Search Results (359)

The genus Eudius Schoenherr is classified in the broad-nosed weevil tribe Eudiagogini (Entiminae) and harbors two species, Eudius quadrisignatus Gyllenhal and Eudius jocosus Fahraeus, which are only known from their original descriptions. It is endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is one of the most threatened biomes in the world despite being a biodiversity hotspot. In this contribution, and as part of a wider systematic and phylogenetic study on tribe Eudiagogini, we performed a taxonomic revision of the genus Eudius and made preliminary phylogenetic analyses of Eudiagogini based on morphology and molecular evidence. Specimens from seven collections in Argentina, Brazil, and Europe were examined. Diagnosis and redescription of the genus and its species are provided, along with photographs of habits, and illustrations of diagnostic characters and new geographic distribution data. Additionally, a lectotype is designated for each species. The morphology-based phylogenetic analysis was performed under maximum parsimony, using 60 characters from adults coded for representative species from eight genera of Eudiagogini and other related tribes of Entiminae. As a result, monophyly of the genus Eudius and its placement within the tribe Eudiagogini are confirmed, while placement of the genus Chileudius Kuschel in Eudiagogini is refuted. A first molecular phylogenetic analysis of the tribe was also designed, using DNA sequences (of the COI barcode and two ribosomal markers) available for some representatives of Eudiagogini and outgroup taxa, analyzed under parsimony and maximum likelihood. The molecular results are consistent with morphology in recovering a monophyletic tribe Eudiagogini, excluding the genus Chileudius, which is now placed as incertae sedis in Entiminae, pending further analyses. Informative characters within the tribe are discussed, with Eudius supported as a clade by the basally connate tarsal claws and by the sclerites present in the bursa of female genitalia. Synapomorphies justifying the revised concept of Eudiagogini as a natural tribe are highlighted, like the presence of a cavernous prementum and the metaventrite with a spine-like swelling anterior to each metacoxa. Full article

Background: Separately conducted studies on the phenomena of personal dignity and objectification at the workplace seek a common goal of ensuring psychological and physical wellbeing in the workplace. Objectives: Since the conception of dignity is highly important for a better understanding of the phenomenon of the person’s objectification, this scoping review explored how personal dignity was revealed in managerial studies on employee objectification. Methods: Using the algorithm selected for this study, a total of 192 articles were retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics) databases, of which 12 theoretical and empirical studies were selected for further analysis. The study employed a modified PRISMA methodology, based on PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The data on authors, year of publication, study type, sample, main conclusions, and provided recommendations were extracted. Results: In order to achieve the purpose of the research, it explored how objectification and the dignity of employees were treated and what recommendations to practitioners were made. It was found that the themes examined in the studies covered two main categories: cultural (of the organization and society) and relational (vertical and horizontal relations, including the use of technologies). Conclusions: The research results show that, so far, a more general definition of employee objectification is lacking and that personal dignity, which would allow for the revision of this conception, remains unhighlighted. Full article

A growing international consensus holds that science education must advance beyond content coverage to cultivate robust understanding of the Nature of Science (NoS)—how scientific knowledge is generated, justified, revised, and socially negotiated. Yet naïve conceptions persist among students and teachers, and effective, scalable classroom strategies remain contested. This narrative review synthesizes research and practice on games and playful activities that make epistemic features of science visible and discussable. We organize the repertoire into six families—(i) observation–inference and discrepant-event tasks; (ii) pattern discovery and rule-finding puzzles; (iii) black-box and model-based inquiry; (iv) activities that dramatize tentativeness and anomaly management; (v) deliberately underdetermined mysteries that cultivate warrant-based explanations; and (vi) moderately contextualized games. Across these designs, we analyze how specific mechanics afford core NoS dimensions (e.g., observation vs. inference, creativity, plurality of methods, theory-ladenness and subjectivity, tentativeness) and what scaffolds transform playful engagement into explicit, reflective learning. We conclude with pragmatic guidance for teacher education and curriculum design, highlighting the importance of language supports, structured debriefs, and calibrated contextualization, and outline priorities for future research on equity, assessment, and digital extensions. Full article

We suggest a novel strategy in the theory of elastic plane composites. The macroscopic properties are quantified, and an analytical–numerical algorithm to derive expressions for the effective constants is designed. The effective elastic constants of dispersed random composites are given by new analytical and approximate formulas where the dependence on the location of inclusions is explicitly shown in symbolic form. This essentially extends the results of previous numerical simulations for a fixed set of material constants and fixed locations of inclusions. This paper extends the analysis from Part I, which addressed dispersed random conducting composites, to the two-dimensional elastic composites. Hill’s concept of Representative Volume Element (RVE), traditionally used in elastic composites, is revised. It is rigorously demonstrated that the RVE must be a fundamental domain of the plane torus, for instance, a periodicity parallelogram, since other shapes of RVE may lead to incorrect values of the effective constants. The effective tensors of the elasticity theory are decomposed into geometrical and physical parts, represented by structural sums and material constants of the components. Novel computational methodology based on such decomposition is applied to a two-phase isotropic composite with non-overlapping circular inclusions embedded in an elastic matrix. For the first time, it is demonstrated explicitly how the effective tensors depend on the geometric probabilistic distributions of inclusions and the computational protocols involved. Analytical polynomial formulas for the effective shear modulus for the moderate concentration of inclusions are transformed using the resummation methods into practical expressions valid for all concentrations of inclusions. The critical index for the effective shear modulus is calculated from the polynomials derived for the modulus. Full article

Against the backdrop of increasingly interconnected environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges, enterprises must formulate sustainable strategies to achieve synergistic development among economic performance, social responsibility, and ecological conservation. As a core organizational resource, human resources serves as a critical enabler for fulfilling corporate social responsibility (CSR) and driving sustainable development. Whether enterprises can enhance the contribution of human resources to the fulfillment of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development is an important issue that currently needs to be studied in the field of human resource management. Therefore, this research follows the grounded theory method, integrates CSR and sustainable development theories, and uses systematic thinking to deeply explore the concept and structure of sustainable human resource management systems, and it develops relevant scales and combines exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods to revise and validate the scales. The research results show that the sustainable human resource management system is a multidimensional concept, including the following: employee rights protection, employee training and development, employee occupational health, employee relations management, and sustainable development management; its measurement scale contains five factors, with a total of 20 items. The results of factor analysis indicate that the reliability and validity tests of the developed scale have reached an ideal level. The research results enrich the concept and connotation of sustainable human resource management systems, and the development of the sustainable human resource management systems scale aims to promote the extension of the field of sustainable human resource management systems from theoretical exploration to empirical analysis research, providing a theoretical basis for Chinese enterprises to achieve sustainable development goals. Full article

Background/Objectives: Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with an urgent need for novel preventive and therapeutic strategies. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), an NAD⁺-dependent deacetylase, has emerged as a central regulator of vascular homeostasis, modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and endothelial function. Increasing evidence highlights that some natural activators of SIRT1 may be interesting in mitigating the development of cardiovascular diseases. Methods: Searching in the main databases PubMed and Scopus, we made a literature revision, including studies from January 2000 to June 2025, of the major natural SIRT1 activators involved in vascular impairment in order to investigate their potential therapeutic use in atherosclerosis. Results: Among them, resveratrol, quercetin, naringenin, and hydroxytyrosol show the strongest evidence in activating SIRT1 and modulating the essential molecular pathways involved in atherosclerotic disease. These findings span from preclinical to clinical studies, with limited randomized clinical trial data for hard cardiovascular outcomes. Conclusions: This review synthesizes current knowledge on natural SIRT1 activators in the context of atherosclerosis, emphasizing their molecular mechanisms and clinical perspectives. The concept of using nutraceuticals-based interventions targeting SIRT1 may pave the way for innovative strategies in cardiovascular diseases. Full article

Background/objectives: The continuous necessity to support biostrumental data with biolomecular data collected using non-invasive tools is influencing the world of ocular surface devices. The ocular imprint still represents a non-invasive and safety technique for collecting corneal and conjunctival epithelia in an easy way, as performed in human and veterinary clinics. Although used in clinical practice since 1977, operators might benefit from improvements in these techniques, especially in terms of handling and management. Methods: Herein, by reporting the design and characteristics of a patent of ocular surface sampling (the SurfAL pen and periocular-assisted SurfAL pen; PCT WO2016IB51474 20160316), we performed a validation and analysis of its value compared to gold standards. The level-headedness and advantages of this device were verified in 15 sclerocorneal specimens (sampling advantages) and tested in 25 volunteers (handling and operator efficiency, as well as frequency of discomfort in volunteers). Morphological as well as biomolecular analyses were used to compare SurfAL devices with conventional ones. Results: The easy management of SurfAL pens and the good detection of epithelial/goblet cells were confirmed. The SurfAL pen was found to be smart and suitable for routine analysis, as confirmed by quick and reproducible onsite sampling. Periocular-assisted SurfAL pen was comparable in terms of sampling quality but less comparable in terms of subject confidence due to its geometry. Conclusions: This study suggests that the SurfAL pen and periocular-assisted SurfAL pen might represent an additional and hands-on way of sampling ocular surface cells and improve the diagnostic route in ophthalmology. Full article

Pressure Gain Combustion (PGC) is an interesting emerging concept to enhance the performance of gas turbines currently based on the Brayton–Joule cycle. Focusing on a F-class gas turbine for land-based power generation, the current work investigates PGC potential in both simple and combined cycle operations by means of an in-house simulation software. The PGC cycle lay-out specifically includes a booster compressor for delivering cooling air to the blades at the first stage of the gas turbine expander. The effects of different amounts of air from the same booster to the PGC system for cooling requirements are also analyzed. Considering reasonable PGC values based on literature data, the efficiency of the gas turbine simple cycle rises by 2.85–3.40 percentage points in the case of no combustor cooling, or 1.85–2.25 percentage points for the most extensive cooling at the combustor, compared to the reference case. The combined cycle efficiency increases too, despite the almost equal power generation at the bottoming steam cycle. Ultimately, a revised parametric analysis with reduced efficiency at the first stage of the gas turbine expander is carried out as well to account for the losses induced by the PGC on the fluid dynamics of the expansion. In this new scenario, the risk of nullifying the advantages related to PGC is real, because of specific combinations of lower expansion efficiency at the gas turbine expander and extensive cooling at the combustor. Thus, better turbine design and effective thermal management at the combustor are fundamental to achieve the highest efficiency. Full article

Nowadays, Flutter with the Dart programming language has become widely popular in mobile developments, allowing developers to build multi-platform applications using one codebase. An increasing number of companies are adopting these technologies to create scalable and maintainable mobile applications. Despite this increasing relevance, university curricula often lack structured resources for Flutter/Dart, limiting opportunities for students to learn it in academic environments. To address this gap, we previously developed the Flutter Programming Learning Assistance System (FPLAS), which supports self-learning through interactive problems focused on code comprehension through code-based exercises and visual interfaces. However, it was observed that many students completed the exercises without fully understanding even basic concepts, if they already had some knowledge of object-oriented programming (OOP). As a result, they may not be able to design and implement Flutter/Dart codes independently, highlighting a mismatch between the system’s outcomes and intended learning goals. In this paper, we propose a guided self-study approach of integrating documentation, code, visual output, and exercise in FPLAS. Two existing problem types, namely, Grammar Understanding Problems (GUP) and Element Fill-in-Blank Problems (EFP), are combined together with documentation, code, and output into a new format called Integrated Introductory Problems (INTs). For evaluations, we generated 16 INT instances and conducted two rounds of evaluations. The first round with 23 master students in Okayama University, Japan, showed high correct answer rates but low usability ratings. After revising the documentation and the system design, the second round with 25 fourth-year undergraduate students in the same university demonstrated high usability and consistent performances, which confirms the effectiveness of the proposal. Full article

Background/Objectives: Surgical ward rounds are central to trainee education but are often associated with stress, cognitive overload, and inconsistent learning. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), offer new ways to support trainees by simulating ward-round questioning, enhancing preparedness, and reducing anxiety. This study explores the role of generative AI in surgical ward-round education. Methods: Hypothetical plastic and reconstructive surgery ward-round scenarios were developed, including flexor tenosynovitis, DIEP flap monitoring, acute burns, and abscess management. Using de-identified vignettes, AI platforms (ChatGPT-4.5 and Gemini 2.0) generated consultant-level questions and structured responses. Outputs were assessed qualitatively for relevance, educational value, and alignment with surgical competencies. Results: ChatGPT-4.5 showed a strong ability to anticipate consultant-style questions and deliver concise, accurate answers across multiple surgical domains. ChatGPT-4.5 consistently outperformed Gemini 2.0 across all domains, with higher expert Likert ratings for accuracy, clarity, and educational value. It was particularly effective in pre-ward round preparation, enabling simulated questioning that mirrored consultant expectations. AI also aided post-round consolidation by providing tailored summaries and revision materials. Limitations included occasional inaccuracies, risk of over-reliance, and privacy considerations. Conclusions: Generative AI, particularly ChatGPT-4.5, shows promise as a supplementary tool in surgical ward-round education. While both models demonstrated utility, ChatGPT-4.5 was superior in replicating consultant-level questioning and providing structured responses. Pilot programs with ethical oversight are needed to evaluate their impact on trainee confidence, performance, and outcomes. Although plastic surgery cases were used for proof of concept, the findings are relevant to surgical education across subspecialties. Full article

The concept “we are what we eat” is gaining increasing relevance as diet-related diseases and comorbidities continue to rise, while consumers place greater emphasis on healthy lifestyles and acknowledge the pivotal role of nutrition in disease prevention. Among dietary components, omega-3 (ω-3) and omega-6 (ω-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids stand out for their broad spectrum of health benefits. This review explores their potential roles in reducing triglyceride levels, delaying the onset of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, preventing depression, supporting infant brain development, modulating inflammatory processes, and contributing to cancer prevention. The mechanisms of action of these fatty acids are discussed, along with their potential adverse effects—particularly the risk of interactions with anticoagulant medications, which require cautious use. While ω-3 fatty acids are widely recognized for their anti-inflammatory properties, ω-6 fatty acids exhibit both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, highlighting the importance of achieving a balanced intake. The recommended ω-6:ω-3 ratio, ideally between 4:1 and 1:1, is emphasized as a key element in promoting informed dietary choices. This review also discusses current legislation framework on food supplements, with a focus on challenges such as the lack of stringent regulation regarding supplement content. These gaps underline the need for improved nutritional literacy and stronger regulatory oversight. Ultimately, this review emphasizes the imperative for evidence-based dietary fat recommendations, integrative public health education strategies, the revision and standardization of nutritional guidelines, and the enforcement of robust regulatory frameworks and quality-control protocols across the food supplement industry. Full article

Students must navigate large catalogs of courses and make appropriate enrollment decisions in many online learning environments. In this context, identifying key concepts and their relationships is essential for understanding course content and informing course recommendations. However, identifying and extracting concepts can be an extremely labor-intensive and time-consuming task when it has to be done manually. Traditional NLP-based methods to extract relevant concepts from courses heavily rely on resource-intensive preparation of detailed course materials, thereby failing to minimize labor. As recent advances in large language models (LLMs) offer a promising alternative for automating concept identification and relationship inference, we thoroughly investigate the potential of LLMs in automatically generating course concepts and their relations. Specifically, we systematically evaluate three LLM variants (GPT-3.5, GPT-4o-mini, and GPT-4o) across three distinct educational tasks, which are concept generation, concept extraction, and relation identification, using six systematically designed prompt configurations that range from minimal context (course title only) to rich context (course description, seed concepts, and subtitles). We systematically assess model performance through extensive automated experiments using standard metrics (Precision, Recall, F1, and Accuracy) and human evaluation by four domain experts, providing a comprehensive analysis of how prompt design and model choice influence the quality and reliability of the generated concepts and their interrelations. Our results show that GPT-3.5 achieves the highest scores on quantitative metrics, whereas GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini often generate concepts that are more educationally meaningful despite lexical divergence from the ground truth. Nevertheless, LLM outputs still require expert revision, and performance is sensitive to prompt complexity. Overall, our experiments demonstrate the viability of LLMs as a tool for supporting educational content selection and delivery. Full article

Impulsivity and compulsivity are key transdiagnostic constructs implicated in addictive and criminal behaviors, often overlapping under the broader concept of behavioral dysregulation. While impulsivity has been widely assessed using experimental tasks and self-report measures, few tools specifically target compulsivity in forensic populations. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Impulsive-Compulsive Behaviours Checklist (ICB) in a prison sample. The ICB was administered to 700 incarcerated men (mean age = 37.33 years) following a rigorous translation and back-translation procedure, along with pilot testing for clarity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a stable two-factor structure consistent with theoretical expectations. Internal consistency was satisfactory (McDonald’s omega and Cronbach’s alpha = 0.79–0.80), and convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44), the European Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI), and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). These findings support the Spanish ICB as a valid and reliable tool for assessing impulsive and compulsive traits in forensic contexts. Its use may enhance the identification of differentiated clinical profiles and inform targeted interventions for mental health and reintegration in prison populations. Full article

Isoperla powhatan Szczytko & Kondratieff, 2015 is newly proposed as a junior synonym of I. myersi Szczytko & Kondratieff, 2015 based on an integrative analysis of morphological and molecular phylogenetic data. Revised descriptions of the adult male, adult female, and mature egg of I. myersi are presented, together with the first description of the final instar larva. Comparative morphological observations of I. arcana Beaty, Holland & Lenat, 2017 and I. holochlora Klapálek, 1923 improve the taxonomic concepts of each species and provides support for a new species group containing the three taxa. The new synonymy adds 868 unique locations from nine USA states to the distribution of I. myersi, including 826 from North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality samples. This new synonymy has dramatically changed our understanding of the overall range and frequency of occurrence of I. myersi populations, which will impact any impending conservation status assessment of this species. This study includes color light microscopy images, scanning electron micrographs, a substantial amount of new occurrence data, and distribution maps for each species. Full article

Mathematical modeling is a cyclical process in which mathematics is used to represent, explore, and better understand real-world situations by mathematizing a problem and validating the results. Unlike traditional word problems, modeling tasks require learners to make assumptions, define quantities, apply mathematics, interpret results, and revise solutions within authentic contexts. Mathematical modeling is increasingly recognized as essential in mathematics education, highlighted in standards such as the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics through mathematical practice 4 (MP4): model with mathematics. This entry explores the evolving landscape of mathematical modeling education. First, it reviews the diverse conceptions of modeling and the various frameworks used to describe the modeling process, including distinctions between holistic and atomistic approaches. Second, it examines the current state of research, including the documented benefits of modeling for student engagement and access, as well as the challenges teachers face in enacting modeling tasks. Finally, the entry discusses implications for future research and practice, emphasizing the need for targeted teacher preparation and continued theoretical refinement to better support the integration of modeling into mathematics instruction. Full article