bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lived experience matters: transforming healthcare through kindness and collaboration
Authors: Wolf Jason
Published: August 2024

As I reflect on my leadership journey, I have learnt that when we actively seek and purposefully engage with the knowledge others bring, we express the highest levels of respect, we elevate engagement, we get smarter ourselves, and we achieve better results. I have learnt that collaboration is not just a nice concept; it is a fundamental value to all we can achieve and must commit to in healthcare. When we are willing to be vulnerable and open, to learn from others, and share our successes, not for praise, but in the interest of others achieving similar success, we are truly leading with purpose. I have learnt when we honour the human being in front of us in every moment, we build bridges, relationships, stronger capacity to communicate, better listening, we express compassion, and show dignity and respect. I have learnt that in honouring lived experience, fostering collaboration and ensuring kindness, we can create a transformational space, a community of action and purpose and that with a commitment to lived experience, collaboration and kindness, we can truly transform healthcare.
Alignment of contraception use with the ACR reproductive health guidelines in women with systemic lupus erythematosus within the RISE registry
Authors: Clowse Megan E B , Li Jing , Snyderman Amanda , Schmajuk Gabriela
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Contraception is crucial for safely timing pregnancies in patients with SLE. This study investigated predictors of contraception documentation in patients with SLE, and the alignment of contraception practices with the 2020 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines, within the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry.

Materials and methods

Female patients (aged 18–44 years) with SLE were identified via International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9/ICD-10 coding within the RISE registry, which includes data from rheumatology clinics across the USA. Eligible patients were required to have ≥1 clinical visit in 2019 (prepandemic) or between 1 April 2020 and 30 March 2021 (mid-pandemic). Adjusted multilevel logistic modelling assessed patient, provider and practice characteristics for associations with contraception documentation. Contraception patterns were identified and compared with the 2020 ACR guidelines.

Results

Contraception documentation rates were similar in the prepandemic and mid-pandemic groups (8.1% and 8.5%, respectively). Higher documentation rates were found in women who were younger, White, and had more visits, as well as those seen within a health system, by a female provider, and within specific regions and electronic health record (EHR) systems. Prescription of a teratogenic medication did not influence contraception documentation or type. Oestrogen-containing contraceptives were prescribed less often to women at high risk for thrombosis (26.2% with thrombotic risk vs 60.6% without, p<0.0001) and history of lupus nephritis (LN) (53.8% with history of LN vs 63.2% without, p=0.024).

Conclusions

Practices participating in the RISE registry do not currently record contraception in the large majority of women with SLE, although increased documentation in some EHRs suggests that system changes may improve rates of documentation. Women at higher risk for thrombosis were less likely to receive oestrogen, suggesting that warnings against oestrogen use has impacted contraception prescription, although the limited documentation and limited contraception among women taking teratogenic medications suggest a high unmet need.
Evaluation of a Firearm Safe Storage Device Distribution Program at a Break the Cycle of Violence Summit
Authors: Walter Creason , Zufer Insia , Milstone Lillian , Irvin Nathan , Sakran Joseph Victor , Hoops Katherine
Published: August 2024

This study assesses the feasibility and acceptability of a Firearm Safe Storage Device Distribution Program. The distribution took place at the Break the Cycle of Violence Summit hosted by the Johns Hopkins Medicine, the Break the Cycle Hospital Violence Intervention Program, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Gun Violence Solutions. The findings will guide future efforts to distribute safe storage devices in clinical settings. Attendees of the Break the Cycle of Violence Summit could choose from three types of safe storage devices to provide to their patients within their practice. Those attendees who participated were asked to participate in an electronic survey to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the safe firearm storage device distribution at the Summit. 24 participants received safe storage devices at the Break the Cycle of Violence Summit. Of the 24 participants, 15 participated in our evaluation. 86% of participants distributed most of the devices by the time of the survey and 57% of participants stated that by having safe storage devices to distribute, they were more likely to provide safe gun storage counseling. All participants would like to see continued safe gun storage distribution programs in their community. The provision of free safe storage devices allowed for open conversations about firearms and safe storage with patients and clients. This study can be used as a model to guide future efforts in safe storage device distribution in a hospital or clinic-based setting and showed feasibility, effectiveness, and efficacy.
Rotating black holes in a viable Lorentz-violating gravity: finding exact solutions without tears
Authors: Devecioğlu Deniz O. , Park Mu-In
Published: August 2024

We introduce a two-step procedure for finding Kerr-type rotating black hole solutions without tears. Considering the low-energy sector of Hořava gravity as a viable Lorentz-violating gravity in four dimensions which admits a different speed of gravity, we find the exact rotating black hole solutions (with or without cosmological constant). We find that the singular region extends to $$r<0$$

r
<
0

region from the ring singularity at $$r=0$$

r
=
0

in Boyer–Lindquist coordinates. There are two Killing horizons where $$g^{rr}=0$$

g

rr

=
0

and the black hole thermodynamics laws are still valid. We find the rotating black hole solutions with electromagnetic charges only when we consider the noble electromagnetic couplings, in such a way that the speed of light is the same as the speed of gravity. With the noble choice of couplings, our Lorentz-violating gravity can be consistent with the recently-observed time delay of the coincident GW and GRB signals. Furthermore, in Appendices, we show that (a) the uniqueness of the invariant line element $$ds^2$$

d

s
2

under the foliation-preserving diffeomorphism $${ Diff}_\mathcal{F}$$

Diff

F

, contrary to Lorentz-violating action, (b) the solutions are the Petrov type I with four distinct principal null vectors, and (c) the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the geodesic particles are not separable.
ProgramGalois: A Programmable Generator of Radix-4 Discrete Galois Transformation Architecture for Lattice-Based Cryptography
Authors: Li Guangyan , Ye Zewen , Chen Donglong , Dai Wangchen , Mao Gaoyu , Huang Kejie , Cheung Ray C. C.
Published: August 2024

Lattice-based cryptography (LBC) has been established as a prominent research field, with particular attention on post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and fully homomorphic encryption (FHE). As the implementing bottleneck of PQC and FHE, number theoretic transform (NTT) has been extensively studied. However, current works struggled with scalability, hindering their adaptation to various parameters, such as bit width and polynomial length. In this article, we proposed a novel Discrete Galois Transformation (DGT) algorithm utilizing the radix-4 variant to achieve a higher level of parallelism to the existing NTT. Furthermore, to implement the efficient radix-4 DGT adapting more LBCs, we proposed a set of scalable building blocks, including a modified Barrett modular multiplier accepting arbitrary modulus with only one integer multiplier, a radix-4 DGT butterfly unit, and a stream permutation network. The proposed modules are implemented on the Xilinx Virtex-7 and U250 FPGA to evaluate resource utilization and performance. Lastly, a design space exploration framework is proposed to generate optimized radix-4 DGT hardware constrained by polynomial and platform parameters. The sensitivity analysis showcases the generated hardware’s performance and scalability. The implementation results on the Xilinx Virtex-7 and U250 FPGA show significant performance improvements over the state-of-the-art works, which reached at least 35%, 192%, and 68% area-time product improvements in terms of LUTs, BRAMs, and DSPs, respectively.
Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of a Novel Hybrid Composite Composed of Rattan and Date Palm Fiber: An Experimental Study
Authors: Kharshiduzzaman Md. , Haque Mohammad Rejaul , Bhuiyan Md Shahnewaz , Alam Sabrul , Mashuk Md. , Ahmed S.K. Nayeem , Afgani Shahidul Haque , Gafur M. A.
Published: August 2024

Numerous studies have examined rattan and date palm fibers separately, but none have combined both fibers in a single composite. This research focuses on creating novel hybrid composites using untreated and treated rattan and date palm fibers. Fibers were treated with 3%, 4%, and 5% NaOH solutions. Fiber diameters were measured microscopically. The NaOH treatment enhanced the tensile strength of the fibers. Untreated rattan, midrib, and spadix stem fibers exhibited tensile strengths of 18, 57, and 37 MPa, respectively. Polyester was used as the matrix, combined with fibers in weight fractions of 70 : 30, 75 : 25, and 80 : 20. All composites were made for 1 : 1 rattan–midrib and 1 : 1 rattan–spadix stem fibers. Composites containing 20% treated rattan–midrib fibers displayed the highest tensile and flexural strengths, measuring 13 and 39 MPa, respectively. Meanwhile, rattan–spadix stem composites achieved the highest tensile strength of 14 MPa at 30% treated fiber loading, and the highest flexural strength of 28.91 MPa at 20% fiber wt.%. Additionally, SEM images of the tensile fracture surfaces revealed voids, cracks, and impurities. The goal was to develop a new composite that provides a low cost, structurally sound, and environmentally friendly strong material suited for industrial, construction, and aviation applications.
Complex Question Answering Method on Risk Management Knowledge Graph: Multi‐Intent Information Retrieval Based on Knowledge Subgraphs
Authors: Guo Yanjun , Ai Xinbo , Liu Guangsheng
Published: August 2024

The critical aspects of risk management include hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk control. Timely risk management is critical to company decision‐making, but the process of acquiring risk management knowledge is often time‐consuming and labor‐intensive. Knowledge graph question answering (KGQA) provides an effective solution by delivering knowledge through accurate reasoning. However, existing KGQA methods do not cover the critical risk management aspects and are difficult to retrieve quickly and accurately from large knowledge graphs. This study describes a complex question answering method for intelligently generating risk management knowledge, specifically through multi‐intent information retrieval based on knowledge subgraphs. The proposed method comprises three main modules. First, in the question understanding module, we propose an intent recognition method that integrates topic entity extraction with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to identify eleven different user intents. To enhance the retrieval efficiency, we propose a hierarchical knowledge‐embedding subgraph constructed based on company and hazard descriptions. Once user intent is identified, the information retrieval module based on a novel approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) algorithm achieves deep semantic feature matching of company and hazard expressions from the knowledge embedding subgraph. After obtaining these two deep semantic features, in the answer generation module, we propose a rule‐based knowledge subgraph reasoning method to answer complex questions including single‐hop, multihop, constraints, and numerical calculations. On the real risk management dataset, the precision of the intent recognition module reaches 91.3% and the information retrieval module spends only 0.36 ms, verifying that the model outperforms the existing state‐of‐the‐art models. Meanwhile, a question answering system based on the proposed method is developed to acquire risk management knowledge: Xiao An. Compared to the popular search engine and expert system for acquiring knowledge, Xiao An achieves the best results regarding ease of use, time spent, and overall performance.
Multihead Text Mining from COVID‐19 Feedback Using Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Hybrid Deep Learning Approaches
Authors: Kobra Khadijatul , Sammi Samrina Sarkar , Rahman Naimur , Khushbu Sharun Akter , Islam Mirajul
Published: August 2024

This study examines the impact of the COVID‐19 epidemic on students in Bangladesh through text classification using various machine learning (ML) algorithms and deep learning (DL) models. The pandemic led to emergency crisis protocols in the country, including self‐quarantine and the closure of educational and governmental institutions, resulting in significant negative impacts on individuals’ physical and mental health, including anxiety, sadness, and terror. To better understand the psychological effects of the epidemic, the authors collected survey data from 400 students in various divisions of Bangladesh using self‐administered questionnaires through Google Forms. Preprocessing techniques such as tokenization, filtering, and n‐gram modeling were used in the analysis. The study deployed eight different ML algorithms and DL models, including LSTM, BiLSTM, and CNN, to classify the effects on students’ academic, mental, and social lives. The results show that the ML classifier algorithms were highly effective, achieving accuracies of 95.00%, 93.75%, and 95.00% for academic, mental, and social life impact, respectively. Furthermore, hybrid DL models, such as CNN‐LSTM and CNN‐BiLSTM, produced good scores in predicting the impacts on students’ lives. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the impacts of the COVID‐19 epidemic on students’ academic, mental, and social well‐being in Bangladesh.
The Effect of Stress Ball on Anxiety and Pain Levels in Angiography: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yüksel Dilan , Güneş Dilek
Published: August 2024

Background: Coronary angiography, an invasive diagnostic procedure, often induces pain and anxiety in patients. Despite the potential for alleviating discomfort, the use of stress balls as a nonpharmacological intervention during angiography remains underexplored.

Objective: This study is aimed at investigating the impact of stress ball application on pain and anxiety levels in patients undergoing angiography.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on adult patients undergoing angiography at a Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic in Eastern Turkey between January 2023 and June 2023. A total of 120 patients were randomly assigned to receive stress ball application in addition to routine care. Data collection utilized the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Patient Information Form, and State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results: Analysis revealed a significantly lower increase in mean NRS posttest scores among patients in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the mean STAI posttest score demonstrated a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the experimental group. A positive and significant correlation was observed between the mean NRS and STAI posttest scores among study group patients (p < 0.05), indicating a reduction in anxiety levels with decreasing pain.

Conclusion: The application of stress balls during angiography was associated with decreased anxiety and pain levels in patients. Stress ball intervention may serve as a beneficial adjunct to pharmacological treatments. This study underscores the potential of nonpharmacological interventions in enhancing patient comfort during invasive procedures.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06131606 (http://clinicaltrials.gov).
Modulation Instability, Analytical, and Numerical Studies for Integrable Time Fractional Nonlinear Model through Two Explicit Methods
Authors: Mamunur Roshid Md. , Rahman Mosfiqur , Uddin Mahtab , Or Roshid Harun
Published: August 2024

The present work deals with the investigation of the time‐fractional Klein–Gordon (K‐G) model, which has great importance in theoretical physics with applications in various fields, including quantum mechanics and field theory. The main motivation of this work is to analyze modulation instability and soliton solution of the time‐fractional K‐G model. Comparative studies are investigated by β‐fraction derivative and M‐fractional derivative. For this purpose, we used unified and advanced exp(−ϕ(ξ))‐expansion approaches that are highly important tools to solve the fractional model and are used to create nonlinear wave pattern (both solitary and periodic wave) solutions for the time‐fractional K‐G model. For the special values of constraints, the periodic waves, lumps with cross‐periodic waves, periodic rogue waves, singular soliton, bright bell shape, dark bell shape, kink and antikink shape, and periodic wave behaviors are some of the outcomes attained from the obtained analytic solutions. The acquired results will be useful in comprehending the time‐fractional K‐G model’s dynamical framework concerning associated physical events. By giving specific values to the fractional parameters, graphs are created to compare the fractional effects for the β‐fraction derivative and M‐fractional derivative. Additionally, the modulation instability spectrum is expressed utilizing a linear analysis technique, and the modulation instability bands are shown to be influenced by the third‐order dispersion. The findings indicate that the modulation instability disappears for negative values of the fourth order in a typical dispersion regime. Consequently, it was shown that the techniques mentioned previously could be an effective tool to generate unique, precise soliton solutions for numerous uses, which are crucial to theoretical physics. This work provided the effect of the recently updated two fraction forms, and in the future, we will integrate the space–time M‐fractional form of the governing model by using the extended form of the Kudryashov method. Maple 18 is utilized as the simulation tool.
Effects of Nutrition Intensification on the Secondary Ovary Development and Oviposition of Redclaw Crayfish
Authors: Shun Cheng , Mei-li Chi , Jian-bo Zheng , Wen-ping Jiang , Shi-li Liu , Xiao-ying Hang , Miao Peng , Fei Li , Dan-li Wang
Published: August 2024

To further explore the impact of nutrient fortification on the ovarian secondary development of redclaw crayfish, four groups were set up: group ①, no feeding; group ②, formulated feeding; groups ③ and ④, formulated feed + nutrient bait. Results showed (1) the proportions of egg‐bearing shrimp in groups ③ and ④. 2) The weight growth rate of group ① was the lowest, the maturation coefficient of unripe shrimp in group ④ was the highest, and the egg‐holding rates in groups ③ and ④ were significantly higher than those of group ①. The hatching and survival rates of yellow eggs in group ④ were significantly higher than those in group ②. The hatching and survival rates of red eggs in groups ③ and ④ were significantly higher than those in group ①. (3) The weight gain rate of juveniles in group ④ was significantly higher than those of group ①. (4) Genes and proteins related to ovarian development were screened. In summary, group ④ had a higher proportion of egg‐holding shrimp, faster ovarian development, and a higher maturity coefficient. The hatching and survival rates of eggs, and the survival and weight gain rates of the offspring were also high.
Digital Transformation Led by Nurses and Nursing Managers’ Priorities: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Navarro Martínez O. , Leyva-Moral J. M.
Published: August 2024

Nurse‐led digital transformation promotes nurses’ participation and leadership in digital health. It also aims to improve the quality of care and patient satisfaction. The objective is to describe the priorities of nursing managers in the field of digital health and their beliefs related to the digital transformation led by nurses. The methodology used is a qualitative‐descriptive study. The data were collected by means of the implementation of playful‐reflective workshops. Open and/or closed questions were used, to which participants responded using their mobile phones, by capturing QR codes. A group of 32 nursing managers from the Spanish private hospital sector were invited to participate by means of purposive sampling. Data were analysed using the Braun and Clarke thematic analysis performed by two researchers independently. Of the 32 participants, 25 were women. The average age was 38 years. The main utility of the use of technology in health environments that they noted was innovation, followed by communication. Another utility mentioned repeatedly was that of visibility, considering digital media as a way to show the population the role of a nurse. They also noted time savings and error reduction. Moreover, as barriers to the implementation of technology, participants pointed out the lack of skills or equipment, institutional support, and the care burden. This study shows that nursing managers are aware of the need and benefits that nurse‐led digital transformation can bring about. These findings can pave the way for promoting a nurse‐led digital leadership culture.
Activation of Cell-Intrinsic Signaling in CAR-T Cells via a Chimeric IL7R Domain
Authors: Vorri Stamatia C. , Holl Natalie J. , Leeming Michael , Apostolova Petya , Marple Andrew , Ravich Jonas W. , Canbaz Ata , Rahnama Ruyan , Choe Jun , Modi Arjun , Fearnow Adam D. , Walsh Scott T.R. , Pearce Erika L. , Varadhan Ravi , Bonifant Challice L.
Published: August 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells can effectively treat leukemias, but sustained antitumor responses can be hindered by a lack of CAR T-cell persistence. Cytotoxic effector T cells are short-lived, and establishment of CAR-T cells with memory to ensure immune surveillance is important. Memory T cells depend on cytokine support, with IL7 activation of the IL7 receptor (IL7R) being critical. However, IL7R surface expression is negatively regulated by exposure to IL7. We aimed to support CAR T-cell persistence by equipping CAR-T cells with a sustained IL7Rα signal. We engineered T cells to constitutively secrete IL7 or to express an anti–acute myeloid leukemia–targeted IL7Rα–chimeric cytokine receptor (CCR) and characterized the phenotype of these cell types. Canonical downstream signaling was activated in CCR-T cells with IL7R activation. When coexpressed with a cytotoxic CAR, functionality of both the CCR and CAR was maintained. We designed hybrid CAR–CCR and noted membrane proximity of the intracellular domains as vital for signaling. These data show cell-intrinsic cytokine support with canonical signaling, and functionality can be provided via expression of an IL7Rα domain whether independently expressed or incorporated into a cytotoxic CAR for use in anticancer therapy.

Significance:

To improve the phenotype of tumor-directed T-cell therapy, we show that provision of cell-intrinsic IL7R-mediated signaling is preferable to activation of cells with exogenous IL7. We engineer this signaling via independent receptor engineering and incorporation into a CAR and validate maintained antigen-specific cytotoxic activity.
The Danggit Processing Livelihood Project in Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon, A Fish CORAL Project in Gulf Albay
Authors: De Leon Ramon T.
Published: August 2024

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) rolled-out the Dangit Processing Livelihood FishCORALProject for the fishers’ organization in Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon in mid 2019 funded by UN-IFAD.  Designed to help reduce poverty through increased household income, women participation and project sustainability. This study looked into the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of implementation and readiness in attaining project objectives. The study is mixed descriptive method and used semi-structured questionnaire, key informants interview, FGD and secondary data analysis. The project was found relevant but poor in coordination and involvement of other stakeholders. Effective but failed to contribute to poverty reduction due to late implementation, no comprehensive project plans and technical support.  Inefficient as it failed to translate resources it to incomes and sustained operations. The community organizationsare not ready and capable (lack technical and business management skills). The local resources (danggit, people and community organization) guarantee sustainability if managed appropriately. Women empowerment is hardly achieved. Recommendations;1) Develop project sustainability plan (technical and business facets of theproject), capacitate the organization along leadership and business management. 2) Bio-ecological data be produced on danggit stock to fine tune harvesting and regenerative capacity to ensure sustainability of supply. 3) Technical support provision coming from BFAR, LGU, academe, DTI, DOST, NLRC, NGOs in the form of product development, value adding, branding & packaging, business management, access to funds, assigning a full-time community facilitator as priority. Responsibilities and commitments of BFAR, LGU and the beneficiary be concretized through a memorandum of cooperation.
Family Income in Relation to Budgeting of Accounting Students in A University
Authors: Jumawan-Powao April R. , Tubat Krizia T. , Cellero Rio Cyrel L , Alibangbang Arthur Dave C. , Capilitan Ma. Khym T.
Published: August 2024

The current economic conditions and financial issues are becoming increasingly important as students face more complex challenges in managing their money. Nowadays, students need to be more aware of these challenges, which may pose a threat to their future success. Thus, the conduct of this study would be beneficial in order to bring light to the restraining results found from other literature and contribute to the body of knowledge aligned with this study. This study aims to understand the correlation between the family income and its effects towards the student budgeting, and whether sex, as a moderating variable, is related to the independent and dependent variables. The study employed descriptive-correlation design and random sampling method, particularly Slovin’s formula, to identify the total sample from the population of accounting students in the University. The statistical treatments used were descriptive statistics and inferential statistics to test the relationships of the variables particularly the relationship of family income towards budgeting and allowance and the relationship of allowance towards budgeting. Meanwhile, Mann Whitney U-test was used to test the differences of the participants when grouped in terms of sex. The results of the study depict that there is no significant difference in the budgeting of participants when they are grouped in terms of sex and there is an indirect relationship between family income and budgeting. Based on the results, researchers may recommend conducting a community extension initiative aimed at developing financial literacy among students.
Enhancing Entrepreneurship Awareness among Grade 10 Junior High School Students: Pathways to Livelihood Opportunities
Authors: Maroma Adrian P.
Published: August 2024

This study assessed the level of awareness of livelihood and entrepreneurship opportunities among grade 10 junior high school students of Bulacan Province, with a view to knowing the possible entry points for educational interventions. The objectives of the research are: to find the extent to which students know available entrepreneurship opportunities and perceive the extent of entrepreneurship education in schools and the role that entrepreneurship plays in the economy. This will be a mixed-method study using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. It shall be participated by the Grade 10 students of two public secondary schools in Malolos, Bulacan, for the 2021-2022 academic year. Data were gathered through questionnaires adapted from the various measures, as shall be specified. The results of the study showed that the student-respondents manifested a moderate level of awareness insofar as entrepreneurship is concerned. However, some industries seemed underrepresented in the awareness that the students have about entrepreneurship. Based on the findings, promotional strategies in the form of informative posters and videos were formulated and evaluated by experts. An action plan was suggested to increase livelihood and entrepreneurship awareness, recommending activities for provoking the students' interest.
Influence of the Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination on Accounting Students’ Attitudes
Authors: Aniceto Maybel Joy A. , Ollier Kristian Cesar C. , Palicdon Cherry Rose P. , Gamozo Kristine Joy A.
Published: August 2024

This research explores the influence of the Certified Public Accountant Licensure Examination (CPALE) on the attitudes and readiness of accountancy students, aiming to improve program outcomes and board examination results. The study surveyed predominantly female respondents aged 19-29, with a monthly family income below 9,520 and a general weighted average ranging from 2.34 to 1.66. Key findings indicate that CPALE significantly affects students' interest and commitment to the program, particularly in enhancing time management skills and study dedication. While demographic factors such as age, gender, family income, and academic performance showed minor program perceptions and preparedness variations, no statistically significant impact was observed. Moreover, a positive correlation was identified between program choice, preparation, and academic practices like group study and practice testing. These findings will help to develop evidence-based techniques and interventions to help students prepare for CPALE, improve their study habits, and increase their overall success rates. Recommendations include involving first and second-year students in future studies, organizing initiatives to boost male enrollment, and promoting comprehensive training and mock exams. Workshops focusing on study habits, time management, and personality development are proposed to enhance student readiness. These findings emphasize the importance of inclusive educational strategies to support all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, and suggest a need for tailored approaches in program design to optimize student preparation and success in the accountancy field.
Unveiling The Teaching of Reading Skills at the Senior High Level: Perspectives from General Santos City Schools
Authors: Rebucias Andreve John L. , Mangaron Rossel A.
Published: August 2024

Several data from national and international tests have revealed the continued and unfortunate decline in reading proficiency among young Filipinos. Although many studies have already investigated this matter, few have dared to explore how higher levels of basic education are addressing the issue and preparing young Filipinos to be proficient readers for college. Hence, this qualitative research explored the teaching of reading skills at the senior high level and developed a survey questionnaire based on the themes that emerged from the interview data. Participants in the study included 14 teachers from three prominent schools in General Santos City. With a phenomenological approach, the researcher conducted key informant interviews using a developed and validated semi-structured interview schedule. The qualitative findings revealed three main dominant themes namely; the encountered challenges of the teachers, their practice of certain approaches and strategies in teaching reading skills, and their implementation of several intervention and remediation programs. The Dominant themes, emergent themes, subthemes, and codes, were then used as the basis for developing a survey questionnaire that had undergone reliability and validity testing. With the results, the research recommends revisiting the senior high curriculum and including intervention or remediation programs to aid struggling senior high readers and strengthen the reading skills of senior high students in general. Furthermore, the researcher encourages using the developed survey questionnaire to investigate the phenomenon further in a more generalizable population.
Mental Health Program Implementation of Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) in Zambales: Basis for Action Plan Development
Authors: Ebro Eric DS. , Mantillas Christopher C.
Published: August 2024

The local universities and colleges (LUCs) in the Philippines crafted local policies and developed programs on mental health to prioritize the well-being of workers in accordance with the provisions of RA 11036, otherwise known as the Mental Health Act, and CSC MC 4 s. 2020, otherwise known as the Mental Health Program in the Public Sector.  The study aimed to describe the extent of implementation of mental health programs (MHPs) in LUCs and explore the program implementation experiences. Using a mixed-method research design, the data were gathered through surveys among 49 school managers selected through proportional stratified random sampling from three LUCs in the province of Zambales. Results from the rating scale items indicate that the mental health programs are implemented in terms of Management, Technical Package, Partnerships, and Communication components. Moreover, the experiences of the management highlighted the themes of beneficial opportunities, management of feelings and behaviors, and engagement in appropriate programs and activities, as well as lack of budget and limited relevant programs and activities. The Action Plan serves as the study's output, addressing the areas needing improvement through doable interventions.
Response of Spring Onion (Allium fistulosum L) on the Application of Bio-Stimulant Solution
Authors: Oñal, Jr. Paulino A , Arcillas Kimberly F. , Elumba Jula T. , Andrade Francis E. , Cortez Manuel D. , Baldonebro Jessel Jane G.
Published: August 2024

Spring Onion (Allium fistulosum), is a perennial plant and a native of Eastern Asia. It is rich in vitamins A and K, iron, calcium, and dietary fiber, which contribute to various health benefits, blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve blood regulation. The study aims to evaluate the response of spring onion to the different levels of concentration of bio-stimulant. Around 160 spring onion plants were utilized as planting materials. Before planting, extra leaves were cut to around 3 inches and roots were trimmed off too. The study was conducted at the School of Agriculture, University of Negros Occidental–Recoletos, Philippines using a Complete Randomized Design (CRD). All data gathered were statistically computed, and subjected to ANOVA using STAR 2.0.1.  The experiment has four treatments: 0%, 20%, 30%, and 40% BSS, respectively, and was replicated four times. Results indicate that the application of 30% BSS significantly enhances the height to 32.02cm higher by 2.09cm for those with 0% BSS at 29.93 cm only, On the number of slips, 30% BSS has a greater number of slips of 3.42 against those with 0% BSS at 2.17 slips only. Biomass accumulation is highly significant with 3,375.00kg/ha for 30% BSS higher by 1,562.50kg/ha for 0% BSS. The total yield for 30% BSS is 3,000.00kg/ha significantly higher by 1,562.50kg/ha for 0% BSS with 1,437.50kg/ha only. Based on these findings, the application of a 30% BSS is recommended to optimize some of the agronomic attributes and yield of spring onions.
Work Engagement as A Function of Pyschological Empowerment, Self- Efficacy and Job Satisfaction among Financial Managers: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Authors: Flores Joe Mari N. , Maquiling Rebecca R.
Published: August 2024

This quantitative study aimed to identify the optimal model of work engagement, focusing on psychological empowerment, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction among 400 financial managers in Davao Region, Philippines, and Daugavpils, Latvia. Employing a descriptive correlational design, data were gathered via purposive sampling and analyzed using mean analysis, t-tests, correlation analysis, regression, and structural equation modelling.
Results highlighted significant levels of psychological empowerment, self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and work engagement, with psychological empowerment showing geographic variation. The study revealed strong correlations among these variables, underscoring their impact on work engagement outcomes. Amongst the five models tested, Model 5 emerged as the best fit, incorporating indicators such as psychological empowerment (meaning, competence, impact), self-efficacy (general and social), job satisfaction (remuneration, work achievement), and work engagement (physical, emotional). This model is recommended for understanding and promoting work engagement among financial managers, providing valuable insights for organizational practices to enhance employee motivation and performance.
Education4Conservation, an evolving international program and 14-year curriculum of environmental education
Authors: Lhota Stanislav , Bukit Windi L. , Razafindravony Lovasoa E. , Randrianarivelo Hajanirina
Published: August 2024

Education4Conservation evolved from an environmental education program in Balikpapan Bay, Indonesian Borneo, after its critical evaluation. The initial goal of the program was to support the development of future conservation leaders who would join the ongoing efforts to conserve proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) and their coastal forest habitat in Balikpapan Bay. We realized that to achieve this goal, we would need to work with students from the age of 4 years and continue to educate them for many years. We also realized that we needed to focus more on mentoring teachers and incorporating their feedback into the curriculum. The new program, which is in line with the new Indonesian national curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka), has proved attractive to teachers and has spread from Kalimantan to other Indonesian islands and countries outside Asia. The curriculum continues to improve through regular monthly revisions that incorporate feedback from teachers, while teachers’ pedagogical skills have improved through guidance provided by responses to each of their reports. We have been following and supervising participants since the Education4Conservation program began in 2022. Although a preliminary evaluation seems to indicate substantial improvements over the earlier program (in terms of high participation, positive teacher response, improved reporting skills, and increased clarity and applicability of the curriculum), it remains to be seen whether the program ultimately achieves its primary goal to help raise some of the students into conservation leaders.
Scribal Hands, Errors, and Intervention – Manuscript Production Approaches of the Cao Mie zhi zhen 曹蔑之陣 Manuscripts
Authors: Zheng Oscar Qiu Jun
Published: August 2024

This paper studies two Cao Mie zhi zhen manuscripts in the Shanghai Museum and Anhui University Warring States bamboo strip collections, examining their modes of production, scribal hands, errors, and punctuation. I show that both manuscripts’ production was based on written models and involved multiple scribes, one of whom was responsible for writing the main text, whereas others made corrections and inscribed personal remarks on the manuscripts.
A First Reading of the Hujia Caochang Han-Slip “Statutes on Water Control”
Authors: Lu Jialiang
Published: August 2024

In the “Statutes on Water Control” seen in Selected Western Han Bamboo Slips from Jingzhou Hujia Caochang: the phrase er jue kui 而決潰 should be read together with the preceding phrase, and not juxtaposed with the phrase liu yi ruo sha ren 流邑若 殺人; the phrase ruo huairen tian she 若壞人田舍 is closely related with the preceding liu he san qing yi shang 流稼三頃以上 and should be differentiated from the following liu dao, qiao, ti, ta gong 流道、撟（橋）、隄、它功; dushui 都水 and li, jiang 吏、匠 could be separated by a list-separator mark 頓號. Judging from the situation reflected in the “Statutes on Water Control,” the details, principles, and ideas of its legal stipulations to an extent find their origins in the Qin statutes and ordinances.
Impact of Extreme Rainfall on High-Speed Rail (HSR) Delays in Major Lines of China
Authors: Zhou Lei
Published: August 2024

Punctuality monitoring and analysis aim to optimize resource allocation for enhancing rail traffic performance and quality. Adverse weather conditions, particularly heavy precipitation events, are recognized as significant drivers of delays and reduced punctuality of the rail system. This study addresses two key research questions using high-speed rail (HSR) as an example—what is the impact of rainfall on HSR’s delay and to what extent are HSR vulnerable to rainstorms. The data for the study were collected from the HSR on the major lines of eastern China in the rainy season of 2015–17 which lasted from May to October. High-resolution precipitation data are integrated with nonspatial HSR operational data using GIS to create composite grids covering buffer zones around HSR lines. These grids match the spatial scale of historical hourly precipitation data and enable regression analyses to assess how precipitation affects HSR operations. The results indicate that extreme rainfall significantly contributes to delays and reduced punctuality, with varying impacts observed across different HSR lines. Specifically, daily areal precipitation significantly delays services on the Hangzhou–Shenzhen and Nanjing–Hangzhou HSR lines. Rainfall intensity has a more pronounced impact on delay services of the Beijing–Shanghai HSR, while extreme precipitation most frequently affects the Shanghai–Nanjing and Jinhua–Wenzhou HSR lines. The case analysis enhances understanding of HSR vulnerability to heavy rainfall conditions and recommends regional adaptation strategies to manage climate-related uncertainties.
The semiosis and the market: Peirce’s semiotics for economic sociology
Authors: De Munck Jean , Duterme Tom
Published: August 2024

The importance of signs in the functioning of the contemporary economy has tended to be doubly underestimated by sociologists, by being restricted to the sphere of consumption on one hand, and to instituted signs on the other. Peirce’s concepts, and in particular that which refers to the contextualized evolution of a sign ( semiosis), can remedy this situation by enriching the sociology of markets. Coordination between buyers and sellers is based on a process of transmission and reception of different types of signs: some are stabilized and the interpretation ‘flows naturally’ – these are the conventions well identified by economic sociologists – while others are more ambiguous and leave a great deal of room for indeterminacy. In the latter case, the concept of semiosis makes it possible to finely identify the techniques used by actors to buy or sell in situations of uncertainty. After presenting Peirce’s conceptual architecture, this article illustrates the interest of such an import from a case study centered on the role of stock market indices in the functioning of contemporary financial markets.
Walking the Talk: Engendering a “Community of Teachers” in an Educator Preparation Program in the Southern United States
Authors: Hartlep Nicholas D. , Saderholm Jon C. , Viera Julian , Robillard Maggie , Greer-Effs Keesha , Rosenbarker Lisa , Robinson Shaniqua , Holland Cinda , Brock Herbie , Robinson Collis R. , Cox Angela J. , Chapman Heather , Woodward Joshua , Guevara Noé R. , Whitt Jennifer , Allen Julia
Published: August 2024

In this article, the Education Studies Department (ESD) at Berea College shares lessons learned while becoming an inclusive, justice-focused, and democratic Education Preparation Program (EPP) together with its “Community of Teachers” (CoT). ESD values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI+B) and democratic relationships. These values influence how we do our work. We begin by sharing how the theoretical framework of Community of Practice (CoP) frames our case study. After explaining how a CoP applies to ESD’s approach to educator preparation, we give an overview of Berea College. We share some of its history and its eight Great Commitments. We detail how ESD is a unique EPP compared with other more traditional EPPs. Next, we chronicle the story of how ESD “walks its talk” and invests in the teacher profession. We detail the participants of the case study, outline our methodology of the case study, and share the data we analyzed for this article. Data were analyzed and three emergent themes were discovered about the praxis of ESD: (a) community-engaged and justice-focused teacher preparation, (b) community building within teacher preparation programs, and (c) diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The article concludes by sharing implications for EPPs and a conclusion.
Sex Differences in the Associations of mental Health, Suicidality, Screentime, and Sleep: A Mediation Effect Analysis of Sleep Using Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey 2021
Authors: Feng Shuo , Liu Renming , Tomar Aditi , Ma Ping
Published: August 2024

Objective: This study was conducted to explore the sex differences in the direct and indirect associations among mental health/suicidality, sleep, and screen time. Methods: Using the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data, 9408 participants were included in the analyses. The associations of endogenous variables (mental health and suicidality), exogenous variable (screen time), mediator (sleep), and covariates (demographic features and risky behaviors) were analyzed using the Structural Equation Model and “medsem” package, as well as logistic regression and bootstrapping methods. To explore the sex differences in the mediation effect, the Likelihood Ratio Test was used for the multiple-group analysis to compare the unconstrained model with the mediation path-constrained model. Results: Screen time had a significant negative association with sleep duration (female: β = −.09, p < .001; male: β = −.04, p < .001), positive relations to mental health problems (female: β = .10, p < .001; male: β = .12; p < .001), and suicidality (female: OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13; male: OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23). Sleep duration is negatively associated with mental health problems (female: β = −.16, p < .001; male: β = −.14; p < .001) and negatively associated with the likelihood of suicidality (female: .89, 95% CI: .85–.94; male: OR: .84, 95% CI: .79–.90). Furthermore, female adolescents had higher frequencies in mental health problems, higher odds ratio in suicidality, shorter sleep duration, and bigger mediation effects of sleep, compared to their male counterparts. Conclusion: Mental health and suicidality were affected differently by screen time and sleep between female and male adolescents. Future research may continue to explore sex differences and their underlying reasons.
Distributed secondary control for DC microgrid under the adaptive event-triggered protocol
Authors: Chen Dianjun , Wang Xueshen , Sun Ran , Zhang Ruizhi , Zhu Shaoshu , Chen Jingyuan , Ban Mingfei
Published: August 2024

This paper considers the distributed secondary control for direct current (DC) microgrid to regulate the DC bus voltage containing local loads. An adaptive event-triggered protocol is employed to update the control input to save transmission energy and ensure the control performance. Depending on the switch of the converter, a switching dynamical equation is proposed to describe a microgrid with a DC–DC boost converter. Moreover, the Lyapunov technique is developed to assure the stability of the system, which effectively handles real-time precision of input and model uncertainties. Combining this method with proportionate load sharing enables global average voltage management and the system performance preservation in DC microgrids for a variety of disturbances. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation.