bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Signal Timing for the Contraflow Left-Turn Lane at Signalized Intersections Based on Delay Analysis
Authors: Feng Bo , Zheng Mingming , Liu Yan
Published: April 2023

The exit-lanes for a left-turn (EFL) is an unconventional method of organizing traffic for left-turns at signalized intersections. In this paper, we propose a nonlinear optimization model to minimize delay by establishing a delay-time diagram for the left-turn traffic when the left-turn traffic is non-oversaturated, considering the relationship between the pre-signal start node of the exit-lanes for a left-turn and the queuing dissipation time of left-turn vehicles. Model validation is performed with example calculations to compare and analyze each operating index and fleet type after signal timing optimization of intersection lane borrowing left-turn lanes. The results show that compared with the conventional left-turn lane, the average delay of vehicles operating with the model decreased by 15.7%, exhaust emission decreased by 11.4%, and capacity increased by 65.7%. The model can support EFL pre-signal design, where signal control is related to queue dissipation time. In practice, a well-designed pre-signal control scheme based on traffic volume can improve capacity and reduce emissions while minimizing average vehicle delays.
How Does Supply Chain Information Disclosure Relate to Corporate Investment Efficiency? Evidence from Chinese-Listed Companies
Authors: Gao Di , Zhao Yuan , Ma Jiangming
Published: April 2023

Supply chain information disclosure is a vital factor for corporate investment efficiency and can signal a corporation’s long-term sustainable development. However, little attention has been paid to its significance. In this paper, we investigate how supply chain information disclosure affects corporate investment decisions. Using a sample of Chinese-listed firms, we find that firms that disclose nonfinancial information are more likely to have a high level of investment efficiency. We also identify the mechanism underlying the effect by examining the mediating effect of financial constraints and agency costs. Increasing a firm’s supply chain information disclosure can improve its investment efficiency by reducing its financial constraints and agency costs. We further find that this positive impact is more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) and firms located in regions with a high degree of marketization. Our findings imply that supply chain information disclosure plays an important role in corporate investment efficiency and sustainable development. Our study emphasizes the importance of nonfinancial information disclosure, contributing to the literature investigating the role of supply chain management in corporate decision-making on sustainable development.
Determination of Paleoenvironmental Changes by Using δ13C, 14C Dating and Rb/Sr Ratio in Critical Karst Area of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Southwestern China
Authors: Beckford Howard Omar , Chang Cheng , Ji Hongbing
Published: April 2023

Paleosols preserve archives of vegetation history, environmental changes, and sedimentary systems. The changes in vegetation history and environmental conditions in karst areas of the Yunnan–Guizhou plateau of southwestern China since the late Pleistocene were analyzed using δ13C, 14C and the Rb/Sr ratio. Our δ13C results reveal the coexistence of C3 and C4 plants (−10.91 to −30.45‰) in soil organic matter, something that is consistent with the present field vegetation assessment. The large vertical difference in the δ13C value (>4‰) is related to the cultivation of agricultural crops and to changes in environmental conditions. Furthermore, the variation in δ13C values was influenced by the summer monsoon climate of the Indian Ocean and east Asia. We found that total organic carbon (TOC) concentration decreased exponentially with soil depth, indicating high carbon loss. In addition, 14C apparent age of the soil profiles ranged from modern times to 20,605 (±63) years before the present (yrs. BP) and is positively correlated with soil depth. The combined results indicate that, since the late Pleistocene era, environmental conditions in the study area have changed intermittently on a scale of millennia from hot-humid to cold-dry conditions. We speculate that there may have been extreme climate events in the study area 14,750 years BP, which are marked by a drastic change in δ13C and in the Rb/Sr ratio.
Impact Evaluation of Network Structure Differentiation on Traffic Noise during Road Network Design
Authors: Wang Haibo , Wu Zhipeng , Yan Xiaolin , Chen Jincai
Published: April 2023

To evaluate the characteristics of traffic noise under different network structures, an evaluation method is established to clarify the mechanism of traffic noise impacted by variational network structures. First, a stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) model considering intersection delays is developed to allocate traffic flows of different network structures, and a flow-based univariate noise prediction model is used to simulate network noise distribution. Secondly, differentiation indexes including the coefficient of inhomogeneity (COI) and the concept of Lane Area Ratio (LAR) are set to quantify the network structure differences. Finally, a structural equation model (SEM) is developed to investigate the influence mechanism of network structure differentiation on traffic noise. The following conclusions are obtained: (1) The impact of network density differentiation on traffic noise is mainly reflected in the changes of road traffic flow and speed. Traffic noise decreases as the network density increases. In this case, when network density increases by 1 km/km2, traffic noise decreases by 1.6 dB. As network density increases, which means a dispensation of traffic flow, traffic noise is diminished by a reduction in traffic flow and speed. (2) The impact of road spatial location differentiation on traffic noise mainly depends on the number of noise sources. Traffic noise increases with the dense distribution of roads. In this case, when the COI increases by 1, the traffic noise increases by 3.0 dB. A higher COI indicates that the region will be exposed to more noise sources, which leads to traffic noise raises. The study can provide an effective basis for traffic noise control at the initial stage of network planning.
Post-COVID-19 Education for a Sustainable Future: Challenges, Emerging Technologies and Trends
Authors: Jacques Sébastien , Ouahabi Abdeldjalil , Kanetaki Zoe
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has been destabilizing the world since the end of 2019, has significant repercussions on not only health but also the economy, finances, society, politics, the environments, culture and education [...]
Severity Analysis of Multi-Truck Crashes on Mountain Freeways Using a Mixed Logit Model
Authors: Chen Zheng , Wen Huiying , Zhu Qiang , Zhao Sheng
Published: April 2023

Many studies have analyzed the road characteristics that affect the severity of truck crashes. However, most of these studies have only examined road alignment or grade separately, without considering their combined effects. The purpose of this article is to address this gap in the literature. Our study uses truck crash data from 2015 to 2019 on freeways in the Yunnan Province of China, where the severity levels of the crashes were determined by taking into account economic loss and the number of injuries and fatalities. Our study develops three models to examine the severity of truck crashes: a multinomial logit model, a mixed logit model, and a generalized ordered logit model. The findings suggest that the mixed logit model, which can suffer from unobserved heterogeneity, is more suitable because of the higher pseudo-R-squared (ρ2) value and lower Akaike Information Criterion and Bayesian Information Criterion. The estimation results show that the combination of curve and slope significantly increases the severity of truck crashes compared to curves and slopes alone. In addition, risk factors such as crash type, vehicle type, surface condition, time of day, pavement structure, and guardrails have a significant impact on the severity of truck crashes on mountainous freeways. Based on these findings, we developed policy recommendations for reducing the severity of multi-truck collisions on mountainous highways and improving transport sustainability. For example, if possible, the combination of curve and slope should be avoided. Additionally, it is recommended that trucks use tires with good heat resistance.
Integrating Environmental, Social, and Economic Dimensions to Monitor Sustainability in the G20 Countries
Authors: Terra dos Santos Luiz C. , Frimaio Adrielle , Giannetti Biagio F. , Agostinho Feni , Liu Gengyuan , Almeida Cecilia M. V. B.
Published: April 2023

Several regions have struggled to define and implement strategic priorities to ensure resource supply security and environmental, economic, and social sustainability. The circular economy is gaining more and more importance as one of the forms of transition towards a sustainable future that integrates, in a balanced way, economic performance, social inclusion, and environmental resilience, for the benefit of current and future generations. In light of the challenges of solving or avoiding future problems, the G20 bloc created proposals and action plans to support the transition towards a more circular economic model while at the same time fostering discussions on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to monitor and compare the performance of 19 countries in the G20 bloc (the 20th member is the European Union) from 2000 to 2020 to assess their progress toward environmental, economic, and social sustainability supported by the CE principles. To achieve this objective, the five sectors sustainability model was used and was supported by goal programming as a multicriteria analysis tool generating a synthetic sustainability indicator to assist decision making. The results showed that the countries with the best overall sustainable performance (environmental, economic, and social) in 2020 were Canada (which also occupied the best position in 2000), Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while Argentina, South Africa, India, Indonesia, and China showed lower sustainability. The results can serve as a reference for decision making by stakeholders in designing policies and incentives to encourage the adoption of the circular economy and boost economic development without compromising welfare or the environment.
Ultrasensitive Determination of L-Cysteine with g-C3N4@CdS-Based Photoelectrochemical Platform
Authors: Zhang Hefeng , Qi Shengliang , Wang Haidong , Zhang Guanghui , Zhu Kaixin , Ma Weiguang
Published: April 2023

L-cysteine, a component of the symmetric L-cystine, is essential in numerous biological activities. Thus, detecting cysteine rapidly, selectively, and sensitively is of tremendous interest. Herein, g-C3N4@CdS composites were employed as sensing elements in a photoelectrochemical platform for L-cysteine sensing. In this system, g-C3N4@CdS composites provided much better optoelectronic function than bare CdS materials owing to their high photon-to-current conversion efficiency and excellent anti-photocorrosion properties. The innovative photoelectrochemical sensor has a wide determination range of 5 to 190 µM, a very low detection limit of 1.56 µM, a fast response time, and good long-term stability (ca. 1 month). Without applying any separation procedures, a low concentration of CySH was successfully detected in human urine samples, which is compatible with the results of chemiluminescence.
Stock Reordering Decision Making under Interval Valued Picture Fuzzy Knowledge
Authors: Masmali Ibtisam , Hassan Rimsha , Shuaib Umer , Razaq Abdul , Razzaque Asima , Alhamzi Ghaliah
Published: April 2023

Symmetrical and asymmetrical information plays a critical role in resolving many issues. The implications of symmetry and asymmetry in interval-valued picture fuzzy decision-making, lie in their ability to represent and manage complex data. Decision makers approach the problem of information asymmetry through various methods. Integrating symmetric and asymmetric data in the context of a specific physical phenomenon poses significant challenges. To address these challenges, interval-valued picture fuzzy (IVPF) sets have emerged as an effective tool for managing complex data. In decision-making processes, it is essential to consider the complementary and conflicting nature of the analyzed data. This article aims to refine the shortcomings of the existing score function for Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) problems in an IVPF environment, and present an improved score function. The IVPF sets are leveraged to propose IVPF weighted arithmetic operators, IVPF ordered weighted arithmetic operators, IVPF weighted geometric operators, and IVPF ordered weighted geometric operators, which are analyzed in terms of their key features. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed score function and newly defined operators, a case study involving the selection of the best food item for manufacturing, is conducted. Additionally, a comparative analysis is established to investigate the significance of the newly defined techniques in solving decision-making problems under IVPF knowledge.
Strain and Strain Rate Tensor Mapping of Medial Gastrocnemius at Submaximal Isometric Contraction and Three Ankle Angles
Authors: Hernandez Ryan , Sinha Usha , Malis Vadim , Cunnane Brandon , Smitaman Edward , Sinha Shantanu
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The aim of this study is to analyze the muscle kinematics of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) during submaximal isometric contractions and to explore the relationship between deformation and force generated at plantarflexed (PF), neutral (N) and dorsiflexed (DF) ankle angles. Method: Strain and Strain Rate (SR) tensors were calculated from velocity-encoded magnetic resonance phase-contrast images in six young men acquired during 25% and 50% Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC). Strain and SR indices as well as force normalized values were statistically analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA for differences with force level and ankle angle. An exploratory analysis of differences between absolute values of longitudinal compressive strain (Eλ1) and radial expansion strains (Eλ2) and maximum shear strain (Emax) based on paired t-test was also performed for each ankle angle. Results: Compressive strains/SRs were significantly lower at 25%MVC. Normalized strains/SR were significantly different between %MVC and ankle angles with lowest values for DF. Absolute values of Eλ2 and Emax were significantly higher than Eλ1 for DF suggesting higher deformation asymmetry and higher shear strain, respectively. Conclusions: In addition to the known optimum muscle fiber length, the study identified two potential new causes of increased force generation at dorsiflexion ankle angle, higher fiber cross-section deformation asymmetry and higher shear strains.
Effect of Foliar Spraying of Gibberellins and Brassinolide on Cadmium Accumulation in Rice
Authors: Li Bei , Wang Song , You Xiaoshuang , Wen Zhenzhou , Huang Guirong , Huang Caicheng , Li Qiaoxian , Chen Kuiyuan , Zhao Yihan , Gu Minghua , Li Xiaofeng , Wei Yanyan , Qin Yan
Published: April 2023

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the heavy metals that contaminate rice cultivation, and reducing Cd contamination in rice through agronomic measures is a hot research topic. In this study, foliar sprays of gibberellins (GA) and brassinolide (BR) were applied to rice under Cd stress in hydroponic and pot experiments. After foliar spraying of GR and BR, the biomass of rice plants grown in either hydroponics or soil culture was significantly higher or even exceeded that in the absence of Cd stress. In addition, photosynthetic parameters (maximum fluorescence values), root length and root surface area, and CAT, SOD and POD activities were significantly improved. The MDA content decreased in the shoots, suggesting that the application of GR and BA may have enhanced photosynthesis and antioxidant function to alleviate Cd stress. Furthermore, the BR and GA treatments decreased the Cd content of rice roots, shoots and grains as well as the Cd transfer coefficient. Cd chemical morphology analysis of rice roots and shoots showed that the proportion of soluble Cd (Ethanol-Cd and Water-Cd) decreased, whereas the proportion of NaCl-Cd increased. Analysis of the subcellular distribution of Cd in rice roots and above ground showed that the proportion of Cd in the cell wall increased after foliar spraying of GA and BR. The results indicate that after foliar application of GA and BR, more of the Cd in rice was transformed into immobile forms and was fixed in the cell wall, thus reducing the amount in the seeds. In summary, foliar sprays of GA and BR can reduce the toxic effects of Cd on rice plants and reduce the Cd content in rice grains, with GA being more effective.
Microplastic Presence in the Digestive Tract of Pearly Razorfish Xyrichtys novacula Causes Oxidative Stress in Liver Tissue
Authors: Cohen-Sánchez Amanda , Solomando Antònia , Pinya Samuel , Tejada Silvia , Valencia José María , Box Antonio , Sureda Antoni
Published: April 2023

Plastic pollution in the oceans is a growing problem, with negative effects on exposed species and ecosystems. Xyrichtys novacula L. is a very important fish species both culturally and economically in the Balearic Islands. The aim of the present study was to detect and categorise the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the digestive tract of X. novacula, as well as the existence of oxidative stress in the liver. For this purpose, the fish were categorised into two groups based on the number of MPs observed in the digestive tracts: a group with no or low presence of MPs (0–3 items) and a group with a higher presence of MPs (4–28 items). MPs were found in 89% of the specimens analysed, with a dominance of fibre type and blue colour. Regarding the type of polymer, polycarbonate was the most abundant, followed by polypropylene and polyethylene. For the group with a greater presence of MPs, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, as well as the phase II detoxification enzyme glutathione s-transferase, were higher than the activities observed in fish with little to no presence of MPs. The activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase and the levels of malondialdehyde did not show significant differences between both groups. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the presence of MPs in the digestive tract of X. novacula and the existence of an antioxidant and detoxification response, mainly based on the glutathione-based enzymes.
Bicarbonate-Hydrogen Peroxide System for Treating Dyeing Wastewater: Degradation of Organic Pollutants and Color Removal
Authors: Urbina-Suarez Néstor A. , Rivera-Caicedo Christian , González-Delgado Ángel Darío , Barajas-Solano Andrés F. , Machuca-Martínez Fiderman
Published: April 2023

The textile industry is a global economic driving force; however, it is also one of the most polluting industries, with highly toxic effluents which are complex to treat due to the recalcitrant nature of some compounds present in these effluents. This research focuses on the removal of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), color, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), and Ammoniacal Nitrogen (N-NH3) on tannery wastewater treatment through an advanced oxidation process (AOPs) using sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and temperature using a central composite non-factorial design with a surface response using Statistica 7.0 software. All experiments used a 500 mL reactor with 300 mL of tannery wastewater from a company in Cúcuta, Colombia. The physicochemical characterization was done to determine the significant absorbance peaks about the color in the wavelengths between 297 and 669 nm. Statistical analysis found that the concentration of NaHCO3 affects the removal of color and N-NH3; however, it did not affect COD and TOC. The optimal process conditions for removing the different compounds under study were: NaHCO3 1 M, H2O2 2 M, and 60 °C, with efficiencies of 92.35%, 31.93%, 68.85%, and 35.5% N-NH3, COD, color, and TOC respectively. It can be concluded that AOPs using H2O2 and NaHCO3 are recommended to remove color and N-NH3.
Proton Electric Charge Radius from Lepton Scattering
Authors: Xiong Weizhi , Peng Chao
Published: April 2023

A proton is a bound state of a strong interaction, governed by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The electric charge radius of a proton, denoted by rEp, characterizes the spatial distribution of its electric charge carried by the quarks. It is an important input for bound-state Quantum Electrodynamic (QED) calculations of the hydrogen atomic energy levels. However, physicists have been puzzled by the large discrepancy between rEp measurements from muonic hydrogen spectroscopy and those from ep elastic scattering and ordinary hydrogen spectroscopy for over a decade. Tremendous efforts, both theoretical and experimental, have been dedicated to providing various insights into this puzzle, but certain issues still remain unresolved, particularly in the field of lepton scatterings. This review will focus on lepton-scattering measurements of rEp, recent theoretical and experimental developments in this field, as well as future experiments using this technique.
The Neutron Mean Life and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
Authors: Yeh Tsung-Han , Olive Keith A. , Fields Brian D.
Published: April 2023

We explore the effect of neutron lifetime and its uncertainty on standard big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). BBN describes the cosmic production of the light nuclides, 1H, D, 3H+3He, 4He, and 7Li+7Be, in the first minutes of cosmic time. The neutron mean life τn has two roles in modern BBN calculations: (1) it normalizes the matrix element for weak n↔p interconversions, and (2) it sets the rate of free neutron decay after the weak interactions freeze-out. We review the history of the interplay between τn measurements and BBN, and present a study of the sensitivity of the light element abundances to the modern neutron lifetime measurements. We find that τn uncertainties dominate the predicted 4He error budget, but these theory errors remain smaller than the uncertainties in 4He observations, even with the dispersion in recent neutron lifetime measurements. For the other light element predictions, τn contributes negligibly to their error budget. Turning the problem around, we combine present BBN and cosmic microwave background (CMB) determinations of the cosmic baryon density to predict a “cosmologically preferred” mean life of τn(BBN+CMB)=870±16s, which is consistent with experimental mean life determinations. We show that if future astronomical and cosmological helium observations can reach an uncertainty of σobs(Yp)=0.001 in the 4He mass fraction Yp, this could begin to discriminate between the mean life determinations.
IgG1-Dominant Antibody Response Induced by Recombinant Trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein with PIKA Adjuvant
Authors: Wang Jingxia , Mai Xinjia , He Yu , Zhu Chenxi , Zhou Dapeng
Published: April 2023

Recombinant trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein with PIKA (polyI:C) adjuvant induces potent and durable neutralizing antibodies that protect against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. The immunoglobulin subclasses of viral-specific antibodies remain unknown, as do their glycosylation status on Fc regions. In this study, we analyzed immunoglobulins adsorbed by plate-bound recombinant trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein from serum of Cynomolgus monkey immunized by recombinant trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein with PIKA (polyI:C) adjuvant. The results showed that IgG1 was the dominant IgG subclass as revealed by ion mobility mass spectrometry. The average percentage of Spike protein-specific IgG1 increased to 88.3% as compared to pre-immunization. Core fucosylation for Fc glycopeptide of Spike protein-specific IgG1 was found to be higher than 98%. These results indicate that a unique Th1-biased, IgG1-dominant antibody response was responsible for the effectiveness of PIKA (polyI:C) adjuvant. Vaccine-induced core-fucosylation of IgG1 Fc region may reduce incidence of severe COVID-19 disease associated with overstimulation of FCGR3A by afucosylated IgG1.
Modeling of Soil Loss by Water Erosion and Its Impacts on the Cantareira System, Brazil
Authors: Lense Guilherme Henrique Expedito , Lämmle Luca , Ayer Joaquim Ernesto Bernardes , Lama Giuseppe Francesco Cesare , Rubira Felipe Gomes , Mincato Ronaldo Luiz
Published: April 2023

The Cantareira System is one of the largest water supply systems in the world, supplying about half of the water consumed by 22 million inhabitants in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. In this scenario, in view of climate change, silting is a serious environmental threat and a major challenge to the sustainability of water reservoirs. Therefore, identifying the provenance of sediments is an essential tool to support soil conservation policies, slowing erosion processes and mitigating the deposition of sediments in water reservoirs. Thus, this study aimed to model soil losses—sediment production, by water erosion in the Cantareira System, based on the RUSLE model—Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, GIS—Geographic Information System and SR—Remote Sensing. The work was conducted on data obtained from online platforms of Brazilian public institutions. The results indicate an average rate of soil loss of 13 Mg ha−1 yr−1, which corresponds to an annual loss of 3 million tons, of which 22% reaches water bodies. The data also show that: (1) in 66 % of the Cantareira System, soil losses are below the soil loss tolerance limits, and, in 34% of the region, water erosion is compromising the sustainability of water and soil resources; (2) the areas with the greatest soil losses are predominantly located in planted forests, agricultural crops and non-vegetated areas; and (3) sectors with high rates of soil loss require the adoption of conservationist practices aimed at reducing sediment production rates and thereby increasing supply and improving water quality.
The Deformation and Instability Characteristics of Fractured Landslides during Typhoon-Triggered Rainstorms: Observations from an In Situ Field Experiment
Authors: Zhang Taili , Wu Jianbo , Sun Qiang
Published: April 2023

Fractures are the dominant conditions for rainfall infiltration into slopes, which can aggravate the instability of landslides. However, few studies have been conducted to analyze in detail the instability and deformation characteristics of creeping landslides with fractures. In view of this, this study investigated a landslide in Fu’ao Village, Wencheng County, Zhejiang Province in China to determine how fractures affect landslide deformation and instability during heavy rainfall through an in situ simulation experiment. In the experiment, three consecutive days of rainfall were set up based on Typhoon Megi in 2016, and two conditions were simulated, namely, rainfall + water filling fractures and rainfall + filled fractures (also referred to as the first and second conditions, respectively). The changes in the volumetric water content (VWC), pore water pressure (PWP), and deep displacement of the landslide at a depth of less than 5 m under the two conditions were observed using field monitoring instruments. The simulation results were as follows: (1) The volumetric water content of the shallow soil showed a more sensitive time-varying response to rainfall, while that of the soil at a depth of more than 200 cm showed a lagged response to rainfall, with a lag of about 10 h, which decreased significantly in the case of the unfilled fractures; (2) Under the first condition, the pore water pressure at different depths showed almost the same changing amplitude of 5 kPa or less. Under the second condition, the pore water pressure increased significantly with depth during the rainfall, with the changing amplitude reaching 30 kPa; (3) The displacement of the borehole equipped with the inclinometers near the front of the slope was higher than that at the borehole equipped with the inclinometers near the rear of the slope. The displacement under the first condition was up to 6 mm, which was significantly greater than that under the second condition. Therefore, fractures have significant effects on the instability of landslides induced by typhoon-triggered rainstorms, and one important measure to prevent and control this type of landslides is to fill fractures in the landslides in time.
Body Image, Body Composition, and Aging in Women: Insights into an Older Adult Problem
Authors: Brown Ronald B.
Published: April 2023

Body image is understudied in aging women. The present perspective article reviews body image, body composition, and aging in women. Sarcopenia, a condition of low muscle mass, is associated with aging, and sarcopenia in combination with excessive body fat causes sarcopenic obesity. Findings of improved health in people with a higher body mass index, known as the obesity paradox, are due to misclassifying healthy people as overweight according to height and body weight instead of according to fat mass and fat-free mass. Body fat infiltrates internal organs in aging adults as increasing levels of body fat are redistributed into the trunk, especially in the abdomen, while subcutaneous fat in the appendages decreases. Accuracy of body image perceptions can determine an individual’s control of body weight. Aging women can protect against sarcopenic obesity by increasing fat-free mass with resistance training and by lowering body fat levels with weight management knowledge and skills. Healthy dietary patterns are low in ultra-processed foods that stimulate excessive consumption of calories and increase body fat levels. In combination with the phosphate additives in ultra-processed food which increase sarcopenia and aging, the present article proposes an etiological pathway in which ultra-processed food consumption eventually leads to aging-related sarcopenic obesity.
Migration Processes in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 21-st Century
Authors:   Moscow State Linguistic University, Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Relations, Scientifi c associate of the Institute for African Studies, Moscow, Sidorova G. M.
Published: April 2023

The relevance of the topic is associated with the destabilization of the situation in the world and in the countries of the African continent. West Africa, the Sahel zone, the Eastern and Central part of the continent are engulfed in armed local and regional conflicts. The number of refugees and temporarily displaced persons is growing. Political instability of African states negatively aff ects the national security of recipient countries, which should provide accommodation and fi nancial support for refugees. It is not uncommon for migrants to impose their traditional rules in their new places of residence and oppress indigenous peoples by claiming their territory. This results in humanitarian disasters. Often this happens in border areas, where migrant evacuation points or permanent refugee camps are organized. The article analyzes the causes of conflicts, as well as their consequences for the civilian population. Attention is focused on the most complex military and political situations in the countries of the continent. The author concludes that the destabilization of political regimes in Africa is associated with the low social level of most of the states of the continent, the weakness of power structures which are unable to protect civilians.
Tecnoestrés y satisfacción laboral en colaboradores de una empresa de alimentos durante la pandemia por COVID-19
Authors: Olvera Miranda Justine Lilibeth , Triviño Poveda Emma Azucena , Bastidas Bolaños Cecilia María
Published: April 2023

Las modalidades de trabajo de las empresas han sufrido alteraciones considerables desde la llegada del covid-19 al país. Las restricciones de movilidad han conllevado a la contención de la propagación del virus, como consecuencia han dejado situaciones críticas que implican pérdidas significativas para el desarrollo de las organizaciones, por lo que han tomado medidas para su adaptación modificando la gestión de sus procesos e implementando la modalidad de teletrabajo muchas veces sin considerar los efectos que puede producir en sus colaboradores. La investigación tuvo como objetivo establecer la relación entre el tecnoestrés y la satisfacción laboral de los colaboradores de una empresa de alimentos de consumo masivo en la ciudad de Guayaquil durante la pandemia por COVID-19. Esto se logró a través de una investigación de tipo cuantitativa no experimental, de alcance correlacional y de corte transversal. En esta investigación participaron 20 miembros de una empresa de alimentos cuyas edades se encuentran entre 21 y 44 años, quienes se encontraban en teletrabajo. Los instrumentos, utilizados fueron los cuestionarios RED – TIC y de Satisfacción Laboral. Los resultados obtenidos determinaron que existe una correlación negativa baja entre las dos variables de investigación, es decir que, a menor tecnoestrés mayor satisfacción laboral. Se evidenció que dentro de la empresa se presentan ciertos riesgos psicosociales relacionados con la carga y ritmo de trabajo, el desarrollo de competencias, la recuperación y margen de acción y control, lo que influye en la subvariable condiciones de trabajo y trabajo en sí, correspondientes a la variable satisfacción laboral.
Talento académico en la enseñanza general: contexto cubano, una revisión bibliográfica
Authors: Reyes Rodríguez Magalys , Vizcaino Escobar Annia
Published: April 2023

En el estudio del talento en Cuba se pueden identificar etapas que van desde el establecimiento de los primeros enfoques pedagógicos hasta la atención y la búsqueda de vías para sistematizar los componentes desde el proceso pedagógico. Sin embargo, el estudio del talento constituye aun un reto en el país. Por tal motivo la presente revisión sistemática se plantea como objetivo caracterizar los estudios sobre talento académico desde 2012 a 2022, en la Enseñanza General Politécnica y Laboral del contexto cubano. El proceso de selección de bibliografía partió de la identificación en las bases de datos Redalyc, Scielo, Dialnet, Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar y otras fuentes de las publicaciones potencialmente elegibles. Se identificaron 1259 estudios a los que se le aplicaron los criterios de elegibilidad preestablecidos quedando seleccionados cinco publicaciones. Se empleó como metodología la declaración PRISMA. La evaluación de riesgo de sesgos arrojó bajo riesgo de sesgo en cuatro de ellos y medio riesgo de sesgo en uno. La metodología más empleada es la cualitativa, los principales métodos identificados son el análisis documental, la entrevista, la encuesta y la observación. Sobre las pruebas psicológicas se mencionan vagamente los criterios e indicadores. El término empleado es talento y se aborda principalmente en la educación primaria y en preuniversitario existiendo predominancia del estudio del talento verbal, y el académico en matemática y química. Se concluye que el estudio del talento en el país aún es deficiente y presenta limitaciones principalmente en el proceso de identificación y diagnóstico de estos estudiantes.
La ansiedad en los padres de niños/as con trastorno del espectro autista
Authors: Olmedo Pico Lucía Elizabeth , Loor Rivadeneira Marlene Ruth
Published: April 2023

Resumen

El presente estudio realiza una revisión bibliográfica sobre la ansiedad de los padres que tienen hijos con trastorno del espectro autista, con el objetivo de establecer sus características, pero también para conocer las estrategias o mecanismos que utilizan los progenitores para superar los niveles de ansiedad, para lo cual se hace una profunda revisión bibliográfica actualizada de 40 artículos publicados en Scielo, Dianet y google académico, tanto del trastorno del espectro autista como de la ansiedad. Se utilizó como método la síntesis, con un enfoque metodológico cualitativo que permitió relacionar la información recabada y llegar a la conclusión que los padres de familia cuyos hijos presentan autismo sufren de permanente ansiedad, siendo el estrés una de las expresiones psicológicas más frecuentes, situación que se ha complicado en los dos últimos años debido a presencia del COVID que obligó a mantener la cuarentena a la familia.
Problemas de conducta en pacientes del área de Pediatría del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso
Authors: Rodas Mosquera Juan Enrique , Rodas Mosquera María Lorena , Solorzano Bernita Rosa Elizabeth , Pucha Anguisaca Karina Fernanda
Published: April 2023

La salud mental infanto-juvenil es una prioridad de salud pública, por ello, es importante conocer los diferentes problemas lo más temprano posible para evitar complicaciones. Objetivo. Identificar los problemas de conducta en pacientes de 2 a 15 años hospitalizados en el departamento de pediatría del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso. Cuenca Ecuador 2021. Métodos. se realizó un estudio de tipo mixto, bajo análisis observacional y descriptivo de corte transversal. La muestra estuvo constituida por 201 pacientes que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Para la recolección de la información se utilizó un formulario sobre características demográficas de los pacientes y el Inventario de Eyberg aplicado a padres o tutores, previo la firma del consentimiento informado. Los datos fueron tabulados en el programa SPSS versión 25, para analizar la información se utilizó la estadística descriptiva, en base a frecuencias y porcentajes presentándose los resultados en tablas. Resultados. El 11,9 % tienen alteración de conducta, el 39,8% están en riesgo y el 48,3% son normales. De los que tienen alteración de conducta el 66,6% son adolescentes de 10 a 15 años, no hay diferencia en relación al sexo; la mayoría (75%) son de área urbana; el 50% cursa básica superior, cerca del 30% son hijos de padres desocupados y según la categoría valorada el 75% presenta ansiedad, el 20,84% agresividad y el 4,8% déficit de atención. Conclusiones. Más de la mitad tienen problemas de conducta. La ansiedad se presenta en tres de cuatro pacientes.
Apendicitis aguda: manejo quirúrgico vs antibiótico como opción de tratamiento
Authors: Alvarado Rodríguez Stefany Carolina , Quichimbo Sangurima Fausto Marcelo
Published: April 2023

La apendicitis aguda es una de las emergencias más comunes en todo el mundo, tiene una alta prevalencia entre los jóvenes de 20 a 30 años, siendo menos frecuente en el adulto mayor. La apendicitis se presenta como un dolor e inflación del apéndice cecal. Tanto el tratamiento quirúrgico y no quirúrgico (antibioticoterapia) ha evolucionado muchos en los últimos años. Objetivo. Determinar la relación con apendicitis aguda, manejo quirúrgico vs antibiótico como opción de tratamiento; de esta forma dar un adecuado abordaje al paciente hospitalizado y las posibles alternativas terapéuticas de acuerdo a la condición y estado de enfermedad. Metodología. Se realizó una revisión sistemática bajo la búsqueda de información en las siguientes bases de datos: “PubMed, Scopus” y “Google Scholar” incluyendo artículos originales, experimentales, metaanálisis y páginas oficiales con temas relacionados al manejo quirúrgico y antibioticoterapia en apendicitis aguda. Para una búsqueda más exhaustive se utilizó en siguiente algoritmo: (Appendicitis) AND (acute) and (management) AND (surgical) AND (antibiotic). Conclusión. Las evidencias actuales de los diferentes estudios analizados demuestran que la apendicectomía laparoscópica es el tratamiento de elección más efectico para la apendicitis aguda complicada, asociado a una recuperación más rápida disminuyendo significativamente el riesgo de infecciones y mortalidad posterior a la cirugía, sin embargo, la asociación Americana de Cirugía y la Sociedad Mundial de Cirugía de emergencia recomiendan como alternativa terapéutica el tratamiento farmacológico con antibióticos de amplio espectro en pacientes con apendicitis aguda no complicada.
Implicaciones cardiovasculares de la terapia hormonal cruzada en el proceso de feminización
Authors: Aucapiña Pañi Jorge Luis , Jaramillo Loaiza Walter Viterio
Published: April 2023

En la actualidad la identidad de género es una parte importante en la salud mental de un individuo. Por la creciente libre expresión de género, con un enfoque principal en las personas transgénero, cuyo término se refiere a una persona que se auto percibe con el sexo opuesto al que fue asignado al nacer. Entre los principales tratamientos para mejorar esta condición son: la psicoterapia para ayudar a lidiar con el estrés del rechazo social, la terapia hormonal para el proceso de feminización o masculinización y la cirugía. Objetivo. Determinar implicaciones cardiovasculares de la terapia hormonal cruzada en el proceso de feminización. Metodología. Se realizó una revisión bibliografía de literatura, en donde se evalúa el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular en publicaciones de estudios relevantes en el campo de la endocrinología publicados entre 2017 y 2022. Se utilizó la siguiente base de datos para la búsqueda de información, Scielo, Taylor & Francis, PubMed y ScienceDirect, Conclusión. Los efectos adversos de la terapia hormonal cruzada son de alto riesgo para el proceso de feminización afectado el sistema cardiovascular de forma irreversible. En ello influyen los tipos de fármacos, vía de administración, antecedentes de enfermedades cardiovasculares y ciertos hábitos, que afecta directamente con el desarrollo de trombosis venosa profunda, obesidad, hipertensión y diabetes mellitus. Por ello, hay muchas variables a considerar antes de iniciar un proceso de cambio, ya que este requiere de un equipo multidisciplinario y un seguimiento continuo para obtener los resultados esperados.
Estimation Model for Enhanced Predictive Object Point Metric in OO Software Size Estimation Using Deep Learning
Authors: Yadav Vijay , Singh Raghuraj , Yadav Vibhash
Published: April 2023

The Software industry’s rapid growth contributes to the need for new technologies. PRICE software system uses Predictive Object Point (POP) as a size measure to estimate Effort and cost. A refined POP metric value for object-oriented software written in Java can be calculated using the Automated POP Analysis tool. This research used 25 open-source Java projects. The refined POP metric improves the drawbacks of the PRICE system and gives a more accurate size measure of software. This paper uses refined POP metrics with curve-fitting neural networks and multi-layer perceptron neural network-based deep learning to estimate the software development effort. Results show that this approach gives an effort estimate closer to the actual Effort obtained through Constructive Cost Estimation Model (COCOMO) estimation models and thus validates refined POP as a better size measure of object-oriented software than POP. Therefore we consider the MLP approach to help construct the metric for the scale of the Object-Oriented (OO) model system.
Assessment of research capacity of nursing students and factors related to access to the capacity of scientific research activities of nursing students
Authors: Pham Thi Thuy Vu , Vo Thanh Ton
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Nowadays, one of the important criteria to evaluate the educational quality of the university is the results of scientific research on students. Scientific research activities become one of the important tasks of lecturers in order to improve the quality of training with the goal of approaching students’ competence in scientific research. The nursing profession is initially interested in the issue of access to research capacity, so there are very few studies on this issue. Objectives: 1) To assess the research capacity of nursing students through the RCS-N scale; (2) To describe the groups of factors affecting the motivation of nursing students to do scientific research; (3) To identify the factors related to the scientific research capacity of nursing students. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study with 317 third and fourth-year nursing students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University from 06/2021 to 04/2022. Results: The group of students in the group familiar with scientific research (Knowing many/all/everything criteria about scientific research) accounted for the lowest percentage with 8.5%. The average score of the groups of factors affecting the motivation of scientific research with the group of student factors (21.19 ± 3.59); a group of lecturers factors (17.03 ± 4.01); a group of the policy of the University factors (15.92 ± 3.08); a group of facilities of the University factors (12.37 ± 2.75); a group of practice station factors (12.20 ± 2.70).
There is a relationship between the mean score of the group of facilities of the University factors and the student’s research capacity score (p<0.05). Conclusion: Assessing the research capacity of nursing students is a necessity to review, analyze and evaluate nursing science research courses in order to determine the appropriate level of scientific research curriculum for nursing students. nurses and is also the first step to determining their ability to do scientific research to prepare them for future professional nurses.
Key words: Assessment of Research Competency, nursing students, RCS-N Questionnaire.
The fulfillment of discharge education content need among surgical patients
Authors: Nguyen Thi Thanh Thanh , Nguyen Thi Thu Thao , Nguyen Thi May , Duong Duc Hoa , Ho Duy Binh
Published: April 2023

Introduction: After discharge, surgical patients have to deal with many problems. Discharge education was believed to be the solution to improve patients’ ability to deal with difficulties going home. This emphasizes the importance of exploring the fulfillment of discharge education content needs from the perspective of surgical patients in Vietnam and its related factors. We conduct this study to examine the fulfillment of discharge education content needs from surgical patients’ perspective and related factors. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Vietnam. Surgical patients older than 18 years of age were selected to complete the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS) within 4 hours before discharge. Results: Discharge content need was perceived as low with a score of 5.39 (SD = 2.64). Patients considered the quality of discharge content received as low quality with a score of 5.58 (SD = 2.14). Patients received more information about emotions and practices treatment and medication than their needed (p < 0.01). In contrast, they rated the received information about their emergency contact as lower than they expected (p < 0.001). Quality of discharge education delivery was perceived as moderate with a score of 7.53 (SD = 1.47). Inferential analysis showed that age (r = 0.17, p < 0.05) and length of hospital stay (r = 0.23, p < 0.01) were associated with content need. The type of surgery was related to the patient-perceived quality of the content received (F = 3.53, p < 0.01). Meanwhile, occupational status was related to how patients perceived the fulfillment of discharge content needs (t =-2.41, p < 0.05).Conclusion: Further research should include other factors including patients’ access to information, the background of knowledge, work experience in the social or healthcare field, depression, and anxiety which were not included in this study
Key words: surgical patient, hospital discharge, adult education, perspective