Globally Research Articles

Pharmacological validation of a novel exopolysaccharide from Streptomyces sp. 139 to effectively inhibit cytokine storms

With the rapid development of immunotherapy in recent years, cytokine storm has been recognized as a common adverse effect of immunotherapy. The emergence of COVID-19 has renewed global attention to it. The cytokine storm's inflammatory response results in infiltration of large amounts of monocytes/macrophages in the lungs, heart, spleen, lymph nodes, and kidneys. This infiltration leads to secondary tissue damage, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), organismal damage, and even death. However, there is currently no designated treatment for cytokine storm and the resulting ARDS. Consequently, there is a pressing need to identify a pharmaceutical agent that can effectively mitigate cytokine storms. Ebosin is a new exopolysaccharide generated by Streptomyces sp.139 and pharmacological activity for cytokine storm is investigated in vivo. The results show that Ebosin significantly augments the survival rates of mice, and its effectiveness increases with higher doses. It significantly inhibited the expression of cytokines IL-5, IL-6, IL-9 and chemokine Eotaxin in serum and lung tissues. Ebosin can alleviate the pathological damage in the lungs, liver, and spleen caused by LPS. Additionally, it can inhibit the phosphorylation of IKKα/β, Stat3 and NF-κB p65 upon LPS stimulation in vitro. We hypothesized that Ebosin may decrease cytokine release by inhibiting the phosphorylation of IKKα/β, Stat3, and NF-κB p65, neutrophil infiltration in animals. The article preliminarily elucidated the activity and mechanism of Ebosin against cytokine storm, which provides a reference for the study of anti-cytokine storm activity of microbial natural products.

Introduction: Melmoth's Global Afterlives

In this introduction to the special issue, the editors read Charles Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer (1820) and its circuitous afterlives through the lens of recent, revised critical understandings of globalgothic. Driven by its striking depiction of evil, its eccentric narrative structure, and its atmospheric intensity, Melmoth the Wanderer's cultural impact reverberated across nineteenth- and twentieth-century literatures and visual media, an influence which continues to evolve to this day. Significantly, for a text preoccupied with the problematics of translation, transcription, and transliteration, Melmoth's network of global influence is fraught with anomalies and complications. From its first appearance in nineteenth-century Russia in French translation to its rediscovery in twentieth-century Latin America, the global afterlives of Melmoth expose the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of transnational textuality, both in Maturin's era and our own. The introduction ends with an overview of the essays collected in this volume – the first scholarly study dedicated to tracing the many afterlives of Maturin's Melmoth.

The Southern Ocean as the climate's freight train – driving ongoing global warming under zero-emission scenarios with ACCESS-ESM1.5

Abstract. Earth system model experiments presented here explore how the centennial response in the Southern Ocean can drive ongoing global warming even with zero CO2 emissions and declining atmospheric CO2 concentrations. These projections were simulated by the earth system model version of the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS-ESM1.5) and motivated by the Zero Emissions Commitment Model Intercomparison Project (ZECMIP); ACCESS-ESM1.5 simulated ongoing warming in the ZECMIP experiment that switched or branched to zero emissions after 2000 PgC had been emitted. New experiments presented here each simulated 300 years and included intermediate branch points. In each experiment that branched after emitting more than 1000 PgC, the global climate continues to warm. For the experiment that branched after 2000 PgC, or after 3.5 °C of warming from a preindustrial climate, there is 0.37 ± 0.08 °C of extra warming after 50 years of zero emissions, which increases to 0.83 ± 0.08 °C after 200 years. All branches show ongoing Southern Ocean warming. The circulation of the Southern Ocean is modified early in the warming climate, which contributes to changes in the distribution of both physical and biogeochemical subsurface ocean tracers, such as ongoing warming at intermediate depths and a reduction in deep oxygen south of 60° S. A simple slab model emulates the global temperatures of the ACCESS-ESM1.5 experiments demonstrating the response here is primarily due to the slow response of the ocean and the Southern Ocean in particular. Centennial global warming persists when the slab model is forced with CO2 diagnosed from late-branching experiments with other ZECMIP models, confirming the dominant role of ocean physics at these timescales. However, decadal responses changed due to the larger drawdown of CO2 from other models. Slow ongoing warming in the Southern Ocean can be found in ZEC scenarios of most models, though the amplitude and global influence varies.

Cultural Hybridity and Identity Crisis in The Inheritance of Loss

This paper explores the themes of cultural hybridity and identity crisis in Kiran Desai’s novel, The Inheritance of Loss. Set in post-colonial India and the United States, the novel delves into the lives of characters who navigate the complexities of hybrid identities and the resulting psychological turmoil. Through a detailed analysis of characters such as Sai, Jemubhai Patel, and Biju, the study examines how colonial legacies and global influences shape their fragmented identities. The socio-political backdrop of the Gorkhaland movement further enriches the narrative, highlighting the interconnectedness of individual and collective struggles for recognition and self-definition. This paper underscores the importance of understanding the multifaceted nature of identity in a globalized world and the ongoing impact of colonial histories on contemporary identities.

Strategy of islamic boarding school-based in facing the era of revolution 4.0 towards the era of society 5.0

This research is motivated by the importance of Islamic boarding school based education in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah to safeguard the next generation from the influence of globalization and the revolutionary era, and also as a platform for preparing them with knowledge of both religious and general subjects. Madrasah Ibtidaiyah is an education level equivalent to Elementary School in an Islamic Educational Institution, where the learning process is conducted formally and instills strong Islamic values. Madrasah Ibtidaiyah NWDI Nurul Haramain is one of the Islamic boarding school based schools whose presence can address parental concerns about moral disruption and technological advancements in the globally revolutionary era. The aim of this research is to investigate the development of Islamic boarding school based madrasah as an effort to face the challenges of the era 4.0 towards the era of society 5.0 at MI NWDI Nurul Haramain, marked by rapid and transformative technological advancements that require educational institutions like madrasah to adapt to various changes to remain relevant and effective. The researchers utilized a descriptive qualitative approach in conducting the research. Data was collected through non-participative observation, documentation, and interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current situation of the madrasah and the challenges faced in confronting the era 4.0 towards the era of society 5.0. Data analysis employed the techniques of Miles and Huberman, focusing on data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The research findings indicate that MI Nurul Haramain; 1) prepares madrasah teachers to possess digital skills, creative thinking, innovativeness, dynamism, and Quran memorization as a reinforcement, 2) conducts both intracurricular and extracurricular activities for students, and 3) integrates technology as a tool for teaching and learning activities.

DIGITALLY DRIVEN MODEL OF A CLIMATE-NEUTRAL ECONOMY IN TERMS OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL CAPACITY

The article explores the conditions and drivers for the development of a climate-neutral economy model, emphasizing the pivotal role of digital transformation. A crucial lever in deploying this model is the proactive engagement of international financial entities within the realm of global green financing. The study highlights the instrumental role of green funds as key players in shaping global financial capacity and providing multilateral support for climate change adaptation worldwide. It delves into the overarching frameworks and mechanisms of such assistance. Employing a systematic analysis alongside case studies of the Green Climate Fund's projects, the authors aim to identify the most impactful sectors for cultivating a climate-neutral economy. The research identifies four essential segments for achieving climate neutrality: digitalization for climate, strengthening the financial capacity and business sustainability, rethinking ecosystem development, and community empowerment. The investigation draws on extensive data regarding the execution of 240 climate projects across major beneficiaries of climate finance in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. It shows that modern climate finance demonstrates signs of geopolitical dependency and polarization in global influence. The findings argue for bolstering the regional presence of climate funds to increase the financial capacity to implement climate-neutral projects at the local level. The article underscores the scale of financial support required across each segment, as well as the leading role of pre-project preparation. The authors substantiate the overarching and twofold role of digitalization in the model of a climate-neutral economy. The digital transformation produces a whole cluster of independent and versatile IT products for green businesses, industries and governance. On the other hand, digitalization creates an informational environment and a powerful digital infrastructure for better efficacy of other crucial segments. Specifically, it provides digital decisions for financial solvency and sustainability of green businesses in terms of green lending, grants and Fintech; strengthens information awareness and involvement of vulnerable communities in green economy processes; promotes digital support for overall ecosystem adaptation.

Features and Perspectives of the Market of Information and Communication Technologies’ Functioning in Data-Driven Society

The article is intended to define the conceptual prospects for the development of the information and communication technologies market in a data-driven society. According to the results of the study, it was established that the implementation of innovative technological startups for the reorganization of information and communication networks using modern switching equipment, characterized by high performance, remains a relevant and global task for the development of the target market. This will provide potential opportunities for providing a high level of service to several numbering zones at once and maintaining the availability of a wide range of information and communication services in the modern conditions of digitalization of society. It was determined that the sphere of communication and information occupies an important place in the economic and social revival of Ukraine. Broad access to significant amounts of information and database management ensures the efficiency of organization and management of state, production and non-production processes of economic activity, thereby expanding the possibilities of successful business, optimizing costs and ensuring a high level of economic and information security of the business entities. The information and telecommunications market were analyzed and the activity of participating operators was diagnosed. It has been studied that in a data-driven society, the success of achieving goals in the digital development of information and communication enterprises directly depends on global information influence. A significant reduction in the number of telecommunications operators and providers was analyzed. It was determined that small operators of the target market are not able to ensure the appropriate level of quality, availability and continuity of service, in connection with which a significant part of the target audience switches to the services of large providers. Based on the analysis of the main indicators of the development of the information and communication technologies market, the main promising directions of development based on the formation of income from a diverse pool of services are determined.

The Great Game of Space: Space Political Adventurism and Battle for Superpower Status Beyond the Horizons

Wars will not be fought on the grounds in future, but explosions will occur beyond horizons. The subject of advanced strategies of Great Powers, space militarization, and political adventurism of China, USA, and Russia has been extensively inscribed in this research paper. The paper mainly reflects the political stratagem and space arms race of Russia, China, and the USA, which are combating each other for power status in orbits of space. As China and Russia challenge USA dominance in space, the USA seeks to weaponize space to maintain its supremacy and counter these rivals. The evolving international structure and world order are steering warfare into new dimensions, with space militarization posing nontraditional security threats like spying, surveillance, space debris, and satellite destruction. Technology has advanced to the point where states have developed sophisticated spy satellites and anti-satellite weapons capable of targeting other satellites from space or the ground. Despite international legal efforts and multilateral cooperation, major powers continue to expand their space arsenals, creating national security concerns. The study argues that international institutions have failed to curb the space arms race due to their ineffectiveness. Thus, there is a need for a shift in focus to find common ground and resolve this space security conflict. The paper provides a theoretical overview of the role of international institutions and state behavior in the international system. Using qualitative research techniques, the study conducts in-depth exploration through secondary data gathered from various articles, journals, reports, vlogs, videos, and magazines. Descriptive and explanatory research approaches are employed to achieve the research objectives.

Pengaruh Pendidikan Agama Kristen Dalam Keluarga Terhadap Pertumbuhan Kerohanian Anak Berdasarkan Ulangan

As time goes by, and the influence of globalization continues to occur, it requires everyone to master science and technology, and have skills that do not make them outdated. However, through this development, human life has also become increasingly chaotic and chaotic, especially in the family (the relationship between children and parents), there is a lack of respect for parents and fellow humans, and they don't care about religion or things related to God. This is caused by the child's character not being built on the basis of the truth of God's word. So it is very important that Christian religious education is taught in families, schools and places of worship without being limited by time and space. Apart from that, Christian religious education must teach children about real life, so that children understand the purpose of this life. The influence of Christian religious education in the family is very large on children's growth if it is implemented seriously. The research method used in this research is qualitative research, with data collection techniques through literature review. The focus of this research is how Christian religious education is implemented in the household which can influence children's spiritual growth to increasingly reflect the character of Christ. The family is a very appropriate forum for forming a child's personality so that his spirituality continues to grow.

An IOT Based System for Early Identification & Monitoring of Covid-19

Abstract: This paper aims to introduce the design of an "IoT-Based System for Early Identification and Monitoring of COVID-19," with a specific focus on the systematic monitoring of heart rate and SpO2 (oxygencarrying hemoglobin in blood) through Wireless Health Monitoring. In the context of our rapidly advancing world, where health holds increasing significance, continuous monitoring emerges as a crucial aspect. While health professionals traditionally play a vital role in individual health monitoring, the rising population poses challenges to their capacity. Particularly in the current pandemic scenario, global attention to health has become paramount. Despite the existence of numerous health monitoring devices, our proposed system distinguishes itself through its convenience and efficiency.

The Motif of Language Dominance that Used on Coffee Shop Signboards in Padang City

This study offers a fresh perspective on Linguistic Landscapes (LL) by employing language mapping to analyze the frequency and distribution of language usage. The population data comprised 60 signboards from coffee shops and tourism spots in Padang city center. Qualitative methods were utilized for data collection, with analysis conducted using GIS (Geographic et al.) and Adobe Photoshop, representing innovative approaches in LL research. The analysis commenced with quantifying language usage, encompassing mono/bi/multilingual forms on coffee shop signboards. Subsequently, language mapping was employed to illustrate language distribution and highlight motif of linguistic dominance that used on coffee shop signboards in specific areas on the map. Findings revealed the presence of 12 languages on coffee shop signage, reflecting the global influence and societal preference for modernization. Despite the prominence of foreign languages, Indonesian emerged as the most frequently used, indicating relatively successful implementation of Presidential Regulation No.63 of 2019, although inconsistencies persist

COVID-19 and its implications for the future global influence of the European Union

On January 30, 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as constituting a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). With little information on how to diagnose, treat and safeguard people against the disease, countries around the world responded to the outbreak differently depending on the national context. As vaccines were rolled-out and economic measures were put in place, varied speculations started to emerge on the geopolitical implications of these measures for the European Union (EU). This paper examines some of the views from the growing body of literature on the future implications of COVID-19 on the EU’s integration, and more specifically, on whether the EU is likely to emerge as the most influential powerhouse in the post-COVID-19 world. The paper argues that, based on the current conjecture, one cannot confirm the possibility of the envisioned future given the many hurdles that the EU must first deal with before being able to don such a crown.

빅카인즈를 활용한 먹방 트렌드 분석

The phenomenon of Mukbang, which stands for “eating broadcast,” has gained significant popularity worldwide due to advancements in internet technology and the widespread adoption of social media platforms. This study aims to understand the overall trends and evolution of the Mukbang phenomenon by analyzing 70,495 articles from 104 sources in the BIGKinds database (2012-2023). The results indicate that Mukbang has evolved from an internet broadcast to a global cultural phenomenon. Initially, Mukbang started as a communication style centered around popular Broadcast Jockeys (BJs) and became mainstream with the participation of celebrities, playing a crucial role in expanding the global influence of Korean culture through various platforms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mukbang’s popularity grew even more due to increased online activity and interest in K-food. Furthermore, the inclusion of Mukbang in the Collins and Oxford dictionaries confirms the global influence of Korean Mukbang culture. Over time, Mukbang has undergone various changes, with new trends emerging, such as a shift from shows focused on binge eating to those centered on restrained eating. Throughout this process, Mukbang has played an important role in promoting Korean culture globally and has contributed to forming a new cultural identity. Consequently, the findings of this research are expected to provide direction for future Mukbang consumption patterns, offer useful guidelines for content creators, and contribute to further expanding the global influence of K-food.

Associations between IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα polymorphisms and longitudinal trajectories of cognitive function in non-demented older adults

Inflammation is implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in inflammatory cytokine genes are associated with increased AD risk. Whether the same polymorphisms also predict domain-specific cognitive change in cognitively healthy older adults is unclear. Specific SNPs in three cytokine genes, IL-1β (rs16944), IL-6 (rs1800795), and TNFα (rs1800629) were assessed for association with longitudinal trajectories spanning up to 16 years of global cognitive function, episodic memory, attention and working memory, and executive function in a sample of 324 non-demented older adults. Only rs1800629 (TNFα) was associated with significant change in global cognitive function over time [γ = 5.22; 95% CI: 0.61, 9.83; p = 0.027]. Despite an association with AD risk, rs16944 and rs1800795 may not predict cognitive decline in cognitively healthy older adults. The presence of an A at rs1800629 (TNFα) may have broad, protective effects on cognitive function, over time. More validation studies are needed to determine whether specific cytokine SNPs are associated with respective serum levels to further understanding of AD biomarkers that may also serve as markers of cognitive decline.

Exploring the Neuropsychological Correlates of Swallowing Disorders in People with Parkinson's Disease: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Around 80% of persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) present symptoms of dysphagia. Although cognitive impairment may contribute to dysphagia, few studies have investigated the association between the PD neuropsychological profile and objective measures of swallowing dysfunction. Since the swallowing function comprises involuntary but also voluntary actions, we hypothesize that specific measures of attention and executive functions can be underlined in PD-related dysphagia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to extensively investigate the correlation and the relationship between attentive and executive functions and safety/efficiency of pharyngeal phase of swallowing in people with PD. All participants received a fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and were evaluated using the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS); the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (IT-YPRSRS), and the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS-IT). Participants also underwent a neuropsychological assessment covering global cognitive status, attention, and frontal executive functions. Correlations and associations between neuropsychological measures and swallowing components were calculated. Twenty-one participants with PD (mean age 69.38 ± 6.58 years, mean disease duration 8.38 ± 5.31 years; mean MDS-UPDRS III 43.95 ± 24.18) completed all evaluations. The most significant correlations were found between attentive functions (i.e., Stroop Time), and executive functions (i.e., Raven's Progressive Matrices, Digit Backward and Semantic Fluency), and FOIS-IT, PAS, and IT-YPRSRS sinuses and valleculae. These associations were not influenced by disease duration. These results suggest that a dysfunction to attentional processes and/or to executive functions can contribute to penetration and the presence of pharyngeal residue in participants with middle-stage PD.

Voices from the other Side: Reclaiming Africa’s Story through Social Media

With the meteoric advancements in science and technology, the world has increasingly evolved into a global village: bringing in diverse nationalities together at the global table. In this new tapestry of cultures and identities, Africa, with its torturous past history of racism, slavery and colonization, which adversely eroded her cultures and identity, often struggles to extricate itself and stand out in this heavy cauldron of misresented narratives and global influences that threaten to drown out her distinctive voice. This study, cognizant of the current global tilt of young people away from a formal classroom setting towards the more hybrid social media platforms, coupled with the democratization of information dissemination and interactions that these platforms bring, poses a critical research question: Can social media serve as a newmedium for reclaiming Africa’s story? To answer this, the study employing a method of critical analysis and relying heavily on secondary sources such as books, research articles and archives to carry out the discourse, discovers that misrepresentation of Africa overtime by Western media has led to identity crisis for Africans, especially young Africans of the contemporary age, who do not know Africa beyond the Western narrative. It notes that given the common place of social media in the contemporary world, it can serve as a veritable instrument for reclaiming Africa’s story: creating a balance in past narratives told by the West and currently by globalization, which robs Africa of its distinctive identity.

AFTLNet: An efficient adaptive forgery traces learning network for deep image inpainting localization

Deep-learning-based image inpainting repairs a region with visually believable content, leaving behind imperceptible traces. Since deep image inpainting approaches can malevolently remove key objects and erase visible copyright watermarks, the desire for an effective method to distinguish the inpainted regions has become urgent. In this work, we propose an adaptive forgery trace learning network (AFTLN), which consists of two subblocks: the adaptive block and the Densenet block. Specifically, the adaptive block exploits an adaptive difference convolution to maximize the forgery traces by iteratively updating its weights. Meanwhile, the Densenet block improves the feature weights and reduces the impact of noise on the forgery traces. An image-inpainting detector, namely AFTLNet, is designed by integrating AFTLN with neural architecture search, and global and local attention modules, which aims to find potential tampered regions, enhance feature consistency, and reduce intra-class differences, respectively. The experimental results present that our proposed AFTLNet exceeds existing inpainting detection approaches. Finally, an inpainting dataset of 26K image pairs is constructed for future research. The dataset is available at https://pan.baidu.com/s/10SRJeQBNnTHJXvxl8xzHcg with password: 1234.

Hierarchical Color Fusion Network (HCFN): Enhancing exemplar-based video colorization

We conducted a study on exemplar-based colorization for grayscale videos, aiming to enhance visual perception by transforming them into vibrant videos with plausible colors. Despite promising results from existing approaches, effectively transferring colors from a reference image to grayscale video frames while maintaining temporal consistency between frames remains a challenge. To tackle this challenge, we designed a Hierarchical Color Fusion Network (HCFN). For each grayscale video frame, HCFN initially uses global and local attention mechanisms to calculate pixel-level similarity with the reference image and spatio-temporal correspondence with its neighboring frame, respectively. Based on these relationships, the pixel-level color and spatio-temporal color of the grayscale video frame are generated. Additionally, the tone-based color for the given frame is obtained based on the color distribution of the reference image. Finally, the ambiguity among these three types of colors is eliminated through the proposed hierarchical fusion mechanism, and the final color of the grayscale video frame is produced. Experimental results on public databases show that our method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in visual quality, realism and temporal consistency by a large margin. The source code and pre-trained checkpoints for HCFN is publicly available at https://github.com/wangyins/HCFN.

Global Attention-Based DEM: A Planet Surface Digital Elevation Model-Generation Method Combined with a Global Attention Mechanism

Digital elevation models (DEMs), which can provide an accurate description of planetary surface elevation changes, play an important role in scientific tasks such as long-distance path planning, terrain analysis, and planetary surface reconstruction. However, generating high-precision planetary DEMs currently relies on expensive equipment together with complex remote sensing technology, thus increasing the cost and cycle of the task. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a cost-effective technology that can produce high-quality DEMs on the surfaces of planets. In this work, we propose a global attention-based DEM generation network (GADEM) to convert satellite imagery into DEMs. The network uses the global attention mechanism (GAM) together with a multi-order gradient loss function during training to recover precise terrain. The experimental analysis on lunar and Martian datasets not only demonstrated the effectiveness and accuracy of GADEM in bright regions, but also showed its promising reconstruction ability in shadowed regions.

Eco-Innovation in The Peruvian Amazon: Perspectives and Initiatives for A Resilient Future

The Peruvian Amazon is emerging as a hotspot of innovation and sustainability, driving transformational change that transcends geographic boundaries and attracts global attention. In this dynamic and promising context, this article explores the impact of innovation and sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon region, highlighting its importance in global competitiveness and its potential to lead a resilient and prosperous future. The objective was to analyze the prospects and initiatives for innovation and sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon region. In particular, it seeks to delve into how these initiatives could catalyze a transformation in the Amazon, strengthening its competitiveness in the global scenario. This study applied a qualitative-descriptive methodology, using surveys and data analysis with SPSS. This methodological choice was based on the need to obtain an exhaustive understanding of the subject, allowing the exploration of both the perceptions and experiences of the participants and the associated numerical data. The sample population consisted of 75 stakeholders. In conclusion, our study represents a significant contribution to the field by addressing a gap in existing knowledge on innovation and sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon. By presenting new perspectives and approaches, our work provides a more complete and up-to-date understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the region as it moves towards a sustainable and globally competitive future. the Peruvian Amazon is seen as a transformative agent with potential that transcends its natural boundaries. By adopting a comprehensive and visionary perspective, the region emerges as a beacon of hope for a sustainable and prosperous future. It is essential that future policies and actions recognize and strengthen these transformative perspectives, ensuring equitable and resilient development that benefits present and future generations. In this way, the Peruvian Amazon not only drives its own global competitiveness, but also inspires and leads the way towards a more prosperous and sustainable world.