Global Phenomenon Research Articles

Therapeutic potential of natural coumarins in autoimmune diseases with underlying mechanisms.

Autoimmune diseases encompass a wide range of disorders characterized by disturbed immunoregulation leading to the development of specific autoantibodies, which cause inflammation and multiple organ involvement. However, its pathogenesis remains unelucidated. Furthermore, the cumulative medical and economic burden of autoimmune diseases is on the rise, making these diseases a ubiquitous global phenomenon that is predicted to further increase in the coming decades. Coumarins, a class of aromatic natural products with benzene and alpha-pyrone as their basic structures, has good therapeutic effects on autoimmune diseases. In this review, we systematically highlighted the latest evidence on coumarins and autoimmune diseases data from clinical and animal studies. Coumarin acts on immune cells and cytokines and plays a role in the treatment of autoimmune diseases by regulating NF-κB, Keap1/Nrf2, MAPKs, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/AKT, Notch and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways. This systematic review will provide insight into the interaction of coumarin and autoimmune diseases, and will lay a groundwork for the development of new drugs for autoimmune diseases.

Accuracy is inaccurate: Why a focus on diagnostic accuracy for medical chatbot AIs will not lead to improved health outcomes.

Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has become a global phenomenon, sparking widespread public interest in chatbot artificial intelligences (AIs) generally. While not approved for medical use, it is capable of passing all three United States medical licensing exams and offers diagnostic accuracy comparable to a human doctor. It seems inevitable that it, and tools like it, are and will be used by the general public to provide medical diagnostic information or treatment plans. Before we are taken in by the promise of a golden age for chatbot medical AIs, it would be wise to consider the implications of using these tools as either supplements to, or substitutes for, human doctors. With the rise of publicly available chatbot AIs, there has been a keen focus on research into the diagnostic accuracy of these tools. This, however, has left a notable gap in our understanding of the implications for health outcomes of these tools. Diagnosis accuracy is only part of good health care. For example, crucial to positive health outcomes is the doctor-patient relationship. This paper challenges the recent focus on diagnostic accuracy by drawing attention to the causal relationship between doctor-patient relationships and health outcomes arguing that chatbot AIs may even hinder outcomes in numerous ways including subtracting the elements of perception and observation that are crucial to clinical consultations. The paper offers brief suggestions to improve chatbot medical AIs so as to positively impact health outcomes.

The Dissemination and Expression of Female Thought in Korean Pop Culture

The transmission and expression of women’s ideas in Korean popular culture is a global phenomenon that has attracted a wide audience, including teenagers. The different channels through which these ideas are disseminated, such as music, music videos, and social media platforms, aim to understand the influence of the Korean Wave in shaping gender equality and female empowerment. Using a mixed methodology, including content analysis and comments collections, the study revealed the significant impact of Korean pop culture on young people’s self-identity and values. Examples include the different influences and inspirations that different teenagers receive as a result of this culture and the reaction after watching the music video of a K-pop girls’ group. The study concludes that the representation of women’s ideas in Korean popular culture not only challenges traditional notions of gender but also promotes a more egalitarian perspective of thought, helping teenagers to set up the correct social feminine values, and contributing to the continuous development of women’s autonomy and identity.

The Japanese Anime One Piece Drives Chinese Teenagers to Engage in Cross-border Consumption of Its Anime Peripherals

As One Piece has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon, particularly resonating with a strong fan base in China, it has become increasingly essential to delve into the underlying factors driving Chinese teenagers’ cross-border consumption. This exploration is particularly relevant within the broader context of globalization and the rapid growth of digital commerce. This study investigates the impact of the Japanese anime One Piece on the cross-border consumption behavior of Chinese teenagers, with a particular focus on their purchase of anime peripheral products. Through a combination of questionnaires and interviews, this study employs thematic analysis to decipher the potential factors driving this behavior. The findings suggest that Chinese adolescents are motivated to purchase One Piece by several factors, including the convenience and accessibility of international shopping, the allure of unique, rare, and collectible merchandise, and the symbolic status conferred by the high prices of cross-border products. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the cross-cultural consumption patterns prevalent among Chinese adolescents.

The Impact of K-pop on Chinese Fan Culture

The influence of K-pop as a global cultural phenomenon extends beyond just music and fashion - it also impacts social patterns in today’s society. This study seeks to delve into the unique characteristics of K-pop and how it shapes the lives of its fans. By conducting surveys through questionnaires, the author has uncovered the profound impact that K-pop has had on Chinese fans in both life and spiritual aspects. In terms of lifestyle choices, it is evident that K-pop has left an indelible mark on its followers. Fans have adopted new aesthetic preferences inspired by their favorite idols while also adapting their language style and even eating habits based on what they see from these stars. It is common for enthusiasts to emulate the appearance and behavior of their beloved idols as a means to establish their own sense of identity. Furthermore, at a deeper level - spiritually - we found that K-pop has significantly shaped the outlooks held by its followers towards life itself along with influencing their consumer behaviors as well as criteria for selecting potential partners or mates. The resilience exhibited by these idols serves not only as inspiration for remaining optimistic during personal challenges but also prompts shifts in personal aspirations leading towards self-realization.

7.D. Scientific session: Digital health divide in access, use, and effectiveness: Examples from three countries

Abstract The increasing digitalisation of the healthcare system opens up a wide range of opportunities but also poses challenges in reducing inequalities due to unequal technological access as well as social and demographic differences of populations. This so-called digital divide is the opposite of digital inclusion, defined by the United Nations as “equitable, meaningful, and safe access to use, lead, and design of digital technologies, services, and associated opportunities for everyone, everywhere”. Indeed, digitalisation is a global phenomenon that permeates all levels of determinants of health inequities, leading to several populations being more disadvantaged. Age, gender, education, and economic status are significant factors amplifying the digital divide’s impact, with older individuals, women, less educated individuals, and economically deprived populations bearing disproportionate effects. Prior literature suggests three levels of digital divide: 1) access to internet and digital technology, 2) individual cognitive and technical competencies in utilizing digital tools, and 3) effectiveness or the optimal functionality and reach of digital technologies. Although there is less consensus with regards to the scope of the divide in the health sector, the three levels are the common reference. Nonetheless, this lack of agreement resulted in existing literature to be concentrated around digital health literacy, or the cognitive and technical abilities to use digital technologies. In addition, while tools such as the Global Digital Health Monitor are valuable to track, monitor, and assess the enabling environment for digital health worldwide, it does not capture the lived experience of the population, including the disadvantaged population groups. This workshop aims to 1) generate discussion on digital health divide and how it can be operationalized and 2) reflect on potential actions to counteract these injustices. Case studies from Germany, Indonesia and Argentina will be presented to diversely contextualize the inequities in digital health and assess plausible interventions. The workshop will be divided into four parts. First, an introduction to the digital health divide will be presented as well as its public health relevance (10 minutes). Second, researchers representing three countries (i.e., Germany, Indonesia, and Argentina) will present digital health divide case studies within their context of expertise (15 minutes). Third, a case-based discussion will be conducted with participants. Participants will be allocated into groups based on the three levels of the digital health divide (i.e., access, use, and effectiveness) and work on recommendations to best operationalize and narrow the digital health divide (25 minutes). Finally, the workshop will conclude with a wrap-up of the group discussion results (10 minutes). Key messages • The digital health divide affects all regions, regardless of income levels. Narrowing the gap is crucial to reduce health inequity and achieve universal health coverage. • By clearly defining the scope and operationalization of the digital health divide, its measurability and usefulness to inform health policies and programs to address this issue can be enhanced.

Entrepreneurial well-being of expatriate entrepreneurs: self and world

PurposeThis paper explores the Entrepreneurial Well-Being (EWB) of expatriate entrepreneurs in China. Through the analysis of their contextualised lived experience across the entrepreneurial journey, the paper proposes a novel theorisation of EWB.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts an interpretivist approach of abductive reasoning to analyse the data from 50 in-depth interviews conducted with expatriate entrepreneurs in China. Expatriate entrepreneurs are confronted with enhanced challenges in their host country, leading to particular emotional engagement with the entrepreneurial journey.FindingsFindings show the importance of life situations, emotions and relatedness in the entrepreneurial process and the EWB of expatriate entrepreneurs. Theorising from their lived experiences, the paper presents EWB as a dynamic process. It further theorises this process as a constant, ongoing interaction and integration between the self and world, in an interplay of being and becoming. Such theorisation contributes first to advancements in the EWB literature, with a stronger emphasis on the entrepreneurial aspect. The paper also contributes to discussions on contextualised entrepreneurship by stressing the role of emotions and relatedness in the pursuit of EWB.Originality/valueEntrepreneurship is a global phenomenon, which is often presented as a suitable alternative career path for migrant and expatriate individuals. However, the importance of EWB for entrepreneurs requires further attention from policy-makers, support institutions and entrepreneurs themselves. By theorising EWB as a processual journey of being and becoming and the relation between the self and world, this paper opens avenues for innovative support policies and practices aiming at developing the full potential of individuals in entrepreneurship and promoting both the happiness index and the global index of society.

Empowering Educators: Italian Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Vaccine Hesitancy

Abstract Background Vaccine hesitancy (VH) among healthcare workers is a prevalent global phenomenon and a public health concern. The study aims were i) identifying knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP); ii) estimating the prevalence of VH regarding recommended vaccines for healthcare workers (HWs). Methods Multicenter cross-sectional study of an Italian sample of nurses and nursing students. Following a systematic review (PROSPERO ID:CRD42020212252), a validated questionnaire was used (Cronbach’s alpha=0.82). Two multivariable logistic regression model were built to identify predictors of (1) VH to the recommended vaccine for HWs; (2) acceptance of the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose. Results 226 participants were enrolled (169 nurses; 57 students). Regarding KAP: only four nurses (1.8%) had adequate knowledge among vaccine recommended for HWs, whereas 30% (N = 66) reported never having recommended vaccinations during clinical practice. 106 (46%) nurses/students reported VH for at least one of the vaccines recommended for HWs - high levels of VH were recorded for influenza vaccination (N = 88,38.9%) and fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose (N = 100,44.3%). At the multivariable analysis, (1) significant associations with highest levels of VH were found for nurses who reported having at least one child (OR:5.42, 95%CI: 1.64-17.89) and who had not received any dose of influenza vaccination in the last 5 years (OR:13.25, 95%CI: 5.29-33.16). Lowest odds of VH was found for nurses employed in Primary Health Care (OR:0.17, 95%CI: 0.03-0.98); (2) routinely recommending vaccinations during practice (OR:0.38, 95% CI: 0.15-0.95) was associated with acceptance of fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose. Conversely, reliance on social media as the primary information source seemed to be a predictor of COVID-19 vaccine refusal (OR:2.05 95% CI: 1.31-3.20). Conclusions Preliminary results identified predictors of VH among nurses, offering insights for organizations to effectively tailor public health interventions. Key messages • High levels of vaccine hesitancy among nurses towards recommended vaccines for healthcare workers pose a threat to patient safety. • Empowering ‘educators’ through focused public health interventions is essential to address factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers.

Arabic validation and cross-cultural adaptation of climate anxiety scale

BackgroundClimate change is an enduring global phenomenon that describes a long-lasting effect of change in weather and temperature of the earth. This study aimed to validate an Arabic version of the Climate Anxiety Scale (ACAS) to assess the anxiety associated with climate change. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted using both online via Google Forms and face-to-face via hard copies, in five Arab countries, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Saudia Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The internal consistency of the scale was assessed using the Cronbach's alpha. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) conducted over principal component analysis assessed the scale dimensionality. Then, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the EFA hypothesis of ACAS on anxiety about climate change. ResultsOf the 350 participants, 54.9 % were female, 77.7% lived in urban areas, 15.4% were from North Africa, 46.6 % were from Arab Gulf countries, and 38.0 % were from Bilad Al-Sham. Nearly two-thirds (62.3%) were single, 72.3% had a university degree, 94.9% were aware of climate change, 38.3 % participated in environmental protection programs, and 62.3% reported climate-related anxiety. The item content validity index (CVI) was 0.82–1.00, and the scale CVI (S-CVI) was 0.95. Overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.925 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.902–0.940]. The Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin (KMO) test was 0.93, and Bartlett's test was significant (χ2 = 2762.6 p < 0.001). Bifactor model indices showed high explained common variance (ECV) (0.78), ωH (0.85), relative omega (0.91), H index (0.93), and factor determinacy (FD) (0.96) for the general factor. The general factor explained 78% of the common variance, whereas the group factors shared 22.0%. Model reliability coefficient omega (omega/omega S) for general factor, functional domain, and cognitive domain were 0.94, 0.92, and 0.89, respectively, suggesting a satisfactory fit threshold. ConclusionsThe ACAS tool is valid and reliable for assessing anxiety-related climate change among the Arab Population.

Unveiling the Ethical Dilemmas of Digital Piracy: A Comprehensive Exploration of Motivations, Attitudes, and Behaviors

Driven by several elements, including the unwillingness to pay for material, the spread of subscription services, and the profitability of illegal activity, digital piracy has grown to be a common problem in the contemporary world. Along with financial damages for businesses and content creators, this phenomenon has legal repercussions for individuals involved in piracy and cybersecurity issues. The effective fight against digital piracy depends on an awareness of the drivers and hazards connected with this illegal activity. With an eye towards a thorough knowledge of this intricate problem, in this study, the focus centers on the reasons, attitudes, and actions behind digital piracy. Through examining how people defend their behavior in particular situations, in this study, the aim is to clarify the ethical issues and decision-making procedures related to piracy—even among otherwise law-abiding people. Combining a variety of the relevant literature and ideas, including situation ethics theory, in this study, we seek to provide insights for legislators, business players, and academics eager to meet the difficulties presented by digital piracy. This study adds to the continuous discussion on lessening the detrimental effects of digital piracy on content creators, businesses, and cybersecurity by looking at the underlying reasons for piracy and supporting legal access to material. Along with a dearth of research on the origins and moral questions of digital piracy, there is a lot of contradictory material. By examining the factors behind this unlawful activity, clarifying the complex dynamics involved, and offering understanding of the causes of digital piracy, this study seeks to close a significant void in the knowledge. The findings of this study will enable individuals to develop strategies for handling this prevalent issue in the digital era. Developing successful interventions that can reduce this illegal conduct and safeguard the interests of content producers, businesses, and cybersecurity overall depends on an awareness of the reasons behind digital piracy. This study advances the knowledge of the difficulties presented by this global phenomenon by investigating the ethical issues and decision-making procedures related to digital piracy.

Formation of the linguistic culture of the individual in the modern education system: the impact of globalization and deglobalization processes

Introduction. The modern socio-cultural situation continues to develop under the influence of globalization processes both in political, economic, socio-cultural, and linguistic-cultural aspects. However, at present there is a turn towards deglobalization, which is noted by many researchers (Yu. P. Denisov, Ya. B. Komarova, O. O. Komolov, etc.). Along with the impact on many spheres of social activity, including the education system, globalization and deglobalization processes affect the formation of a person’s linguistic culture. Purpose setting. The purpose of the article is to investigate how the influence of globalization and deglobalization processes has affected the formation of a person’s linguistic culture in the modern education system.Methodology and methods of the study. The methodological basis of the article is the analysis of research on the problems of globalization; deglobalization; formation of the linguistic culture of the individual and the influence of globalization and deglobalization processes on its formation in the system of modern education.Results. The article presents the result of the analysis of research on the phenomena of globalization and deglobalization. Definitions of the concepts of «globalization» and «deglobalization» are given, as well as various concepts of globalization, including information (network). The role of globalization and de-globalization processes in the formation of the linguistic culture of the individual in the modern education system is considered. It is noted that globalization and globalization processes have an impact on the language and linguistic culture of the individual. There is a tendency to expand the globalization processes and their impact on the phenomenon of linguistic culture of the individual.Conclusion. Globalization is interpreted in two ways: on the one hand, as a «holistic objective, philosophically grounded cultural and historical process», on the other – «as a subjectivist-ideologized action identified with Americanization/mcdonalization and Westernization». Globalization processes have a significant impact on the formation of a person’s linguistic culture, which is manifested 1) in the functioning of a large layer of English-speaking vocabulary in various languages, including Russian (English is now acting as a so-called global language); 2) the emergence of many variants of the English language (linguistic hybrids) (Runglish, Spanglish, Indlish, Cinglish, Singlish, Franglais, etc.), a kind of pseudo-languages, a hybrid of English and national; 3) the differentiated functioning of Anglo-balicisms in modern media; 4) the introduction of English-language vocabulary into various language systems, which leads to the spread of Anglo-Saxon culture (mainly American); 5) blurring the boundaries between national languages and culture. Deglobalization contributes to a turn towards the importance of national languages and culture, drawing the attention of state structures to restoring their dominant role in the process of forming a linguistic culture of an individual.

An Analysis of Student Satisfaction and its Relationship with Academic and Social Factors in University Dropout

Over the last 50 years, Higher Education has experienced significant development, which has been associated with challenges that have yet to be solved. In this sense, university dropout is a global phenomenon that worries universities all over the world. Many research studies describe the possible causes of this phenomenon, but the most interesting are those that, due to their predictive potential, have the possibility of preventing it. The aim of this article is to study how important students perceive the different reasons for dropout in relation to the idea of abandoning the degree. For this purpose, the Spanish version of the Questionnaire of Motives for Higher Education Dropout (QMA_es; Almeida et al., 2019) was applied to a sample of 927 first- and second-year university students. These data have been processed using educational data mining (EDM) techniques, obtaining a decision tree that correctly classifies the sample in 81.1%. The results show that variables related to student satisfaction (satisfaction with academic choice, satisfaction with performance, and satisfaction with the financial situation) and to the academic and social environments play a predominant role in the approach to dropout, above other institutional, financial, and wellbeing variables.

Assessing emergency physicians' competency gaps in caring for acute psychiatric emergencies: a comparative analysis of self-perceived confidence and performance against training program expectations

BackgroundThe increasing trend of patients with mental health conditions seeking emergency care is a global phenomenon. Numerous studies have emphasized the importance of emergency physicians' ability to recognize and manage psychiatric emergencies, both for patient well-being and societal safety nets. With the growing demand for emergency care related to mental health conditions, it is crucial to assess whether emergency physicians possess sufficient confidence and capabilities to adapt to these changes. Against this backdrop, our study aimed to explore the factors influencing emergency physicians' management of acute psychiatric emergencies and to critically evaluate whether current training programs adequately align with societal expectations for psychiatric emergency care.MethodsA cross-sectional survey, disseminated online by the Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine, targeted 936 attending physicians and 449 residents in 43 Resident Review Committee approved training hospitals in winter 2021. The questionnaire covered participant demographics, skill requirements, and confidence in managing acute psychiatric patients independently. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, medians (IQRs), and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.ResultsOut of 229 participants, 63.8% were attending physicians, and 81.7% were affiliated with medical centers. Psychiatrists led 69.9% of emergency psychiatric training curricula, and 66.8% reported that their clinical psychiatric training outcomes were assessed by psychiatrists. Clinical seniority, training hospital level, and the average number of patients with an acute psychiatric presentation seen in a daily shift influenced physicians' self-reported confidence in managing acute psychiatric patients independently. Medical center training improved capability in managing psychiatric emergencies in the elderly, while encountering a higher average number of patients with an acute psychiatric presentation seen in a daily EM shift was associated with better performance, especially in managing specific populations.ConclusionsOur nationwide study highlights how clinical seniority, training hospital level, and patient volume per shift influence emergency physicians' confidence in managing acute psychiatric patients. However, there remains room for improvement, particularly in addressing the needs of specific patient populations. These findings underscore the importance of refining training curricula to bridge these gaps and enhance the quality of psychiatric emergency patient care.

Dengue virus surveillance in Nepal yields the first on-site whole genome sequences of isolates from the 2022 outbreak

BackgroundThe 4 serotypes of dengue virus (DENV1-4) can each cause potentially deadly dengue disease, and are spreading globally from tropical and subtropical areas to more temperate ones. Nepal provides a microcosm of this global phenomenon, having met each of these grim benchmarks. To better understand DENV transmission dynamics and spread into new areas, we chose to study dengue in Nepal and, in so doing, to build the onsite infrastructure needed to manage future, larger studies.Methods and resultsDuring the 2022 dengue season, we enrolled 384 patients presenting at a hospital in Kathmandu with dengue-like symptoms; 79% of the study participants had active or recent DENV infection (NS1 antigen and IgM). To identify circulating serotypes, we screened serum from 50 of the NS1+ participants by RT-PCR and identified DENV1, 2, and 3 – with DENV1 and 3 codominant. We also performed whole-genome sequencing of DENV, for the first time in Nepal, using our new on-site capacity. Sequencing analysis demonstrated the DENV1 and 3 genomes clustered with sequences reported from India in 2019, and the DENV2 genome clustered with a sequence reported from China in 2018.ConclusionThese findings highlight DENV’s geographic expansion from neighboring countries, identify China and India as the likely origin of the 2022 DENV cases in Nepal, and demonstrate the feasibility of building onsite capacity for more rapid genomic surveillance of circulating DENV. These ongoing efforts promise to protect populations in Nepal and beyond by informing the development and deployment of DENV drugs and vaccines in real time.

The influence of subjective age and temporal focus on continuing work of the retireess: a psychological perspective

The demographic trend of population aging is a global phenomenon impacting the world community at large and individual national economies. Despite growing interest in the determinants of continued work among retirees, the internal (psychological) factors influencing an individual’s decision to retire after reaching retirement age have been inadequately studied. This study addresses this gap by examining psychological variables such as subjective age and temporal focus among working retirees. The results of comparing groups of working and non-working retirees revealed several key findings: 1) retirees who continue to work have a lower past focus compared to non-working retirees; 2) the subjective age of working retirees is lower (younger) than that of non-working retirees; 3) an association between a younger subjective age and current focus was found in non-working retirees, whereas in working retirees, no links were found between temporal focus and subjective age; and 4) the desire to stay young (younger social age) predicts the continuation of work in retirement. This study contributes to the development of ideas about the role of psychological time in motivating elderly people to continue their professional activities in retirement. The results strengthen the evidence that a younger subjective age, especially social age, is one of the reasons for continuing a professional career in old age. Additionally, the study enriches scientific understanding with new data on the role of temporal focus in the context of aging.

Intellectual Capital: Revisiting an Analytical Model

The world’s economy is experiencing important changes brought on by diverse factors, namely technological advancements, the appearance and diffusion of personal computers, high-speed telecommunications, and the Internet. These technological changes have influenced the corporate environment, with recent decades denominated as the information economy, the digital economy, the economy of knowledge, a risk society, and the age of quality and innovation. To designate the key concept of the new economic era as “intellectual capital” implies a classification and evaluation effort in order to proceed with its generalization. In today’s world, the study of a model capable of adding explanatory diversity to intellectual capital is very relevant. We observed a true panoply of concepts in the analyzed models based on a literature review. The conceptual evolution during recent decades has motivated many investigations in this field, resulting from the phenomenon of globalization, growing technological innovation, and the observation of significant disparities between the market value and the accounting value of companies. This article describes an investigation carried out, presenting an explicative model of intellectual capital based on four distinct patterns, which are the aggregating factors of the existing conceptual diversity. We present the identification of a model with two axes, x (the type of knowledge, from tacit to explicit) and y (the capital of knowledge, from human to structural), which represents the conceptual diversity mirrored in four quadrants resulting from the research carried out with an initial exploratory study and two following studies with 45 and 72 specialists. In this article we analyze the Martins model, which proves to be essential for systematizing and mapping the dimensions that intellectual capital includes. This model can be used to identify the different aspects of intellectual capital in an organization and thus contribute to its understanding, optimization and good management.

Market timing with moving average distance: International evidence

We explore the ability of the distance between short- and long-run moving averages, called MAD, to predict future returns of international market-wide indices. MAD portfolios yield abnormal profits after transaction costs, which do not reverse in the long run. This suggests that anchoring to long-run moving averages is a global phenomenon that applies also to market-wide indices. The annualized MAD portfolios’ alpha values are double-digit, with Sharpe ratios significantly higher than the global benchmarks. Similar results for developed economies and developed markets indicate that international diversification is still effective and offers significant economic benefits even among developed countries.

Role of Meaningful Social Participation and Technology Use in Mitigating Loneliness and Cognitive Decline Among Older Adults.

Community social participation aids dementia prevention and alleviates loneliness among older adults. Incorporating occupational therapy using information and communications technology (ICT) could potentially delay dementia onset and reduce loneliness. To quantify how meaningful social participation, participation frequency, ICT use, and expanded social networks influence cognitive function and loneliness among socially active older Japanese adults. Cross-sectional exploratory study using structural equation modeling. Meetings organized by older adults at seven community gathering places in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. One hundred thirteen healthy older adult cohort members. Cognitive function assessed via Mini-Cog; loneliness assessed via the condensed UCLA Loneliness Scale. The final model demonstrated excellent fit, χ2(23) = 28.291, p = .205 (root mean square error of approximation = .045, 90% confidence interval [.000, .094]; confirmatory factor index = .995; Tucker-Lewis Index = .993). ICT use directly affected social networks (β = 0.472), which directly influenced participation frequency (β = 0.324) and meaningful social participation (β = 0.381). The indirect effect of meaningful participation significantly improved cognitive function (β = 0.237). The only indirect effect of meaningful interpersonal participation was a reduction in loneliness (β = -0.235). ICT use contributes to the expansion of social networks among elderly people. Furthermore, the frequency of social participation and the meaningfulness of such participation are related to reduction in loneliness and maintenance of cognitive function. Although the frequency of social participation was not directly related to these outcomes, the results suggest that meaningful social participation may play an important role in reducing loneliness and maintaining cognitive function. Plain-Language Summary: The promotion of social participation among older people is a global phenomenon, driven by the recognition of its positive relationship with cognitive function and the alleviation of loneliness. Nevertheless, older people's social participation is constrained by a combination of physical and social factors. To address this issue, there has been a push to promote social participation based on information and communications technology (ICT). However, no specific study has been conducted on occupational therapists' perspective in capturing social participation and the use of ICT. The findings of this study show that using ICT has the potential to enhance opportunities for social interaction for older adults, thereby improving the quality and quantity of social participation. The quality of social participation was identified as the sole factor that had a positive impact on cognitive function and loneliness. This study suggests the need for occupational therapists to consider means of facilitating the use of ICTs among older adults as well as interventions that use occupational therapy theory to enhance the meaningfulness of existing social participation opportunities.

Birds as reservoirs: unraveling the global spread of Gamma- and Deltacoronaviruses.

Avian migration is a global phenomenon that transcends geographical boundaries. These migratory birds serve as unwitting carriers of diverse Gammacoronaviruses (γ-CoVs) and Deltacoronaviruses (δ-CoVs). While recombination events have been documented among γ-CoVs in avian species and β-CoVs in mammals, evidence for recombination between CoVs of distinct genera remains limited. This minireview examines the prevalence of CoVs in both domestic waterfowl (ducks and geese) and wild bird populations inhabiting various regions. We investigate the dissemination patterns of γ-CoVs and δ-CoVs among these populations, highlighting their shared characteristics. Furthermore, the review explores the intricate web of cross-species transmission of δ-CoVs from wild birds to mammals, with a particular focus on pigs. Understanding the distinct features of CoVs harbored by waterfowl and wild birds and their potential for cross-species transmission is crucial for preparedness and response to future CoV epidemics.

Mapping multi-dimensional variability in water stress strategies across temperate forests

Increasing water stress is emerging as a global phenomenon, and is anticipated to have a marked impact on forest function. The role of tree functional strategies is pivotal in regulating forest fitness and their ability to cope with water stress. However, how the functional strategies found at the tree or species level scale up to characterise forest communities and their variation across regions is not yet well-established. By combining eight water-stress-related functional traits with forest inventory data from the USA and Europe, we investigated the community-level trait coordination and the biogeographic patterns of trait associations for woody plants, and analysed the relationships between the trait associations and climate factors. We find that the trait associations at the community level are consistent with those found at the species level. Traits associated with acquisitive-conservative strategies forms one dimension of variation, while leaf turgor loss point, associated with stomatal water regulation strategy, loads along a second dimension. Surprisingly, spatial patterns of community-level trait association are better explained by temperature than by aridity, suggesting a temperature-driven adaptation. These findings provide a basis to build predictions of forest response under water stress, with particular potential to improve simulations of tree mortality and forest biomass accumulation in a changing climate.