bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathological effects of Thaparocleidus vistulensis (Siwak, 1932) infection on the gills of Silurus glanis Linnaeus, 1758
Authors: Wan Sajiri Wan Muhammad Hazim , Székely Csaba , Molnár Kálmán , Buchmann Kurt , Sellyei Boglárka
Published: February 2025

Histopathological alterations caused by Thaparocleidus vistulensis (Siwak, 1932) on the European catfish Silurus glanis Linnaeus, 1758 were investigated by histopathology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pathological effects of T. vistulensis on the gills of the European catfish were mainly related to the attachment sites of the parasite to its host, but damage also affected adjacent structures. The primary attachment relies on the anchors at the opisthaptor which commonly adheres both superficially and deeply, into the basal region between adjacent secondary lamellae. At the attachment sites, the haptoral disc of the parasites formed deep concave cup-like depressions on the surface of the gill lamellae. Deep anchor penetration occasionally distorted the extracellular cartilaginous matrix and induced a marked proliferation of epithelial tissue. Epithelial hyperplasia leading to lamellar fusion and subsequent extravasated erythrocytes in the gill lamellae was also observed. The damage caused by the parasites also led to the fusion of lamellae at the tips of the heavily infected gill filaments, forming club-like structures. Epithelial eosinophilic granular cells were frequently observed at the attachment sites. The pathological changes caused by this monopisthocotylan parasite frame the need to implement effective management strategies for controlling T. vistulensis infections in farmed European catfish populations.
No evidence for the role of intentional emotion regulation in gambling-related problems: Insights from self-report, behavioral, and heart rate variability measures
Authors: Muela Ismael , Ciria Luis F. , Luque-Casado Antonio , López-Guerrero José , Rivero Francisco J. , Perales José C.
Published: February 2025

Background

Emotion regulation strategies are central in models of gambling disorder. However, findings regarding the association between gambling-related problems and these strategies are mixed and mostly based on case-control studies with self-report measures.

Methods

This study examines associations of gambling problems' severity (SOGS) and gambling-related craving with strategic emotion-regulation (the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire [ERQ], an experimental reappraisal task, and task-related vagally-mediated heart rate variability [vmHRV]) in community gamblers. Bayesian correlations between all constructs of interest were computed; Bayesian ANOVAs were used to examine the course of vmHRV over time-on-task, and its sensitivity to predictive constructs; and Bayesian regressions to investigate whether gambling problems' severity predicted the use of ERQ strategies, and to determine if the effect of emotion regulation demands on vmHRV could be predicted from the SOGS score.

Results

Correlations did not show reliable relationships of SOGS scores and craving with intentional emotion regulation. The dispositional use of reappraisal and suppression (ERQ) did not predict differences in gambling problems' severity or craving. SOGS and craving scores predicted neither performance in the cognitive reappraisal task, nor task-related vmHRV. However, SOGS and craving correlated with urgency, and suppression and positive urgency predicted a stronger impact of time-on-task on vmHRV, independently of severity.

Discussion

These results show no reliable evidence of differences in emotion regulation strategies or their vmHRV correlates traceable to gambling problems' severity or craving, and thus challenge the widespread role of intentional emotion regulation in gambling-related problems. Implications regarding the prevalence of neurocognitive alterations in non-clinical gamblers are discussed.
Вплив геометрії трубки та тиску нагнітання на роботу хвильового генератора холоду
Authors: Димерцов Д.О.
Published: February 2025

Хвильові генератори знайшли своє застосування у енергетиці, харчовій промисловості, космічних технологіях та газодобуванні. Тому актуальність вивчення хвильових генераторів і процесів в них займає важливе місце в кріогенній та холодильній техніці. Розглянувши розвиток холодильної техніки та математичного моделювання, було обрано перспективний спосіб отримання холоду, який базується на коливальному процесі газів, виникаючих в заглушених трубках, так званих «хвильових генераторах холоду»; або у вигляді автоколивального процесу, який налаштовується геометричними характеристиками трубки та сопла; або за допомогою механічного газового розподільника, який задає коливального процесу в приймальній трубці. Простота конструкцій та швидка зміна процесів в хвильових генераторах, дала можливість використання математичного моделювання, що більш досконало дозволяє вивчити газодинамічні процеси в приймальних трубках. В роботі розглянуті різні види хвильових генераторів холоду за способом газового розподілення та виникнення коливального процесу газу в приймальних трубках. Розглядається розрахункова схема генератора, яка була складена на основі проведеного аналізу існуючих конструкцій. В схему входять газовий розподільник з вбудованим соплом входу та виходу газу; приймальна трубка з заглушеним кінцем (резонансна трубка) та теплообмінна поверхня. Така схема охоплює більшість існуючих акустичних генераторів. Складена математична модель газодинамічних процесів, де використовується система диференційних рівнянь газової динаміки з різними граничними умовами на вході в приймальну трубку, та гранична умова третього роду для теплопровідної стінки. Результати дослідження отримані за допомогою розробленої програми у мові програмування Lazarus Free Pascal, а також представлені у вигляді залежностей зміни температури або холодиотної продуктивності від довжини, діаметра трубки або тиску нагнітання робочого газу
Green Data Practices: Sustainable Approaches to Data Management
Authors:   Unisoft Technology Inc, Aubrey, Texas, USA, Kolla Sudheer
Published: February 2025

Green Data Practices gained momentum as organizations prioritized sustainability in data management.
Efforts focused on reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in database operations. Cloud providers like
AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure introduced carbon-aware computing and renewable energy-powered data
centers. Techniques such as optimizing query performance, implementing efficient storage solutions, and using
serverless architectures reduced resource waste. Data compression and lifecycle management minimized storage
overhead. Additionally, businesses embraced energy-efficient hardware and real-time energy monitoring for databases.
Green data practices became integral to corporate sustainability goals, aligning technology with environmental
responsibility while improving operational efficiency.
CrowdStrike's Effect on Database Security
Authors:   Unisoft Technology Inc, Aubrey, Texas, USA, Kolla Sudheer
Published: February 2025

The increasing use of cloud-native and hybrid databases has emerged as the current security threats have
intensified the need for proper security measures. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has revolutionized the database
security through real-time monitoring, artificial intelligence, and the Zero Trust model. These enhance database
robustness by detecting suspicious queries, unauthorized access and even internal threats. Yet, the 2024 CrowdStrike
outage demonstrated the problems of over-reliance on cloud security solutions and showed that there are deep-seated
issues with the overall security model. This paper evaluates CrowdStrike’s contribution to the development of database
security, discusses the consequences of the AI and Zero Trust concept, and analyzes the cybersecurity issues that the
2024 outage revealed. It also provides suggestions on how to improve the database security, specifically in regard to the
hybrid security models, AI-based cyber defense, and policy directions for further cybersecurity development.
Effects of OpenAI on Databases
Authors:   Unisoft Technology Inc, Aubrey, Texas, USA, Kolla Sudheer
Published: February 2025

The emergence of OpenAI re-shaped database management, changing companies' way of storing,
processing, and accessing information. OpenAI-powered models maximize databases' performance through
automation, query in a language, predictive analysis, and high-tech security controls. These essential features enhance
efficiency, save operational costs, and enable sound decision-making. Nevertheless, the application of OpenAI in
databases raises several issues, such as ethics, vulnerability in securing information, and computational requirements,
which must be addressed to ensure effective outcomes. In this research article, OpenAI's role in optimizing databases,
its weaknesses and strengths, and future trends has been discussed. The details covered in this paper are crucial for
companies because they offer direction on ways, they can utilize AI-powered tools for increased efficiency and counter
vulnerabilities in managing databases.
Mechanical properties of sustainable freshwater marine sand mortar
Authors: Chai Amelia Pei Sze , Chin Mei Yun , Kuok King Kuok , Rahman Md Rezaur
Published: February 2025

Marine sand has gained significant interest among researchers as a potential solution to the shortage of river sand for construction purposes. However, using marine sand as a fine aggregate in mortar has yielded contradictory results. To investigate the underlying reasons for this phenomenon, an experimental study was conducted to study the influence of marine sand with different characteristics on the mechanical performance of mortar. The shape and size of marine sand significantly impact its loose bulk density, voids and water absorption. The properties of marine sand mortar include workability, hardened density, flexural strength, and compressive strength. Beach marine sand, with its fine and uniform particles, requires higher water content, resulting in lower workability. This reduction in workability leads to decreased mechanical strength due to the increased voids within the mortar. However, marine sand’s sub-angular to angular shape contributes to mechanical strength by bonding with the cement paste and through the interlocking action between sand particles. Despite this, it has been found that the presence of voids within the mortar is the dominant factor contributing to its low mechanical strength. The flexural strength of marine sand mortar was reduced by 16.9%–49.3% compared to river sand mortar, while the compressive strength decreased by 20.9%–64.9%. One important finding is that marine sand that contains impurities such as coral skeletons and seashell fragments significantly reduces the mechanical performance of marine sand mortar. Based on this observation, it is evident that not all marine sand is suitable for use as fine aggregate in mortar.
Proportionate margining for repo transactions
Authors: Kahn R. Jay , McCormick Matthew
Published: February 2025

The repurchase agreement (repo) market plays a central role in funding and leveraging securities positions, and sourcing securities. Traders in the repo market protect themselves from the default of their counterparties through margin collected via haircuts on repo transactions. Since the purpose of margin is to protect a firm from the default of a counterparty, when set appropriately these margins accurately reflect the risk and costs of counterparty default.1Recent research showing that haircuts on many Treasury repo transactions are low or zero has raised concerns that margining practices in this market are insufficiently strict. These low haircuts are seen as encouraging highly leveraged positions in the Treasury market, which might exacerbate disruptions in the Treasury market such as those experienced in March 2020.
Rewiring repo
Authors: Chang Jin-Wook , Klee Elizabeth C. , Yankov Vladimir
Published: February 2025

We develop a model of the repo market with strategic interactions among dealers who compete for funding in a decentralized over-the-counter market and have access to a centrally cleared interdealer market. We show that such ``wiring'' of the repo market combined with imperfect competition in dealer funding could result in market inefficiencies and instability. The model allows us to disentangle supply and demand factors, and we use these factors to estimate supply and demand elasticities. Our estimates suggest that the instability of the market in September 2019 was driven by a large supply shock facing inelastic dealer funding demand, amplified by strategic interactions among dealers. We evaluate different interventions for market functioning and efficiency, including the Standing Repo Facility.
Re-orienting occupational therapy: Embracing generative disruption and revisiting a posture that acknowledges human dignity
Authors: Galvaan Roshan , Rauch van der Merwe Tania
Published: February 2025

Background: Amidst the Covid-19 lockdown that commenced in March 2020, while the profession and service-users were coming to terms with its vast implications, the Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa initiated a Webinar series that stimulated provocative discussions and difficult dialogues. The authors of this paper deliver a commentary, critically engaging with the challenges of cogently articulating the contribution of occupational therapy services across various sectors of service delivery during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa. The challenges of on the one hand, negotiating the abrupt cessation of rehabilitation services, especially in the public sector and, on the other, advancing the reasoning for accessible, community-based services, are considered.Aim: The commentary draws from presentations at and reflections on the webinar hosted on 24 June 2020 titled 'Ethical and Moral Challenges for Occupational Therapy'. In this paper, the competing ethical and moral issues arising from being urged to adopt different ways of thinking and doing occupational therapy during the Covid-19 lockdown are outlined.Proposition: It is suggested that experiences emerging from this pandemic are urging the profession to rethink its positionality in the health sector. Two main considerations deserve attention: The first is rethinking how we use occupational therapy knowledge to act from and in relation to local contexts, viewing people who are marginalised as knowledge and action partners through generative disruption. The second is to revisit what it entails to foster a posture that acknowledges human dignity.Conclusion: Generative disruption includes a continuous and unabashed critical reflection of and on the limits of our practice and knowledge at hand. It means that we need to include service users and community partners in taking necessary steps to render services in local contexts most needed in recalibration toward social and occupational justice. In our knowledge-making partnerships, it is also imperative to revisit the posture of acknowledging human dignity.Â
Caregiver's perception of their role in early childhood development and stimulation programmes in the early childhood development phase within a Sub-Saharan African context: An Integrative Review
Authors: Ayob Zainab , Christopher Chantal , Naidoo Deshini
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Caregivers play an integral role in their child's development. Many caregivers from low resource communities within sub-Saharan countries face challenges in providing early childhood development (ECD) and stimulation. In South Africa, there are policies in place that aim to provide caregivers with child-care support and services; however, systemic factors often negatively impact the service delivery of early childhood development at a community level. This integrative review aimed to analyse, appraise, and synthesise the literature concerning the published evidence of caregivers' perception on their role in early childhood development and stimulation programmes for children within the ECD phase.
Method: The integrative review followed the five steps highlighted by Whittemore & Knafl. The literature search was conducted by electronic searching through ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis, PubMed, JSTOR, Lancet, Google Scholar and Research Gate. Literature was included from 01 January 2010 to 31 December 2020, that were published in sub-Saharan Africa, regarding early childhood development and stimulation. A total of 22 records were included in the review. The data was qualitatively analysed through thematic analysis. The findings are presented according to the Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory.
Findings: Findings highlight that caregivers' facilitation of early childhood development in their children is influenced by daily practices of child-care and rearing. Caregivers perceived their role as nurturing and disciplining their children. The educational aspect of child development was the role of the school/ECD facility. Among these influences are contextual factors, culture, and poverty, which impact the practices that caregivers implement during early childhood development. There are policies and stimulation programmes in place to support and assist caregivers/parents in facilitating early childhood development. 
Conclusion: Caregivers' form an integral component in a child's early childhood development and stimulation. The caregiver role is impacted by several factors which include context, culture, awareness of services, knowledge on child development, stimulation and resources. There is poor implementation and knowledge of support structures, policies, and stimulation programmes at a community level. This, therefore, suggests that government departments need to advocate and promote for easier access to facilities to assist caregivers/parents further.
 
Keywords: early childhood development, family support, policies, stimulation programmes, low resource contexts, stimulation.
The potential role of Child Life Specialists in the South African healthcare sector
Authors: Bezuidenhout Jacqueline Kim , Potterton Joanne , Van der Linde Janine
Published: February 2025

Child Life Specialists (CLS) are an integral component of paediatric health care services in many developed countries. They assist in bridging the communication between the healthcare team and the child's parents and family. Their primary aim is to minimise the potential trauma the child and their caregivers may experience from being hospitalised. This field of psychosocial support for ill and hospitalised children has been growing over the past six decades with CLS services currently being offered at most North American paediatric hospitals.By using developmentally appropriate techniques, and equipped with a foundation of medical knowledge, the CLS primarily uses play to relieve anxiety and to educate the child. Play is a meaningful activity that allows the healthy development of the child's emotional, behavioural and social development. The three forms of play that may be utilised by the Â CLS include therapeutic play, normative play and medical play. Non-pharmacological pain management is another vital area within which the CLS is involved.The South African Department of Health recognises the importance of addressing the psychosocial welfare of the ill child and they have provided guidelines highlighting the psychosocial needs of children affected and infected with HIV. South Africa has many children accessing health services daily and is suitably positioned to initiate CLS in both public and private healthcare facilities. Improving the healthcare experience for the paediatric healthcare user population is crucial in ensuring their emotional and psychological well-being
Relevance of norms and psychometric properties of three standardised visual perceptual tests for children attending mainstream schools in Gauteng
Authors: Harris Monique , Franzsen Denise , De Witt Patricia
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Occupational therapists routinely assess children's visual perceptual and visual-motor integration skills. To determine visual perception and visual-motor integration dysfunction, occupational therapists use standardised visual perceptual assessment instruments. For accurate results, the norms used to evaluate the outcomes of the tests need to reflect the ability of the population on which they are used.This study aimed to determine the comparison of scores for a sample of 6 to 9 year old South African children attending schools in middle socio-economic urban areas, to American norms on standardised visual perceptual tests - the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills Third Edition (TVPS-3), the Developmental Test of Visual Perception - Third Edition (DTVP-3) and the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor integration - Sixth Edition (Beery VMI-6). Method: A cross-sectional, quantitative design was utilised. Forty-eight children aged 6 years 0 months to 9 years 11 months participated in the study. The TVPS-3, DTVP-3 and Beery VMI-6 were administered to each participant as prescribed.Results: The scores for the typical children fell within the American norms reported for all three tests. The DTVP-3, TVPS-3 and Beery VMI-6 were found to show little convergence in the scores but exhibited adequate internal consistency for the South African sample. Conclusion The scores on the DTVP-3, TVPS-3 and Beery VMI-6 for South African children were similar to the American norms in identifying visual perceptual and VMI dysfunction and are suitable for use with children attending schools in a middle socio-economic urban area.KeywordsVisual perception, visual-motor integration, standardised tests, TVPS-3, DTVP-3, Beery VMI-6Â
Social Occupational Therapy, impoverished youth and everyday Urban Mobility
Authors: Goncalves Monica Villaca , Malfitano Ana Paula Serrata
Published: February 2025

: Considering social participation as an objective in Social Occupational Therapy, we discuss the incorporation of the concept of Everyday Urban Mobility from four of its action technologies: (a) workshops/activities, dynamics and projects; b) individual territorial follow-ups; c) articulation of resources in the social field; d) dynamization of the support network. Based on data from a research study with impoverished young favela[1] dwellers in Brazil, this study included a secondary analysis of these data, and discusses how urban mobility could be incorporated into social occupational therapy practices. We conclude that social occupational therapy (from a political perspective of mobility), can develop actions to facilitate the urban mobility of young people and use it as a point of departure for occupational therapy professional practice. In doing so, it becomes possible to apply mobility as an objective, a resource, a means of assessing everyday life, and/or an aspect to be considered in micro- and macro-social work endeavours that are linked to social policies.Â Keywords: Social Occupational Therapy, Youth, Right to Freedom of Movement, Citizenship, Urbanization.[1] Favelas are areas comprising popular housing mostly occupied by impoverished workers. Historically, Brazilian favelas are seen as an "urban problem", stigmatized as violent places with no presence of the State that are dominated by criminal factions. Brazilian favela dwellers carry these stigmas, especially the young, who are seen as violent, dangerous, and disorderly21.
Positioning parenting differently: The need for southern perspectives
Authors: Cilliers Nicola M
Published: February 2025

Despite the importance of the caregiver role in children's development and the reliance on caregivers in the therapy process, parenting has enjoyed limited attention in Occupational Therapy research. While it is gradually gaining more attention and being appreciated for its complexity, little is known about how parenting unfolds in the margins. Dominant parenting norms promoted globally are largely Eurocentric1 and the resultant white, middle class positioning of professional discourse may offer a limited perspective on parenting. This may sustain incoherence between how parenting unfolds in context and the therapeutic understanding of, and response to, families' needs. This opinion piece aims to promote the importance of appreciating and exploring southern parenting perspectives for meaningful work with families.Emerging southern epistemologies reveal several relational and contextual complexities, situated within persisting structural inequalities, that characterise everyday life for many families. Along with cultural and intergenerational influences to be navigated in context, these factors create a cumulatively challenging parenting experience and shape families' subsequent occupational engagement. These insights not only demand the broadening of the parenting knowledge base but may hold implications for how parenting is understood as an occupation in the margins. Appreciating and pursuing plurality in parenting perspectives is essential to facilitate knowledge generation that speaks to those routinely excluded from the theorising process and to inform more responsive intervention.Keywords: parenting, human occupation, southern epistemologies, human relations, structural inequality
XChem crystallographic fragment screening v1
Authors: Marples Peter , Fearon Daren , Balcomb Blake
Published: February 2025

The XChem Facility at Diamond Light Source provides routine, large scale crystal graphic fragment screening, supporting the entire crystal to deposition process. X-ray crystallography is an essential part to the FBDD toolkit. It is sensitive enough to identify weak binders and directly yields structural information about the interactions on a molecular level. Here we summarise a generic layout of a crystallographic fragment screening protocol.
A New Regression Model Based on an Extended Inverse Gaussian Distribution with Application to Soybean Processing Plants in Brazil
Authors: Souza Vasconcelos Julio Cezar , P. dos Santos Denize , O.B. Cavallari Pâmela Rafaela , M.M. Ortega Edwin , Vila Roberto , M. Cordeiro Gauss , M. Biaggioni Marco Antônio
Published: February 2025

Grain producers in Brazil often depend on third-party services for the transportation, processing and storage of their production, as, for the most part, they do not have silos on their properties. In this context, efficient logistics is essential to optimize processes and increase reliability between customers and service providers. This study focuses on the logistical analysis of truck traffic at two grain processing plants, examining different receiving protocols to evaluate internal vehicle flow during peak production conditions. The data is analyzed using a multiple regression model with two systematic components based on the proposed New Weibull inverse Gaussian distribution. The research is conducted in grain processing and storage units in the southwest region of São Paulo-SP, belonging to an agro-industrial cooperative. The study monitors all stages of soybean receipt during the peak harvest month, in March 2020. The results indicate the dependence of service times on the sector's logistical variables. This research addresses the pressing need for efficient logistics in the grain industry, especially in soybean processing. By focusing on truck traffic and receiving protocols, the study aims to provide a better understanding to optimize internal logistics processes, thus contributing to improving operational efficiency and customer service in grain processing units.
Evaluación de la contaminación de los sedimentos de la ciénaga de Mallorquín y del
Arroyo León, norte de Colombia
Authors: Enamorado-Montes Germán , Jiménez-Vergara Eylin , Guzmán-Tordecilla María , Elles-Pérez Cindy , Ramos-De la Hoz Yuliceth , Burgos-Núñez Saudith , Urango-Cárdenas Iván , Paternina-Uribe Roberth
Published: February 2025

In terms of environmental contamination, sediments are most described as both the
repositories and potential sources of multiple xenobiotics, a description that is quite
accurate. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the degree of contamination
by heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocar- bons (PAHs), and emerging contaminants
(ECs) in the sediments of the Mallorquín Lagoon and León Creek in the Atlántico de-
partment, northern Colombia. Three sampling campaigns were conducted between October
2022 and January 2023, across 13 monitoring stations. For heavy metals, historical
analysis was ca- rried out from 2005 to the present, using the Threshold Effect Le- vel
(TEL) and Probable Effect Level (PEL) to evaluate contami- nation, as well as the
Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI). For PAHs, reference values were employed to
establish four catego- ries of sediment quality, while for ECs, the Risk Quotient (RQ)
was used to assess potential risks to aquatic biota. The metals chromium (Cr), cadmium
(Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and the metalloid arsenic (As) were not
detected; zinc (Zn) and methylmercury (MeHg) were found at mean concentrations of 196.97
± 77.97 mg/kg and 25.92 ± 41.17 µg/kg, respectively, with Zn concentrations exceeding
the TEL reference value. The PERI was < 150 at all sites and was influenced by the
sampling period. PAH concentrations were also influenced by the sampling period; they
were not detected at any monitoring site during the rainy season but were found at a
minimum of 2 sites in León Creek and 6 sites in Mallorquín Lagoon during the
transitional period. However, the highest concentrations were recorded du- ring the dry
season (4.02 and 33.08 mg/kg for acenaphthene and acenaphthylene in León Creek), with
15% of the samples falling into sediment quality category IV, the lowest quality. Among
the ECs, methyl dihydrojasmonate, caffeine, galaxolide, tonalide, and bisphenol A were
not detected; naproxen was de- tected only during the rainy period, with concentrations
ranging from 15.22 to 1656.89 µg/kg. The RQs, estimated based on na- proxen
concentrations, ranged from 0.01 to 263.06 in Mallorquín Lagoon, indicating a risk
category ranging from insignificant to high, while in León Creek, RQs ranged from 0.26
to 68.92 (me- dium to high risk). The spatial and temporal dynamics of both organic and
inorganic contaminants suggest a complex scenario for the sediments of the Mallorquín
Lagoon.
Caracterización de la comunidad de fitoplancton en tres canales urbanos asociados
al Arroyo León, Barranquilla, Colombia
Authors: Escobar-Delgado Lina Margarita , Castillo-Ramírez Margarita , Ortega-Pardo Katerine , Guzmán-Tordecilla María , Garzón-Rodríguez Carolina
Published: February 2025

The León stream is a sub-basin that traverses four sectors of Barranquilla. This
water body exhibits a high level of pollution and is affected by effluents from urban
channels and residential and industrial discharges. Water quality monitoring results in
limited knowledge about the current state of this water body. The phytoplankton
community was characterized by three urban channels that act as tributaries to the León
stream. A total of two samplings were conducted in 2022, one during the rainy season and
another during the transition period. In each tributary, variables such as pH,
temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and salinity were measured. For
sample collection, several volumes were filtered per sampling station; for the first
sampling, volumes of 127 liters, 123 liters, and 83 liters were filtered, respectively;
for the second sampling, 60 liters and 120 liters were filtered using a mesh net with a
diameter of 23 µm. The samples obtained were preserved with a solution of 10 ml of Lugol
and 10 ml of Transeau. The identification of the commu- nities was carried out using
taxonomic keys. The variables that showed significant differences between the two
monitored pe- riods were pH and salinity. The composition of the phytoplankton was
characterized by three kingdoms, four Phylum, and eleven orders, which were grouped into
fifteen families. The family with the most genera was Gomphonemataceae, represented by
two genera, Gomphonema sp. and Encyonema sp. The variables dissolved oxygen, oxygen
saturation, pH, and temperature were associated with the taxa Closterium sp. and Eunotia
sp. during the rainy and transition seasons in tributary three. The variables salinity
and conductivity were associated with the rainy season in tributary one, along with the
taxa Navicula sp., Fragilaria sp., Pinnularia sp., and Melosira sp.
Efecto del recubrimiento de papaya (Carica papaya L.) con biofilm de almidón de mandioca en la etapa poscosecha
Authors: Rodríguez González Manuel , Abreu Rodríguez Mailen , Cabrera Julien Nerelys , Deniz Jiménez Daisy
Published: February 2025

El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el efecto del almidón de mandioca como recubrimiento (biofilm) en la conservación y calidad del fruto de la papaya cv. "Maradol" durante la etapa poscosecha. Se evaluó la reducción de la actividad metabólica, la pérdida de agua y el aumento del período de comercialización. Se empleó un arreglo factorial 4 x 4 en un diseño completamente al azar, con 4 concentraciones (0, 1, 2 y 3% m/v de almidón en 100 mL de agua, gelatinizado a 75ºC durante 30 min) y 4 tiempos de evaluación (4, 8, 12 y 16 días poscosecha). Se evaluaron las propiedades físico-químicas: pérdida de masa fresca, apariencia externa, índice de color de la cáscara, pH, sólidos solubles y acidez titulable. A los 16 días, todos los frutos con recubrimiento presentaron una pérdida de masa fresca de 1,9 a 2,6 veces menor que el control, y un color amarillo en 25 a 50% de la superficie de la cáscara, en comparación con 50 a 75% en los controles. El pH disminuyó conforme aumentó la acidez titulable, y se observaron menores niveles de sólidos solubles que en los frutos control durante todo el período. Los resultados demostraron que el uso de la biopelícula fue efectivo, destacándose la concentración del 3% como alternativa para la conservación, al incrementar el tiempo de vida útil durante los 16 días poscosecha, con estadios de madurez inferiores al control y mejor apariencia externa.
Rendimiento de la soja (Glycine max L.) y propiedades físicoquímicas de un Cambisol sometido a dos sistemas de sucesión de cultivos
Authors: Giesbrecht Matthew , Wiebe Frank , Toews Holger
Published: February 2025

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de dos sistemas de sucesión de cultivos bajo siembra directa (SD) sobre las propiedades físicas y químicas del suelo, así como en el rendimiento de la soja en un Cambisol. El experimento se llevó a cabo en una finca ubicada en la aldea Paratodo, Pdte. Hayes, Paraguay, utilizando un diseño experimental en franjas con dos Cultivos de Cobertura (CC) como tratamientos: Megathyrsus maximus cv. Gatton Panic (Gatton) y una sucesión soja/trigo/soja (Trigo). Las variables evaluadas fueron biomasa aérea (BIOM), humedad gravimétrica (HG), concentración de nitrógeno (NO3-N y NH4-N), densidad aparente (DAP), resistencia a la penetración (RP), tasa de infiltración (TI), altura de la planta de soja y rendimiento del cultivo de soja. Los datos se analizaron mediante análisis de varianza con la prueba de Scott y Knott al 5% de significancia, prueba t para dos muestras con varianzas iguales, y se describieron tendencias mediante regresiones lineales y polinómicas. El tratamiento Gatton mostró una mayor capacidad de retención de HG durante el barbecho y desarrollo del cultivo, con valores medios durante todo el ensayo de 19,2% y 15,4% para Gatton y Trigo respectivamente. Además, Gatton presentó 2,09 veces más BIOM al inicio (11.311 versus 5.390 kg ha⁻¹) y descompuso 1,88 veces más residuo vegetal, registrando una mayor tasa de descomposición diaria en comparación con Trigo, con valores de 12,7 kg ha⁻¹ día⁻¹ y 9,5 kg ha⁻¹ día⁻¹, respectivamente. La DAP fue un 3% menor en Gatton (1,32 g cm-3) en comparación con Trigo (1,36 g cm-3), que aumentó con la profundidad (25-50 cm). El Trigo registró valores críticos de RP superiores a 3 MPa al momento de la siembra en la profundidad de 5-15 cm y al fin del ensayo en la profundidad de 5-20 cm. La altura de plantas de soja fue un 11,2% mayor con Gatton (99,6 cm versus 89,6 cm), donde también se obtuvo mayor rendimiento de granos (3.336 kg ha⁻¹) comparado con el Trigo (2.929 kg ha⁻¹), con una diferencia de 13,9%. El sistema de producción basado en un CC con Megathyrsus maximus cv. Gatton Panic mejora las propiedades físicoquímicas del suelo y aumenta el rendimiento de la soja.
Propuesta de Pago por Servicios Ambientales en la Reserva San Rafael Tekoha Guasu, Paraguay
Authors: Ibarrola Irala Ana María Karhenina , Amarilla Rodríguez Stella Mary , Soto Figueredo Carmiña Hilda , Villalba Marín Lucía Janet , Yanosky Farran Ángel Alberto
Published: February 2025

En el año 1992, el Estado Paraguayo declaró un territorio en el sureste del país como área protegida, identificándolo entonces como un sitio de alto valor para la conservación. Las 78.000 ha declaradas, hoy conocidas como Reserva San Rafael Tekoha Guasu, incluían extensos territorios ancestrales y propiedades privadas. San Rafael Tekoha Guasu es considerada como uno de los desafíos de conservación más importantes del país, donde se han registrado procesos de degradación, caracterizados por diferentes actividades ilícitas y objetivos contrapuestos. Como alternativa de solución a la problemática, se proponen mecanismos de Pago por Servicios Ambientales (PSA), de modo a generar incentivos económicos para aquellos propietarios que han apostado por la conservación, siendo este el objetivo general de la investigación. La investigación cualitativa utilizó como técnica de recolección de datos la entrevista a siete informantes calificados, dos grupos focales y el análisis y mapeo con el Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG). Los resultados muestran más de 67 propiedades bajo los regímenes público, privado y comunitario. Se diseñaron tres modelos de Pago por Servicios Ambientales (PSA) según Ley N° 3001/06 y uno para el mecanismo de mercados voluntarios. Esta investigación es uno de los primeros aportes que incluye beneficios de los mercados de carbono (regulado y voluntario) en contextos de conservación de la naturaleza.
Review of the Protection for Victims Under 19 years old in Criminal Procedures under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes : Focusing on the 2023 Amendment
Authors:   The Legal Studies Institute of Chosun University, Kwon Soonmin
Published: February 2025

The Constitutional Court's ruling of unconstitutionality, in July 2023, the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes was amended. The amendment removed the special provisions regarding the admissibility of recorded video evidence and introduced new provisions reflecting the protection of the defendant’s right to defense. Additionally, various systems were established to strengthen the protection of victims under 19 years old and prevent secondary victimization. The key aspects of the amendment included not only ensuring the defendant’s right to cross-examine when video recordings are used as evidence but also improving protective measures to secure the victim's free and sufficient testimony. Furthermore, the existing systems, such as pretrial preparation, evidence preservation procedures, and witness questioning via video transmission, were supplemented to provide better protection for victims under 19 years old. These systems are designed to effectively prevent secondary victimization of the victim while not substantially infringing on the defendant's right to cross-examine. However, some improvements are still needed. The special provisions regarding video recordings need to develop specific criteria that consider the psychological particularities of infants and children, distinguishing them from Article 314 of the Criminal Procedure Act. When appointing public defenders, the prosecutor should collect and reflect the victim's opinions. Also, it would be preferable for the specialized investigator who first interviews the victim during the investigation process to continue handling the victim’s case even after it has been transferred to trial. Utilizing pretrial preparation sessions is meaningful in that they allow the trial schedule to be programmed in advance, taking into account the nature of the crime and the characteristics of the victim, to minimize secondary victimization. However, making the pretrial preparation process mandatory should be considered. The “special provisions for witness questioning locations” can minimize secondary victimization when used in combination with existing victim protection measures without fundamentally infringing on the defendant’s right to defense. Given that the use of video recordings as evidence has become much stricter under the revised “special provisions for the admissibility of video recordings,” the importance of utilizing the “special provisions for witness questioning locations” to prevent secondary victimization has increased.
Issues of Freedom of Assembly and the direction of revision of the Assembly Act
Authors:   The Legal Studies Institute of Chosun University, KIM Byeongrok
Published: February 2025

Although there are no explicit provisions in our Constitution, it is only peaceful and nonviolent rallies that are protected by freedom of assembly. And the permit system for assembly and demonstration is prohibited. This is because a society that can hold assembly and demonstration only under the permission of the state cannot be regarded as a democratic society. The Constitutional Court has repeatedly emphasized the importance of ensuring that political power or the public can hold assembly and demonstration in a 'place where they can be seen and heard'. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Freedom (International Convention on Civil and Political Rights), which Korea has joined and ratified to take effect of domestic law, recognizes the 'right to peaceful assembly'. Even if assembly and demonstration interferes with traffic or causes confusion in economic activities, the assembly and demonstration should be protected as long as it is peaceful, and assembly and demonstration (so-called 'illegal assembly and demonstration') that does not meet the requirements of domestic law is also subject to peaceful protection.
Of course, we must respond accordingly to illegal activities. However, it is unconstitutional and anachronistic to take issue with rallies without illegal activities, drive rallies themselves illegally, and claim bans or forced dissolution. Moreover, wasn't it the government of Yoon Suk Yeol that shouted “freedom” first? In his inaugural address, he gave special meaning to 'freedom' 35 times, but it is truly incongruous to touch the freedom of rallies and demonstrations guaranteed by the Constitution. How can we increase the volume of what needs to be done only when responding to illegal activities during rallies, and what needs to be solved only in a small way? Previously, he said “freedom,” but later he is making a law that infringes on basic rights.
The state should faithfully embody the values of the rule of law and democracy by guaranteeing the freedom of assembly and demonstration as much as possible, which is a key element of democracy, in line with the purpose of the Constitution and the International Human Rights Act (especially the Convention on the Rights of Freedom). Starting with the fundamental question of what is freedom of assembly in this paper, the constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, the Constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, and the ordinances review issues and problems such as “permission and prohibition” and “permission and prohibition” in anticipation of the spring of the Assembly Act, and suggest directions for revising the Assembly Act that harms freedom of assembly.
Universality and specificity of child support claims and extinctive prescription
Authors:   The Legal Studies Institute of Chosun University, Og Dojin
Published: February 2025

The Supreme Court recently changed the ruling of the statute of limitations for child support claims. In terms of how much weight to place on the specificity of child support claims, the decision in this case can be viewed as a split between those who emphasize the specificity of child support obligations and those who emphasize their universality. The obligation to support arises naturally at birth, and a minor's right to be supported continues from birth to adulthood. Parental or simulated parenting responsibilities do not change after divorce. In light of the civil law system's mandatory kinship rules, the need for legal stability in the parenting relationship outweighs the noncustodial parent's need for relief from the fear of being sued for support. Denying the extinctive prescription of a child support claim arising out of a parenting relationship while the child is a minor is consistent with the policy objective of legal stability. The principle of welfare of child is not only a legal principle of legislation, but also a legal principle for interpretation. The right to support is a claim that arises at birth based on the parenting relationship and extinguishes upon reaching the age of majority. While a child is a minor, the child's claim for support arising out of the parenting relationship is not subject to the extinctive prescription until the parenting relationship is terminated upon reaching the age of majority.
Definition, Structure and General Characteristics of Legal Culture
Authors:   Saratov Military Institute of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Skobelev A.Ye.
Published: February 2025

The author analyzed the definition of legal culture due to the leading
specialists’ minds. There had been represented the structure of legal
culture.
The Critical and Relativistic thought in Modern Ontology
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University of Railway Engineering, Elinskiy M.V.
Published: February 2025

The two kinds of non-classic thought – critical and relativistic are the
specific features of the modern ontology. In the European philosophy
the former ascends to I. Kant. The latter is the final ontological thesis
of the former in the context of development of non-classic rationality.
The the actual questions of the critical methodology of the scientific
and philosophical knowledge are touched.
Forming of the Universal Key Competences: Psychological Aspect
Authors:   Saratov State University, Shiryaeva V.A.
Published: February 2025

Universal competence, as the structural element of key competences,
considers as the integrative property of subject of training activity. It
has determined four basic component of the universal key competence: motivational, cognitive, activity- communicative, reflexive.
Dates components of universal competence are theoretically have
investigated in the interrelation with the process of thinking.
Recovering from a Pandemic? Analysis and Implications of Utilising Predictive Analytics for Improving UK Government Healthcare Financing
Authors: Arinze Egemonye Jayne
Published: February 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges in the UK healthcare system, including rising healthcare costs, inefficiencies in resource allocation, and the need for additional financing to support pandemic response efforts. This study explores the potential of predictive analytics, specifically machine learning models, to improve healthcare financing in the UK. Using time series data from 1980 to 2021, we employ three machine learning models—Linear Regression, Prophet, and Theta—to forecast healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP from 2023 to 2030. The results indicate a positive relationship between health financing and health outcomes, with healthcare expenditure in the UK expected to continue rising. The study highlights the effectiveness of predictive analytics in forecasting future healthcare financing levels and underscores the need for ongoing investment in healthcare infrastructure to ensure improved health outcomes for all citizens. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the healthcare sector, both in the UK and internationally.