bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diet, Physical Activity, and Disinhibition in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A UK Biobank Study
Authors: Schweren Lizanne J. S. , van Rooij Daan , Shi Huiqing , Larsson Henrik , Arias-Vasquez Alejandro , Li Lin , Grimstvedt Kvalvik Liv , Haavik Jan , Buitelaar Jan , Hartman Catharina
Published: May 2021

Disinhibition is a prominent feature of multiple psychiatric disorders, and has been associated with poor long-term somatic outcomes. Modifiable lifestyle factors including diet and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may be associated with disinhibition, but their contributions have not previously been quantified among middle-aged/older adults. Here, among N = 157,354 UK Biobank participants aged 40–69, we extracted a single disinhibition principal component and four dietary components (prudent diet, elimination of wheat/dairy/eggs, meat consumption, full-cream dairy consumption). In addition, latent profile analysis assigned participants to one of five empirical dietary groups: prudent-moderate, unhealthy, restricted, meat-avoiding, low-fat dairy. Disinhibition was regressed on the four dietary components, the dietary grouping variable, and self-reported MVPA. In men and women, disinhibition was negatively associated with prudent diet, and positively associated with wheat/dairy/eggs elimination. In men, disinhibition was also associated with consumption of meat and full-cream dairy products. Comparing groups, disinhibition was lower in the prudent-moderate diet (reference) group compared to all other groups. Absolute βs ranged from 0.02–0.13, indicating very weak effects. Disinhibition was not associated with MVPA. In conclusion, disinhibition is associated with multiple features of diet among middle-aged/older adults. Our findings foster specific hypotheses (e.g., early malnutrition, elevated immune-response) to be tested in alternative study designs.
Short-Term RCT of Increased Dietary Potassium from Potato or Potassium Gluconate: Effect on Blood Pressure, Microcirculation, and Potassium and Sodium Retention in Pre-Hypertensive-to-Hypertensive Adults
Authors: Stone Michael S. , Martin Berdine R. , Weaver Connie M.
Published: May 2021

Increased potassium intake has been linked to improvements in cardiovascular and other health outcomes. We assessed increasing potassium intake through food or supplements as part of a controlled diet on blood pressure (BP), microcirculation (endothelial function), and potassium and sodium retention in thirty pre-hypertensive-to-hypertensive men and women. Participants were randomly assigned to a sequence of four 17 day dietary potassium treatments: a basal diet (control) of 60 mmol/d and three phases of 85 mmol/d added as potatoes, French fries, or a potassium gluconate supplement. Blood pressure was measured by manual auscultation, cutaneous microvascular and endothelial function by thermal hyperemia, utilizing laser Doppler flowmetry, and mineral retention by metabolic balance. There were no significant differences among treatments for end-of-treatment BP, change in BP over time, or endothelial function using a mixed-model ANOVA. However, there was a greater change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) over time by feeding baked/boiled potatoes compared with control (−6.0 mmHg vs. −2.6 mmHg; p = 0.011) using contrast analysis. Potassium retention was highest with supplements. Individuals with a higher cardiometabolic risk may benefit by increasing potassium intake. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT02697708.
Dietary Management in Pediatric Patients with Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Scarallo Luca , Lionetti Paolo
Published: May 2021

It has been widely endorsed that a multifactorial etiology, including interaction between genetic and environmental factors, can contribute to Crohn’s Disease (CD) pathogenesis. More specifically, diet has proven to be able to shape gut microbiota composition and thus is suspected to play a significant role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. Moreover, poor nutritional status and growth retardation, arising from several factors such as reduced dietary intake or nutrient leakage from the gastrointestinal tract, represent the hallmarks of pediatric CD. For these reasons, multiple research lines have recently focused on the utilization of dietary therapies for the management of CD, aiming to target concurrently mucosal inflammation, intestinal dysbiosis and optimization of nutritional status. The forerunner of such interventions is represented by exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN), a robustly supported nutritional therapy; however, it is burdened by monotony and low tolerance in the long term. Novel dietary interventions, such as Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet or Crohn’s Disease treatment with eating, have shown their efficacy in the induction of remission in pediatric patients with CD. The aim of the present narrative review is to provide a synopsis of the available nutritional strategies in the management of pediatric CD and to discuss their application in the dietary management of these patients.
Simulating Costs of Intravenous Biosimilar Trastuzumab vs. Subcutaneous Reference Trastuzumab in Adjuvant HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Belgian Case Study
Authors: Simoens Steven , Vulto Arnold G. , Dylst Pieter
Published: May 2021

This study aimed to compare drug costs and healthcare costs of a 1 year adjuvant course with intravenous biosimilar trastuzumab vs. subcutaneous reference trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer from the Belgian hospital perspective. Our simulation is based on the methodology used by Tjalma and colleagues, and considered costs of drugs, healthcare professional time and consumables. We calculated intravenous drug costs for different body weights, and computed drug costs and healthcare costs to treat 100 patients with either trastuzumab formulation, assuming a binomial body weight distribution in this sample. Scenarios were run to account for drug discounts and intravenous vial sharing. Drug costs amounted to €1,431,282 with intravenous biosimilar trastuzumab and €1,522,809 with subcutaneous reference trastuzumab for a sample of 100 patients in the base case analysis. When healthcare professional time and consumables were also considered, healthcare costs with intravenous biosimilar trastuzumab were similar to those with subcutaneous reference trastuzumab. Differences in healthcare costs between intravenous biosimilar trastuzumab and subcutaneous reference trastuzumab depended on the level of discounts on these formulations and on intravenous vial sharing. Our case study demonstrates that comparing costs of intravenous vs. subcutaneous formulations is complex and multifactorial, and entails more than a simple cost comparison of products.
Ferulic Acid-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles for Potential Ocular Delivery
Authors: Romeo Alessia , Musumeci Teresa , Carbone Claudia , Bonaccorso Angela , Corvo Simona , Lupo Gabriella , Anfuso Carmelina Daniela , Puglisi Giovanni , Pignatello Rosario
Published: May 2021

Ferulic acid (FA) is an antioxidant compound that can prevent ROS-related diseases, but due to its poor solubility, therapeutic efficacy is limited. One strategy to improve the bioavailability is nanomedicine. In the following study, FA delivery through polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of polylactic acid (NPA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (NPB) is proposed. To verify the absence of cytotoxicity of blank carriers, a preliminary in vitro assay was performed on retinal pericytes and endothelial cells. FA-loaded NPs were subjected to purification studies and the physico-hemical properties were analyzed by photon correlation spectroscopy. Encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release studies were assessed through high performance liquid chromatography. To maintain the integrity of the systems, nanoformulations were cryoprotected and freeze-dried. Morphology was evaluated by a scanning electron microscope. Physico-chemical stability of resuspended nanosystems was monitored during 28 days of storage at 5 °C. Thermal analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were performed to characterize drug state in the systems. Results showed homogeneous particle populations, a suitable mean size for ocular delivery, drug loading ranging from 64.86 to 75.16%, and a controlled release profile. The obtained systems could be promising carriers for ocular drug delivery, legitimating further studies on FA-loaded NPs to confirm efficacy and safety in vitro.
Design and Validation of a Process Based on Cationic Niosomes for Gene Delivery into Novel Urine-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Vado Yerai , Puras Gustavo , Rosique Melania , Martin Cesar , Pedraz Jose Luis , Jebari-Benslaiman Shifa , de Pancorbo Marian M. , Zarate Jon , Perez de Nanclares Guiomar
Published: May 2021

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are stem cells present in adult tissues. They can be cultured, have great growth capacity, and can differentiate into several cell types. The isolation of urine-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUSCs) was recently described. hUSCs present additional benefits in the fact that they can be easily obtained noninvasively. Regarding gene delivery, nonviral vectors based on cationic niosomes have been used and are more stable and have lower immunogenicity than viral vectors. However, their transfection efficiency is low and in need of improvement. Methods: We isolated hUSCs from urine, and the cell culture was tested and characterized. Different cationic niosomes were elaborated using reverse-phase evaporation, and they were physicochemically characterized. Then, they were screened into hUSCs for transfection efficiency, and their internalization was evaluated. Results: GPxT-CQ at a lipid/DNA ratio of 5:1 (w/w) had the best transfection efficiency. Intracellular localization studies confirmed that nioplexes entered mainly via caveolae-mediated endocytosis. Conclusions: In conclusion, we established a protocol for hUSC isolation and their transfection with cationic niosomes, which could have relevant clinical applications such as in gene therapy. This methodology could also be used for creating cellular models for studying and validating pathogenic genetic variants, and even for performing functional studies. Our study increases knowledge about the internalization of tested cationic niosomes in these previously unexplored cells.
Insight into the Surface Properties of Wood Fiber-Polymer Composites
Authors: Črešnar Klementina Pušnik , Bek Marko , Luxbacher Thomas , Brunčko Mihael , Zemljič Lidija Fras
Published: May 2021

The surface properties of wood fiber (WF) filled polymer composites depend on the filler loading and are closely related to the distribution and orientation in the polymer matrix. In this study, wood fibers (WF) were incorporated into thermoplastic composites based on non-recycled polypropylene (PP) and recycled (R-PP) composites by melt compounding and injection moulding. ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) measurements clearly showed the propagation of WF functional groups at the surface layer of WF-PP/WF-R-PP composites preferentially with WF loading up to 30%. Optical microscopy and nanoindentation method confirmed the alignment of thinner skin layer of WF-PP/WF-R-PP composites with increasing WF addition. The thickness of the skin layer was mainly influenced by the WF loading. The effect of the addition of WF on modulus and hardness, at least at 30 and 40 wt.%, varies for PP and R-PP matrix. On the other hand, surface zeta potential measurements show increased hydrophilicity with increasing amounts of WF. Moreover, WF in PP/R-PP matrix is also responsible for the antioxidant properties of these composites as measured by DPPH (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay.
To Walk with Slaves: Jesuit Contexts and the Atlantic World in the Cartagena Mission to Enslaved Africans, 1605–1654
Authors: Santana José L.
Published: May 2021

The Jesuit mission to enslaved Africans founded in 1605 in Cartagena de las Indias is amongst the most extraordinary religious developments of early colonial Latin America. By the time Alonso de Sandoval, S.J. and Pedro Claver, S.J. began their work to baptize and catechize the thousands of slaves who passed through Cartagena’s port each year, the Society of Jesus had already established a global missionary enterprise, including an extensive network of communication amongst its missionaries and colleges. Amidst this intramissionary context, Sandoval wrote De instauranda Aethiopum salute—a treatise informed largely by these annual letters, personal correspondences, and interactions with the diverse multitudes of people who could be encountered in this early colonial cosmopolitan city—aimed at promoting the necessity of African salvation. From East Asia to Latin America, Jesuits followed the example of their apostolic missionary, Francis Xavier, to bring the Catholic faith to non-Christian peoples. Through De instauranda and the Catholic Church’s collected testimony for the sainthood of Claver, we see how Sandoval and Claver, like other Jesuits of the time, arose as innovative and unique missionaries, adapting to their context while attempting to model the Jesuit missionary spirit. In doing so, this article posits, the historical-religious context of the early modern Atlantic world and global Jesuit missions influenced Sandoval and Claver to accompany enslaved Africans as a missionary theology.
Drone-Based Hyperspectral and Thermal Imagery for Quantifying Upland Rice Productivity and Water Use Efficiency after Biochar Application
Authors: Jin Hongxiao , Köppl Christian Josef , Fischer Benjamin M. C. , Rojas-Conejo Johanna , Johnson Mark S. , Morillas Laura , Lyon Steve W. , Durán-Quesada Ana M. , Suárez-Serrano Andrea , Manzoni Stefano , Garcia Monica
Published: May 2021

Miniature hyperspectral and thermal cameras onboard lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) bring new opportunities for monitoring land surface variables at unprecedented fine spatial resolution with acceptable accuracy. This research applies hyperspectral and thermal imagery from a drone to quantify upland rice productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) after biochar application in Costa Rica. The field flights were conducted over two experimental groups with bamboo biochar (BC1) and sugarcane biochar (BC2) amendments and one control (C) group without biochar application. Rice canopy biophysical variables were estimated by inverting a canopy radiative transfer model on hyperspectral reflectance. Variations in gross primary productivity (GPP) and WUE across treatments were estimated using light-use efficiency and WUE models respectively from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), canopy chlorophyll content (CCC), and evapotranspiration rate. We found that GPP was increased by 41.9 ± 3.4% in BC1 and 17.5 ± 3.4% in BC2 versus C, which may be explained by higher soil moisture after biochar application, and consequently significantly higher WUEs by 40.8 ± 3.5% in BC1 and 13.4 ± 3.5% in BC2 compared to C. This study demonstrated the use of hyperspectral and thermal imagery from a drone to quantify biochar effects on dry cropland by integrating ground measurements and physical models.
Analysis of the Response of Long-Term Vegetation Dynamics to Climate Variability Using the Pruned Exact Linear Time (PELT) Method and Disturbance Lag Model (DLM) Based on Remote Sensing Data: A Case Study in Guangdong Province (China)
Authors: Wang Sai , Fan Fenglei
Published: May 2021

The dynamic change and spatial–temporal distribution of vegetation coverage are of great significance for regional ecological evolution, especially in the subtropics and tropics. Identifying the heterogeneity in vegetation activities and its response to climate factors is crucial for projecting ecosystem dynamics. We used long-term (2001–2018) satellite-derived enhanced vegetation index (EVI) datasets and climatic factors to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation activities in an experimental area in Guangdong Province (China), as well as their links to changes in temperature (TEM), relative humidity (HUM), precipitation (PRE), sunshine duration (SUN), and surface runoff. The pruned exact linear time change point detection method (PELT) and the disturbance lag model (DLM) were used to understand the detailed ecological coverage status and time lag relationships between the EVI and climatic factors. The results indicate the following. (1) At the whole regional scale, a significant overall upward trend in the EVI variation was observed in 2001–2018. More specifically, there were two distinct periods with different trends, which were split by a turning point in 2005. PRE was the main climate-related driver of the rising EVI pre-2005, and the increase in TEM was the main climate factor influencing the forest EVI variation post-2006. (2) A three-month time lag effect was observed in the EVI response to relative humidity. The same phenomenon was found in the sunshine duration factor. (3) The EVI of farmlands (one type of land use) exhibited the largest lags between relative humidity and the sunshine duration factor, followed by grasslands and forests. (4) The comprehensive index of surface runoff could explain the time lags of vegetation activities, and the surface runoff value showed an apparently negative relationship with the vegetation coverage change.
RegARD: Symmetry-Based Coarse Registration of Smartphone’s Colorful Point Clouds with CAD Drawings for Low-Cost Digital Twin Buildings
Authors: Wu Yijie , Shang Jianga , Xue Fan
Published: May 2021

Coarse registration of 3D point clouds plays an indispensable role for parametric, semantically rich, and realistic digital twin buildings (DTBs) in the practice of GIScience, manufacturing, robotics, architecture, engineering, and construction. However, the existing methods have prominently been challenged by (i) the high cost of data collection for numerous existing buildings and (ii) the computational complexity from self-similar layout patterns. This paper studies the registration of two low-cost data sets, i.e., colorful 3D point clouds captured by smartphones and 2D CAD drawings, for resolving the first challenge. We propose a novel method named ‘Registration based on Architectural Reflection Detection’ (RegARD) for transforming the self-symmetries in the second challenge from a barrier of coarse registration to a facilitator. First, RegARD detects the innate architectural reflection symmetries to constrain the rotations and reduce degrees of freedom. Then, a nonlinear optimization formulation together with advanced optimization algorithms can overcome the second challenge. As a result, high-quality coarse registration and subsequent low-cost DTBs can be created with semantic components and realistic appearances. Experiments showed that the proposed method outperformed existing methods considerably in both effectiveness and efficiency, i.e., 49.88% less error and 73.13% less time, on average. The RegARD presented in this paper first contributes to coarse registration theories and exploitation of symmetries and textures in 3D point clouds and 2D CAD drawings. For practitioners in the industries, RegARD offers a new automatic solution to utilize ubiquitous smartphone sensors for massive low-cost DTBs.
Development of a Radar Reflector Kit for Older Adults to Use to Signal Their Location and Needs in a Large-Scale Earthquake Disaster
Authors: Morisaki Yuma , Fujiu Makoto , Furuta Ryoichi , Takayama Junichi
Published: May 2021

In Japan, older adults account for the highest proportion of the population of any country in the world. When large-scale earthquake disasters strike, large numbers of casualties are known to particularly occur among seniors. Many are physically or mentally vulnerable and require assistance during the different phases of disaster response, including rescue, evacuation, and living in an evacuation center. However, the growing number of older adults has made it difficult, after a disaster, to quickly gather information on their locations and assess their needs. The authors are developing a proposal to enable vulnerable people to signal their location and needs in the aftermath of a disaster to response teams by deploying radar reflectors that can be detected in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery. The purpose of this study was to develop a radar reflector kit that seniors could easily assemble in order to make this proposal feasible in practice. Three versions of the reflector were tested for detectability, and a sample of older adults was asked to assemble the kits and provide feedback regarding problems they encountered and regarding their interest in using the reflectors in the event of a large-scale disaster.
An Automatic Exposure Method of Plane Array Remote Sensing Image Based on Two-Dimensional Entropy
Authors: Gao Tan , Zheng Liangliang , Xu Wei , Piao Yongjie , Feng Rupeng , Chen Xiaolong , Zhou Tichao
Published: May 2021

The improper setting of exposure time for the space camera will cause serious image quality degradation (overexposure or underexposure) in the imaging process. In order to solve the problem of insufficient utilization of the camera’s dynamic range to obtain high-quality original images, an automatic exposure method for plane array remote sensing images based on two-dimensional entropy is proposed. First, a two-dimensional entropy-based image exposure quality evaluation model is proposed. The two-dimensional entropy matrix of the image is partitioned to distinguish the saturated areas (region of overexposure and underexposure) and the unsaturated areas (region of propitious exposure) from the original image. The ratio of the saturated area is used as an evaluating indicator of image exposure quality, which is more sensitive to the brightness, edges, information volume, and signal-to-noise ratio of the image. Then, the cubic spline interpolation method is applied to fit the exposure quality curve to efficiently improve the camera’s exposure accuracy. A series of experiments have been carried out for different targets in different environments using the existing imaging system to verify the superiority and robustness of the proposed method. Compared with the conventional automatic exposure method, the signal-to-noise ratio of the image obtained by the proposed algorithm is increased by at least 1.6730 dB, and the number of saturated pixels is reduced to at least 2.568%. The method is significant to improve the on-orbit autonomous operating capability and on-orbit application efficiency of space camera.
A Framework of Vehicular Security and Demand Service Prediction Based on Data Analysis Integrated with Blockchain Approach
Authors: Shahbazi Zeinab , Byun Yung-Cheol
Published: May 2021

The prediction of taxi demand service has become a recently attractive area of research along with large-scale and potential applications in the intelligent transportation system. The demand process is divided into two main parts: Picking-up and dropping-off demand based on passenger habit. Taxi demand prediction is a great concept for drivers and passengers, and is designed platforms for ride-hailing and municipal managers. The majority of research has focused on forecasting the pick-up part of demand service and specifying the interconnection of spatial and temporal correlations. In this study, the main focus is to overcome the access point of non-registered users for having fake transactions using taxi services and predicting taxi demand pick-up and drop-off information. The integration of machine learning techniques and blockchain framework is considered a possible solution for this problem. The blockchain technique was selected as an effective technique for protecting and controlling the real-time system. Historical data analysis was processed by extracting the three higher related sections for the intervening time, namely closeness and trend. Next, the pick-up and drop-off taxi prediction task was processed based on constructing the components of multi-task learning and spatiotemporal feature extraction. The combination of feature embedding performance and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) obtain the pick-up and drop-off correlation by fusing the historical data spatiotemporal features. Finally, the taxi demand pick-up and drop-off prediction were processed based on the combination of the external factors. The experimental result is based on a real dataset in Jeju Island, South Korea, to show the proposed system’s efficacy and performance compared with other state-of-art models.
Beliefs about Climate Change and Their Relationship with Environmental Beliefs and Sustainable Behavior: A View from Rural Communities
Authors: Sierra-Barón Willian , Navarro Oscar , Amézquita Naranjo Diana Katherine , Teres Sierra Eylyn Daniela , Narváez González Carol Marcela
Published: May 2021

The study of beliefs and environmental behavior is of special interest, given the implications of climate change as a social phenomenon and the disagreements about what is socially believed about this phenomenon. This research was aimed at determining the associations between environmental beliefs and sustainable behavior in a group of inhabitants of southern Colombia. The methodology was exploratory and cross-sectional, with descriptive and correlational analyses. The sample was made up of 368 people from two regions in southern Colombia (57.5% female and 42.5% male); their ages ranged between 18 and 69 years (X = 19.36; SD = 8.59). Information was collected with questionnaires that measured climate change risk perception, environmental beliefs, and sustainable behavior. The results show higher scores for equitable behavior and environmental beliefs. Environmental beliefs—egobiocentrism—and risk perception of climate change predict both sustainable and pro-ecological behavior, as well as altruistic, frugal, and equitable behavior. It is concluded that the presence of environmental beliefs, along with information regarding a sense of environmental deterioration, climate change and the consequences for the future, can predict the implementation of actions for sustainable development.
Experimental Study of a Small-Size Vacuum Insulated Water Tank for Building Applications
Authors: Vérez David , Borri Emiliano , Crespo Alicia , Zsembinszki Gabriel , Dawoud Belal , Cabeza Luisa F.
Published: May 2021

Insulation of thermal energy storage tanks is fundamental to reduce heat losses and to achieve high energy storage efficiency. Although water tanks were extensively studied in the literature, the enhancement of the insulation quality is often overlooked. The use of vacuum insulation has the potential to significantly reduce heat losses without affecting the dimension of the storage system. This paper shows for the first time the results of the heat losses tests done for a 0.535 m3 water tank for residential building applications built with a double wall vacuum insulation. The different tests show that the rate of heat losses strictly depends on the temperature distribution inside the tank at the beginning of the experiment. Compared to a conventional water tank insulated with conventional materials, the U-value of the lateral surface was reduced by almost three times (from 1.05 W/K·m2 to 0.38 W/K·m2) using vacuum insulation. However, the bottom part, which is usually used to place the support parts and the piping, is the critical design part of those tanks acting as a thermal bridge with the ambient and enhancing heat losses.
Effects of Amendments on Physicochemical Properties and Respiration Rate of Soil from the Arid Region of Northwest China
Authors: Li Dianpeng , Zhou Jianqin , Zhang Yuxin , Sun Tao , An Shuqing , Jia Hongtao
Published: May 2021

In arid regions, decreased soil fertility has adversely affected agricultural sustainability. The effects of different amendments in alleviating these issues and increasing soil fertility remain unclear. Herein, a two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the properties of grey desert soil and soil respiration (SR) dynamics under six different treatment groups: biochar (BC), leonardite (LD), anionic polyacrylamide (PAM−), cationic polyacrylamide (PAM+) powder, anionic polyacrylamide solution in water (PAM−W), and control (CK). We observed that the BC and LD amendments significantly altered soil pH, organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, and SR. PAM amendment increased the SR as compared to the control, except in autumn, but PAM did not affect the soil properties. SR under different amendments showed strong seasonal patterns, the highest and lowest SR rates were observed in June and January, respectively. Amendments and seasonal dynamics significantly affected SR, but no interaction was observed between these factors. Temporal variation of SR was substantially influenced by soil temperature at 15 cm of soil depth. Temperature sensitivity of SR (Q10) increased with soil depth and decreased with amendment addition. SR was significantly affected by soil temperature, moisture, air temperature, and their interactions. The outcomes of this study suggested that the BC and LD amendments improved soil fertility and negated the net carbon accumulation by increasing the SR and Q10 in arid agriculture soil.
Dynamic Capability and Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Adoption: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Jing Claire , Benamraoui Abdelhafid , Shah Neeta , Mathew Sudha
Published: May 2021

An increasing number of studies have proposed that corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance depends on how firms apply their resources and capabilities to implement CSR. A firm’s ability to integrate, build, and reconfigure internal and external competencies to respond to environmental changes is its dynamic capability. Implementation of CSR at the strategic level, i.e., strategic CSR (SCSR) that requires alignment between activities and organizational configuration and structure will contribute to a firm’s sustainability. However, the research on how dynamic capabilities contribute to such alignment and SCSR adoption is incipient. This study investigates how dynamic capability influences the performance of SCSR in China. By analyzing 134 Chinese listed firms in the period 2017–2019, in this study, we found that firms with dynamic capabilities at a non-average-industrial level, i.e., higher or lower level than the average industrial level, were less likely to adopt SCSR practices, and had a low SCSR adoption performance. These results can help firms better understand dynamic capabilities and how dynamic capabilities contribute to SCSR adoption and firms’ sustainable development and operations. The policy implications of the study are also discussed.
Flipped Classroom: Active Methodology for Sustainable Learning in Higher Education during Social Distancing Due to COVID-19
Authors: Collado-Valero Joshua , Rodríguez-Infante Gemma , Romero-González Marta , Gamboa-Ternero Sara , Navarro-Soria Ignasi , Lavigne-Cerván Rocío
Published: May 2021

Methodological guidelines for virtual teaching during the lockdown, tailored to Flipped Classroom, are suggested by the Spanish University Education System. This educational methodology is recommended as an effective method for distance learning due to COVID-19 by several articles, studies, research, universities and institutions in different countries around the world. However, what is the impact of these extreme circumstances on the implementation of Flipped Classroom in Higher Education? The study design is a descriptive and correlational research that compares the frequency of the implementation of Flipped Classroom before and during social distancing. This information is provided by the participants, university professors from the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Malaga, through an ad hoc questionnaire. The results reveal a significant increase in the frequency of Flipped Classroom sessions (z = −4.80; p <.001) during the lockdown. The data also show a significant increase in the quantity and variety of didactic resources (t = −2.390; p = 0.021), mainly those related to Flipped Classroom, with video (z = −2.860, p = 0.004) and audio (z = −2.049, p = 0.040) files. University professors consider virtual teaching during the lockdown an opportunity for Flipped Classroom and digital skills that could improve the quality of university educational methodology.
Can Hematological Parameters Play a Role in the Differential Diagnosis of Adrenal Tumors?
Authors: Arıkan Mehmet Gürkan , Öz Göktan Altuğ , İşkan Nur Gülce , Süt Necdet , Yüksel İlkan , Arda Ersan
Published: May 2021

There have been few studies reported with conflicting results in the use of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), redcell-distribution-width (RDW), etc. for predicting prognosis and differential diagnosis of adrenal tumors. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of inflammatory markers through a complete blood count, which is an easy access low-cost method, for the differential diagnosis of adrenocortical adenoma (ACA), adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), and pheochromocytoma. The data of patients who underwent adrenalectomy between the years of 2010–2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Systemic hematologic inflammatory markers based on a complete blood count such as neutrophil ratio (NR), lymphocyte ratio (LR), NLR, PLR, RDW, mean platelet volume (MPV), and maximum tumor diameter (MTD) were compared between the groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the three groups in terms of PLR, RDW, and MTD. With post-hoc tests, a statistically significant difference was found in PLR and MTD between the ACA and ACC groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the ACA and pheochromocytoma groups in PLR and RDW values. In conclusion, it could be possible to plan a more accurate medical and surgical approach using PLR and RDW, which are easily calculated through an easy access low-cost method such as a complete blood count, together with MTD in the differential diagnosis of ACC, ACA, and pheochromocytoma.
Patient risk factor stratification is essential for the hospital antibiogram
Authors: Tiwari Karuna , Patil Samruddhi , Naik Aparna , Shetty Anjali , Walia Kamini , Rodrigues Camilla
Published: May 2021

Empiric antimicrobial therapy in hospitalized patients is guided by an institution’s cumulative antibiogram, which may not be adequate in giving information on decision-making for optimal treatment in different patient populations. Adding patient risk factors can make it more useful for clinicians in guiding empiric therapy and for antimicrobial stewardship. Cumulative data were obtained for blood culture and urine isolates from the laboratory information system of a tertiary care hospital for 6 months (January to June 2019). Further stratification of organism types and resistance rates on the basis of patient risk factors (Patient Types 1, 2, and 3) was performed and analyzed. Salmonella spp. was seen in community-acquired ward patients (Types 1 and 2). Streptococcus pneumoniae was seen in Type 1 patients, and Acinetobacter spp. was seen in Type 3 patients. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing gram-negative infection rates were higher in community patients than in hospital patients. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae rates were high in Type 3 hospitalized patients. Cumulative blood methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus rates were 43% but stratification showed it only in Type 2 and Type 3 ICU patients with 0% in ward patients. Stratified antibiograms based on patient risk factors are valuable for antimicrobial stewardship and help to optimize empiric therapy and increase the understanding of antimicrobial resistance trends.
COMPARISON OF CAD AND BIM TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCY WITH THE USE OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL
Authors: Solov'ev D. , Kopotilova V. , Katyuk D. , Pirus A. , Grigoryuk V. , Krylova A.I. A.
Published: May 2021

the article reveals definitions and the entity of computer-aided design and building information modeling. The content and effect of using information modeling at various phase of the life cycle of a real estate object are described in the article. The level of BIM applying in Russia is analyzed, data is obtained that the majority of AEC organizations do not use information modeling. A comparative evaluation of the applying of various CAE systems using mathematical modeling in the MATLAB environment using the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox extension package is carried out. Based on the obtained results, we can make a conclusion about the effectiveness of using building information modeling. The information in this article is relevant for designers, real estate investors, and leaders of AEC organizations. The obtained evaluation of project technology is able to induce stakeholders to analyze alternative technology of project and estimate the expediency of Russian enterprise's transition to the use of BIM technology.
Research of perception of digital world terminology by future teachers of Computer Science and Mathematics
Authors: Boronenko Tatyana A. , Fedotova Vera S.
Published: May 2021

The authors of the article consider the issue of how future teachers of Computer Science and Mathematics are going to perceive the terminology of the digital world. The authors note that the terminological system “digital” arises as a result of digitalisation of all spheres of human activity. The results of the classification of digital terminology into thematic groups on the basis of decoding their lexical and semantic meaning are presented. The authors consider the issue of the most productive understanding of digital terminology based on the allocation of thematic groups "Space", "Time". “Form and Matter”, “Consumption”, “Technological Transformations”, “Human in the Digital World”. The authors review scientific works from different fields of science, they select phrases with the adjective “digital”. The authors create assignments to identify understanding of digital terminology. The authors determine special attention to the most accessible and complicated understanding of the lexical meaning of the thematic group, they compare the volumes of thematic groups. The novelty of the research lies in the definition of the lexical and semantic group of digital terminology. Topicality of the research lies in the need to expand the vocabulary of a teacher of Computer Science and Mathematics of digital terminology, to build a digital terminology system. The authors prove that the most capacious thematic group is the group “People in the Digital World”. The authors conclude that an assessment of the current level of mastering digital terminology by a Computer Science and Mathematics teacher is to reveal problems in the lexical interpretation of new words in schoolchildren.
Social support as a factor of parenting stress for mothers of young and preschool children
Authors: Savenysheva Svetlana Stanislavovna , Zapletina Oksana Olegovna
Published: May 2021

The article is devoted to the study of the characteristics of parenting stress of mothers of young and preschool children and their relation with the relationship with the spouse and social support. The study involved 91 mothers of young and preschool children. Methods include Parenting Stress Index by Richard R. Abidin, Marriage Satisfaction Questionnaire by Yuliya Alyoshina, Social support questionnaire (F-SOZU-22), Social support questionnaire (ISEL), socio-biographical questionnaire. The study found above average level of parenting stress, average level of social support and marriage satisfaction. A close relationship was found between the characteristics of parenting stress and the characteristics of relationships with a partner (with the emotional climate in the family, marriage satisfaction, help in raising a child, time spent by a spouse with a child). Relationship with a partner is most closely associated with indicators of health and depression. Parenting stress is also closely related to the level of general social support. The most significant predictor of the level of parenting stress in mothers is among the characteristics of social support, satisfaction with social support. The strongest links between spouse relationship and social support are found with parenting stress in parent domain.
Fundamental problems of education in the context of modern social processes (International scientific and practical conference at Novosibirsk State Pedagogic University)
Authors: Lavrentieva Zoya I.
Published: May 2021

On December 8–10, 2020, the international scientific and practical conference “Fundamental problems of education in the context of modern social processesˮ was held at Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University with the support of the RFBR grant. The conference was organised by the NSPU together with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, the Institute for Education Development Strategy of the Russian Academy of Education, the Ministry of Education of Novosibirsk Region, the Ombudsman for the Rights of the Child in Novosibirsk Region and the municipal autonomous institution for additional education “Palace of Creative Work of Children & Student Youth “Junior”.
Trust as a leading socio-psychological relationship in the experience of existential given
Authors: Kornev Sergei A.
Published: May 2021

The understanding of the value of human life and responsibility for everything that happens or can happen to a person is analysed in the article; ways of overcoming alienation and loneliness and building trust in oneself, in the world and in others are identified. A theoretical overview, where the connectivity of existential givens is traced, is presented; in works of psychology, we however do not find scientific-psychological and statistical substantiation of these connections, which were outlined as long ago as at the time of existentialist philosophers. The results of empirical research are obtained by using the following methods – the study of personal trust or distrust in the world, in other people, in oneself by Alla Kupreychenko; Milton Rokeach Value Survey; Multidimensional diagnostic of "responsibility" RESPONSIBILITY-70; Dmitriy Leont'yev’s Meaningful Orientations Test; "Death Attitude" questionnaire by Paul T. P. Wong; Kseniya Chistopol'skaya’s adaptation of the "Fear of Personal Death" questionnaire, Yevgeniy Osin & Dmitriy Leont'yev’s differential questionnaire on the experience of loneliness. 80 people between the ages of 18 and 61 took part in the study. Of these, 54 % were females and 46 %, males. 51 % of the respondents have a family; 49 %, do not; 50 % of the respondents have a higher education. It is established that the level of understanding life, accepting responsibility, loneliness and its consequences are largely determined by the individual's trust in oneself, in others and in the world as a whole; the "optimal measure" of trust allows a person to accept existential given and cope with the feeling of meaninglessness of existence and the fear of death; what becomes the logical continuation of the search and finding meaning in life and the struggle with existential crisis is the attitude towards death, which includes analysis of the reasons for fear.
Empirical study of the influence of the value-sense sphere of a personality on its virtual image: a component of meaningful orientations
Authors: Zekeryaev Ruslan I.
Published: May 2021

The article devoted to the study of the influence of the value-semantic sphere of an individual, namely, life-sense orientations, on its virtual image in the Internet space. The article provides a critical analysis of the literature devoted to the study of the value-semantic sphere of personality and virtual personality in the Internet space. It was determined that the value-semantic sphere as a complex dynamic construct of the personality determines its inner world and sets the vector of its activity. Also, during the analysis of the literature, it was revealed that the system of meanings and values determines the choice of behavioural patterns of the personality, and also acts as a censor to assess the events and phenomena that it encounters. The study analysed the virtual personality of an Internet user as a psychological phenomenon; it describes such properties of a virtual personality as virtuality (the degree of acceptance of virtual reality as an environment in which social life is feasible), involvement (the level of knowledge of information and computer technologies and a sense of belonging to a virtual society) and orientation (the presence or absence of ideas about socially approved behaviour in Internet society). The article also analyses the results of an empirical study of the influence of the component of the meaning-life orientations of the value-semantic sphere of the individual on the properties of his virtual image. It was determined that there is a direct connection between the indicator of the life process and the level of involvement of the virtual personality (people with the perception of their life as filled with meaning and emotionally saturated in the Internet space have developed motivation for life activity) and that there is a direct connection between the indicator of the result of life and the level of orientation of the virtual personality (people with a subjectively assessed high level of self-realisation in the Internet space show a tendency towards normative behaviour).
Studying the personality traits of students within the framework of the poles splitting of the cognitive style analyticity/synthetic
Authors: Dupina Svetlana A.
Published: May 2021

This article examines the problem of studying anxiety and empathy within the framework of the splitting of the poles of the cognitive style of analyticity/synthetics in subjects aged 17-18. The study was carried out using the following methods – “Free sortingˮ by Riley W. Gardner modified by Voldemar Kolga, “Diagnostics of the level of empathyˮ by Il’dar Yusupov, “State-Trait Anxiety Inventoryˮ by Charles Donald Spielberger and Juri Hanin. The study involved 80 students. Using the methodology “Free sortingˮ by R.W. Gardner, modified by V.A. Kolga, the following groups were identified in the sample of subjects: synthetics/categorisers, synthetics/globalists, analysts/differentiators and analysts/detailisers. Diagnostics according to the methodology “State-Trait Anxiety Inventory” by Ch.D. Spielberger and J. Hanin made it possible to identify high, medium, and low levels of anxiety. Analysis of the research results using the methodology “Diagnostics of the level of empathyˮ by I.M. Yusupov determined the presence in the sample of students of very high, high, medium and low levels of development of empathy. The group of synthetics/categorisers and analysts/differentiators were distinguished by low and medium levels of anxiety, high and medium levels of empathy development. The group of synthetics/globalists and analysts/detailisers was characterised by a high level of anxiety, low and medium levels of development of empathy.