Determining Factor Research Articles

Response of soybean Cd to soil Cd and pH and its associated health risk in a high geological background area in Guizhou Province, Southwest China.

This study comprehensively examined the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in soybeans grown in low- and high-Cd soils around the high geological background areas in Guizhou province. The aim was to analyze the relationship between soybean Cd and soil pH and soil Cd, alongside assessing the potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with Cd in soybeans. Cd content of soybeans cultivated in the high-Cd area (0.430 mg/kg) was significantly higher than that in low-Cd areas (0.156 mg/kg) (P < 0.05). Biological concentration factors (BCFs) of soybean for Cd in low- and high-Cd areas were 0.282 and 0.314, respectively, with no significant differences (P > 0.05). Multiple linear regression results indicated that soil pH was a determining factor for Cd accumulation in soybeans in both areas. Furthermore, soil pH and soil Cd could accurately predict Cd accumulation in soybeans according to the neural network model. These findings suggest that regulating soil pH could reduce Cd accumulation in soybeans in areas with high geological background. In both areas, there was no significant non-carcinogenic risk for the adult population (HQ value < 1) through soybean consumption. However, according to the Monte Carlo model, the percentage of Cd in soybeans exceeding the acceptable range (CR value > 1.00 × 10 -04) in areas was 99.18%, indicating an unacceptable carcinogenic risk for the adult population. Our discussion revealed that reducing the soybean intake and increasing soil pH did not effectively lower the carcinogenic risk of Cd in soybeans to an acceptable range (CR value ≤ 1.00 × 10 -04). These findings necessitate further exploration of alternative remediation strategies to ensure the safe production of soybeans, such as screening for low-Cd accumulation soybean varieties and implementing the combined remediation strategies.

Preexisting risk-avoidance and enhanced alcohol relief are driven by imbalance of the striatal dopamine receptors in mice

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is frequently comorbid with anxiety disorders, yet whether alcohol abuse precedes or follows the expression of anxiety remains unclear. Rodents offer control over the first drink, an advantage when testing the causal link between anxiety and AUD. Here, we utilized a risk-avoidance task to determine anxiety-like behaviors before and after alcohol exposure. We found that alcohol’s anxiolytic efficacy varied among inbred mice and mice with high risk-avoidance showed heightened alcohol relief. While dopamine D1 receptors in the striatum are required for alcohol’s relief, their levels alone were not correlated with relief. Rather, the ratio between striatal D1 and D2 receptors was a determinant factor for risk-avoidance and alcohol relief. We show that increasing striatal D1 to D2 receptor ratio was sufficient to promote risk-avoidance and enhance alcohol relief, even at initial exposure. Mice with high D1 to D2 receptor ratio were more prone to continue drinking despite adverse effects, a hallmark of AUD. These findings suggest that an anxiety phenotype may be a predisposing factor for AUD.

Assessing the Diffusion of Military Power Capacity of Middle Powers: The Case of Turkey

ABSTRACT Great powers’ military power diffusion (MPD) is superior to Middle Powers (M.P.) in technology acquisition, military innovation, and state & financial capacity. However, M.P.s have started to enhance their MPD thanks to their growing impact on international politics. In this vein, this paper aims to offer an alternative explanation of MPD by introducing a novel theoretical framework, Military Power Diffusion Capacity (hereafter MPDC), to assess how M.P.s’ MPD influences the balance of power and warfare at both regional and international levels. In doing so, this article is structured into three sections. First, we investigate the existing theoretical frameworks on military power diffusion and the spread of military power by middle-ranking states. Second, we examine the historical evolution of Turkey’s defence industry. Third, we introduce our MPDC framework and test it to the Turkey’s case. Here, we propose a five-layered MPDC framework based on the following determining factors: 1) Sustainable Financial & State Capacity, 2) Geopolitical and strategic rivalries, 3) Domestic conditions, 4) Civil-Military bargaining levels, and 5) regional and global power status-driven aspirations. Then, we scrutinize Turkey’s MPDC since the 1990s within our five-layered framework to assess the implications of its MPD on the changing international security environment.

Resource sharing of an infant gut microbiota synthetic community in combinations of human milk oligosaccharides.

Quickly after birth, the gut microbiota is shaped via species acquisition and resource pressure. Breastmilk, and more specifically, human milk oligosaccharides are a determining factor in the formation of microbial communities and the interactions between bacteria. Prominent human milk oligosaccharide degraders have been rigorously characterized, but it is not known how the gut microbiota is shaped as a complex community. Here, we designed BIG-Syc, a synthetic community of 13 strains from the gut of vaginally born, breastfed infants. BIG-Syc replicated key compositional, metabolic, and proteomic characteristics of the gut microbiota of infants. Upon fermentation of a 4 and 5 human milk oligosaccharide mix, BIG-Syc demonstrated different compositional and proteomic profiles, with Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium bifidum suppressing one another. The mix of 5 human milk oligosaccharides resulted in a more diverse composition with dominance of B. bifidum, whereas that with 4 human milk oligosaccharides supported the dominance of B. infantis, in 4 of 6 replicates. Reintroduction of bifidobacteria to BIG-Syc led to their engraftment and establishment of their niche. Based on proteomics and genome-scale metabolic models, we reconstructed the carbon source utilization and metabolite and gas production per strain. BIG-Syc demonstrated teamwork as cross-feeders utilized simpler carbohydrates, organic acids, and gases released from human milk oligosaccharide degraders. Collectively, our results showed that human milk oligosaccharides prompt resource-sharing for their complete degradation while leading to a different compositional and functional profile in the community. At the same time, BIG-Syc proved to be an accurate model for the representation of intra-microbe interactions.

The Emerging Role of Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibition in Neurological Disorders: The State of the Art.

Growing evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is not just a consequence of neurodegeneration in pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but it is rather a determinant factor, which plays a pivotal role in the onset and progression of these disorders. Neuroinflammation can affect cells and processes in the central nervous system (CNS) as well as immune cells, and might precede protein aggregation, which is a hallmark of the neurodegenerative process. Standard treatment methods are far from being able to counteract inflammation and delay neurodegeneration. Remarkably, phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5is), which represent potent vasoactive drugs used as a first-line treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), display important anti-inflammatory effects through cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) level stabilization. Since PDE5 hydrolyzes cGMP, several studies positioned PDE5 as a therapeutic target, and more specifically, PDE5is as potential alternative strategies for the treatment of a variety of neurological disorders. Indeed, PDE5is can limit neuroinflammation and enhance synaptic plasticity, with beneficial effects on cognitive function and memory. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of some of the main processes underlying neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration which may be potential targets for PDE5is, focusing on sildenafil, the most extensively studied. Current strategies using PDEis for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases will be summarized.

Lifestyle and sleep quality of schoolchildren living in Amazonas, Brazil

Lifestyle is something inherent to the world's population, different in each place and often varying from individual to individual. Lifestyle is directly related to health and encompasses various factors, including sleep, the quality of which is considered a determining factor, especially as it is related to the individual's development and well-being. This study sought to assess the impact of lifestyle on sleep quality in school adolescents in the city of Jutaí, in the state of Amazonas. To this end, information was collected from 356 students (167 boys and 189 girls) from the city's public school system, with an average age of around 13.10 ± 1.27 years, average body mass of 47.35 ± 11.45, average height of 1.52 ± 0.09 and BMI of 20.33 ± 3.60. The following instruments were used for data collection: Body Mass Index (BMI), the Individual Lifestyle Profile questionnaire (Nahas et al, 2000) and the mini sleep questionnaire (Zomer, 1985). The lifestyle variables analysed showed an intermediate level for nutrition, positive for stress, physical activity and social relationships oscillating between intermediate and positive, and positive preventive behaviour. Finally, it was found that most of the students surveyed - 181 participants (≅ 51.1%) - had good sleep, 46 (≅13.2%) had slightly altered sleep, 38 (≅10.7%) and 89 (25%) had severely altered sleep. There seems to be a direct relationship between sleep quality and lifestyle.

Evaluating the Impact of Age and G8 Assessment on Definitive Treatment Strategies in Elderly Patients with Local Advanced Esophageal Carcinoma

Introduction: While chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is commonly employed as a curative approach for esophageal cancer, administering standard CRT to elderly patients often presents challenges in practical settings. The objective of this study was to compare treatment tolerance and survival outcomes between younger and elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) diagnosed with locally advanced esophageal cancer receiving curative-intent treatment. Additionally, it aimed to assess the impact of the Geriatric-8 Health Status Screening Tool (G8 score) on treatment decisions in elderly patients. Methods: Ninety-seven patients treated with neoadjuvant or definitive CRT for locally advanced esophageal cancer were retrospectively evaluated at two centers from 2013 to 2023. We divided the patients by age (<65 and ≥65 years) and assessed their demographic, clinical, and treatment data, including pre- and post-treatment G8 scores. Radiotherapy (RT) was administered at a median dose of 50.4 Gy (45–66 Gy). Planned concurrent chemotherapy was completed in 73 (75.3%) of the patients. Results: In the comparative study of 97 esophageal cancer patients, 48 geriatric (aged ≥65 years) and 49 younger individuals were followed up for a median of 20 and 21 months, respectively. No significant statistical differences were noted between the groups concerning baseline and treatment characteristics. Surgical intervention rates were comparable, with 22.9% of geriatric and 36.7% of young patients undergoing surgery (p = 0.184). There were no significant differences in pathological complete response, local recurrence, distant metastasis, progression, or death rates. The median progression-free survival (PFS) for geriatric and younger patients was 31 months (95% CI, 13.6–48.4) and 19 months (95% CI, 0–39.4), respectively (p = 0.832). The median overall survival (OS) was 38 months (95% CI, 23.8–52.2) in geriatric patients, while it was not reached in younger patients (p = 0.745). There was no significant difference between the two groups. The pretreatment and post-treatment G8 values of the geriatric patients were 9.25 (6–13.5) and 9.5 (6–14), respectively. Patients with increased G8 scores were found to have significantly higher PFS (median 85 months vs. 11 months, p = 0.001) and OS (median 85 months vs. 14 months, p = 0.001) compared to those with unchanged or decreased G8 scores. Conclusion: Age alone should not be the determining factor in the treatment decision of elderly patients diagnosed with locally advanced esophageal cancer. Moreover, CRT could be safely performed even in patients with low G8 scores, and although the G8 score may not directly influence treatment decision, its enhancement during the treatment process holds significant prognostic value.

Innovation as a Foundation of Competitiveness of Smes on the Colombo-Venezuelan Frontier

Objective: This article is the result of a research carried out in a group of SMEs with the objective of analyzing innovation in this business commercial segment. Innovation has become a determining factor for the success of modern organizations due to their ability to generate products and services that satisfy customer needs. Theoretical Framework: Several authors with extensive research experience were consulted in order to add a theoretical construct to the research regarding innovation in organizations. Method: The methodology adopted for this research was executed under a quantitative, descriptive and analytical approach, with a field, non-experimental and transactional design. The information was obtained directly with the application of a structured instrument to an intentional sample applied to ten managers of SMEs on the Colombian-Venezuelan frontier. Results and Discussion: It was established that these do not receive adequate attention from management since all the evaluated indicators were located at a medium and low level in an instrument designed with a Likert scale. Research Implications: It can be inferred that the managers in question do not make significant implementations or changes in the products or services they market, failing to generate economic value due to the non-implementation of strategies that lead to an increase in operational income within the managed organizations. Originality/Value: The research carried out under the positivist paradigm due to its quantitative approach based on the rigorous application of the scientific method, is characterized by the possibility of generalization, which allows based on particular results to proceed to make generalizations that can be applied in similar circumstances.

Data Mining Predicts the Number of Scout Enthusiasts in Binjai City Using the Linear Regression Method

This study aims to predict the number of scout enthusiasts in Binjai City using a linear regression method. The data used includes the number of active scout members from the Alert, Fundraiser, and Enforcer levels during the 2018-2024 school year. The linear regression method was chosen because of its ability to predict future trends based on historical data. This research implements a linear regression algorithm through the Python programming language for the development of prediction systems. The problem in this study is that scout education in Binjai City has many impacts that can affect the number of scout enthusiasts in an educational institution. Some of the factors that can affect the quality of the teacher can be a determining factor in the interest in participating in scouting. With the existence of qualified scout teaching staff and creativity, students will be more in demand to participate in scouting.and the achievement of providing facilities provided from the School Level to the Branch Committee can also be a factor in attracting interest in participating in scouting and the support of school principals and the surrounding government can also be a determining factor in the development of scouting in the region so that activities from the school level to the international level are carried out which will be more in demand by scouting students. This finding is expected to help the Branch of the Binjai City Scout Movement in preparing and optimizing the number of scouting students in the future. This value means that the relationship between the free variable / predictor X and the bound variable / response Y is a low increase, the percentage is 93%. With the overall interest of 3191 scout members active scout members in the coming year with the number of Standby (1756 people), Fundraisers (662 people), Enforcers (773 people) So, the interest of scouts in the city of Binjai is influenced by the number of active Scout members this year.

Identification of optimal locations for green space initiatives through GIS-based multi-criteria analysis and the analytical hierarchy process

Urban green spaces play a vital role in enhancing the well-being of communities and mitigating environmental challenges such as air pollution and global warming. Despite their importance, effective models to allocate these green spaces are often overlooked, particularly in developing countries. This study utilises GIS-based Multi-Criteria Analysis and the Analytical Hierarchy Process to recommend optimal locations for green space interventions in Lilongwe City, Malawi, based on nine factors: population density, proximity to roads, slope, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI), land cover, existing green space, proximity to water bodies, and nitrogen dioxide concentration. The results show that 0.57% (23,776 hectares) of Lilongwe city is highly suitable while 14.50% (604,596 hectares) is unsuitable for green space interventions, where population density was the most determining factor. The suitability varied across the city, with highly suitable areas predominantly located in the southern part. The study highlights the importance of informed decision-making in urban green space planning, setting a standard for equitable access to green spaces and sustainable urban development.

The Influence of Quality Management Systems on the Success of Information Technology

Regarding the influence of quality management systems on the success of information technology (IT), it can be started by explaining the importance of quality in the development and implementation of IT systems. In the context of modern business, information technology plays a very important role in supporting operations, increasing efficiency, and providing competitive advantage. However, to ensure that IT systems truly support these goals, quality in every aspect of IT development and management must be maintained. This study aims to analyze the influence of quality management systems on the success of information technology. In an increasingly complex business environment, the quality of information technology is a determining factor in achieving organizational goals. An effective quality management system is expected to increase efficiency, reduce risk, and ensure that results are in accordance with predetermined specifications.

The Critical Role of Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis Pathway in Lily Resistance Against Gray Mold

Gray mold caused by Botrytis elliptica is one of the most determinative factors of lily growth and has become a major threat to lily productivity. However, the nature of the lily B. elliptica interaction remains largely unknown. Here, comparative transcriptomic and metabolomic were used to investigate the defense responses of resistant (‘Sorbonne’) and susceptible (‘Tresor’) lily cultivars to B. elliptica infection at 24 hpi. In total, 1326 metabolites were identified in ‘Sorbonne’ and ‘Tresor’ after infection, including a large number of phenylpropanoids. Specifically, the accumulation of four phenylpropanes, including eriodictyol, hesperetin, ferulic acid, and sinapyl alcohol, was significantly upregulated in the B. elliptica-infected ‘Sorbonne’ compared with the infected ‘Tresor’, and these phenylpropanes could significantly inhibit B. elliptica growth. At the transcript level, higher expression levels of F3′M, COMT, and CAD led to a higher content of resistance-related phenylpropanes (eriodictyol, ferulic acid, and sinapyl alcohol) in ‘Sorbonne’ following B. elliptica infection. It can be assumed that these phenylpropanes cause the resistance difference between ‘Sorbonne’ and ‘Tresor’, and could be the potential marker metabolites for gray mold resistance in the lily. Further transcriptional regulatory network analysis suggested that members of the AP2/ERF, WRKY, Trihelix, and MADS-M-type families positively regulated the biosynthesis of resistance-related phenylpropanes. Additionally, the expression patterns of genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were confirmed using qRT-PCR. Therefore, we speculate that the degree of gray mold resistance in the lily is closely related to the contents of phenylpropanes and the transcript levels of the genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. Our results not only improve our understanding of the lily’s resistance mechanisms against B. elliptica, but also facilitate the genetic improvement of lily cultivars with gray mold resistance.

Tenacibaculum maritimum can boost inflammation in Dicentrarchus labrax upon peritoneal injection but cannot trigger tenacibaculosis disease.

Despite being a bacterial pathogen with devastating consequences, Tenacibaculum maritimum's pathogenesis is not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to elucidate if different inoculation routes (intraperitoneal - i.p - injection and bath challenge - known to induce mortality) can induce tenacibaculosis (i.e., using the same T. maritimum inoculum), as well as evaluate the short-term immune response of European sea bass (D. labrax). Additionally, the host response against i.p. injection of extracellular products (ECPs) was also studied. Fish were i.p. challenged with 5.5 × 105 CFU mL-1 of T. maritimum cells with or without ECPs (BECPs and BWO, respectively), ECPs alone or marine broth (mock). Another group of fish was bath-challenged with 5.5 × 105 CFU mL-1 to confirm the virulence of the bacterial inoculum. Undisturbed specimens were used as controls. The severity of both challenges was determined by following percentage survival. Blood, liver and head-kidney samples were collected at 0, 3, 6, 24 and 48h post-challenge for assessing immune parameters, oxidative stress and gene expression. Total and differential peritoneal cell counts were performed. The presence of viable bacteria in the blood and peritoneal cavity was studied. Symptoms of tenacibaculosis, such as skin/fin abrasions, were only observed in the bath-challenged fish, where 0% survival was recorded, whereas 100% survival was observed after i.p. injection of the same bacterial inoculum. An increase in total leukocyte numbers in the peritoneal cavity was observed 3h post-injection of BECPs when compared to the other treatments. Blood total leukocytes, lymphocytes, and thrombocyte numbers dropped after the challenge, mainly in fish challenged with BECPs. At 48h post-challenge, bactericidal activity in the plasma increased in fish injected with bacteria (with and without ECPs). The same tendency was seen for some of the oxidative stress parameters. The increased expression of il1β, il6, il8, and hamp1 in fish challenged with ECPs and BECPs suggests a more exacerbated pro-inflammatory response in the head-kidney against these inocula. The infection trial and the observed immune responses showed that the infection route is a determinant factor regarding T. maritimum-induced pathogenesis in European sea bass.

Dynamics of a Price Adjustment Model with Distributed Delay

This paper deals with the stability and occurrence of Hopf bifurcation of a distributed delay differential cobweb model using the chain trick technique. This is a generalized form of the fixed delay cobweb model to which it is compared using the same parameter values. The results from the delay distribution showed that whenever less weight (γ=0.146) is put on past prices, the current equilibrium price is adjusted upwards while the reverse is observed when a higher weight (γ=0.186) is put on the previous price. It is also observed that if the initial price is set below/above the equilibrium price, the price adjustment either affects the consumers or benefits the suppliers. However, the fixed delay cobweb model does not display the consumers or suppliers benefits of the price dynamics in either direction. These are unique, underlying patterns in price dynamics discovered when using a distributed delay model compared to traditional fixed delay cobweb models. Furthermore, our model challenges the traditional cobweb model’s requirement for divergence, as it is based on the weight assigned to past prices rather than the relationship between the elasticities of supply and demand, which is the determining factor in the classical model. Based on these insights, we recommend that future price adjustment models incorporate distributed delays, as they reveal more intricate price dynamics and provide a more comprehensive understanding of market behavior than fixed delay models.

Interface Dependent Coexistence of Two‐Dimensional Electron and Hole Gases in Mn‐doped InAs/GaSb

AbstractThe interface of common III‐V semiconductors InAs and GaSb can be utilized to realize a two‐dimensional (2D) topological insulator state. The 2D electronic gas at this interface can yield Hall quantization from coexisting electrons and holes. This anomaly is a determining factor in the fundamental origin of the topological state in InAs/GaSb. Here, the coexistence of electrons and holes in InAs/GaSb is tied to the chemical sharpness of the interface. Magnetotransport, in samples of Mn‐doped InAs/GaSb cleaved from wafers grown at a spatially inhomogeneous substrate temperature, is studied. It is reported that the observation of quantum oscillations and a quantized Hall effect whose behavior, exhibiting coexisting electrons and holes, is tuned by this spatial nonuniformity. Through transmission electron microscopy measurements, it is additionally found that samples that host this co‐existence exhibit a chemical intermixing between group III and group V atoms that extends over a larger thickness about the interface. The issue of intermixing at the interface is systematically overlooked in electronic transport studies of topological InAs/GaSb. These findings address this gap in knowledge and shed important light on the origin of the anomalous behavior of quantum oscillations seen in this 2D topological insulator.

Compositional simulation of coupled transport mechanisms in fractured-vuggy underground gas storage: A case study of LWC in the Sichuan Basin

Compositional models were built to simulate the underground gas storage (UGS) operation, which is characterized by multiple cycles of rapid injection and production. Based on the validated model of the fractured-vuggy underground gas storage Lao Weng-Chang (LWC), this study evaluated the individual and coupling effects of stress sensitivity, relative permeability hysteresis, and high-speed non-Darcy flow on UGS operation. It was found that stress sensitivity is the main controlling factor behind the reduced working gas volume, and it led to a 6.07% decline in working gas volume. Relative permeability hysteresis is the determining factor for the storage capacity, and it led to a 9.05% decline in storage capacity. The high-speed non-Darcy flow only led to a 0.16% reduction in storage capacity but led to a 4.19% decline in working gas volume. A higher stress sensitivity coefficient and increased residual gas saturation both lead to greater losses in both storage capacity and working gas volume. Coupling stress sensitivity and relative permeability hysteresis would have a more pronounced effect on working gas volume than when considered individually. Considering the high-speed non-Darcy flow further decreases working gas volume. The gas production per unit pressure drop will also decrease with the increasing Reynolds number, and there exists a critical value of Re where the decrease significantly accelerates.

Examining multidimensional health poverty and determining factors among rural women of childbearing age in ningxia, china

BackgroundThe multidimensional health poverty afflicting rural women of reproductive age bears profound implications for the sustainable development of families, societies, and healthy villages. Elucidating vulnerable groups at risk of multidimensional health poverty and delineating its determinants can inform refinements and implementation of health-poverty alleviation policies.MethodsBased on the 2022 "Health Status and Health Service Utilization" survey data in rural Ningxia, China, this study analyzes the dimension of health status, capacity for health service utilization, health expenditure and security using the A-F dual-threshold method, logit model, and probit model. It comprehensively evaluates multidimensional health poverty and analyzes its determining factors among rural women of childbearing age.ResultsWith k set at 0.3, the health multidimensional poverty index, incidence, and intensity among rural women of reproductive age were 0.021, 0.053, and 0.392, respectively. Chronic illness, capacity for free gynecological examination utilization, health examination utilization, and borrowing due to illness contributed significantly to multidimensional health poverty. Risk factors for multidimensional health poverty among rural women of childbearing age include age, unemployment, family size, and lack of sanitary toilets. Protective factors include being married, educational level, non-farm or student occupation, receiving government support, separate housing and kitchen, owning a television and computer.ConclusionsEven with the elimination of absolute poverty, the multidimensional health poverty situation among rural women remains important from a gender perspective. It is recommended to strengthen economic assistance and health service support for these groups, improve the level of rural health services from a gender perspective, and enhance housing structure and sanitation toilet usage in rural areas. Efforts should be made to narrow the digital divide in rural areas and promote digital health education. Pre-interventions on multidimensional health poverty can provide new pathways for the development, empowerment, and well-being of rural women of childbearing age.

Self-efficacy as a psychological resource in the management of stress suffered by ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective study on emotional exhaustion.

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses have experienced a high degree of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the literature on the consequences on emotional symptomatology is abundant, studies on the protective psychosocial variables that have contributed to buffering these consequences are scarcer. This study analyses the role of self-efficacy as a protective personality trait in ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a moderated mediation model that begins with the stress and anxiety experienced at the onset of the pandemic and concludes with the emotional exhaustion experienced 6 months later. Prospective longitudinal study with two data collection periods during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) from 5 May to 21 June 2020 and (2) a follow-up 6 months after the state of alarm finalized (January-April 2021). These were both very stressful periods for ICU staff because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted with 129 ICU nurses (a non-probabilistic convenience sample in the Spanish health care system). Socio-demographic, occupational and psychosocial variables (i.e. stress, anxiety, self-efficacy and emotional exhaustion) were assessed. Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlations, covariate analyses (i.e. Student's t-test, one-factor ANOVA) and moderated mediation analyses were carried out (SPSS PROCESS macro, model 7). STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guidelines were followed. It shows that the higher the self-efficacy score, the lower the effect of stress on anxiety (p < .001); likewise, the moderating role of self-efficacy was equally valid for the whole final model (F = 8.790, p < .001), showing self-efficacy to be a good buffer for emotional exhaustion derived from the stress suffered in the ICU. Self-efficacy (i.e. the belief of being able to do certain tasks successfully) is shown to be a highly relevant trait to enhance among ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to manage work stress effectively and thus buffering the development of anxiety in the short term and emotional exhaustion in the long term. Our results point to the need to assess and take action on self-efficacy in ICU nurses in highly stressful situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. As a psychological variable, self-efficacy refers to beliefs and therefore has to be trained by evidence-based psychological techniques, such as cognitive behavioural therapy. In addition, previous literature has pointed out that previous experience or specific training is an influential (although not a determining) factor in self-efficacy, so specialization for ICU nurses could also be considered.

Rapid shear capacity prediction of TRM-strengthened unreinforced masonry walls through interpretable machine learning deployed in a web app

The presented study provides an efficient and reliable tool for rapid shear capacity estimation of TRM-strengthened unreinforced masonry walls. For this purpose, a data-driven methodology based on a machine learning system is proposed using a dataset constituted of experimental results selected from the bibliography. The outlier points of the dataset were detected using the Cook’s distance methodology and removed from the raw dataset, which consisted of 113 examples and 11 input variables. In the processed dataset, 17 machine learning methods were trained, optimized through hyperparameter tuning, and compared on the test set. The most effective models were the optimized instances of XGBoost and CatBoost methods, which combined into a voting model to leverage the predictive capacity of more than a single regressor. The final blended model shows remarkable predicting capacity with the determination factor (R2) equal to 0.95 and the mean absolute percentage error equal to 8.03%. Also, the model’s predictions are compared with those of existing analytical relationships, and it is found to perform the best of all. In sequence, machine learning interpretation methods are applied to find how the predictors influence the target output. Am, ft, and n⋅tf were identified as the most significant predictors with a mainly positive influence on the shear capacity. Finally, the built machine learning system is employed in a user-friendly web app for easy access and usage by professionals and researchers.

About el2d2m on Line 4 of the E-45 Köžeelig-Xovu Inscription

For a more accurate interpretation of the Yenisei Inscriptions, Uyghur texts are as important a source of reference as the Khaganate Inscriptions. Especially in the analysis of words that do not appear in the inscriptions or are rare, the vocabulary of Uyghur can be a determining factor. For instance, in this article, I will focus on the word M𐌗Le el2d2m, which occurs in the E-45 Köžeelig-Xovu inscription but has been interpreted in different ways since its first publication. In order to read and interpret the word correctly, it will be reconsidered together with its examples in Old Uyghur texts.