bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boost DC‐DC Converter with Non‐dissipative Snubber
Authors: Yau Yeu‐Torng
Published: June 2024

To provide a hold‐up time function in DC‐DC supplies for cell site stations or data centers, using a boost converter with a bulk output capacitor as a front‐end converter stage is a simple and highly cost‐effective solution. However, conventional boost converters with a hard‐switching operation result in low conversion efficiency and increased electromagnetic interference emissions. In this paper, a boost converter with a new non‐dissipative snubber is proposed that only requires two additional diodes, an inductor, and a multilayer ceramic capacitor. The main feature of the proposed snubber is that the components are not located on the main power processing path. This means they only require low ratings, improving cost‐effectiveness. A prototype converter is analyzed, realized, and applied to a 300 W redundant DC‐DC power supply module for a 5G cell base station. © 2024 The Author(s). IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering published by Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Practices of Living Well Among Youth in an Arctic Region
Authors: Vedeler Gørill Warvik , Saus Merete , Wara Tatiana , Sollid Hilde , Strandbu Astrid
Published: June 2024

Global challenges related to health, climate, the economy and political tensions have affected many, including those living in remote areas. We explore how youth live and appreciate life in the Arctic region of Norway. We facilitated four dialogue café sessions where participants talked about the everyday lives of young people. Based on these conversations in this chapter, we ask: What future prospects are present for youth in the Arctic? And What transformations are needed for them to live well in this region? This dialogic approach develops site-ontological knowledge to use when educating teachers and develop schools that promote youth’s wellbeing and growth. We use the term ‘(re)orientation practices’, along with Anthias’ concept of translocational positionality, to expand the debate on prospect identity and belonging from a focus on culture, nation, ethnicity or place of upbringing to intersections of social positions and social divisions in complex practices. Three themes emerged through analyses: youth’s reasons for choosing to live in this region; to live sustainably and well in this area; and the tension between the southern and northern parts of the country. The students’ conversations revealed negotiations on translocational positionality, and how tensions are scaled by a central-periphery dichotomy, diverse reasonings and socially-biased semantics.
Learning Through Change: What the Pandemic Has Taught Us About Living Well in a World Worth Living In
Authors: Francisco Susanne , Sjølie Ela
Published: June 2024

The experiences of academics during the pandemic influenced their actions in relation to the changes they were experiencing and also influenced their understanding of what is important going forward. For many academics, the COVID-19 pandemic involved working from home, changed ways of interacting with students and colleagues, and changed relationships with students, colleagues, family, and community. This chapter asks the questions: how can we make the most of the changes that occurred because of the pandemic, and what other changes might we create going forward? Based on interviews with, and journal entries by, 30 academics (16 Norway; 14 Australia), this chapter identifies key global, community, and personal aspects to participants’ understanding of living well in a world worth living in. Informed by the theory of practice architectures, we also discuss the practice architectures that might support the changes (and in some cases the sustaining and further development of transformations already taking place) that these academics envisaged, with a focus on changed technology use, work flexibility, stable employment with good working conditions, and social justice.
Conclusion: Forging Future Worlds Worth Living in for All
Authors: Windsor Sally , Kaukko Mervi , Kemmis Stephen
Published: June 2024

This chapter concludes the volume, the series and the World Worth Living in for All project. It discusses how the contributors in this book have actively sought to change their worlds in order to make them better for all. The discussion highlights how authors and those they have engaged with over time recognise that education needs disrupting and transforming, and for its boundaries to be expanded. We see in these chapters that people can, and do, actively explore possible futures in their daily lives. In this summary of varied projects engaged in actively making future worlds worth living in, this chapter looks to the past for some wisdom. What began as a listening project, has in itself expanded to one that has documented a range of activist educators who will continue to strive to make a world more worth living in for all.
Whose Well-Being? Deep-Ecological and Posthuman Perspectives on ‘World Worth Living In’
Authors: Huttunen Rauno , Heikkinen Hannu L. T.
Published: June 2024

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the question of who is meant in this book when defining its mission to pursue ‘living well in a world worth living in for all.’ Who, or which, are ‘all’ in this phrase? The authors provocatively claim that the taken-for-granted starting point for most of the authors of this book seems to be the good life of humans, excluding the well-being of the rest of the community of life. The authors take deep-ecological and more-than-human thinking as their starting point, according to which the well-being of human species is dependent on the well-being of the global web of life. Anthropocentrism is the root cause of the ecological crisis that has befallen humanity and the entire planet. Rooted in the Aristotelian and Marxian tradition of praxis, the authors propose a posthuman interpretation of ‘living well,’ based on a review of deep ecology and posthumanism. This new interpretation of the praxis tradition is called praxis as planetary wisdom, defined as human action, aimed at human well-being which is intertwined with planetary well-being, including the well-being of present humans, future humans, and non-human nature. The way to achieve this wisdom is through ‘education for planetary well-being.’
Nurturing Eco-thinking by Leading and Learning from the Future as It Emerges
Authors: Thelin Katina , Seiser Anette Forssten
Published: June 2024

This chapter explores what it means for Swedish principals to live well in a world worth living in for all and how such a world can be realised within Swedish schools and pre-schools. In the study on which the chapter is based, we have used the theory of practice architectures, and the concept of “presencing” found in Theory U, to detect and describe what we here refer to as emerging practices. The empirical data comprise 12 semi-structured interviews with principals participating in the Swedish National School Leadership Training Programme. As a result of the study, we can provide examples of current ongoing, as well as imagined, future practices. In addition, we are able to share results of our search for signs of presencing processes: examples of activities by which principals nurture praxis and practice transitions that incorporate a shift from ego- to eco-thinking.
A Schooled Life: Dissonant Glimmers for Interruption Amidst the Tightly Constrained Practice of Schooling
Authors: Brunker Nicole
Published: June 2024

Beyond family, school is the next most dominant system within which children and young people live. It is pertinent then to ask what role school plays in children and young people living well in a life worth living in for all. For schooling to enable all to live well, it must be educational. Contemporary agendas have driven separation of education from schooling. Change is therefore needed in school practice to achieve the double duty required for all to live well in a world worth living in. Absence of redesign neglects the well-established problems in dominant school structures. Self-determination theory demonstrates change as essential for schools to have positive impact on the potential for all to live well. Central to such change must be the voices of children and young people to enable transformation. In this chapter, I share aspects from a small project that sought the perspectives of children and young people on what it is to live well in a world worth living in for all, and the role school does, and could, play in this lifelong endeavour. Most significantly, the perspectives shared draw attention to the space to see past the constraints of normative ways to be a school student.
Living Well in the Aftermath of Separation and Divorce: The Role of Teachers, Schools, and Early Childhood Services
Authors: Mahony Linda
Published: June 2024

Separation and divorce have become common phenomena across the world. There has been much research reporting the stress factors of parents/carers during the process of separation and divorce and the impact this has on children. However, there is little research that investigates the intersection between families experiencing separation and divorce and teachers, schools, and early childhood services. This chapter explores parents’ aspirations for their family in the aftermath of separation and divorce and their experiences of communication and collaboration with their children’s teachers, schools, and early childhood services in assisting them to realise these aspirations to live well. Data for this project came from an interview study with 12 mothers who discussed their perceptions of their communication and collaboration with their children’s teachers during the process of their separation and divorce. While some parents described the communication and collaboration with their children’s teachers and schools as enabling their family to live well, other parents shared stories where the practices of teachers and the school or early childhood service constrained their wellbeing and adjustment to their changed family circumstances. Parents provided suggestions of practices that teachers, schools, and early childhood services could engage to support their children and family to promote wellbeing.
Metallic nanostructures arrays by direct nanoimprinting of silver nanoparticles
Authors: Uddin Imran
Published: June 2024

The direct nanoimprinting of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) generated a plasmonic metallic nanostructure. The Ag NPs used in this study have been synthesized by a phase transfer method. The procedure comprised the utilisation of sodium borohydride to reduce silver nitrate in the presence of a stabilizing agent, which facilitated the transfer of the NPs from the aqueous phase to an organic phase, resulting in uniform and stable particles. The size and shape of the Ag NPs were characterized using electron microscopy, revealing spherical particles with an average diameter of 9 nm. The XRD examination revealed that the nanoparticles exhibit a high degree of crystallinity and possess a cubic geometric phase. The UV-visible absorption spectra demonstrate a significant level of homogeneity in the size. The silicon surface imprinted with Ag NPs exhibits hydrophobic behaviour towards water molecules. This approach allows for precise control of Ag NPs on the substrate, resulting in a robust and effective platform for future applications in sensor technology. Furthermore, the hydrophobic nature of the imprinted surface suggests potential applications in water-repellent coatings or self-cleaning materials.
Ultrathin Bronchoscopy Without Virtual Navigation for Diagnosis of Peripheral Lung Lesions
Authors: Sadoughi Ali , Synn Shwe , Chan Christine , Schecter David , Hernandez Romero Gabriel , Virdi Sahil , Sarkar Abhishek , Kim Mimi
Published: June 2024

Background

The increasing incidence of encountering lung nodules necessitates an ongoing search for improved diagnostic procedures. Various bronchoscopic technologies have been introduced or are in development, but further studies are needed to define a method that fits best in clinical practice and health care systems.

Research question

How do basic bronchoscopic tools including a combination of thin (outer diameter 4.2 mm) and ultrathin bronchoscopes (outer diameter 3.0 mm), radial endobronchial ultrasound (rEBUS) and fluoroscopy perform in peripheral pulmonary lesion diagnosis?

Study Design and Methods

This is a retrospective review of the performance of peripheral bronchoscopy using thin and ultrathin bronchoscopy with rEBUS and 2D fluoroscopy without a navigational system for evaluating peripheral lung lesions in a single academic medical center from 11/2015 to 1/2021. We used a strict definition for diagnostic yield and assessed the impact of different variables on diagnostic yield, specifically after employment of the ultrathin bronchoscope. Logistic regression models were employed to assess the independent associations of the most impactful variables.

Results

A total of 322 patients were included in this study. The median of the long axis diameter was 2.2 cm and the median distance of the center of the lesion from the visceral pleural surface was 1.9 cm. Overall diagnostic yield was 81.3% after employment of the ultrathin bronchoscope, with more detection of concentric rEBUS views (93% vs. 78%, p < 0.001). Sensitivity for detecting malignancy also increased from 60.5% to 74.7% (p = 0.033) after incorporating the ultrathin scope into practice, while bronchus sign and peripheral location of the lesion were not found to affect diagnostic yield. Concentric rEBUS view, solid appearance, upper/middle lobe location and larger size of the nodules were found to be independent predictors of successful achievement of diagnosis at bronchoscopy.

Interpretation: This study demonstrates a high diagnostic yield of biopsy of lung lesions achieved by utilization of thin and ultrathin bronchoscopes. Direct visualization of small peripheral airways with simultaneous rEBUS confirmation increased localization rate of small lesions in a conventional bronchoscopy setting without virtual navigational planning.
Digital 3D models for medieval heritage: diachronic analysis and documentation of its architecture and paintings
Authors: Munoz-Pandiella Imanol , Bosch Carles , Guardia Milagros , Cayuela Begoña , Pogliani Paola , Bordi Giulia , Paschali Maria , Andujar Carlos , Charalambous Panayiotis
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we discuss the requirements and technical challenges within the EHEM project, Enhancement of Heritage Experiences: The Middle Ages, an ongoing research program for the acquisition, analysis, documentation, interpretation, digital restoration, and communication of medieval artistic heritage. The project involves multidisciplinary teams comprising art historians and visual computing experts. Despite the vast literature on digital 3D models in support of Cultural Heritage, the field is so rich and diverse that specific projects often imply distinct, unique requirements which often challenge the computational technologies and suggest new research opportunities. As good representatives of such diversity, we describe the three monuments that serve as test cases for the project, all of them with a rich history of architecture and paintings. We discuss the art historians’ view of how digital models can support their research, the expertise and technological solutions adopted so far, as well as the technical challenges in multiple areas spanning geometry and appearance acquisition, color analysis and digital restitution, as well as the representation of the profound transformations due to the alterations suffered over the centuries.
Adoption of immersive-virtual reality as an intrinsically motivating learning tool in parasitology
Authors: Dekker Evan , Whitburn Damien , Preston Sarah
Published: June 2024

Veterinary parasitology is study of parasitic diseases, treatment and prevention. It is a major component of animal health courses due to impacts parasites have on production and companion animals. Extant tertiary education in parasitology typically involves theory sessions coupled with practical experience. In this study we propose tertiary parasitology teaching would be enhanced through adoption of immersive Virtual Reality (I-VR) as an intrinsically motivating learning tool to complement their studies. To evaluate this adoption, a custom I-VR parasitology game was developed that tertiary veterinary science students experienced (n = 109), with feedback assessed using the Hedonic-Motivation System Adoption Model (HMSAM). HMSAM proved appropriate for measuring student’s hedonistic and utilitarian perspectives of I-VR experience with perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, joy, ability to control, immersion levels and intention to use displaying significant positive relationships in derived model. However, in a departure from similar studies, the curiosity construct was not a useful predictor of intention to use in this context of a scaffolded, instructional application. This study highlights suitability of I-VR and provides a statistically robust evaluation method using a modified HMSAM to evaluate acceptance, usefulness, and ease of use of I-VR in tertiary education.
Metabolic changes assessed by 1H MR spectroscopy in the corpus callosum of post-COVID patients
Authors: Pajuelo Dita , Dezortova Monika , Hajek Milan , Ibrahimova Marketa , Ibrahim Ibrahim
Published: June 2024

Objective

Many patients with long COVID experience neurological and psychological symptoms. Signal abnormalities on MR images in the corpus callosum have been reported. Knowledge about the metabolic profile in the splenium of the corpus callosum (CCS) may contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of long COVID.

Materials and methods

Eighty-one subjects underwent proton MR spectroscopy examination. The metabolic concentrations of total N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds (Cho), total creatine (Cr), myo-inositol (mI), and NAA/Cho in the CCS were statistically compared in the group of patients containing 58 subjects with positive IgG COVID-19 antibodies or positive SARS-CoV-2 qPCR test at least two months before the MR and the group of healthy controls containing 23 subjects with negative IgG antibodies.

Results

An age-dependent effect of SARS-CoV-2 on Cho concentrations in the CCS has been observed. Considering the subjective threshold of age = 40 years, older patients showed significantly increased Cho concentrations in the CCS than older healthy controls (p = 0.02). NAA, Cr, and mI were unchanged. All metabolite concentrations in the CCS of younger post-COVID-19 patients remained unaffected by SARS-CoV-2. Cho did not show any difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (p = 0.91).

Discussion

Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 disproportionately increases Cho concentration in the CCS among older post-COVID-19 patients compared to younger ones. The observed changes in Cho may be related to the microstructural reorganization in the CCS also reported in diffusion measurements rather than increased membrane turnover. These changes do not seem to be related to neuropsychological problems of the post-COVID-19 patients. Further metabolic studies are recommended to confirm these observations.
Clinical implications of non-breast cancer related findings on FDG-PET/CT scan prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer
Authors: van Olmen Josefien P. , Schrijver A. Marjolein , Stokkel Marcel P. M. , Loo Claudette E. , Gunster Jetske L. B. , Vrancken Peeters Marie-Jeanne T. F. D. , van Duijnhoven Frederieke H. , van der Ploeg Iris M. C.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Breast cancer (BC) patients undergoing FDG-PET/CT scans for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may have additional non-BC related findings. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical implications of these findings.

Methods

We included BC patients who underwent an FDG-PET/CT scan in our institute between 2011–2020 prior to NAC. We focused on patients with an additional non-BC related finding (i.e. BC metastases were excluded) for which diagnostic work-up was performed. Information about the diagnostic work-up and the clinical consequences was retrospectively gathered. A revision of all FDG-PET/CT scans was conducted by an independent physician to assess the suspicion level of the additional findings.

Results

Of the 1337 patients who underwent FDG-PET/CT, 202 patients (15%) had an non-BC related additional finding for which diagnostic work-up was conducted, resulting in 318 examinations during the first year. The non-BC related findings were mostly detected in the endocrine region (26%), gastro-intestinal region (16%), or the lungs (15%). Seventeen patients (17/202: 8%, 17/1337: 1.3%) had a second primary malignancy. Only 8 patients (8/202: 4%, 8/1337: 0.6%) had a finding that was considered more prognosis-determining than their BC disease. When revising all FDG-PET/CT scans, 57 (202/57: 28%) of the patients had an additional finding categorized as low suspicious, suggesting no indication for diagnostic work-up.

Conclusion

FDG-PET/CT scans used for dissemination imaging in BC patients detect a high number of non-BC related additional findings, often clinically irrelevant and causing a large amount of unnecessary work-up. However, in 8% of the patients undergoing diagnostic work-up for an additional finding, a second primary malignancy was detected, warranting diagnostic attention in selected patients.
Is Resilience the Bridge Connecting Social and Family Factors to Mental Well-Being and Life Satisfaction?
Authors: Peleg Ora , Peleg Maya
Published: June 2024

Family and social support can enhance our perception of our ability to cope with stressful life events, as well as our psychological flexibility and mental well-being. The main goal of this unique study was to explore how a complex interplay of family, social, and personal factors contribute to mental well-being and life satisfaction. We hypothesized that differentiation of self (DoS) and social support (from family, friends, and significant others) would be positively associated with mental well-being and life satisfaction through the mediation of resilience. The sample included 460 participants (mean age 45.2; 236 males), who filled out questionnaires examining DoS, social support, resilience, mental well-being, and life satisfaction. In light of gender disparities evident in both existing literature and the current study, we analyzed the model separately for women and men. The findings revealed a mediation model, indicating that resilience mediated the relationship between two dimensions of DoS (emotional reactivity and I-position) and mental well-being for males, while DoS and social support contributed to women’s mental well-being without the mediation of resilience. Two factors emerged as contributors to improved mental well-being and life satisfaction: DoS and social support. Specifically, DoS was deemed important for both men and women, while social support emerged as a crucial dimension mainly for women.
Thermal activation of illitic-kaolinitic mixed clays
Authors: Keppert Martin , Pommer Vojtěch , Šádková Kateřina , Krejsová Jitka , Vejmelková Eva , Černý Robert , Koňáková Dana
Published: June 2024

The thermally activated clay minerals are well-known as perspective supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) able to reduce the Portland clinker consumption and thus also the related CO2 emissions. The best SCM performance among clay minerals is provided by thermally activated kaolin (metakaolin). Nevertheless, kaolinitic clays are not available everywhere, while varying mixed clays can be considered as globally affordable raw materials. The present work deals with the thermal activation of four illitic-kaolinitic clays with varied content of clay minerals, quartz and calcite, available locally in the Czech Republic. The attainment of activation was evaluated with the help of mechanical strength and the saturated lime test. There is no doubt that kaolin is the best clay for SCM production. However, the activation of mixed illitic-kaolinitic clays at 600 °C provided comparable and sufficient performance, despite that the crystal structure of illite was not completely decomposed. The non-clay minerals presence did not reduce the activity either; even the clay containing just about 50% of clay minerals (mostly illite) treated at 650 °C provided sufficient mechanical performance. As the drawback of activated illitic clays must be considered their higher sensitivity to the proper calcination temperature compared to metakaolin since illite (and other 2:1 clay minerals) does not form any metastable dehydroxylated phase.
Implications of Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder for Maternal Employment: United States vs. Norway
Authors: Brekke Idunn , Alecu Andreea , Ohrazda Celestia , Lee Jiwon
Published: June 2024

Objectives

A country’s social welfare system may play an important role in maternal employment. This study compared the labor market participation of mothers of children within the United States (U.S.) and Norway to examine whether the child’s age and severity of the ASD affected mothers’ employment differently between the two countries.

Methods

The 2019 National Survey of Children’s Health was used for the U.S. analysis, and the 2019 administrative register data were used for the Norwegian analysis. A logit model was used to analyze the impact of a child’s age and ASD severity on maternal employment in the U.S. and Norway. We presented the results as average marginal effects obtained from the logistic regression analyses.

Results

After adjusting for mothers’ sociodemographic variables and the child’s age, U.S. mothers of children with mild ASD and moderate/severe ASD had respectively 12 and 25% points lower probability of being employed than U.S. mothers of children without special health care needs. In Norway, mothers of children with moderate/severe ASD had a 13% points lower probability of employment than mothers without special health care needs. The probability of being employed for mothers caring for a child with ASD was significantly greater as the child got older in both countries.

Conclusions for Practice

The employment gap was more substantial in the U.S. than in Norway. A general high employment participation rate among women and an elaborated welfare state and policy package seem to benefit employment among mothers of children with ASD in Norway.
Analysis of deformation in tensegrity structures with curved compressed members
Authors: Jahn Hannes , Böhm Valter , Zentner Lena
Published: June 2024

Tensegrity structures are prestressed structures consisting of compressed members connected by prestressed tensioned members. Due to their properties, such as flexibility and lightness, mobile robots based on these structures are an attractive subject of research and are suitable for space applications. In this work, a mobile robot based on a tensegrity structure with two curved members connected by eight tensioned strings is analyzed in terms of deformation in the curved members. Further, the difference in locomotion trajectory between the undeformed and deformed structure after the prestress is analyzed. For that, the theory of large deflections of rod-like structures is used. To determine the relationship between acting forces and the deformation, the structure is optimized using minimization algorithms in Python. The results are validated by parameter studies in FEM. The analysis shows that the distance between the two curved members significantly influences the structure’s locomotion. It can be said that the deformation of the components significantly influences the locomotion of tensegrity structures and should be considered when analyzing highly compliant structures.
Understanding the Sociocultural Dynamics of Loneliness in Southern Spanish Youth
Authors: Cala Verónica C. , Ortega Francisco
Published: June 2024

Loneliness among young people has been increasing in recent years and is considered a major public health problem. This article delves into the sociocultural dynamics that favour the experiences of loneliness. For this purpose, 40 students between 19 and 24 years of age were interviewed using the photo elicitation interview (PEI) strategy. The results show a gradual normalization of the experience of loneliness and an effort to become accustomed to it. Virtual relationships and isolation linked to the COVID-19 pandemic are considered the two factors that have most enabled a climate prone to loneliness. Young people identify a few elements that feed social loneliness, such as an understanding of instrumental relationships, a scarcity of intimate relationships, a demand for hyperconnectivity, a fantasy of independence and a culture of positivity that hinders the establishment of quality social ties. Faced with hostile relational conditions, youth are sent into a cycle of loneliness. The greater the distrust of the environment is, the greater the defensive reactions and social distancing, and the greater the search for nearby spaces of refuge, security and shelter. Social withdrawal makes in-person relationships difficult and strengthens the need to isolate and become accustomed to loneliness.
Idebenone Antagonizes P53-Mediated Neuronal Oxidative Stress Injury by Regulating CD38-SIRT3 Protein Level
Authors: Xu Hao , Guo Ying , Liu Xiao-Jun , Liu Ying , Yin Shi , Bao Qi-Ying , Peng Ru , Tian Wei-Bo , Xia Ying-Yan , Gao Ling , Liu Jia-Mei
Published: June 2024

Idebenone, an antioxidant used in treating oxidative damage-related diseases, has unclear neuroprotective mechanisms. Oxidative stress affects cell and mitochondrial membranes, altering Adp-ribosyl cyclase (CD38) and Silent message regulator 3 (SIRT3) protein expression and possibly impacting SIRT3’s ability to deacetylate Tumor protein p53 (P53). This study explores the relationship between CD38, SIRT3, and P53 in H2O2-injured HT22 cells treated with Idebenone. Apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining after determining appropriate H2O2 and Idebenone concentrations.

In this study, Idebenone was found to reduce apoptosis and decrease P53 and Caspase3 expression in H2O2-injured HT22 cells by detecting apoptosis-related protein expression. Through bioinformatics methods, CD38 was identified as the target of Idebenone, and it further demonstrated that Idebenone decreased the expression of CD38 and increased the level of SIRT3. An increased NAD+/NADH ratio was detected, suggesting Idebenone induces SIRT3 expression and protects HT22 cells by decreasing apoptosis-related proteins. Knocking down SIRT3 downregulated acetylated P53 (P53Ac), indicating SIRT3’s importance in P53 deacetylation.

These results supported that CD38 was used as a target of Idebenone to up-regulate SIRT3 to deacetylate activated P53, thereby protecting HT22 cells from oxidative stress injury. Thus, Idebenone is a drug that may show great potential in protecting against reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. And it might be able to compensate for some of the defects associated with CD38-related diseases.
On the role of different nonlinear damping forms in the dynamic behavior of the generalized Beck’s column
Authors: Migliaccio Giovanni , D’Annibale Francesco
Published: June 2024

The influence of internal and external nonlinear damping forms on the dynamics of a generalized Beck’s column, namely a visco-elastic cantilever beam, subjected to conservative and non-conservative loads at its free end, is investigated. A variational principle provides the equations of motion of the system, which are properly recast into an integro-differential form. The linear stability analysis of the system is then carried out and bifurcation points are detected in the space of parameters associated with the conservative and non-conservative loads. Starting from Hopf’s bifurcation points, a post-critical analysis, based on the Method of Multiple Scales is directly performed on the continuous system, avoiding any a-priori discretization. This method provides the bifurcation equations whose analysis reveals the double nature of nonlinear damping, which can be beneficial or detrimental in terms of stable or unstable bifurcated equilibria. It is found that both the internal and external forms of nonlinear damping can turn a supercritical instability of the system into a subcritical one, thus revealing another destabilizing effect of damping, beyond the very well-known one occurring in the linear field. Numerical simulations, grounded on a Galerkin discretization of the original system, confirm the analytical findings.
Ask me if I am happy: sport practice and life satisfaction in Italy
Authors: Di Domizio Marco , Fabrizi Elena
Published: June 2024

This paper investigates the influence of physical activity on well-being. We use data from the Aspects of Daily Life survey provided by the Italian National Institute of Statistics, for the period 2013–2019. To capture the effect of sport participation on life satisfaction we face the problem of endogeneity. We solve this issue from a methodological point of view by using an instrumental variable (IV) ordered probit model, where the instrument has been identified in living nearby to an equipped green area. Our investigation suggests that physical activity is positively and strongly associated with life satisfaction, showing that the probability of being very happy is very high (70%) among individuals practicing sport regularly. For this reason, policies targeted at promoting and supporting sport practice play a key role in determining the subjective well-being of citizens. Our results also indicate a significant association between life satisfaction and gender, and between life satisfaction and inability to work, revealing the need to foster inclusive policies to reduce differences in well-being among groups of population.
Evald Ilyenkov and the enactive approach
Authors: Di Paolo Ezequiel A. , Potapov Kyrill
Published: June 2024

There is a growing interest in Evald Ilyenkov’s work and its significance for contemporary debates. This interest spans several disciplines. One key thread in Ilyenkov’s ideas concerns a perspective on the relation between biology and psychology. In rejecting crude reductionism and individualism, Ilyenkov put forward a view of mind and personhood as emerging from activity and social practice. In his rejection of brain-bound notions of the mind, Ilyenkov’s ideas bear interesting resonances with current work in 4E cognition. One particularly interesting resonance that has occasionally been noticed are the connections with the enactive approach to life and mind. However, beyond some hints at interesting convergences, there is to date no detailed comparison between the two views. The present article attempts to address this gap, examining both complementarities and possible tensions between the two approaches. Rejecting cognitive views detached from environmental and social processes, the enactive approach, as exemplified by De Jaegher and Di Paolo’s concept of participatory sense-making, emphasises the dynamic constitution of cognition through embodied and situated activities. The article draws parallels between Ilyenkov’s emphasis on historically and culturally situated activity, notably labour, and the enactive understanding of human bodies as dynamically constituted in human activity. The article explores the Ilyenkovian and enactive perspectives on the dialectics of ideality, challenging traditional dualistic views and proposing that the ideal emerges as metastable patterns in the ongoing interactions between world, practices, norms, and bodies. The article concludes by suggesting future research directions for the enactive approach, particularly in areas emphasised by Ilyenkov, such as labour and the mediation of material/cultural artefacts.
The effect of teacher multicultural attitudes on self-efficacy and wellbeing at work
Authors: Aalto Sanni , Kankaanpää Reeta , Peltonen Kirsi , Derluyn Ilse , Szelei Nikolett , Verelst An , De Haene Lucia , de Smet Sofie , Spaas Caroline , Jervelund Signe Smith , Skovdal Morten , Andersen Arnfinn J. , Hilden Per Kristian , Opaas Marianne , Durbeej Natalie , Osman Fatumo , Sarkadi Anna , Soye Emma , Vänskä Mervi
Published: June 2024

Teachers are pivotal in creating safe and efficacious learning environments for ethnic minority students. Research suggests that teachers’ multicultural attitudes, self-efficacy, and wellbeing at work may all play important roles in this endeavor. Using survey data on 433 teachers in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, the present study used structural equation models to analyze the paths between teachers’ multicultural attitudes and work-related wellbeing (work dedication and exhaustion), and whether self-efficacy mediates these paths. We further investigated how these associations differ between teachers of reception classes for migrant and refugee students versus teachers of multi-ethnic mainstream classes. The results show that positive multicultural attitudes were directly associated with high level of work dedication, but not with work exhaustion. Self-efficacy mediated the association between multicultural attitudes and work-related wellbeing, indicated by both higher work dedication and lower work exhaustion. Concerning the role of teacher’s class type, self-efficacy mediated the association between positive multicultural attitudes and work dedication for both types of teachers, whereas the mediation to low work exhaustion was only evident in mainstream class teachers. To conclude, teachers’ multicultural attitudes and work-related wellbeing are mediated by self-efficacy and this important link should be acknowledged when designing professional development programs in order to create supportive and competent learning environments for all students.
Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) sprouts: from in vitro seed germination to phenolic content and antioxidant activity for biotechnological application
Authors: Guarrasi Valeria , Leto Leandra , Vecchio Lorenzo Del , Guaitini Caterina , Cirlini Martina , Chiancone Benedetta
Published: June 2024

The sumac plant (Rhus coriaria L.), native to the Middle East, but also growing in Italy, is used for the medicinal properties of its fruits and leaves. Recently, sumac plant have been characterized in terms of their bioactive compound content and biological activity. Regrettably, there is a lack of information on the chemical composition of sumac sprouts, which, on the contrary, could be a rich source of interesting compounds, as demonstrated for other plant species. To make the production of sumac sprouts faster and independent of environmental conditions, in vitro tissue culture can be an efficient solution. This study first established a valid protocol for in vitro sumac seed germination; secondly, the obtained sprouts were characterized, in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The results showed that mechanical scarification is mandatory to trigger in vitro germination of sumac seeds. Moreover, a significant final germination percentage and a reasonable mean germination time was obtained combining scarification, cold stratification and gibberellic acid-enriched culture media. Chemical characterization of sumac sprouts has shown that they are a source of potentially bioactive compounds, as they are rich in polyphenols and have appreciable antioxidant activity.

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FMOD Alleviates Depression-Like Behaviors by Targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling After Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Huang Xuekang , Zhu Ziyu , Du Mengran , Wu Chenrui , Fu Jiayuanyuan , Zhang Jie , Tan Weilin , Wu Biying , Liu Lian , Liao Z. B.
Published: June 2024

Depression frequently occurs following traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the role of Fibromodulin (FMOD) in TBI-related depression is not yet clear. Previous studies have suggested FMOD as a potential key factor in TBI, yet its association with depression post-TBI and underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Serum levels of FMOD were measured in patients with traumatic brain injury using qPCR. The severity of depression was assessed using the self-depression scale (SDS). Neurological function, depressive state, and cognitive function in mice were assessed using the modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS), forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), Sucrose Preference Test (SPT), and morris water maze (MWM). The morphological features of mouse hippocampal synapses and neuronal dendritic spines were revealed through immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, and Golgi-Cox staining. The protein expression levels of FMOD, MAP2, SYP, and PSD95, as well as the phosphorylation levels of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, were detected through Western blotting. FMOD levels were decreased in TBI patients’ serum. Overexpression of FMOD preserved neuronal function and alleviated depression-like behaviour, increased synaptic protein expression, and induced ultrastructural changes in hippocampal neurons. The increased phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR suggested the involvement of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in FMOD’s protective effects. FMOD exhibits potential as a therapeutic target for depression related to TBI, with its protective effects potentially mediated through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
Zeit für Veränderung
Authors: Dörr Margret , Klomann Verena
Published: June 2024

Der Beitrag nimmt unter Bezugnahme auf die Beiträge des Schwerpunkts „Staatliche Anerkennung“ einen Ausblick zur Perspektive der staatlichen Anerkennung vor und formuliert drei Impulse, die zu einer Neujustierung rund um Fragen der Qualifizierung von Sozialarbeiter_innen und Sozialpädagog_innen beitragen könnten.
Streamlining operations management by classifying methods and concepts of Lean and Ergonomics within a sociotechnical framework
Authors: Brunner Stefan , Yuching Candice Kam , Bengler Klaus
Published: June 2024

Companies have implemented Lean to increase efficiency and competitiveness. However, the importance of Ergonomics is often neglected, resulting in ergonomic problems and lower profitability and acceptance of Lean. This study presents a comprehensive approach to Operations and Production Management (OPM) considering sociotechnical synergies. For Lean and Ergonomics, literature-based main methodologies and categories are defined. These main methodologies/categories are used as search-term combinations in a further literature search. This literature is divided into “Production worker” (PW), “Physical environment” (PE), “Industry 4.0 technology” (i4.0), “Company culture” (CC), and “Manufacturing methods” (MM) based on a metric, the sociotechnical system (STS) concept. This makes it possible to determine the percentage of participation in Lean and Ergonomics articles by STS category. The main differences can be seen in PE (Lean: 10%; Ergonomics: 24%) and i4.0 (Lean: 29%; Ergonomics: 15%). However, for PW (Lean: 18%; Ergonomics: 21%), CC (Lean: 19%; Ergonomics: 20%), and MM (Lean: 26%; Ergonomics: 20%), there are similarities between Lean and Ergonomics. The OPM user should manage the PW, CC, and MM factors equally with Lean and Ergonomics, as the objective is the same. For PW, CC, and MM measures, a professional separation into Lean/OPM and Ergonomics/Occupational Medicine does not make sense. Concerning i4.0, there is a danger that the human factor in (especially innovation-oriented) OPM will be unjustly neglected and that too much emphasis will be placed on supposedly human-free technology.
Designing an International Large-Scale Assessment of Professional Competencies and Employability Skills: Emerging Avenues and Challenges of OECD’s PISA-VET
Authors: Rausch Andreas , Abele Stephan , Deutscher Viola , Greiff Samuel , Kis Viktoria , Messenger Sally , Shackleton Jenny , Tramonte Lucia , Ward Michael , Winther Esther
Published: June 2024

Globally, vocational education and training (VET) is considered important for ensuring the supply of skilled labour to the economy and economic competitiveness but also for helping the next generation with the transition to working life and integration into society. However, despite this importance, there are no international comparative studies on the effectiveness of the very different VET systems. In March 2024, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the ‘Analytical and Assessment Framework’ for PISA-VET, an international study on professional competencies and employability skills in VET. In this paper, some of the lead experts that contributed to the framework provide an outline of the aims of the initiative, the target groups, the assessment approaches as well as strength and weaknesses to stimulate discussion in the scientific community. VISA-VET aims to deliver comprehensive data, inform decision making, facilitate peer learning between countries, and promote the image of VET, in general. Target populations are learners toward the end of their VET programmes in the occupational areas of automotive technicians, electricians, business and administration, health care, or tourism and hospitality. Assessment approaches to domain-specific professional skills are simulation-based questions, digital simulations, and live or recorded demonstrations. The professional skills assessments are expanded by the assessment of employability skills and comprehensive data collections on national contextual and system-level factors. This paper discusses the selection and breakdown of occupational areas, the various assessment approaches and possible supplementary studies. Its overall aim is to initiate a broader discussion in the scientific community about the design of and expected insights from PISA-VET.
Impact of device resistances in the performance of graphene-based terahertz photodetectors
Authors: Castelló O. , Baptista Sofía M. López , Watanabe K. , Taniguchi T. , Diez E. , Velázquez-Pérez J. E. , Meziani Y. M. , Caridad J. M. , Delgado-Notario J. A.
Published: June 2024

In recent years, graphene field-effect-transistors (GFETs) have demonstrated an outstanding potential for terahertz (THz) photodetection due to their fast response and high-sensitivity. Such features are essential to enable emerging THz applications, including 6G wireless communications, quantum information, bioimaging and security. However, the overall performance of these photodetectors may be utterly compromised by the impact of internal resistances presented in the device, so-called access or parasitic resistances. In this work, we provide a detailed study of the influence of internal device resistances in the photoresponse of high-mobility dual-gate GFET detectors. Such dual-gate architectures allow us to fine tune (decrease) the internal resistance of the device by an order of magnitude and consequently demonstrate an improved responsivity and noise-equivalent-power values of the photodetector, respectively. Our results can be well understood by a series resistance model, as shown by the excellent agreement found between the experimental data and theoretical calculations. These findings are therefore relevant to understand and improve the overall performance of existing high-mobility graphene photodetectors.

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