bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mentoring and Mentorship - Trends in the Development of Research Activities of Students
Authors: Ivanova Irina , Luk'yanova O.
Published: October 2023

The article considers mentoring and mentoring as one of the leading directions in the development of student science at the present stage. An appeal is made to the theoretical understanding of these event-related social practices, as well as examples from the experience of organizing research activities of students in the framework of cooperation between student scientific societies of the Kaluga State University. K.E. Tsiolkovsky and Kaluga Municipal Construction College named after I.K. Tsipulina. The risks of organizing scientific mentoring and mentoring in SVE institutions and universities are considered, and ways to prevent them are proposed. The materials of the article may be useful for teachers, leaders and members of student scientific societies.
Adaptación y validación del Cuestionario de Tensión T3/15 en trabajadores de salud del Perú
Authors: Becerra Canales Bladimir Domingo , Hernández Huaripaucar Edgar Martín , Ybaseta Medina Jorge , Huamán Espinoza Gladys , Gonzales Aedo Néstor
Published: October 2023

Introducción: La alta prevalencia de afecciones mentales relacionadas con estados de tensión laboral en trabajadores del ámbito sanitario, requiere una detección oportuna. Para su valoración se necesitan instrumentos válidos, confiables y fáciles de administrar. El objetivo de este trabajo fue adaptar y validar el Cuestionario de Tensión T3/15 de Meliá (1994), en una muestra de trabajadores de salud del Perú. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio de tipo instrumental, participaron 302 trabajadores del sistema sanitario peruano, seleccionados por muestreo aleatorio estratificado. El proceso incluyó cambios en la terminología de algunos ítems, evaluación del contenido por jueces y prueba piloto. La validez de constructo se evaluó mediante Análisis Factorial Exploratorio, el número de factores se definió con el Análisis Paralelo de Horn y el ajuste con Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio. Resultados: Se obtuvo una versión reducida de diez ítems agrupados en dos factores que explicaron el 67,13% de la varianza total y un ajuste aceptable [x2/gl=3,08; NFI=0,94; CFI=0,95; SRMR=0,013; RMSEA=0,080 (IC90%: 0.66-0.10)]. Los ítems discriminan satisfactoriamente; así como, el cuestionario según la variable sexo y grupo ocupacional. El Alfa ordinal para Incidencias sociopsicológicas de la tensión laboral, fue 0,752 y 0,931 para Tensión inducida por el trabajo; Omega de McDonald fue de 0,867 y 0,965 respectivamente. Conclusiones: La nueva versión reducida del cuestionario de tensión, posee propiedades métricas aceptables; Por tanto, se recomienda su uso para valorar la tensión laboral en trabajadores de salud y estudios de validación.
Informal carers and the law
Authors: Barber Chris
Published: October 2023

This series explores the definition, meaning and roles of informal caring and informal carers, statistics and lived experiences regarding informal caring, the law and Government strategies regarding informal caring and the role of the nurse, nursing associate (NA) and healthcare assistant (HCA) in supporting the informal carer. This fourth article will explore specific pieces of law and how they relate to informal carers.
In spitting distance
Authors: Alcraft Tom
Published: October 2023

Tom Alcraft explores the link between mouthwash use and better oral health.
Understanding the impact
Authors: Lloyd-Rees Kimberly
Published: October 2023

Kimberly Lloyd-Rees discusses the impact of limited mobility and dexterity on oral health.
Synthesis and Biofunctional Evaluation of Novel Isoxazole, C-Nucleoside, and Thioxopyrimidine Derivatives
Authors: K. Wanare Rajendra , R. Tayade Rajendra , A. Sukhadeve Abhilash , Choudhari Prafulla P. , Mahakale R. G. , Mishra Nihal
Published: October 2023

Thioxopyrimidines are an important class of compounds in the fields of biology and chemistry that play significant roles in drug discovery, nucleic acid chemistry, enzyme inhibition, and various other fields of science and technology. Their structural diversity and potential bioactivities make them valuable tools for researchers. This work presents a thorough synthesis and analysis and bio-functional assessment of a variety of isoxazole C-Nucleoside, and thioxopyrimidine derivative. The structural characterization of the synthesized compounds was achieved through spectral analyses, including IR, 1H NMR, and mass spectra and also deals with its antibacterial and antifungal activity.
DESAFIOS DA LEI FEDERAL Nº 14.026/2020: A UNIVERSALIZAÇÃO DA REGULAÇÃO
Authors: Oliveira Carlos Roberto de , Brochi Dalto Favero
Published: October 2023

O presente artigo apresenta os impactos do novo marco regulatório do saneamento básico (Lei Federal nº 14.026/2020) nas agências reguladoras infranacionais, com abordagem das novas perspectivas diante da padronização regulatória (através de normas de referência) e regionalização da prestação de serviços, por meio da estruturação de unidades regionais de água e esgoto, que visam ao ganho de escala na prestação dos serviços públicos e a indução ao modelo regionalizado de regulação. Recebem destaque, ainda, a importância do fortalecimento da regulação infranacional e o problema da universalização da regulação. Este último, tratado como problema regulatório a ser enfrentado, destaca dados de alto número de municípios que ainda não criaram ou delegaram funções a uma agência reguladora para os serviços de água, esgotamento sanitários, resíduos sólidos urbanos e drenagem.
The human right to the environment in the context of the new EU Fit for 55 package
Authors: Sitek Magdalena
Published: October 2023

Cel pracy

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Materiał i metody

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Wyniki

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Wnioski

Przedmiotem opracowania jest analiza głównego celu pakietu UE Fit for 55 w kontekście założeń Europejskiego Zielonego Ładu. Przyjęcie przez Unię Europejską planu dość radykalnego obniżenia emisji CO2 jest zadaniem, które powinno być oceniane pozytywnie. Celem opracowania jest jednak skonfrontowanie tego zadania z prawami człowieka oraz z konfliktem zbrojnym wywołanym przez Rosję. Jako hipoteza badawcza przyjęte zostało twierdzenie, według którego wdrażanie nowych polityk czy też strategii wymaga głębokiego przemyślenia kontekstu społecznego, gospodarczego, a przede wszystkim politycznego. Analiza tak przedstawionego zagadnienia badawczego wymaga krótkiego zarysowania historii polityki ochrony środowiska oraz założeń aktualnej polityki Unii Europejskiej w tym zakresie. Efektem opracowania jest próba nakreślenia relacji jakie zachodzą pomiędzy polityką unijną ochrony środowiska a prawami człowieka i sytuacją polityczną w Ukrainie.
The impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the education process at the Police Academy in Szczytno in the opinion of respondents
Authors: Kuczyńska Ewa
Published: October 2023

Cel pracy

W Wyższej Szkole Policji w Szczytnie (WSPol) realizowane jest zadanie badawcze pt. „Szkolnictwo (nie tylko) służb mundurowych w dobie pandemii koronawirusa SARS-CoV-2 wywołującego chorobę Covid-19. Studia nad zapewnieniem ciągłości kształcenia i bezpieczeństwa podmiotom środowiska uczelni lub szkoły. Formy i rodzaje re(konstrukcji) środowiska kształcenia będącego następstwem sytuacji pandemicznej”, finansowane z subwencji MSWiA. W publikacji zaprezentowano wyniki badań odnoszące się do rozwiązań wdrożonych w pandemii w Uczelni jako dobrych praktyk do wykorzystania w sytuacji wystąpienia zagrożeń związanych m.in. z pandemią.

Materiał i metody

W badaniach zastosowano metodę sondażu diagnostycznego, gdzie wykorzystano technikę anonimowej ankiety o kafeterii koniunktywnej i dysjunktywnej. Kwestionariusz ankiety powstał w formie on-line. Link rozesłano mailowo do podmiotów krajowych i zagranicznych biorących udział w badaniach.

Wyniki

Do udziału w badaniach zaproszono 15 podmiotów, w tym 12 uczelni wyższych, wśród których znalazło się 5 uczelni krajowych i 7 zagranicznych oraz 3 szkoły zagraniczne o profilu policyjnym. Udział w badaniach wzięła też WSPol. Ostatecznie zrealizowano je w 8 podmiotach o różnym profilu działalności. Badaniu zostało poddanych 30-40% kadry dydaktycznej i 30-40% kadry kierowniczej każdej uczelni.

Wnioski

Pandemia COVID-19 wywarła wpływ na większość dziedzin życia. Spowodowała, że również polskie uczelnie zarówno te cywilne, jak i mundurowe musiały zmierzyć się z wieloma wyzwaniami, takimi jak organizacja pracy zdalnej czy też zmiana w relacjach ze studentami/słuchaczami, bądź nauczycielami. W związku z powyższym wprowadzono bardzo szybko rozwiązania, które być może były planowane w dłuższej perspektywie czasu, jednak musiały jak najszybciej zaistnieć, gdyż taka była potrzeba.
#MeToo Storytelling: Confession, Testimony, and Life Writing
Authors: Gilmore Leigh
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This article argues that two discourses—confession and testimony—influence the stories survivors tell about sexual violence, the stories others tell about them, and the contexts in which #MeToo storytelling is heard. It identifies how confession and testimony crop up in several #MeToo forms within and beyond the courts, including abuser apologies, letters of support, victim impact statements, memoirs, and lawsuits. It demonstrates that #MeToo is altering the form of testimony itself as its commitment to truth-telling enacts justice-seeking in an extrajudicial form.
Erased, Hidden, or Missing: Black Women’s Experiences in the Fight Against College Campus Sexual Violence
Authors: McCarty-Harris Yulanda
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Sexual violence is one of the most visible, challenging, and vexing problems on college campuses. Further, research shows a history of racialized trauma—one that dates back to slavery and continues to bear witness to psychological harms of fear, self-blame, and guilt. In this historical context, Black undergraduate women who have been sexually assaulted often remain silent. Yet college administrators continue to respond to sexual violence from an identity-neutral and dominant narrative leaving women of color erased, hidden, or missing in the fight against campus sexual violence. Several studies have focused on sexual violence against women in college. Due to the lack of diversity in the research samples, this qualitative case study sought to illuminate Black women’s voices as they described their sexual violence experiences and reflected on the ways, if any, their intersecting identities (i.e., race and gender) impacted their sexual violence experiences while attending a Historically White Institution. Findings indicate that Black women described their sexual violence as psychologically impactful, socially isolating, overwhelming to report or seek help, faith evoking, compounded by social media and COVID-19, and leading to manifesting resilience. Findings also suggest that Black women’s intersecting identities related to gender and race affected their experience and led them to adhere to a culture of silence, evoke racial consciousness, and be viewed as hyper-sexualized. Based on the study findings, recommendations and implications are presented.
Why She PARs: Combating the Deintellectualization of Sport through Participatory Research
Authors: Roberson Rachel D.
Published: October 2023

Abstract: This empirical research paper is a study of agency and liberatory practices for Black women’s basketball players within a predominantly White institution (PWI) of higher education. Central to this study is the exploration of the dynamics surrounding Black labor in sport, particularly how the regulation and confinement of the body, mind, and spirit of Black women’s basketball players allows for their continued exploitation by the institution of sport in U.S. higher education. This paper uses an Afrocentric feminist epistemology to design and execute a participatory study that flips the proverbial script on student-athlete research by empowering Black student-athletes to critically evaluate their own lived experiences while simultaneously exploring ways of disrupting the tools of regulation currently confining their agency and autonomy. The site of data collection was also leveraged as a space for participants to identify opportunities to secure and exercise agency and bodily autonomy in real time—a process fellow PAR scholars refer to as the design serving as the intervention. In doing so, this paper highlights both how the regulation and control of Black women’s basketball is inextricably linked to power, race and gender, and identifies where they can collectively build towards increased freedoms.
Systematic Environmental Racism and Injustice: Title IX Black Female Sports Inequality
Authors: Coleman Tahara
Published: October 2023

Abstract: Title IX legislation concerning sports accessibility is marginalized for Black female youth and women. Current legislation fails to acknowledge the intersectional basis of the needs and participation of Black female youth and women as it does for gender alone. Systematic environmental factors, e.g., racism, have resulted in environmental injustices. In the context of the Critical Race Theory Doctrine of Intersectionality, there is an attempt to incorporate the real-life experiences of an outsider group—in this case, Black women—into equitable sports opportunities, which this discourse explores in the context of Title IX, situating Black women’s experiences in race and gender.
P.C. Chang and Charles Malik: The Two Philosophers of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Authors: Roth Hans Ingvar
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was the result of almost two years of work from several participants and organizations before its adoption in the United Nations on December 10, 1948. The Declaration is one of the world's most famous and translated documents even though its principles and moral insights are far from realized around the world today. Although it was a collaborative work with many authors involved, some writers played significant roles in a special way. This article aims to present and analyze the contributions of two of the main drafters, namely the philosopher and diplomat Charles Malik (1906-1987) from Lebanon and the philosopher and diplomat P.C. Chang (1892-1957) from the Republic of China. Malik and Chang were the only philosophers in the drafting team, and they were all-rounded intellectuals and educators. In contrast to Chang and Malik, several of the other writers of the UDHR were lawyers or politicians. Chang and Malik came from different philosophical traditions. Chang had the pragmatist philosopher John Dewey as his tutor at Columbia in the beginning of the 1920s. Malik studied for the philosophers Alfred North Whitehead at Harvard and Martin Heidegger in Freiburg during the 1930s. The philosophical differences between Chang and Malik created fruitful dialogues between the two drafters. This article explores how the educational backgrounds and the previous professions of Chang and Malik influenced the character of the UDHR.
Of Corn and Tares: Making Madras English, 1639–1696
Authors: Nocentelli Carmen
Published: October 2023

abstract: This article proposes that English East India Company initiatives in seventeenth-century Madras—including the 1687 edict promoting the marriage of Company soldiers to “native women”—can best be understood as attempts to control the settlement’s mobility, and here “mobility” refers to both its residents’ capacity for physical movement and their susceptibility to social and cultural change. By embracing and even promoting some aspects of this mobility, East India Company authorities successfully changed the narratives that went along with it, thereby recasting not just the meanings that those narratives conveyed, but also the identities that they authorized. In so doing, Company authorities also prioritized corporate and state interests over those of the settlement’s transcultural community.
Joint and Combined Exercises in Heritage Protection as a Means to Establish Interfaces in Cooperation with Emergency Responders
Authors: Kaiser Anna
Published: October 2023

abstract: For the successful protection of cultural heritage in times of crisis, cooperation between heritage professionals and emergency responders is necessary. Both sides, however, need to be better versed in cooperating, as there is typically minimal overlap in these professional fields. This article examines the use of tabletop and live exercises in educating cultural heritage professionals, empowering them to successfully cooperate with emergency responders that might be called upon for assistance in protecting cultural heritage in emergencies. Three exercises developed for that aim are presented and discussed. The focus of the exercises lays in establishing interfaces for successful future cooperation. In light of this training goal, the primary audience for these endeavors was heritage professionals, with knowledge creation centered on staff work procedures and decision-making processes—i.e., identifying the right way to communicate necessary expertise to the right person at the right time.
Rewriting the Rape of Rachel: Historical Methods, Historical Justice
Authors: Block Sharon
Published: October 2023

Abstract: "Rewriting the Rape of Rachel" offers a critical reflection on my own historical practice in light of recent scholarship in feminist, Black, Indigenous, and critical archival studies as well as the growth of digitization and digital humanities. Centering my previously published work as a document for revision, I retell the rape of Rachel Davis by her uncle in the early nineteenth century by placing that act within family, community, and life-course narratives. In doing so, I offer a feminist methodology that centers traditionally marginalized historical subjects, sees archival silences as productive, engages in historical research as a community endeavor, and promotes ethical concerns that connect past and present. This approach reshapes how we might understand sexual violence and questions the terms by which we produce historical scholarship.
New endophytic strains of Trichoderma promote growth and reduce clubroot severity of rapeseed (Brassica napus)
Authors: Hasan Mahmodol , Hossain Motaher , Jiang Daohong
Published: October 2023

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is the world’s third most important edible oilseed crop after soybean and palm. The clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae poses a significant risk and causes substantial yield losses in rapeseed. In this study, 13 endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the healthy roots of rapeseed (B. napus) grown in a clubroot-infested field and molecularly identified. Based on germination inhibition of resting spores of P. brassicae, two endophytic fungal antagonists, Trichoderma spp. ReTk1 and ReTv2 were selected to evaluate their potential for plant growth promotion and biocontrol of P. brassicae. The Trichoderma isolates were applied as a soil drench (1×107 spore/g soil) to a planting mix and field soil, in which plants were grown under non-infested and P. brassicae-infested (2×106 spore/g soil) conditions. The endophytic fungi were able to promote plant growth, significantly increasing shoot and root length, leaf diameter, and biomass production (shoots and root weight) both in the absence or presence of P. brassicae. The single and dual treatments with the endophytes were equally effective in significantly decreasing the root-hair infection, root index, and clubroot severity index. Both ReTk1 and ReTv2 inhibited the germination of resting spores of P. brassicae in root exudates. Moreover, the endophytic fungi colonized the roots of rapeseed extensively and possibly induced host resistance by up-regulated expression of defense-related genes involved in jasmonate (BnOPR2), ethylene (BnACO and BnSAM3), phenylpropanoid (BnOPCL and BnCCR), auxin (BnAAO1) and salicylic acid (BnPR2) pathways. Based on these findings, it is evident that the rapeseed root endophytes Trichoderma spp. ReTk1 and ReTv2 could suppress the gall formation on rapeseed roots via antibiosis, induced systemic resistance (ISR), and/or systemic acquired resistance (SAR). According to our knowledge, this is the first report of the endophytic Trichoderma spp. isolated from root tissues of healthy rapeseed plants (B. napus.), promoting plant growth and reducing clubroot severity.
Were climatic forcings the main driver for mid-holocene changes in settlement dynamics on the Varamin Plain (Central Iranian Plateau)?
Authors: Kirsten Fabian , Dallmeyer Anne , Bernbeck Reinhard , Böhmer Thomas , Busch Robert , Hessari Morteza , Pollock Susan , Schütt Brigitta
Published: October 2023

Settlement crises in ancient cultures of Western Asia are commonly thought to be caused by climatic events such as severe droughts. However, the insufficient climate proxy situation in this region challenges the inference of clear relationships between climate and settlement dynamics. We investigate the Holocene climatic changes on the Varamin Plain in the context of the climatic history of Western Central Asia by using a transient comprehensive Earth System Model simulation (8 ka BP to pre-industrial), a high-resolution regional snapshot simulation and a synthesis of pollen-based climate reconstructions. In line with the reconstructions, the models reveal only slightly varying mean climatic conditions on the Varamin Plain but indicate substantial changes in seasonality during the Holocene. Increased precipitation during spring, combined with lower temperature and potentially stronger snow accumulation on the upstream Alborz mountains may have led to an increased water supply on the alluvial fan during the vegetation period and thus to more favourable conditions for agricultural production during the Mid-Holocene compared to modern times. According to the model, dry periods on the Central Iranian Plateau are related to particularly weak Westerly winds, fostering the subsidence in the mid-troposphere and hampering precipitation over the region. The model reveals that dry periods have spatially heterogenous manifestations, thus explaining why they do not appear in all proxy records in the wider study region. In fact, the climatic signal may depend on local environmental conditions. The interaction of the topography with the atmospheric circulation leads to additional spatial heterogeneity. Although our results provide several indications for a connection between climate and settlement dynamics, the small overall changes in moisture call into question whether climate is the main driver for settlement discontinuities on the Central Iranian Plateau. To shed further light on this issue, more high-resolution long-term proxy records are needed.
Cognitive impairment and the associated factors among women with a history of pregnancy complications in rural southwestern Uganda
Authors: Kihumuro Raymond Bernard , Kellen Peace , Chun Sarah , Wakida Edith K. , Obua Celestino , Ainamani Herbert E.
Published: October 2023

Background

Worldwide, there is a growing concern about the rising number of people with declining cognitive functioning. However, findings on this phenomenon are inconclusive. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of cognitive impairment and the associated factors in women with a history of pregnancy complications in rural southwestern Uganda.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study carried out among women above 40 years of age in the greater Kabale district of southwestern Uganda between March and April 2022. Study participants were identified using a consecutive sampling method. Predictor variables included pregnancy complications and other social demographic factors that were assessed by semi-structured interviews while cognitive functioning as an outcome variable was assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-B) tool. Data were analyzed using STATA at a 95% Confidence level. Logistic regression analyses were selected for statistical modelling while odds ratios were calculated to assess the strength of associations between the predictor and outcome variables.

Results

In total, 75% (212/280) of participants had some form of cognitive impairment, with 45% (123/280) falling into mild CI, 31% (86/280) moderate CI and 4% (10/280) severe CI. Twenty-three percent (68/280) of participants fell into category of normal cognitive functioning. Participants with >65 years of age had higher odds of developing cognitive impairment (OR = 2.94; 95%CI: 0.96–9.04, p = 0.06) than those with < 65 years of age. Protective factors to cognitive impairment include delivering from a health facility (OR = 0.31,95% CI:0.16–0.60, p = < .001), primary and post primary levels of education (OR = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02–0.13, p<0.001, OR = 0.04; 95%CI: 0.02–0.23, p<0.001) respectively.

Conclusion

Results from this study show a high prevalence of cognitive impairment among women with a history of pregnancy complications in rural southwestern Uganda. Interventions geared toward preventing cognitive impairment among females with a history of pregnancy complications should be emphasized.
Skin lipids alone enable conspecific tracking in an invasive reptile, the Argentine black and white tegu lizard (Salvator merianae)
Authors: Parker M. Rockwell , Tillman Eric A. , Nazarian Lauren A. , Barlowe Megan L. , Lincoln Julianna M. , Kluever Bryan M.
Published: October 2023

Locating potential mates in non-native habitats is one of the most important challenges faced by invasive vertebrate species. The Argentine black and white tegu lizard (Salvator merianae) is a major invasive reptile species in the contiguous United States and is rapidly expanding its range across Florida and the Southeast, in part due to inadequate management strategies and tools. Because a wide array of reptiles, especially squamates (snakes and lizards), have been well-studied for their reliance on chemical cues to locate conspecifics, our project aimed to isolate chemical cues from tegus and assess the ability of adult males and females to use only these cues to make navigation decisions within a Y-maze. Previously, we found that both males and females can follow conspecific scent trails, but the nature of the specific cues used by the tegus was unknown. In this study, we extracted skin lipids from male and female shed skins acquired during the breeding season then tested the extracts for bioactivity at different dilutions prior to Y-maze trials. Both sexes showed positive reactions (e.g., tongue-flicking, nose taps, scratching) to 2:1 skin lipid:hexane dilutions. In the Y-maze, males (n = 7) and females (n = 7) were run in three types of trailing scenarios with these skin lipid extracts: Male-only (pooled lipid extracts from male shed skins), Female-only (extracts from female shed skins), and Male vs. female. Regardless of the tegu lipid type present, tegus preferred to follow the conspecific lipid trail when paired with a neutral control (peanut oil; 2:1 dilution). They also preferred opposite-sex skin lipid trails when paired with same-sex skin lipid trails. We analyzed our results further by comparing them to those of Richard, Bukovich, et al. (2020). We found a synchronization effect of the skin lipids: sex differences in behavior detectable in the scent trail trials were absent when only conspecific skin lipids were present in the environment. Our results indicate that skin lipids alone are sufficient to facilitate mate tracking in S. merianae, these chemical cues induce reliable behavior, and extracted skin lipids have potential for modifying movement patterns of an invasive reptile in their non-native range. If leveraged in concert with current tegu management strategies (i.e., trapping), extracted skin lipids have the potential to bolster management efficacy but field trials are a requisite next step.
Characterisation of physicochemical parameters and antibacterial properties of New Caledonian honeys
Authors: Bucekova Marcela , Godocikova Jana , Gueyte Romain , Chambrey Céline , Majtan Juraj
Published: October 2023

Honey is an attractive natural product with various health benefits. A few honey-based commercial products have successfully been adopted in clinics to improve wound healing. However, screening of other potential sources of medical-grade honey, in particular, honeys from territories with high floral species diversity and high endemicity, is highly needed. The goal of this study was to characterise the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of New Caledonian honey samples (n = 33) and to elucidate the major mechanism of their antibacterial action. Inhibitory antibacterial activity of honeys against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. Enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase and the content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in honey samples were analysed. Furthermore, total protein content of honeys together with their electrophoretic protein profiles were also determined in the study. The antibacterial efficacy of 24% of the tested honey samples was slightly superior to that of manuka honey with unique manuka factor 15+. The antibacterial activity of catalase-treated honey sample solutions was significantly reduced, suggesting that H2O2 is a key antibacterial compound of diluted honeys. However, the kinetic profiles of H2O2 production in most potent honeys at a MIC value of 6% was not uniform. Under the experimental conditions, we found that a H2O2 concentration of 150 μM in diluted honeys is a critical concentration for inhibiting the growth of S. aureus. In contrast, 150 μM H2O2 in artificial honey solution was not able to inhibit bacterial growth, suggesting a role of phytochemicals in the antibacterial activity of natural honey. In addition, the continuous generation of H2O2 in diluted honey demonstrated an ability to counteract additional bacteria in re-inoculation experiments. In conclusion, the tested New Caledonian honey samples showed strong antibacterial activity, primarily based on H2O2 action, and therefore represent a suitable source for medical-grade honey.
Exploiting Simultaneous Multi-Brand Operation to Improve 6TiSCH Reliability and Latency
Authors:   Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Bunn Marcus Vinicius , Mafra Samuel Baraldi ,   National Institute of Communications of Brazil (INATEL), Souza Richard Demo ,   Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Moritz Guilherme Luiz ,   Federal University of Technology - Parana
Published: October 2023

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) group "IPv6 over the TSCH mode of IEEE 802.15.4e" (6TiSCH) introduced a protocol, utilizing Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) from IEEE802.15.4e due to its high reliability and time-deterministic characteristic, that achieves industrial performance requirements while offering the benefits of IP connectivity. This work proposes the addition of a second radio interface in 6TiSCH devices to operate a parallel network in sub-GHz, introducing transmit diversity while benefiting from decreased path-loss and reduced interference. Simulation results show an improvement of 20% in Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR) and close to 31% in latency in different 6TiSCH networks scenarios.
MgAl2O4:Ho3+ Nanophosphors: Electrochemical Sensor, Photoluminescence and Photocatalytic Applications
Authors: MANJULA S.N. , CHANDRASEKHAR M. , KUMAR M.R. ANIL , RAGHAVENDRA N. , RAVIKUMAR C.R. , MURTHY H.C. ANANDA , NAGABHUSHANA H.
Published: October 2023

Ho3+-doped MgAl2O4 nanophosphors (1-11 mol%) was synthesised via solution combustion method using oxalyl dihydrazide (ODH) as fuel. The findings revealed a range of band gap energies (Eg) between 4.86 and 5.42 eV. It was confirmed that these values correspond extremely well with the experimental data using the DFT approach. The Ho3+ ions in the host undergo f-f transitions that are triggered at 406 nm and as a result, exhibit discrete photoluminescence emission peaks between 406 and 605 nm. Enhanced MgAl2O4 have CIE coordinates from orange-red to yellow region and 97% colour purity. Photocatalytic properties of nanophosphors under UV light led to the discovery that a rapid orange-red dye is activated at 493 nm. Removal of fast orange red (F-OR) dye using the new photocatalysts and MgAl2O4:Ho3+ nanophosphors has been demonstrated. The investigation showed that 89.02% of the dye lost its colour after being exposed to radiation for 120 min. The modified MgAl2O4:Ho3+ carbon paste electrode used in the cyclic voltametric (CV) technique for lead pollution detection. Based on their electrochemical performance, it is concluded that MgAl2O4:Ho3+ nanophosphors are a viable material for lead detecting electrodes.
Mechanical properties of basalt: a study on compressive loading at different strain rates using SHPB
Authors: Falta Jan , Krčmářová Nela , Fíla Tomáš , Vavro Martin , Vavro Leona
Published: October 2023

This article focuses on the mechanical properties of basalt in compressive loading at different strain-rates. The study employs advanced instrumentation for the evaluation of the results in dynamic conditions, while standard uni-axial loading device is used for evaluation in quasi-static conditions. Basalt specimens were subjected to four different loading-rates from 200–600 s−1 on which the stress-strain dependence was evaluated together with DIC analysis of crack initiation and disintegration process. Understanding the mechanical properties of basalt can provide insights for engineers and designers in creating structures that are durable and able to withstand different loading conditions. The findings of this study can have implications for a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, and construction, among others.
Segmentation of pores in carbon fiber reinforced polymers using the U-Net convolutional neural network
Authors: Yosifov Miroslav , Weinberger Patrick , Plank Bernhard , Fröhler Bernhard , Hoeglinger Markus , Kastner Johann , Heinzl Christoph
Published: October 2023

This study demonstrates the utilization of deep learning techniques for binary semantic segmentation of pores in carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) datasets. The proposed workflow is designed to generate efficient segmentation models with reasonable execution time, applicable even for users using consumer-grade GPU systems. First, U-Net, a convolutional neural network, is modified to handle the segmentation of XCT datasets. In the second step, suitable hyperparameters are determined through a parameter analysis (hyperparameter tuning), and the parameter set with the best result was used for the final training. In the final step, we report on our efforts of implementing the testing stage in open_iA, which allows users to segment datasets with the fully trained model within reasonable time. The model performs well on datasets with both high and low resolution, and even works reasonably for barely visible pores with different shapes and size. In our experiments, we could show that U-Net is suitable for pore segmentation. Despite being trained on a limited number of datasets, it exhibits a satisfactory level of prediction accuracy.
A brief parent version of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS-P-8): Factor structure, reliability, and invariance in Ecuadorian children
Authors:   Department of Health Psychology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain, Orgilés Mireia , Galán-Luque Teresa ,   Department of Health Psychology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain, Hervás Damián ,   Department of Health Psychology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain, Idrobo Angelica ,   Faculty of Human Health, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador, Morales Alexandra ,   Department of Health Psychology, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Spain
Published: October 2023

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties and factor structure of the parent-reported brief version of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS-P-8) in a sample of Ecuadorian children. Method: The community sample consisted of 281 children from 8 to 12 years of age and their parents. Factor structure of the scale was assessed through confirmatory factor analysis. The psychometric properties and sex and age invariance were calculated. Results: The results showed that the one-factor structure of the SCAS-P-8 provided a good fit for the data, and that the structure was invariant across gender and age, indicating that it is suitable for assessing anxiety symptoms in both boys and girls of different ages with comparable accuracy. Psychometric analysis revealed a total ordinal alpha of .85, and corrected item-total correlations varied from .41 to .61, indicating an acceptable level of homogeneity. Conclusion: The study found that the SCAS-P-8 is a psychometrically reliable tool for measuring anxiety in Ecuadorian children from 8 to 12 years of age, as reported by their parents, and can be used in both research and clinical settings to evaluate anxiety symptoms in community populations in Ecuador. Given its brief and accurate nature, the SCAS-P-8 is considered to be a useful tool for use in both research and clinical settings for evaluating anxiety symptoms in children in this country.
Gelidiella papillosa sp. nov. (Gelidiellaceae, Rhodophyta) from Veracruz, Mexico, in the context of the worldwide distribution of G. acerosa
Authors: Núñez Resendiz María Luisa , Sentíes Abel , Dreckmann Kurt M. , Hernández Oscar E. , Vilchis Martha Isabel
Published: October 2023

Gelidiella acerosa is a widely distributed species, with type locality in Yemen, whose morphology has been characterized by decumbent axes from which numerous abundantly branched erect axes emerge, pectinate, alternate or radial. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed the presence of genetically independent groups throughout its distribution range. However, these groups cannot be described as independent since there are no sequences from the type locality that allow us to establish the genetic group to which the true G. acerosa belongs, generating a complex of cryptic species. In the present study, from COI-5P and rbcL sequence data, we detected six genetically differentiated groups, one of which is represented only by specimens from the Western Atlantic region. Given the allopatric pattern, it is possible to describe the Atlantic group as an independent species of the cryptic complex in the Indo-Pacific. Gelidiella papillosa sp. nov. shares several morphological features with other specimens previously identified as G. acerosa in other countries, like the appearance of the thallus, branching patterns, the presence of multiple superficial hairs on the branches or cell measurements. However, these characters have not been evaluated in detail among the different genetic groups within Gelidiella acerosa, consequently, G. papillosa can be supported only by its genetic independence and allopatric distribution.
A new 3D supramolecular Cu(ii) framework: Crystal structure and photocatalytic characteristics
Authors: Li Jing , Ren Hongjiang , Li Jiangtao , Wang Liuchang
Published: October 2023

Reported here is a new Cu(ii) compound with the formula of {Cu4(μ
2-Cl)6(μ
4-O)(4-NH2-py)4}
n
(1, 4-NH2-py = 4-amino-pyridine). The analysis of X-ray diffraction shows that the complex 1 indicates a 0D separated skeleton with {Cu4(μ
2-Cl)6(μ
4-O)} tetranuclear cluster. The interactions of H-bond between the amino groups and μ
2-Cl anions from adjacent 0D cluster further extended this 0D cluster into a 3D supramolecular framework. In addition, this compound has excellent photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methyl blue under UV radiation. The cyclic testing results indicate that complex 1 exhibits good recyclability, as it can be repeated for as many as five cycles with no noticeable loss of performance, revealing its potential application in pollutant degradation within the environmental field.
Performance analysis of NGPON using hybrid GPON-XGPON based robust long-haul passive optical communication network
Authors: Singh Rajbir , Kumar Manoj
Published: October 2023

For high data rates and extended reach capabilities, communications networks need to be enhanced by employing passive optical networks (PONs). NG-PON plays a key role in achieving the modern demands. This paper proposed novel hybrid G-PON and XG-PON based robust long-haul Passive Optical Communication Network. In this proposed network hybrid semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and EDFA are used to enhance the system performance for downstream (D.S.) and upstream (U.S) signals transmission. This paper analyses a hybrid G-PON and XG-PON bi-directional optical fiber link up to length of 100-km with a 128 (1:64 and 1:64) way-splitter to increase the coverage area and to enhance the quality of transmitted data. The qualitative analysis of the proposed network shows an improved performance in terms of transmission distance, quality factor and eye-diagrams.
Visible light electrochromism based on reversible dissolution/deposition of MnO2
Authors: Liu Xuan , Wang Hanbing , Zhong Junsen , Li Menghan , Zhang Rui , You Dongjiang , Du Lingyu , Gao Yanfeng , Kang Litao
Published: October 2023

Electrochromic (EC) windows based on reversible metal electro-deposition/dissolution (RME) are exciting alternatives to static lighting control using blinds and shades. However, the difficulty of reversibly and uniformly electrodepositing large-area metal layers seriously hinders the development of RME-type EC windows. In this paper, we develop a novel EC system based on reversible oxide electro-deposition/dissolution (ROE) of MnO2, achieving a profound and bistable color change between rust brown and completely transparent. This ROE-MnO2 system exhibits a significantly high optical modulation amplitude (ΔT) without any deterioration within 1000 switching cycles (ΔT
550nm actually increases from 44.8 % up to 46.9 % after the cycling test), which is almost double compared to the traditional cation-insertion/extraction triggered MnO2 (RCI-MnO2) EC system. This work may inspire the exploration of novel ROE-type EC systems.
fuero sindical de los servidores públicos: una garantía restringida en la jurisprudencia en Colombia
Authors: Ostau De Lafond De León Francisco Rafael , Niño Chavarro Ángela
Published: October 2023

Este producto resultado de investigación analiza el fuero sindical como garantía para el ejercicio del derecho de asociación sindical, la negociación colectiva y la estabilidad laboral de los empleados públicos en Colombia. A partir de la metodología del análisis documental y del discurso de los operadores jurídicos, se abordó los preceptos contenidos en la Constitución Política, Convenios de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) y pronunciamientos jurisprudenciales de las cortes colombianas, lo que permitió determinar que sus decisiones en los últimos años han sido restrictivas de la garantía del fuero sindical de esta categoría de trabajadores.
Tomás de Aquino y el bien común, componente indispensable para la implementación de un modelo económico en un escenario de pospandemia
Authors: Moreno Díaz Vilma Stella , Melo Rubiano Edilberto
Published: October 2023

En un contexto de globalización y pospandemia, las necesidades económicas son un motivo para que las personas como sujetos sociales luchen por proveer para su existencia en escenarios individuales, familiares, comunitarios y estatales. Bajo un contexto de desarrollo, el avance en los niveles productivos tiene como finalidad acabar con la pobreza, la desigualdad económica y la inequidad. En este sentido, y ante la actual crisis que ha ocasionado la pandemia del covid-19 en mundo globalizado, es evidente implementar un desarrollo económico sostenible, equilibrado y plural, en aras de garantizar el bien común. Una sociedad de fronteras abiertas nos invita a “releer” y “re-aplicar” a Tomás de Aquino en el mundo contemporáneo, apoyados en un repositorio que permita establecer elementos para propiciar un modelo de justicia distributiva, que asegure el equilibrio entre los intereses individuales de la propiedad privada a través de figuras como la autonomía de la voluntad y la libertad de empresa —baluartes de la modernidad—, que hoy se ajustan al Estado social de derecho y al bien común económico del que hablaba el Aquinate.
Practical Validation of the ICAP Theory in China: Holistic Module Learning in the Shandong 271 Education Group
Authors: Meng Weijie , Zhao Fengping , Zhou Longjun
Published: October 2023

ICAP is one of the most impactful theories in the international community of cognitive and learning science. ICAP research focuses on active learning and student engagement with high applicability and guiding value. In the context of the reform of curricula and instruction in China, this article seeks to pinpoint the commonalities between the ICAP theory and the rationale underlying the holistic module learning model prevalent in schools at Shandong 217 Education Group to verify the practicality of applying the theory to Chinese education.
The importance of hypoxia sensors in detecting HIF-1 biomarker at high altitude
Authors: Shaharuddin Shazreen , Nik Abd Rahman Nik Mohd Afizan , Masarudin Mas Jaffri , N Alamassi Mohammedarfat
Published: October 2023

The episode of prolonged exposure to high altitude can cause hypoxia and potential significant health consequences. In people with high altitude disorder, the body reaction to high altitudes starts with the formation of a protein called hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which triggers a series of other physiological changes and plays a central role in the hypoxia response; its activity is regulated by the oxygen-dependent degradation of the HIF-1α protein. This deserving condition provides an opportunity to study the effect of low oxygen tension of flying at high altitude that could lead to hypoxia using hypoxia sensor.
Finding More Bugs with Software Model Checking using Delta Debugging
Authors: Petrov Oleg Maximovich
Published: October 2023

Many verification tasks in model checking (one of the formal software verification approaches) can’t be solved within bounded time requirements due to combinatorial state space explosion. In order to find a bug in the verified program in a given time, a simplified version of it can be analyzed. This paper presents DD** algorithms (based on the Delta Debugging approach) to iterate over simplified versions of the given program. These algorithms were implemented in software-verification tool CPAchecker. Our experiments showed that this technique might be used to find new bugs in real software.