bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gender-Related Differences in the Effects of Motivation, Self-Efficacy, and Emotions on Autonomous Use of Technology in Second Language Learning
Authors: Csizér Kata , Albert Ágnes 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe aim of our paper is to explore the predictor variables of autonomous use of technology (Benson, 2011) in relation to second language learning. To this end, we explored motivated learning behavior (Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2021), self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986) and several language learning-related emotions, such as enjoyment, pride, hope, curiosity, confusion, anxiety, shame, boredom, and apathy (Albert et al., 2021) in our quantitative study. Our research questions concerned the investigation of gender differences in addition to exploring relationships between the constructs analyzed. Our standardized questionnaire was completed by 1,152 secondary school students, 467 boys and 682 girls. Regression analysis results suggest that, in addition to motivation and self-efficacy, there are several emotions which significantly shape the autonomous use of technology related to language learning. Out of these, confusion (with a negative effect) and boredom (surprisingly with a positive effect) influence autonomy for all students, while pride and shame are significant only for boys and anxiety exclusively for girls. Our results have both theoretical and pedagogical implications. The findings concerning the individual difference variables tested contribute to the study of the complex interplay of these variables, and the pedagogical implications draw our attention to the important role of teachers in shaping emotions.
When reality falls short of preferences: a response surface analysis of working time arrangements and older employees’ work ability expectations
Authors: Wöhrmann Anne Marit , Brauner-Sommer Corinna , Michel Alexandra 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn times of labor shortages and rising regular retirement ages it becomes increasingly important to maintain older employees’ work ability. In this study, drawing on person-environment fit theory, we assume that when working time arrangements do not meet older employees’ preferences this is negatively related to their expected work ability. We operationalize expected work ability as the age until which older employees believe to be physically and mentally able to work in their job. We use a subsample of 4347 employees aged 50 to 65 of the BAuA-Working Time Survey 2017. Results of polynomial regression analyses and response surface analyses reveal that expected work ability is lower when a) actual working hours exceed preferred working hours, b) provided flextime, that is the possibility to control one’s daily beginning and end of the workday, falls short of flextime preferences, and c) work-nonwork segmentation possibilities, that is the possibility to separate work from private life, fall short of the work-nonwork segmentation preferences.Practical Relevance:Our study is of practical relevance, especially to organizations who aim to keep their older employees in the workforce. The findings indicate that not only actual working time arrangements themselves but also the fit with older employees’ preferences can play an important role to keep them in the workforce.
Innovations in functional genomics and molecular breeding of pea: exploring advances and opportunities
Authors: Chen Baizhi , Shi Yan , Sun Yuchen , Lu Lu , Wang Luyao , Liu Zijian , Cheng Shifeng 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a significant cool-season legume, serving as crucial food sources, animal feed, and industrial raw materials. The advancement of functional genomics over the past two decades has provided substantial theoretical foundations and progress to pea breeding. Notably, the release of the pea reference genome has enhanced our understanding of plant architecture, symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF), flowering time, floral organ development, seed development, and stress resistance. However, a considerable gap remains between pea functional genomics and molecular breeding. This review summarizes the current advancements in pea functional genomics and breeding while highlighting the future challenges in pea molecular breeding.
An overview of artificial intelligence in the field of genomics
Authors: Maqsood Khizra , Hagras Hani , Zabet Nicolae Radu 
Published: January 2024

AbstractArtificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many real-world applications in various domains. In the field of genomics, multiple traditional machine-learning approaches have been used to understand the dynamics of genetic data. These approaches provided acceptable predictions; however, these approaches are based on opaque-box AI algorithms which are not able to provide the needed transparency to the community. Recently, the field of explainable artificial intelligence has emerged to overcome the interpretation problem of opaque box models by aiming to provide complete transparency of the model and its prediction to the users especially in sensitive areas such as healthcare, finance, or security. This paper highlights the need for eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) in the field of genomics and how the understanding of genomic regions, specifically the non-coding regulatory region of genomes (i.e., enhancers), can help uncover underlying molecular principles of disease states, in particular cancer in humans.
Community Health Workers’ experiences of an intervention to provide them with increased support and supervision: a qualitative study of a home visiting model in rural South Africa
Authors: Stansert Katzen L. , Skeen S. , Dippenaar E. , Laurenzi C. , Notholi V. , le Roux K. , le Roux I. , WaluWalu N. , Mbewu N. , Rotheram Borus M. J. , Tomlinson M. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractDeploying Community Health Workers (CHWs) is a crucial strategy to improve health at a community level in low- and middle-income countries. While there is substantial evidence for CHW effectiveness, there is a need for more research on the mechanisms through which these programs work. Understanding CHWs experiences of how programmes function is important. This article examines CHW’s experiences of three key programmatic domains; training, logistical support and supervision. Data were gathered using through qualitative descriptive study drawing from semi-structured interviews. The study was embedded within a cluster randomized controlled trial, testing the effectiveness of an enhanced supervision package delivered to government-employed CHWs in the rural Eastern Cape, South Africa, on maternal and child health outcomes We conducted individual semi structured interviews with CHWs (n = 16) and two supervisors. Data were coded deductively and overall, three overarching areas and five sub-themes emerged from our interviews, the overarching teams were; 1) CHW knowledge and confidence increased through additional training, 2) CHW motivation and community acceptance improved because of added logistical support, and 3) CHW supervision led to improved sense of accountability, feelings of respect, and sense of being supported. Our findings highlight the importance of a functional support system within which CHWs can operate, in a context where most CHWs operate in isolation and without support. CHWs receiving supportive supervision reported positive impacts on their motivation and ability to carry out their work effectively. Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02957799, 2016-11-08.
Salivary iodide status as a measure of whole body iodine homoeostasis?
Authors: Alsaeedi Eatedal Eenizan , Rose Peter , Welham Simon J. M. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Iodine is a trace element required to produce the thyroid hormones, which are critical for development, growth and metabolism. To ensure appropriate population iodine nutrition, convenient and accurate methods of monitoring are necessary. Current methods for determining iodine status either involve a significant participant burden or are subject to considerable intra-individual variation. The continuous secretion of iodide in saliva potentially permits its use as a convenient, non-invasive assessment of status in populations. To assess its likely effectiveness, we reviewed studies analysing the association between salivary iodide concentration (SIC) and dietary iodine intake, urinary iodide concentration (UIC) and/or 24-h urinary iodide excretion (UIE). Eight studies conducted in different countries met the inclusion criteria, including data for 921 subjects: 702 healthy participants and 219 with health conditions. SIC correlated positively with UIC and/or UIE in four studies, with the strength of relationship ranging from r = 0·19 to r = 0·90 depending on sampling protocol, age, and if salivary values were corrected for protein concentration. Additionally, SIC positively correlated with dietary intake, being strongest when saliva was collected after dinner. SIC varied with external factors, including thyroid function, use of some medications, smoking and overall health status. Evidence provided here supports the use of SIC as a viable, low-burden method for determining iodine status in populations. However, small sample sizes and high variability indicates the need for more extensive analyses across age groups, ethnicities, disease states and dietary groups to clarify the relative accuracy and reliability in each case and standardise procedure.
A tale of two species: Pringlea antiscorbutica and Azorella polaris, sub-Antarctic scurvy remedies
Authors: Hartley Karri Horton , Guy Paul L. , Lord Janice M. 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Pringlea antiscorbutica (Brassicaceae) and Azorella polaris (syn. Stilbocarpa polaris, Apiaceae) are endemic sub-Antarctic flowering plants of significant ecological and historical importance. Pringlea antiscorbutica occurs on Îles Kerguelen and Crozet, Prince Edward, and the Heard and MacDonald Islands; A. polaris on Auckland, Campbell, and Macquarie Islands. We examine the use of these unrelated species of “wild cabbage,” as scurvy remedies and sustenance for eighteenth–nineteenth-century sailors. We trace their European discovery, taxonomic treatment, morphological representation, and cultural association through the historical record. Scurvy killed more sailors during the sixteenth-nineteenth centuries than armed conflict and shipwrecks combined. Both plants were essential to the survival of sailors and formed a nutritious, carbohydrate-rich staple of their diets, however, attitudes to these plants were strongly influenced by cultural background. Use of P. antiscorbutica as a scurvy remedy was promoted by Cook and Anderson, leading to a greater historical legacy than A. polaris, and a unique contemporary research focus on the plant’s nutritional value and cultivation potential. In contrast, contemporary studies of A. polaris have been directed primarily at the plant’s protection. Pringlea antiscorbutica and A. polaris are intrinsically linked to human associations with the sub-Antarctic islands, which further increases their cultural and conservation value.
Legitimacy of government and governance
Authors: Arif Imran , Dutta Nabamita 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
This paper highlights scholarly neglect of political legitimacy, the idea of a state's use of power in ways acceptable to its citizens. We argue that political legitimacy affects a state's ability to formulate and implement its policies, thus affecting governance. Our paper provides the first empirical evidence of the positive relationship between political legitimacy and governance. We combine novel cross-sectional data on political legitimacy and several governance indicators from 66 countries. Our results show that a one-standard-deviation increase in the legitimacy score increases the rule of law indicator by about one-third standard deviation. These results are robust across OLS, an instrumental variable method, and several other governance indicators. Moreover, our results reveal that in the presence of greater trust, political legitimacy has an enhanced impact on governance.
Entwicklung und Validierung einer deutschen Kurzversion des Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI)
Authors: Strubel Isabel Theresia , Freund Susanne , Güntert Stefan Tomas 
Published: January 2024

Zusammenfassung: Das Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI, Clary et al., 1998 ) erfasst mit 6 Skalen (Karriere-‍, Selbstwert-‍, Schutz-‍, Soziale Anpassungs-‍, Erfahrungs- und Wertefunktion) die Motivation von Freiwilligenarbeit. Das Inventar, das auch in einer deutschen Adaptation vorliegt ( Oostlander et al., 2014 ), umfasst jedoch insgesamt 30 Items, was seinem Einsatz entgegenstehen kann. Daher wurde eine deutsche Kurzversion des VFI, die zwei Items pro Funktion umfasst, entwickelt und validiert. Anhand von zwei unterschiedlichen Stichproben freiwillig Tätiger ( N1 = 2 576 und N2 = 202) wurden Itemanalysen durchgeführt, die Faktorenstruktur überprüft und die Kriterien der lokalen Anpassungsgüte betrachtet. Die Ergebnisse dieser Analysen sprechen für eine hohe Reliabilität und faktorielle, konvergente sowie diskriminante Validität der Kurzversion. Hohe Zusammenhänge zwischen der Kurzversion und der deutschen Adaptation in einer weiteren Stichprobe ( N3 = 573) sowie dem englischsprachigen Pendant der Kurzversion und der englischsprachigen Langversion ( N4 = 101) bestätigen, dass die Skalen der Kurzversion jene des VFI angemessen repräsentieren. Die entwickelte Kurzversion eignet sich somit zur ökonomischen Messung der Motive von Freiwilligenarbeit.
Spatial Variations in the Degree of Upper‐Mantle Depletion in a Mid‐Ocean Ridge–Transform Fault System
Authors: Morishige M. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractPartial melting beneath a mid‐ocean ridge creates a chemically depleted layer in the uppermost mantle. This chemical depletion lowers the density of the lithosphere compared with the unmelted mantle. Furthermore, dehydration associated with depletion leads to an increase in mantle viscosity that may affect the structure and dynamics of the oceanic plate. Previous studies have mainly considered the formation of this depleted upper‐mantle layer in a two‐dimensional mid‐ocean ridge setting, leaving the dynamics of mid‐ocean ridge–transform fault systems largely unexplored. In this study, spatial variations in the degree of depletion in the uppermost mantle are predicted for a mid‐ocean ridge–transform fault system using a three‐dimensional thermomechanical model. The degree of depletion generally increases with increasing half‐spreading rate. Less depletion is predicted beneath the transform fault and fracture zone compared with the surrounding mantle. Lateral differences in the degree of depletion in the ridge‐parallel direction are reduced when plastic yielding is considered. The degree of variation in the predicted depletion is related to the transform fault length especially at a low spreading rate, thereby suggesting that the large scatter in observed abyssal peridotite compositions with slow spreading rates could be partly attributed to the length of the fault.
Crustal‐Scale Duplex Development During Accretion of the Jiuxi Foreland Basin, North Qilian Shan
Authors: Wang Yiran , Oskin Michael E. , Li Youli , Hu Xiu , Lei Jinghao , Liu Fei 
Published: January 2024

AbstractUnderstanding the propagation of shortening, especially the interaction of shallow and deep structural levels in space and time is important to understand the accretion process of a compressional orogen as well as to fully understand earthquake hazards to populated foreland basins. Here we combine evidence from geologic maps and stream‐terrace surveys to construct a set of retrodeformable cross‐sections of the western North Qilian Shan foreland. The uplifted, severely tilted Mesozoic and older rock units suggest the presence of both deep and shallow décollements in western and central part of our research area, and that these structures alternated activity since commencement of the latest phase of the North Qilian Shan uplift. Conversely, in the east, the absence of foreland fold‐and‐thrust belt and the moderately tilted Mesozoic rocks indicate the deformation is dominated by thick‐skinned uplift. Based on our cross‐sections, we estimate the long‐term shortening rate of the Jiuxi foreland basin of 1.2–1.8 m/Kyr. Deformed foreland terraces show that, from west to east in our research area, active deformation switches between different structural levels. This trade‐off between deformation styles in time and space shows that two décollement levels bound a crustal‐scale duplex as the foreland is incorporated into the orogen. We suggest the complex and out‐of‐sequence deformation pattern may relate to pre‐existing weakness within the basement rocks and is likely a common characteristic of the North Qilian foreland. This may impose an additional challenge for seismic hazard estimation of the region.
Spatial transcriptomics reveals that metabolic characteristics define the tumor immunosuppression microenvironment via iCAF transformation in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Liu Zheqi , Zhang Zhen , Zhang Yu , Zhou Wenkai , Zhang Xu , Peng Canbang , Ji Tong , Zou Xin , Zhang Zhiyuan , Ren Zhenhu 
Published: January 2024

AbstractTumor progression is closely related to tumor tissue metabolism and reshaping of the microenvironment. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a representative hypoxic tumor, has a heterogeneous internal metabolic environment. To clarify the relationship between different metabolic regions and the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) in OSCC, Single cell (SC) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) sequencing of OSCC tissues were performed. The proportion of TME in the ST data was obtained through SPOTlight deconvolution using SC and GSE103322 data. The metabolic activity of each spot was calculated using scMetabolism, and k-means clustering was used to classify all spots into hyper-, normal-, or hypometabolic regions. CD4T cell infiltration and TGF-β expression is higher in the hypermetabolic regions than in the others. Through CellPhoneDB and NicheNet cell-cell communication analysis, it was found that in the hypermetabolic region, fibroblasts can utilize the lactate produced by glycolysis of epithelial cells to transform into inflammatory cancer-associated fibroblasts (iCAFs), and the increased expression of HIF1A in iCAFs promotes the transcriptional expression of CXCL12. The secretion of CXCL12 recruits regulatory T cells (Tregs), leading to Treg infiltration and increased TGF-β secretion in the microenvironment and promotes the formation of a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. This study delineates the coordinate work axis of epithelial cells-iCAFs-Tregs in OSCC using SC, ST and TCGA bulk data, and highlights potential targets for therapy.
Management of triplet excitons transition: fine regulation of Förster and dexter energy transfer simultaneously
Authors: Wang Jiaqiang , Yang Yujie , Sun Xinnan , Li Xiaoning , Zhang Liyao , Li Zhen 
Published: January 2024

AbstractUnderstanding and management of triplet excitons transition in the same molecule remain a great challenge. Hence, for the first time, by host engineering, manageable transitions of triplet excitons in a naphthalimide derivative NDOH were achieved, and monitored through the intensity ratio (ITADF/IRTP) between thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP). Energy differences between lowest triplet excited states of host and guest were changed from 0.03 to 0.17 eV, and ITADF/IRTP of NDOH decreased by 200 times, thus red shifting the afterglow color. It was proposed that shorter conjugation length led to larger band gaps of host materials, thus contributing to efficient Dexter and inefficient Förster energy transfer. Interestingly, no transition to singlet state and only strongest RTP with quantum yield of 13.9% could be observed, when PBNC with loosest stacking and largest band gap acted as host. This work provides novel insight for the management and prediction of triplet exciton transitions and the development of smart afterglow materials.
NPAS2 dampens chemo-sensitivity of lung adenocarcinoma cells by enhancing DNA damage repair
Authors: Zhang Youyu , Chen Yuqiao , Huang Wentao , Zhou Yuan , Wang Ya , Fu Kai , Zhuang Wei 
Published: January 2024

AbstractChemotherapeutic agents, including cisplatin, have remained a cornerstone of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) treatment and continue to play an essential role in clinical practice, despite remarkable progress in therapeutic strategies. Hence, a thorough comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying chemotherapeutic agent resistance is paramount. Our investigation centered on the potential involvement of the NPAS2 gene in LUAD, which is highly expressed in tumors and its high expression has been associated with unfavorable overall survival rates in patients. Intriguingly, we observed that the depletion of NPAS2 in LUAD cells resulted in increased susceptibility to cisplatin treatment. Furthermore, mRNA sequencing analysis revealed that NPAS2 deficiency downregulated genes crucial to DNA repair. Additionally, NPAS2 depletion significantly impairs γH2AX accumulation, a pivotal component of the DNA damage response. Further investigation demonstrates that NPAS2 plays a crucial role in DNA double-strand breakage repair via homology-directed repair (HDR). Our inquiry into the molecular mechanisms underlying NPAS2 regulation of DDR revealed that it may enhance the stability of H2AX mRNA by binding to its mRNA, thereby upregulating the DNA damage repair pathway. In-vivo experiments further confirmed the crucial role of NPAS2 in modulating the effect of cisplatin in LUAD. Taken together, our findings suggest that NPAS2 binds to and enhances the stability of H2AX mRNA, thereby decreasing the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy by augmenting DNA damage repair.
Bioinspired polymeric supramolecular columns as efficient yet controllable artificial light-harvesting platform
Authors: Mu Bin , Hao Xiangnan , Luo Xiao , Yang Zhongke , Lu Huanjun , Tian Wei 
Published: January 2024

AbstractLight-harvesting is an indispensable process in photosynthesis, and researchers have been exploring various structural scaffolds to create artificial light-harvesting systems. However, achieving high donor/acceptor ratios for efficient energy transfer remains a challenge as excitons need to travel longer diffusion lengths within the donor matrix to reach the acceptor. Here, we report a polymeric supramolecular column-based light-harvesting platform inspired by the natural light-harvesting of purple photosynthetic bacteria to address this issue. The supramolecular column is designed as a discotic columnar liquid crystalline polymer and acts as the donor, with the acceptor intercalated within it. The modular columnar design enables an ultrahigh donor/acceptor ratio of 20000:1 and an antenna effect exceeding 100. Moreover, the spatial confinement within the supramolecular columns facilitates control over the energy transfer process, enabling dynamic full-color tunable emission for information encryption applications with spatiotemporal regulation security.