bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Humoral and T Cell Immune Responses against SARS-CoV-2 after Primary and Homologous or Heterologous Booster Vaccinations and Breakthrough Infection: A Longitudinal Cohort Study in Malaysia
Authors: Fu Jolene Yin Ling , Pukhari Muhammad Harith , Bador Maria Kahar , Sam I-Ching , Chan Yoke Fun
Published: March 2023

Vaccine efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 could be compromised by the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and it is important to study how it impacts the booster vaccination regime. We investigated the humoral and T cell responses longitudinally in vaccinated uninfected (n = 25) and post-COVID-19 individuals (n = 8), and those who had received a BNT162b2 booster following complete two-doses regimes of either BNT162b2 (homologous) (n = 14) or ChAdOx1-S (heterologous) (n = 15) vaccines, by means of a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus neutralization test and QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 assay. Vaccinated post-COVID-19 individuals showed higher neutralizing antibodies with longer durability against SARS-CoV-2 wild type (WT) and Omicron spikes, but demonstrated similar declining T cell responses compared to the uninfected vaccinated. Two doses of BNT162b2 induced higher neutralizing antibodies against WT and T cell responses than ChAdOx1-S for six months. The BNT162b2 booster confers a greater humoral response against WT, but a similar cross-neutralizing antibody against Omicron and T cell responses in the homologous booster group compared to the heterologous booster group. Breakthrough infection in the homologous booster group (n = 11) significantly increased the neutralizing antibody, but T cell responses remained low. Our data may impact government public health policy regarding the administration of mix-and-match vaccines, where both vaccination regimes can be employed should there be shortages of certain vaccines.
The EBV Gastric Cancer Resource (EBV-GCR): A Suite of Tools for Investigating EBV-Associated Human Gastric Carcinogenesis
Authors: Salnikov Mikhail Y. , Wang Eric , Christensen Erik , Prusinkiewicz Martin A. , Shooshtari Parisa , Mymryk Joe S.
Published: March 2023

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes lifelong infection in over 90% of the world’s population. EBV infection leads to several types of B cell and epithelial cancers due to the viral reprogramming of host-cell growth and gene expression. EBV is associated with 10% of stomach/gastric adenocarcinomas (EBVaGCs), which have distinct molecular, pathological, and immunological characteristics compared to EBV-negative gastric adenocarcinomas (EBVnGCs). Publicly available datasets, such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), contain comprehensive transcriptomic, genomic, and epigenomic data for thousands of primary human cancer samples, including EBVaGCs. Additionally, single-cell RNA-sequencing data are becoming available for EBVaGCs. These resources provide a unique opportunity to explore the role of EBV in human carcinogenesis, as well as differences between EBVaGCs and their EBVnGC counterparts. We have constructed a suite of web-based tools called the EBV Gastric Cancer Resource (EBV-GCR), which utilizes TCGA and single-cell RNA-seq data and can be used for research related to EBVaGCs. These web-based tools allow investigators to gain in-depth biological and clinical insights by exploring the effects of EBV on cellular gene expression, associations with patient outcomes, immune landscape features, and differential gene methylation, featuring both whole-tissue and single-cell analyses.
Immunosuppression as a Hub for SARS-CoV-2 Mutational Drift
Authors: Shapira Guy , Patalon Tal , Gazit Sivan , Shomron Noam
Published: March 2023

The clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is largely determined by host factors, with a wide range of outcomes. Despite an extensive vaccination campaign and high rates of infection worldwide, the pandemic persists, adapting to overcome antiviral immunity acquired through prior exposure. The source of many such major adaptations is variants of concern (VOCs), novel SARS-CoV-2 variants produced by extraordinary evolutionary leaps whose origins remain mostly unknown. In this study, we tested the influence of factors on the evolutionary course of SARS-CoV-2. Electronic health records of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 were paired to viral whole-genome sequences to assess the effects of host clinical parameters and immunity on the intra-host evolution of SARS-CoV-2. We found slight, albeit significant, differences in SARS-CoV-2 intra-host diversity, which depended on host parameters such as vaccination status and smoking. Only one viral genome had significant alterations as a result of host parameters; it was found in an immunocompromised, chronically infected woman in her 70s. We highlight the unusual viral genome obtained from this woman, which had an accelerated mutational rate and an excess of rare mutations, including near-complete truncating of the accessory protein ORF3a. Our findings suggest that the evolutionary capacity of SARS-CoV-2 during acute infection is limited and mostly unaffected by host characteristics. Significant viral evolution is seemingly exclusive to a small subset of COVID-19 cases, which typically prolong infections in immunocompromised patients. In these rare cases, SARS-CoV-2 genomes accumulate many impactful and potentially adaptive mutations; however, the transmissibility of such viruses remains unclear.
Impact of a Video-Based Educational Intervention on the Levels of Knowledge and Concerns about COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Barnawi Najla A. , Alraqei Basmah , Hilwan Ashwaq , Al-Otibi Maram , Alsubaie Roaya , Altowymy Shahad , Abolfotouh Mostafa A.
Published: March 2023

Background. The hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccine plays a role in delaying the current global and national COVID-19 management strategies. Evidence has highlighted the importance of examining the public’s concerns and knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines in sustaining public prevention of the further spread of the virus worldwide. This study aimed to assess the impact of a video-based educational session on the Saudi public’s levels of knowledge and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccination. Methods. In a double-blind, randomized posttest-only control group study design, 508 Saudis were randomized to an experimental group (n = 253) and a control group (n = 255). The experimental group was exposed to a video-based educational session, while the control group was not. Then both groups were subjected to a validated questionnaire to assess their level of knowledge and concerns about the vaccine. Results. In comparison to the control group, the experimental group showed a significantly lower proportion of overall high concern (0.4% vs. 5.5%, p < 0.001) and a higher proportion of overall good knowledge (74.2% vs. 55.7%, p < 0.001). After adjustment for possible confounders, the experimental group showed a significantly lower percent mean score of overall concern (45.0% vs. 65.0%, p < 0.001) and a higher percent mean score of overall knowledge (74.2% vs. 55.7%, p < 0.001) than the control group. Conclusions. The video-based educational intervention positively impacted the levels of knowledge and concerns about COVID-19 vaccination among the experimental group. These interventions safeguard against the rumors and misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccinations. Further studies on the impacts of such interventions on vaccine uptake are recommended.
Perceived Barriers and Use of Evidence-Based Practices for Adolescent HPV Vaccination among East Texas Providers
Authors: Kim Sarah , Zhou Kelvin , Parker Susan , Kline Kimberly N. , Montealegre Jane R. , McGee Lindy U.
Published: March 2023

Adolescents living in rural areas are less likely to be up to date on the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which can prevent cervical cancer. We administered a telephone survey to 27 clinics in rural East Texas to assess perceived barriers to HPV vaccination and current use of evidence-based interventions to promote HPV vaccination. Perceived barriers were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale and clinical implementation of evidence-based practices was determined. Findings are reported using descriptive statistics. The most commonly reported barriers were missed vaccination opportunities due to the pandemic (66.7%), followed by vaccine hesitancy due to the pandemic (44.4%) and due to the HPV vaccine specifically (33.3%). Fewer than a third of clinics reported using the evidence-based strategies of use of a “refusal to vaccinate” form (29.6%), having an identified HPV vaccine champion (29.6%), and recommending the HPV vaccine at age 9 (22.2%). While many clinics surveyed currently implement evidence-based practices to promote HPV vaccination, there is a need and desire for additional HPV vaccination interventions in East Texas clinics.
Determinants Influenced by COVID-19 Vaccine: Employing the Health Action Process Approach and the Belief in Conspiracy Theories
Authors: Dutta Bireswar
Published: March 2023

Vaccination is considered a practical approach to improving individuals’ health behavior to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the currently manufactured COVID-19 vaccines can only work for a limited time. Thus, continuous vaccination intention is crucially essential. The current study explores critical factors influencing citizens’ continuous vaccination intentions for COVID-19 vaccines, based on the modified health action process approach (HAPA) model and belief in a conspiracy theory. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from people living in Taiwan. Three hundred ninety responses were employed for the final investigation. The findings suggest that openness to experience, government communication, and pandemic knowledge significantly influence vaccination intention, but the COVID-19 threat is insignificant. Second, descriptive norms play a significant role in promoting vaccination intention. Third, a belief in conspiracy theories negatively influences vaccination intention. Fourth, vaccination behavior positively influences both perceived benefits and value co-creation. Fifth, perceived benefits positively impact value co-creation and continuous vaccination behavior. Finally, value co-creation has a significant influence on continuous vaccination behavior. The proposed model, the key contributor to the current study, confirms citizens’ continuous vaccination intentions in a three-stage procedure: motivation to volitional, volitional to behavior, and volitional to continuous vaccination intention.
Profiles of People Who Carried Out Late Primary Vaccination against COVID-19 in the Region of Murcia
Authors: Bernal-Alonso Amaya , Gómez-Moreno María Cruz , Zornoza-Moreno Matilde , Laorden-Ochando María Belén , Tornel-Miñarro Francisca Isabel , Pérez-Martín Jaime Jesús
Published: March 2023

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine hesitancy is a matter of concern. Despite a lower disease incidence, people continue to start primo-vaccination late. The aim of this study is to characterize people late primo-vaccinated and the reasons that led them to start vaccination. A quantitative, descriptive and prospective study was performed on the basis of phone surveys of people vaccinated from February to May 2022 in the Region of Murcia (Spain). The survey included socio-demographic and COVID-19 information, self-perception risk, vaccine security, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, reasons for not being vaccinated and reasons that have led them to vaccination. From a total of 1768 people receiving primo-vaccination, 798 people were contacted, and 338 people completed the survey. Among the interviewed people, 57% reported non-health-related reasons to get vaccinated, travel reasons being the primary one. The most reported health-related reason was a fear of COVID-19. There was a significant positive association between vaccination for health-related reasons and female gender (β = 0.72), cohabiting with a vulnerable person (β = 0.97), higher self-perceived risk (β = 0.13) and vaccine security dimension (β = 0.14). We identified two different profiles of people with late COVID-19 primo-vaccination, with health-related or non-health-related reasons. This work can be useful in designing specific communication strategies.
Tracking B Cell Memory to SARS-CoV-2 Using Rare Cell Analysis System
Authors: Tsai Dong-Yan , Wang Chun-Hung , Schiro Perry G. , Chen Nathan , Tseng Ju-Yu
Published: March 2023

Rapid mutations within SARS-CoV-2 are driving immune escape, highlighting the need for in-depth and routine analysis of memory B cells (MBCs) to complement the important but limited information from neutralizing antibody (nAb) studies. In this study, we collected plasma samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 35 subjects and studied the nAb titers and the number of antigen-specific memory B cells at designated time points before and after vaccination. We developed an assay to use the MiSelect R II System with a single-use microfluidic chip to directly detect the number of spike-receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific MBCs in PBMCs. Our results show that the number of spike-RBD-specific MBCs detected by the MiSelect R II System is highly correlated with the level of nAbs secreted by stimulated PBMCs, even 6 months after vaccination when nAbs were generally not present in plasma. We also found antigen-specific cells recognizing Omicron spike-RBD were present in PBMCs from booster vaccination of subjects, but with a high variability in the number of B cells. The MiSelect R II System provided a direct, automated, and quantitative method to isolate and analyze subsets of rare cells for tracking cellular immunity in the context of a rapidly mutating virus.
Does Intrauterine Exposure of the Foetus to Immunosuppressive Drugs Used by the Mother—The Organ Recipient—Affect the Development of Post-Vaccination Immunity against Selected Viral Diseases in Children of These Mothers in Postnatal Life?
Authors: Ginda Tomasz , Taradaj Karol , Stelmaszczyk-Emmel Anna , Tronina Olga , Kociołek Patrycja , Jendro Oliver , Kociszewska-Najman Bożena
Published: March 2023

Background: Pregnancy in women who are organ recipients has long been a controversial issue due to the lack of data on the safety of immunosuppressive drugs for the developing foetus. Scientific data show that the effect of immunosuppressants on the foetus causes an impairment of T and B lymphocyte function and a reduction in their total number. For this reason, some authors recommend delaying the obligatory immunization of infants. The aim of the study is to analyse the impact of chronic immunosuppressive therapy used during pregnancy by women after organ transplantation on the effectiveness of anti-viral vaccinations in the children of these women. Methods: Concentrations of post-vaccination IgG antibodies (measles, HBV, polio) in 18 children of post-transplant mothers (9KTRs; 9LTRs) were determined using the ELISA method. The results were compared with the control group (n = 21). The incidence of vaccination AEs was also analysed. Results: There were no significant differences between the analysed groups in the concentrations of antibodies against HBV, measles and polio (p > 0.05). Conclusions: No difference was observed in the immunogenicity of HBV, polio and measles vaccinations between children of post-transplant mothers and the general population. The immunization of children of post-transplant mothers is safe, and the percentage of adverse post-vaccination events does not differ from the general population. The obtained study results do not indicate the necessity for modifying the vaccination program for HBV, measles, and polio in this group of patients.
Hepatic Coccidiosis in Wild Rabbits in Greece: Parasite Detection on Liver Imprints and the Associated Biochemical Profile
Authors: Athanasiou Labrini V. , Tsokana Constantina N. , Doukas Dimitrios , Kantere Maria C. , Katsoulos Panagiotis D. , Papakonstantinou Georgios I. , Katsogiannou Eleni G. , Dedousi Anna
Published: March 2023

(1) Background: Rabbit hepatic coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria stiedae, is a devastating disease with high morbidity and mortality rates. The disease is well described in rabbits, but little is known about E. stiedae infection in wild rabbits. In this study, we investigated the presence of E. stiedae infection in wild rabbits from the island of Lemnos, Greece, where this species is overpopulated, and the effects of infection on common hepatic biomarkers. (2) Methods: We used liver impression smears to detect the coccidian oocysts, and we defined the liver biochemical profile of the infected individuals. (3) Results: Overall, 13.3% of the liver imprints examined were positive for the presence of coccidial oocysts. The activities of liver enzymes, that is, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and glutamyltransferase (GGT), as well as globulins (GLOB), were increased while the concentrations of albumins (ALB), total proteins (TP) and the albumin to globulin (A/G) ratio were decreased in the infected individuals compared to the non-infected ones. (4) Conclusions: This study adds to the current knowledge on the pathogens affecting wild rabbits and those circulating in this population on the island of Lemnos, Greece. Moreover, we showed that E. stiedae infection exerts pathological effects on the hepatocyte integrity and liver function of wild rabbits, as reflected by the abnormal values of liver injury and dysfunction biomarkers.
An Unusual Case of Collision Testicular Tumor in a Female DSD Dog
Authors: Rifici Claudia , D’Anza Emanuele , Zappone Viola , Albarella Sara , Grieco Valeria , Quartuccio Marco , Cristarella Santo , Mannarino Cornelia , Ciotola Francesca , Mazzullo Giuseppe
Published: March 2023

Collision tumors (CT) consist of two independent neoplasms with distinct neoplastic populations. Disorders of sexual development (DSDs) are characterized by atypical sexual development leading to various abnormalities of the genital tract. Sex reversal (SR) syndromes are a type of DSD characterized by a discrepancy between chromosomal sex and gonadal development (testes/ovaries) and the presence or the absence of the SRY gene. A phenotypically female 8-year-old Jack Russell terrier dog was referred due to anomalous vaginal discharge and non-pruritic cutaneous bilateral symmetrical alopecia on the flanks. During abdominal palpation, a voluminous mass was detected in the left quadrant area, later confirmed by ultrasound. The owner decided to proceed with euthanasia and necropsy. In the abdominal cavity, the left gonad was increased in size, the right one and the uterus were decreased, and the vagina and vulva appeared to be thickened. Histologically, both gonads were revealed to be testes: the left one was affected by a double neoplastic component (sustentacular tumor and interstitial cell tumor), whereas the right gonad showed coarctated seminiferous tubules. PCR amplification of the genes SRY and AMELX revealed the absence of the MSY region of the Y chromosome. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report describing a case of a testicular collision tumor in a DSD SRY-negative dog.
Cultivation of Protozoa Parasites In Vitro: Growth Potential in Conventional Culture Media versus RPMI-PY Medium
Authors: Castelli Germano , Oliveri Eugenia , Valenza Viviana , Giardina Susanna , Facciponte Flavia , La Russa Francesco , Vitale Fabrizio , Bruno Federica
Published: March 2023

The in vitro cultivation of Leishmania and Trypanosoma parasites plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases. Although Evans’s modified Tobie and Novy–MacNeal–Nicolle media, for Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively, are the two commonly used media for both isolation and maintenance of strains in vitro, their preparation is expensive and laborious and requires fresh rabbit blood from housed animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro growth of both parasites with an alternative monophasic, blood-free, easy, and affordable medium called RPMI-PY, which was previously demonstrated suitable for the in vitro growth of Leishmania infantum. The potential growth of different Leishmania species and Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated in traditional culture media versus RPMI-PY medium, and we recorded the protozoa parasites’ morphology via orange acridine–ethidium bromide staining. The results of our study show that RPMI-PY medium can be used for Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania major, and Leishmania tropica species since in all the species except Leishmania braziliensis, the exponential growth of the parasite was observed, in many cases higher than conventional media. The staining confirmed not only their growth during the 72 h investigation but also the optimal morphology and viability of the protozoa in the RPMI-PY medium.
Ultrafast Image Categorization in Biology and Neural Models
Authors: Jérémie Jean-Nicolas , Perrinet Laurent U.
Published: March 2023

Humans are able to categorize images very efficiently, in particular to detect the presence of an animal very quickly. Recently, deep learning algorithms based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved higher than human accuracy for a wide range of visual categorization tasks. However, the tasks on which these artificial networks are typically trained and evaluated tend to be highly specialized and do not generalize well, e.g., accuracy drops after image rotation. In this respect, biological visual systems are more flexible and efficient than artificial systems for more general tasks, such as recognizing an animal. To further the comparison between biological and artificial neural networks, we re-trained the standard VGG 16 CNN on two independent tasks that are ecologically relevant to humans: detecting the presence of an animal or an artifact. We show that re-training the network achieves a human-like level of performance, comparable to that reported in psychophysical tasks. In addition, we show that the categorization is better when the outputs of the models are combined. Indeed, animals (e.g., lions) tend to be less present in photographs that contain artifacts (e.g., buildings). Furthermore, these re-trained models were able to reproduce some unexpected behavioral observations from human psychophysics, such as robustness to rotation (e.g., an upside-down or tilted image) or to a grayscale transformation. Finally, we quantified the number of CNN layers required to achieve such performance and showed that good accuracy for ultrafast image categorization can be achieved with only a few layers, challenging the belief that image recognition requires deep sequential analysis of visual objects. We hope to extend this framework to biomimetic deep neural architectures designed for ecological tasks, but also to guide future model-based psychophysical experiments that would deepen our understanding of biological vision.
Numerical Study of the Morphodynamic Response to a Macro-Scaled Sea-Crossing Project in Hangzhou Bay, China
Authors: Li Wendan , Xie Mingxiao , Wang Heng , Zhao Zhangyi
Published: March 2023

Hangzhou Bay is a world-famous strong tidal estuary with an irregular coastline, unique topography, numerous human activities, and complex hydro-sedimentological environment. The Daishan-Yangshan Sea-Crossing Transport Corridor (DSTC) project is located at the mouth of Hangzhou Bay, which is composed of multiple sea-crossing bridges, an underground tube tunnel, and several man-made islands. The large-scale engineering of DSTC fully connects the cities of Shanghai, Yangshan, Daishan, Zhoushan, and Ningbo. This article discusses the morphodynamic responses due to the construction of the DSTC based on a state-of-art numerical model system from the perspective of its impacts on the hydro-sedimentological environment of Hangzhou Bay, as well as on adjacent projects. This study proved that the variation range of tide level in Hangzhou Bay is mostly within 2 cm after the implementation of the DSTC, while that of the man-made island and piers is only within 6 cm. The tidal prism decrease percentage of Hangzhou Bay is less than 0.5%. It does not significantly change the current field and underwater topography in Hangzhou Bay, except near the man-made islands and the bridge. The effect of the DSTC on surrounding ports and channels is small and limited. That is, the proposed DSTC engineering is feasible from the perspective of morphodynamic responses. The conclusions provide a useful reference for similar large-scale estuary construction projects.
Characteristics of Malaysian Crude Oils and Measurement of ASP Flooded Water in Oil Emulsion Stability and Viscosity in Primary Separator
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Khan Javed Akbar , Al-Kayiem Hussain H. , Waqas Sharjeel , Aleem Waqas , Rozali Nor Erniza Mohammad , Qamar Sabih , Ghanim Abdulnour Ali Jazem , Ginter-Kramarczyk Dobrochna , Legutko Stanislaw , Kruszelnicka Izabela , Rahman Saifur
Published: March 2023

With the application of chemical enhanced oil recovery methods, water separation is a major issue in a production facility. Oil/water separation is suppressed with a stable emulsion. The present study evaluated the impact of different emulsifiers in enhanced oil recovery. The effectiveness of each additive such as an alkali, surfactant, or polymer on the stability of the emulsion was anticipated using laser scattering to measure the emulsion’s stability. An artificial neural network was applied to predict the effectiveness of the additives on stabilization/destabilization and to assess how alkali/surfactants, surfactant/polymers, and polymer/surfactants affect the separation profiles. Measurements of the viscosity and zeta potential of residual emulsion clarify that the increase in surfactant makes the emulsion stable and became unstable with the increase in the alkali and polymer. The droplet zeta potential was within −i9~−i5 mV. The absolute value of the zeta potential decreased at a high polymer concentration with a low surfactant concentration resulting in fast flocculence phenomena. With an increase in the surfactant concentration and the presence of high alkali, the droplet’s absolute zeta potential demonstrated an increase in the repulsion force in the emulsions. The study also focuses on the carbon number distribution, wax appearance temperature (WAT) and wax content of four crude oil samples from different field locations (Miri, Angsi, Penara and Dulang). Findings show that crude oil samples with higher mol percent of carbon distribution from C20 to C40 (paraffinic composition) contains higher wax content, wt% and subsequently results in higher wax appearance temperature (WAT). This is obviously shown by the crude oil sample from Penara field. Further similar investigation on other field locations will assist in characterizing the paraffinic composition in Malaysian oil basins.
Promotion of Sugar Extraction from Sewage Sludge by Microwave Combined with Thermal-Alkaline Pretreatment
Authors: Cheng Peng , Yang Lei , Liu Yu , Liu Jiaxin , Fan Yujie
Published: March 2023

A large amount of sludge is produced in the process of municipal sewage treatment. The recovery and utilization of large amounts of sugar, protein, lipids and other organic matter from sewage sludge (SS) is of great significance for reducing environmental pressure and producing clean energy. In this study, microwave combined with thermal-alkaline pretreatment was used to accelerate the dissolution of primary sedimentation sludge and the release of intracellular substances, and to promote the extraction of sugar from SS. The results showed that the yield of crude sugar and the extraction efficiency of pure sugar increased with the increase in NaOH dosage. The extraction of crude sugar reached the equilibrium at about 30 min. During the response surface analysis, the optimal pretreatment conditions were determined as follows: the dosage of NaOH was 9.93 mL, and the leaching time and the microwave time were 27.65 min and 33.2 s, respectively. The crude sugar yield and extraction efficiency obtained under this condition were 39.80 ± 3.57% and 89.74 ± 3.61%, respectively. The pretreated sludge and crude sugar were characterized with scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the combined use of thermal-alkaline and microwave effectively destroyed the structure of the sludge and increased the yield of crude sugar.
Risk of Expanded Polystyrene Ingestion by Climbing Perch Anabas testudineus
Authors: Ganzha Ekaterina V. , Pavlov Efim D. , Dien Tran Duc
Published: March 2023

The climbing perch Anabas testudineus is widespread in the inland waters of Vietnam and according to its ecology could have contact with floating plastic waste. Fragments of expanded polystyrene (EPS) are detected in the fresh waters of Vietnam in Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, and Phu Yen provinces. Our study focused on estimating the probability of ingestion of EPS pellets (size 2.5–3.5 mm) by adult climbing perch. In the experiments, 3 types of treatment pellets were offered to fish: 24 feed pellets (Fps), 24 expanded polystyrene pellets (Pps), and 12 feed and 12 expanded polystyrene pellets (FPps). Fish grasping time of the first pellet was independent in all treatment types. The grasping time of the 12th pellet was insignificant in Fps (63 s) and Pps (75 s). Climbing perch grasped and ingested the 24th Fp significantly (p = 0.02) earlier (143 s), than they grasped the 24th Pp (817 s). Fish with FPp treatment grasped feed along with EPS pellets, but grasping the 12th Fp was significantly (p = 0.02) earlier (49 s) than the 12th Pp (193 s). By the end of the tests, the fish had ingested all feed pellets. We discovered that climbing perch grasped Pps and kept them in the oral cavity, but rejected them in 100% of the cases. This result provided evidence that climbing perch have an effective defense mechanism for avoiding ingestion of expanded polystyrene pellets with a size of 2.5–3.5 mm.
Diet and Trophic Structure of the Fish Community in a Small Sub-Tropical Lake in Central Mexico
Authors: Ramírez-García Arely , Jeppesen Erik , Moncayo-Estrada Rodrigo , Mercado-Silva Norman , Domínguez-Domínguez Omar
Published: March 2023

Analyses of trophic structure and feeding habits of the fish community can provide information on the complex biotic and abiotic interactions in lake ecosystems. Based on stomach content and δ13C and δ15N stable isotope analyses, we conducted a comprehensive study of the diet of the fish community and its trophic structure in subtropical Lake Zacapu in central Mexico. Overall, there was good agreement between the results based on the diet and the isotope analysis. Fish diets consisted mainly of aquatic macroinvertebrates, which were abundant in the lake. Most species were secondary consumers and trophic generalists across the four sites and two seasons. The food web structure did not differ significantly between the sites or seasons. Our results suggest a low trophic position of native species having a wide spatial trophic niche and niche width. Trophic diet overlap was greater between native species (especially between species from the same family) than between non-native species. Our study provides new information on the trophic interactions in a subtropical lake, rich in endemic species and an important resource for human communities.
Abundance of Microplastics in Two Venus Clams (Meretrix lyrata and Paratapes undulatus) from Estuaries in Central Vietnam
Authors: Tran-Nguyen Quynh Anh , Nguyen Tuan Quy , Phan Thao Linh Thi , Vo Minh Van , Trinh-Dang Mau
Published: March 2023

This study investigated the presence of microplastics in two common edible bivalves in Vietnam, the hard clam (Meretrix lyrata) and the undulate venus clam (Paratapes undulatus), from two estuaries in Da Nang city. Microplastics were detected in both species with relatively high concentrations—from 2.17 ± 0.43 to 2.38 ± 1.28 items g−1 in the undulate venus clams and from 4.71 ± 2.15 to 5.36 ± 2.69 items g−1 in the hard clams. Fibers were the most dominant form of microplastic in both clams, and a high proportion were fibers with sizes from 300 μm to 1500 μm. An estimation of microplastic intake in Vietnamese consumers’ bodies from clam consumption was made, which showed an average ingestion of 2489 items person−1 year−1. Our study is also the first global record of microplastic distribution characteristics in the undulate venus clam Paratapes undulatus.
The principle of prudence applicable to tangible assets
Authors:   Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Education “Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation”, Moscow, Russia, Sotnikova L.V.
Published: March 2023

The article discusses the specifics of applying in practice the principle of prudence provided for by both international and Russian accounting standards, which consists in the fact that the value of assets and the amount of income should not be overstated, and the amount of expenses and liabilities should not be underestimated. The practical development of this principle occurred when the new FSB 5/2019 “Stocks” and the updated PBU 16/02 established the rules for assessing material assets recovered during the dismantling, modernization and repair of fixed assets, as well as depending on their further use or sale to the side. Despite the declaration of convergence of Russian federal accounting standards with International Financial Reporting Standards on the application of the principle of prudence in accounting, practical recommendations are generated mainly by the domestic non-state accounting regulator. During the research, such methods as analysis and synthesis, comparison, grouping, analogy, logical and systematic approaches were used. The research results obtained in this article can be applied in the practical work of accounting departments of modern organizations, in the educational process of higher educational institutions and in the development and reform of regulatory documents on accounting and reporting. The results presented in this paper will also be useful to a wide range of readers interested in modern problems of accounting and reporting at the domestic and international level (including accounting problems in healthcare organizations).
Personnel policy as a crucial factor of social partnership efficiency
Authors:   Baltic State Technical University «Voenmeh» named after D. F. Ustinov (BSTU «Voenmeh» named after D. F. Ustinov) Russia, St. Petersburg, Ustinovich Elena Stepanovna
Published: March 2023

According to the results of 2022, Russian holding companies showed some of the best financial results of their activities, despite the effect of anti-Russian economic sanctions and the difficult geopolitical situation in the world. Despite the fact that many holding companies received the right not to publish their reports until January 01, 2023, nevertheless, most of them continued to do so, which means, for example, that a number of trading companies have managed to increase operational and financial results and their prospects look quite good. They will continue to develop and, therefore, get the opportunity to conduct an effective personnel policy. The relevance of our research in the framework of this article is due to several important factors characterizing the personnel policy of holding companies. Firstly, the holdings are the largest employers in Russia. Some of them have more than a century-long perspective of their production activities, which provides strategic prospects for the employment of a part of the population of the regions where the holding’s departments are located for many years, more than one decade. The holdings employ a large number of employees. Very often this figure exceeds several tens of thousands of employees. Secondly, holdings are the largest subjects of social partnership in solving social problems. Thirdly, for the formation of a full-fledged personnel policy, holding companies have the greatest opportunities, including financial opportunities, providing opportunities for career growth, professional development, retraining, etc.
Mass media mobilization component in the process of youth political socialization
Authors:   Academy of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, Malik Elena Nikolaevna
Published: March 2023

The article reveals the role of the institute of mass media in the processes of formation of political consciousness and socio-political guidelines of modern youth. The formation of political consciousness and behavior of modern youth takes place in the context of the growing mobilization component of the global network, that is, the «mediatization» and «Internetization» of social life. These processes are characterized, on the one hand, by the growing interdependence of the world community in all spheres of life, primarily political, economic, and cultural ones, and, on the other hand, by the formation of a global media structure of these relations, connecting individual societies into a single system. The rapidly changing space of the Internet determines the specific vector of the socialization process of Russian youth. The analysis showed that the processes of Internetization and spread of modern information and communication technologies contribute to a significant increase in the effectiveness of interaction with the youth segment and social transformation. Therefore, not only the process of studying the behavior of the young generation in the context of the development of network technologies becomes relevant, but also the development of relevant tools and mechanisms for conducting political and public discussions in the conditions of politics mediatization, as well as more active and widespread inclusion of Russian youth in state construction. Modern processes of informatization of society and education have exacerbated the problem of information security of the individual in the educational environment. Propaganda of extremism and terrorism in social networks, the increasing negative role of prohibited information on the Internet, manipulation of the consciousness and behavior of the younger generation, and the lack of censorship of a significant part of the information space remain a social issue. It is justified that media educational technologies aimed at increasing media literacy of young citizens contribute to the implementation of their socio-political subjectivity and initiative in the interests of the state and civil society. The state should develop productive mechanisms of public control over the formation of spiritual values that meet the national interests of the country, the education of patriotism and civil responsibility for its fate.
Prerequisites for the unification and standardization of fishing legislation
Authors:   Russian State University of Tourism and Services, Russia, Moscow, Shikov A.N.
Published: March 2023

Fishing is one of the types of human activity, moreover, both artisanal and commercial. It is carried out not only for food and profit, but also as a leisure and sports activity. Various federal laws and by-laws are aimed at regulating it. At the same time, the main purpose of the legislation is the regulation of fishing and the conservation of aquatic biological resources. The main regulatory act in this case is Federal Law No. 166-FZ dated 20.12.2004 “On fishing and conservation of aquatic biological resources”. In addition, fishing is regulated by Federal Law No. 475-FZ dated 25.12.2018 “On Amateur Fishing and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” (hereinafter 457-FZ), as well as a number of other legislative norms. However, today the legislative framework of Russia has not developed a unified and sufficient approach to the legal regulation of this activity. This study contains an overview of the historical prerequisites for the formation of legislation, existing regulations on fishing, as well as proposals for their improvement. The proposed innovations are aimed at the unification and standardization of legislation, however, despite their orientation, they are designed taking into account the need to maintain flexibility. Flexibility is one of the elements necessary for effective legal regulation, taking into account the specifics of each specific locality.
Utilization of Chatbot in Transaction Business Process
Authors:   Departemen Sistem Informasi, Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Indonesia, Hidayat M I , Luckyardi S ,   Departemen Magister Manajemen, Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Indonesia
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this study is to find out how the use of chatbots is a factor in product sales growth. For example, the use of chatbots as a substitute for customer service. This research method was collecting data based on several survey results from various reliable sources. The results of this study are expected to provide enlightenment for business people about the importance of making innovations and utilizing this chatbot in selling their products. By using this chatbot system, business owners no longer need to use the services of third parties or recruit new employees, so as not to incur new expenses. The use of this system may only be complementary, but the impact can be very large because with chatbot customer service does not need to be on standby for 24 hours, with chatbot customers can be served anytime and anywhere.
Contrastive Analysis of Adjective Asai in Japanese and Dangkal in Indonesian
Authors:   Japanese Language Education Department, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia, Ghaisani N , Sutedi D. ,   Japanese Language Education Department, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia, Haristian N ,   Japanese Language Education Department, Faculty of Language and Literature Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
Published: March 2023

In Japanese, many words have more than one meaning. An example of a word in Japanese that has more than one meaning is adjective asai. Adjective asai in Indonesian doesn’t only mean dangkal (shallow) but has other meanings. Adjective asai that have more than one meaning can be contrasted with adjective dangkal in Indonesian. Using contrastive analysis method, this study aims to analyze the similarities and differences between adjective asai in Japanese and adjective dangkal in Indonesian based on their meanings. Data in this study were obtained from corpus and articles in online news in Japanese and Indonesian. The results of this study there were found the similarities of meanings in adjective asai and dangkal were found in the meaning 1) not deep or close to the surface. 2) knowledge, experiences and thoughts are not enough, and 3) the level of severity was low. While the differences between adjective asai and dangkal were found in the meaning 1) short time, 2) a tenuous or unclose relationship, 3) light color, 4) a faint or light smell, 5) light taste, and 6) petty. The results of this study are expected to be a reference in teaching adjective asai and dangkal as a foreign language, and being a solution for learners to reduce errors in the use of adjective asai and dangkal and errors in the translation of these two adjectives.
Packaging Design as a Media for Developing the Potential of Small and Medium Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Culinary Sector Typical of the Region in the Creative Industry
Authors:   Magister Design Department, Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Indonesia, Dewi R A , Wahdiniwaty R ,   Magister Management Department, Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Indonesia Jl. Dipatiukur No. 112-116 Bandung 40132, West Java, Indonesia
Published: March 2023

This design aims to design a typical regional food packaging design, namely Kalua Jeruk which is attractive and follows food labeling rules to develop the potential of Small, and Medium Micro Enterprises (MSMEs), especially in the culinary field. This design uses qualitative research. The data source used in the study was an interview with one of MSME Kalua Jeruk entrepreneurs and respondents related to good packaging design for regional specialties. In addition, observations are used to observe the making process of Kalua Jeruk. The steps taken in this design are to observe the process of making Kalua Jeruk, analyze the results of interviews, and design a good packaging for it. Based on the analysis data, it was concluded that need to package designs are attractive, informative, and follow food labeling rules to improve the product image and consumer purchasing power. Moreover, Kalua Jeruk has a uniqueness that is made from processed Pomelo peel with hereditary recipes. The result of this design is in the form of a 3-Dimensional Kalua Jeruk packaging design mockup which is expected to be a reference for packaging design, especially for developing the potential of MSMEs in the culinary field in the creative industries.
The Use of Materials in Environmental Sustainability Criteria in Seating Facilities Design Uses the Concept of Metaphor with a Narrative Approach
Authors:   Visual Communication Design, Universitas Komputer Indonesia, Jl. Dipatiukur No. 112-116 Bandung 40132, West Java, Indonesia, Dharmawan Cherry
Published: March 2023

This study explains how the application of environmental sustainability criteria with the scope of material efficiency on the concept of metaphor in the design of seating facilities with a narrative approach method. The research is based on the results of UNIKOM students' work in the furniture class in 2021. The research lasted for 4 months. Starting from the pre liminary design stage to the prototype design. The problem of this research is how the narrative approach method to create seating facilities form through the concept of metaphor related to the use of materials in environmental sustainability criteria and the factors that are considered in the selection of materials in environmental sustainability criteria. This research uses a participatory method. Several student works became the object of research. The stages in the design process are making a narrative that functions as a basic design idea, elaborating the narrative, translating the narrative elements on the design in the form of metaphors and using materials. Method Description is used to explain the use of materials in environmental sustainability criteria in the form of seating facilities. The results of the study show that the use of materials in environmental sustainability criteria cannot be fully implemented because they focus on the narrative. Students create forms based solely on narratives using the metaphorical method. However, there are several works that apply the use of materials in environmental sustainability criteria because they are in accordance with the narrative. The concept of metaphor is a tool that translates narration on the idea of a seating facilities design form. The shape created is an original idea from students, students can explore with imagination through narratives and metaphorical concepts, but narratives about environmental sustainability should be considered in creating forms.