Practical Approach Research Articles

The Impact of E-HRM Tools on Employee Engagement

The examination of the impact of digital innovations on employee motivation and engagement is crucial given the rapid technological advancements. This study focused on digital HRM practices, such as digital interaction platforms. The results indicated that respondents generally had positive to neutral views on these practices, with big data analytics receiving the highest rating for its potential to enhance organizational performance and employee engagement. The study revealed a moderately strong positive correlation between the use of digital platforms and big data analytics, suggesting a holistic approach to digital transformation in HRM. However, a weak correlation between digital innovations and engagement suggests that the direct impact of digital tools on employee engagement is limited by other factors. Larger companies tend to implement advanced digital HRM practices more due to their greater resources. The study’s limitations include a restricted sample from the Central and Eastern European region and reliance on self-assessed data. Future studies should include more diverse regions and long-term studies, combining quantitative data with qualitative insights. Digital innovations in HRM offer promises for process improvement and data-driven decision-making, but their impact on employee engagement is complex and requires an integrated approach of technological and managerial practices.

Corporate Tax Aggressiveness and Managerial Capabilities: Insights From Indonesian Firms

This study aims to investigate the effect of management ability, business strategy, and profitability on corporate tax aggressiveness. This study uses mediation analysis with the Smart PLS approach on a sample of basic materials sector companies listed on the IDX from 2020 to 2022. The results show that more capable management tends to adopt a conservative approach in tax management practices. In addition, business strategies such as prospector and defender have a significant impact on tax aggressiveness. More profitable companies tend to implement more aggressive tax strategies. Companies need to improve managerial capabilities to manage taxes more effectively, as well as formulate appropriate business strategies to mitigate tax risks in the future. With a better understanding of tax risks, companies can minimize potential tax disputes and protect their reputation and long-term performance. This study extends the research time scope to 2022 and uses corporate governance mechanisms as moderating variables, both internal and external, which have not been widely studied in previous studies.

Latent typology of nonsuicidal self‐injury and differences in mental health outcomes

AbstractNonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI), defined as deliberate acts of self‐harm without suicidal intent, significantly impacts adults. NSSI involves various behaviors, varying in frequency and severity as well as intersecting with one another. To uncover unobserved subtypes of NSSI, this study utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to precisely identify a latent typology of NSSI among adults using a large national sample (N = 18,798; Mage = 21.73; SD = 4.93). Additionally, differences in mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety, across the identified latent subtypes of NSSI were examined in the LCA model. The findings revealed eight distinct latent subtypes, demonstrating statistically significant differences in depression and anxiety, including multimethod—severe, multimethod—moderate, multimethod—mild, cutting—dominant multimethod, unimethod—pulling hair, unimethod—interfering with wound healing, unimethod—punching/banging, and unimethod—punching/banging an object. These findings underscore the distinct characteristics and mental health needs of each latent subgroup and suggest more tailored and targeted approaches for counseling practice.

Retrospective analysis of the safety and efficacy of Pembroria® during non-medical switching from the original drug Keytruda® in patients with advanced malignancies of various localizations in real clinical practice

Introduction. The emergence of genetically engineered biological drugs is rightly considered a revolutionary event in medicine. In 2022, the first biosimilar of pembrolizumab, the Russian drug Pembroria®, was approved. One of the study types that can convincingly demonstrate the safety and efficacy of biosimilar is its use for switching from the original drug for non-medical indications (NMS, or non-medical switching) according to standard approaches of real clinical practice and the drug label. Aim. To assess the safety of NMS switching in patients with advanced malignancies of various localizations from the original drug Keytruda® to the biosimilar Pembroria® and to evaluate its effectiveness in real clinical practice. Materials and methods. We analyzed the data of 114 patients with advanced malignancies of various localizations and the last line of treatment with Keytruda® as monotherapy or in combination with other agents within the approved indications and switched to Pembroria® for NMS. After switching to Pemboria®, patients did not change treatment for another checkpoint inhibitor within this line of therapy. Results. The incidence of immune-mediated adverse reactions (imARs) of any severity during treatment with comparators differed slightly: 57% with Keytruda® and 54% with Pembroria®. The majority of imARs with both Keytruda® and Pembroria® were Grade 1 in severity (69% and 86%, respectively). All serious ARs were resolved and did not result in drug discontinuation. When analyzing the best objective response to treatment with Keytruda®, complete response, partial response, and stabilization were observed in 9 (7.9%), 28 (24.6%), and 61 (53.5%) cases, respectively, during treatment with Pemboria® – in 8 (7%), 24 (21%), 52 (45.6%) cases, respectively. Conclusion. The safety profile of Keytruda® and Pembroria® is acceptable and comparable: the imAR rate with Pembroria® when switching from Keytrada® did not exceed that with the original drug Keytruda®; in most patients, switching from Keytruda® to Pembroria® was not associated with an increase in the imAR rate or severity. The majority of patients maintained disease control when switched to Pembroria®.

Predicting Tilapia Productivity in Geothermal Ponds: A Genetic Algorithm Approach for Sustainable Aquaculture Practices

This study presents a case focused on sustainable farming practices, specifically the cultivation of tilapia (Mozambican and aureus species) in ponds with geothermal water. This research aims to optimize the hydrochemical regime of experimental ponds to enhance the growth metrics and external characteristics of tilapia breeders. The dataset encompasses the hydrochemical parameters and the fish feeding base from experimental geothermal ponds where tilapia were cultivated. Genetic algorithms (GA) were employed for hyperparameter optimization (HPO) of deep neural networks (DNN) to enhance the prediction of fish productivity in each pond under varying conditions, achieving an R2 score of 0.94. This GA-driven HPO process is a robust method for optimizing aquaculture practices by accurately predicting how different pond conditions and feed bases influence the productivity of tilapia. By accurately determining these factors, the model promotes sustainable practices, improving breeding outcomes and maximizing productivity in tilapia aquaculture. This approach can also be applied to other aquaculture systems, enhancing efficiency and sustainability across various species.

Influence of Potentially Toxic Elements and Physio-Chemical Parameters of Industrially Contaminated Soil on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Diversity in BBN Corridor, Himachal Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an essential role in plant growth and have great potential to enhance plant tolerance under polluted and toxic conditions. This study deals with a survey of five contaminated sites of the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh (BBN) industrial corridor/hub to investigate the morpho-diversity of endotrophic AM fungi associated with native plants. The high contamination factor of Cd and Fe in different study sites revealed a high intensity of contamination, indicating that the sites were significantly polluted with Cd and Fe. Results showed that AM symbioses were successfully established in the roots of native plants, highlighting their role in mitigating the harmful effects of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) through bioremediation. A total of 50 AMF morphotypes across 9 genera (Acaulospora, Entrophospora, Ambispora, Diversispora, Gigaspora, Scutellospora, Glomus, Rhizophagus, and Sclerocystis) were identified, with Glomeraceae being the most abundant (46%), followed by Acaulosporaceae (39%) and others contributing less (15%). The study also indicated that the hyphal and vesicular infections were prominent than arbuscular infections in roots. This is the first report on the diversity of native and putative AMF species associated with plants in the BBN industrial corridor, suggesting that these fungi could be cultured for further use as a sustainable organic approach in agriculture and rehabilitation practices in polluted areas.

Legal aspects of children’s privacy on the Internet: balance between protection and freedom

The article is devoted to the study of legal aspects of protection of personal data of minors in the digital environment. In today’s world, the development of information technologies and the widespread use of the Internet create new challenges for the legal system, in particular with regard to the protection of personal data of children and adolescents. The article analyzes national and international legislation regulating the protection of personal data of minors, in particular the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Ukrainian legal acts. Different approaches to giving consent to the processing of personal data by minors are highlighted, in particular, the role of parents or legal representatives in this process. Existing methods of ensuring consent, such as double opt-in, as well as challenges associated with the practical implementation of these methods are considered. The article also outlines the risks children face online, including illegal data collection, including cyberbullying, phishing, child trafficking and other threats. The need to implement effective legal mechanisms for the protection of children on the Internet, which ensure both safety and freedom of information activity, is emphasized. Ensuring the security of personal data of minors in the digital environment should become one of the priority tasks of modern legal regulation, which requires a comprehensive approach and integration of the best international practices. The author concludes that the effective protection of children’s personal data requires a balanced approach that would combine a high level of security with respect for the rights and freedoms of the child in the digital environment. Increasing the level of digital literacy among children and their parents, as well as creating an appropriate legal infrastructure, are important factors that will contribute to reducing risks in the digital environment. The integration of such approaches into the national legal system should become a priority to ensure the sustainable development of the information society. Successful implementation of these initiatives will not only reduce potential threats to children, but also contribute to the formation of a safe and responsible information space for future generations.

Describing youth participatory evaluation of educational interventions as a key domain of the social determinants of health: protocol for a scoping review

IntroductionYouth participatory evaluation is one model for monitoring global outcomes and assessing interventions to improve young people’s health equity and well-being while embracing principles of participation and empowerment. Little is...

The use of games as playful pedagogical materials to problematize decolonial practices in educational environments

This article analyzes the relevance of working on decolonial issues through playfulness in mathematics. Methodologically, this is a bibliographical research, with a qualitative approach and reports of practices carried out with Youth and Adult Education classes and in Elementary School I. According to Educational Legislation, it is crucial to think about new methods that contribute to a movement of resistance and rupture in favor of the decolonization of schooling. In addition to contributing to the consolidation of mathematical concepts and countering patterns of Eurocentric colonial power, games provide reflections on conscious consumption, thus breaking with the capitalist system, which, according to Krenak, has the power of co-optation. Among the results and conclusions, playfulness in mathematics helps to promote inclusive education that values diversity.

Reviewing the efficiency of photobiomodulation therapy in oncological treatment.

The aim of the present systematic review is to evaluate the effects of different photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) approaches in oncological treatment practices. The review follows the PRISMA guidelines. Specifically, the review is composed of laser PBMT and LED PBMT. A total of 23 studies were included, 14 investigating laser PBMT and 9 examining LED PBMT. In vitro studies demonstrated laser PBMT's potential to induce apoptosis and cytotoxicity in various cancer cell lines while enhancing sensitivity to chemotherapeutics and natural compounds. However, some studies highlighted divergent effects between in vitro (promoted proliferation) and in vivo xenograft models (slowed tumor growth) for certain laser wavelengths. LED PBMT studies showed blue light inhibited melanoma and pancreatic cancer cell growth, potentially via ROS generation, while red light raised concerns about enhancing oral cancer invasiveness. Both modalities mitigated treatment side effects like oral mucositis, xerostomia, peripheral neuropathy, and improved quality of life. While promising, the outcomes varied based on light parameters, cancer type, and experimental setting, necessitating further optimization of PBMT protocols through well-designed studies to establish long-term safety and efficacy across clinical scenarios.

Tissue-based Profiling Techniques to Achieve Precision Medicine in Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges in Melanoma.

Immunotherapies targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) checkpoint receptors have revolutionised the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, half of treated patients do not respond to or eventually progress on standard therapies and many experience adverse events as a result of drug toxicity. The identification of accurate biomarkers of clinical outcomes are required in order to move away from the one-size-fits-all treatment approach of standard clinical practice, and towards a more personalised approach to enable the administration of the optimal therapy for any given patient and further improve patient outcomes. Recent clinical trials have proven the potential of multi-omics analyses, including genomic, gene expression, and tumour immune profiling, of patients' tumour biopsies, to predict a patient's response to subsequently administered immunotherapies. However, reproducibility of such multi-omics analyses, tissue requirements, and clinical validation have limited the practical application of these approaches in routine clinical workflows. In this review, we discuss several pivotal tissue-based profiling techniques that can be utilised to identify potential genomic, transcriptomic and immune biomarkers predictive of clinical outcomes following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in melanoma. Furthermore, we highlight the key opportunities and challenges associated with the use of each of these techniques. The development and implementation of multimodal predictive models which combine data derived from these various methods is the future for achieving precision medicine for patients with melanoma.

Treating Anxiety-Based Cognitive Distortions Pertaining to Somatic Perception for Better Chronic Pain Outcomes: A Recommendation for Better Practice in the Present Day and the Cyber Age of Medicine.

Anxiety-based cognitive distortions pertaining to somatic perception (ABCD-SPs)-primarily catastrophizing, fear avoidance, and kinesiophobia-have been repeatedly linked to worsening chronic, non-cancer pain (CNCP) outcomes of increased disability, amplified pain, ineffective opioid use, and opioid misuse. Several studies have suggested that treating ABCD-SPs can improve pain outcomes, yet identification and targeting of ABCD-SPs are not part of the standard medical pain assessment and treatment plan. Utilizing a narrative review of proposed mechanisms, published patient perspectives, and study correlations connecting these cognitive distortions with CNCP outcomes, an approach for better practice in the delivery of standard medical CNCP care can be deduced and formulated into a Belief and Behavior Action Plan (BBAP) for medical clinicians treating CNCP to implement into initial and maintenance care planning. These recommendations require relatively few resources to implement and have the potential to disseminate more effective CNCP treatment on a large scale now and in the future with the new frontier of cognitive computing in medicine.

A hydroponic vegetable business management approach in holistic good agricultural practices in Thailand

Good agricultural practices (GAP) are guidelines designed to ensure the production of high-quality agricultural products that meet specified standards while optimizing resource use. This study aimed to examine the challenges and success factors in implementing a holistic system of GAP in hydroponic vegetable business management and to enhance the efficiency of Thailand’s policies on safe agricultural standards. In this study, a qualitative research methodology was used, using in-depth interviews, semi-structured interviews, and observations with 36 intermediaries and consumers in Thailand. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that key challenges to successful GAP implementation include unsupportive government policies and a lack of in-depth knowledge among farmers on how to effectively apply GAP principles. For successful implementation, it is crucial that farmers who lead these efforts thoroughly understand the methods and prioritize safe and proper farming practices. This knowledge can then be leveraged to prepare and educate farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs to produce high-quality agricultural products. GAP for crops include policies, benchmarks, and audit processes that adhere to international standards, providing a framework for controlling and promoting product quality throughout the agricultural production process, including post-certification maintenance. The study suggests that cooperation across all relevant sectors, from upstream to downstream, is essential for the successful implementation of GAP. Such collaboration would significantly enhance the quality and safety of Thailand’s agricultural standards.

A Data-Driven Approach for Optimizing Early-Stage Electric Vehicle Charging Station Placement

This paper presents a novel and practical data-driven approach to sub-optimally allocate charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in an early-stage setting. Specifically, we investigate the following problem: For a city with a limited budget for public EV charging infrastructure construction, where should the charging stations be deployed in order to promote the transition of EVs from traditional cars? We develop a <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\delta$</tex-math></inline-formula> -nearest model and a <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$K$</tex-math></inline-formula> -nearest model that can capture people's satisfaction towards a certain design and formulate the early-stage EV charging station placement problem as a monotone submodular maximization problem utilizing fine-grained population, trip, transportation network and POI data. A greedy-based algorithm is proposed to solve the problem efficiently with a provable approximation ratio. A case study of Haikou is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

Plasma extracellular vesicle: a novel biomarker for neurodegenerative disease diagnosis

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures that carry proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA, playing key roles in cell communication and material transport. Recent research highlights their potential as disease biomarkers due to their stability in bodily fluids. This study explores using tau and TDP-43 proteins in plasma EVs as diagnostic biomarkers for frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Analyzing plasma EVs from clinical cohorts, the study found that the 3R/4R tau ratio and TDP-43 levels effectively differentiate between diagnostic groups with high accuracy. Notably, plasma EV biomarkers demonstrate higher diagnostic accuracy and stability compared to direct plasma testing, providing new insights and approaches for future research and clinical practice. Further research is needed to validate these biomarkers in diverse populations and to establish standardized protocols. Future studies should continue to explore the potential of EV biomarkers in a broader range of neurodegenerative diseases and delve deeper into the mechanisms of EV secretion and sorting to enhance their diagnostic utility.

Echoes of Tradition: Reclaiming the Oral Art of Poetry in Digital Embedded Courses

This paper investigates the integration of oral traditions with digital technologies in poetry education, proposing a comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing pedagogical effectiveness and cultural enrichment. Through a review of both historical and contemporary teaching methods, this paper emphasizes the distinct advantages of oral recitation in fostering deeper cognitive, emotional, and social engagement, which are qualities that digital tools frequently fail to replicate. Advocating for a balanced approach, the study leverages the sensory richness of oral traditions alongside the accessibility and innovation of digital platforms. The paper presents a pedagogical model rooted in experiential and multimodal learning theories to forge immersive, sensory-rich educational environments that preserve the depth of traditional oral poetry while harnessing modern technological advancements. The paper explores the implications of this hybrid approach for educational practices, cultural preservation, and policy, arguing that such integration not only enhances learning outcomes but also sustains cultural heritage within a digital educational framework. Additionally, it outlines future research directions to validate the framework’s efficacy, broaden its disciplinary applications, and evaluate its long-term educational impacts, contributing to a richer discourse on the harmonization of traditional methods and digital innovation in education.

A novel process approach of a circular economy practice in the production of hydroxyapatite from phosphogypsum

Phosphogypsum (PG), a by-product of phosphate fertilizer industry, is chemically impure gypsum (CaSO4 · 2 H2O) containing phosphate residues. Provided by the calcium and phosphorus content, PG can be considered as a precursor for synthetic hydroxyapatite (s-HAp) production. This study proposes a two-step alkali route for s-HAp production from PG. Resulting samples were characterized by ICP-OES, SEM, XRD and FT-IR analyses in comparison with bone ash (BA) sample. Ca/P ratio (wt%) was determined as 2.46 and 2.78 for s-HAp and BA samples, respectively. SEM analysis showed the uniform distribution of spherical shaped particles in BA samples; however s-HAp particles showed irregular distribution of nearly spherical-like particles agglomerated as platelets on the surface. XRD analysis indicated that s-HAp particles possessed low crystallinity and ICDD references showed the appearance of apatite-CaOH phases. FT-IR spectrum showed the vibration bands of PO4 3− bands in the range of 1018–601 cm−1. According to characterization analyses, s-HAp samples show lower Ca/P ratio, irregular morphology, and low crystallinity due to possible impurities. Thus, further downstream operations regarding to impurity removal should be employed to develop a promising route to synthetic HAp production and employ a CE approach on industrial scale to evaluate s-HAp samples as a commercial substitute to BA.

2-Keto-L-Gulonic Acid Enhances Cold Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana via Augmentation of Ascorbic Acid Biosynthesis and Antioxidant Defense Systems

Cold stress severely impairs plant growth, development, and yields. L-ascorbic acid (ASA), a crucial antioxidant, is pivotal in mitigating stress-induced damage. Previous research found that 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2KGA), a precursor of ASA in its industrial production, effectively enhances the endogenous ASA content in plants. We hypothesized that 2KGA might alleviate chilling stress and tried to verify it through a cultivation experiment of Arabidopsis thaliana. The results demonstrate that the application of 2KGA significantly increased ASA content (24.58%) and up-regulated ASA biosynthetic genes in Arabidopsis at 4 °C for 24 h. Furthermore, 2KGA alleviated the decrease in fresh weight (17.05%) and total chlorophyll content (15.85%) caused by low temperatures. The contents of proline, soluble sugar (SS), soluble protein (SP), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were significantly increased under the 2KGA treatment at low temperatures, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was reduced. Moreover, 2KGA up-regulated the ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway in response to cold stress. These collective findings strongly support the involvement of 2KGA in enhancing cold tolerance in Arabidopsis, presenting an innovative approach for agricultural practices aimed at enhancing crop resilience to environmental stresses.

Legal Protection of Copyright Works and Complex Intellectual Property Objects on Social Networks: Court Practice Issues

The paper examines modern approaches of court practice in order to determine the legal nature of complex intellectual property objects, as well as creative outputs generated on social networks. The author analyzes the Judicial Review of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation 2024 and the practice of the Intellectual Property Rights Court, devoted to topical issues of judicial protection of creative outputs on the Internet, as well as doctrinal sources, foreign experience on the issues under consideration. A legal analysis of complex intellectual property objects, ways of using them on the Internet, as well as gaps in legislative regulation in this area is carried out. The issues of the legal status of the information intermediary, the definition of the violator in social networks, especially on telegram channels, as well as the possibilities and criteria for the application of interim measures in case of violation of copyright and related rights are considered separately. In addition, cases and examples from law enforcement practice are considered when the copyright holder may, at their discretion, allow or prohibit other persons from using the result of intellectual activity or a means of individualization, since the absence of a ban is not considered consent (permission), which is a frequent violation, especially on the Internet.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on Bottom-Hole Multiphase Flow Fields Formed by Polycrystalline Diamond Compact Drill Bits in Foam Drilling

High-temperature geothermal wells frequently employ foam drilling fluids and Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) drill bits. Understanding the bottom-hole flow field of PDC drill bits in foam drilling is essential for accurately analyzing their hydraulic structure design. Based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and multiphase flow theory, this paper establishes a numerical simulation technique for gas-liquid-solid multiphase flow in foam drilling with PDC drill bits, combined with a qualitative and quantitative hydraulic structure evaluation method. This method is applied to simulate the bottom-hole flow field of a six-blade PDC drill bit. The results show that the flow velocity of the air phase in foam drilling fluid is generally higher than that of the water phase. Some blades’ cutting teeth exhibit poor cleaning and cooling effects, with individual cutting teeth showing signs of erosion damage and cuttings cross-flow between channels. To address these issues, optimizing the nozzle spray angle and channel design is necessary to improve hydraulic energy distribution, enhance drilling efficiency, and extend drill bit life. This study provides new ideas and methods for developing geothermal drilling technology in the numerical simulation of a gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow field. Additionally, the combined qualitative and quantitative evaluation method offers new insights and approaches for research and practice in drilling engineering.