bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gut microbiome and metabolic pathways linked to sleep quality
Authors: Seong Hoon Je , Baek Younghwa , Lee Siwoo , Jin Hee-Jeong
Published: July 2024

Sleep quality is a vital determinant of human health as sleep disorders are associated with cognitive deficits, and chronic sleep deprivation is associated with a broad range of health complications. Previous studies on the association between the gut microbiome and sleep quality have been constrained by small sample sizes or have focused on specific sleep disorders, thus yielding inconsistent results. Herein, we investigated the relationship between microbial composition and sleep quality in a cohort of 159 Koreans. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), determined through a self-administered questionnaire. Gut microbiome analyses were performed using 16S rRNA amplicons. We found no direct correlation between microbial alpha diversity metrics and sleep; however, we identified differences in beta diversity among sleep quality groups (with a PSQI score > 5 indicating poor sleep quality and PSQI ≤5 indicating good sleep quality). We also found differential microbial signatures (Bacteroides, Prevotella 9, and Faecalibacterium) among the groups. Furthermore, functional metabolic pathway profiles revealed significant linear correlations of the L-arginine and L-tryptophan biosynthetic pathways as well as 4-aminobutanoate degradation with sleep status. In particular, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which harbors these metabolic pathways, showed differences between sleep quality groups and a linear association with sleep quality scores and was thus identified as the species most strongly associated with sleep status. This study provides a significant advance in our understanding of the relationship between gut microbiota and sleep regulation. The current findings provide a basis for further research into potential therapeutic strategies for sleep disorders targeting the gut microbiome.
Influence of phenotypic variation of Paenibacillus polymyxa E681 on growth promotion in cucumbers
Authors: Lee Younmi , Kwon Sungmoon , Balaraju Kotnala , Jeon Yongho
Published: July 2024

The goal of the current study is to better understand how bacteria may adapt to survive under adverse environmental conditions by altering and improving their phenotypes. In this study, we report the consequences of phenotypic variation in Paenibacillus polymyxa E681 (E681), a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), isolated from winter barley root that has a variety of advantageous effects on crop plants. In our previous study, two different types of bacterial cells in E681 were distinguished. We used the term F-type for the variant that doesn’t produce endospores and B-type for the endospore-producing wild type. Under the circumstances of our experiment, the cucumber rhizosphere soil and the surface of the seeds produced phenotypic variance. On tryptic soy agar (TSA) plates, the B-type spontaneously converted into the F-type, but the reverse was not reversible. Intriguingly, the plant growth promotion test displayed that cucumber seedlings treated with F-type cells had characteristics resembling those of the untreated control. Whereas, growth promotion of cucumber seedlings treated with B-type depends on temperature conditions. In particular, an increased growth promotion was observed at a low temperature of 20°C. The phenotypic change from B-type to F-type did not occur at 20°C for 6 days in the growth curve analysis of E681, but it did occur on the fourth and second days at 30 and 37°C, respectively. Therefore, before using PGPR strains as a bacterial inoculant for sustainable agriculture, it is imperative to resolve phenotypic variance in these strains.
Nutrient availability contributes to structural and functional diversity of microbiome in Xinjiang oilfield
Authors: Cheng Wei , Tian Wenzhuo , Wang Weilong , Lv Tianhua , Su Tianqi , Wu Mengmeng , Yun Yuan , Ma Ting , Li Guoqiang
Published: July 2024

Indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery (IMEOR) is a promising alternative way to promote oil recovery. It activates oil recovery microorganisms in the reservoir by adding nutrients to the injected water, utilizing microbial growth and metabolism to enhance recovery. However, few studies have focused on the impact of injected nutrients on reservoir microbial community composition and potential functions. This limits the further strategic development of IMEOR. In this study, we investigated the effects of nutrition on the composition of the reservoir bacterial community and functions in the Qizhong block of Xinjiang Oilfield, China, by constructing a long core microbial flooding simulation device. The results showed that the microbial community structure of the reservoir changed from aerobic state to anaerobic state after nutrient injection. Reducing the nutrient concentration increased the diversity and network stability of the reservoir bacterial community. At the same time, the nitrogen metabolism function also showed the same change response. Overall, these results indicated that nutrition significantly affected the community structure and function of reservoir microorganisms. Injecting low concentrations of nutrients may be more beneficial to improve oil recovery. This study is of great significance for guiding IMEOR technology and saving costs at the field site.
CLIB: Contrastive learning of ignoring background for underwater fish image classification
Authors: Yan Qiankun , Du Xiujuan , Li Chong , Tian Xiaojing
Published: July 2024

Aiming at the problem that the existing methods are insufficient in dealing with the background noise anti-interference of underwater fish images, a contrastive learning method of ignoring background called CLIB for underwater fish image classification is proposed to improve the accuracy and robustness of underwater fish image classification. First, CLIB effectively separates the subject from the background in the image through the extraction module and applies it to contrastive learning by composing three complementary views with the original image. To further improve the adaptive ability of CLIB in complex underwater images, we propose a multi-view-based contrastive loss function, whose core idea is to enhance the similarity between the original image and the subject and maximize the difference between the subject and the background, making CLIB focus more on learning the core features of the subject during the training process, and effectively ignoring the interference of background noise. Experiments on the Fish4Knowledge, Fish-gres, WildFish-30, and QUTFish-89 public datasets show that our method performs well, with improvements of 1.43–6.75%, 8.16–8.95%, 13.1–14.82%, and 3.92–6.19%, respectively, compared with the baseline model, further validating the effectiveness of CLIB.
The effect of electrical stimulation in critical patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Li Lili , Li Fei , Zhang Xinyin , Song Yuying , Li Shuyan , Yao Huiping
Published: July 2024

Objectives

While electrical stimulation has been demonstrated to improve medical research council (MRC) scores in critically ill patients, its effectiveness remains a subject of debate. This meta-analysis aimed to discuss recent insights into the effectiveness of electrical stimulation in improving muscle strength and its effects on different clinical outcomes in critically ill adults.

Methods

A comprehensive search of major electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase, was conducted from inception to June 15, 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of electrical stimulation in critically ill patients. The analysis focused on comparing electrical stimulation to standard care, sham interventions, or placebo. Outcomes of interest included MRC scores, duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), mortality rate, and intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS).

Results

A total of 23 RCTs, including 1798 patients, met the inclusion criteria. The findings demonstrated a significant benefit of electrical stimulation over usual care in enhancing global muscle strength, as measured by MRC scores (MD =3.62, 95% CI 0.94 to 6.30, p = 0.0008, I2 = 87%). While subgroup analysis of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) demonstrated no significant effect on ICU LOS, sensitivity analysis indicated a potential reduction in ICU LOS for both EMS (MD = −11.0, 95% CI −21.12 to −0.88, p = 0.03) and electrical stimulation overall (MD = −1.02, 95% CI −1.96 to −0.08, p = 0.03) compared to the control group. In addition, sensitivity analysis suggested that both electrical stimulation (MD = −2.38, 95% CI −3.81 to −0.94, p = 0.001) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) specifically (MD = −2.36, 95% CI −3.85 to −0.88, p = 0.002) may contribute to a decrease in hospital LOS. No statistically significant differences were observed in mortality or duration of MV.

Conclusion

Electrical stimulation appears to be an effective intervention for improving MRC scores in critically ill patients. However, further research is warranted to explain the potential effects of electrical stimulation on hospital LOS and ICU LOS.

Systematic review registration:

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails.
The relation between Parkinson’s disease and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories; a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Badawoud Amal Mohammad , Ali Lashin Saad , Abdallah Mahmoud S. , El Sabaa Ramy M. , Bahaa Mostafa M. , Elmasry Thanaa A. , Wahsh Eman , Yasser Mohamed , Eltantawy Nashwa , Eldesoqui Mamdouh , Hamouda Manal A.
Published: July 2024

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological condition that typically shows up with aging. It is characterized by generalized slowness of movement, resting tremor or stiffness, and bradykinesia. PD patients’ brains mostly exhibit an increase in inflammatory mediators and microglial response. Nevertheless, a variety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) offered neuroprotection in animal models and preclinical trials.

Aim: The current systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to try to resolve the debate over the association of NSAID use with the development of PD because the results of several studies were somehow contradictory.

Methods: An intense search was performed on Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases for articles relating the incidence of PD to the use of NSAIDs. Statistical analysis of the included studies was carried out using Review Manager version 5.4.1 by random effect model. The outcome was identified as the development of PD in patients who were on NSAIDs, ibuprofen only, aspirin only, and non-aspirin NSAIDs. This was analyzed using pooled analysis of odds ratio (OR) at a significance level of ≤0.05 and a confidence level of 95%. A statistically significant decreased risk of PD was observed in patients taking NSAIDs, Ibuprofen, and non-aspirin NSAIDs.

Results: The ORs of PD occurrence in patients who took NSAIDs, Ibuprofen, and non-aspirin NSAIDs were 0.88 [95% CI (0.8–0.97), p = 0.01], 0.73 [95% CI (0.53–1), p = 0.05] and 0.85 [95% CI (0.75–0.97), p = 0.01]. Meanwhile, the risk of PD in patients who took aspirin was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: In conclusion, Ibuprofen, non-aspirin NSAIDs, and other types of NSAIDs could be associated with a reduction in PD risk. However, there was no association between aspirin intake and the development of PD.
MDM2 inhibitor APG-115 synergizes with ABT-199 to induce cell apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Cui Ying , Shao Xiaoya , Yang Haiping , Xin Jingyi , Liu Yuanyuan , Zhang Mingxiao , Sun Chuanyue , Chen Ge , Shen Guomin , Meng Xueqiong , Chen Yixiang
Published: July 2024

Although clinical outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have greatly improved with several approved small molecular inhibitors, acquired resistance does occur, leading to disease progression and eventual death. Thus, the effort to explore novel inhibitors and combination therapeutic regimens is needed. The inhibition of MDM2-p53 interaction to restore p53 function has been regarded as a potential strategy for treating different cancers. We investigated the effects of novel MDM2 inhibitor APG-115 in CLL. We found that APG-115 treatment upregulated the expression of p53, MDM2, and p21 at the mRNA and protein level. APG-115 inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and arrested the cell cycle at G0/G1 stage. Moreover, APG-115 inhibited the expression of BCL-2, BCL-xL, and MCL-1, and suppressed the activation of AKT and ERK signaling pathways. APG-115 combined with the BCL2 inhibitor, ABT-199 (venetoclax), led to further inhibition of the expression of BCL-2 family anti-apoptotic proteins and consequently enhanced cell death. Collectively, this study demonstrates that APG-115 activates p53 and thus inhibits multiple pro-survival mechanisms, which provides a rational explanation for APG-115 efficiency in inducing cell apoptosis in CLL. The synergistic effect of APG-115 with ABT-199 suggested a potential combination application in CLL therapy.
Pulmonary vascular adaptations to hypoxia in elite breath-hold divers
Authors: Kjeld Thomas , Isbrand Anders Brenøe , Arendrup Henrik Christian , Højberg Jens , Bejder Jacob , Krag Thomas O. , Vissing John , Tolbod Lars Poulsen , Harms Johannes Hendrik , Gormsen Lars Christian , Fuglø Dan , Hansen Egon Godthaab
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Elite breath-hold divers (BHD) possess several oxygen conserving adaptations to endure long dives similar to diving mammals. During dives, Bottlenose Dolphins may increase the alveolar ventilation (VA) to perfusion (Q) ratio to increase alveolar oxygen delivery. We hypothesized that BHD possess similar adaptive mechanisms during apnea.

Methods and results

Pulmonary blood volume (PBV) was determined by echocardiography, 15O-H2O PET/CT, and cardiac MRi, (n = 6) during and after maximum apneas. Pulmonary function was determined by body box spirometry and compared to matched controls. After 2 min of apnea, the PBV determined by echocardiography and 15O-H2O-PET/CT decreased by 26% and 41%, respectively. After 4 min of apnea, the PBV assessed by echocardiography and cardiac MRi decreased by 48% and 67%, respectively (n = 6). Fractional saturation (F)O2Hb determined by arterial blood-gas-analyses collected after warm-up and a 5-minute pool-apnea (n = 9) decreased by 43%. Compared to matched controls (n = 8), spirometry revealed a higher total and alveolar-lung-capacity in BHD (n = 9), but a lower diffusion-constant.

Conclusion

Our results contrast with previous studies, that demonstrated similar lung gas transfer in BHD and matched controls. We conclude that elite BHD 1) have a lower diffusion constant than matched controls, and 2) gradually decrease PBV during apnea and in turn increase VA/Q to increase alveolar oxygen delivery during maximum apnea. We suggest that BHD possess pulmonary adaptations similar to diving mammals to tolerate decreasing tissue oxygenation.

New and noteworthy

This manuscript addresses novel knowledge on tolerance to hypoxia during diving, which is shared by elite breath-hold divers and adult diving mammals: Our study indicates that elite breath-hold divers gradually decrease pulmonary blood volume and in turn increase VA/Q, to increase alveolar oxygen delivery during maximum apnea to tolerate decreasing oxygen levels similar to the Bottlenose Dolphin.
Are female directors more employee-friendly? Board gender diversity and employee benefits: evidence from China
Authors: Liu Yao , Tang Yingkai , Yang Yunfan
Published: July 2024

The imperative of gender diversity in corporate governance and the adoption of a human-centric governance paradigm are intensifying globally. The structure of board directors, key influencers to corporate decisions, notably shape policies, crucially in emerging markets like China where gender issues are still evolving. Therefore, employing a penal dataset comprising 8,973 firm-year observations from publicly A-share-listed Chinese firms spanning 2006 to 2021, this study empirically examines the impact of board gender diversity on the responsiveness to both employee monetary incentives and non-monetary rewards. The findings unveil a positive correlation, indicating an augmentation in per-employee compensation and an increased likelihood of implementing non-monetary programs, including stock-ownership plans, retirement benefits, and occupational safety certification, in the presence of higher board gender diversity. Notably, these positive associations are more accentuated in state-owned firms, as well as those with lower executive compensation and diminished institutional ownership. Our results remain consistent after considering robustness as well as endogeneity. This empirical evidence not only contributes robust statistical support to the ongoing global initiatives advocating for gender diversity in corporate governance but also underscores the efficacy of boards of directors in effectively managing stakeholder interests, particularly in fostering employee-friendly practices within emerging markets like China.
Enhancing reading speed: the reading acceleration effect in Italian adult readers
Authors: Zamfira Denisa Adina , Di Dona Giuseppe , Battista Martina , De Benedetto Francesco , Ronconi Luca
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Enhancing reading efficiency is of paramount importance in various academic, professional and clinical domains. Previous research, mostly from a single laboratory, has shown that externally imposed time constraints by means of text fading can enhance reading fluency in children and adults with varying reading abilities and in different languages.

Methods

In the present study, we aimed at replicating and extending previous results in Italian readers. Three experiments (N = 90) were conducted: (i) to investigate the effects of continuous fading compared to character-wise fading, (ii) to investigate the influence of enlarged inter-letter spacing on reading acceleration outcomes, and (iii) to probe whether reading gains can be reliably observed off-line (after the acceleration) by comparing accelerated reading with an analog non-accelerated procedure.

Results

Overall, results corroborate previous findings revealing that participants read 40% faster during the reading acceleration procedure, while maintaining the same accuracy levels. Continuous fading proved to be more effective than character-wise fading in enhancing reading speed, while larger inter-letter spacing did not significantly affect the reading speed gain. Albeit the non-clinical nature of our sample and its numerosity circumscribe the potential generalization, taking into account individual differences in the initial reading time, data suggests that reading acceleration leads to larger off-line speed increments with respect to non-accelerated reading.

Discussion

Taken together, these findings offer valuable insights for the future application of reading acceleration procedures as part of multisession training programs for improving reading proficiency in a diverse range of clinical and non-clinical populations.
Group psychological counseling to contrast academic burnout: a research protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Messina Irene , Rossi Tatiana , Bonaiuto Flavia , Granieri Gianluigi , Cardinali Paola , Petruccelli Irene , Maniglio Roberto , Loconsole Claudio , Spataro Pietro
Published: July 2024

Academic burnout is a condition characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, a distant attitude toward studying, and diminished self-efficacy in academic activities. Preliminary scientific findings indicate that interventions designed to alleviate work burnout also hold promise for mitigating academic burnout, however clear evidence based on randomized controlled trials is still missing. This research protocol describes a randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of an online group psychological intervention to contrast academic burnout. Participants with high levels of burnout will be assigned to a psychological counseling group or a waiting list control group. The research comprises several phases: (T0) Screening, Recruitment, and Randomization; (T1) Baseline assessment (pre-intervention); (T2) Outcome Assessment (post-intervention); and (T3) Follow-up Assessment (3 months post-intervention). The primary outcomes include burnout symptoms, general wellbeing, and academic achievement. Additionally, secondary variables such as effort-reward imbalances, satisfaction/frustration of basic psychological needs, intrapersonal and interpersonal emotion regulation, coping strategies, and social support will be examined. The psychological intervention strategies will encompass psychoeducation, self-awareness enhancement, cognitive restructuring, and promotion of social support. This research protocol is an initial step toward evidence-based psychological interventions to treat academic burnout.
Attachment and propensity for reporting compassionate opportunities and behavior in everyday life
Authors: Varley Deanna , Sherwell Chase S. , Kirby James N.
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Researchers have identified links between anxious and avoidant attachments and difficulties with self-compassion, giving others compassion, and receiving compassion. However, while compassion requires both awareness of opportunities for compassion and compassionate action, little is known about attachment-related differences in reporting compassionate opportunities. Further, most research relies on retrospective-reports that may not accurately assess compassionate behaviors in everyday life.

Method

Consequently, we collected 2,757 experience sampling survey responses from 125 participants (95 women, 27 men, 3 non-binary, Mage = 18.74, SDage = 1.66) to investigate whether attachment anxiety, avoidance, or their interaction were associated with differences in propensity for reporting compassionate opportunities, actions, and emotional responses to opportunities in everyday life across self-compassion, giving compassion, and receiving compassion.

Results

Anxiety was associated with greater likelihood of reporting all types of compassionate opportunities and less positive responses to opportunities to receive compassion. Avoidance was associated with less likelihood of reporting opportunities to give and receive compassion and less positive responses to opportunities to give compassion. Those high in anxiety but simultaneously low in avoidance reported fewer self-compassionate actions, but we identified no further differences in compassionate action.

Discussion

This study highlights the potential role of awareness of compassionate opportunities in attachment-related differences in compassion.
Employee risk recognition and reporting of malicious elicitations: longitudinal improvement with new skills-based training
Authors: Caputo Deanna D. , Danley Lura , Ratcliff Nathaniel J.
Published: July 2024

Numerous security domains would benefit from improved employee risk recognition and reporting through effective security training. This study assesses the effectiveness of a new skills-based training approach to improve risk recognition and reporting of malicious elicitations. Malicious elicitations are techniques that strategically use conversation (i.e., online, in writing, in person, or over the phone) with the sole purpose of collecting sensitive, non-publicly available information about business operations, people, or technological assets without raising suspicion. To an untrained observer, a skilled elicitor can make conversations seem analogous to many professional networking situations such as those experienced over email and at conferences. A 12-month longitudinal experimental study was conducted to test training effectiveness on employees of a large corporation that focuses on serving national security needs and the public interest. Half of participants were randomly assigned to receive traditional awareness-based training (i.e., reviewing informational slides) while the other half of participants received a new skills-based training that allowed them—over the course of five weeks—to iteratively practice skills learned in the training and receive feedback on their performance in their day-to-day work environment. Following training for both experimental groups, malicious elicitations and benign professional networking test messages were sent (via email & text message) to unaware employee participants for 12 months. Findings revealed that skills-based training improved reporting of malicious elicitations and lasted for up to 12 months compared to traditional awareness-based training.
Factors associated with teachers’ intention to leave their profession: teacher portraits from two European countries
Authors: Martinsone Baiba , Rutkienė Aušra , Žydžiūnaite Vilma
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Turnover of teachers is an mportant factor that impedes building and maintaining sustainable positive pedagogical practices to facilitate students’ adjustment. The aim of this study was to elicit a portrait of teachers wanting to leave their profession.

Methods

The research sample comprised 784 teachers from two European countries, namely 357 teachers from Latvia and 427 from Lithuania. Teachers were surveyed on their perceived stress, burnout, and intentions to leave their work alongside socio-demographic variables (age and work experience).

Results

It was found that although teachers in both countries reported moderate stress and burnout levels, Lithuanian teachers indicated higher levels of two burnout dimensions, namely exhaustion and inadequacy. However, Latvian teachers indicated significantly higher turnover intentions. The portrait of teachers who intended to leave their profession was different in both countries. An unexpected finding was that Latvian teachers with a higher desire to leave their profession indicated lower stress and burnout rates. They were mostly 45–64 years old and had more than 25 years of work experience. In Lithuania, teachers’ intention to leave their work was reported by older and more experienced teachers experiencing higher stress and burnout.

Discussion

The findings highlight the need to consistently support the professional well-being of educators, both for committed teachers who want to stay in their profession and for those who might experience some detachment from their work at school.
Analysis of urban necessities reserve index and reserve quantity under emergency conditions
Authors: Jiang Qijun , Ji Xiaoyang , Rong Zhijie
Published: July 2024

While maintaining a robust reserve of daily necessities is crucial for urban safety, but there is a lack of scientific basis for determining “what to store” and “how much to store.” This paper address this gap by classifying and summarizing the emergency materials of urban necessities in Shanghai, and establishing a corresponding reserve list. By constructing an index model of daily necessities reserve, this paper provides a scientific foundation for “what to store.” Additionally, the reserve levels of different types of daily necessities are classified and managed, the reserve model of emergency daily necessities is constructed. This approach clarifies the scientific basis for “how much to store,” overcoming the problems of subjective factors interference and the potential mismatch between the results of objective weighting method and reality. Furthermore, to better cope with emergencies, countermeasures and suggestions are put forward: optimizing the material structure of emergency reserves, managing the material reserves at different levels, scientifically and reasonably planning the amount of emergency materials, and reducing the cost of reserves and improve the efficiency of emergency reserves.
Systems perspectives on transforming Swiss housing by 2040: wellbeing, shared spaces, sufficiency, and de-sprawl
Authors: Nick Sascha
Published: July 2024

The Swiss habitat–buildings and related mobility–faces multiple interconnected problems which can only be solved together. These include high energy consumption, significant climate impact, excessive material use with low circularity, accelerating urban sprawl and ecosystem destruction, high mobility costs, low inclusion, and mixed wellbeing outcomes. Guided by values of wellbeing for all within planetary boundaries, we propose a normative scenario based on a nationwide moratorium on new construction until 2100, coupled with four simultaneous neighborhood-scale interventions: renovating buildings to achieve energy class A with high indoor environmental quality, creating flexible shared living spaces, ensuring essential daily services are available within each neighborhood, and deconstructing unneeded settlements. Action levers, coordinated efforts on multiple system leverage points, are here combined with rethinking needs satisfiers. Our model predicts that full renovation could be accomplished in 14–18 years, significantly reducing labor, energy, materials, and costs both during and after the transition. Furthermore, it could reverse urban sprawl to levels seen in 1935 or even 1885, depending on deconstruction choices. These findings suggest that demand-side policies could be implemented with low risk, enhancing wellbeing, energy resilience, biodiversity, and climate action, thus providing a strong foundation for societal dialog and experimentation.
What Makes Villains Evil Yet Fascinating?
Authors: Srivastava Apeksha , Coolidge Frederick L.
Published: July 2024

Have you ever wondered why most stories have someone cruel and mean, and why stories often seem incomplete without an evil force or villain? The story of Little Red Riding Hood has a big bad wolf, Three Little Pigs also has a big bad wolf, 101 Dalmatians has Cruella de Vil, and the Harry Potter series has Lord Voldemort (“He Who Must Not Be Named!”). We are frightened by them, and we hope that they are either defeated or changed for the good. This article provides insight into the personalities of such villains. Villains may actually reflect a hidden aspect of our own personalities, and their evil traits may even represent mental health conditions called personality disorders. These disorders are actually quite common in all human societies worldwide. We will provide behavioral examples of two personality disorders, antisocial and narcissistic, in Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series.
Oblicza polskiego militaryzmu
Authors: Bielawski Kornel
Published: July 2024

Contemporary militarism appears as a combination of historical, cultural and institutional factors that shape the political processes of the state. Militarism is most often combined with excessive political influence of officers, the proliferation of the apparatus of the armed forces and social attitudes drawn from military patterns. Relying on interdisciplinary findings to date, the author searches in the paper for manifestations of Polish militarism and argues that it adopts a discursive-ritual rather than an institutional model, despite unprecedented spending on armaments in 2023.
Emocjonalno-moralizatorskie sztafaże wojny. O utowarowieniu wojny w warunkach kapitalistycznej akumulacji
Authors: Pierzchalski Filip
Published: July 2024

The aim of this article is to explain the war against the background of the dissemination of the commodity economy in the conditions of global capitalism, where using capitalist expansion and political promotion of the idea of war – especially the idea of militarism – which results in gaining markets for the arms sector. A sector in which military technology is treated as an innovative and profitable commodity. The author will also discuss how capitalist countries use non-economic methods of operation to generate surplus value within their own economies. This means a political situation in which warfare – including the use of physical violence and armed combat during conflicts – is an area of search for profit, which is achieved under the aegis of emotional and moralizing staffage.
Nauka i edukacja akademicka jako towar. Dylemat kapitalistyczny współczesnych uniwersytetów
Authors: Młyńczyk Łukasz
Published: July 2024

Modern universities, both at the level of science and at the level of student education, make a conscious choice of directions. Thus, their scientific and educational activities are being commodified in accordance with the expectations of the free market. It becomes interesting to analyze the issue of academic freedom, when the activities of universities and scientists are controlled by the forces of the free market. The text presented here analyzes the phenomenon of commodification of science and academic education from a meta-scientific, legal and geographical perspective. The whole is complemented by final conclusions.
Praktyka utowarowienia a postać politycznie uwikłana i jej samochód Wartburg 312/1 – na podstawie Idy Pawła Pawlikowskiego oraz prospektów samochodowych z epoki
Authors: Adamski Maciej
Published: July 2024

Commodification is a practice that can be identified across various disciplines. It has permeated the spheres of common trade but is discernible in the products of culture such as film too. This paper includes an analysis of car scenes form the Oscarwinning Polish film Ida. Highlighting the importance of narrativisation of objects in visual culture, it primarily presents the semiotic background of commodification for the analysis. Wartburg 312/1 in Ida is a silent witness to the history and tragedy of the main character, Wanda. It should not be thus perceived as just unidentified prop from the film setting. Commodification is in Ida an underlying parameter as it shows the significance of the vehicle and a hypothetical purchasing decision seemingly made by the main character seen in a diachronic perspective on the basis of car brochures from the epoch.
Association between Cognitive Function and Physical Function, Frailty, and Quality of Life in Older Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Von Ah Diane , Rio Carielle Joy , Carter Allie , Perkins Susan M. , Stevens Erin , Rosko Ashley , Davenport Ashley , Kalady Mathew , Noonan Anne M. , Crouch Adele , Storey Susan , Overcash Janine , Han Claire J. , Yang Yesol , Li Haiying , Saligan Leorey N.
Published: July 2024

Background: Older cancer survivors in general are at greater risk for cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), yet few studies have explored its association with health outcomes. This study examined the association between subjective and objective measures of cognitive function and physical function, frailty, and quality of life (QoL) among older breast cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: Older breast cancer survivors who reported cognitive concerns completed surveys on patient-reported cognitive function, physical function, frailty, and QoL as well as objective tests of visuospatial working memory and sustained attention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and separate linear regression models. Results: A total of 219 female breast cancer survivors completed the study. Perceived cognitive abilities were associated with better physical function, frailty, and QoL (p ≤ 0.001) while cognitive concerns were negatively related with these metrics (p ≤ 0.001). Poorer visuospatial working memory and sustained attention were linked to increased frailty (p ≤ 0.001–0.01), whereas poorer sustained attention was associated with poorer physical function (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Older breast cancer survivors with perceived cognitive impairment and poorer cognitive performance reported poorer physical functioning, increased frailty, and poorer QoL. These findings underscore the importance of assessing cognitive concerns and their associated outcomes in older breast cancer survivors.
Impact of Treatment on Quality of Life in Oropharyngeal Cancer Survivors: A 3-Year Prospective Study
Authors: Nuñez-Vera Victoria , Garcia-Perla-Garcia Alberto , Gonzalez-Cardero Eduardo , Esteban Francisco , Infante-Cossio Pedro
Published: July 2024

(1) Background: This prospective study aimed to assess the impact on quality of life (QoL) from pretreatment to 3 years after treatment in oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) survivors. (2) Methods: QoL was measured with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 scales before treatment and in the first and third years. (3) Results: Of 72 patients, 51 completed all questionnaires over 3 years. A variable deterioration of QoL scores was detected before treatment. Most items worsened significantly after treatment and during the first year and improved in the third year. Advanced-stage cancer and definitive chemoradiotherapy treatment showed the worst scores. At 3 years, patients who underwent surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy/chemotherapy had significantly better scores on global QoL and emotional functioning compared to those treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy, who also reported problems with sticky salivation and dry mouth. Patients treated with an open surgical approach showed significantly greater deterioration in physical and role functioning compared to transoral surgery. (4) Conclusions: This long-term prospective study is the first in Spain to use EORCT scales in a homogeneous group of OPC survivors. QoL was generally good, although patients needed a long period of time to recover from both cancer and side effects of treatment. Advanced-stage cancer and definitive chemoradiotherapy showed the worst scores.
Performance of Robust Type-2 Fuzzy Sliding Mode Control Compared to Various Conventional Controls of Doubly-Fed Induction Generator for Wind Power Conversion Systems
Authors: Rouabhi Riyadh , Herizi Abdelghafour , Djerioui Ali
Published: July 2024

This paper presents a novel hybrid type-2 fuzzy sliding mode control approach for regulating active and reactive power exchanged with the utility grid by a doubly-fed induction generator in a wind energy conversion system. The main objective of this hybridization is to eliminate the steady-state chattering phenomenon inherent in sliding mode control while improving the transient delays caused by type-2 fuzzy controllers. In addition, the proposed control approach has proven to be successful in coping with varying generator parameters and exhibited good reference tracking. An in-depth comparative study with state-of-the-art advanced control techniques is also the focus of the present paper. The comparative study has three objectives, namely: a qualitative comparative study that aims to compare response times and reference tracking capabilities; a quantitative evaluation that takes into account time-integrated performance criteria; and finally, robustness capabilities. The simulation results, carried out in the Matlab/Simulink environment, have demonstrated the effectiveness and best performance of the proposed hybrid type-2 fuzzy sliding mode control with respect to other advanced techniques included in the comparison study.
Long-Duration Energy Storage—A Literature Review on the Link between Variable Renewable Energy Penetration and Market Creation
Authors: Selänniemi Andreij , Hellström Magnus , Björklund-Sänkiaho Margareta
Published: July 2024

The relationship between a region’s dependency on variable renewable energy (VRE) and the viability of long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies is recognised through various electricity grid modelling efforts in the contemporary literature. Numerous studies state a specific VRE penetration level in total electricity generation as an indicator of the emergence of an LDES market. However, there is considerable variability across studies when comparing VRE penetration levels in conjunction with LDES technology utilisation, and significant diversity exists in electricity grid modelling approaches. This review aims to highlight these inconsistencies by offering an overview of disparate findings and dissecting the influencing variables. Sixteen parameters are identified from reviewed studies, complemented by an additional five recognised through in-depth analysis. This comprehensive examination not only sheds light on critical aspects overlooked in previous reviews, requiring further investigation, but also provides novel insights into the complexity of this correlation, elevating the understanding of LDES market creation by unravelling the factors that influence the technology adoption across various contexts. Furthermore, it provides clarity in LDES research terminology by rectifying ambiguous language in the existing literature. Altogether, seven databases were explored to produce a trustworthy foundation for the study.
Representing Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage Network Investments within Power System Planning Models
Authors: Brown Maxwell , Irish Matthew , Steinberg Daniel , Moss Tamar , Cherney Daniel P. , Shultz Travis , Morgan David , Zoelle Alexander , Schmitt Thomas
Published: July 2024

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) is frequently identified as a potential component to achieving a decarbonized power system at least cost; however, power system models frequently lack detailed representation of CO2 transportation, injection, and storage (CTS) infrastructure. In this paper, we present a novel approach to explicitly represent CO2 storage potential and CTS infrastructure costs and constraints within a continental-scale power system capacity expansion model. In addition, we evaluate the sensitivity of the results to assumptions about the future costs and performance of CTS components and carbon capture technologies. We find that the quantity of CO2 captured within the power sector is relatively insensitive to the range of CTS costs explored, suggesting that the cost of CO2 capture retrofits is a more important driver of CCS implementation than the costs of transportation and storage. Finally, we demonstrate that storage and injection costs account for the predominant share of total costs associated with CTS investment and operation, suggesting that pipeline infrastructure costs have limited influence on the competitiveness of CCS.
Relationship between Screening, Diagnostic Mammograms, Hospital Admissions, and Mortality Rates from Breast Cancer
Authors: Stevanato Kely Paviani , Ribeiro Helena Fiats , Santos Lander dos , Pelloso Fernando Castilho , Borba Pedro Beraldo , Borghesan Deise Helena Pelloso , Carvalho Maria Dalva de Barros , Pedroso Raíssa Bocchi , Pujals Constanza , Pelloso Sandra Marisa
Published: July 2024

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide. If diagnosed and treated early, it has a high chance of cure, and for this, screening tests are necessary, namely mammograms, which are the most commonly used. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between the number of screening and diagnostic mammograms and the number of hospitalizations and deaths from breast cancer. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, analytical, retrospective study with secondary data made available by the Ministry of Health. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to assess whether the number of mammograms is associated with the number of deaths and hospitalizations, Poisson regression was used to assess whether an increase in the number of mammograms and hospitalizations is related to the number of deaths, and the Cox–Stuart test was used to analyze the temporal trend of the variables under study and the projection of time series. Results: There was a strong positive correlation for all age groups when relating the variables hospitalizations and deaths, a moderate-to-strong correlation for the variables mammography and hospitalization, and a weak correlation for the variables mammography and death. There was no statistical significance in the relationship between the number of mammograms and deaths, whereas the hospitalization variable had a significant impact in relation to death, increasing the chance by 0.015%. There has also been a significant growth trend in the variables deaths and hospitalizations in Brazil over the years. Conclusions: A growing trend was identified from 2013 to 2021, both in hospitalizations and deaths, thus suggesting that strategies aimed at reformulating public health policies are necessary for earlier diagnosis in order to improve the treatment of breast cancer and the prognosis of the disease.
From Wasteland to Bloom: Exploring the Organizational Profiles of Occupational Health and Well-Being Strategies and Their Effects on Employees’ Health and Well-Being
Authors: Beauchamp Legault Marie-Ève , Chênevert Denis
Published: July 2024

Based on the signaling and conservation of resources theories, this study aims to identify different strategic organizational profiles related to occupational health and well-being (OHWB). Additionally, this study explores how these various organizational profiles impact employees’ well-being, specifically in relation to absenteeism, emotional exhaustion, work overload, intention to quit, and job satisfaction. Data were collected from 59 organizations and 2828 employees. The first phase of this study presents the latent profile analysis carried out to identify OHWB organizational profiles. This analysis reveals four organizational profiles that are metaphorically named according to the growth stages of plants (i.e., wasteland, sprouting, budding, and blooming OHWB profiles). The second phase of this study investigates the associations between the latent profiles assigned to the organizations with absenteeism, intention to quit, emotional exhaustion, feelings of work overload, and job satisfaction among their employees using MANOVA. The results show that organizational profiles influence employees’ health and well-being. Employees working in organizations with a low OHWB profile, known as the “wasteland profile”, tend to report more days of absenteeism, higher levels of emotional exhaustion, greater work overload, and lower job satisfaction. Employees are also more likely to express a greater intention to quit their jobs than those working in organizations with a higher OHWB profile (a “blooming profile”). This study is useful for organizations and practitioners seeking to understand how investing in a health and well-being strategy can benefit their employees.