bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Feasibility of Using Emerging Antibody-drug Conjugates for the Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Liu Huining
Published: June 2024

Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) consists of three parts: antibodies, linkers, and cytotoxic payloads. With the deepening of research on ADC, the potential therapeutic effects of ADC on SCLC have also been emphasized. This study aims to evaluate and introduce five novel ADCs targeting small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and explore their anti-tumor activity, cytotoxicity, application prospects and so on. The first ADC drug is rovalpituzumab tesirine(Rova-T), currently, Rova-T has entered Phase Ⅲ clinical trial. The second drug is ABBV-011, and a study found that a single dose of ABBV-011 can lead to significant dose-dependent tumor regression in LU64. The third drug is NN2101-DM1, which is found to exhibit anti-tumor activity in xenograft mouse models. The fourth drug is D3-GPC2-PBD ADC. A study treated mice carrying NCI-H526(H526) xenografts with D3-GPC2-PBD ADC and found that the drug can lead to robust and sustained tumor regression, significantly improving the survival rate of mice without any side effects. The fifth study was on ADC targeting junctional adhesion molecule 3 Gene (JAM3), which found that SCLC cell lines typically express high levels of JAM3. The study also found that knocking down JAM3 can inhibit the growth of SCLC cells. Although these five ADCs are in different clinical trial stages, they all have inhibitory effects on SCLC.
Defense of Putnam’s Twin Earth Experiment
Authors: Wu Yiliang
Published: June 2024

This essay reviews and examines the controversies surrounding Searle’s rebuttal sparked by Putnam’s Twin Earth experiment. The article firstly analyzes Putnam’s definition of natural kind terms and points out that there is a difference between natural kind terms and descriptivism, which cannot be explained in equal quantities. From the perspective of the Twin Earth experiment, understanding Putnam’s definition and interpretation of natural class terms can be the key to refuting Searle’s rebuttal, which can prove that the externalist stance of the Twin Earth experiment has not been severely undermined. On this basis, this article provides multiple examples to further explore and demonstrate that even with the use of index words that are consistent with Searle’s explanatory approach, the final conclusion is not contradictory to semantic externalism and can still point to the perspective of externalism. At the end of the article, the author attempts to achieve a more reasonable balance in semantic interpretation by explaining the connection between semantic internalist and externalist elements.
Gut Microbiota in Circadian Rhythm and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Wang Jiarui
Published: June 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes a significant burden in society. However, the underlying pathology is still poorly understood. In addition to its classic suggested pathways, recent research also indicated that neuroinflammation may be a potential trigger of AD. Meanwhile, rhythm disruption may stimulate a systemic pro-inflammatory state. According to clinical studies, the altered gut microbiota composition has been reported in AD as well as sleep-deprived patients. These changes include the increased pro-inflammatory microbiota proportion, which has been found to induce neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, β-amyloid (Aβ) production, and accumulation that may eventually lead to AD progression. Therefore, changes in gut microbiota have been suggested to be a potential linkage between rhythm disruption and AD.
A Study on the Translation of the Promotional Video for Quanzhou’s Application for World Heritage from the Perspective of Multimodal Discourse Analysis
Authors: Mei Qi
Published: June 2024

As an important medium for displaying a city’s image, culture, and characteristics, the translation of city promotional videos has become a key link in promoting a city’s image internationally. However, in the past, most of the methods used in the study of the translation of promotional videos were functional equivalence theory, purposiveness theory, and cultural adaptation theory, which resulted in a lack of comprehensive and systematic research into the translation of promotional videos. To solve this problem, based on the theoretical framework of multimodal discourse analysis, this paper adopts the method of textual analysis to conduct the translation study on the promotional videos of Quanzhou’s heritage application. It puts forward the translation strategy of city promotional videos. The theory of multimodal discourse analysis helps to promote the study of the translation of city promotional videos, which can improve the translation accuracy, deal with the problem of cultural differences, optimize the communication effect, and provide new study perspectives of the method. In the translation process, reasonable translation strategies should be adopted appropriately to maximize the translation effect of city promotional videos and expand the publicity effect of the international influence of city promotional videos.
A Study on Domestication and Foreignization in Translation of Contemporary American Literature– Take Hillbilly Elegy as an Example
Authors: Liu Yang
Published: June 2024

Domestication and foreignization are popular perspectives in studying translations of foreign literature. However, books describing the real conditions of foreign societies published in recent years have seldom been studied. Hillbilly Elegy is a popular book in recent years that focuses on white Americans from lower classes, who are an important part of the American population but easily ignored. By studying the application of the translation strategies of Domestication and Foreignization in the Chinese translation of Hillbilly Elegy and the cultural elements, this paper tries to explore how Domestication and Foreignization are employed in the translation of contemporary foreign literature to convey the realities of today’s international society in a way that can preserve the original connotation and manifest the beauty of Chinese. Hopefully, this study can also lead more people to pay attention to contemporary literature translation and the reality of today’s international society.
Set Theory Revisited: Related Theorems and Realms and Their Development
Authors: Dong Jiani
Published: June 2024

The concept of set dates back to the beginning of counting, and logical concepts regarding classes have existed since the tree of Porphyry, which was created in the third century CE. In light of this, it is difficult to determine where the idea of a set came from in the first place. However, sets are not collections in that this word is commonly understood, nor are they classes in the sense that logicians understood them before the middle of the 19th century. This study further presents a comprehensive trail on the development of set theory by comparing and organizing the disciplines, theories, and hypotheses associated with this major mathematical invention. Additionally, the study also presents the research paradigms that are related to this invention. This result highlights the inherent limitations of formal axiomatic systems, which undermines the quest for a complete and self-contained foundation for mathematics solely based on set theory. Furthermore, the second incompleteness theorem proposed by Godel asserts that no consistent formal system, including set theory, is capable of proving its consistency of being consistent. Mathematicians have been prompted to investigate alternative foundational approaches and philosophical perspectives due to the incompleteness theorems proposed by Gödel. These theorems doubt the absolute certainty and completeness of mathematical knowledge derived from set theory.
Financial Network Stability Under Shocks: Analysis and Reflections
Authors: Guo Tianyun
Published: June 2024

This study will explore the resilience and stability of financial networks under major shocks, which will be analyzed by reviewing the facts in situations such as the 2008 financial crisis and the research analysis of prominent scholars. One of the main results is that the types of financial networks most susceptible to contagious failures change dramatically as the magnitude or number of negative shocks exceeds a certain threshold. In particular, more financial connectivity is no longer a guarantee of stability. Conversely, interbank liabilities can fuel financial contagion and create a more vulnerable system in the event of a large shock. The results show that in large-scale shocks, “weakly connected” financial networks - for example, those consisting of a pair of connected banks that share a minimal amount of assets and liabilities with the rest of the system - are much more stable than more complete networks. This paper puts forward the consideration of financial network stability, which helps financial networks maintain stability in the face of potential financial shocks to a certain extent.
Dawn of antimicrobials: Using phages to synergize with antibiotics to counteract bacteria
Authors: Wang Bangai
Published: June 2024

Currently, the misuse of antibiotics has led to a global crisis of antibiotic resistance, and people have to start seeking new strategies to solve this problem. Traditional phage therapy has been valued for its advantages of strong bactericidal efficacy and self-replication. However, the use of phage alone may confront a series of problems, such as a narrow antimicrobial spectrum, phage resistance, and immunogenicity. If phage and antibiotics are used in combination, they can synergistically lyse host bacteria and better control or eradicate bacterial infections. Therefore, their combination has recently begun to become a hotspot for research and application of phage therapy. In this paper, by collating the research literature and clinical reports on the combined application of phage and antibiotics, we explore and summarize the synergistic mechanism of phage and antibiotics, the mechanism of bacterial resistance, and the limitations of this cocktail therapy.
Cancer Therapy Using Lipid Nanoparticles to Encapsulate mRNA Mixtures Encoding Cytokines
Authors: Li Zexi
Published: June 2024

Compared with conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, mRNA gene therapy is a novel and promising approach. mRNA gene therapy has the advantage of being faster compared to other gene therapies and at a relatively low cost. Cytokines are potent modulators of the tumor microenvironment and were one of the first immunotherapies used to treat human cancers. The mRNA-generated cytokines have potential advantages over surface-engineered recombinant cytokines. Research has been showing effective therapeutic implications through local therapy by delivering immune-stimulated mRNAs to the tumor microenvironment (TME) with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Currently, new cytokine mRNA mixtures have been approved for their safe and efficient anticancer effects with low side effects, including a mixture of IL-12 and IL-27 mRNA, mRNA mixture encoding IL-23, IL-36, and OX40L, mRNA mixture encoding GM-CSF, IL15 sushi, IFNα, and scIL-12, etc. This review describes examples of enhancing efficacy through the use of LNPs to encapsulate mRNAs encoding cytokines and mRNA mixtures encoding two or more synergistic cytokines-lipid nanoparticles to improve therapeutic efficacy. Future research is required to consider translating in vitro and in vivo studies of mRNA mixture into clinical applications.
La conscience nationale à l’épreuve d’une identité multi-ethnique dans l’Afrique postcoloniale
Authors:   Université Notre-Dame de Lomami (UNILO), ILUNGA KALE Pierre
Published: June 2024

Résumé - Les Etats africains, dans leurs frontières actuelles, ne sont pas nés d’une autodétermination mais plutôt d’une volonté étrangère animée par les intérêts économiques, au mépris de toute organisation locale et en affaiblissant toutes les références identitaires particulières. Il est clair que, dans ces conditions, la conscience nationale se présente comme un défi de l’histoire à relever.
Notion biblique de nation, peuple, ethnie et réalités africaines
Authors:   Province franciscaine Saint Benoît l’Africain (RD Congo), MATABARO CHUBAKA Pierre
Published: June 2024

Résumé - Partant du lexique et de l’histoire d’Israël qui a connu divers statuts politico-sociaux, la notion biblique de nation (goy) peut s’appliquer mutatis mutandis aux tribus d’Afrique. La plupart des tribus ont les mêmes caractéristiques politiques et une terre, de sorte que la RD Congo apparait comme une fédération des nations qui, à travers la colonisation, ont subi le même sort qu’Israël. Elles doivent maintenir l’unité dans la diversité grâce aux entités décentralisées.
La personne et le corps humain selon l’anthropologie africaine-bantu
Authors:   Université Pédagogique Nationale (UPN/Kinshasa), MUTELA KONGO Alain
Published: June 2024

Résumé – L’auteur veut mettre en exergue l’anthropologie unitaire de l’univers bantu, où l’être humain est conçu comme un tout unifié et indivisible, contrairement à ce qu’affirme une certaine anthropologie dualiste de type occidental. Pour asseoir son argumentaire, il puise dans sa propre culture et dans la culture chrétienne, des notions fondamentales relatives à la signification des concepts “personne humaine” et “corps humain”; et aux relations constitutives de tout homme. Il en ressort que, la personne humaine est fondamentalement une plaque tournante des relations que même la mort ne détruit pas.
Conscience d’appartenance : entre la tribalité et la (trans)nationalité
Authors:   Université Catholique du Congo, ONAOTSHO KAWENDE Jean
Published: June 2024

Résumé - L’humain se révèle à la fois comme être-avec et être-au-monde. Ainsi, il est situé dans le temps et dans l’espace dont il porte l’empreinte et hérite le patrimoine. Cet héritage définit son appartenance primitive à une famille, une tribu, une ethnie ou une nation. L’ouverture d’un niveau d’appartenance à un autre s’opère dans une conscience formatée par une dialectique qui double l’appartenance de la distanciation. Mais, une telle ouverture, notamment de la sphère tribale à la sphère (trans-)nationale, requiert l’instauration d’un ordre social, politique et culturel juste.
La religion chrétienne, une religion tardive greffée sur des identités particulières
Authors:   Universités (Fribourg), MUSHIPU MBOMBO Dieudonné
Published: June 2024

Résumé - La religion chrétienne est tardive. Elle vient trouver chez les Juifs, chez les Occidentaux ainsi qu’en Afrique, des religions établies qui constituent, avec un ensemble de mythes qui les entourent, le pivot identitaire de ces peuples. Chez les Juifs comme chez les Occidentaux, ces anciennes religions sont respectées et présentées comme des terreaux préparatifs à l’accueil historique de la religion chrétienne dans une perspective dialogale. Cela devrait être pareil pour la religion traditionnelle africaine, et pour l’Afrique en quête de son identité face à la mondialisation.
Repenser l’Etat et préserver l’ethnicité Perspectives pour forger une conscience nationale en RD Congo
Authors:   Université Catholique du Congo et Université de Kananga (UNIKAN), BEYA MALENGU Bertin
Published: June 2024

« Que la citoyenneté demeure ou devienne la pierre d’angle de nos républiques et que les ethnies les fleurissent de leur diversité culturelle » (M. Kamto). Résumé - La RDC est un Etat « multiethnique ». Mais la diversité a été considérée comme une menace à l’unité nationale ; ce qui explique l’absence de la formalisation de l’ethnicité à travers les différentes Constitutions au motif de la lutte contre la discrimination et le séparatisme. Les politiciens congolais, au lieu d’encourager les ethnies à édifier une société politique, ont érigé le tribalisme en mode de gouvernement. Cela a abouti à la marginalisation, voire l’exclusion d’autres groupes ethniques de la chose publique. La diversité ethnique ne pourra devenir une chance et une richesse politique que si elle est formalisée à travers l’introduction du droit des ethnies dans une Constitution républicaine où la différence est reconnue et respectée.
The Effect of Monetary Policy on Import, Export, and Foreign Direct Investment: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Sana Moniba , Khan Waqar Muhammad , Akbar Shahid
Published: June 2024

This study investigated the effect of monetary policy determinants upon Pakistani export, import, and foreign direct investment using annual data for the period 1980 to 2021. The Bond cointegration tests showed the existence of a long-term relationship among imports and the other variables. Upon analyzing the import model, it was discovered that in the short term, variables such as the exchange rate and money supply exert a significant influence on imports. Conversely, over a prolonged period, the currency rate, inflation rate, and money supply all exert positive and statistically significant impacts on imports. In the export model, the previous values of export and money supply had a favorable impact, though it was not statistically noteworthy. Conversely, the discount rate and exchange rate showed a detrimental effect, but it was not statistically significant. The inflation rate exerted a substantial and favorable influence on exports. Overall, the study's findings deepen our understanding of the complexities of global commerce and provide important perspectives for both policymakers and practitioners in properly overseeing trade agreements. The findings demonstrate the presence of enduring relationships between the variables and offer helpful information regarding the immediate and long-term effects of different variables on imports and exports. These insights are particularly crucial for comprehending the intricacies of monetary policy and trade policy within the specific framework of Pakistan.
La aplicación práctica del régimen especial de los municipios de gran población en los ayuntamientos de tamaño intermedio
Authors: Menéndez Alonso José María
Published: June 2024

El régimen de organización de los municipios de gran población, introducido en la Ley 7/1985, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local, por la Ley 57/2003, de medidas para la modernización del gobierno local, no fue pensado para los municipios de tamaño intermedio. La experiencia práctica evidencia que debería revisarse.
La hacienda de los municipios españoles: diagnóstico, evaluación y propuestas para una reforma
Authors: Bosch Roca Núria , Vilalta Ferrer Maite
Published: June 2024

Este artículo describe y evalúa la situación actual de la hacienda de los municipios españoles y, en base a la experiencia comparada, señala algunas líneas para tener en cuenta en una futura posible reforma.Se hace una valoración del modelo, poniendo énfasis en la insuficiente autonomía financiera de los municipios, el desequilibrio vertical y la falta de equidad horizontal. El artículo concluye en la necesidad de afrontar la actual organización territorial con un exceso de pequeños municipios, clarificar el marco competencial, incrementar el volumen de recursos en manos de los municipios, reforzar la cesta tributaria local y mejorar el funcionamiento de las actuales subvenciones con un objetivo nivelador.
New Media Advertisement and Subsequent Effects on Purchase Intention of Consumers: An Empirical Study
Authors: Kelmendi Jeton , Bhatt Vinod , Gupta Dev Brat , Sirohi Gajendra , Sinani Resul
Published: June 2024

In the present scenario, no one is away from the fast blowing wind of online advertising or more clearly stated as new media advertising. The objective of the paper is to analyse the effect of new media advertisement and the consumer buying behaviour. Simple random sampling is employed in the quantitative research methodology. Data was acquired by questionnaire sent among new media users. A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the questionnaire's suitably designed questions. The sample size chosen is 360 in total. In order to evaluate the impact of the new media advertisement on consumers, different variables have been determined such as, attention grabbing, entertainment, credibility, creative characteristics, emotional appeal. The results of the analysis indicate that the new media advertisements have the greatest impact on consumers' purchasing decisions among all available options. The author hopes to provide insightful analysis of the new media advertisement by relating these findings to pertinent theories from the theoretical framework.
Implementing Octalysis Framework as A Gamified Tool to Increase Successful Practices in The EFL Classroom
Authors: Medina-Gómez Diana Carolina , Gutiérrez Jonatan Steveson Camero , Sarmiento Marta Osorio de , Vargas German Rolando , Betancourt Blanca Lucia Cely
Published: June 2024

Gamification has become a concept that is permeating the new classroom dynamics. Nowadays, children learn through different ways in which games and technology are combined. This qualitative study shows the contributions of gamification to the specific educational processes of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) by using the Octalysis framework method in seventh-grade students at Colegio Rosario de Santo Domingo. We randomly selected a group of twenty students aged 11 to 12 years old to participate. To better understand and find the outcomes, the researchers conducted semi-structured interviews, interaction workshops, field journals, ethnographic and participatory observations, start and exit workshops, and focus groups. Results showed that gamified settings improve students' performance during their class lessons since they were successful during their process of learning a foreign language. The data collected showed that the implementation of Octalysis in the teaching of English as a foreign language not only improves communicative competence in the target language but also improves social relationships between participants, creating a more peaceful and relaxed learning environment. Finally, this strategy has been shown to increase motivation and engagement significantly in the language learning process.
Exploring the Algorithm for Diagnosing Burnout of Counselors in Higher Vocational Colleges in Guangdong Province Based on Emotion Recognition
Authors: Dang Rili , Samad Noorazman Abd
Published: June 2024

The main objective of the research is to deal with the drawbacks of conventional self-report tests by designing and validating a novel Emotion Recognition (ER) algorithm for assessing Counsellor Burnout (CB) in Higher Vocational Colleges (HVC) in Guangdong Province. Applying the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) Survey Questionnaires, voice and facial expression files, and text analysis of counselling sessions, researchers collected an enormous dataset from 97 counsellors. The study employed a multimodal fusion layer to integrate multiple neural network architectures, namely RNNs for audio content, CNNs for video content, and a BERT+LSTM hybrid for textual analysis. This enabled a thorough examination of each ER. By dramatically exhibiting an accuracy of more than 92% for identifying the symptoms of burnout, this method is better than the conventional methods that have been used in previous years. The technique, which successfully recognizes complex, real-time emotions that are frequently ignored when individuals communicate emotions in person, can be used to obtain a more accurate and expert evaluation of burnout because of its capacity to recognize these reactions accurately. Different sources of data and contemporary Machine Learning (ML) methods have enhanced CB prediction and observation. This approach enhances counsellors' emotional stability and assists in developing pedagogical mental health interventions. Findings demonstrate that ML techniques may enhance mental assessment and counselling in demanding employment.
Psychological Consequences Associated with The Intensity of Drug Use in The Adult Population of Ecuador
Authors: Sánchez Dolores Amparito Rodríguez , García-Castillo Fernando , López-Sánchez Carmen
Published: June 2024

Introduction. The use of illegal substances is considered one of the health problems facing the world today, given the condition caused in the population by the damage or consequences of their consumption. Method. The present investigation was carried out an analytical-descriptive cross-sectional study, working with a sample of 480 patients representing 95% of the population, intentionally selected by non-probabilistic sampling. Results. The data obtained make it possible to determine the intensity of drug use and its relationship with anxiety, depression, perceived stress and self-esteem, in a population group of adult consumers; in addition to broadening the vision of the behavioral dynamics of these phenomena. Conclusions. These results can contribute to the epidemiological monitoring of the mental condition of hospitalized patients, as well as contribute to the generation of general and specific intervention proposals for anxiety, depression, stress and self-esteem by regulating drug use.
Impacto De La Contaminación Auditiva Sobre El Ambiente Y La Salud Aguachica (Cesar)
Authors: Duarte Chaudruc Kelly Viviana , Pallares Arévalo Elizabeth , Saldaña Escorcia Rossember , Ropero Pallares Rocío
Published: June 2024

La presente investigacion aborda el objetivo de analizar el impacto de la contaminación auditiva sobre el ambiente y la salud en los habitantes del sector San Marcos, en el municipio de Aguachica, Cesar. El estudio se desarrolló bajo un tipo descriptivo con un enfoque cuantitativo. Para su elaboración se aplicó una encuesta a 25 mujeres y 25 hombres con edades entre los 18 y 60 años con el fin de determinar las afectaciones causadas por la exposición a niveles elevados de ruido resultantes de la urbanización y el aumento de establecimientos comerciales. Además, se realizó una revisión de fuentes secundarias sobre los factores de contaminación auditiva. Como resultado se evidenció que existe una alta exposición a niveles de ruido, los cuales están afectando la calidad de vida de los habitantes objeto estudio, teniendo repercusiones en la salud y al ambiente, siendo este último fundamental para su desarrollo como seres humanos. Por ende, se concluye que la contaminación auditiva es un factor ambiental que interfiere en las actividades cotidianas dado que las exposiciones a niveles altos pueden generar alteraciones en el bienestar físico, mental y social.
The effect of clinical education on optimizing self-care by dental students in Switzerland
Authors: Hofer Deborah , Gartenmann Stefanie J. , B. Wiedemeier Daniel , Attin Thomas , R. Schmidlin Patrick
Published: June 2024

Students, who may begin their dental education with sub-optimal oral self-care practices, are taught they should motivate patients to clean interdentally and reduce/stop smoking. To better understand their internalization of these concepts, students were surveyed at two distinct time points.
Student cohorts from four Swiss universities were asked to complete an interdental cleaning/smoking habit questionnaire at the beginning of their pre-clinical education (n = 110) and again a year later, when beginning treatment of patients (n = 115). A local cohort (n = 28) was observed for comparison. All subjects participated voluntarily and anonymously.
Interdental cleaning ≥ 3 times per week was performed by 48% first-year and 43% second-year students in Basel, 60% and 76% in Bern, 60% and 70% in Geneva, 41% and 49% in Zurich, and 29% in the local cohort. Logistic regression using gender, class year and school as explanatory variables showed gender (p < 0.001) and school (p = 0.018) influenced cleaning frequency, with the odds being 3.16 [95% CI: 1.76, 5.67] times higher for females to perform interdental cleaning ≥ 3 times per week. Smoking was reported both years in numbers too low to analyze.
Approximately 29% of the local cohort and 52% of the first-year students displayed an interdental cleaning frequency congruent with oral health recommendations. Adequate cleaning frequency increased for second-year students to 58%, which was not significant. Further study is needed to determine why more dental students do not themselves clean interdentally.
Cost savings in the Swiss healthcare system resulting from professional periodontal care
Authors: Ramseier Christoph A. , Manamel Raji , Budmiger Raffael , Cionca Norbert , Sahrmann Philipp , R. Schmidlin Patrick , Martig Lukas
Published: June 2024

More than 740 million people worldwide are affected by periodontal disease and are at higher risk of secondary damage such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which place a considerable financial burden on healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to use a computer simulation to estimate the direct and indirect costs of prevention and treatment of gingivitis, periodontitis and related secondary damage in the Swiss population, paid both out of pocket (OOP) and from social welfare (SW).
For three different scenarios, iterations with 200,000 simulated individuals over their assumed life span of 35 to 100 years corresponded to a period of four months in which an individual could move from one periodontal condition to the next, each associated with presumed direct and indirect treatment costs.
Appropriate diagnosis and adherence to professional periodontal care had a strong benefit saving up to CHF 5.94 billion OOP and CHF 1.03 billion SW costs for the current Swiss population. Considering direct and indirect health care costs, the total expected costs for a 35-year-old individual until death were CHF 17’310 with minimal care and CHF 15’606 with optimal care, resulting in savings of CHF 1’704.
In conclusion, early detection and appropriate treatment of periodontitis can help to reduce both overall costs of treating periodontitis and associated secondary damage, especially in the second half of life. These cost savings may further pay off on an individual level through regular supportive periodontal care, both for treatments paid out-of-pocket and those covered by social welfare.
AFM Analysis of Polymeric Membranes Fouling
Authors: Gordano A
Published: June 2024

This work represents a part of a larger work, aimed at evaluating the fouling behavior of different flat polymeric membranes for low-pressure applications when placed in contact with industrial wastewater (IWW). To design and understand the operation of a membrane process it is essential to know the fouling mechanisms. Commercial PVDF and PS membranes were tested under static conditions. The reduction in membrane flux was calculated, before and after the fouling tests. Parameters such as membrane material, pore size, solids concentration, particle size, pH, temperature, flow rate, and pressure were studied to identify the fouling behavior of the membrane. The strong adhesion of organic molecules on the membrane surface develops a resistance to pore blockage which allows a significant decrease in the flow of clean water. It is important to note that membranes of the same material, PVDF, but with different pore size (0.2 and 0.5 mm), and membranes of different materials, PVDF and PS, but with the same pore size (0.2 mm) were tested to study the trend of surface fouling to predict it and/or design surface modifications of the membranes employed. A morphological analysis of the membranes was carried out to understand the fouling mechanism, the fouling times, and the nature of the block that determines the reduction of flow through the membrane itself. Roughness measurements reveal that roughness goes up to 120 minutes of immersing time in wastewater, but after 4 hours it returns to initial value but with a significant decrease of flux to water. Understanding the relationship between flux decline, morphology, and roughness role is key to preventing fouling and studying a valid method to clean the membrane.
The Impact of Executive Team's Academic Background on Corporate ESG Performance
Authors: Qi Zhengyang
Published: June 2024

The ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has become a significant metric for assessing a company's long-term value and its capacity for sustainable development. This study examines the impact of executive team academic backgrounds on corporate ESG performance using data from 26,400 China's A-share listed firms from 2008 to 2022. The findings reveal a positive correlation between the academic background of the executive team and corporate ESG performance. The enhancing effect of the executive team's academic background on corporate ESG performance is more pronounced in firms with low auditing quality and in non-state-owned enterprises. The study provides insights for companies aiming to improve their environmental standards, fulfill social responsibilities, and enhance corporate governance.
Integrity Culture and Socio-economic Development Interactions and Synergies
Authors: Li Yupu
Published: June 2024

As a core element of social ethics and institutions, the culture of integrity has a profound impact on social and economic development. It directly promotes steady economic growth and social harmony and stability by improving the efficiency of government governance, optimising resource allocation and enhancing social trust. The existence and promotion of a culture of integrity can reduce corruption, ensure the rational use of public resources, create a market environment of fair competition, thus attracting more investment, stimulating market vitality, promoting technological innovation and industrial upgrading, and achieving sustained and healthy economic development. The favourable trend of socio-economic development in turn provides a solid foundation for the consolidation of a culture of integrity. Economic prosperity has increased the resources of the government and social organisations, allowing for more support and investment in anti-corruption work, improving the rule of law and supervision mechanisms, and raising the public's education level and legal awareness. With the improvement of material living standards and the overall quality of society brought about by economic development, citizens' sense of integrity and social responsibility have also increased, forming a good atmosphere in which the culture of integrity is more deeply rooted in people's hearts. However, the relationship between the culture of integrity and social and economic development is not always smooth and unhindered. Rapid economic growth may be accompanied by the prevalence of profit-driven and materialism, inducing some people to pursue illegal interests and leading to the breeding and spread of corrupt behaviour. Therefore, while promoting economic development, it is necessary to attach great importance to the construction of a culture of integrity, strengthen integrity education and institutional construction, and ensure that the culture of integrity is promoted in tandem with economic development. In short, there is a significant synergistic effect between the culture of integrity and social and economic development, and the two complement each other to promote the overall progress of society. Integrity culture promotes the healthy development of the economy by optimising the governance and market environment; while economic development provides the necessary material basis and social conditions for the dissemination and consolidation of integrity culture. To realise the benign interaction between the culture of integrity and socio-economic development, it is necessary to adhere to the rule of law to combat corruption, strengthen institutional construction, deepen the education of integrity, and create a social atmosphere of respect for integrity. Through the joint efforts of society as a whole, the synergistic effect of a culture of integrity and socio-economic development can be brought into full play, and society can be promoted to achieve the goals of fair, just and sustainable development.
Can Digital Transformation Improve ESG Performance?
Authors: Du Lingyun
Published: June 2024

Taking the A-share listed companies on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2009 to 2020 as samples. This paper uses Python to construct an index of digital transformation by analyzing text data from enterprises’ annual reports and examines its impact on enterprise ESG performance and impact channels. The empirical results show that digital transformation can significantly improve the ESG performance of the enterprise. This finding is still valid after a series of robustness and endogeneity tests. Mechanistic tests show that digital transformation contributes to ESG performance by enhancing the capability for green innovation and improving the quality of information disclosure. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effectiveness of digital transformation is affected by the nature of property rights and the management’s green perception. This research expands the application of enterprise digital transformation and provides solutions for enterprises to achieve sustainable development.
Smart City Pilot Policy and Urban Productivity in China: Based on Difference-in-Differences Model
Authors: Yao Jiahui
Published: June 2024

Urban productivity is a key indicator to measure urban economic performance, which is related to the competitiveness of cities and the economic development of countries and regions. To clarify the mechanism of constructing smart cities and urban productivity, using the panel data of 284 prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2020, this paper constructs a difference-in-differences model for empirical tests. The study found that the construction of smart cities can promote urban productivity. Meanwhile, the mechanism tests indicate that smart cities mainly improve urban productivity through technological innovation, advanced industrial structure and digital financial empowerment. According to heterogeneity analysis, smart cities in eastern cities and large cities significantly promote urban productivity, while the promotion effect of smart cities in central and western cities and small cities was not significant. This study has vital reference significance for guiding the construction of smart cities and exploring how to improve urban productivity.
Does Digital Transformation Affect Enterprise Innovation?: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Yang Jiayi
Published: June 2024

Up against mass entrepreneurship and innovation in recent years, China has vigorously promoted enterprise digital transformation. Taking Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2022 as samples, this paper empirically tests the relationship between enterprise digital transformation and enterprise innovation. The research results show that enterprise digital transformation can significantly promote enterprise innovation. Meanwhile, internal control and financing constraints of enterprises play a moderating role between digital transformation and enterprise innovation. In the samples with different property rights and whether they are high-tech enterprises, the effect of enterprise digital transformation on enterprise innovation varies. Incorporating digital transformation and enterprise innovation into the same analysis framework, this paper expands existing research and puts forward corresponding suggestions and prospects.
Impact of Information Technology on Teaching and Learning
Authors: Obinna Nancy Ngozi , Thuraka Bharadwaj , Okusi Oluwatobiloba
Published: June 2024

Information technology (IT) has been impacting positively on all spheres of life in the 21st century, including bringing new methods of teaching and learning. This study aims to appraise the impact of IT on education in the form of hybrid teaching (HT henceforth). Telephone interviews, observation, library and the internet are the primary and secondary sources of data. Qualitative methods, systematic review, and thematic and content analyses along with suitable descriptive and interpretive techniques are employed. The analysis shows that teaching and learning have been changed, innovated, transformed, rebranded and simplified by IT, as in HT mode, even though the extent of the positive impact of IT in teaching and learning is most often reduced by the factors constraining the integration of IT into education. The study concludes that the findings have practical implications for systematized and personalized seamless patterns of teaching and learning. It recommends more research into HT, more specifically in developing nations, to unveil and rouse deserving attention to the challenges of integrating IT into the education sector, particularly in HT. It also charges all concerned political and educational authorities to provide schools and learners with the needed technologies and logistics for effective HT and online teaching and learning, towards harnessing the huge prospects of digitalization.
Review of The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies by Bryan Caplan
Authors: Popat Prema , Powell Benjamin
Published: June 2024

All serious students of political economy should read The Myth of the Rational Voter. It attempts to answer one of the most important questions in political economy – why democracies choose bad policies. Caplan’s answer is bold. He claims that governments do not fail to produce good outcomes because of special interests or self-interested bureaucrats or politicians. Instead, he argues that voters largely get the policies they want, but voter beliefs on economic issues are irrational and systematically biased. He does this while arguing that even though traditional neoclassical theory assumes rationality, he is well within that framework. Voters are rationally irrational.
Saving and Investment: A Praxeological Approach
Authors: Barnett II William , Block Walter
Published: June 2024

Clarity in language in the sin qua non of any intellectual pursuit. If we cannot communicate accurately with one another, there is no hope of progress in scientific endeavor. Nowhere is this more true, at least in economics, than with regard to such concepts as real, as opposed to financial, saving and investment. The present paper constitutes an attempt to clarify the sometimes confusing dialogue that often ensues in this arena when sufficient care is not taken to distinguish between these very different topics. To wit, it is our hypothesis that while financial saving and investment may indeed and often do diverge from one another, the same is not at all true of real saving and real investment. In the latter case, real saving does not precede real investment; rather, it is coincident with it.
Austrian Economics and the Political Economy of Freedom
Authors: Ebeling Richard M.
Published: June 2024

The revival of the modern Austrian School of economics may be said to have begun 30 years ago. In 1974 the Austrian School had been on hiatus for almost a quarter of a century. For more than 60 years before the 1940s, the Austrian economists had been considered some of the most original contributors to economic theory and policy. They were among the leading developers of the theories of marginal utility, opportunity cost, value and price, capital and interest, markets and competition, money and the business cycle, and comparative economic systems – capitalism versus socialism versus the interventionist welfare state. But the rise and triumph of the Keynesian explanation of and prescription for the Great Depression eclipsed all competing approaches to the problems of economic depression and high unemployment. Despite all that, however, fundamental Austrian insights about man and the market exposed in this article are still corner-stones of a unique Austrian approach which is incompatible with the positivist, historicist, and neoclassical economic views of the world.
František Čuhel (1862-1914)
Authors: Hudík Marek
Published: June 2024

The article deals with the contribution of almost forgotten Czech economist František Čuhel, whose fundamental work “Zur Lehre von den Bedürfnissen” appeared exactly 100 years ago. The article contains biographical facts, summarizes Čuhel’s major contribution consisting of the formulation of the ordinal utility theory, and explains his influence on economic thought.
Sistem Multi Partai Indonesia Dan Sistem Perwakilan Politik Kelurahan Dompak Tanjung Pinang
Authors: Jauzari Helmi  , Reski Apriyani  , Syahriful Ahyar  , Raja Nur Hafriza
Published: June 2024

The aim of this research is to understand the multi-party system in Indonesia, the political representation system in Indonesia, and the relationship between these systems with the political dynamics in Kelurahan Dompak, Tanjung Pinang. A descriptive qualitative research method was employed, utilizing interviews, observations, and document analysis to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. The results indicate that Indonesia's political system provides opportunities for various political parties to participate in the political process and elections. At the local level, the relationship between political parties, the community, and the government is crucial in the context of democracy. Although the dynamics of political money influence the public's perception of assistance provided by candidates, the principles of political equality and freedom remain the foundation of the political representation system aimed at forming a government that is responsive to the needs of the people.
Osteoporosis and Fracture Risk Associated with Novel Antidepressants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hu Jin , Xie Kailuo , Wu Senxiang , Chen Yiyi
Published: June 2024

Background: The use of antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), has been linked to adverse effects on bone health, but findings are conflicting. This study aimed to quantify the associations between newer antidepressants and bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk through a comprehensive meta-analysis.
Methods: Observational studies on the association between the use of novel antidepressants and BMD and hip fracture were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted to pool results across the eligible studies. The heterogeneity, publication bias, and influence were assessed extensively.
Results: 14 eligible studies with 1,417,134 participants were identified. Antidepressant use was associated with significantly lower BMD compared to non-use at all skeletal sites examined, with pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) ranging from –0.02 (total hip) to –0.04 (femoral neck). Importantly, antidepressant use was associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of hip fracture (pooled odds ratio (OR) 2.50, 95% CI 2.26–2.76). While heterogeneity was detected, the overall findings were robust in sensitivity analyses.
Conclusions: This meta-analysis provided strong evidence that novel antidepressants, especially widely used SSRIs, have detrimental impacts on bone health. The observed associations with decreased BMD and doubled hip fracture risk have important clinical implications.