Strong Link Research Articles

Unveiling the sleep-cardiovascular connection: Novel perspectives and interventions-A narrative review.

Sleep is an important neurophysiological condition that is intricately linked to general health, laying the basis for both physiological and psychological well-being. A thorough examination of sleep disorders and cardiovascular health demonstrates their deep relationship, emphasizing the numerous diagnostic tools and treatment techniques available. This study aims to examine the impact, mechanisms, diagnostic techniques, treatment strategies, implications, and healthcare interventions of the sleep-cardiovascular connection, to better understand the relationship between sleep disorders and cardiovascular health. The paper reviews key studies conducted from 2015-till date, investigating the impact of sleep disorders on the cardiovascular system. It looked into data relating to cardiovascular outcomes based on the degree of sleep disorders, considered potential confounding factors, and addressed current research constraints. The findings highlight a strong link between sleep problems and poor cardiovascular outcomes. Emerging diagnostic tools, such as enhanced sleep-related technology and biomarkers, open up new avenues for determining the impact of sleep disturbances on cardiovascular health. In addition, the research discusses several treatment options, ranging from cognitive behavioral therapy to pharmaceutical therapies, and their potential benefits in addressing sleep-related cardiovascular risks. The complex association between sleep disturbances and cardiovascular health emphasizes the need to recognize sleep as a critical component of overall well-being. Thus collaboration among medical disciplines, as well as individualized therapies, are critical to improving patient care. Moreover, Understanding and managing the consequences of sleep problems on cardiovascular health can lead to more effective interventions, better outcomes, and improved public health as research advances.

Systemic vascular risk, white matter injury, and relative cerebral blood flow independently contribute to cognitive decline beyond amyloid and tau burden

AbstractBackgroundAge, systemic vascular risk factors, white matter injury, cerebral blood flow, amyloid, and tau burden are well‐established contributors to late‐life cognitive decline. Given the strong relationship among these measures, we proposed a model to extract latent factors and isolate domain‐specific measures that underlie cognitive decline in preclinical AD.MethodData were available for 166 cognitively unimpaired older adults from Harvard Aging Brain Study (Table1). We used the following measures: 1) cortical amyloid burden from PiB‐PET; 2) inferior temporal cortex FTP‐PET; 3) relative cerebral blood flow (R1) from dynamically‐acquired PiB‐PET; 4) white matter hyperintensities (WMH) from FLAIR‐MRI; 5) Peak width of skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD) from DTI‐MRI; 6) gray matter volume (GMV) from MPRAGE‐MRI; 7) Framingham Heart Study cardiovascular disease risk (CVD); 8) Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite‐5 (PACC). We extracted slopes using linear mixed effect models for longitudinal PACC decline and GMV atrophy (follow‐up = 7.4±2.8 years). The remaining data were obtained from baseline. We used exploratory factor analysis (varimax rotations) to extract orthogonal factors. These factors were used in a regression model to explain PACC decline. We next examined whether GMV atrophy acts as a mediator of factors and PACC decline. Subsequently, we investigated whether factors interact to further explain PACC decline.ResultsOriginal variables were highly interrelated (Figure1A) and correlated with PACC decline (Figure1B). Scree test showed 6 factors were sufficient (cumulative variance:96%, Figure2A). All factors except Factor5 (age) independently explained PACC decline (Figure2B, r2 = 0.44). Including GMV atrophy removed effect of Factor1 (white matter injury, Figure2B, r2 = 0.51). Factor3 (amyloid) interacted with Factor1 and Factor4 (tau) in explaining PACC decline (Figure2C, r2 = 0.58).ConclusionLatent factors of systemic vascular risk, white matter injury, and relative cerebral blood flow (but not age) independently explain cognitive decline beyond amyloid and tau burden in this preclinical AD cohort. GMV atrophy mediates these associations with the strongest effect on white matter injury suggesting a strong link between white matter injury and neurodegeneration. These results suggest that current markers of cerebrovascular injury contribute to cognitive decline beyond systemic vascular risk (CVD), amyloid, and tau burden. The mechanism by which systemic vascular risk impacts cognition requires further explication.

“Why and how higher education is so important for cultural and creative industries’ sustainable development?”

Considering the role played by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), we recognize that more knowledge is needed to provide a better understanding of their relationship, collaborations and work in relation to sustainable development. The aim of this article is to highlight why and how Higher Education (HE) is key to CCIs’sustainable development. Academic research in this specific field is scarce and we aim at soliciting more attention towards this niche research sector, given the potential positive spillovers that it could originate. Through retracing the arising of interest towards the CCIs in general and recently towards sustainability issues linked to the CCIs facing the challenge of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we show how these matters are inextricably associated to the essential role played by HE and HEIs. Thanks to the strong link between HEIs and CCIs’ sustainable development, we can expect that a sort of mimetic isomorphism process will happen in the coming years, with a choice of a strategy of imitation instead of differentiation.

Comparison of Dietary Modifications with and without Aerobic Exercises in Improving the Cholesterol Lipid Profile for Treatment of Hyperlipidemia-Naïve Patients

Hyperlipidemia describes a condition in which an abnormal mass metabolism brought on by a variety of factors raises blood cholesterol levels. According to epidemiological research, there is a strong link between the lipoprotein profile and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and those who are physically active have a 30 to 50% lower chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Objective: To compare the effect of dietary modifications with and without aerobic exercises in improving the cholesterol lipid profile for treatment of Hyperlipidemia-Naïve patients. Methods: The random sampling technique with random allocation done through the Lottery method. Lipid Profile Test was used as measuring tool. Whole procedure went through three steps: Pre-Labs Testing, 10 - Weeks Intervention Sessions, and Post-Labs Testing. 24 patients were randomly divided into two groups i.e., Experimental Group and the Control Group, each with 12 patients. After the intervention plan, results were analyzed, organized and interpreted. Results: Normally distributed variables were HDL-C, Cholesterol and VLDL-C with p > 0.05. Whereas, Triglycerides and LDL-C were not distributed normally i.e., p < 0.05. After the exercise program accomplished as instructed, a statistically significant decrease was observed in the values of Cholesterol, HDL-C, and VLDL-C with the value of p <0.05 for experimental group. However, values of Triglycerides and LDL-C were significantly decreased for the control group. Conclusions: The inclusion of aerobic exercises along with dietary changes substantially enhanced the patient's lipid profile, and exercise program's scope was adequate to produce meaningful changes in the body lipid composition of the study volunteers.

Potential role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by periodontal pathogens in oral cancer.

With the increasing incidence of oral cancer in the world, it has become a hotspot to explore the pathogenesis and prevention of oral cancer. It has been proved there is a strong link between periodontal pathogens and oral cancer. However, the specific molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. Emerging evidence suggests that periodontal pathogens-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to the progression of oral cancer. Cells undergoing EMT showed increased motility, aggressiveness and stemness, which provide a pro-tumour environment and promote malignant metastasis of oral cancer. Plenty of studies proposed periodontal pathogens promote carcinogenesis via EMT. In the current review, we discussed the association between the development of oral cancer and periodontal pathogens, and summarized various mechanisms of EMT caused by periodontal pathogens, which are supposed to play an important role in oral cancer, to provide targets for future research in the fight against oral cancer.

Bridging the gap: building and sustaining recovery capital in the transition from prison to recovery residences

The transition from jail to community is a high-risk time for individuals experiencing substance use disorders (SUD), with elevated risks of overdose and other substance-related harms, as well as high recidivism rates and re-incarceration. Gains made from successful treatment in prison are often lost in this transition. The current paper evaluates this process for one justice programme, Chesterfield HARP, a Therapeutic Community based in the Chesterfield County jail that continues supporting former inmates through their release by examining engagement and retention rates and changes in recovery capital among incarcerated individuals before incarceration and after transition to recovery housing in the community. Adult prisoners (both male and female) who engaged in the Chesterfield HARP programme completed an assessment of recovery capital (REC-CAP instrument) while in prison and following their transitions to one of a number of local recovery residences with strong links to the prison programme (ensuring continuity of care and support). The results suggest successful bridging with positive growth across multiple recovery capital domains. The study provides further evidence for the importance of continuity of care and integrated models of strength-building and recovery-focused interventions in successfully bridging the transition from prison to the community for offenders with a SUD history.

Visualizing traumatic stress-induced structural plasticity in a medial amygdala pathway using mGRASP.

Traumatic stress has been shown to contribute to persistent behavioral changes, yet the underlying neural pathways are not fully explored. Structural plasticity, a form of long-lasting neural adaptability, offers a plausible mechanism. To scrutinize this, we used the mGRASP imaging technique to visualize synaptic modifications in a pathway formed between neurons of the posterior ventral segment of the medial amygdala and ventrolateral segment of the ventromedial hypothalamus (MeApv-VmHvl), areas we previously showed to be involved in stress-induced excessive aggression. We subjected mice (7-8 weeks of age) to acute stress through foot shocks, a reliable and reproducible form of traumatic stress, and compared synaptic changes to control animals. Our data revealed an increase in synapse formation within the MeApv-VmHvl pathway post-stress as evidenced by an increase in mGRASP puncta and area. Chemogenetic inhibition of CaMKIIα-expressing neurons in the MeApv during the stressor led to reduced synapse formation, suggesting that the structural changes were driven by excitatory activity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms, we administered the NMDAR antagonist MK-801, which effectively blocked the stress-induced synaptic changes. These findings suggest a strong link between traumatic stress and enduring structural changes in an MeApv-VmHvl neural pathway. Furthermore, our data point to NMDAR-dependent mechanisms as key contributors to these synaptic changes. This structural plasticity could offer insights into persistent behavioral consequences of traumatic stress, such as symptoms of PTSD and social deficits.

THE MECHANISM OF HOW ESG AFFECTS CORPORATIONS PERFORMANCE: ASYMMETRY INFORMATION AND PROPERTY RIGHTS

Recently, many experts have focused on the relationship between ESG performance and firm performance. Most studies on the Chinese market have discovered a strong link between ESG and company performance, but only a few have looked into the mechanism. Additionally, just a few studies examine the impact of property rights and the theoretical foundations that support them. This paper adopts firm fixed effects and year fixed effects regression to analyze 1,595 of China’s listed enterprises with 12,760 observations. The results indicate ESG enhanced the corporations’ performance partly by reducing the asymmetric information level, and the mediated effect of asymmetry information on corporations’ performance is weakened for state-owned companies. These findings suggest that by enhancing ESG performance, businesses may reduce asymmetric information levels and boost performance. Furthermore, state-owned firms receive more trust due to social trust; therefore; however, this effect is not as strong as it is for non-state-owned enterprises.

The Prevalence of Knee Osteoarthritis and Its Association With Obesity Among Individuals in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction This research, set in 2023 in Saudi Arabia, addresses the rising prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA)among obese individuals. It explores associations with age, BMI, and gender, aiming to enhance our understanding of this pressing health issue within the Saudi context and contribute to global research on OA and obesity. Methodology A retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Saud Hospital andBuraydah Central Hospital in the Al-Qassim region from November 2022 to February 2023. It included the patients' records that fit the inclusion criteria during the study period. A data collection sheet was used to collect data, and datawas analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 27.0.1 (IBM Corp. Released 2020. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results In 2023, a study on knee OAamong 267 obese individuals in Saudi Arabia yielded significant findings. The median age of participants was 60 years, with an average weight of 77.00 kg (IQR:15) and a median BMI of 29.14, categorizing participants as overweight. Ninety percent (n=240) of knee OA cases occurred in individuals classified as "obese" (n=118) or "overweight (n=122)". Furthermore, OA primarily affected both knees in 79.4% (n=212) of cases. Conclusion Study participants, predominantly older and female, reflect OA's age-related and gender-specific prevalence trends. Notably, excess weight and a higher BMI highlight the role of obesity as a significant OA risk factor. Bilateral knee involvement is common, with a strong link between OA and obesity.

A tale of two targets: examining the differential effects of posterior cingulate cortex- and amygdala-targeted fMRI-neurofeedback in a PTSD pilot study

IntroductionReal-time fMRI-based neurofeedback (rt-fMRI-NFB) is a non-invasive technology that enables individuals to self-regulate brain activity linked to neuropsychiatric symptoms, including those associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Selecting the target brain region for neurofeedback-mediated regulation is primarily informed by the neurobiological characteristics of the participant population. There is a strong link between PTSD symptoms and multiple functional disruptions in the brain, including hyperactivity within both the amygdala and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) during trauma-related processing. As such, previous rt-fMRI-NFB studies have focused on these two target regions when training individuals with PTSD to regulate neural activity. However, the differential effects of neurofeedback target selection on PTSD-related neural activity and clinical outcomes have not previously been investigated.MethodsHere, we compared whole-brain activation and changes in PTSD symptoms between PTSD participants (n = 28) that trained to downregulate activity within either the amygdala (n = 14) or the PCC (n = 14) while viewing personalized trauma words.ResultsFor the PCC as compared to the amygdala group, we observed decreased neural activity in several regions implicated in PTSD psychopathology – namely, the bilateral cuneus/precuneus/primary visual cortex, the left superior parietal lobule, the left occipital pole, and the right superior temporal gyrus/temporoparietal junction (TPJ) – during target region downregulation using rt-fMRI-NFB. Conversely, for the amygdala as compared to the PCC group, there were no unique (i.e., over and above that of the PCC group) decreases in neural activity. Importantly, amygdala downregulation was not associated with significantly improved PTSD symptoms, whereas PCC downregulation was associated with reduced reliving and distress symptoms over the course of this single training session. In this pilot analysis, we did not detect significant between-group differences in state PTSD symptoms during neurofeedback. As a critical control, the PCC and amygdala groups did not differ in their ability to downregulate activity within their respective target brain regions. This indicates that subsequent whole-brain neural activation results can be attributed to the effects of the neurofeedback target region selection in terms of neurophysiological function, rather than as a result of group differences in regulatory success.ConclusionIn this study, neurofeedback-mediated downregulation of the PCC was differentially associated with reduced state PTSD symptoms and simultaneous decreases in PTSD-associated brain activity during a single training session. This novel analysis may guide researchers in choosing a neurofeedback target region in future rt-fMRI-NFB studies and help to establish the clinical efficacy of specific neurofeedback targets for PTSD. A future multi-session clinical trial of rt-fMRI-NFB that directly compares between PCC and amygdala target regions is warranted.

Gassendi and the Low Countries: Introduction

Abstract This introduction summarises the nature of the strong intellectual links existing between the French philosopher Pierre Gassendi (1592–1655) and the Low Countries. It retraces the main steps of his trip to the Spanish Low Countries and the Dutch Republic in 1629, and the importance of this trip for the development of his philosophy, as well as the epistolary network with his correspondents from that area, especially in the field of astronomy. Scholars in the Low Countries were receptive to atomistic theories, empiricism, and anti-dogmatism, all of which are central to Gassendi’s philosophy. Gassendi’s philosophy also provided arguments against Descartes’s metaphysics, and helped disseminate Galileo’s mechanics in the Low Countries. Gassendi’s influence in the Low Countries lasted beyond his death, as can be seen in the philosophy of Spinoza and Bayle.

Fiscal spending and green economic growth: evidence from highly polluting Asian economic.

The study examines the link between fiscal expenditure and green economic development in heavily polluting Asian nations. The conventional wisdom that environmental sustainability and economic progress are incompatible is contested in this research. The study found a strong positive link between green fiscal policy and long-term economic development, offering empirical support for using fiscal policy to promote green growth. With an emphasis on high-pollution sectors like manufacturing and energy, the study used sophisticated econometric approaches, such as panel data regression and Granger causality tests, to evaluate the data from a few Asian nations. The findings supported the idea that increased government investment in environmental protection programs and eco-friendly technology positively impacted green economic development. The results also highlight how governmental actions influence economic trajectories and aid in the shift to a sustainable economy. The report emphasizes the need for cross-level and cross-sector policy coordination, arguing that achieving significant green economic development with comprehensive, well-integrated green fiscal policies would be more straightforward. The study also highlights the need for international collaboration and assistance while acknowledging possible restrictions on fiscal expenditure in emerging nations. Policymakers, environmental economists, and other stakeholders who want to transition to a green economy while pursuing economic growth and development should take these conclusions seriously. The linkages among fiscal investment and green economic development in heavily polluting Asian nations are substantially established in this work, but it also highlights the need for additional study. Future research could benefit from examining these patterns in a broader range of situations and over extended periods, given the intricate interaction of variables driving fiscal policy and green growth.

The Design of Tourism Policies Adjusted to High Potential Destinations: A Methodology for the Creation of a Green Paper Inspired by the Cávado and the Ave (Portugal)

Public policies regarding the development of sustainable tourism continue to evolve within the European Union. With the changes in tourist trends post-COVID-19, some destinations have initiated certain processes of tourism expansion. These processes must be accompanied by tourism policies tailored to their specific territories. This necessitates a more territorial vision that is aligned with the needs of the local population and in harmony with the four dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, environmental, and institutional). The present research is inspired by the increase in tourist arrivals, observed in the promising destination of the Northern Region of Portugal since 2015, to present a theoretical proposal that has the participation of the local population of tourist destinations, through a literature review, on-site observations and interviews with local agents. The objective is to propose and develop a methodology based on the technique of a Green Paper, a tool for collective intelligence and a preliminary step for the analysis and creation of tourism policies. It is expected to increase confidence in the institutions that manage tourism activity, sustainable reactivation of the economy, resident satisfaction, empowerment and stronger links between local actors and the administration of the destinations. Keywords: green paper, tourism policies, governance, local participation, sustainable tourism, fourth dimension of sustainability, high potential destinations

The Associations Between Parental Phubbing, Adolescent Phubbing, and Adolescents' Adjustments: A Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis.

A growing body of research indicates that phubbing can negatively influence adolescent development, it is not clear how perceived parental phubbing, adolescent phubbing, and adolescents' adjustment problems concurrently relate to each other at the dimension level. This study conducted the contemporaneous network analyses and cross-lagged network analysis to examine the distinct relationships between the various dimensions of perceived father phubbing, perceived mother phubbing, adolescent phubbing and adolescent's adjustment problems. A total of 1447 Chinese students (60.5% females; Mean age = 16.15, SD = 0.65) completed a survey at two-time points. The results of the contemporaneous network analyses indicated that perceived father/mother ignorance have the strongest links with the dimensions of adolescent phubbing and adolescents' adjustment problems, suggesting that adolescents who reported high levels of perceived father/mother ignorance are more likely to concurrently face other issues and thus should be a primary focus of concern. The cross-lagged panel network analysis revealed that academic burnout is the primary catalyst in this dynamic network, which underscores a child-driven effect within the network. This emphasizes the importance of addressing adolescent academic burnout as a pivotal intervention point, both to alleviate phubbing in parent-adolescent interactions and to tackle adolescents' adjustment problems.

Genomic and Transcriptomic Landscape of Hyper-Apobec Multiple Myeloma

Introduction APOBEC mutational signatures are one of the most important mutational signatures in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). APOBEC mutagenesis primarily works through two enzymes, APOBEC3A (A3A) and APOBEC3B (A3B). While these genes are expressed in most NDMM patients, their influence on APOBEC mutagenesis appear to be extremely heterogeneous, with some patients having no detectable mutations and others having high contribution (hyper-APOBEC). Methods To decipher the mechanism of APOBEC mutagenesis, we interrogated 752 low coverage long insert whole genomes, 723 whole exomes (WES) and 767 RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) from NDMM patients enrolled in the CoMMpass study. Results APOBEC mutational activity was identified in 416/723 (57.5%) patients using WES. Of these, 41 (5.8%) had MAF/MAFB translocations. Overall, 48/723 (6.6%) patients were defined as hyper-APOBEC (13 without MAF/MAFB events). We used differential expression (DE) analysis between three groups: hyper-APOBEC with MAF/MAFB (HA_TRA: n=31), hyper-APOBEC without MAF/MAFB (HA_NORM: n=8), and non-hyper-APOBEC without MAF/MAFB (WT: n=510). 534 genes were significantly associated with hyper-APOBEC independently from MAF/MAFB events. Importantly, A3A and A3B expression were higher in hyper-APOBEC compared to other cases (logFC=2.38, logFC=1.58 respectively). Using Spearman's correlation, we identified 50 significantly correlated genes (r-squared>0.18; p<0.01) with A3B. Most of the genes belonged to the APOBEC-associated group defined by the DE and were enriched for cell cycle/proliferation activity, suggesting a link between highly proliferative disease and hyper-APOBEC. To validate this finding, we evaluated the link between these APOBEC-associated genes and hyper-APOBEC among ICGC breast cancers, a tumor known to have high prevalence of APOBEC mutagenesis. Overall, 35/50 of these genes showed similar correlation between hyper-APOBEC breasts and MM. Interestingly, most of these genes appear to be negatively controlled by E2F4 (DREAM complex), and positively controlled by E2F1, FOXM1, and MYBL2 (i.e. cell cycle genes). In line with mouse models (Roelofs et al., eLife, 2020), our data confirmed that highly proliferating tumors suppress the DREAM complex leading to induction of A3B. Overall, these data suggest a strong link between proliferation and A3B expression and mutagenesis. However, not all high proliferating tumors had high APOBEC mutagenesis. To better investigate this aspect, we compared 139 known MM genomic events to identify potential differences between the hyper-APOBEC group (HA) and the rest of the cohort (WT). HA_TRA and HA_NORM showed similarities, including a highly complex genomic profile with enrichment for 1q gain/amp (p < 0.02), 13q (p < 0.05) and 16q deletions (p<0.01). Interestingly, 5/13 (38.4%) of HA_NORM samples harbor CCND1 translocation. In terms of gene expression, both groups showed enrichment for GEP70 indicating a high-risk transcriptional profile apart from MAF/MAFB overexpression. Finally, HA_TRA and HA_NORM showed similar poor outcomes compared to WT. To further validate the association between APOBEC and complex genomic profile, we explored again the ICGC breast WGS, observing a strong correlation between homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and hyper-APOBEC (p < 0.05). To validate the relationship between the DREAM complex and APOBEC, we pharmacologically inhibited FOXM1 (FDI6, 20uM) and E2F4/6 (HLM00074, 20uM) in 8226, U266 and MM1.S multiple myeloma cell lines and showed increased A3B levels upon 72h of E2F4/6 inhibition. Simultaneously, FOXM1 inhibition confirmed A3B downregulation. Conclusion Overall, our data support a model where, APOBEC genes are variably expressed in all NDMM, but only patients with high proliferation rate and high level of complexity acquire mutations (Figure 1).

The impact of international migration on the economy of developing countries

In the research, we study theories which reflect international migration initiation that describe migration decisions or situations independent from structural or individual factors which originally caused migration. We outline a variety of influences on the host country’s economy by the migrants and focused on: migrants-workers, migrants-students, migrants-entrepreneurs, migrants-consumers, migrants-savers, migrants-tax-payers. The research finds that contribution which immigrants can make to the economy of their host countries depends on such factors: the socioeconomic characteristics of the immigrants themselves; immigration status and labor rights; level of integration into society; economic environment of the country of destination; policies and institutional environment. We made a correlation analysis and built a correlation matrix between GDP per capita growth and migrants’ remittances for some developing countries that showed strong direct level of correlation. The research showed that there is a strong direct correlation between the remittances of migrants from the developed countries and the growth of GDP per capita in the developing countries. The strongest link is observed in India, Nigeria and Philippines - in the countries, most dependent on remittances from migrants. In our research we confirmed that India, China, Mexico, Philippines and Nigeria benefited in GDP per capita due to migrants’ remittances. We developed priorities for the policy of migration countries the base of which should be adaptation of the migration policy to labor market needs; protection of migrant’s rights and nondiscrimination; investment into integration of migrants; leveraging the impact of migration on the economy; and monitoring the economic impact of migration.

Student Perceptions About Using Google Classroom and Its Effect on Student Learning Motivation

This study is based in the context of online learning, which has led to students experiencing delays in assignment completion and reduced cooperation in discussion groups. The objective of this study is to ascertain student perspectives on the utilisation of Google Classroom and to assess the impact of its use on the learning motivation of students majoring in Economics Education. The sampling technique employed was random sampling, specifically with a sample size of 53 respondents. This study employs quantitative descriptive methodologies, utilising data analysis techniques such as normality tests, linearity tests, f tests, and simple linear regression tests. The research findings indicate a statistically significant value of 147,272 4.03, demonstrating a strong correlation between the utilisation of Google Classroom and student motivation for learning. The coefficient of determination is 0.743, indicating a strong positive link. This suggests that there is a major influence.

Understanding the Enhanced Osmotic Energy Conversion in Heterogeneous Membranes Using Engineered Branched Alumina Nanochannel Membranes

Heterogeneous membranes with two composite layers of distinct pore sizes have emerged as promising candidates for efficient osmotic energy extraction from salinity gradients. Previous studies about heterogeneous membranes report a strong link between the induced diode‐like rectification property and improved osmotic energy conversion performance. Nevertheless, the inherently large interfacial resistance of heterogeneous membranes may offset such enhancement. To further understand the osmotic energy conversion behavior in heterogeneous membranes, a series of the branched alumina nanochannel (BAN) membranes consisting of large stem channels interconnected with small branched channels are designed. The interconnected and orderly aligned structure of the stem and branched channels ensures high effective driving force and ion selectivity while reducing interfacial resistance at the same time. Experimental and simulation results confirm the rectification effect induced by the asymmetric pores of BAN, which can achieve an osmotic power ≈130% higher than that of the conventional cylindrical nanochannel membranes. Additionally, a power density as high as 5.42 W m−2 is obtained by mixing seawater and river water, surpassing most of the existing heterogeneous membranes and the commercial benchmark. The BAN membrane proposed in this work provides a promising platform for the development of highly efficient osmotic energy harvesting devices.

The role of loneliness and negative schemas in the moment-to-moment dynamics between social anxiety and paranoia

Social anxiety and paranoia often co-occur and exacerbate each other. While loneliness and negative schemas contribute to the development of social anxiety and paranoia separately, their role in the development of the two symptoms co-occurring is rarely considered longitudinally. This study examined the moment-to-moment relationship between social anxiety and paranoia, as well as the effects of loneliness and negative schemas on both experiences individually and coincidingly. A total of 134 non-clinical young adults completed experience sampling assessments of momentary social anxiety, paranoia, and loneliness ten times per day for six consecutive days. Participants’ negative-self and -other schemas were assessed with the Brief Core Schema Scale. Dynamic structural equation modelling revealed a bidirectional relationship between social anxiety and paranoia across moments. Loneliness preceded increases in both symptoms in the next moment. Higher negative-self schema was associated with a stronger link from paranoia to social anxiety; whereas higher negative-other schema was associated with a stronger link from social anxiety to paranoia. Our findings support the reciprocal relationship between social anxiety and paranoia. While loneliness contributes to the development of social anxiety and paranoia, negative self and other schemas appear to modify the relationships between the two symptoms.

Regional economic resilience, trophic characteristics, and ecological analogies

AbstractWorks on regional resilience have at times borrowed from the engineering and ecological framing of system resilience. In ecological contexts, system resilience is rooted in network structure and its characteristics. Here, we empirically investigate the relationship between regional economic resilience and regional trophic characteristics across regional and national boundaries. We consider 249 NUTS2 regions across 24 countries during the 2000–2010 period. We observe strong links between regional resilience and trophic metrics borrowed from the ecological literature. Our results further highlight regional trophic characteristics as a spatially heterogeneous intermediary for feedback effects between economic structure and output of regions.