bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predator–prey systems as models for integrative research in biology: the value of a non-consumptive effects framework
Authors: Batabyal Anuradha
Published: September 2023

Predator–prey interactions are a cornerstone of many ecological and evolutionary processes that influence various levels of biological organization, from individuals to ecosystems. Predators play a crucial role in shaping ecosystems through the consumption of prey species and non-consumptive effects. Non-consumptive effects (NCEs) can induce changes in prey behavior, including altered foraging strategies, habitat selection, life history and anti-predator responses. These defensive strategies have physiological consequences for prey, affecting their growth, reproduction and immune function to name a few. Numerous experimental studies have incorporated NCEs in investigating predator–prey dynamics in the past decade. Interestingly, predator–prey systems can also be used as experimental models to answer physiology, cognition and adaptability questions. In this Commentary, I highlight research that uses NCEs in predator–prey systems to provide novel insights into cognition, adaptation, epigenetic inheritance and aging. I discuss the evolution of instinct, anxiety and other cognitive disorders, the shaping of brain connectomes, stress-induced aging and the development of behavioral coping styles. I outline how studies can integrate the investigation of NCEs with advanced behavioral, genomic and neurological tools to provide novel insights into physiological and cognitive health.
The Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance: Consensus Statement for the American College of Sports Medicine
Authors: Hunter Sandra K. , Angadi Siddhartha S. , Bhargava Aditi , Harper Joanna , Hirschberg Angelica Lindén , Levine Benjamin D. , Moreau Kerrie L. , Nokoff Natalie J. , Stachenfeld Nina S. , Bermon Stéphane
Published: September 2023

Biological sex is a primary determinant of athletic performance because of fundamental sex differences in anatomy and physiology dictated by sex chromosomes and sex hormones. Adult men are typically stronger, more powerful, and faster than women of similar age and training status. Thus, for athletic events and sports relying on endurance, muscle strength, speed, and power, males typically outperform females by 10%–30% depending on the requirements of the event. These sex differences in performance emerge with the onset of puberty and coincide with the increase in endogenous sex steroid hormones, in particular testosterone in males, which increases 30-fold by adulthood, but remains low in females. The primary goal of this consensus statement is to provide the latest scientific knowledge and mechanisms for the sex differences in athletic performance. This review highlights the differences in anatomy and physiology between males and females that are primary determinants of the sex differences in athletic performance and in response to exercise training, and the role of sex steroid hormones (particularly testosterone and estradiol). We also identify historical and nonphysiological factors that influence the sex differences in performance. Finally, we identify gaps in the knowledge of sex differences in athletic performance and the underlying mechanisms, providing substantial opportunities for high-impact studies. A major step toward closing the knowledge gap is to include more and equitable numbers of women to that of men in mechanistic studies that determine any of the sex differences in response to an acute bout of exercise, exercise training, and athletic performance.
Overpersistence Bias in Individual Income Expectations and Its Aggregate Implications
Authors: Rozsypal Filip , Schlafmann Kathrin
Published: September 2023

Using microlevel data, we document systematic forecast errors in household income expectations that are related to the level of income. We show that these errors can be formalized by a modest deviation from rational expectations, where agents overestimate the persistence of their income process. We then investigate the implications of these distortions on consumption and savings behavior and find two effects. First, these distortions allow an otherwise fully optimization-based quantitative model to match the joint distribution of liquid assets and income. Second, the bias alters the distribution of marginal propensities to consume which makes government stimulus policies less effective. (JEL D84, E21, D91, E62, G51)
Rehabilitation in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis with Hip
Ankylosis
Authors: Pop Bianca-Maria , Dogaru Gabriela , Andronie-Cioară Felicia
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common type of arthritis in
children and teens. The inflammation of various joints causes pain. Early diagnosis and
management of the patients, which include medication and rehabilitation therapies, can reduce the onset of complications. Despite the progress in managing this disease, there are cases which present severe complications. Material and Methods: A 13-year-old girl, diagnosed with JIA in a paediatric service in 2019, who is under treatment with Sulfasalzine since diagnosis, presented in the Paediatric Rehabilitation Centre of Băile 1 Mai with inflammatory pain in both knees, gait impairment with need of wheelchair, limited function in hands, elbows, shoulders, knees and hips which worsened in 2022, due to low compliance to the treatment and no check-up with a paediatric
rheumatologist. She had 8 admissions in the Paediatric Rehabilitation Centre between October 2022 and July 2023. The examination reveals that there is a severe limitation of mobility in both hips and knees, the hands’ small joints, elbows and shoulders. Laboratory tests were conducted showing no inflammatory markers. The radiographic finds sustained the changes encountered at the clinical examination. During her admissions in the Paediatric Rehabilitation Centre, she underwent a complex rehabilitation program which consisted of kinetotherapy, hydrokinetotherapy, massage, occupational therapy and physical agents. The program was designed according to the needs and the disease activity. Pharmacological means were used for the management of pain. The results were limited and the ability of standing up and walking were
not recovered. Conclusion: In conclusion, JIA is a complex disease, which needs an early diagnosis and an early management program, which comprises of pharmacological treatment, rehabilitation program. Teamwork is necessary for managing JIA cases. The lack of compliance, and inadequate medication can lead to disabling complications.
An overview of cybersecurity in Zimbabwe’s financial services sector
Authors: Maphosa Vusumuzi
Published: September 2023

Background: As nations, businesses, and individuals rely on the Internet for everyday use, so are cybercriminals manipulating systems to access information illegally and disrupting services for financial gain. The global cost of cybercrime eclipsed one trillion US Dollars in 2020, with Africa losing US $3.5 billion.

Methods: A quantitative research methodology was adopted to investigate factors affecting cybercrime in Zimbabwean financial institutions. The study focused on the technical aspects of cybersecurity. Data were collected from July 2022 to October 2022, targeting technology experts in the financial services sector. Participants were recruited from 13 institutions to rank cybersecurity constructs, frameworks, and challenges associated with cybersecurity. Data was collected using a questionnaire distributed to participants. Descriptive statistics were used to extract meanings from the responses that measure mean and standard deviation.

Results: Network and data security were the most highly ranked cybersecurity constructs, while physical security was the least. The top three barriers are increasing sophistication of threats, limited skills and emerging technologies, while lack of executive support was the least. The top frameworks used are the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), while a fifth is yet to adopt cybercrime frameworks.

Conclusions: The study proposes that financial institutions establish a cybersecurity culture to fight cybercrime, addressing cybersecurity barriers and following best practices. Financial institutions should invest in cybersecurity technologies, train security specialists, and employ a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The study’s small sample may affect the generalisability of the results. Financial institutions should implement strategies to raise awareness and collaborate with institutions to train cybersecurity security specialists to close the skills gap.
Consequences of China’s 2018 Online Lending Regulation and the Promise of PolicyTech
Authors: Liu Yidi , Li Xin , Zheng Zhiqiang (Eric)
Published: September 2023

Swift and unexpected shifts of financial regulations can have profound implications for the general population. This is evidenced by China’s abrupt transition in its stance on P2P lending in 2018. Initially embracing these platforms, the abrupt regulatory pivot to widespread shutdowns. Our empirical research, drawing upon credit application data, demonstrates how this indiscriminate approach hindered economic development opportunities for a significant portion of borrowers, particularly the underprivileged. As a remedy, we advocate for the implementation of AI-driven regulatory frameworks. Rather than a monolithic approach to all borrowers, AI helps distinguish between real financial risks and those that can be managed. This nuanced strategy safeguards individuals’ economic progression, while efficiently mitigating financial hazards. For policymakers and industry stakeholders, our findings underscore the importance of contemplating the broader ramifications of regulatory decisions and harnessing innovative methodologies, such as AI, to strike an optimal balance.
Mechanical Analysis of Road Graben Slopes Based on Saturated-Unsaturated Seepage Theory
Authors: Peijun Li , Hao Lu , Qing Li
Published: September 2023

As the construction of mountainous highways continues to heat up, the stability analysis of road graben slopes becomes one of the current research hotspots. In this paper, based on the saturated-unsaturated seepage theory, the force analysis of the road graben slope under rainfall conditions and its laws are studied. Firstly, the damage mode of the road graben slope and its three damage stages of creeping deformation, sliding damage and tendency to stability are summarized according to the engineering practice and literature survey, and the right side of the road graben slope from K316+439 to K316+859 of Longlian Expressway is monitored, so as to amend the next theoretical analysis. The three stages of rainfall infiltration were analyzed, the state variables and material variables of soil water were selected according to the continuous medium theory and the soil water suction analysis was carried out. Based on the saturated-unsaturated seepage theory, the fluid-structure interaction mathematical model and soil moisture characteristic curve (SWCC) model under rainfall infiltration conditions were established, and the stress of the cutting slope under saturation conditions was analyzed. The experimental results show that for the soil at the foot of the slope, the infiltration depth of rainfall is limited due to the low permeability coefficient, and the change of seepage field is not obvious; the longer the rainfall is held, the deeper the infiltration depth is, and the rainfall will continuously replenish the groundwater, so the force on the slope of the road graben will increase continuously and finally reach the limit of damage. When the rainfall intensity is 5mm-h-1, the decline of stability coefficient for 48 h is 0.121; the initial stability coefficient of the slope is the largest when the dip angle of the weak interlayer is equal to 25∘, and the stability coefficient decreases rapidly with the rainfall time, and when the rainfall reaches 60 h, the stability coefficient tends to be stable and the equilibrium of the slope force no longer changes.
Neoliberal feeling rules and political subjectivities in post-Soviet Latvia: narratives of emigrants and those who remain
Authors: Ķešāne Iveta , Ozoliņa Liene
Published: September 2023

This study integrates the literature on neoliberal subjectivities with the sociology of emotions, and particularly the notion of feeling rules, to understand the political subjectivity expressions in Latvia where the post-Soviet neoliberal development brought high income and wealth inequality. We specifically ask what the relationship between collective emotions and neoliberal political subjectivity in post-Soviet space is. Based on our empirical data, we construct three ideal types of political subjectivities wherein each holds a different narrative about the neoliberal state. We show the first two dominated among our respondents in Latvia while the third was prevalent among emigrant Latvians. We find that respondents’ narratives dominant at home were framed by neoliberal feeling rules which fostered optimistic thinking (narrative of resilience) and feelings of individual responsibility (narrative of legitimating) silencing the emotion of anger necessary to form a critical democratic dialogue with the state. Meanwhile, emigrant Latvians voiced a more socially and politically aware critique towards the Latvian state, austerity politics and social injustice (narrative of anger). We provide implications for this theory of post-Soviet political subjectivities at the end.
Tobacco Use, Quitting, and Service Access for Northern California Arab Americans: A Participatory Study
Authors: Lee Juliet P. , Salam Lina , Abdelhalim Gamila , Lipton Robert , Myers Mark , Alnahari Sarah , Hamud-Ahmed Walid
Published: September 2023

Abstract: Background: Cigarette smoking rates have decreased in the United States, particularly in California. Despite representing a large population in the United States and particularly in California, Arab Americans are not typically assessed in tobacco-related health studies. Disparately high smoking rates have been found in community samples of Arab Americans. In a formative participatory research study, we aimed to assess experiences with tobacco products and access to cessation and prevention services for Arab Americans who use commercial tobacco products. Methods: In partnership with a community advisory board, we conducted a brief survey of adult Northern California Arab Americans who use tobacco products, both men and women ( n = 101), followed by assets mapping to identify services, and focus groups with a subset of survey participants ( n = 30), to assess tobacco product use, readiness to quit, and access to culturally appropriate cessation services. Results: The majority of people who smoked did so daily. Waterpipe use was as common as cigarette smoking, and more so for women. Intent to quit was offset by highly normative tobacco use in the social environment, and limited access to culturally appropriate cessation services. Conclusions: Improvement in outreach and services specific to Arab Americans may support prevention and cessation of commercial tobacco products.
Cultivating an Ecosystem: A Qualitative Exploration of Sustainability in Long-Standing Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships
Authors: Chandanabhumma P. Paul , Gabrysiak Adena , Brush Barbara L. , Coombe Chris M. , Eng Eugenia , Jensen Megan , Lachance Laurie , Shepard Peggy , Wallerstein Nina B. , Israel Barbara A.
Published: September 2023

Abstract: Background: While sustainability is crucial to the success of community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships, there is a lack of conceptual clarity on what defines sustainability and what characterizes sustainability-promoting practices in long-standing (in existence 6 years or longer) CBPR partnerships. Objectives: The aim of this article is to explore the definition of sustainability, as well as practices that influence sustainability from the perspectives of academic and community experts in long-standing CBPR partnerships. Methods: This qualitative analysis is part of Measurement Approaches to Partnership Success, a participatory mixed methods validity study that examined "success" and its contributing factors in long-standing CBPR partnerships. Thematic analysis of 21 semistructured interviews was conducted, including 10 academic and 11 community experts of long-standing CBPR partnerships. Results: The key defining components of sustainability we identified include: distinguishing between sustaining the work of the partnership and ongoing relationships among partners; working towards a common goal over time; and enduring changes that impact the partnership. We further identified strengthening and capacity building practices at multiple levels of the partnership that served to promote the sustainability of the partnership's work and of ongoing relationships among partners. Conclusions: Sustainability can be understood as supporting an ecosystem that surrounds the beneficial relationships between academic and community partners. Ongoing evaluation and application of practices that promote the sustainability of partnership activities and relationships may strengthen the long-term effectiveness of CBPR partnerships in advancing health equity.
Expansion of the Community Engagement Studio Method: Deepening Community Participation in Health Care Innovation
Authors: Valdez Carmen R. , Garay Ricardo , Vasquez Monique , Oliveira Eliel , Lakshminaraya Vidya , Abdulateef Zainab , Guzman Monica , Khurshid Anjum
Published: September 2023

Abstract: Background: The Community Engagement Studio (CE Studio) method has emerged as a valuable model for community participation in health innovation research, and we advance the model by expanding the timing and number of CE Studio sessions, as well as facilitation. Objectives: The authors expanded the CE Studio method first to include five sessions corresponding to five phases of innovation: a) health experiences, b) community readiness, c) design features, d) adoption, and e) sustainability. Community experts were engaged throughout the duration of the research. Second, the authors positioned the CE Studio Team to be deeply embedded within the research team and the community of interest through community health workers. Methods: The expanded CE Studio method was incorporated into a federally funded research project focused on a health technology platform. The CE Studio Team held five sessions with each of four community expert panels (total of 20 sessions) based on race/ethnicity and language: African American, Asian American, English-speaking Latinx, and Spanishspeaking Latinx. Conclusions: CE Studio sessions revealed community experts' shared and unique evolving and deepening perspectives that show promise for expanding the model.
Afterword: “Your time’s expired”: Spatiotemporal Dramaturgies of the Contemporary
Authors: Kirwan Peter
Published: September 2023

Abstract: This afterword responds to the contents of this special issue by returning to Jan Kott’s Szkice o Szekspirze and exploring the fuzzy language around contemporaneity, resonance, and relevance. Contemporaneity in theatrical productions often manifests in either very vague or very specific terms, and often serves a predominantly aesthetic function. Taking the cue of Shakespeare’s time-skipping later plays Pericles and The Winter’s Tale —both of which resist a straightforward depiction of a “now”—and focusing on Cheek by Jowl’s 2018–19 Périclès, Prince de Tyr , this afterword draws together the arguments made throughout this special issue to propose a model of contemporaneity as experiential immediacy, which aligns with recent attempts to understand contemporaneity at the point of reception.
A Mythic France for Export: Auguste Genin, Cultural Brokers, and the Third Republic's Mission Civilisatrice in Porfirian Mexico
Authors: Bunker Steven
Published: September 2023

Abstract: Historians of Mexico after its independence from Spain in 1821, especially during the era of rapid modernization under President Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911), speak generally of the strong French cultural influence on the middling and privileged classes in the Republic who viewed France as a model of emulation for national development. This afrancesamiento (Francophilia) is often taken for granted and few have questioned what "Frenchness" meant at a time when France itself was constructing a national identity, who were its greatest promoters in Mexico, and how did the Mexican experience compare with the Third Republic's (1870–1940) civilizing mission ( mission civilizatrice ) in France's formal colonies in Southeast Asia and Africa. The goal of this article is two-fold. The first is to advance the notion of certain members of the French immigrant community in Porfirian Mexico as cultural brokers, and the second is to place the French model of modernity to which these foreign residents and Mexican elites referred to in its domestic and larger imperial context. The influential Franco-Mexican Auguste Genin and his writings offer an illustrative case study through which to introduce and assess this. Particularly revealing is how Genin imagines the process by which the indigenous population of Mexico would be transformed into modern citizens and how this project—this imaginary construct—found a source of inspiration in the simultaneous French project to construct a French identity and a model ideology for overseas empire during the Third Republic.
Resource-efficient and QoS guaranteed 5G RAN slice migration in elastic metro aggregation networks using heuristic-assisted deep reinforcement learning
Authors: Gu Jiahua , Zhu Min , Wang Yunwu , Cai Xiaofeng , Cai Yuancheng , Zhang Jiao , Lei Mingzheng , Hua Bingchang , Gu Pingping , Zhao Guo
Published: September 2023

To cope with the growing and diversifying 5G services, RAN slicing, an effective resource allocation mechanism, has been proposed. Each RAN slice serves varied service requirements, with baseband processing functions (BPFs), e.g., distributed units (DUs) and centralized units (CUs), implemented via virtual machines in a processing pool (PP). Co-locating the virtualized DU/CU (vDU/vCU) of multiple slices in a single PP enhances resource utilization and reduces power consumption. As mobile traffic and slice resource demands fluctuate over time, we face a trade-off: either migrate RAN slices to improve resource efficiency or avoid migration to prevent user service interruption, thereby ensuring users’ QoS. Additionally, an elastic optical network (EON) is employed as the substrate metro aggregation network for flexible and spectrum-efficient scheduling. In this context, the routing and spectrum allocation of optical paths connecting different BPFs should also be optimized to maximize spectral resource usage. To address the above RAN slice deployment and migration issue, in this paper, we propose a heuristic-assisted deep reinforcement learning (HA-DRL)-based algorithm to jointly optimize power consumption, slice migration, and spectrum resource consumption. Two heuristic algorithms, RAN slice reallocation (RSR) and RAN slice adjustment (RSA), are proposed. Using their results as a reference, the HA-DRL achieves a better trade-off among the triple optimization objectives. Simulations on a small-scale 9-node network and a large-scale 30-node network demonstrate the superiority of HA-DRL over baseline heuristic algorithms. We achieved significant reductions in migrated traffic and spectral resource saving at a minor power consumption cost.
Target and cantilever supported seawater velocity sensor based on panda fiber polarization interferometer
Authors: Li Yu , Wang Shanshan , Yu Lijun , Wang Jing
Published: September 2023

It is necessary to develop a novel optical low velocity sensor for seawater. In this paper, a fiber optic seawater velocity sensor based on a target cantilever reflective polarization interferometer is presented theoretically and experimentally. Height: width of equal strength cantilever is determined by finite element method as 22:5, and the seawater velocity sensing experiment is carried out using this parameter. The sensitivity obtained by experiment is consistent with the theory, whose correlation coefficient is 0.96, and the mean relative error is 3.65%. The velocity measurement results of the sensor were also compared by Acoustic doppler velocimetry, the correlation coefficient and the mean relative error are 0.92 and 4.5% respectively, which realized the high precision measurement of water velocity. The maximum sensitivity of the sensor is 355.55 nm/(m·s−1) when the velocity is 0.09 m/s. In addition, when the thickness of the cantilever is 0.5 mm, the velocity measurement can be realized in the range of 0-0.22 m/s. Finally, the influence factors of sensor sensitivity are discussed, which shows that the sensitivity is related to wavelength, velocity and the size of the cantilever structure, and is independent on the length of the panda fiber. The fiber optic velocity sensor based on the target cantilever is expected to play an important role in the field of seawater measurement due to its advantages of small size, stable structure and high sensitivity.
High contrast ratio electrophoretic displays based on high structural stability and high transmittance microcup
Authors: Liu Jie , Liu Guangyou , Liu Yunhe , Wu Xinzao , Zeng Zheng , Shu Hao , Yang Bo-ru
Published: September 2023

In the age of Internet of Things, electrophoretic electronic paper (E-paper) holds a unique position in the display area due to its energy-saving, environmental friendliness, excellent readability in strong ambient light, and eye protection. Compared with E-papers of microcapsules, microcups have several advantages including higher mechanical strength, lower production costs, and better feasibility to show multiple colors with high contrast, thereby making it a significant research interest. However, there is currently no systematic study on the structural mechanics and display performances of microcups. Herein, we simulate the structural stability of microcups with various shapes and sizes during nanoimprint process, and also calculated the aperture ratio of these microcups. We fabricated devices with different geometrical morphologies to verify the microcups for achieving a balance between high contrast, high transmittance and high structural stability. This study provides a new method for designing and manufacturing the E-papers of microcups in using nanoimprint roll-to-roll (R2R) production.
Tunable four-wave mixing enabled by a self-phase modulation of chirped pulses
Authors: Corso C. , Mansuryan T. , Tonello A. , Arosa Y. , Stepanenko Y. , Couderc V. , Krupa K.
Published: September 2023

We experimentally demonstrate how a concatenation of the standard and microstructure fiber segments permits adjusting the four-wave mixing sideband position over a large spectral range by varying the chirp of an input pulsed pump at a fixed wavelength in the presence of a self-phase modulation. The blue- and redshifted sidebands can stand aside over ∼200 nm and ∼450 nm from the pump, respectively, which agrees well with the numerical simulations. We validate our approach by showing the feasibility of CARS imaging.
High-throughput multiplexed fluorescence lifetime microscopy
Authors: Zhang Zhimin , Liu Xin , He Minfei , Huang Yuran , Xu Liang , Han Yubing , Zhu Dazhao , Hao Xiang , Kuang Cuifang , Liu Xu
Published: September 2023

Fluorescence lifetime microscopy has been widely used in quantifying
cellular interaction or histopathological identification of different
stained tissues. A novel, to the best of our knowledge, approach for
high-throughput multiplexed fluorescence lifetime imaging is
presented. To establish a high-throughput fluorescence lifetime
acquisition system, a uniformed illumination optical focus array was
generated by a novel computer-generated hologram algorithm based on
matrix triple product. This, in conjunction with an array detector and
multichannel time-correlated single-photon counting, enables the full
use of the acquisition ability of each detector. By utilizing interval
segmentation of photon time detection, a high-throughput multiplexed
fluorescence lifetime imaging is achieved. Experimental results
demonstrate that this method achieves a fivefold increase in the
collection throughput of fluorescence lifetime and is capable of
simultaneous dual-target fluorescence lifetime measurement.
Mining host candidate regulators of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis in response to artesunate therapy through transcriptomics approach
Authors: Yuan Yajie , Lv Xinyue , Wu Yahan , Weng Youhong , Dai Fangwei , Ding Haojie , Chen Riping , Zheng Bin , Zhao Wenxia , Tong Qunbo , Ding Jianzu , Lou Di , Lai Yunru , Chu Xiaofeng , Zhao Longyou , Lu Shaohong , Kong Qingming
Published: September 2023

Background

Artesunate (ART) has been reported to have an antifibrotic effect in various organs. The underlying mechanism has not been systematically elucidated. We aimed to clarify the effect of ART on liver fibrosis induced by Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) in an experimentally infected rodent model and the potential underlying mechanisms.

Methods

The effect of ART on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) was assessed using CCK-8 and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assays. The experimental model of liver fibrosis was established in the Mongolian gerbil model infected with S. japonicum cercariae and then treated with 20 mg/kg or 40 mg/kg ART. The hydroxyproline (Hyp) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities in liver tissue were measured and histopathological changes of liver tissues were observed. Whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of the liver tissues was performed. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using bioinformatic analysis and verified by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and western blot assay.

Results

ART significantly inhibited the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of HSCs in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo, Hyp content decreased significantly in the ART-H group compared to the model (MOD) group and GPX activity was significantly higher in the ART-H group than in the MOD group. Besides, ART treatment significantly reduced collagen production (p <0.05). A total of 158 DEGs and 44 differentially expressed miRNAs related to ART-induced anti-schistosomiasis liver fibrosis were identified. The qPCR and western blot results of selected DEGs were consistent with the sequencing results. These DEGs were implicated in key pathways such as immune and inflammatory response, integrin-mediated signaling and toll-like receptor signaling pathways.

Conclusion

ART is effective against liver fibrosis using Mongolian gerbil model induced by S. japonicum infection. We identified host candidate regulators of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis in response to ART through transcriptomics approach.
“You are a child and this is not your business”: Decision-making on child marriage in Sindh, Pakistan
Authors: Kakal Tasneem , Kok Maryse , Jawad Maryam
Published: September 2023

Young people in Pakistan face challenges such as child marriage, which have adverse consequences on their education, employment, health and overall well-being. We conducted interviews (26) and focus group discussions (12) with young people (15 to 24 years) and community stakeholders to understand how child marriage is perceived by them and to gain insight into the decision-making regarding marriage of youth in Sindh, Pakistan. Study findings show that many young people wish to marry later, but recognize that child marriage is used as a protective strategy to cope with poverty and prevent sexual activity prior to marriage. Young people are expected to obey elders and young women are relegated to domestic roles which limit their decision-making about marriage. Young people and parents who are educated seem to have more negotiating power in delaying marriage than those with little or no education. Our results suggest that interventions should focus on expanding education and livelihood opportunities for young women while changing social norms through parental engagement and youth empowerment.
The importance of gravity vector on adult mammalian organisms: Effects of hypergravity on mouse testis
Authors: Bonetto Valentina , Magnelli Valeria , Sabbatini Maurizio , Caprì Flavia , van Loon Jack J. W. A. , Tavella Sara , Masini Maria Angela
Published: September 2023

In the age of space exploration, the effect of hypergravity on human physiology is a relatively neglected topic. However, astronauts have several experiences of hypergravity during their missions. The main disturbance of altered gravity can be imputed to cell cytoskeleton alteration and physiologic homeostasis of the body. Testis has proved to be a particularly sensible organ, subject to environmental alteration and physiological disturbance. This makes testis an organ eligible for investigating the alteration following exposure to altered gravity. In our study, mice were exposed to hypergravity (3gfor 14 days) in the Large Diameter Centrifuge machine (ESA, Netherland). We have observed a morphological alteration of the regular architecture of the seminiferous tubules of testis as well as an altered expression of factors involved in the junctional complexes of Sertoli cells, responsible for ensuring the morpho-functional integrity of the organ. The expression of key receptors in physiological performance, such as Androgen Receptors and Interstitial Cells Stimulating Hormone receptors, was found lower expressed. All these findings indicate the occurrence of altered physiological organ performance such as the reduction of the spermatozoa number and altered endocrine parameters following hypergravity exposure.
Exploring the impacts of Covid-19 on the electronic product trade of the G-7 countries: A complex network analysis approach and panel data analysis
Authors: Özekicioğlu Halil , Yilmaz Burcu , Alkan Gamze , Oğuz Suzan , Kocabaş Ceren , Boz Fatih
Published: September 2023

The present study attempts to explore the impacts of COVID-19 on the intra-group electronic product trade of the world’s seven largest economies. In line with this purpose, we performed a complex network analysis of the electronic product trade of the group of seven (G-7) countries and China, as well as a panel data study comprising solely the G-7 countries. In this regard, we investigated the trade networks within the G-7 countries, to which China has been added, and determined the prominent countries in the network during the pandemic to be China, the USA and Canada. The findings also revealed that China, one of the pioneering countries in electronic product trade, has the most ties in electronic products exports with the USA, the other countries with which the USA had the most ties were Japan and Germany, apart from Canada. It was discovered that Germany was the most active country in the network, following the USA, in terms of export ties and the number of export countries in its network. The panel data analysis, on the other hand, yielded two different models, namely import and export, based on 22 months of data, from March 2020 to December 2021, considering the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The findings showed that independent variables affecting the electronic product trade within G-7 countries bore different effects in both models, that the deaths/cases ratio, the tests/cases ratio and the number of cases had adverse impacts while the population had positive impacts on exports in the first model, and that the tests/population ratio had adverse effects while the number of tests and the population had positive impacts on intra-group electronic product imports.
Scalable parallel and distributed simulation of an epidemic on a graph
Authors: Dou Guohao
Published: September 2023

We propose an algorithm to simulate Markovian SIS epidemics with homogeneous rates and pairwise interactions on a fixed undirected graph, assuming a distributed memory model of parallel programming and limited bandwidth. This setup can represent a broad class of simulation tasks with compartmental models. Existing solutions for such tasks are sequential by nature. We provide an innovative solution that makes trade-offs between statistical faithfulness and parallelism possible. We offer an implementation of the algorithm in the form of pseudocode in the Appendix. Also, we analyze its algorithmic complexity and its induced dynamical system. Finally, we design experiments to show its scalability and faithfulness. In our experiments, we discover that graph structures that admit good partitioning schemes, such as the ones with clear community structures, together with the correct application of a graph partitioning method, can lead to better scalability and faithfulness. We believe this algorithm offers a way of scaling out, allowing researchers to run simulation tasks at a scale that was not accessible before. Furthermore, we believe this algorithm lays a solid foundation for extensions to more advanced epidemic simulations and graph dynamics in other fields.
Mental, physical, and phychophysiological responses to FFP2/N95 face mask during HIIT in active women
Authors: Tannion Kyran , De la Vega Ricardo , Horcajo Javier , Cuadrado-Peñafiel Víctor
Published: September 2023

Training systems based on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) have experienced great influence in recent years within the context of exercise and sport. This study aims to provide insight on whether the immediate outcomes (e.g., central and peripheral acute responses) may be intensified or attenuated when a HIIT protocol is performed using a FFP2/N95 face mask in active healthy adult women. In other words, it strives to provide new findings relative to the use of face masks as a potential performance enhancing tool. In the current study, the same training session was carried out on two occasions under different conditions (i.e., with FFP2/N95 and without FFP2/N95) in a cross-over experimental design. The following study variables were assessed before and after the HIIT in both sessions: Lactate, cortisol, alpha-amylase, selective attention, countermovement jump (CMJ), and power output. Additionally, central and peripheral Rates of Perceived Exertion (RPE) were assessed before and during the HIIT. This study makes novel contributions to prior research, showing that the use of FFP2/N95 face mask (vs. no mask) yielded higher alpha-amylase, selective attention, and peripheral RPE scores. No significant differences were found for lactate, cortisol, CMJ, and power output. Interestingly, central RPE scores were significantly lower under FFP2/N95 face mask (vs. no mask) condition. The main suggestion in light of these results is that researchers and practitioners should consider potential peripheral and central responses to training stimuli when using FFP2/N95 face masks.
New internationalization paths of Chinese brands: A configurational study
Authors: Liao Junfeng , Yang Minru
Published: September 2023

Although several new international brands in the information technology services industry have emerged in China, most previous research on the paths of internationalization taken by Chinese brands has focused on the manufacturing industry. Further exploration of the diversity and novel characteristics of these paths remains necessary. Taking into account the different industries and the interactions among multiple factors that are relevant in this context, supplementary research on the paths of internationalization taken by Chinese brands is also needed. Simultaneously, more research on the mechanisms underlying brand empowerment during the internationalization process is necessary. Based on a theoretical framework for brand empowerment, this article analyzes 61 representative Chinese brands using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). This article reveals the following main findings: (1) brand penetration and brand acculturation are two key capabilities with regard to brand internationalization; (2) two modes of brand internationalization are evident in China, i.e., progressive internationalization and leapfrog internationalization; (3) four paths of internationalization can be observed with regard to Chinese brands, including two new paths, i.e., L-S-Cu and P-S-M; and (4) six additional paths are worthy of further exploration.
Greater nurse density correlates to higher level of population ageing globally, but is more prominent in developed countries
Authors: You Wenpeng , Donnelly Frank
Published: September 2023

Background

Representing over 50% of the healthcare workforce, nurses provide care to people at all ages. This study advances, at a population level, that high levels of nursing services, measured by nurse density may significantly promote population ageing measured by the percentage of a population over 65 years of age (65yo%).

Methods

Population level data was examined to explore the correlation between nurse density and 65yo%. The confounding impacts on ageing such as the effects of economic affluence, physician density, fertility rate, obesity and urban advantages were also considered. Scatter plots, bivariate correlation, partial correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed for examining the correlations.

Results

Nurse density correlated to 65yo%; this relationship was independent of other influences such as fertility rate, economic affluence, obesity prevalence, physician density and urban advantages. Second to fertility rate, nursing density had the greatest influence on 65yo%. The predicting and confounding variables explain 74.4% of the total 65yo% variance. The universal correlations identified in country groupings suggest that low nurse density may be a significant global concern.

Conclusions

While nurse density might contribute significantly to 65yo% globally, the effect was more prominent in developed countries. Ironically, countries with higher nurse densities and therefore greater levels of 65yo%, were countries with an increased need for more nursing staff. To highlight the profound implications for the role the nursing profession plays especially at a time of global nursing shortage, further study into the effects of long-run elasticity of nurse staffing level on population ageing may be needed. For instance, what percentage of nursing staff increase would be required to meet every 1% increase of an ageing population.
Youth4Sea and marine debris: An arts-based, site-specific, youth-framed inquiry
Authors: Lasczik Alexandra , Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles Amy , Paquette Marie-Laurence , Canosa Antonia , Logan Marianne
Published: September 2023

This arts-based project engaged youth (between 18 and 24 years of age) living in Byron Bay to co-design an inquiry addressing the increased pollution created during the period of Schoolies. Through a youth-framed participatory research design, the project team engaged local youth in researching young people’s marine pollution understandings, attitudes and behaviours. It then supported their ideas as they created, instigated and assessed an intervention campaign, targeted at Schoolies tourists, to reduce the amount of beach litter (). The young people conducted video interviews with their peers, created visual diaries, took photographs, and designed and implemented an intervention plan. Seeking a feasible action and realizing the enormity of the issue of marine pollution, they decided to target the beach as a specific site for intervention, and in particular, the issue of cigarette butt litter. The young people then engaged in a suite of arts-based analyses, including photographs of the intervention in-process, a documentary film, visual diaries () and a collaborative, large-scale canvas painting (; ) as an analytical riposte.
‘The Pandemic Played a Cruel Joke on Us’: The vulnerabilities of Kyrgyz women migrant workers in Russia during COVID-19
Authors: Abdukadyrova Lola , Studenko Olga
Published: September 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic affected various aspects of social and economic life across the world, with women and minorities especially bearing the brunt of its negative consequences. For Kyrgyz migrant women in Russia, this was further compounded by particularities of the low-wage or informal sectors where they worked. This article contributes to the scholarship on the impact of COVID-19 on migrant workers in destination countries. Drawing on data from 298 Kyrgyz women working in Russia, it explores women’s experiences with income, labour protections, freedom of movement, and violence in the workplace during the pandemic. It demonstrates that these experiences are caused by the intersection of gender and migration status. The article concludes with recommendations directed at the Kyrgyz government and civil society to improve the situation of Kyrgyz migrant women working in Russia.
The Lexicogrammatical Profile of Non-agentive Deverbal -er Nominals: A Usage-based Approach
Authors: Guerrero Medina Pilar , Palma Gutiérrez Macarena
Published: September 2023

In this paper we analyse the lexicogrammatical profile of 30 non-agentive deverbal -er nominalisations, showing that the different semantic types that middle structures instantiate in Heyvaert’s (2003) usage-based classification (i.e., facility-, quality-, feasibility-, destinyand result-oriented) can be systematically found among the non-agentive -er nominals in our corpus. Following Lemmens (1998) and Heyvaert (2001, 2003), we believe that a detailed analysis of the type of base verbs used in deverbal -er formations is necessary to provide a more accurate classification on a lexicogrammatical basis. A basic distinction is thus made between -er nominals that profile patientive participants and -er nominals that designate circumstantial participants. Patientive nominalisations include Goal-profiling derivations based on transitive verbs, such as Freerider or scratcher, as well as Medium-profiling formations derived from ergative verbs, such as best-seller, top-seller and broiler, where the profiled entities can be said to co-participate in the process. Circumstantial nominalisations (mostly derived from intransitive verbs) include Location-profiling formations, like two-seater or bed-sitter, and Instrumental-profiling formations, such as baby jumper or tourer. We have conducted a qualitative corpus-based analysis in order to examine the lexico-semantic and lexico-paradigmatic profile of 30 deverbal -er nominalisations in present-day English. Using the Concordance section of Sketch Engine in the enTenTen20 corpus, we have been able to retrieve a total of 2,847 contextualised examples, including agentive and non-agentive instantiations.