bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PARTIAL LEAST SQUARES MODELLING OF FACTORS INFLUENCING EMPATHY AMONG MALAYSIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Authors: Hashim Rosnani , Aldaba Abdulmajid Mohammed , M.Haneef Mohamed Aslam , Noordin Mohamad Fauzan
Published: January 2023

Purpose - The importance of the affective domain in holistic human development, in particular empathy, is an increasing concern today especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was threefold: (i) to investigate the attitudes of school students toward competencies associated with human consciousness; (ii) to validate the psychometric properties of the model of Malaysian school students’ empathy, and (iii) to examine the influence of school students’ selfefficacy, emotion regulation, sense of belonging and problem-solving on their empathy. Methodology - Using a quantitative survey approach, data were collected from 911 students drawn from 10 schools throughout Malaysia using a four-point Likert scale instrument. The study employed variance-based SEM by using Smart-PLS to achieve the objectives. First, the measurement model was employed to test the psychometric properties (such as convergent validity, divergent validity, and reliability) for all constructs. Second, the structural model was conducted to test the direct and indirect hypothesized relationship. Results - The measurement model provided evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of the study constructs. The hypothesized structural model exhibited that three out of the four constructs, i.e., emotion regulation, sense of belonging and problem-solving have a direct influence on Malaysian school students’ empathy. Furthermore, emotion regulation showed a mediating role in the relationship between the exogenous variables (sense of belonging and problemsolving) and students’ empathy. The model explained 58.6 percent of the variance in the Malaysian school students’ empathy. Significance - This study is a pioneering work in Malaysia. With the identification of the factors that influence Malaysian school students’ empathy, i.e., students’ emotion regulation, sense of belonging and problem-solving, more effective support and interventions can be provided by teachers and the Ministry of Education to help in enhancing school students’ empathy.
FACTORS INFLUENCING PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS' SELF-CONFIDENCE IN TEACHING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Teoh Sian Hoon , Shukor Farhana , Anthonysamy Lilian
Published: January 2023

Purpose – Pre-service teachers, who are practising teachers are exposed to numerous technical skills at university. Studies on the use of technology on pre-service teachers’ self-confidence are still in their infancy, despite the abundance of studies addressing pre-service teachers’ intention to utilise technology in online learning. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate pre-service teachers’ use of technology and their confidence in handling online classes effectively. Methodology – A survey was conducted on 93 teachers at two randomly selected universities in Malaysia during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-May 2020) through online data collection. A five-point Likert scale-adapted questionnaire on preservice teachers’ perceptions of technology use, effort, and confidence was administered to the respondents. The questionnaire was validated by three experts and data were analysed empirically using structural equation modelling-partial least-squares analysis. Findings – According to the study’s findings, pre-service teachers held that technology was a great tool for online instruction and that peer contact helped them broaden their understanding about teaching. Despite this, there was no significant correlation between the use of technology and pre-service teachers’ self-confidence. Nevertheless, the effort factor was found to mediate between pre-service teachers’ confidence and technology. Significance – The results of this study provide important findings; that pre-service teachers could train their minds to put forth specific effort, such as increasing their interpersonal experience to support and enhance their online teaching. This in turn could help pre-service teachers in preparing to embark on technology-related activities to enable them to work with students more frequently and to support and enhance online education.
BEBERAPA ISU PEMERIBUMIAN LINGUISTIK BAHASA MELAYU
Authors: Mohamad Zain Shaharir
Published: January 2023

Kritikan kepada beberapa isu linguistik dalam bahasa Melayu dilakukan khasnya dalam sistem ejaan hingga membawa kepada perasionalan keperluan wujudnya 32 konsonan dan 8 vokal atau huruf saksi, sekali gus mencabar hasil kajian Blust (1998-2018) bahawa bahasa Malayonesia berkonsonan 16 hingga 22 dan berhuruf saksi 4 atau 5. Kritikan seterusnya dilakukan terhadap pengabaian beberapa imbuhan dan dan ratusan perkataan Melayu Lama (dalam prasasti zaman Funan, Sriwijaya, Campa dan Mon) yang lebih asli hingga terhakisnya keperibadian bahasa Melayu. Pengabaian pembuat kamus di DBP terhadap ratusan perkataan dalam manuskrip Jawi dan peribahasa juga ditonjolkan sehingga hilangnya atau terfosilnya perkataan-perkataan yang cukup memberi peningkatan tahap kekayaan bahasa Melayu. Pengabaian mantik asli Melayu menerusi bahasa Melayu yang lebih asli khasnya ayat-ayat yang berbentuk mantik apasti juga ditonjolkan yang dianggap merugi dan menghakis keperibumian bahasa Melayu. Kritikan terhadap nahu semesta Chomsky dan nahu Malayonesia Blust juga dilakukan dalam konteks bahasa Melayu yang membuahkan usaha penyelidikan selanjutnya. Akhirnya disorot falsafah bahasa Melayu dalam konteks falsafah-falsafah bahasa Eropah khasnya karya Hamboldt, Frege, Russel, Wittgenstein dan Derrida sehingga boleh mencetus penyelidikan selanjutnya supaya terbitnya falsafah bahasa Melayu yang lebih asli. Dalam hal ini falsafah bahasa Derrida tentang keunggulan bahasa lisan diperkatakan buat kali pertamanya dengan lebih perincinya dalam konteks sastera lisan bahasa Melayu. Begitu juga dengan falsafah Hamboldt yang ditumpukan kepada bidang sains matematik dalam bahasa Melayu sekali gus mengubah pendapat Blust tentang bilangan konsonan dan vokal bahasa Austronesia (yang dijenamakan sebagai bahasa Malayonesia).
PERANAN DAN CABARAN EJEN PERSURATAN DALAM PENGANTARABANGSAAN SASTERA KONTEMPORARI MELAYU
Authors: Hamidi Faraha , Mohd Ariffin Mohd Azree
Published: January 2023

Ejen Persuratan atau Literary Agent sebagai orang tengah berperanan menjaga hak kepentingan dan memasarkan harta intelek seseorang penulis. Tanggungjawab seorang ejen persuratan, antara lainnya mencari syarikat penerbitan yang bersesuaian dengan karya penulis, mengurus proses rundingan hak cipta dan kontrak penerbitan, serta memantau pembayaran royalti. Selain itu, mereka juga menyelia urusan perundangan ketika proses alih wahana daripada buku kepada media lain seperti bahan untuk siaran televisyen, filem, muzik, teater, atau apa sahaja bentuk karya yang melibatkan harta intelek seseorang penulis. Namun begitu, jika dibandingkan dengan kedudukan ejen dalam industri buku berbahasa Inggeris di United Kingdom dan Amerika Syarikat, kesedaran tentang kewujudan dan peranan ejen persuratan di Malaysia masih lagi rendah. Di Malaysia, peranan ejen persuratan hanya diperlukan secara khusus apabila penulis cuba memasarkan karya mereka ke peringkat antarabangsa. Fungsi dan peranan lain mereka tidak digunakan sepenuhnya. Kesannya, hasil penerbitan sastera kontemporari negara ini belum dapat menembusi pasaran dengan lebih luas. Bagi tujuan itu, penelitian ini menggunakan kaedah analisis tekstual untuk merungkai pendapat sarjana berkenaan peranan dan cabaran ejen persuratan dalam mengangkat sastera berbahasa Melayu serta menghuraikan secara terperinci kedudukan mereka dalam kerangka sastera Melayu kontemporari. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk meluaskan wacana tentang ejen persuratan, merangkumi peranan pada masa kini, dan fungsi ejen persuratan yang boleh dikembangkan lagi demi memastikan tradisi sastera Melayu lebih berdaya saing terutamanya di peringkat antarabangsa. Dapatan kajian membuktikan kewujudan ejen persuratan dalam industri sastera akan menjadi tulang belakang dan pemangkin yang mencetus semangat penulis baharu dari Malaysia untuk terus berkarya.
Leadership Style, Compensation and Competence Influence on Employee Performance through Job Satisfaction
Authors: Iriani Nur Ida , Suyitno Suyitno , Sasongko Totok , Rifai Muhamad , Indrihastuti Poppy , Yanti Dyah Agustin Widhi
Published: January 2023

Many factors can increase employee job satisfaction, such as leadership style, compensation, and competence, and this certainly has an impact on improving employee performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of leadership style, compensation and competence on employee performance through job satisfaction. This research was explanatory research using quantitative methods. The population was 32 employees; the sampling technique used total sampling. The analysis used in this study is path analysis using the Smart PLS program. The results of the path analysis show that leadership style and compensation have a direct effect on employee performance, while the competency variable does not directly affect employee performance. Intervening job satisfaction, while compensation and competence have no effect on the intervening variable of job satisfaction. Indirect test results also show that leadership style, compensation and competence have no effect on employee performance through job satisfaction. Thus, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), in running their business, need to pay attention to things that can improve employee work performance, such as leadership style, compensation provided, and competencies possessed by employees so that they can achieve maximum business goals.
The Importance of Teaching English for Medical Students in Kurdistan: A Critical Review
Authors: Ghafar Zanyar Nathir , Sawalmeh Murad Hassan
Published: January 2023

The significance of English in Kurdistan medical education for gathering information, pursuing information, and presenting research efforts to international audiences necessitates that programmes for teaching and learning English pay particular attention to the significance of English. This is required because of the importance of English is essential for the accumulation of knowledge, the pursuit of information, and the presentation of research efforts to international audiences. This is necessary because the importance of English cannot be overstated when it comes to the accumulation of knowledge, the quest for information, and the presentation of research efforts to audiences from across the world. Students interested in learning English as a second language will benefit from this review article since it explains several fundamental topics associated with teaching English for medical reasons and is thus recommended reading for such students. Reading this post benefits students interested in learning English as a second language and will help them in their studies. Some of the academic variables that have an impact include the promotion of instructors' understanding, the periodic updating of the English medical curriculum, and the value of reviewing the material, analyzing the needs of students, and evaluating the relevance of assessing the requirements of students. Other relevant elements are as follows: The research is brought to a close by the presentation of several recommendations that instructors of English as a foreign language (EFL) and other members of the Kurdish educational system might put into action to improve the level of English as EFL instruction that is provided within medical degree programmes in the region.
Students' Strategies for Improving Their Listening Comprehension: A Review of Literature
Authors: Ghafar Zanyar Nathir , Sawalmeh Murad Hassan , Mohamedamin Akam Azad
Published: January 2023

Listening is essential for functioning in various contexts throughout one's everyday life. People listen to audio for several reasons, including for their amusement, to learn academic material, or to acquire information that is valuable to them. When students seek to comprehend what they are taught in English, they often display a wide variety of hearing impairments. Because reading, writing, and language are stressed so heavily in schools, students often have trouble comprehending what they hear. Most course books and teachers do not emphasize how important it is to listen. This research focuses on challenges associated with hearing, listening, and comprehending what is being said. When instructors are aware of the obstacles their students confront in the classroom, they can better assist their students in creating effective listening habits and increasing their listening comprehension. This is because teachers are more able to empathize with their students' experiences. This article review highlights the significance of assisting students in developing efficient learning strategies and building their English listening capabilities. Students struggling with other topics may be seen by teachers who instruct English to foreign language speakers. In conclusion, the researcher provided some suggestions for educational activities that should be participated in by both students and instructors.
Students’ Acceptance towards Microsoft Teams for Learning Arabic Language
Authors: Sallehuddin Nur Hakimah Md , Ahmad Tuan Sarifah Aini Syed , Hassan Fatin Aliyah , Abidin Nur Amirah Nabihah Zainal
Published: January 2023

The Arabic language is one of the third languages offered for degree students at UiTM. The students must complete three levels (I, II and III). Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the methodology of teaching the Arabic language was by using the traditional way, which was face-to-face instruction. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the methodology of teaching in UiTM has shifted to Open and Distance Learning (ODL). This new way of teaching affected the students’ acceptance of learning the Arabic language as they were familiar with the traditional method of teaching. This study aimed to get feedback on student’s acceptance of using Microsoft Teams in teaching and learning the Arabic language. The objectives of this study are (i) to evaluate the Perceived Usefulness (PU) of Microsoft Teams among UiTM Students learning Arabic Language, (ii) to assess the Perceived Ease of Use (PEU) of Microsoft Teams among UiTM Students learning Arabic Language and (iii) to investigate the students’ attitudes towards using Microsoft Teams in learning the Arabic language. The sample consisted of 121 students from three different faculties:  Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (FSKM), Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation (FSR) and Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies (FSPPP). The data were collected using Google Forms. The result shows that the students agreed that the application of Microsoft Teams for learning the Arabic language was easy to access, convenient and user-friendly. Other than that, they also agreed Microsoft Teams helped them to learn the Arabic language efficiently and perform a task quickly and were interested in using the apps for learning. It is suggested that MS Teams is one of the convenient online applications that can be used in learning the Arabic language via the Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode.
Pengaturan Hidup dan Peran Lansia dalam Keluarga
Authors:   BBPPKS Makassar, Sekretariat Jenderal, Kementerian Sosial, Sulawesi Selatan
Published: January 2023

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk memberikan gambaran terkait pengaturan hidup lansia serta peran yang dijalankan dalam keluarga.Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian kualitatif. Data dikumpulkan dengan wawancara mendalam, observasi dan studi dokumentasi. Data tersebut kemudian dianalisis secara kualitatif guna menghasilkan tema-tema yang sesuai tujuan penelitian. Hasilnya menunjukkan lansia mengatur kehidupannya dengan tinggalbersama keluarga baik keluarga inti maupun dengan keluarga besar, ada juga lansia yang hanya tinggal dengan pasangan atau bersama asisten rumah tangga tapi masih rutin dikunjungi oleh anak dan cucunya. Para lansia juga tetap rutin melaksanakan olahraga ringan serta aktif dalam kegiatan/organisasi sosial, keagaaman, kewirausahaan, bahkan politik. Peran lansia dalam keluarga meliputi peran kerumahtanggan, peran pendidikan keluarga dan peran pengambilan keputusan keluarga
Blazan, Sladja (Ed.). (2021). Haunted Nature: Entanglements of the Human and the Nonhuman.
Authors: Jordan Rebecca
Published: January 2023

Blazan, Sladja (Ed.). (2021). Haunted Nature: Entanglements of the Human and the Nonhuman. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-030-81868-5.
Imagining More-Than-Human Care: From Multispecies Mothering to Caring Relations in Finding the Mother Tree
Authors: Barnett Joshua
Published: January 2023

In the Western imaginary, care has long been pictured as a distinctly human activity—an activity undertaken primarily by women—and the paradigmatic image of caregiving has been that of a mother tending to her child. Increasingly, though, both the matricentricity and the anthropocentricity of care are being scrutinized as scholars advocate for more egalitarian and, in a few cases, more ecological conceptions of care. Examples of more-than-human care have been sparse, however, which hampers our collective capacity to imagine care beyond the human. Thus, in this essay I look for imaginative resources in forest ecologist Suzanne Simard’s (2021) New York Times bestselling book Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest. This encounter reveals two connected concepts—multispecies mothering and caring relations—and opens onto an ecological ethic of care rooted in a commitment to care for caring relations, to sustain the conditions of possibility for the care that we all need to survive and flourish.
The Tangled Roots of Family, Forest, and Farm
Authors: Jagoe Eva-Lynn
Published: January 2023

When my family started stewarding eight acres in British Columbia, Canada, we encountered a pervasive pioneer species or “weed”—quackgrass—that grows long roots and chokes out other plants. This paper counterposes the behaviour of these competitive and embinding roots with the cooperative mutual interrelation of forest root systems. Using these two roots as metaphors for the pleasures and pitfalls of family, I will make an argument for family farming that both honours and resists the tangle of rootedness that is embodied in the symbiotic relationship of mother and sons. I paint a picture of a political project of regeneration and flourishing that is founded on deep love and affinity for the land and for each other. While I critique the constraints of family, the mother-son relationship emerges in this essay as a historically embedded and potentially generative form of community.
Técnicas de ablación como tratamiento en pacientes con cáncer de mama
Authors: Muñoz Arteaga Maria Valentina , Bojorque Bojorque Luz María , Tebanta Albán Debbie Noelia , Armijos Ayala Anthony Daniel
Published: January 2023

Introducción: La neoplasia maligna diagnosticada con mayor frecuencia en todo el mundo es el cáncer de mama. Existen nuevas alternativas terapéuticas mínimamente invasivas gracias a las innovaciones tecnológicas, como la crio ablación, la ablación por radiofrecuencia y la ablación por microondas, las cuales han dado buenos resultados. Objetivo: Describir las técnicas de ablación como tratamiento en pacientes con cáncer de mama. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio no experimental narrativo, de revisión bibliográfica. Se utilizaron artículos en inglés y en español de los últimos cinco años. Resultados: Se describió cuales son las técnicas de ablación, en qué tipo de pacientes se usaron y cuál fue la eficacia de las técnicas de ablación como tratamiento en pacientes con cáncer de mama, de forma más clara y con bibliografía más actualizada. Conclusiones: Las técnicas de ablación tienen una eficacia alta como tratamiento en pacientes con cáncer de mama en etapa temprana, especialmente en mujeres jóvenes y en edad fértil. Estos buenos resultados se observaron mejor en tumores menores o iguales de 2 cm, en los tumores mayores de 2 cm los resultados tardan en aparecer.
La judicialización de adictos captados para el microtráfico
Authors: Torres Merchán Martín Sebastián , Rafecas Daniel
Published: January 2023

La problemática del tráfico y consumo de estupefacientes agobia a las sociedades actuales, produciendo repercusiones sobre el sistema Jurídico Penal y de salud pública de los diferentes países a nivel global. En este marco dentro del Ecuador, se implementó la Reforma del artículo 220 del Código Orgánico Integral Penal, en donde se buscaba dar un enfoque diferencial entre consumidores y expendedores de sustancias estupefacientes. No obstante, en la actualidad los problemas de microtráfico y consumo de drogas se han intensificado dentro del contexto nacional. Consecuentemente la presente investigación plantea definir cómo varían los índices de delincuencia y el consumo de sustancias catalogadas sujetas a fiscalización con la Reforma del artículo 220 del Código Orgánico Integral Penal. Mediante una investigación bibliográfica de las principales concepciones Jurídicas - Penales y académicas respecto de la conducta punible del tráfico de sustancias catalogadas sujetas a fiscalización y la problemática de salud pública que representa el consumo de dichas sustancias. En este contexto, se realizó una propuesta de Reforma del artículo 220 del Código Orgánico Integral Penal en Ecuador.
La detención en flagrancia por presunta autoría intelectual y su compatibilidad con la dogmática penal: análisis de la detención de Leónidas Iza por su presunta participación en el delito de paralización de servicios públicos
Authors: López Vera Jorge Fernando , De la Vega Daniel
Published: January 2023

En este trabajo de investigación se analiza la institución jurídica de la detención en flagrancia y su aplicación en una presunta intervención criminal de autoría mediata o intelectual. Para ello, utilizando el método cualitativo de investigación, se propone el análisis del caso de Leónidas Iza Salazar, líder indígena ecuatoriano, quién, en el contexto de las últimas protestas contra el Gobierno ecuatoriano, fue detenido en flagrancia por presuntamente haber participado como autor intelectual del delito de paralización de servicios públicos. En consecuencia, conforme a un marco teórico de autoría mediata y delito flagrante determinadas por la norma, doctrina y jurisprudencia, constataremos si efectivamente, en el caso propuesto las actuaciones de las autoridades policiales y judiciales se compadecen con los criterios que la dogmática penal ha establecido, es decir, si respecto a la autoría mediata, resulta viable la detención y calificación de flagrancia.
مهارات التفاوض لدى العاملين في العلاقات العامة في المؤسسات الحكومية
Authors: مالك شبيب هدى
Published: January 2023

تناول هذا البحث موضوعة مهارات التفاوض لدى العاملين في اقسام العلاقات العامة وهي واحدة من مهارات عديدة يفترض ان تكون متوفرة لدى هؤلاء العاملين وهذه المهارات مجتمعه تساعد في انجاح عمل اقسام العلاقات العامة واعطائها دوراً مهماً وحيوياً، ضمن الادوار التي توزع في اقسام اية مؤسسة حكومية كانت او غير حكومية اذ تعد مهارة التفاوض من المهارات التي تحتاج الى ذكاء ولباقة وثقافة ومعلومات قوة ملاحظة وسرعة بديهة ومعرفة كيفية توظيف وسائل الاتصال للوصول الى المعلومة التي تفيذ في الوصول الى نتائج مرضية في اية مفاوضات تدخلها الدائرة. وعلى هذا الاساس تناولت الباحثة هذا الموضوع لكونه لم يحظ باهتمام العاملين في العلاقات العامة اذ اعتادوا على ادوار وظيفية بعيدة عن عملهم الاساس بينما تكلف الاقسام الاخرى بعمليات تفاوضية دون اشراك العاملين في العلاقات في متابعة المفاوضات، ومن اجل ذلك حاولت الباحثة لفت نظر الباحثين في مجال العلاقات العامة الى ضرورة تدريس هذه المهارة ومن ثم تسليط الضوء على اهمية تطبيقها عمليا بعد ان يزج الطلبة في معزل الحياة العلمية. ومن اجل الوصول الى معلومات دقيقة حول الموضوع اعتمدت الباحثة المنهج المسحي من خلال اعداد استمارة استبانة تتضمن مجموعة من الاسئلة التي صيغت بطريقة علمية ووجهت الى العاملين في وزارتي النقل والكهرباء و الذي بلغ عددهم (45) عاملاً ممثلين لمجتمع البحث، وقد توصلت الباحثة الى استنتاجات مهمة بهذا الشأن منها ان اغلب العاملين لم يشاركوا في عمليات تفاوضية وقد رأى اغلبهم سبب ذلك هو عدم قناعة الادارات العليا باهمية عملهم حيث تتعمد الادارات ابعادهم عن هذه الادوار المهمة
Penerapan Metode Penentuan Arah Kiblat bagi Remaja Masjid Fathul Jannah Perumahan Medan Baru, Kota Bengkulu
Authors: Hadi Arif Ismul , Refrizon  , Sugianto Nanang , Farid M. , Raihana Hana , Ansori Andre Rahmat
Published: January 2023

Menghadap ka’bah sebagai kiblat umat Islam adalah salah satu syarat sah sholat. Untuk itu diperlukan penghitungan arah kiblat secara akurat. Kegiatan ini bertujuan meningkatkan pengetahuan terhadap penerapan metode penentuan arah kiblat bagi Remaja Masjid Fathul Jannah Perumahan Medan Baru, Kota Bengkulu. Untuk mencapai tujuan kegiatan tersebut digunakan metode ceramah dan dilanjutkan dengan diskusi. Ceramah dilakukan dengan memberikan pengetahuan tentang teknik-teknik penentuan arah kiblat baik secara teoritis maupun secara praktik. Diskusi dilakukan terhadap materi yang telah disampaikan oleh Tim Pengabdi. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan bahwa metode penentuan arah kiblat dapat dipahami oleh Remaja Masjid Fathul Jannah Perumahan Medan Baru, Kota Bengkulu baik secara teoritis maupun aplikasinya. Hasil perhitungan secara teoritis maupun aplikasi menunjukkan kecocokan. Berdasarkan hasil perhitungan arah Masjid Fathul Jannah Perumahan Medan Baru, Kota Bengkulu sudah sesuai yakni pada arah Barat Laut atau arah 295,2905° (secara teoritis) dan arah 295° (secara aplikasi) meskipun bangunan masjid tidak persis sejajar dengan arah kiblat tersebut.
COMPARISON OF ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF SOME POLYPHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND ITS BIOTRANSFORMATION EXTRACTS
Authors: KIRCI Damla , DEMİRCİ Betül
Published: January 2023

Objective: Microbial transformations are green biotechnological processes where different microorganisms, or their enzymes are used to produce new metabolites from defined substrates. Hesperidin, quercetin, and their derivatives have been proven in scientific research to have a variety of biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities.

Material and Method: Microbial transformation of hesperidin and quercetin was carried out utilizing 13 different microbial strains in this study. The transformation extracts of hesperidin and quercetin were investigated in antioxidant (DPPH· and ABTS·+ methods) and anti-inflammatory effects.

Result and Discussion: The biotransformation of hesperidin is observed in 5 of 13 strains. There are Rhizopus stolonifera, Saccharomyces pararoseus, S. cerevisiae, Penicillium claviforme, and Fusarium solani while microbial transformation of quercetin was identified Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium claviforme.

The results of this research show that the extracts obtained with the Aspergillus and Penicillium strains are more effective in terms of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The microbial transformation of hesperidin by Penicillium strain has not been researched previously.
Mitochondrial haplotypes reveal low diversity and restricted connectivity of the critically endangered batoid population in a Marine Protected Area
Authors: Schwanck TN , Vizer LF , Thorburn J , Dodd J , Wright PJ , Donnan DW , Noble LR , Jones CS
Published: January 2023

Stability and long-term persistence of a species rely heavily on its genetic diversity, which is closely allied to its capacity for adaptation. In threatened species, population connectivity can play a major role in maintaining that diversity, and genetic assessments of their populations can be crucial for the design of effective spatial conservation management. Not only is it worth evaluating the amount of diversity in a candidate population for protection, but the magnitude of outgoing gene flow can provide insight into its potential to replenish others via emigrants. The critically endangered flapper skate Dipturus intermedius receives protection in the Loch Sunart to the Sound of Jura Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Scotland. However, there is insufficient knowledge of genetic diversity and connectivity across its range. Recent tagging studies in the MPA suggest the presence of animals with high levels of site fidelity and residency, as well as transient individuals, raising concerns of limited connectivity to populations beyond the MPA. In this study, a newly developed mitochondrial haplotype marker allowed use of DNA sourced from fin clips, mucus and egg cases to investigate population structure and mitochondrial variability across several sites around the British Isles, including the MPA. Unfortunately, results characterized the MPA as having particularly low haplotype diversity and significant population differentiation from other sample sites. More than a quarter of its individuals carry a haplotype rarely observed elsewhere, leaving outgoing gene flow questionable. The MPA appears unlikely to sustain the species’ existing mtDNA genetic diversity or act as an effective source population.
Asthma in Children Under 5 Years in Rural Kyrgyzstan: A Diagnostic Vacuum? a Qualitative FRESH AIR Study
Authors: Stubbe Østergaard Marianne , Kjærgaard Jesper , Kristensen Mette Marie , Reventlow Susanne , Poulsen Anja , Isaeva Elvira , Akylbekov Azamat , Sooronbaev Talant
Published: January 2023

Background: Worldwide, asthma is the most frequent non-communicable disease in childhood, often starting in infancy. However, asthma is underdiagnosed in children <5 years of age (Under-5s) in low and middle-income countries. Aims: This study explored perceptions of, and reasons for, underdiagnosis of asthma in Under-5s in rural Kyrgyzstan. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews with 22 rural primary care health professionals and 13 caregivers to Under-5s with recurrent lower respiratory tract illnesses. Results: Most health professionals and caregivers perceived asthma as a severe, debilitating, and potentially fatal disease in young children. None of the health professionals had diagnosed any Under-5s with asthma. In the health professionals’ biomedical understanding, asthma occurs predominantly in adolescents and adults, and consists of attacks of respiratory distress, with mandatory heredity and allergy. The health professionals veered away from the asthma diagnosis to avoid scaring parents, and they replaced the diagnostic vacuum with infectious diagnoses. Surprisingly, stigma regarding the population with asthma appeared to be uncommon. Most caregivers were receptive to the idea of treatment with inhaled medication and to the statement that asthma could also be a mild disease. Conclusion: The apparent systemic underdiagnosis of asthma in rural Kyrgyzstan seemed self-perpetuating. The misconceptions and dated diagnostic criteria and tradition had no provision for asthma in Under-5s; therefore, few children were diagnosed with asthma. This reinforced the inappropriate fear and belief in society that asthma is a rare, severe, and debilitating disease. Training of health professionals and providing information to the public should address the current perception of asthma and raise awareness that asthma is often a mild and treatable disease.
Beyond Party Politics? Visitors and Meaning-Making in the National Museum of Taiwan Literature
Authors: GRAF Emily
Published: January 2023

Visitors are to museums what readers are to texts. Yet little attention has been paid to the reception of literary spaces, such as the National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL), a literature museum established in Tainan in 2003. Going beyond exposing the museum’s political message, this study argues that a constructed sense of belonging to a nation is but one form of identification that comes into play in the museum visit. By juxtaposing production and reception in a two-week window in 2011, this paper shows how politics are written into the museum displays, but also how politics are neglected, confirmed, debated, and rejected by visitors in their spatial readings of the displays. The analysis is based on interviews that inquire about visitors’ concrete experiences. This study examines what motivates visitors to come to the NMTL, which aspects of their visit are most memorable, and to which exhibits visitors ascribe meaning. The reception of the NMTL is then placed into the context of its “authorship” by presenting insights into curatorial practices and planning from the perspective of museum staff, including Director Li Ruiteng. The interviews show that visitors actively select objects to which they assign meaning. I argue that visitors are most likely to choose exhibits with the strongest connection to their everyday life and their personal past. These meanings and experiences can bear a relation to Taiwanese, Chinese, or other forms of collective identities and yet enable them to engage with an identity discourse that is potentially disconnected from politics.
Modelling CH4 emission from rice ecosystem: A comparison between existing empirical models
Authors: Nikolaisen Marte , Hillier Jonathan , Smith Pete , Nayak Dali
Published: January 2023

Rice is a staple food for more than three billion people and accounts for up to 11% of the global methane (CH4) emissions from anthropogenic sources. With increasing populations, particularly in less developed countries where rice is a major cereal crop, production continues to increase to meet demand. Implementing site-specific mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice is important to minimise climate change. Measuring greenhouse gases is costly and time-consuming; therefore, many farmers, supply chains, and scientists rely on greenhouse gas accounting tools or internationally acceptable methodologies (e.g., Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) to estimate emissions and explore mitigation options. In this paper, existing empirical models that are widely used have been evaluated against measured CH4 emission data. CH4 emission data and management information were collected from 70 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Model input variables such as soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, water management during crop season and pre-season, and organic amendment application were collected and used for estimation of CH4 emission. The performance of the models was evaluated by comparing the predicted emission values against measured emissions with the result showing that the models capture the impact of different management on emissions, but either under- or overestimate the emission value, and therefore are unable to capture the magnitude of emissions. Estimated emission values are much lower than observed for most of the rice-producing countries, with R correlation coefficient values varying from −0.49 to 0.87 across the models. In conclusion, current models are adequate for predicting emission trends and the directional effects of management, but are not adequate for estimating the magnitude of emissions. The existing models do not consider key site-specific variables such as soil texture, planting method, cultivar type, or growing season, which all influence emissions, and thus, the models lack sensitivity to key site variables to reliably predict emissions.
Cationic liposomes bearing Bet v 1 by coiled coil-formation are hypo-allergenic and induce strong immunogenicity in mice
Authors: Warmenhoven Hans , Leboux Romain , Bethanis Athanasios , van Strien Jolinde , Logiantara Adrian , van Schijndel Hans , Aglas Lorenz , van Rijt Leonie , Slütter Bram , Kros Alexander , Jiskoot Wim , van Ree Ronald
Published: January 2023

Although aluminum hydroxide (alum) is widely accepted and used as safe vaccine adjuvant, there is some concern about possible toxicity upon long-lasting repeated exposure during subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT). Our objective was to evaluate allergen-bearing liposomes as possible alternative for alum-adsorption in SCIT. A self-assembling, coiled-coil forming peptide pair was used to anchor the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 to the surface of cationic liposomes. The resulting nanoparticulate liposomes were characterized with respect to their physicochemical, allergenic and immunological properties. Allergenicity was studied by ImmunoCAP inhibition and rat basophil leukemia (RBL) cell assays. Immunogenicity (immunoglobulin responses) and immune skewing (cytokine responses) were evaluated upon immunization of naïve mice, and compared to alum-adsorbed Bet v 1. Bet v 1-bearing cationic liposomes with a diameter of ∼200 nm showed a positive zeta potential. The coiled-coil conjugation of Bet v 1 to the surface of liposomes resulted in about a 15-fold lower allergenicity than soluble Bet v 1 as judged by RBL assays. Moreover, the nanoparticles induced Bet v 1-specific IgG1/IgG2a responses in mice that were several orders of magnitude higher than those induced by alum-adsorbed Bet v 1. This strong humoral response was accompanied by a relatively strong IL-10 induction upon PBMC stimulation with Bet v 1. In conclusion, their hypo-allergenic properties, combined with their capacity to induce a strong humoral immune response and a relatively strong IL-10 production, makes these allergen-covered cationic liposomes a promising alternative for aluminum salt-adsorption of allergen currently used in SCIT.
Artificial intelligence models for yield efficiency optimization, prediction, and production scalability of essential oil extraction processes from citrus fruit exocarps
Authors: Fajardo Muñoz Sandra E. , Freire Castro Anthony J. , Mejía Garzón Michael I. , Páez Fajardo Galo J. , Páez Gracia Galo J.
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Excessive demand, environmental problems, and shortages in market-leader countries have led the citrus (essential) oil market price to drift to unprecedented high levels with negative implications for citrus oil-dependent secondary industries. However, the high price conditions have promoted market incentives for the incorporation of new small-scale suppliers as a short-term supply solution for the market. Essential oil chemical extraction via steam distillation is a valuable option for these new suppliers at a lab and small-scale production level. Nevertheless, mass-scaling production requires prediction tools for better large-scale control of outputs.

Methods: This study provides an intelligent model based on a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network (ANN) for developing a highly reliable numerical dependency between the chemical extraction output from essential oil steam distillation processes (output vector) and orange peel mass loading (input vector). In a data pool of 25 extraction experiments, 14 output–input pairs were the in training set, 6 in the testing set, and 5 cross-compared the model’s accuracy with traditional numerical approaches.

Results and Discussion: After varying the number of nodes in the hidden layer, a 1–9–1 MLP topology best optimizes the statistical parameters (coefficient of determination (R2) and mean square error) of the testing set, achieving a precision of nearly 97.6%. Our model can capture non-linearity behavior when scaling-up production output for mass production processes, thus providing a viable answer for the scalability issue with a state-of-the-art computational tool for planning, management, and mass production of citrus essential oils.
Gut microbiota signatures in tissues of the colorectal polyp and normal colorectal mucosa, and faeces
Authors: Zhong Xiaohui , Wang Yuanyuan , Xu Jianmin , Cao Hong , Zhang Feng , Wang Xuesong
Published: January 2023

Background

Colorectal polyps are the most common precursors of colorectal cancer (CRC). The close relationship has been observed between colorectal polyps and gut microbiota. However, gut microbiota signatures among sampling sites in patients with colorectal polyps and healthy adults remain elusive.

Aims

To learn about gut microbiota signatures in tissues of the colorectal polyp and normal colorectal mucosa, and faeces.

Methods

We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatic analysis for the microbiota in the normal colorectal mucosa, the colorectal polyps and faeces of adults with colorectal polyps (n = 24) and in faeces and normal mucosa of healthy adults (n = 16) in this preliminary trial.

Results

The Ace and Chao indexes were higher in the normal colorectal mucosa and polyp tissues compared to faecal samples (P < 0.05). The composition of microbiota based on PCoA and ANOSIM analysis showed the significant differences only between faeces and tissues of the normal mucosa and polyp (P < 0.05). Based on the LEfSe analysis, the abundances of Bacteroides, Prevotella-2 and Agathobacter were higher, whereas the abundances of Haemophilus, Escherichia_Shigella, Fusobacterium and Streptococcus were lower in faeces both in patients with colorectal polyp and healthy individuals, compared with those in the normal mucosa in two groups or polyp tissues. In healthy individuals, the abundance of Fusobacterium was significantly higher in the normal colorectal mucosa than in faeces. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the abundance of Fusobacterium between the normal colorectal mucosa and polyps in patients with colorectal polyps, but it was significantly higher in the mucosa and polyps than in faeces. Remarkably, the abundance of Fusobacterium in the normal colorectal mucosa was significantly higher in healthy individuals than in the polyp group.

Conclusions

The microbial structure in faeces differs from that in tissues of polyp and normal mucusa. Additionally, Fusobacterium may be a normal colonizer in colonic mucosa, and an abnormal increase of Fusobacterium detected in faeces may be related with the injury of the colorectal mucosa. The difference of the faecal microbiota and mucosal microbiota should be carefully considered in studies on gut microbiota in patients with colorectal lesions.
Skin microbiota signature distinguishes IBD patients and reflects skin adverse events during anti-TNF therapy
Authors: Reiss Zuzana , Rob Filip , Kolar Martin , Schierova Dagmar , Kreisinger Jakub , Jackova Zuzana , Roubalova Radka , Coufal Stepan , Mihula Martin , Thon Tomas , Bajer Lukas , Novakova Michaela , Vasatko Martin , Kostovcikova Klara , Galanova Natalie , Lukas Milan , Kverka Miloslav , Tresnak Hercogova Jana , Tlaskalova-Hogenova Helena , Jiraskova Zakostelska Zuzana
Published: January 2023

Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), where the role of gut but not skin dysbiosis is well recognized. Inhibitors of TNF have been successful in IBD treatment, but up to a quarter of patients suffer from unpredictable skin adverse events (SkAE). For this purpose, we analyzed temporal dynamics of skin microbiota and serum markers of inflammation and epithelial barrier integrity during anti-TNF therapy and SkAE manifestation in IBD patients. We observed that the skin microbiota signature of IBD patients differs markedly from healthy subjects. In particular, the skin microbiota of CD patients differs significantly from that of UC patients and healthy subjects, mainly in the retroauricular crease. In addition, we showed that anti-TNF-related SkAE are associated with specific shifts in skin microbiota profile and with a decrease in serum levels of L-FABP and I-FABP in IBD patients. For the first time, we showed that shifts in microbial composition in IBD patients are not limited to the gut and that skin microbiota and serum markers of the epithelium barrier may be suitable markers of SkAE during anti-TNF therapy.
Nine insights from internet engineering that help us understand brain network communication
Authors: Graham Daniel J.
Published: January 2023

Philosophers have long recognized the value of metaphor as a tool that opens new avenues of investigation. By seeing brains as having the goal of representation, the computer metaphor in its various guises has helped systems neuroscience approach a wide array of neuronal behaviors at small and large scales. Here I advocate a complementary metaphor, the internet. Adopting this metaphor shifts our focus from computing to communication, and from seeing neuronal signals as localized representational elements to seeing neuronal signals as traveling messages. In doing so, we can take advantage of a comparison with the internet's robust and efficient routing strategies to understand how the brain might meet the challenges of network communication. I lay out nine engineering strategies that help the internet solve routing challenges similar to those faced by brain networks. The internet metaphor helps us by reframing neuronal activity across the brain as, in part, a manifestation of routing, which may, in different parts of the system, resemble the internet more, less, or not at all. I describe suggestive evidence consistent with the brain's use of internet-like routing strategies and conclude that, even if empirical data do not directly implicate internet-like routing, the metaphor is valuable as a reference point for those investigating the difficult problem of network communication in the brain and in particular the problem of routing.
Heart failure in systemic right ventricle: Mechanisms and therapeutic options
Authors: Sabbah Belal Nedal , Arabi Tarek Ziad , Shafqat Areez , Abdul Rab Saleha , Razak Adhil , Albert-Brotons Dimpna Calila
Published: January 2023

d-loop transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) and congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (cc-TGA) feature a right ventricle attempting to sustain the systemic circulation. A systemic right ventricle (sRV) cannot support cardiac output in the long run, eventually decompensating and causing heart failure. The burden of d-TGA patients with previous atrial switch repair and cc-TGA patients with heart failure will only increase in the coming years due to the aging adult congenital heart disease population and improvements in the management of advanced heart failure. Clinical data still lags behind in developing evidence-based guidelines for risk stratification and management of sRV patients, and clinical trials for heart failure in these patients are underrepresented. Recent studies have provided foundational data for the commencement of robust clinical trials in d-TGA and cc-TGA patients. Further insights into the multifactorial nature of sRV failure can only be provided by the results of such studies. This review discusses the mechanisms of heart failure in sRV patients with biventricular circulation and how these mediators may be targeted clinically to alleviate sRV failure.
From video summarization to real time video summarization in smart cities and beyond: A survey
Authors: Shambharkar Prashant Giridhar , Goel Ruchi
Published: January 2023

With the massive expansion of videos on the internet, searching through millions of them has become quite challenging. Smartphones, recording devices, and file sharing are all examples of ways to capture massive amounts of real time video. In smart cities, there are many surveillance cameras, which has created a massive volume of video data whose indexing, retrieval, and administration is a difficult problem. Exploring such results takes time and degrades the user experience. In this case, video summarization is extremely useful. Video summarization allows for the efficient storing, retrieval, and browsing of huge amounts of information from video without sacrificing key features. This article presents a classification and analysis of video summarization approaches, with a focus on real-time video summarization (RVS) domain techniques that can be used to summarize videos. The current study will be useful in integrating essential research findings and data for quick reference, laying the preliminaries, and investigating prospective research directions. A variety of practical uses, including aberrant detection in a video surveillance system, have made successful use of video summarization in smart cities.