bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How psychological empowerment impacts task performance: The mediation role of work engagement and moderating role of age
Authors: Juyumaya Jesus
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a mediation–moderated model of the relationship between psychological empowerment, work engagement, age, and task performance. I seek to provide a more nuanced understanding of the mediating role of work engagement in the positive effect of psychological empowerment on task performance. Further, I explore employee age as a moderating factor in this mediation. I used online surveys among a sample of Latin American textile industry employees to capture individual perceptions about psychological empowerment, work engagement, and task performance. I modeled a mediation–moderated model using Hayes’ Process macro. The results confirm that the positive impact of employee psychological empowerment on task performance is partially mediated by work engagement. In addition, age was a significant moderator of the mediation effect. This study expands knowledge about how the psychological empowerment–work engagement relationship can predict task performance, including age as a boundary condition. Following the Job Demands–Resources theory, I also prove that conceptualizing psychological empowerment as a personal resource can benefit the integration of psychological empowerment and the work engagement stream of research. Moreover, the findings may help human resources management (HRM) researchers and practitioners acknowledge contextual differences in understanding the combined effects of psychological empowerment and work engagement. For instance, textile industry human resources managers can develop specific age–based human resource systems that empower and engages employees from emerging economies.
Crafting work-nonwork balance involving life domain boundaries: Development and validation of a novel scale across five countries
Authors: Kerksieck Philipp , Brauchli Rebecca , de Bloom Jessica , Shimazu Akihito , Kujanpää Miika , Lanz Madeleine , Bauer Georg F.
Published: September 2022

Ongoing developments, such as digitalization, increased the interference of the work and nonwork life domains, urging many to continuously manage engagement in respective domains. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent home-office regulations further boosted the need for employees to find a good work-nonwork balance, thereby optimizing their health and well-being. Consequently, proactive individual-level crafting strategies for balancing work with other relevant life domains were becoming increasingly important. However, these strategies received insufficient attention in previous research despite their potential relevance for satisfying psychological needs, such as psychological detachment. We addressed this research gap by introducing a new scale measuring crafting for a work-nonwork balance and examining its relevance in job-and life satisfaction, work engagement, subjective vitality, family role and job performance, boundary management and self-rated work-nonwork balance. The Work-Nonwork Balance Crafting Scale was validated in five countries (Austria, Finland, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland), encompassing data from a heterogeneous sample of more than 4,200 employees. In study 1, exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factorial scale structure. Confirmatory factor analysis, test for measurement invariance, and convergent validity were provided in study 2. Replication of confirmatory factor analysis, incremental and criterion validity of the Work-Nonwork Balance Crafting Scale for job and life satisfaction were assessed in study 3. Study 4 displayed criterion validity, test–retest reliability, testing measurement invariance, and applicability of the scale across work cultures. Finally, study 5 delivered evidence for the Work-Nonwork Balance Crafting Scale in predicting work-nonwork balance. The novel Work-Nonwork Balance Crafting Scale captured crafting for the challenging balance between work and nonwork and performed well across several different working cultures in increasingly digitalized societies. Both researchers and practitioners may use this tool to assess crafting efforts to balance both life domains and to study relationships with outcomes relevant to employee health and well-being.
A study of the effects of thematic language teaching on the promotion of multimedia design students’ listening and speaking skills
Authors: Yin Sheng-Kai
Published: September 2022

Previously, language teaching has been focused on the passive learning of the alphabet. In addition, the research on teaching listening and speaking skills was limited. Listening skill is the key to learning a language, and speaking is the first explicit behavior of language. In order to improve language skills which are emphasized in new curriculum guidelines, student-centered thematic language teaching is considered as valuable. Through this, the concepts of multiple intelligences and curriculum integration were re-emphasized. An experimental design was adopted in the current study. This study was conducted with the participation of 224 students from the Department of Multimedia Design in universities in the south of Taiwan. The research data were collected between September 2021 and December 2021. The implementation process took 16 weeks (a total of 48 h) of thematic language teaching. The research results revealed 1. significant positive effects of thematic language teaching on listening, 2. significant positive effects of thematic language teaching on speaking skill, and 3. significant negative effects of thematic language teaching on learning anxiety. According to the results, it is expected that this study can help multimedia design students improve their listening and speaking skills as well as core language skills.
Early recognition of familiar word-forms as a function of production skills
Authors: Lorenzini Irene , Nazzi Thierry
Published: September 2022

Growing evidence shows that early speech processing relies on information extracted from speech production. In particular, production skills are linked to word-form processing, as more advanced producers prefer listening to pseudowords containing consonants they do not yet produce. However, it is unclear whether production affects word-form encoding (the translation of perceived phonological information into a memory trace) and/or recognition (the automatic retrieval of a stored item). Distinguishing recognition from encoding makes it possible to explore whether sensorimotor information is stored in long-term phonological representations (and thus, retrieved during recognition) or is processed when encoding a new item, but not necessarily when retrieving a stored item. In this study, we asked whether speech-related sensorimotor information is retained in long-term representations of word-forms. To this aim, we tested the effect of production on the recognition of ecologically learned, real familiar word-forms. Testing these items allowed to assess the effect of sensorimotor information in a context in which encoding did not happen during testing itself. Two groups of French-learning monolinguals (11- and 14-month-olds) participated in the study. Using the Headturn Preference Procedure, each group heard two lists, each containing 10 familiar word-forms composed of either early-learned consonants (commonly produced by French-learners at these ages) or late-learned consonants (more rarely produced at these ages). We hypothesized differences in listening preferences as a function of word-list and/or production skills. At both 11 and 14 months, babbling skills modulated orientation times to the word-lists containing late-learned consonants. This specific effect establishes that speech production impacts familiar word-form recognition by 11 months, suggesting that sensorimotor information is retained in long-term word-form representations and accessed during word-form processing.
The ambulatory battery of creativity: Additional evidence for reliability and validity
Authors: Rominger Christian , Fink Andreas , Benedek Mathias , Weber Bernhard , Perchtold-Stefan Corinna M. , Schwerdtfeger Andreas R.
Published: September 2022

Psychometrically sound instruments that assess temporal dynamics of creative abilities are limited. The Ambulatory Battery of Creativity (ABC) is designed to assess creative ideation performance multiple times in everyday life and was proven to capture the intra-individual dynamic of creative abilities reliably and validly. The present ambulatory study aimed to replicate and extend the psychometric evidence of the novel ABC. Sixty-nine participants worked on the ABC during a 5-day ambulatory assessment protocol. Each day, participants completed six randomly presented items of the verbal and the figural ABC. Matching previous psychometric analyses, the results indicated good between-person (≥0.80) and good within-person (≥0.72) reliability. Furthermore, evidence for between-person and within-person validity of the ABC was obtained. Performance in the verbal and the figural ABC were interrelated and correlated with an independent measure of creative potential. The verbal ABC was further associated with openness, self-reported creative behavior, creative activities, and creative achievements, thus providing additional evidence of construct validity, especially for the verbal ABC. Finally, the verbal and the figural ABC yielded convincing within-person validity: Longer response times and higher subjective originality ratings were associated with more original ideas. This replication and extension of the ABC’s psychometric properties indicates that it enables a reliable and valid assessment of moment-to-moment fluctuations of creative ideation abilities in everyday life, which may facilitate the investigation of exciting new research questions related to dynamic aspects of creative ability.
Application of virtual simulation situational model in Russian spatial preposition teaching
Authors: Gao Yanrong , Kassymova R. T. , Luo Yong
Published: September 2022

The purpose is to improve the teaching quality of Russian spatial prepositions in colleges. This work takes teaching Russian spatial prepositions as an example to study the key technologies in 3D Virtual Simulation (VS) teaching. 3D VS situational teaching is a high-end visual teaching technology. VS situation construction focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) to explore and present a realistic language teaching scene. Here, the Steady State Visual Evoked Potential (SSVEP) is used to control Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). An SSVEP-BCI system is constructed through the Hybrid Frequency-Phase Modulation (HFPM). The acquisition system can obtain the current SSVEP from the user's brain to know which module the user is watching to complete instructions encoded by the module. Experiments show that the recognition accuracy of the proposed SSVEP-BCI system based on HFPM increases with data length. When the data length is 0.6-s, the Information Transfer Rate (ITR) reaches the highest: 242.21 ± 46.88 bits/min. Therefore, a high-speed BCI character input system based on SSVEP is designed using HFPM. The main contribution of this work is to build a SSVEP-BCI system based on joint frequency phase modulation. It is better than the currently-known brain computer interface character input system, and is of great value to optimize the performance of the virtual simulation situation system for Russian spatial preposition teaching.
Hyperfocus or flow? Attentional strengths in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Dupuis Annie , Mudiyanselage Piyumi , Burton Christie L. , Arnold Paul D. , Crosbie Jennifer , Schachar Russell J.
Published: September 2022

The comorbidity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses is well established. An ASD diagnosis is associated with elevated ADHD traits and symptoms, as well as strengths in attention. In the ASD literature, attentional strengths have been described as maladaptive (e.g., hyperfocus), in contrast with positive portrayals in the typically developing population (e.g., flow). The objective of this study was to (1) compare profiles of attentional strengths and weaknesses in ASD and ADHD and (2) determine whether attentional strengths in ASD are associated with impairment, poorer cognitive flexibility, and perseveration/perfectionism. In a community sample of 5,744 children and youth, 131 children were reported as having a diagnosis of ASD (mean age 10.3 years) and 346 children were reported as having a diagnosis of ADHD (mean age 10.7 years). We used the Strengths and Weaknesses of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-symptoms and Normal-behaviors (SWAN) rating scale to calculate attentional and hyperactive/impulse control strength and weakness counts and scores. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient Switching factor served as a measure of cognitive flexibility. Impairment was assessed with the Columbia Impairment Scale. We used the symmetry/ordering factor on the Toronto Obsessive-Compulsive Scale as a measure of perseveration/perfectionism. No differences were found between the ADHD and ASD groups in SWAN weakness scores, symptoms, or hyperactive/impulse control strengths; however, autistic children had higher rates of attentional strengths [odds ratio: 5.7, 95% CI (2.8, 11.6), p < 0.0001]. Post-hoc pairwise testing identified four attentional strengths with significantly higher rates in ASD than in ADHD. Attentional strength scores were not associated with impairment or poor cognitive flexibility, but predicted levels of perseveration/perfectionism. The effect of attentional strengths on impairment and cognitive flexibility did not differ between autistic and Control children, but the higher perseveration/perfectionism scores seen in ASD were not found in Control children. ASD is associated with a pattern of attentional strengths that is not found in ADHD Characterizing the full range of attentional abilities in autistic children may explain variability in outcomes such as quality-of-life indicators and identify protective factors, providing targets for strength-based behavioral interventions. The clinical and etiological implications of the subgroup of autistic children with attentional strengths require further investigation.
Association among resilience, post-traumatic stress disorder, and somatization in frontline healthcare workers in COVID-19: The mediating role of perceived stress
Authors: Li Minjie , Yu Xingfeng , Wang Dan , Wang Ying , Yao Lipei , Ma Yunmiao , Liu Xiaomei , Zhang Yulian
Published: September 2022

Background

Frontline healthcare workers were at a high risk of infection and developing mental health problems during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is important to monitor the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatization among frontline healthcare workers in China.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate PTSD, somatization, resilience, and perceived stress among frontline healthcare workers fighting against COVID-19 and examine the mediating effects of perceived stress on resilience in both PTSD and somatization.

Methods

The study was conducted from December 2021 to February 2022 through an online survey of frontline healthcare workers fighting against COVID-19. The survey included questions regarding socio-demographic information, resilience (10-item Conner–Davidson Resilience Scale, CD-RISC-10), perceived stress (14-item Perceived Stress Scale, PSS), PTSD (Checklist-Civilian Version, PCL-C), and somatization (Symptom Checklist-90). The PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to examine the mediating effects of perceived stress.

Results

Approximately 14.9% of healthcare workers had possible PTSD (PCL-C score of ≥ 44), and 41.04% of the workers had low resilience (CD-RISC-10 score of ≤ 25.5). Approximately 54.05% of healthcare workers were symptomatic, and 14.7% had a moderate or higher degree of somatization with sleep-related problems as the most common symptom. Perceived stress was negatively correlated with resilience (r = –0.527, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with PTSD (r = 0.505, p < 0.001) and somatization (r = 0.361, p < 0.001). In addition, perceived stress mediated the relationship between resilience and PTSD [indirect b = –0.382; bootstrapped confidence interval (CI), –0.454, –0.319] and somatization (indirect effect b = –0.159; bootstrapped CI, –0.199, –0.123).

Conclusion

The prevalence of PTSD and somatic symptoms indicates that the mental health of frontline healthcare workers deserves more attention. Resilience is negatively associated with PTSD and somatization, and the relationship among resilience, PTSD, and somatization is mediated by perceived stress. Strategies for reducing perceived stress and increasing resilience may help to prevent and alleviate PTSD and somatization.
Relationship between internet use intensity and quality of life in chronic patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of physical exercise and health insurance
Authors: Wang Yangyang , Xu Jian , Xie Tian
Published: September 2022

The internet use intensity of human has increased substantially during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and it is severely impacting the well-being of chronic patients. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the relationship between internet use intensity and quality of life in chronic patients, based on the cross-sectional data from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) during the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020. The results showed that the internet use intensity had significant positive association with quality of life among chronic patients, and such association has been found in both urban and rural samples. Among the relationship of internet use intensity and quality of life in chronic patients, the mediating effect of physical exercise reached 10.25%. Furthermore, health insurance positively moderated this relationship. There are new insights for policy recommendations and clinical guidance on the role of physical activity and health insurance aimed at improving chronic patients' quality of life. Meanwhile, in both rural and urban governance, public health agencies should promote the “Internet + Healthcare” program to improve health insurance and physical activity literacy, thus providing a higher level of quality of life for patients with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals toward the novel coronavirus during the early stage of COVID-19 in a lower-and-middle income country, Bangladesh
Authors: Patwary Muhammad Mainuddin , Hossain Md. Riad , Sultana Rabeya , Dazhamyar Ahmad Riaz , Parsa Ali Davod , Kabir Russell , Shoib Sheikh
Published: September 2022

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of COVID-19 infection because of their direct exposure to suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients in healthcare facilities. This condition is even more acute in low-and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Given the poor healthcare settings of Bangladesh, it is challenging to halt the spread of infection without proper knowledge, attitudes, and good behavioral practices (KAPs). Therefore, this study conducted a cross-sectional study from May 5 to 31, 2020, with 203 healthcare professionals to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19. Participants were doctors, nurses, dentists, and allied health professionals. A self-administered questionnaire including several KAP-related items aligned with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines was distributed over various online platforms to collect data. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the factors influencing KAP levels. The majority of participants were male (52.22%). The prevalence of high knowledge levels, positive attitudes, and good practices were 51.23, 45.81, and 49.75%, respectively. Social media was the most common source for seeking coronavirus information. Workers at private institutions were less likely (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.30–0.95, p < 0.05) to be knowledgeable than workers at public institutions. Doctors had more positive attitudes than other healthcare professionals. Older participants showed high rates of good behavioral practices (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.06–1.32, p < 0.05) than younger ones. Workers at private institutions had a better practice level toward COVID-19 (OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.17–3.83) than those at public institutions. These results point to the necessity for proper training programs for medical professionals that help them gain confidence to deliver the correct treatment to their patients and the need to implement preventative steps during pandemics.
Digital health literacy for COVID-19 vaccination and intention to be immunized: A cross sectional multi-country study among the general adult population
Authors: Marzo Roy Rillera , Su Tin Tin , Ismail Roshidi , Htay Mila Nu Nu , Essar Mohammad Yasir , Chauhan Shekhar , Patalinghug Mark E. , Kucuk Bicer Burcu , Respati Titik , Fitriyana Susan , Baniissa Wegdan , Lotfizadeh Masoud , Rahman Farzana , Salim Zahir Rayhan , Villela Edlaine Faria de Moura , Jermsittiparsert Kittisak , Aung Yadanar , Hamza Nouran Ameen Elsayed , Heidler Petra , Head Michael G. , Brackstone Ken , Lin Yulan
Published: September 2022

Introduction

It is clear that medical science has advanced much in the past few decades with the development of vaccines and this is even true for the novel coronavirus outbreak. By late 2020, COVID-19 vaccines were starting to be approved by national and global regulators, and across 2021, there was a global rollout of several vaccines. Despite rolling out vaccination programs successfully, there has been a cause of concern regarding uptake of vaccine due to vaccine hesitancy. In tackling the vaccine hesitancy and improving the overall vaccination rates, digital health literacy (DHL) could play a major role. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the digital health literacy and its relevance to the COVID-19 vaccination.

Methods

An internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to August 2021 using convenience sampling among people from different countries. Participants were asked about their level of intention to the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants completed the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI), which was adapted in the context of the COVID Health Literacy Network. Cross-tabulation and logistic regression were used for analysis purpose.

Results

Overall, the mean DHL score was 35.1 (SD = 6.9, Range = 12–48). The mean DHL score for those who answered “Yes” for “support for national vaccination schedule” was 36.1 (SD 6.7) compared to 32.5 (SD 6.8) for those who either answered “No” or “Don't know”. Factors including country, place of residence, education, employment, and income were associated with the intention for vaccination. Odds of vaccine intention were higher in urban respondents (OR-1.46; C.I.-1.30–1.64) than in rural respondents. Further, higher competency in assessing the relevance of online information resulted in significantly higher intention for vaccine uptake.

Conclusion

Priority should be given to improving DHL and vaccination awareness programs targeting rural areas, lower education level, lower income, and unemployed groups.
A whole-genome assay identifies four principal gene functions that confer tolerance of meropenem stress upon Escherichia coli
Authors: Thomson Nicholas M. , Turner A. Keith , Yasir Muhammad , Bastkowski Sarah , Lott Martin , Webber Mark A. , Charles Ian G.
Published: September 2022

We report here the identification of four gene functions of principal importance for the tolerance of meropenem stress in Escherichia coli: cell division, cell envelope synthesis and maintenance, ATP metabolism, and transcription regulation. The primary mechanism of β-lactam antibiotics such as meropenem is inhibition of penicillin binding proteins, thus interfering with peptidoglycan crosslinking, weakening the cell envelope, and promoting cell lysis. However, recent systems biology approaches have revealed numerous downstream effects that are triggered by cell envelope damage and involve diverse cell processes. Subpopulations of persister cells can also arise, which can survive elevated concentrations of meropenem despite the absence of a specific resistance factor. We used Transposon-Directed Insertion Sequencing with inducible gene expression to simultaneously assay the effects of upregulation, downregulation, and disruption of every gene in a model E. coli strain on survival of exposure to four concentrations of meropenem. Automated Gene Functional Classification and manual categorization highlighted the importance at all meropenem concentrations of genes involved in peptidoglycan remodeling during cell division, suggesting that cell division is the primary function affected by meropenem. Genes involved in cell envelope synthesis and maintenance, ATP metabolism, and transcriptional regulation were generally important at higher meropenem concentrations, suggesting that these three functions are therefore secondary or downstream targets. Our analysis revealed the importance of multiple two-component signal transduction mechanisms, suggesting an as-yet unexplored coordinated transcriptional response to meropenem stress. The inclusion of an inducible, transposon-encoded promoter allowed sensitive detection of genes involved in proton transport, ATP production and tRNA synthesis, for which modulation of expression affects survival in the presence of meropenem: a finding that would not be possible with other technologies. We were also able to suggest new targets for future antibiotic development or for synergistic effects between gene or protein inhibitors and existing antibiotics. Overall, in a single massively parallel assay we were able to recapitulate many of the findings from decades of research into β-lactam antibiotics, add to the list of genes known to be important for meropenem tolerance, and categorize the four principal gene functions involved.
The sustainability debate on plastics: Cradle to grave Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economical Analysis of PP and PLA polymers with a “Polluter Pays Principle” perspective
Authors: Atabay Doğacan , Rosentrater Kurt A. , Ghnimi Sami
Published: September 2022

We have studied the impacts of polypropylene (PP) and poly lactic acid (PLA) to quantify the differences between fossil-based and first generation biosourced plastics. Preliminary results on impact assessment from manufacturing stages suggested that the smaller the lot size and part weight of each injection molded plastic material, the higher the economic and environmental impacts. When lot size and part weight were equal, PLA performed better than PP. In three regional development scenarios, we have studied the impacts of end-of-life (EOL) options for smaller-sized and potentially landfilled single-use food packaging materials in town (population <10 k), city (population 30–250 k), and province (population >1 M) regional scales. The impacts of the change from PP to PLA as well as landfill (L) and open incineration (OI) to other EOL options, such as recycling (R), composting (CP), and incineration with energy recovery (IwE), were studied. Impacts of toxic damages are calculated as their impact on the healthcare sector. Thus, microplastics (MP) as a vector of bioaccumulation of toxins, such as dioxins, resulted in 16,5 $/kg MP on a province scale. In the Province scenario, where L PP (90%), a mix of R and OI PP was changed to a mix of R and CP PLA resulting in 63% economic gain and 39% lower global warming potential (GWP). In the City scenario, where L PP was changed to a mix of R PP (50%), IwE PP (25%), and IwE PLA (25%) resulting in 22% economic gain and 26% lower GWP. However, the higher the waste management activities such as sorting and waste processing, the higher the high-carcinogens (+137%), high non-carcinogens (+456%), and toxic release for total air (+9%) emissions. Future work should be done to study the impacts of other toxic compounds such as food contact chemicals to compare different food packaging materials to obtain more comprehensive results.
A three-part coupled statistical and physical model to monitor water quality parameters governing disinfection byproduct risk at an urban drinking water intake
Authors: Hannoun Deena , Tietjen Todd
Published: September 2022

Extended drought in the twenty-first century has led to loss of volume for lakes and reservoirs across the globe. In the Colorado River Basin, USA, Lakes Powell and Mead have experienced a 68 and 71% decline in volume, respectively, since 2000. Lake Mead is important to the Las Vegas Valley as it accounts for 90–100% of the source water used to serve the 2.2 million residents and 43 million annual tourists. Lake Powell is also vital to maintaining water quality in Lake Mead as it is located upstream and provides 97% of the water entering Mead. As Lakes Powell and Mead are projected to continue decreasing in volume over the next 5 years, it is important to understand the effects of loss of lake volume on water quality in this highly-managed system. Here, the effects of lake drawdown on water quality parameters that affect disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation in the source water for the Las Vegas Valley are projected over the next 5 years using Federal flow projections, regression modeling to project influent temperature from Lake Powell into Lake Mead, and a three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model for Lake Mead. Results from these modeling efforts include projections for changes in values of water temperature, bromide, and total organic carbon (TOC) at the modeled cell that contains the Las Vegas Valley's urban drinking water intake. Raw water bromide was found to have little change across modeled scenarios; however, raw water temperature is projected to increase because of falling lake surface elevations. Raw water TOC is projected to increase three-fold in the simulated scenario that includes the most loss of volume but remains close to historic values in the remaining simulated scenarios. With these raw water quality projections, water managers can better plan for alterations to the water treatment processes, including mitigation of DBP formation.
Contextual variables affect peak running performance in elite soccer players: A brief report
Authors: Augusto Diêgo , Brito João , Aquino Rodrigo , Paulucio Dailson , Figueiredo Pedro , Bedo Bruno Luiz Souza , Touguinhó Deborah , Vasconcellos Fabrício
Published: September 2022

The current brief research report aimed to investigate the influence of contextual variables on peak running performance in male elite soccer players. We analyzed 29 matches of an elite soccer team during the Brazilian Serie A 2019. Twenty players were tracked using GPS units. Peak physical performance was determined using moving average running values with different time windows (1, 3, and 5-min periods). The variables analyzed were total distance covered, total distance covered in high-intensity running (≥19.8 km·h−1), and the distance in accelerations (≥2 m·s−2) and decelerations ( ≤-2 m·s−2). Four contextual variables were considered: 1) positional status; 2) match location; 3) match outcome; and 4) match status. Central defenders showed a lower 1-min peak total distance in relation to all other positions (p = 0.001–0.03). Peak physical performance was higher in away matches for high-intensity running, acceleration, and deceleration (p = 0.01–0.03). In matches that ended in losses, peak values for high-intensity running and acceleration were higher compared to draws and wins (p = 0.01–0.04). Regarding the match status, higher values were observed in draws than wins and losses (p = 0.01). Peak running performance vary according to contextual variables of the match in male elite soccer players. Positional differences were found for peak periods, and physical performance was higher in away matches.
Long-term nutrient management in an intensive rice-wheat cropping system improves the quantities, qualities, and availability of soil sulfur
Authors: Meena Sunita Kumari , Dwivedi B. S. , Meena Mahesh C. , Datta S. P. , Singh Vinod Kumar , Mishra R. P. , Chakraborty Debashish , Dey Abir , Meena Vijay Singh
Published: September 2022

In the last few decades, the deficiency of sulfur (S) has been noticed in the agricultural soils of India. Meanwhile, researchers reported that S plays a significant role in the productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS). For the quantification of S response, a long-term field experiment was started at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (ICAR-IIFSR), Modipuram, India. In total, 7 nutrient supply options were applied, i.e., organic, mineral fertilizer in the combination of integrated plant nutrition system (IPNS), and IPNS + berseem (B)/IPNS + cowpea (C) in the S availability of the soil in the RWCS. The results showed that the highest contribution in S availability by the total S (39%) is followed by the organic S (35%), sodium bicarbonate extractable sulfur (NaHCO3-ES; 7%), heat-soluble sulfur (SS; 7%), water-soluble sulfur (WSS; 4%), available S (4%), and inorganic S (4%) under different long-term nutrient supply options of RWCS. The continuous application of organic fertilizer and various IPNS options, such as the inclusion of pulses, significantly improved all S fractions in the soil and also offers an additional benefit in terms of sustainability of production and soil health as compared to the inorganic fertilizer fields. Overall, the results showed that IPNS showed its superiority over the rest of the treatment. The results also supported that the inclusion of pulses gives a further gain in terms of sulfur availability in soil systems under RWCS.
Positive effects of Mulberry leaf extract on egg quality, lipid metabolism, serum biochemistry, and antioxidant indices of laying hens
Authors: Zhang Bo , Wang Zeben , Huang Chenxuan , Wang Dehe , Chang Dongmei , Shi Xiaowei , Chen Yifan , Chen Hui
Published: September 2022

Plant extracts are becoming a hot topic of research by animal husbandry practitioners following the implementation of a global policy to restrict antibiotic use in animal production. Mulberry leaf extract has received considerable attention as a new plant extract. Mulberry leaf polysaccharides and flavonoids are its main constituents, and these substances possess immunoregulatory, hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anticoagulant properties. It is however less common to use them in poultry production. Therefore, we investigated the effects of adding MLE to the diet of laying hens on egg quality, lipid metabolism, serum biochemistry, and antioxidant indices in this study. A total of 288 Lohmann Silber layers, aged 38 weeks, were randomly assigned to four groups (six replicates of 12 hens each). Hens were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.4, 0.8, or 1.2% MLE for 56 d. Results showed that the addition of 0.4–1.2% MLE to the diet improved aspartate transaminase (AST) activity in the serum of laying hens, reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) content in the serum, and significantly decreased yolk triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) contents (P < 0.05). No adverse effects were observed on production performance (P > 0.10). MLE (0.4 and 1.2%) significantly reduced the TG and TC levels in the liver (P < 0.05). MLE (0.8 and 1.2%) significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the serum, decreased alanine transaminase (ALT) activity, TG and TC content in the serum, and improved egg yolk color (P < 0.05). MLE (1.2%) significantly increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the serum and enhanced eggshell strength (P < 0.05). The liver-related lipid metabolism gene assay revealed that the relative mRNA expression of PPARα and SIRT1 in the liver was significantly upregulated and that of FASN and PPARγ was significantly decreased after the addition of MLE. In contrast, the relative mRNA expression of SREBP-1c in the liver dramatically decreased after the addition of 0.8 and 1.2% MLE (P < 0.05). The addition of MLE to the diet improved egg quality and the economic value of hens by increasing antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism. The most appropriate amount of MLE to be added to the diet of laying hens was 0.8%. Our study provides a theoretical reference for the application of MLE in egg production and to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the livestock and poultry industry under the background of antibiotic prohibition.
Preliminary validation of a novel tool to assess dog welfare: The Animal Welfare Assessment Grid
Authors: Malkani Rachel , Paramasivam Sharmini , Wolfensohn Sarah
Published: September 2022

Animal welfare monitoring is a vital part of veterinary medicine and can be challenging due to a range of factors that contribute to the perception of welfare. Tools can be used, however; there are few validated and objective methods available for veterinary and animal welfare professionals to assess and monitor the welfare of dogs over their lifetime. This study aimed to adapt a framework previously validated for other species, The Animal Welfare Assessment Grid (AWAG), for dogs and to host the tool on an accessible, easy to use online platform. Development of the AWAG for dogs involved using the scientific literature to decide which factors were relevant to score welfare in dogs and to also write the factor descriptors. The primary tool was trialed with veterinary professionals to refine and improve the AWAG. Content validity was assessed by subject matter experts by rating the validity of the factors for assessing dog welfare using the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) and scale-level content validity index based on the average method (S-CVI/Ave). Construct validity was evaluated by users of the tool scoring healthy and sick dogs, as well as healthy dogs undergoing neutering procedures. Mann Whitney tests demonstrate that the tool can differentiate between healthy and sick dogs, and healthy and healthy dogs post elective surgery. Test re-test reliability was tested by users conducting multiple assessments on individual dogs under non-changing conditions. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by two users scoring an individual dog at the same time in veterinary referral practice. Repeated measures ANOVA for test re-test and inter-rater reliability both show no statistical difference between scores and that the scores are highly correlated. This study provides evidence that the AWAG for dogs has good content and construct validity, alongside good test re-test and inter-rater reliability.
Identification of Diagnostic Exosomal LncRNA-miRNA-mRNA Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer Based on the ceRNA Network
Authors: Zhao Yajing , Song Xingguo , Song Xianrang , Xie Li
Published: September 2022

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently the fourth most common cancer worldwide. The roles of exosomal competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) in CRC remain unclear. In this study, we constructed an exosomal ceRNA network to identify the core ceRNAs and investigate the diagnostic biomarkers in CRC.

Methods and Patients: Serum exosomes were isolated from four CRC patients and two healthy donors by ultracentrifugation, and then subjected to RNA isolation, sequencing and microarray. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses were performed to identify functional enrichment implications of differentially expressed exosomal mRNAs. TargetScan and miRanda were used for identifying the miRNA-mRNA and miRNA-LncRNA interactions. The predicted lncRNAs and mRNAs were intersected with the differentially expressed genes, for which the screening criterion was fold change >1.5 in the microarray. Differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs were identified in the GSE71008 dataset, and differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were further summarized from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Results: A total of 1186 exosomal DEmRNAs, 2088 exosomal DElncRNAs and 29 exosomal miRNAs were detected in CRC patients compared to the healthy donors. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that exosomal DEmRNAs might participate in pathways related to carcinogenesis and development of cancer. An exosomal ceRNA regulatory network of CRC was constructed based on 40 lncRNAs, two miRNAs, and five mRNAs. Exosomal miR-150-5p and miR-10b-5p expression levels were increased in healthy donors compared with CRC patients in the GSE71008 dataset, and five DEmRNAs (TOMM70A, RBM48, BEND3, RHOBTB1, and ADAMTS2) were significantly upregulated in TCGA database. Two potential exosomal regulatory axes of lncRNA G016261-miR-150-5p-RBM48 and lncRNA XLOC_011677-miR-10b-5p-BEND3 were identified from the network.

Conclusion: The current study revealed potential molecular biological regulation pathways and diagnostic biomarkers through the exosomal ceRNA regulatory network.
The Acoustics of the Palace of Charles V as a Cultural Heritage Concert Hall
Authors: Almagro-Pastor Jose A. , García-Quesada Rafael , Vida-Manzano Jerónimo , Martínez-Irureta Francisco J. , Ramos-Ridao Ángel F.
Published: September 2022

This paper analyses the acoustic behaviour of the Palace of Charles V from a room acoustics perspective but also ponders the uniqueness of the space and its ability to engage and enhance the audience experience. The Palace of Charles V is a relevant part of the historical heritage of Granada. It has an architectural but also an acoustic uniqueness that deserves research. A measurement campaign was made to calculate parameters such as T30, IACC, C80 or Gm, and to explain the behaviour of the Palace. The BQI is quite high, but the late part of the impulse response (t > 80 ms) has strong unwanted reflections causing low clarity (C80) and listener envelopment (LEV). Nevertheless, the Palace is a successful concert venue with good feedback from musicians and the audience.
Deep Neural Network Model for Evaluating and Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 16
Authors: Misra Ananya , Okewu Emmanuel , Misra Sanjay , Fernández-Sanz Luis
Published: September 2022

The decision-making process for attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be enhanced through the use of predictive modelling. The application of predictive tools like deep neural networks (DNN) empowers stakeholders with quality information and promotes open data policy for curbing corruption. The anti-corruption drive is a cardinal component of SDG 16 which is aimed at strengthening state institutions and promoting social justice for the attainment of all 17 SDGs. This study examined the implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria and modelled the 2017 national corruption survey data using a DNN. We experimentally tested the efficacy of DNN optimizers using a standard image dataset from the Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (MNIST). The outcomes validated our claims that predictive analytics could enhance decision-making through high-level accuracies as posted by the optimizers: Adam 98.2%; Adadelta 98.4%; SGD 94.9%; RMSProp 98.1%; Adagrad 98.1%.
Mechanism of Response of Alveolar Macrophages in Wistar Rats to the Composition of Atmospheric Suspensions
Authors: Barskova Lyudmila S. , Vitkina Tatyana I. , Gvozdenko Tatyana A. , Kondratyeva Elena V. , Veremchuk Lyudmila V.
Published: September 2022

Atmospheric air quality is a crucial factor in the health of human populations. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is one of the most dangerous components polluting urban air. The aim of the present article is to study the effect of model suspensions (MS) of SPM that are characteristic of the composition of atmospheric air at locations with various anthropogenic loads on redox processes in alveolar macrophages (AM). Atmospheric air sampling was carried out in the breathing zone according to the method developed by one of the authors. AM were isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of experimental animals. The MS of SPM were prepared in accordance with the actual air pollution: MS No. 1 corresponded to an area with a low man-made load, and MS No. 2 corresponded to an area with a high man-made load. Load tests with model suspensions were carried out for 2 days. Parameters of oxidant processes and antioxidant system (AOS) were determined in cells and culture media. The proportion of the influence of the qualitative and dispersed composition of MS and the indicator of intra-system tension were calculated based on correlation dependencies. The atmospheric air with a high man-made load was dominated by particles up to 10 µm, whereas air with an insignificant man-made load contained SPM of more than 10 µm in size. Unidirectional changes were observed due to an exposure to both model suspensions, but the most pronounced oxidative modifications of lipids, proteins and genetic structures were caused by the exposure to MS No. 2. When exposed to MS No. 1, the AOS maintained the redox balance at the physiological level, localizing the resulting destruction inside the cells. MS No. 2 caused the redox balance to shift towards oxidants, potentiating the generalization of the destruction process. An increase in the content or a longer stress-inducing effect of PM2.5 causes a depletion in the reserve capacity of the AOS and the transition of destruction processes to the systemic level, which contributes to the development of the preconditions for environmentally dependent pathology.
Study on Enhancing Shale Oil Recovery by CO2 Pre-Pad Energized Fracturing in A83 Block, Ordos Basin
Authors: Xiao Yang , Li Zhigang , Wang Jiahao , Yang Jinyuan , Ma Zhonghui , Liu Shuyun , Han Chenhui
Published: September 2022

The Ordos Basin is rich in shale oil resources. The main targeted layers of blocks A83 and X233 are the Chang 7 member of the Yanchang Formation. Due to extremely low permeability, a fracturing technique was required to enhance oil recovery. However, after adopting the stimulated reservoir volume-fracturing technology, the post-fracturing production of the A83 block is significantly lower than that of the X233 block. For this problem, the dominating factors of productivity of the two blocks were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (SRCC), showing that the main reason for the lower production of the A83 block is its insufficient formation energy. To solve this problem, the CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing method was proposed. To study the feasibility of CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing in the A83 block, an integrated reservoir numerical simulation model of well A83-1 was established based on the idea of integration of geology and engineering. Additionally, the productions within five years after conventional volume fracturing and CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing were compared. The results show that compared with conventional volume fracturing, the cumulative oil production of CO2 pre-pad energized fracturing increases by 11.8%, and the water cut decreases by 16.5%. The research results can guide the subsequent reservoir reconstruction operation in the A83 block and provide new ideas for fracturing in the future.