bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuron-restricted cytomegalovirus latency in the central nervous system regulated by CD4+ T cells and IFN-γ
Authors: Brizić Ilija , Krstanović Fran , Mihalić Andrea , Rashidi Ahmad , Sitnik Katarzyna , Ruzsics Zsolt , Cicin-Sain Luka , Verjans Georges , Jonjic Stipan
Published: September 2024

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of congenital viral infections, frequently accompained with long-term neurological sequelae in children. The cell types and mechanisms involved in establishing lifelong CMV latency in brain, from which the virus reactivates intermittently, remain enigmatic. Infection of newborn mice with mouse CMV (MCMV) closely mimicks the pathophysiology of congenital HCMV and was used to unravel the factors involved in CMV infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Here we show that cortex and hippocampus are major sites of productive MCMV infection during the acute phase in newborn mice. Infectious virus was first produced by astrocytes, then microglia, and finally by neurons, which were the major sites of viral replication during the late phase of infection. CD4+T-cells were pivotal in resolving a productive infection in neurons in an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-dependent manner. IFN-γ can also suppress HCMV infection of human neuronal cell line and neurons in human fetal brain organotypic tissue culture. Finally, we show that MCMV establishes latency in neurons and that CD4+T-cells are crucial to prevent virus reactivation. This study has important translational potential as it demonstrates that boosting CD4+T-cell mediated immunity could prevent neurological sequelae following congenital CMV infection.
Green Biogenic Synthesis of Sn-ZrO2 Nanocomposites Using Musa paradisiaca Peel Extract Under Sonication for Biological and Adsorption Efficacy
Authors: Bhardwaj Diksha , sharma shobhana
Published: September 2024

The production of nanoparticles using plant extracts has been the subject of much exploration and study in recent times since it is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method that reduces the use of hazardous chemicals. In this work, Musa paradisiaca (banana) peel extract was used to synthesize Sn-ZrO2 nanocomposites under ultrasonic irradiation. As a capping and reducing agent in the manufacture of Sn-ZrO2 nanocomposites, banana peel extract is crucial. Sn-ZrO2 nanocomposites were synthesized in a green manner were effectively evaluated using a FT-IR spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS). Studies have been conducted on the antimicrobial properties of synthesized ZrO2 nanocomposites doped with tin against both Gram positive and Gram negative pathogenic bacteria and fungus. Furthermore, free radical scavenging activity against the DPPH and ABTS assay was used to assess the antioxidant activity of green Sn-ZrO2 nanocomposites. The biomimetic synthesised Sn-ZrO2 nanocomposites demonstrated robust antioxidant activity and significant antimicrobial activity that was on par with standard. Further, Sn-ZrO2 nanocomposites shows excellent adsorption capacity of malachite green dye.
FastPrEP: A protocol to evaluate uptake, coverage, and effectiveness of a youth-focused, decentralised and differentiated district-wide HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis program.
Authors: Rousseau Elzette , Davey Dvora , Fynn Lauren , Wallace Melissa , Macdonald Pippa , Pike Carey , Mathola Ntombovuyo , Little Francesca , Leonard Bryan , Lebelo Keitumetse , Bekker Linda-Gail
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Adolescents and young people (AYP) are at increased risk of HIV acquisition and onward transmission in South Africa. The benefits of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are well established, however, epidemic impact depends on access, effective use and scale-up. Project Design: FastPrEP is an implementation science project that aims to scale up oral and novel PrEP modalities through differentiated service delivery to improve uptake and optimal use of PrEP in key populations. Designed to leverage some of the attributes that make fast-food popular such as efficiency, access, variety (choice) and flexibility, FastPrEP aims to further “demedicalise” the buy-in and access to HIV prevention methods. Attracting young people regardless of HIV serostatus, FastPrEP will deliver PrEP as part of integrated sexual and reproductive health (SRH) packages tailored for key youth populations using mobile clinics (n = 4) and local government clinics (n = 12) as “hubs” for PrEP initiation. These and other community-based outlets such as youth clubs, courier delivery, schools and other youth frequented venues will serve as “spokes” for PrEP maintenance. FastPrEP aims to scale up PrEP in a dense, HIV-burdened, peri-urban community of approximately one million people in Cape Town. We will adopt the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the FastPrEP intervention among diverse AYP aged 15–29 years (targeting approximately 25 000 AYP) and their sexual partners of any age. We will use a phased approach to build the program and evaluate PrEP uptake and persistence in AYP over time. Objectives: The overall objective is to evaluate whether community-wide, differentiated delivery of PrEP with regard to user choice leads to greater PrEP uptake among sexually active youths who would benefit most from comprehensive HIV protection. Secondary objectives include evaluating the differences in demographic, socio-behavioural, and risk behaviours between PrEP users and non-PrEP users to determine the effectiveness of demand creation strategies and evaluate the utility of different PrEP outlets. Conclusion: FastPrEP will evaluate the scale-up of community-delivered, differentiated PrEP to AYP and their sexual partners and will improve understanding of differentiated delivery of PrEP services on PrEP persistence in key populations.
Seismic Resilience Assessment of Transportation Networks Based on Time-Varying Function
Authors: Bu Haifeng , Jiang Huanjun , Fang Suixi
Published: September 2024

The resilience assessment of transportation road networks has gained significant attention in recent years since the concept of community resilience was developed. Providing a universally accepted method to assess the seismic resilience of transportation road networks comprehensively remains challenging. Herein, a quantified indicator for seismic resilience assessment of transportation road networks is developed. The time-varying function of transportation road networks is proposed first. The Monte Carlo method is employed to simulate the time-varying function and the full probabilistic seismic resilience of the road networks under earthquakes, considering the uncertainty factors in the quantification process. Furthermore, a post-earthquake restoration strategy of transportation road networks based on system function sensitivity is proposed. A comparative analysis reveals that the sensitivity-based restoration strategy significantly enhances the post-earthquake restoration speed of the road networks, leading to the improvement of its seismic resilience. A case study is conducted for an urban district in Shanghai, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method in evaluating the seismic resilience of the transportation network systems. The proposed quantification and optimization methods for the seismic resilience of transportation networks provide decision support for post-earthquake road access, community resource allocation, and transportation recovery strategies.
Wu Mei Pill Mitigates Dopaminergic Neuron Damage-Induced Parkinson's Disease in Mice Through Modulation of the Gut-Brain-Microbiota Axis
Authors: Zhang Zuowen , Huang Jie , Shen Lan , Bai Yinyou , Li Shishuang , Wang Shumei
Published: September 2024

Objective
The aim of this research is to delve into the preventive and therapeutic effects of Wu Mei Pill (WMP) on Parkinson's disease (PD), with a special emphasis on its capability to counteract the PD-induced imbalance in gut microbiota and unveil its underlying mechanisms.
Methods
In this investigation, a PD mouse model induced by 6-OHDA was employed to study the impact of WMP. Following the establishment of the PD model, a range of evaluations including behavioral assessments, immunohistochemistry, Western Blot (WB), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were executed to assess neurological functions and the influence of WMP on PD. Fecal samples and brain tissues were analyzed for microbiome and transcriptome studies.
Results
Administration of WMP improved neurological function, elevated the number of TH + cells, and enhanced the dopamine levels in the brain. The damage to dopaminergic neurons induced by 6-OHDA was associated with an upsurge in pro-inflammatory bacteria (Bacteroides), and bacteria involved in tryptophan metabolism (Azospirillum_sp.47_25 and unclassified_Bacteroidia) and cholesterol metabolism (unclassified[Eubacterium]_coprostanoligenes_group), along with a reduction in anti-inflammatory bacteria (Roseburia). WMP addressed these microbial shifts and key metabolite alterations (L-Tryptophan and Bambuterol) in the brain.
Conclusion
The alterations in the microbiome triggered by damage to dopaminergic neurons have the potential to aggravate PD symptoms. WMP was able to correct significant microbial and metabolic disturbances in the brain, thus reducing the loss of dopaminergic neurons, boosting dopamine levels, and enhancing neurological functions.
Detoxification of furan aldehydes by Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1
Authors: Liu Changshuo , Efimova Elena , Santala Ville , Santala Suvi
Published: September 2024

The efficient utilization of lignocellulosic hydrolysates in bioprocesses is impeded by their complex composition and the presence of toxic compounds, such as furan aldehydes, formed during lignocellulose pretreatment. Biological detoxification of these furan aldehydes offers a promising solution to enhance the utilization of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 is known to metabolize furan aldehydes, yet the complete spectrum of reaction products and dynamics remains unclear. Here, we determined the detoxification metabolites of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in A. baylyi ADP1 and studied the kinetics of detoxification. The results indicate that detoxification in A. baylyi ADP1 follows a typical alcohol-aldehyde-acid scheme, with furoic acid and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid as the final products for furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, respectively. Both end products were found to be less toxic for cells than their unmodified forms. These findings underscore the potential of A. baylyi ADP1 in detoxifying lignocellulose hydrolysates for bioprocess applications.
Emotional Labour, Job Satisfaction, and Burnout in Medical Technicians: Insights from the Korea Veterans Health Service
Authors: Hong Eun-Taek , Seo Yo-Han
Published: September 2024

Background
Previous research on emotional labour, job satisfaction, and burnout in hospitals has primarily focused on nurses or treated medical technicians as a single occupational group. However, recognising the diverse experiences within different medical technician roles necessitates a more nuanced analysis. This study aims to determine the correlation among emotional labour, job satisfaction, and burnout in medical technicians and provide foundational data for human resource management.
Methods
Participants included 570 medical technologists, radiology technologists, physical therapists, and dental hygienists working in six hospitals under the Korea Veterans Health Service in July 2022. A standardised self-administered questionnaire was used, with 290 participants responding, yielding a response rate of 50.9%. In Model I, burnout was the dependent variable, while emotional labour, job satisfaction, and subjective health status were the independent variables. Model II considered participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and factors influencing their current job choice or potential job changes, building on Model I.
Results
Factors influencing burnout varied across medical technician occupations. In Model II, burnout was significantly affected by medical technologists’ job satisfaction (B=-0.203, P = 0.014), radiology technologists’ emotional labour (B = 0.546, P = 0.024), physical therapists’ emotional labour (B = 0.466, P < 0.001) and subjective health status (B = 3.234, P = 0.029), and dental hygienists’ subjective health status (B = 5.788, P = 0.030). These results highlight the need for tailored management strategies and further research.
Conclusion
Given the variation in factors significantly affecting burnout among occupational groups, tailored interventions, and detailed research specific to each group are necessary.
Reliability Assessment of Offshore Wind Farms for Floating Oil and Gas Platforms Cleaner Production
Authors: Almeida Gustavo Q. , Borges Carmen L. T. , Chicco Gianfranco
Published: September 2024

This article proposes a methodology for evaluating the reliability of offshore wind farms (OWF) connected to oil and gas platforms, to provide a more sustainable and cleaner production by producing part of the energy needed for supplying the internal services through renewable energy. Different collector network topologies are compared in order to calculate the availability of supply at the Point of Common Coupling.The evaluation is carried out by combining Markov processes to capture wind speed uncertainty with the analytical theory of the Universal Generating Function and calculates the Generation Ratio Availability and Energy Not Supplied (ENS) indices.The design of an 8 MW OWF located in northeastern Brazil is used as a test, considering two correlated wind speeds and an equivalent single wind speed. The results show that the single-sided ring collector network topology is the most reliable, while the radial one is the least reliable. The results of a sensitivity analysis of each topology to the unavailability of the collector network and the wind turbine are also presented. The use of actual correlated wind speeds instead of the equivalent one results in higher ENS and, therefore, a less reliable system. A cost analysis shows that the star topology has the highest levelized cost of electricity.
Response of Arthropods to the Anthropogenic Noise at Sandur, Ballari, Karnataka
Authors: KB Kumuda , Hema K , Chakravarthy A K
Published: September 2024

Arthropod diversity and species richness in the Sandur taluk Ballari have been recorded. One hundred and ninety-two species of insects were identified, and about 80% of them were beneficial to the ecosystem as natural enemies of pests, pollinators, decomposers, and scavengers; they regulate the ecosystem functioning. The rich biodiversity suggests that the study area is of high biological value and that the species are endemic to the eastern plains of Karnataka. It is observed that the abundance of arthropods varied in different habitats based on the anthropogenic noise. It is observed that the abundance of the arthropods decreased, and although the cricket calling pattern remained the same in all the habitats, the external sound masked the cricket calls. The masking and overlapping effects of cricket and grasshopper calls may manifest in differential ecological impacts.
Unveiling Novel Regulatory Mechanisms of BEX1 in Breast, Gastric, and Colorectal Cancer via a Systems Biology Approach: The Roles of lncRNAs COLCA1 and GAS6-AS1 and Their Interactions
Authors: Rezaei Mohammadreza , Salehipour Parnian , Tavakoli Mehrnoosh , Mousavi Maryam , Asgari Shima , Vatani Dorsan , Hosseinipouya Seyedeh Saba , Poudineh Younes , Rezaei Mohammad , Shirdeli Seyedeh Zahra , Ghelich Reza , Azadeh Mansoureh
Published: September 2024

Background: This study aimed to explore novel regulatory networks involving the BEX1 gene and its interaction with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in breast cancer (BC), gastric cancer (GC), and colorectal cancer (CRC). BEX1 has been linked to tumor suppression, but its role in signaling pathways and its interactions with regulatory RNAs in these cancers has not been fully elucidated.
Methods: High-throughput microarray datasets (GSE10810, GSE54129, and GSE208099) were analyzed to investigate BEX1 expression in breast cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer. The expression analysis and survival outcomes for BEX1 and selected lncRNAs were validated using the ENCORI platform. Regulatory interactions of BEX1 with proteins and microRNAs were identified using STRING and miRWalk, respectively, while lncRNA interactions were examined through lncRRIsearch. Final validation of differential expression analysis and biomarker potential was conducted using qRT-PCR, along with ROC analysis to assess diagnostic capability.
Results: BEX1, identified as a tumor suppressor with low expression in breast, gastric, and colorectal cancer, demonstrated potential as a diagnostic biomarker, particularly in breast cancer (AUC: 0.8025, p = 0.0011). The lncRNAs COLCA1 and GAS6-AS1 were found to potentially regulate BEX1 expression. BEX1 exhibited significant interactions with two key proteins involved in cancer-related signaling pathways: CALML3 and LMO2. Moreover, BEX1 and these proteins demonstrated competitive interactions with miR-3616-3p, which was found to suppress BEX1 expression by targeting its 3'UTR. COLCA1 and GAS6-AS1 also exhibited dysregulated expression across breast, gastric, and colorectal cancers, suggesting their potential as diagnostic biomarkers.
Conclusion: The lncRNAs GAS6-AS1 and COLCA1, alongside miR-3616-3p, may play pivotal roles in regulating cancer-related pathways, including gastric acid secretion, insulin signaling, and homeostasis. These regulatory processes occur through direct and indirect interactions between the non-coding RNAs and BEX1, further highlighting the potential of these molecules as therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers.
Digital Assets: Vulnerabilities and their Classification
Authors: Soin Anurag , Putnins Talis , Staples Mark
Published: September 2024

The adoption of digital assets and distributed ledger technology in finance is rapidly increasing. It comes with new types of risks, currently not adequately covered in conventional risk management frameworks. This paper identifies, reviews and categorises these risks. It draws on a systematic review of literature between 2016 and 2023 and classifies the vulnerabilities by layer - network layer, consensus layer, protocol layer, and enablement layer.
JEL Classification - D81. D83. E42 G23. G32.O32
The relationship between the occurrence of asthma and diabetes.
Authors: shahroor Waleed adnan
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Diabetes is a major public health problem, and there is a continuing increase in the incidence and long-term complications. These complications are mainly sequelae of microvascular destruction in target organs. Many lung injuries occur in the context of diabetes due to the presence of abundant microcirculation and abundance of tissues. Macrophages, raising the possibility that lung tissue is a target organ in patients with diabetes.
Research objectives: This research was designed to study the effect of diabetes, both the duration of infection with this disease, and control of diabetic status on lung function and the incidence of asthma.
Methods and materials: A cross-sectional study, conducted on 100 diabetic patients attending Damascus Hospital in the period between 1/1/20217 and 1/1/2023. It was compared with a control group consisting of 100 healthy individuals without diabetes. It was recorded. Hemoglobin, fasting blood sugar, and a lung function test (spirometry) were measured for all participants in the study, and the following lung measurements were taken: maximum expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), ratio (FEV1/FVC). Analyze the results using: mean + standard deviation, Pearson's chi-square, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and ANOVA test.
Results: The average percentage of expected FEV1 and expected FVC in people with diabetes is lower compared to healthy non-diabetic controls (p smaller than 0.05), and these values were lower in patients without controlled blood sugar compared to patients with controlled blood sugar, and the values were also lower in patients with diabetes for a longer period of time, these values were lower in patients with type 1 diabetes, and all previous criteria led to the occurrence of asthma.
Conclusion: The findings in this study suggest that the lung is a target organ for diabetes, and that diabetic patients have a decline in lung function and the incidence of asthma compared to non-diabetics in a blockade lesion model. Lung function deteriorates the longer the duration of diabetes and the longer the diabetes is uncontrolled.
LINFLUENCEDELAQUALITEDU SYSTEME ERP (PLANIFICATION DESRESSOURCES DE LENTREPRISE) SUR LA SATISFACTION AU TRAVAIL ET LA PERFORMANCE DES EMPLOYES DANS LE SECTEUR PHARMACEUTIQUE AU MAROC
Authors:   Doctorante, Laboratoire de Recherche en Management des Organisations, Droit des Affaires et Developpement Durable Faculte des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales - Souissi Rabat, Maroc., Alami Maryam , Belmourd Loubna ,   Professeur, Laboratoire de Recherche en Management des Organisations, Droit des Affaires et Developpement Durable Faculte des Sciences Juridiques, Economiques et Sociales - Souissi Rabat, Maroc.
Published: September 2024

L objectif de cet article est d analyser l effet de la mise en oeuvre des systemes de planification des ressources de l entreprise sur la satisfaction au travail et la performance des employes tout enmettant enrelief limportance de la qualite de la Planification des ressources de l entreprise et plus precisement la qualite du systeme, la qualite de l information ainsi que la qualite du service. Il s agit de variables qui determinent la qualite du systeme de planification des ressources de l entreprise et qui relevent des liens significatifs quant a l implementation du systeme de planification des ressources de l entreprise et le developpement de la satisfaction au travail et la performance des employes. Letude a ete menee sur un echantillon de 87 repondant travaillant dans le secteur pharmaceutique au Maroc. Les conclusions de cet article indiquent que la qualite du systeme de planification des ressources de l entreprise favorise la satisfaction et la performance des employes dans le secteur pharmaceutique. Ces resultats ouvrent la voie pour des contributions theoriques, methodologiques et manageriales qui seront discutees.
ISOLATED TUBERCULOSIS OF PAROTID GLAND:A COMMON DISEASE AT AN UNCOMMON LOCATION WITH REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Authors: Singh Renu , Bharti Sushma , Kaushal Darwin
Published: September 2024

Tuberculosis infection is a common health problem in developing countries like India which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). It commonly affects the pulmonary system. Although it can affect any organ of the body but salivary glands especially the parotid gland arethe rarest entity that is involved in tuberculosis. Less than 200 cases have been reported in literature till now and mostly diagnosed in post-parotidectomy specimens. Generally, it presents with a painless growing mass and hence, its clinical diagnosis is challenging and may be misdiagnosed as it can mimic parotid gland neoplasm on physical examination. Radiological investigations such as ultrasonography (USG) and computed tomography (CT) are not much beneficial. In such cases, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the preliminary step for the workup of the patients. Histologically diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of well-formed epithelioid cell granuloma and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain is positive for tubercular bacilli. Here we report a case of tubercular parotitis in a 50-year-old female diagnosed on histopathological examination and patient treated with anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) successfully.
50 év feletti vasemberek tényleg vasból vannak?
Authors: Mayer Krisztina
Published: September 2024

Ez a tanulmány az 50 év feletti, ironman távot (3,8km úszás, 180km kerékpározás, 42,2km-es futás) teljesítő triatlonosok sporttevékenységébe és annak pszichológiai hátterébe enged betekintést különös tekintettel a motivációra. A vizsgálati mintát 14 fő (12 férfi és 2 nő) alkotta, átlagos életkoruk 52,14 ±2,21 volt. Célkitűzés: A kutatás kvalitatív módszer alkalmazásával tárja fel az ironman távú triatlon verseny teljesítés mögött húzódó motívumokat az idősebb triatlonosok esetén. Eredmények: Az eredmények arra engednek következtetni, hogy az ironman távot teljesítő triatlonisták belső motivációval rendelkeznek. Vonzza őket a kihívás keresése, a saját teljesítőképesség határának a megismerésének lehetősége, a sikerélmény átélése, a flow élmény megtapasztalása és egy hasonló érdeklődésű emberek alkotta csoportba tartozás érzése.
Turizmusban dolgozók rekreációs lehetőségei
Authors: Beke Szilvia , Mihuca Dominika
Published: September 2024

A minőségi szabadidő eltöltés és ezzel együtt a munkaképesség megőrzése egyre meghatározóbb tényezővé vált. A rekreációnak rendkívül sok formája közismert, legyen az akár fizikai vagy szellemi. Hasonlóképpen a minőségi szabadidő-eltöltés és az utazás kapcsán számtalan vizsgálat történt már arról, hogy milyen elvárásokkal érkezik egy vendég az adott desztinációba, illetve, hogy mely területeken milyen preferenciák érvényesülnek. Ezzel szemben jóval kevesebb szó esik arról, hogy azon személyek, akik a hétköznapokban azért dolgoznak, hogy a desztinációba érkező vendégek jól érezzék magukat, vajon kapnak-e lehetőséget a megfelelő feltöltődésre, illetve fontosnak tartja-e maga a munkáltató is azt, hogy a szervezetében dolgozó kollégák ne égjenek ki a mindennapok „mókuskerekében”. A szerzők ezt a kérdést igyekeznek körbejárni, alapvetően az egészségturizmus egy maghatározó városának, turisztikai ágazatában dolgozó szakemberei körében végzett kvantitatív vizsgálattal, melyre 2023.09.29-10.10. közötti időszakban került sor. Összesen 131 kitöltés érkezett, az adatok feldolgozása és elemzése a Microsoft Excel program segítségével valósult meg. Az eredmények alapján arra lehet következtetni, hogy a szektorban dolgozók is igyekeznek lehetőséget találni a megfelelő feltöltődésre, mely során elsősorban az aktív lehetőségeket részesítik előnyben, mint a kerékpározás, kirándulás. Sőt legtöbb esetben a munkáltatók részéről is pozitív a hozzáállás, utóbbi területen elsősorban csapatépítési célzatú programok jelennek meg, mellyel nem feltétlen akarnak élni a dolgozók.
Seaxes and skalms: Single-edged weapon in the Old Icelandic texts
Authors:   Sevastopol State University, Khlevov Alexander , Goubanov Ilya ,   Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: September 2024

The article examines the problem of the use in combat conditions and classification of single-edged short-bladed weapons of the Germanic and neighboring peoples of Europe in the early Middle Ages — combat knives seaxes. The authors consider the numerous existing archaeological finds in the context of terms used in modern Scandinavian languages, and also turn to the analysis of options for using the terms “seax” and “skalm” in archaic texts. A contextual analysis of the use of these terms in the poetic texts of songs from the Elder Edda and the prose of Icelandic sagas belonging to various subtypes is presented. According to the authors, the term “skalm” had a very specific purpose and fell out of everyday use — as a designation for a real type of weapon — long before the Viking Age. In the texts describing the Viking Age, it is not people who are consistently armed with skalms, but the dark and negative characters opposing them — trolls, jotuns, etc. However, in the heroic epic tradition, skalms, on the contrary, are used by heroes; It was the skalms that became part of the poetic formulas describing the equipment of the heroes of the epic. There is reason to believe that this term comes from ancient times and by the Viking Age it became an anachronism, acquiring new connotations and negative meaning.
Ethical сodes as a management tool for higher educational institutions in Russia
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kropachev Nikolai M. , Suyazov Vyacheslav V. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: September 2024

Purpose: to generalize the current practices of developing and utilizing ethical codes in Russian universities and their applications as a management tool. Methodology: A comparative analysis of the Russian legislation and a monitoring of information from the universities’ websites on the ethics codes and/or ethical commissions in force was done. Findings: the authors produced a systematic analysis of current situation implementation of ethical codes in the universities of the Russian Federation with emphasis on the role of ethical commissions. Due to a lack of the established general rules, the issues of ethics codes and ethical commissions are treated by each university on its own discretion. It gives rise to several problems related to the unified legal status of students as well as academic staff and complicates the managing the higher education system in Russia. Originality and contribution: analysis of regulating ethical standards in both federal legislation and the local normative acts of the universities was done. The study revealed a lack of the adequate regulation of ethical standards in the academic institutions on behalf of the legislator and the leadership of top universities in the country. The authors suggest creating a unified ethical code of a university student as a tool for managing operation of Russian universities.
Does institutional location matter? The effect of agency type on resource distribution for nonpoint water pollution
Authors: Aistrup Joseph A. , Morris John C.
Published: September 2024

With the rejuvenated emphasis on nonpoint pollution under the Water Quality Act (WQA) of 1987, states seek ways to address nonpoint pollution sources. States can use Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) to address nonpoint needs; these funds are administered by state agencies, and funding decisions are typically made by agency personnel. While some states have aggressively funded nonpoint projects, other states have been much more reticent. Moreover, states have created different administrative structures to administer these funds. Does the nature of the structure impact the distribution of loans? Utilizing a dataset spanning state-level data from 1988 to 2016, we test a novel negative binomial cross-sectional time-series model employing the number of CWSRF loans directed to nonpoint projects as the dependent variable. We find that states where water quality management is buried within a ‘mini-EPA’ agency are the least likely to allocate CWSRF loans for nonpoint source issues, whereas states with ‘super’ agencies or combined environmental/health agencies allocate a higher number of CWSRF loans to nonpoint source projects.
Electric energy consumption (EEC) in groundwater-based drinking water supply systems: analysis and comparison of seven Italian case studies
Authors: Gibellni Silvia , Gialdini Francesca , Masoud Ahmed , Sorlini Sabrina
Published: September 2024

Drinking water and wastewater services depend on energy: electric energy consumption (EEC) of this sector amounts to 2–3% of global EEC. The attention of the scientific community and of water utilities about this topic is focused on energy optimization of wastewater treatment plants and pumping stages in drinking water supply systems (DWSSs). However, because of increasingly stringent regulations and because of more and more extended water-source pollution, the need for ‘unconventional’ drinking water treatment systems, which are very energy-intensive, will bring treatment to be a key factor in this scenario. Analyzing EEC in seven full-scale DWSSs, we wanted to control EEC in every single stage of the DWSS (withdrawal, drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) and distribution) and to identify opportunities for reducing energy consumption in DWSS, with a special focus on each drinking water treatment process. The most energy-intensive unconventional treatment turns out to be membrane filtration by reverse osmosis (for which specific consumption per cubic meter of pumped water is equal to 0.243 Wh/m3), whereas the most energy-intensive conventional treatment turns out to be air oxidation (specific EEC from 0.012 to 0.087 kWh/m3). The main strategies for energy conservation can be applied both in management and in the design phase.
Enhancing Consumer Engagement through Kansei Engineering: A Novel Approach to Sago Rice Packaging Design
Authors:   Universitas Riau, Johan Vonny Setiaries , Riftyan Emma ,   Universitas Riau, Khairany Septy ,   Universitas Riau
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this study was to produce a sago rice packaging design that suits consumer preferences using the Kansei Engineering method. This study employed a survey method and quantitative analysis. The Kansei words selected in this study included communicative, transparent, informative, practical, safe, brightly colored, attractive, innovative, size-appropriate, unique, strong, creative, distinctive, patterned, and protective of the product (15 words in total). The design elements and sub-elements identified from 10 samples of analog rice packaging were packaging materials (aluminum foil and plastic), labels (digital printing and stickers), packaging forms (standing pouches, side gusset pouches, and sachets), and colors (many colors (>3 colors), few colors (2-3 colors), and plain). The packaging design desired by consumers, based on conjoint analysis, reflected the Kansei words practical, attractive, innovative, unique, creative, distinctive, and patterned. Consumers preferred packaging made of aluminum foil, labeled with digital printing, in the form of a standing pouch, and featuring many colors (>3 colors).
Has the National Treatment Treaty Standard Evolved into a Customary Rule of International Law?
Authors: Taychayev Hannepes
Published: September 2024

The present paper examines whether the consistent inclusion of the National Treatment standard in various BITs has led to the emergence of a customary international law rule of similar content. To analyse this issue, the paper tailors the test established by the ICJ in the North Sea Continental Shelf cases, which examines the process of development of a treaty rule into a customary law rule. The article concludes that the mere presence of the National Treatment standard in numerous BITs does not inherently imply that it has evolved into a customary international law rule. The article argues that this is primarily because the assessment of customary international law necessitates state practice to exist separately and autonomously from treaty practice. Hence, the replication of the rule across BITs alone does not provide sufficient grounds for presuming the existence of a customary law rule. By assessing and tailoring the criteria set forth by the ICJ and considering the scholarly perspectives on this matter, this paper offers an understanding of the conditions required for the transformation of a treaty-based rule into a customary law principle. The aim is to contribute to the ongoing scholarly discourse on the development and identification of customary international law, specifically in the context of investment treaties and the National Treatment standard.
Construction of political education in learning Pancasila and citizenship in increasing students' political awareness
Authors: Kuwoto M Ari , Sudarmanti Rini , Utami Atika Budhi
Published: September 2024

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Citizenship and ecological education: Exploring the role of the Bakti Enzyme community in raising ecological awareness
Authors: Ambarita Prini Desima Evawani , Darmawan Cecep , Rahmat Rahmat , Syaifullah Syaifullah
Published: September 2024

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Analysis Of Workshop Layout On The Application Of Occupational Health And Safety In Department Of Civil Engineering Education and Planning UNY Carpentry Workshop
Authors: Wahyuni Indah , Salsabila Nanda Awalia Enggar , Pratama Galeh Nur Indriatno Putra
Published: September 2024

Background: The implementation of a workshop layout that is not following the 2010 ILO IEA regulations can cause work accidents, hence the need for OHS implementation in woodworking workshops. The objectives of this research are: (1) to determine the suitability of the layout of the Woodworking Workshop of DPTSP UNY with the 2010 ILO IEA regulations. (2) To determine the suitability of the K3 implementation of the woodworking workshop of DPTSP UNY with SNI 45001 2018.Methods: The research method used in this study is descriptive static with a percentage scale. This research was conducted at the Woodworking Workshop of DPTSP UNY with the research sample being lecturers, technicians, and students who were using the workshop. Data was collected using a questionnaire with a Guttman scale.Results: The study yielded the following data: (1) There is conformity between the layout of the Woodworking Workshop and the ILO IEA regulations with an average of 78%. (2) There is conformity of K3 in the woodworking workshop with SNI 45001 with an average of 90%.Conclusion: The suitability of the layout of the woodworking workshop can facilitate the movement of woodwork with the availability of tools that are quite complete, and the layout of the equipment makes it easy for students to find tools, besides that the storage and maintenance of tools is very well maintained. The suitability of K3 in the woodworking workshop provides a high guarantee of safety if it is supported by the discipline of using the correct work procedures and adherence to procedures. In addition, the room with K3 standard criteria to create a safe, comfortable, and healthy environment in carrying out practical activities.
Researching and Teaching Speech Acts with Young L2 Learners
Authors: Savić Milica , Myrset Anders , Economidou-Kogetsidis Maria
Published: September 2024

This book introduces the main concepts and research findings of second language pragmatics in relation to young language learners. It also explores issues in teaching pragmatics and conducting pragmatics research with children, demonstrating how participant-centred data elicitation methods can complement traditional methods.
Jargon and Readability in Plain Language Summaries of Health Research: Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Authors: Lang Iain A , King Angela , Boddy Kate , Stein Ken , Asare Lauren , Day Jo , Liabo Kristin
Published: September 2024

Background

The idea of making science more accessible to nonscientists has prompted health researchers to involve patients and the public more actively in their research. This sometimes involves writing a plain language summary (PLS), a short summary intended to make research findings accessible to nonspecialists. However, whether PLSs satisfy the basic requirements of accessible language is unclear.

Objective

We aimed to assess the readability and level of jargon in the PLSs of research funded by the largest national clinical research funder in Europe, the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). We also aimed to assess whether readability and jargon were influenced by internal and external characteristics of research projects.

Methods

We downloaded the PLSs of all NIHR National Journals Library reports from mid-2014 to mid-2022 (N=1241) and analyzed them using the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formula and a jargon calculator (the De-Jargonizer). In our analysis, we included the following study characteristics of each PLS: research topic, funding program, project size, length, publication year, and readability and jargon scores of the original funding proposal.

Results

Readability scores ranged from 1.1 to 70.8, with an average FRE score of 39.0 (95% CI 38.4-39.7). Moreover, 2.8% (35/1241) of the PLSs had an FRE score classified as “plain English” or better; none had readability scores in line with the average reading age of the UK population. Jargon scores ranged from 76.4 to 99.3, with an average score of 91.7 (95% CI 91.5-91.9) and 21.7% (269/1241) of the PLSs had a jargon score suitable for general comprehension. Variables such as research topic, funding program, and project size significantly influenced readability and jargon scores. The biggest differences related to the original proposals: proposals with a PLS in their application that were in the 20% most readable were almost 3 times more likely to have a more readable final PLS (incidence rate ratio 2.88, 95% CI 1.86-4.45). Those with the 20% least jargon in the original application were more than 10 times as likely to have low levels of jargon in the final PLS (incidence rate ratio 13.87, 95% CI 5.17-37.2). There was no observable trend over time.

Conclusions

Most of the PLSs published in the NIHR’s National Journals Library have poor readability due to their complexity and use of jargon. None were readable at a level in keeping with the average reading age of the UK population. There were significant variations in readability and jargon scores depending on the research topic, funding program, and other factors. Notably, the readability of the original funding proposal seemed to significantly impact the final report’s readability. Ways of improving the accessibility of PLSs are needed, as is greater clarity over who and what they are for.
Seasonal and Weekly Patterns of Korean Adolescents’ Web Search Activity on Insomnia: Retrospective Study
Authors: Baek Kwangyeol , Jeong Jake , Kim Hyun-Woo , Shin Dong-Hyeon , Kim Jiyoung , Lee Gha-Hyun , Cho Jae Wook
Published: September 2024

Background

Sleep deprivation in adolescents is a common but serious public health issue. Adolescents often have a progressive circadian delay and suffer from insufficient sleep during weekdays due to the school schedule. Temporal patterns in internet search activity data can provide relevant information for understanding the characteristic sleep problems of the adolescent population.

Objective

We aimed to reveal whether adolescents exhibit distinct temporal seasonal and weekly patterns in internet search activity on insomnia compared to adults.

Methods

We hypothesized that adolescents exhibit larger variations in the internet search volume for insomnia, particularly in association with the school schedule (e.g., academic vacations and weekends). We extracted the daily search volume for insomnia in South Korean adolescents (13-18 years old), adults (19-59 years old), and young adults (19-24 years old) during the years 2016-2019 using NAVER DataLab, the most popular search engine in South Korea. The daily search volume data for each group were normalized with the annual median of each group. The time series of the search volume was decomposed into slow fluctuation (over a year) and fast fluctuation (within a week) using fast Fourier transform. Next, we compared the normalized search volume across months in a year (slow fluctuation) and days in a week (fast fluctuation).

Results

In the annual trend, 2-way ANOVA revealed a significant (group) × (month) interaction (P<.001). Adolescents exhibited much greater seasonal variations across a year than the adult population (coefficient of variation=0.483 for adolescents vs 0.131 for adults). The search volume for insomnia in adolescents was notably higher in January, February, and August, which are academic vacation periods in South Korea (P<.001). In the weekly pattern, 2-way ANOVA revealed a significant (group) × (day) interaction (P<.001). Adolescents showed a considerably increased search volume on Sunday and Monday (P<.001) compared to adults. In contrast, young adults demonstrated seasonal and weekly patterns similar to adults.

Conclusions

Adolescents demonstrate distinctive seasonal and weekly patterns in internet searches on insomnia (ie, increased search in vacation months and weekend–weekday transitions), which are closely associated with the school schedule. Adolescents’ sleep concerns might be potentially affected by the disrupted daily routine and the delayed sleep phase during vacations and weekends. As we demonstrated, comparing various age groups in infodemiology and infoveillance data might be helpful in identifying distinctive features in vulnerable age groups.
Unobtrusive Nighttime Movement Monitoring to Support Nursing Home Continence Care: Algorithm Development and Validation Study
Authors: Strauven Hannelore , Wang Chunzhuo , Hallez Hans , Vanden Abeele Vero , Vanrumste Bart
Published: September 2024

Background

The rising prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) among older adults, particularly those living in nursing homes (NHs), underscores the need for innovative continence care solutions. The implementation of an unobtrusive sensor system may support nighttime monitoring of NH residents’ movements and, more specifically, the agitation possibly associated with voiding events.

Objective

This study aims to explore the application of an unobtrusive sensor system to monitor nighttime movement, integrated into a care bed with accelerometer sensors connected to a pressure-redistributing care mattress.

Methods

A total of 6 participants followed a 7-step protocol. The obtained dataset was segmented into 20-second windows with a 50% overlap. Each window was labeled with 1 of the 4 chosen activity classes: in bed, agitation, turn, and out of bed. A total of 1416 features were selected and analyzed with an XGBoost algorithm. At last, the model was validated using leave one subject out cross-validation (LOSOCV).

Results

The trained model attained a trustworthy overall F1-score of 79.56% for all classes and, more specifically, an F1-score of 79.67% for the class “Agitation.”

Conclusions

The results from this study provide promising insights in unobtrusive nighttime movement monitoring. The study underscores the potential to enhance the quality of care for NH residents through a machine learning model based on data from accelerometers connected to a viscoelastic care mattress, thereby driving progress in the field of continence care and artificial intelligence–supported health care for older adults.