bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
concepção de homem nos Manuscritos econômico-filosóficos (1844) de Karl Marx
Authors: Almeida José Salvador de , Costa Frederico Jorge Ferreira
Published: March 2024

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo apresentar a concepção de homem presente nos Manuscritos econômico-filosóficos (1844) de Karl Marx como pressuposto necessário para a ideia de educação na obra marxiana. O estudo é fruto de uma pesquisa bibliográfica, de abordagem qualitativa, de natureza básica, de objetivos exploratórios e explicativos. Durante o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa, verificou-se que Marx não aceita um conceito abstrato de homem, ou seja, idealizado, apenas imaginado, pensado fora do mundo natural ou como um ser que existe independente do mundo natural. Para Marx, o homem é um ser genérico. Ele é o único capaz de ter a sua espécie (e o sentimento de si próprio) e o gênero como seu objeto. O homem tem atividade vital consciente e livre. O homem é um ser natural vivo, material, um ser de carências e limitações que possui uma estreita relação com a natureza inorgânica que existe independente dele e que, ao mesmo tempo, mantém uma conexão íntima (estreita) com ele. O homem é um ser histórico e social. Ele necessita viver em sociedade para se realizar enquanto tal. Ainda, neste artigo, verificou-se que o pensador alemão está preocupado com uma formação (educação) omnilateral do homem e, concomitantemente, com o desenvolvimento de uma forma de sociedade capaz de produzir e garantir um homem plenamente rico e profundo na sua permanente efetividade humana e social.
Perspectivas da Educação Infantil:
Authors: Ferreira Lopes Marques Yara , Maia de Sousa Nava Larissa , Moreira da Silva Maria Geanne
Published: March 2024

O trabalho é uma revisão de literatura, embasada em estudos e publicações relevantes da área, que se propõe a discutir as perspectivas dos avanços legais da Educação Infantil, cujo objetivo geral é apresentar as concepções da Educação Infantil como primeira etapa da educação básica. Os objetivos específicos são: explanar sobre o histórico da Educação Infantil no Brasil; discutir sobre o processo de valorização da Educação Infantil; debater as oportunidades proporcionadas pela Educação Infantil na formação do educando. Este estudo se justifica pela necessidade de aprofundarmos os debates sobre a Educação Infantil, que apesar de vir em um processo gradual de evolução, ainda tem um grande caminho a percorrer. O trabalho é organizado em três subtópicos, no primeiro é traçado um breve histórico da área, no segundo, as suas evoluções, finalizando com a apresentação dos seus benefícios para o pleno desenvolvimento de crianças, por meio das vivências com intencionalidade pedagógica.
Reflexões sobre processos de constituição de pesquisa num mestrado em educação
Authors: Moraes Pinheiro Willian , De Moraes Ana Cristina
Published: March 2024

O texto analisa o processo de constituição de uma pesquisa de Mestrado em Educação e Ensino, em universidade pública estadual brasileira, por meio das contribuições de professores que, ao mediarem os componentes curriculares, no percurso das investigações dos discentes, contribuíram significativamente à compreensão do objeto de estudo. O objetivo deste artigo é refletir sobre os escritos iniciais do projeto de pesquisa, tomando-se por base as contribuições de cada disciplina cursada para direcionar teoricamente o projeto. Os dados apresentados estão guiados pelas leituras do projeto realizadas por professores, onde pudemos aperfeiçoá-lo com sugestões feitas por eles nos ricos encontros de debates em sala de aula, bem como no esclarecimento de questões abordadas. Na análise, é perceptível a importância dos olhares aguçados de professores que apontam os caminhos a serem explorados na pesquisa, propiciando maior consistência científica nos trabalhos em desenvolvimento, compreendendo e refletindo as particularidades apresentadas por cada estudante.
The Effect of Tax Sanctions on The Level of Taxpayer Compliance at The Tax Service Office Pratama Madya Medan
Authors: Sari Raphyta Olivia Grace
Published: March 2024

This study aims to determine whether there is an effect of taxpayer awareness and tax sanctions on taxpayer compliance at KPP Pratama Madya Medan. The population in this research are taxpayers who are registered at KPP Madya Medan. Data analysis using multiple linear regression. The results of the study show that taxpayer awareness and tax sanctions have an effect on taxpayer compliance
Corporate Technological Capability as a Driver to Firm Performance: A Study on Firms Listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange
Authors: Machiri Ndungu Samuel , Margaret Oloko  , John Karanja Ngugi  , Romanus Odhiambo
Published: March 2024

The aim of this paper was to assess the role played by corporate technological capabilities on firm performance. The ability of a firm to integrate information technology in its operations has been known to be integral in driving organizational success by promoting efficiency and effectiveness. The prevailing underperformance of the listed firms in Kenya raises the question on whether these firms have integrated adequate technology and whether they have what it takes to effectively incorporate technology in their operations, hence the subject of this study. Through a descriptive research design, the study surveyed 240 senior management personnel drawn from the 64 listed firms using a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed using SPSS and Amos software for descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling respectively. The findings revealed that technological capabilities had a significant influence on the performance of firms listed at the NSE (R2 = .096; β = 0.150; P=0.0001<0.05). It was concluded that through adequate ICT infrastructure, ICT human skills and the commitment to integrate and accept use of ICT, the listed firms would strengthen their operational efficiency thus record superior performance.
Пошук ринків збуту і зміна корпоративних стратегій міжнародних компаній в умовах високих ризиків
Authors: Мних Ольга , Юрченко Олександра , Далик Володимир
Published: March 2024

У науковій статті доведено необхідність коригування загальних стратегій розвитку компаній корпоративного сектору економіки у напрямку більш гнучкої адаптації до суспільних потреб і цінностей, адже нашарування криз різного типу і поглиблення їх у різних сферах життєдіяльності стають вагомою причиною порушення стійкості бізнесу та умов його виживання в майбутньому. Дано характеристику процесів поглиблення логістичної кризи у світовому вимірі, що ставить міжнародний бізнес перед новими викликами – необхідністю прискореної адаптації до жорстких умов геополітики, коли цінність часу зростає швидшими темпами, ніж цінність інших ресурсів, які знецінюються через некомлектність поставок необхідних компонентів чи у зв’язку із псуванням сировинних ресурсів, втратою ними якісних ознак. Виявлено, що в останнє десятиріччя  субєкти, які контролюють сферу логістики у вітчизняному чи міжнародному вимірі, у т.ч. на основі цифрових технологій, здобувають  сильніші стартові позиції та більш сприятливі передумови для досягнення фінансового та соціально-економічного успіху на найближчу і більш віддалену перспективу. Доведено, що обмежена раціональність суб’єктів міжнародного бізнесу у процесах формування структури активів через труднощі в забезпеченні доступу до інтелектуальних ресурсів, у т.ч. інформаційних, виступає однією із причин зростання трансакційних витрат і вагомою перешкодою для того, щоб локальні ринки не «зливались» в один глобальний ринок. Показано особливості розвитку міжнародних компаній в нових обмежуючих обставинах, коли європейські ринки стають більш регульованими зі сторони урядів, а міграція капіталу та форс-мажорні обставини стають чинником зростання ризиків і порушення стійкості бізнес-структур, які не мають достатніх коштів для збалансування цілей і ресурсів на різних стадіях ділової активності галузей та економіки. Доведено необхідність покращення інформаційного забезпечення розвитку міжнародних компаній в невизначеному середовищі та ідентифікації явних і прихованих активів, які не знаходили відображення в бухгалтерських балансах; прихованих витрат неефективного маркетингу, які зростають у геометричній прогресії при зниженні платоспроможності покупців. На основі проведеного теоретико-прикладного дослідження побудовано загальну змістовну модель функціонального перезавантаження міжнародного бізнесу в умовах міграції капіталу та високих ризиків.
Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Spor ve Farklı Değişkenlere Göre Vefakarlık ve Kindarlık Durumlarının İncelenmesi
Authors: Tatlısu Bülent , Turan Murat , Uçan İzzet , Kan Muhammed Enes
Published: March 2024

Bu çalışmada Bayburt Üniversitesi’nin farklı fakültelerinde eğitimine devam eden üniversite öğrencilerinin kindarlık duygu durumları ile vefakârlık düzeylerinde sporun ve farklı değişkenlerin etkisinin ortaya çıkarılması amaçlanmıştır. Genel tarama modeli ile gerçekleştirilen araştırmanın örneklem grubunu 2021-2022 öğretim yılı bahar yarı yılında eğitimini sürdüren ve farklı fakültelerde öğrenim gören 175 kadın, 159 erkek olmak üzere toplam 334 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama araçları ise araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan “Kişisel Bilgi Formu” ile birlikte Ersanlı ve Göksu (2018) tarafından geliştirilen “Kindarlık Duygu Durumu Ölçeği’’ ve Yeğin (2017) tarafından geliştirilen “Vefakârlık Düzeyi Ölçeği’’ kullanılmıştır. Veriler SPSS 26.0 for Windows paket programı ile analiz edildi. Bağımsız değişkenin kategori sayısına bağlı olarak ikili gruplarda Independent Student T-Testi, çoklu gruplarda ise Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi (ANOVA) ile Posthoc testlerinden Tukey testi kullanıldı. Sonuçlar .05 anlamlılık düzeyine göre yorumlandı. Araştırmada öğrencilerin vefakarlık düzeylerini cinsiyetin, spor yapma durumunun, yaş değişkeninin, sınıf düzeyinin, spor türünün, sporculuk süresinin ve eğitim gördükleri fakültenin etkilediği, kindarlık duygu durumunu cinsiyetin, sınıf düzeyinin ve eğitim gördüğü fakültenin etkilediği; spor yapma durumunun, yaş değişkeninin, spor türünün, sporculuk süresinin ise etkilemediği tespit edildi. Sonuç olarak sporun üniversite öğrencilerinde hem vefakârlık hem de kindarlık duygu durumunda herhangi bir anlam ifade etmediği görüldü
Deploying the African Union’s Legal Mechanisms for the Effective Protection of Internally Displaced Women from Sexual Violence
Authors: Oke-Chinda Mercy
Published: March 2024

The problem of internal displacement is a regional challenge and cannot be left in the hands of only one country. A critical question that this paper will attempt to answer is: Does the adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa hold the key to the protection and assistance of conflict-induced female IDPs in Nigeria? An attempt is made to provide answers to whether human rights treaties, in fact, make any impact on the lives of people. The conclusion shall examine how African regional human rights treaties and the African Commission’s special mechanisms could be harnessed to provide the basis for systematic and coordinated action in the protection of female conflict-induced IDPs in Nigeria from sexual violence.
Addressing the Challenges Facing One-Stop Border Posts in Africa: Lessons from Chirundu
Authors: Ndonga Dennis , Laryea Emmanuel
Published: March 2024

As African countries work towards establishing a continental market created under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasis needs to be placed on improving connectivity and regional accessibility. One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) are central to enhancing interconnectivity among African countries to facilitate traffic flows along Africa's transport corridors. Under the OSBP concept, all traffic stops once to undertake both exit and entry formalities when crossing into another jurisdiction. Such a framework would help alleviate border congestion and delays that adversely impact transport costs, trade flows, and trade competitiveness. However, OSBPs present their own challenges. Using the Chirundu OSBP between Zambia and Zimbabwe (which was the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa) as a case study, this article examines the challenges, highlights the issues, and suggests ways to address the problems. It reviews the border management and infrastructure challenges affecting operations and success of the Chirundu OSBP and points to implementation lessons that can be drawn to inform other African countries that intend to implement, or are in the process of developing, OSBPs.
Corruption and the Public Sphere in Late Republican Rome
Authors: Engel Niklas
Published: March 2024

This article deals with the of whether contemporary concepts of corruption can be usefully applied to the study of Roman society in the late republican period. First , it shows that specific problems arise if we equate modern semantics of ‘private’ and ‘public’ with the dichotomy between ‘privatus’ and ‘publicus’ in the sources. These areas were interconnected and, thus, the Romans did not identify overlaps between the two spheres as deviant in itself. Nevertheless, the article next argues that the Romans did identify illegitimate interferences between the spheres; the identifier was the question of whose interest actors represented. The article concludes by showing that the evaluation of corruption phenomena was subject to the dominant paradigm of social stratification. It explains why these individual evaluations sometimes appear as contradictory to the modern observer, even though they follow the internal logic of Roman society.
FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI MINAT PERILAKU WAJIB PAJAK DALAM MENGGUNAKAN E-FILING SEBAGAI SARANA PELAPORAN PAJAK
Authors: Anita Rahayu
Published: March 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi minat perilaku wajib pajak dalam menggunakan e-Filing sebagai sarana pelaporan pajak khususnya di Kediri. Variabel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah variabel dependen yaitu minat perilaku wajib pajak dalam menggunakan e-Filing sedangkan variabel independennya yaitu pengetahuan, persepsi kegunaan, persepsi kemudahan, keamanan dan kerahasiaan serta pengalaman.

Data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data primer dengan menggunakan kuesioner. Sampelnya adalah Wajib Pajak Orang Pribadi yang memilik NPWP menggunakan e-Filing di daerah Kediri. Metode pengumpulan sampel ini adalah sampel acak.

Berdasarkan hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pengetahuan, persepsi kegunaan, persepsi kemudahan berpengaruh signifikan terhadap minat perilaku wajib pajak dalam menggunakan e-Filing, sedangkan keamanan dan kerahasiaan serta pengalaman berpengaruh tetapi tidak signifikan terhadap minat perilaku wajib pajak dalam menggunakan e-Filing sebagai sarana pelaporan pajak.
Evaluation method of oil saturation index OSI for shale oil reservoir based on well logging data
Authors: Tian Han , Wu Hongliang , Yan Weilin , Feng Zhou , Li Chaoliu , Ren Li , Xu Hongjun
Published: March 2024

Oil saturation index (OSI) serves as an important indicator for potential movable hydrocarbons evaluation of shale oil reservoirs, which is mainly obtained through rock pyrolysis experiments. A new method is proposed to evaluate the OSI of shale quantitatively by NMR logging. The OSI value can be accurately obtained through the experimental measurement of organic carbon content (TOC) and rock pyrolysis of shale samples, which can identify the development of mobile hydrocarbons. Subsequently, the mobile fluid porosity can be obtained based on NMR logging. In order to establish the relationship between OSI value and mobile fluid porosity, it is important to determine the T2 cutoff value corresponding to the mobile fluid porosity. Take shale samples from the first member of the Qingshankou Formation (“Qing 1 Member”) as an example, based on 2D NMR experimental analysis in three different states (original, dried state at 105°C, saturated kerosene), the NMR T2 cutoff value of movable fluid porosity in the shale of Qing 1 Member is clarified as 8 ms. Integrating rock pyrolysis and 2D NMR experiments, it suggests that the NMR bin porosity with T2>8 ms has a good linear relationship with the OSI value obtained by pyrolysis analysis. The NMR bin porosity with T2> 8 ms reflects the OSI value of shale effectively. The larger the NMR bin porosity with T2>8 ms, the higher the mobile oil content of shale reservoir, which is consistent with the understanding of oil-bearing large pores in the Gulong Shale. The NMR bin porosity can continuously evaluate the vertical variation of the mobile hydrocarbon content. Compared with the traditional experimental measurement of finite depth points, this method has significant advantages, and can avoid the possibility of missing potentially movable oil layers.
Interleukin inhibitors and the associated risk of candidiasis
Authors: Khan Sabir , Bilal Hazrat , Khan Muhammad Nadeem , Fang Wenjie , Chang Wenqiang , Yin Bin , Song Ning-jing , Liu Zhongrong , Zhang Dongxing , Yao Fen , Wang Xun , Wang Qian , Cai Lin , Hou Bing , Wang Jiayue , Mao Chunyan , Liu Lingxi , Zeng Yuebin
Published: March 2024

Interleukins (ILs) are vital in regulating the immune system, enabling to combat fungal diseases like candidiasis effectively. Their inhibition may cause enhanced susceptibility to infection. IL inhibitors have been employed to control autoimmune diseases and inhibitors of IL-17 and IL-23, for example, have been associated with an elevated risk of Candida infection. Thus, applying IL inhibitors might impact an individual’s susceptibility to Candida infections. Variations in the severity of Candida infections have been observed between individuals with different IL inhibitors, necessitating careful consideration of their specific risk profiles. IL-1 inhibitors (anakinra, canakinumab, and rilonacept), IL-2 inhibitors (daclizumab, and basiliximab), and IL-4 inhibitors (dupilumab) have rarely been associated with Candida infection. In contrast, tocilizumab, an inhibitor of IL-6, has demonstrated an elevated risk in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, as evidenced by a 6.9% prevalence of candidemia among patients using the drug. Furthermore, the incidence of Candida infections appeared to be higher in patients exposed to IL-17 inhibitors than in those exposed to IL-23 inhibitors. Therefore, healthcare practitioners must maintain awareness of the risk of candidiasis associated with using of IL inhibitors before prescribing them. Future prospective studies need to exhaustively investigate candidiasis and its associated risk factors in patients receiving IL inhibitors. Implementing enduring surveillance methods is crucial to ensure IL inhibitors safe and efficient utilization of in clinical settings.
Analysis of influencing factors of carbon emissions from China’s marine fishery energy consumption under different development scenarios
Authors: Ye Shanhong
Published: March 2024

China’s rapid economic development has consumed a large amount of energy, causing serious environmental pollution problems and contributing to global warming. This paper calculates the carbon emissions of the fishery sector and uses Random Forest (RF) for the first time to analyze the influencing factors of future carbon emissions. The results of the study show that increasing carbon sinks dominate the reduction of carbon emissions in the fisheries sector. Carbon sinks will continue to dominate emission reductions in the fisheries sector if positive mitigation measures are taken. Continuing the current pattern of fisheries development, the fishery population has a significant impact on future carbon emissions. Per capita incomes under a crude economic model will inhibit carbon emission reductions. The research results can provide guidance for the development of fishery low carbon economy and the formulation of emission reduction policies.
Toxicity, physiological response, and biosorption mechanism of Dunaliella salina to copper, lead, and cadmium
Authors: Gao Mingze , Ling Na , Tian Haiyan , Guo Chunqiu , Wang Qiyao
Published: March 2024

Background

Heavy metal pollution has become a global problem, which urgently needed to be solved owing to its severe threat to water ecosystems and human health. Thus, the exploration and development of a simple, cost-effective and environmental-friendly technique to remove metal elements from contaminated water is of great importance. Algae are a kind of photosynthetic autotroph and exhibit excellent bioadsorption capacities, making them suitable for wastewater treatment.

Methods

The effects of heavy metals (copper, lead and cadmium) on the growth, biomolecules accumulation, metabolic responses and antioxidant response of Dunaliella salina were investigated. Moreover, the Box-Behnken design (BBD) in response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the biosorption capacity, and FT-IR was performed to explore the biosorption mechanism of D. salina on multiple heavy metals.

Results

The growth of D. salina cells was significantly inhibited and the contents of intracellular photosynthetic pigments, polysaccharides and proteins were obviously reduced under different concentrations of Cu2+, Pb2+ and Cd2+, and the EC50 values were 18.14 mg/L, 160.37 mg/L and 3.32 mg/L at 72 h, respectively. Besides, the activities of antioxidant enzyme SOD and CAT in D. salina first increased, and then descended with increasing concentration of three metal ions, while MDA contents elevated continuously. Moreover, D. salina exhibited an excellent removal efficacy on three heavy metals. BBD assay revealed that the maximal removal rates for Cu2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ were 88.9%, 87.2% and 72.9%, respectively under optimal adsorption conditions of pH 5-6, temperature 20-30°C, and adsorption time 6 h. Both surface biosorption and intracellular bioaccumulation mechanisms are involved in metal ions removal of D. salina. FT-IR spectrum exhibited the main functional groups including carboxyl (-COOH), hydroxyl (-OH), amino (-NH2), phosphate (-P=O) and sulfate (-S=O) are closely associated with the biosorption or removal of heavy metalsions.

Discussion

Attributing to the brilliant biosorption capacity, Dunaliella salina may be developed to be an excellent adsorbent for heavy metals.
Utilization of CRISPR-Cas genome editing technology in filamentous fungi: function and advancement potentiality
Authors: Shen Qiqing , Ruan Haihua , Zhang Hongyang , Wu Tao , Zhu Kexin , Han Wenying , Dong Rui , Ming Tianwei , Qi Haikun , Zhang Yan
Published: March 2024

Filamentous fungi play a crucial role in environmental pollution control, protein secretion, and the production of active secondary metabolites. The evolution of gene editing technology has significantly improved the study of filamentous fungi, which in the past was laborious and time-consuming. But recently, CRISPR-Cas systems, which utilize small guide RNA (sgRNA) to mediate clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas), have demonstrated considerable promise in research and application for filamentous fungi. The principle, function, and classification of CRISPR-Cas, along with its application strategies and research progress in filamentous fungi, will all be covered in the review. Additionally, we will go over general matters to take into account when editing a genome with the CRISPR-Cas system, including the creation of vectors, different transformation methodologies, multiple editing approaches, CRISPR-mediated transcriptional activation (CRISPRa) or interference (CRISPRi), base editors (BEs), and Prime editors (PEs).
Effects of saponins Rb1 and Re in American ginseng combined intervention on immune system of aging model
Authors: Shi Mao , Ma Jie , Jin Shan , Wang Tienan , Sui Yuhan , Chen Lina
Published: March 2024

Aging is a major risk factor for the development of many pathological processes, such as reduced immunity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases or neurodegenerative diseases, while age-related chronic diseases are the most common causes of death. This paper studies the effects of American ginseng saponin Rb1 and Re alone and combined intervention on the immune system of aging mouse models, by using 30 mg/kg Rb1, 15 mg/kg Re, and Rb1 + Re (30 mg/kg Rb1 and 15 mg/kg Re (co-intervention) was used to intervene in the aging model, and immune indicators such as thymus index, spleen index, interleukin and interferon were detected to evaluate the impact of Rb1 and Re on immune function. The results show that Rb1 and Re intervention alone can increase the spleen index by 7%–12% and the thymus index by 12%–19% in the aging model. After Rb1 or Re alone intervened, the apoptotic cells in the thymus were slightly reduced, and the proportion of apoptotic cells was reduced. The combination of Rb1 + Re can promote the thymus index and spleen index to increase by 23.40% and 25.5% respectively, which is more advantageous than Rb1 or Re alone. In addition, Rb1 and Re intervention can reduce the level of interferon INF to a level comparable to that of young mice. Rb1 + Re can not only reduce the INF content, but also reduce the TNF content. The above results show that American ginseng saponin Rb1 and Re can delay the decline of the immune system in the aging model, and the combined intervention of the two is significantly better than individual intervention in the recovery of the immune system. This paper can provide theoretical basis and data support for the development of American ginseng nutritional supplements and its application in aging groups products to improve immunity.
The relationship between umbilical cord blood IL-22 level and infantile eczema at 42 days
Authors: Lu Xujun , Wang Wenge , Wang Yang , Huan Chuo , Yang Yue
Published: March 2024

Background

The occurrence of eczema is related to helper T 22 (Th22) cytokine disorder, and Th22 mainly secretes interleukin-22 (IL-22). This study aims to investigate the predictive value of umbilical cord blood IL-22 levels on the onset of eczema in infants within 42 days.

Study design

The study selected 157 full-term healthy neonates born between September 2020 and May 2021. Cord blood was collected immediately after birth to determine IL-22 levels, and the infants were followed up for 42 days to assess the incidence of eczema.

Results

Among the 157 infants who completed the 42-day follow-up, 86 developed eczema and 71 did not. The level of IL-22 in the umbilical cord blood of the eczema group was lower than that of the non-eczema group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the incidence of eczema in children whose Family history of allergy was significantly higher than in the group without eczema (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that low cord blood IL-22 levels and a family history of allergies were independent risk factors for eczema (p < 0.05). The ROC curve of cord blood IL-22 levels and infant eczema showed that the cut-off value is 36.362 pg/ml, the area under the curve (AUC) is 0.613, the standard error is 0.045, the 95% CI is 0.526–0.701, the sensitivity is 63.4%, and the specificity is 57.0%. Therefore, there is a certain correlation between cord blood IL-22 levels and the incidence of infant eczema.

Conclusions

Low IL-22 levels in umbilical cord blood may be linked to the development of infant eczema within 42 days, indicating a potential predictive value, although this value appears to be limited.
Dose-effect of exercise intervention on heart rate variability of acclimatized young male lowlanders at 3,680 m
Authors: Su Rui , Peng Ping , Zhang Wenrui , Huang Jie , Fan Jing , Zhang Delong , He Jiayuan , Ma Hailin , Li Hao
Published: March 2024

This study investigated whether exercise could improve the reduced HRV in an environment of high altitude. A total of 97 young, healthy male lowlanders living at 3,680 m for >1 year were recruited. They were randomized into four groups, of which three performed—low-, moderate-, and high-intensity (LI, MI, HI) aerobic exercise for 4 weeks, respectively. The remaining was the control group (CG) receiving no intervention. For HI, compared to other groups, heart rate (p = 0.002) was significantly decreased, while standard deviation of RR intervals (p < 0.001), SD2 of Poincaré plot (p = 0.046) and the number of successive RR interval pairs that differ by > 50 ms divided by total number of RR (p = 0.032), were significantly increased after intervention. For MI, significantly increase of trigonometric interpolation in NN interval (p = 0.016) was observed after exercise. Further, a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) after high-intensity exercise was found significantly associated with an increase in SD2 (r = – 0.428, p = 0.042). These results indicated that there was a dose effect of different intensities of aerobic exercise on the HRV of acclimatized lowlanders. Moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercise would change the status of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and decrease the blood pressure of acclimatized lowlanders exposed to high altitude.
A few-shot learning method for tobacco abnormality identification
Authors: Lin Hong , Qiang Zhenping , Tse Rita , Tang Su-Kit , Pau Giovanni
Published: March 2024

Tobacco is a valuable crop, but its disease identification is rarely involved in existing works. In this work, we use few-shot learning (FSL) to identify abnormalities in tobacco. FSL is a solution for the data deficiency that has been an obstacle to using deep learning. However, weak feature representation caused by limited data is still a challenging issue in FSL. The weak feature representation leads to weak generalization and troubles in cross-domain. In this work, we propose a feature representation enhancement network (FREN) that enhances the feature representation through instance embedding and task adaptation. For instance embedding, global max pooling, and global average pooling are used together for adding more features, and Gaussian-like calibration is used for normalizing the feature distribution. For task adaptation, self-attention is adopted for task contextualization. Given the absence of publicly available data on tobacco, we created a tobacco leaf abnormality dataset (TLA), which includes 16 categories, two settings, and 1,430 images in total. In experiments, we use PlantVillage, which is the benchmark dataset for plant disease identification, to validate the superiority of FREN first. Subsequently, we use the proposed method and TLA to analyze and discuss the abnormality identification of tobacco. For the multi-symptom diseases that always have low accuracy, we propose a solution by dividing the samples into subcategories created by symptom. For the 10 categories of tomato in PlantVillage, the accuracy achieves 66.04% in 5-way, 1-shot tasks. For the two settings of the tobacco leaf abnormality dataset, the accuracies were achieved at 45.5% and 56.5%. By using the multisymptom solution, the best accuracy can be lifted to 60.7% in 16-way, 1-shot tasks and achieved at 81.8% in 16-way, 10-shot tasks. The results show that our method improves the performance greatly by enhancing feature representation, especially for tasks that contain categories with high similarity. The desensitization of data when crossing domains also validates that the FREN has a strong generalization ability.
Identification and characterization of the critical genes encoding Cd-induced enhancement of SOD isozymes activities in Zhe-Maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus)
Authors: Hou Ruijun , Wang Zhihui , Zhu Qian , Wang Jie , Zhou Yifeng , Li Ye , Liu Huijun , Zhao Qian , Huang Jun
Published: March 2024

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) protects plants from abiotic stress-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage. Here, the effects of cadmium (Cd) exposure on ROS accumulation and SOD isozymes, as well as the identification of significant SOD isozyme genes, were investigated under different Cd stress treatments to Zhe-Maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus). The exposure to Cd stress resulted in a notable elevation in the SOD activity in roots. Cu/ZnSODa and Cu/ZnSODb were the most critical SOD isozymes in response to Cd stress, as indicated by the detection results for SOD isozymes. A total of 22 OjSOD genes were identified and classified into three subgroups, including 10 OjCu/ZnSODs, 6 OjMnSODs, and 6 OjFeSODs, based on the analysis of conserved motif and phylogenetic tree. Cu/ZnSOD-15, Cu/ZnSOD-18, Cu/ZnSOD-20, and Cu/ZnSOD-22 were the main genes that control the increase in SOD activity under Cd stress, as revealed via quantitative PCR and transcriptome analysis. Additionally, under various heavy metal stress (Cu2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Mn2+), Cu/ZnSOD-15, Cu/ZnSOD-18, and Cu/ZnSOD-22 gene expression were significantly upregulated, indicating that these three genes play a critical part in resisting heavy metal stress. The molecular docking experiments performed on the interaction between oxygen ion (O2•−) and OjSOD protein have revealed that the critical amino acid residues involved in the binding of Cu/ZnSOD-22 to the substrate were Pro135, Ile136, Ile140, and Arg144. Our findings provide a solid foundation for additional functional investigations on the OjSOD genes, as well as suggestions for improving genetic breeding and agricultural management strategies to increase Cd resistance in O. japonicus.
AI-assisted selection of mating pairs through simulation-based optimized progeny allocation strategies in plant breeding
Authors: Hamazaki Kosuke , Iwata Hiroyoshi
Published: March 2024

Emerging technologies such as genomic selection have been applied to modern plant and animal breeding to increase the speed and efficiency of variety release. However, breeding requires decisions regarding parent selection and mating pairs, which significantly impact the ultimate genetic gain of a breeding scheme. The selection of appropriate parents and mating pairs to increase genetic gain while maintaining genetic diversity is still an urgent need that breeders are facing. This study aimed to determine the best progeny allocation strategies by combining future-oriented simulations and numerical black-box optimization for an improved selection of parents and mating pairs. In this study, we focused on optimizing the allocation of progenies, and the breeding process was regarded as a black-box function whose input is a set of parameters related to the progeny allocation strategies and whose output is the ultimate genetic gain of breeding schemes. The allocation of progenies to each mating pair was parameterized according to a softmax function, whose input is a weighted sum of multiple features for the allocation, including expected genetic variance of progenies and selection criteria such as different types of breeding values, to balance genetic gains and genetic diversity optimally. The weighting parameters were then optimized by the black-box optimization algorithm called StoSOO via future-oriented breeding simulations. Simulation studies to evaluate the potential of our novel method revealed that the breeding strategy based on optimized weights attained almost 10% higher genetic gain than that with an equal allocation of progenies to all mating pairs within just four generations. Among the optimized strategies, those considering the expected genetic variance of progenies could maintain the genetic diversity throughout the breeding process, leading to a higher ultimate genetic gain than those without considering it. These results suggest that our novel method can significantly improve the speed and efficiency of variety development through optimized decisions regarding the selection of parents and mating pairs. In addition, by changing simulation settings, our future-oriented optimization framework for progeny allocation strategies can be easily implemented into general breeding schemes, contributing to accelerated plant and animal breeding with high efficiency.
Exploring the relationship between super-leadership, self-leadership, and exercise commitment in university Taekwondo teams
Authors: Park Myoung-eun , Byon Kevin K.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Promoting super-leadership is crucial for the sustainable growth of college sport teams, especially as teams are experiencing a noticeable shift towards a more horizontal dynamic, where athletes themselves are emerging as leaders. However, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness of super-leadership and its possible outcomes in the context of collegiate Taekwondo teams.

Methods

This study aims to investigate the impact of super-leadership on athletes’ self-leadership and exercise commitment and examine the mediating role of self-leadership in this relationship among collegiate Taekwondo athletes in South Korea. A total of 147 survey data were analyzed by structural equation modeling.

Results

The findings revealed that super-leadership was found to have a positive impact on both athletes’ self-leadership (β = 0.71, p < 0.001) and exercise commitment (β = 0.30, p < 0.05). Additionally, the study reveals athletes’ self-leadership significantly impacts exercise commitment (β = 0.34, p < 0.05). Our findings also demonstrate that self-leadership was identified as a partial mediator in the relationship between super-leadership and exercise commitment (∆χ2 = 4.46, p > 0.05).

Discussion

Theoretical and practical implications were discussed based on the current study’s findings.
Family Talk versus usual services in improving child and family psychosocial functioning in families with parental mental illness: a randomised controlled trial and cost analysis
Authors: Furlong Mairead , McGuinness Colm , Mulligan Christine Marie , McGarr Sharon Lisa , McGilloway Sinead
Published: March 2024

Background

Parental mental illness (PMI) is common and places children at high risk of developing psychological disorders. Family Talk (FT) is a well-known, whole-family, 7-session intervention designed to reduce the risk of transgenerational psychopathology. However, very few larger-scale evaluations of FT (across only a limited number of settings) have been conducted to date while there have been no cost analyses. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and costs of delivering FT in improving child and family psychosocial functioning in families with PMI within routine mental health settings.

Methods

A total of 83 families with PMI, with children aged 5-18 years, were randomly assigned on a 2:1 ratio to receive either the FT intervention (n=55 families) or usual services (n=28 families) across 10 adult, child and primary care mental health sites in Ireland. Parental disorders included anxiety/depression (57%), Bipolar Disorder (20%), Borderline Personality Disorder (12%), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (8%) and psychosis (2%). Detailed assessments with parents were conducted at baseline and 6-month follow up.

Results

FT led to significant improvements in family functioning and child behaviour at 6-month follow up when compared to usual services, with medium effect sizes indicated. Parent participants with lower mental health literacy at baseline also showed significant post-intervention improvements. Those parents with less severe mental illness at baseline, and families with more partner and economic supports, reported additional significant post-intervention improvements in child depression/anxiety and parental mental health symptoms. The cost of FT amounted to €761.50 per family, although this decreased to €415.31 when recurring costs only were included.

Conclusion

The findings from this study, which was conducted within the context of a national programme to introduce family-focused practice in Ireland, demonstrate that FT is a low-cost intervention that improved child and family psychosocial functioning across different mental health disorders within routine adult, child and primary care mental health services. The findings contribute to the growing evidence base for FT, and provide a robust basis to inform practice and policy development for families with parental mental illness both in Ireland and elsewhere.

Clinical trial registration

https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13365858, identifier ISRCTN13365858.
The patient journey project in Italian mental health services: results from a co-designed survey on clinical interventions and current barriers to improve the care of people living with schizophrenia
Authors: Vita Antonio , Barlati Stefano , Porcellana Matteo , Sala Elisa , Lisoni Jacopo , Brogonzoli Luisa , Percudani Mauro Emilio , Iardino Rosaria
Published: March 2024

Introduction

The Patient Journey Project aimed to analyze the scenario among Italian Mental Health Services (MHS) to understand the clinical interventions that are properly implemented and the ones deserving further implementation to design an effective treatment plan for patients living with schizophrenia (PLWS).

Methods

The 60-items survey was co-designed with all the stakeholders (clinicians, expert patients and caregivers) involved in the Patient Journey and focused on three phases of schizophrenia course: early detection and management, acute phase management, long-term management/continuity of care. Respondents were Heads of the Mental Health Departments and Addiction Services (MHDAS) or facilities directors throughout Italian MHS. For each statement, respondents expressed the consensus on the importance and the degree of implementation in clinical practice.

Results

Considering the importance of the statement, strong consensus was reached for most of the statements. Good levels of implementation were found on 2/17 statements of early detection and management, on 3/16 statements for acute phase management and on 1/27 statements of long-term management/continuity of care. Poor levels of implementation were found on 1/17 statements of early detection and management, none of acute phase management, and 4/27 statements for long-term management/continuity of care. Moderate levels of implementation were found on 14/17 statements for early detection and management, on 13/16 statements of acute phase management, and on 22/27 statements of long-term management/continuity of care. Thus, among Italian MHDAS, most interventions for PLWS were moderately implemented in clinical practice.

Discussion

Italian MHS have to provide new strategies and structural actions to overcome these current limitations and barriers to effectively improve the journey of PLWS. The areas that deserve most implementation include interventions during the early stage (especially the continuity of care between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Adult Mental Health Services), the evidence-based psychosocial interventions during the chronic stages of the disorder, and the continuity of care after acute hospitalization.
Syndromic surveillance of population-level COVID-19 burden with cough monitoring in a hospital emergency waiting room
Authors: Al Hossain Forsad , Tonmoy M. Tanjid Hasan , Nuvvula Sri , Chapman Brittany P. , Gupta Rajesh K. , Lover Andrew A. , Dinglasan Rhoel R. , Carreiro Stephanie , Rahman Tauhidur
Published: March 2024

Syndromic surveillance is an effective tool for enabling the timely detection of infectious disease outbreaks and facilitating the implementation of effective mitigation strategies by public health authorities. While various information sources are currently utilized to collect syndromic signal data for analysis, the aggregated measurement of cough, an important symptom for many illnesses, is not widely employed as a syndromic signal. With recent advancements in ubiquitous sensing technologies, it becomes feasible to continuously measure population-level cough incidence in a contactless, unobtrusive, and automated manner. In this work, we demonstrate the utility of monitoring aggregated cough count as a syndromic indicator to estimate COVID-19 cases. In our study, we deployed a sensor-based platform (Syndromic Logger) in the emergency room of a large hospital. The platform captured syndromic signals from audio, thermal imaging, and radar, while the ground truth data were collected from the hospital's electronic health record. Our analysis revealed a significant correlation between the aggregated cough count and positive COVID-19 cases in the hospital (Pearson correlation of 0.40, p-value < 0.001). Notably, this correlation was higher than that observed with the number of individuals presenting with fever (ρ = 0.22, p = 0.04), a widely used syndromic signal and screening tool for such diseases. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the data obtained from our Syndromic Logger platform could be leveraged to estimate various COVID-19-related statistics using multiple modeling approaches. Aggregated cough counts and other data, such as people density collected from our platform, can be utilized to predict COVID-19 patient visits related metrics in a hospital waiting room, and SHAP and Gini feature importance-based metrics showed cough count as the important feature for these prediction models. Furthermore, we have shown that predictions based on cough counting outperform models based on fever detection (e.g., temperatures over 39°C), which require more intrusive engagement with the population. Our findings highlight that incorporating cough-counting based signals into syndromic surveillance systems can significantly enhance overall resilience against future public health challenges, such as emerging disease outbreaks or pandemics.
Physical activity improves the visual–spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Deng Jie , Wang Hong , Fu Tingting , Xu Chong , Zhu Qiqi , Guo Liya , Zhu Yu
Published: March 2024

Objective

Our network meta-analysis aimed to ascertain the effect of physical activity on the visual–spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease as well as to propose tailored exercise interventions for each group.

Methods

Employing a frequentist approach, we performed a network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of different exercise interventions in improving the visual–spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Subsequently, we explored the moderating variables influencing the effectiveness of the exercise interventions through a subgroup analysis.

Results

We included 34 articles involving 3,074 participants in the meta-analysis, comprised of 1,537 participants from studies on mild cognitive impairment and 1,537 participants from studies on Alzheimer’s disease. The articles included exhibited an average quality score of 6.6 (score studies) and 6.75 (reaction time [RT] studies), all passing the inconsistency test (p > 0.05). In the mild cognitive impairment literature, mind–body exercise emerged as the most effective exercise intervention (SMD = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.07–1.14). In Alzheimer’s disease research, aerobic exercise was identified as the optimal exercise intervention (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.06–0.71).

Conclusion

The results of the subgroup analysis suggest that the most effective approach to enhancing the visual–spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment entails exercising at a frequency of three or more times per week for over 60 min each time and at a moderate intensity for more than 3 months. Suitable exercise options include mind–body exercise, multicomponent exercise, resistance exercise, and aerobic exercise. For individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, we recommend moderately intense exercise twice per week for over 90 min per session and for a duration of 3 months or longer, with exercise options encompassing aerobic exercise and resistance exercise.