.
Hallucination Reduction and Optimization for Large Language Model-Based Autonomous Driving
Authors: Wang Jue
Published: September 2024

Large language models (LLMs) are widely integrated into autonomous driving systems to enhance their operational intelligence and responsiveness and improve self-driving vehicles’ overall performance. Despite these advances, LLMs still struggle between hallucinations—when models either misinterpret the environment or generate imaginary parts for downstream use cases—and taxing computational overhead that relegates their performance to strictly non-real-time operations. These are essential problems to solve to make autonomous driving as safe and efficient as possible. This work is thus focused on symmetrical trade-offs between the reduction of hallucination and optimization, leading to a framework for these two combined and at least specifically motivated by these limitations. This framework intends to generate a symmetry of mapping between real and virtual worlds. It helps in minimizing hallucinations and optimizing computational resource consumption reasonably. In autonomous driving tasks, we use multimodal LLMs that combine an image-encoding Visual Transformer (ViT) and a decoding GPT-2 with responses generated by the powerful new sequence generator from OpenAI known as GPT4. Our hallucination reduction and optimization framework leverages iterative refinement loops, RLHF—reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF)—along with symmetric performance metrics, e.g., BLEU, ROUGE, and CIDEr similarity scores between machine-generated answers specific to other human reference answers. This ensures that improvements in model accuracy are not overused to the detriment of increased computational overhead. Experimental results show a twofold improvement in decision-maker error rate and processing efficiency, resulting in an overall decrease of 30% for the model and a 25% improvement in processing efficiency across diverse driving scenarios. Not only does this symmetrical approach reduce hallucination, but it also better aligns the virtual and real-world representations.
Enhancing 3D Rock Localization in Mining Environments Using Bird’s-Eye View Images from the Time-of-Flight Blaze 101 Camera
Authors: Kern John , Rodriguez-Guillen Reinier , Urrea Claudio , Garcia-Garcia Yainet
Published: September 2024

The mining industry faces significant challenges in production costs, environmental protection, and worker safety, necessitating the development of autonomous systems. This study presents the design and implementation of a robust rock centroid localization system for mining robotic applications, particularly rock-breaking hammers. The system comprises three phases: assembly, data acquisition, and data processing. Environmental sensing was accomplished using a Basler Blaze 101 three-dimensional (3D) Time-of-Flight (ToF) camera. The data processing phase incorporated advanced algorithms, including Bird’s-Eye View (BEV) image conversion and You Only Look Once (YOLO) v8x-Seg instance segmentation. The system’s performance was evaluated using a comprehensive dataset of 627 point clouds, including samples from real mining environments. The system achieved efficient processing times of approximately 5 s. Segmentation accuracy was evaluated using the Intersection over Union (IoU), reaching 95.10%. Localization precision was measured by the Euclidean distance in the XY plane (EDXY), achieving 0.0128 m. The normalized error (enorm) on the X and Y axes did not exceed 2.3%. Additionally, the system demonstrated high reliability with R2 values close to 1 for the X and Y axes, and maintained performance under various lighting conditions and in the presence of suspended particles. The Mean Absolute Error (MAE) in the Z axis was 0.0333 m, addressing challenges in depth estimation. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the model’s robustness, revealing consistent performance across brightness and contrast variations, with an IoU ranging from 92.88% to 96.10%, while showing greater sensitivity to rotations.
Evaluation of the Effect of Early-Onset Steroid Treatment in the COVID-19-Positive Pregnant Women on Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Elgormus Neval , Senyigit Abdulhalim , Okuyan Omer , Bozkurt Fatma , Aydin Derya Sivri , Uzun Hafize
Published: September 2024

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Acute respiratory distress and preterm delivery are the two major complications induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. In the presence of dyspnea, the use of systemic corticosteroids was recommended in pregnant and non-pregnant groups. Our primary aim was to investigate the effect of early-onset steroid treatment on mortality and adverse effects in pregnant women with COVID-19. Our secondary aim was to investigate the effect of steroid treatment on the length of hospital stay and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and duration of treatment. The study also investigated infection, preterm birth, and ideal body weight (lbw) in newborns. Methods: In this retrospective study, 253 patients were divided into three groups according to steroid administration. In Group 1 patients (n:112), treatment was started at the time of hospitalization. In Group 2 patients (n:90), treatment was started at least 24 h after hospitalization. Group 3 consisted of patients (n:51) who did not receive steroid treatment. Methylprednisolone (32 mg/day) was given to pregnant patients with a gestational age below 24 weeks or above 34 weeks, and dexametazone (6 mg/day) was given in four doses followed by 32 mg/day methylprednisolone for the others (whose baby was at a gestational age of 24 weeks and above but less than 34 weeks). Result: The hospital stay, ICU stay, and steroid administration time were significantly lower in the Group 1 when compared to the others (p < 0.05). The steroid treatment requirement was 4.4 days in Group 1 and 5.7 days in Group 2 (p < 0.05). While no death was observed in Group 1, one patient died in Group 2 and three patients died in Group 3. There was no difference between the groups in terms of complications, including preterm labor. Conclusions: No death was also observed with early-onset treatment. Early-onset treatment may be beneficial for fewer hospitalizations, fewer ICU stays, and less mechanical ventilation requirement in pregnant women with COVID-19. In addition, with early treatment, the total number of steroid administration days was reduced, which is important in terms of reducing the risk of side effects.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Routine Childhood Immunization with 20-Valent versus 15-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Germany
Authors: Huang Min , Weaver Jessica P. , Elbasha Elamin , Weiss Thomas , Banniettis Natalie , Feemster Kristen , White Meghan , Kelly Matthew S.
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routine childhood immunization with the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) in a four-dose regimen (3 + 1 schedule) versus the 15-valent PCV (PCV15/V114) in a three-dose regimen (2 + 1) in Germany. The study utilized a decision-analytic Markov model to estimate lifetime costs and effectiveness outcomes for a single birth cohort in Germany. The model tracked the incidence of acute pneumococcal infections and long-term pneumococcal meningitis sequelae for both vaccination strategies. The vaccine effectiveness data were derived from published clinical trials and observational studies of PCV7 and PCV13. Indirect effects, such as herd protection and serotype replacement, were included in the model. The model adopted a societal perspective, including direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs. Scenario and sensitivity analyses were performed. In the base case, PCV20 prevented more pneumococcal disease cases and deaths, with an expected gain of 96 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) compared to V114. However, PCV20 was associated with a total incremental cost of EUR 48,358,424, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of EUR 503,620/QALY. Most of the scenario and sensitivity analyses estimated that the ICER for PCV20 exceeded EUR 150,000/QALY. Routine childhood immunization with PCV20 instead of V114 may not be an economically efficient use of healthcare resources in Germany.
The Role of Plant Extracts in Enhancing Nutrition and Health for Dogs and Cats: Safety, Benefits, and Applications
Authors: Guo Xinzi , Wang Yifei , Zhu Zhaoxuan , Li Lian
Published: September 2024

Plant extracts, derived from various natural sources, encompass primary and secondary metabolites, which include plant polysaccharides, polyphenols, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenes, and volatile oils. These compounds exhibit a range of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial functions. Currently, polyphenols and other bioactive compounds are being incorporated into the diets of farm animals, fish, and pets to promote health benefits. Despite this, the application and potential of plant extracts in canine and feline nutrition have not been comprehensively explored. Many aspects of the mechanisms underlying the action of these plant metabolites remain to be analyzed and elucidated. Furthermore, leveraging natural plant extracts for the treatment of clinical conditions in dogs and cats is a crucial component of clinical nutrition. Consequently, this review aims to highlight the impact of plant extracts on overall health, gastrointestinal health, immune health, cardiovascular health, redox balance, and pathology in dogs and cats.
Extracted Plasma Cell-Free DNA Concentrations Are Elevated in Colic Patients with Systemic Inflammation
Authors: Bayless Rosemary L. , Cooper Bethanie L. , Sheats M. Katie
Published: September 2024

Colic is a common and potentially life-threatening condition in horses; in many cases, it remains challenging for clinicians to determine the cause, appropriate treatment, and prognosis. One approach that could improve patient care and outcomes is identification of novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a biomarker that shows promise for characterizing disease severity and predicting survival in humans with acute abdominal pain or requiring emergency abdominal surgery. In horses, we recently determined that extracted plasma cfDNA concentrations are elevated in colic patients compared to healthy controls. For this current study, we hypothesized that extracted plasma cfDNA concentrations would be significantly higher in horses with strangulating or inflammatory colic lesions, in colic patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and in non-survivors. Cell-free DNA concentrations were measured in extracted plasma samples using a compact, portable Qubit fluorometer. Colic patients that met published criteria for equine SIRS had significantly higher median extracted plasma cfDNA compared to non-SIRS colic patients. There were no significant differences in extracted plasma cfDNA concentrations between other groups of interest. Our data offer early evidence that extracted plasma cfDNA concentration may provide information about systemic inflammation in colic patients, and additional research is warranted to expand on these findings.
A Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN) Model to Simulate Karst Spring Flowrates in the Umbria Region (Central Italy)
Authors: De Filippi Francesco Maria , Ginesi Matteo , Sappa Giuseppe
Published: September 2024

In the last decades, climate change has led to increasingly frequent drought events within the Mediterranean area, creating an urgent need of a more sustainable management of groundwater resources exploited for drinking and agricultural purposes. One of the most challenging issues is to provide reliable simulations and forecasts of karst spring discharges, whose reduced information, as well as the hydrological processes involving their feeding aquifers, is often a big issue for water service managers and researchers. In order to plan a sustainable water resource exploitation that could face future shortages, the groundwater availability should be assessed by continuously monitoring spring discharge during the hydrological year, using collected data to better understand the past behaviour and, possibly, forecast the future one in case of severe droughts. The aim of this paper is to understand the factors that govern different spring discharge patterns according to rainfall inputs and to present a model, based on artificial neural network (ANN) data training and cross-correlation analyses, to evaluate the discharge of some karst spring in the Umbria region (Central Italy). The model used is a fully connected neural network (FCNN) and has been used both for filling gaps in the spring discharge time series and for simulating the response of six springs to rainfall seasonal patterns from a 20-year continuous daily record, collected and provided by the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA) of the Umbria region.
Determining the Fluxes and Relative Importance of Different External Sources and Sinks of Nitrogen to the Israeli Coastal Shelf, a Potentially Vulnerable Ecosystem
Authors: Ben Ezra Tal , Tsemel Anat , Suari Yair , Berman-Frank Ilana , Tchernov Danny , Krom Michael David
Published: September 2024

While the biogeochemical properties of the Israeli coastal shelf (ICS) are similar to adjacent pelagic waters, the external sources of inorganic nitrogen (N) are very different. The main source of ‘new’ N to the pelagic zone is deep winter mixing, with minor contributions from atmospheric deposition and eddy diffusion across the nutricline. For the ICS, major N sources include offshore water advection (260 × 10⁶ mol N y−¹), atmospheric input (115 × 10⁶ mol N y−¹), and riverine input (138 × 10⁶ mol N y−¹), which primarily consists of treated wastewater and stormwater runoff. Direct pollutant discharge from sewage outfalls and submarine groundwater discharge are relatively minor. Key N sinks are new production (420 × 10⁶ mol N y−¹) and sediment deposition and uptake (145 × 10⁶ mol N y−¹). Inputs of nitrate and ammonium were similar and dominant in winter. Unlike temperate shelves, where riverine input is dominant, here it was only slightly higher than atmospheric input, with net N advection onto the shelf being significant. External N inputs did not change net primary production (NPP) by more than ~30% or affect dominant pico and nanophytoplankton genera, except in localized patches. This study offers baseline values for future climate and environmental change assessments.
Study of the quality of olive oils imported to Russia
Authors:   Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Goncharenko O.A. , Petrova V.D. ,   Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Chernova I.M. ,   Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow
Published: September 2024

Olive oil is a healthy and expensive product with specific flavor and aromatic properties. Due to this, it is often difficult for the consumer to determine whether the product is counterfeit. The article presents the results of a study of the possibility of using organoleptic methods for the qualitative identification of olive oil.
Global War for The Natural Resources of The Arctic
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Higher School of Cultural Policy and Management in the Humanitarian Sphere, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow, Tebekin A. V.
Published: September 2024

Today among the territories that attract increased attention of a large number of developed countries, the Arctic zone stands out significantly, being a vivid example of the aggravation of the struggle for territories with the wealth located on them, characteristic of the development of the world economy in a crisis period. The purpose of the research is to determine the expected economic consequences of the unfolding global war for the natural resources of the Arctic. The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in the substantiation of probable scenarios for the development of intercountry struggle for the natural resources of the Arctic in the coming decades, caused by global climate warming, which changes the technical and economic characteristics of the processes of development of its natural resources. That is, they increase the attractiveness of territories containing minerals and providing other development opportunities at a signifi cantly lower cost level while increasing the reliability and safety of the implementation of production and economic activity processes. The work for the fi rst time identifi es three stages in the history of the Arctic development: the fi rst stage, which lasted until the 1920s, was mainly exploratory in nature; the second stage, which lasted for the last century, was marked by the intensification of eff orts by countries to redistribute the territories of the Arctic region, but peacefully; the third stage of Arctic development, which began in the 2020s, is taking on much more aggressive forms on the part of various countries. At the same time, experts, not without reason, draw attention to the fact that a forceful scenario for the redistribution of property in the Arctic is not excluded. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the possibility of using them to form and implement a national strategy for the development of the Arctic.
Features of China’s participation in regional economic integration
Authors:   Russian Foreign Trade Academy of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation (RFTA), Moscow, Vinogradova I. V.
Published: September 2024

Since the beginning of the 21st century, China has been actively pursuing bilateral and plurilateral trade agreements with both developing and developed countries, focusing on regional partners. These agreements have a great influence on the trade policy of the PRC. As practice has shown, they have a positive impact on the development of the country’s foreign trade and organically fi t into the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. At the same time, in China’s approach to concluding such agreements, certain features can be traced, which are the subject of this article. It examines the essence of regional trade agreements concluded by China with its partners, showing that China’s approach to the liberalization of foreign economic relations is carefully thought out and gradual, but at the same time active and consistent. The article also pays attention to China’s participation in megaregional projects in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as in interstate associations (APEC, BRICS) and organizations (SCO) that have the potential to establish barrier-free trade and economic cooperation between member countries. China has already proposed creating an SCO free trade zone. An agreement on trade and economic cooperation has been concluded between the PRC and the EAEU. This agreement may become the basis for further deepening trade and economic cooperation between the parties. At the same time, trade liberalization can occur gradually, over a long transition period, without affecting particularly sensitive goods, as happens under the terms of the China-ASEAN agreement. As part of its Belt and Road Initiative, China is pursuing a policy of trade liberalization with an increasing number of foreign economic partners around the world. China is negotiating new free trade agreements and updating old ones, which indicates a long-term trend in the country’s foreign economic policy.
A Thematic Synthesis of the Experiences of Social Prescribing Among Patients in the UK
Authors: Handayani Nur Hidayati , Wanat Marta , Tierney Stephanie
Published: September 2024

Background: Social prescribing connects patients to resources or activities to meet their non-medical needs. In the UK, it is often implemented in primary care. In the social prescribing pathway, patients are directed to link workers to identify suitable solutions for their needs such as art workshops or welfare benefit guidance. Social prescribing marks a notable transition from traditional medical treatments to more comprehensive strategies focusing on holistic health and wellbeing strategies. Insights from patient experiences can improve the development of social prescribing to better meet their needs. This understanding can aid in improving the delivery and outcomes of social prescribing. Aim: To synthesise qualitative research on the experiences of social prescribing among patients in the UK. Design and Setting: A qualitative systematic review – using thematic synthesis for peer-reviewed papers focused on experiences of social prescribing users in the UK. Method: An exhaustive search was performed in six databases: ASSIA, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, and SOCIAL SCIENCE CITATION INDEX via Web of Science. The CASP tool for qualitative research was used for quality assessment and PRISMA 2020 Checklist was used to ensure the report transparency. Result: Titles and abstracts of 1,269 papers were screened. In total, 85 papers were full text-screened, and 19 studies were included in the review. Five analytical themes were developed from these papers: (a) Searching for hope in times of adversity; (b) Variability in temporal responsiveness; (c) Feeling supported and empowered by the social prescribing pathway; (d) Sustained change from a positive response; (e) Misalignment producing no response. Conclusion: Patients might experience lasting advantages from social prescribing if it aligns with their needs and expectations. Results highlighted the importance of matching social prescribing referral with patients’ readiness to engage. Therefore, it is recommended that healthcare professionals evaluate patient suitability prior to beginning a social prescribing referral.
Percepción sobre el desarrollo de competencias digitales, una experiencia en docentes de educación básica
Authors: Verzosi Vargas Paulina Iralda , Torres Parreño Demetrio Vicente , Merino Quinde Tania Elizabeth , Escobar Veintimilla Bladimir Mauricio
Published: September 2024

La formación de competencia digital de los docentes de educación básica es crucial para la calidad del sistema educativo. La presente investigación tiene por objetivo evaluar la percepción sobre el desarrollo de competencias digitales de los docentes de educación básica de la escuela Miguel Valverde, en Ecuador. Se trabajó un enfoque cuantitativo, una investigación exploratoriodescriptivo, con un diseño no experimental. La población fue de 41 docentes. Los resultados muestran que los tres primeros componentes principales explican más del 69% de la varianza total de las habilidades digitales, incluyendo conocimientos sobre creación de objetos virtuales de aprendizaje, planificación y gestión de enseñanza con TIC, y capacidad para utilizar herramientas de colaboración en línea y diseñar entornos de aprendizaje interactivos. Se concluye que los docentes de educación básica han desarrollado competencias digitales óptimas, lo que les permite utilizar herramientas digitales de manera efectiva para fomentar el trabajo en equipo y la creatividad en los estudiantes
Impact of executives, foreign experience on environmental, social and governmental (ESG) performance of Saudi market
Authors: Alquhaif Abdulsalam Saad
Published: September 2024

This study empirically explores the potential role executives with overseas experience can play in ESG performance. The study also explores the effect of foreign experience on single aspects of ESG including environmental, social, and governmental performance. Employing a sample of Saudi-listed firms from 2015 to 2021, the findings document that companies with high foreign experience executives have higher ESG performance. The results also show that the foreign experience of executives positively influences the components of ESG such as environmental, social, and governmental aspects. These findings suggest that foreign experience increases the awareness of executives about the importance of ESG performance in enhancing the link between the firm and its stakeholders. These findings are robust to alternative measurements of executives' foreign experience. This study offers various theoretical and practical implications and highlights the role of executives' overseas experience in higher ESG performance.
Enhancing language proficiency in non-philological students using interactive online linguistic courses
Authors: Vynohradova Yuliia , Dyiak Olena , Shevchuk Svitlana , Havryliuk Oksana , Hlushchyk Serhii
Published: September 2024

The relevance of the research is determined by Ukraine’s European integration educational development strategy. This outlined concept of progress highlights the importance of increasing speech competence among higher education learners, including those in non-philological specialities. The article aims to analyse the impact of online courses as an innovative tool for forming speech competence in studying linguistic disciplines by learners of non-philological specialities. The research methods used include online diagnostics of speech competence level, experimental research, assessment of result dynamics, and analysis of the effectiveness of interactive online platforms. The research mainly focused on studying the potential of interactive online courses in forming speech competence. It has been proven that using digital educational platforms in educational programmes allows for enforcing the teaching process of linguistic disciplines at a high professional level, stimulating aspects of motivation and effectiveness in forming speech competence. The research determined that implementing innovative approaches in educational programmes allows learners to acquire practical skills through active interaction with various non-standard methods and forms of work. The article demonstrates that innovative methods of teaching linguistic disciplines in educational programmes have the potential to form an effective learning environment, ensuring a significant improvement in the quality of education.
Aşı Uygulamalarında Genel Kurallar
Authors: Çakıcı Özlem
Published: September 2024

Bağışıklama en etkili koruyucu sağlık önlemlerinden biridir. Sağlık kurumuna herhangi bir nedenle başvuran her bireyin aşılanma durumu kontrol edilmeli ve herhangi bir kontrendikasyon yoksa eksik aşıları mutlaka yapılmalıdır. Aşı uygulayan kişilerin aşıları doğru şekilde nasıl uygulanacağı, kontrendikasyonların nasıl yönetileceği ve aşılama sonrası reaksiyonları nasıl tanıyacağı da dahil olmak üzere aşılama prosedürünü anlamaları oldukça önem arz etmektedir. Aşılarla ilgili endikasyonların, kontrendikasyonların, dikkatli olunması gereken durumların ve özellikli durumlarda aşılamaların tüm hekimler tarafından bilinmesi gerekmektedir. Aşı uygulanan kişilerde ideal immun yanıtın elde edilebilmesi için aşıların önerilen zamanda, uygun doz ve yöntemle uygulanması gereklidir. Ayrıca aşılama sırasında riskleri en aza indirmek ve hasta güvenliğini sağlamak aşı uygulamalarının temelini oluşturmaktadır. Bu derlemede aşılama ile ilgili temel bilgiler ve aşı uygulamalarında dikkat edilmesi gereken hususlar belirtilmiştir.
The Forecasting of TheNumber Tourists Arriving in Turkey with Intuitionistic Fuzzy Regression Functions Approach
Authors: Mutlu Elanur , Selçuk Gökalp Nuri
Published: September 2024

The impacts of the tourism sector on countries are felt in various areas such as economy, cultural heritage and social development. Tourism contributes significantly to a country's foreign exchange earnings and positively affects the trade network. Tourists' spending boosts local economies and increases employment. These effects are particularly important for Turkey. Tourist visits can be used as a tool for regional promotion. Therefore, tourism demand forecasting is necessary to make the best use of these positive effects on Turkey's economic development and to plan tourism activities.
Artificial neural network methods and fuzzy systems for time series forecasting problem are frequently used analysis methods in recent years. In this study, the time series of the total number of tourists visiting Turkey on a monthly basis is analyzed with the intuitionistic fuzzy regression functions approach, which is a generalization of the fuzzy regression functions approach. The analysis performance of the intuitionistic fuzzy regression functions approach is evaluated using fuzzy regression functions approach, multilayer perceptron artificial neural network and multiplicative neuron model artificial neural networks. As a result of the analysis, it is concluded that the intuitionistic fuzzy regression approach produces better forecasting results than both some artificial neural network models and the fuzzy regression functions approach. Since this is the first time that the intuitionistic fuzzy regression functions approach has been used in forecasting the number of tourists, the study aims to contribute to the literature and to help tourism industry employees to be more efficient and successful by providing them with the opportunity to make better future planning.
READINESS ANALYSIS OF MERDEKA CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN MADRASAH IBTIDAIYAH BALI
Authors: Rusmayani Rusmayani , Badi'atussolihah Badi'atussolihah
Published: September 2024

Merdeka curriculum is one solution to overcome post-pandemic learning problems. In its implementation, the merdeka curriculum in madrasah is adjusted to the readiness of madrasah in their respective regions. The aim of this research is to describe the readiness of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah in implementing the merdeka curriculum. This research is descriptive qualitative, with location in 9 madrasahs in Denpasar City, 2 madrasahs in Tabanan Regency, and an madrasah in Gianyar Regency. Data was collected by interviews and then presented descriptively. The research results found that 1). 8 MIS and 1 MIN in Denpasar City, 1 MIS in Gianyar Regency and 2 MIS in Tabanan Regency have implemented the Merdeka Curriculum starting in the 2023/2024 academic year, for MIN the implementation has been at all levels, however for MIS there are still several levels that still use K13, 2). Teachers have received training/workshops/and socialization with different intensities, thus influencing the level of readiness of teachers in implementing the Merdeka curriculum, 3). Library learning resources according to the Merdeka Curriculum and activity supplements are inadequate and need to be improved.