Search Results (31)

Background/Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health challenge, and several lifestyle-related factors associated with later T2DM may already emerge during the secondary school years. Socioeconomic status (SES), nutrition-related behaviors, physical activity, and basic diabetes-related knowledge may shape these early risk-related patterns. This study examined the relationships between SES, adapted FINDRISC-based T2DM-related risk patterns, and diabetes-related knowledge among Hungarian secondary school students aged 16–20 years. Methods: A nationwide, cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among students attending Hungarian Baptist secondary schools (N = 1585). SES was classified by Two-Step cluster analysis based on parental education, parental occupation, number of books in the household, and frequency of travel abroad. Relative T2DM-related risk patterns were described using an age-adapted FINDRISC-based screening approach, and basic diabetes-related knowledge was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire. Associations were examined using cross-tabulation and regression analyses in SPSS version 27.0. Results: Most respondents fell into the lower categories of the adapted FINDRISC-based screening framework, whereas 7.4% were classified into the moderate or high adapted FINDRISC-based screening categories. SES was significantly associated with adapted FINDRISC-based screening categories (p < 0.001). Compared with the medium-SES group, students in the low-SES group had higher odds of belonging to a higher adapted FINDRISC-based screening category (OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.27–2.57; p = 0.001). SES was also significantly associated with basic diabetes-related knowledge profiles (p = 0.015); students with high SES were less likely to be in the low-knowledge group than in the high-knowledge group (OR = 0.62; p = 0.039). Conclusions: Social inequalities in T2DM-related risk patterns and diabetes-related knowledge are already visible among secondary school students aged 16–20 years. The adapted FINDRISC-based approach may be useful as a school-based, non-invasive descriptive screening framework for characterizing relative T2DM-related risk patterns, but it is not a validated risk prediction instrument for this age group. Full article

Background: The global incidence of dengue has markedly increased over the last decades. Consequently, the risk of infection has increased significantly, resulting in record numbers of imported cases in various European countries and elsewhere in 2024. Methods: In early 2023, TAK-003, a novel, live attenuated vaccine against dengue, became available in Germany. At the Berlin Centre for Travel & Tropical Medicine, we delivered 56,459 doses during the first 24 months of its availability, from February 2023 to February 2025. To obtain data on the tolerability of the vaccine in travelers, an active follow-up survey was initiated. Results: In total, 30,306 (53.7%) vaccinees agreed to being contacted. Of these, 11,827 (39.0%) completed an anonymous questionnaire ≥ 4 weeks after the vaccination. Overall, 6856 (58.0%) were female, and 565 (4.8%) reported having had a prior dengue infection. The average age was 38.3 years (range 4–86 years). An endemic area had been visited by 6309 subjects before answering the questionnaire, and among these, 46 (0.7%) reported a dengue infection while abroad. All cases were mild, and no complications were reported. TAK-003 was applied with other vaccines in 7363 (62.3%) travelers. Local adverse reactions, mostly local pain, were reported by 5263 (47.5%) subjects. Systemic reactions were reported by 4891 subjects (41.4%) and were most frequently fatigue, myalgia, and flu-like symptoms. The majority of adverse events manifested in the second week after vaccination (median 8 days) and were mostly limited to a duration of 1–3 days. A macular exanthema was described by 1844 subjects (15.6%), typically during the second week after the vaccination. Conclusions: Side effects were frequently reported but generally well tolerated. Age groups above 50 years showed a decline in reactogenicity. Co-vaccination was frequent and led to an increase in systemic adverse events. Denominator data of the study population suggest a strong reporting bias towards adverse events. This survey adds evidence of the chronology and characteristics of adverse events associated with TAK-003 and may support decision making when vaccinating dengue-naïve travelers. Full article

Submerged aquatic macrophytes play a key role in stream ecosystems, but their recovery in historically degraded Flemish streams is often limited. This study investigates whether sediment contamination constrains natural macrophyte germination and early seedling establishment. To address this knowledge gap, we combined a controlled mesocosm experiment with an analysis of long-term monitoring data from Flemish streams. The mesocosms showed that higher levels of sediment contamination reduced seedling emergence, indicating that sediment quality can directly inhibit germination and early establishment. In addition, historical monitoring data revealed only a weak association between sediment quality and macrophyte occurrence, pointing to the importance of interacting drivers such as hydrology, light availability, and habitat structure. Together, these findings highlight sediment contamination as a context-dependent but relevant barrier to macrophyte recruitment, underscoring the need to integrate sediment quality into broader restoration planning for streams in Flanders and abroad. Full article

This study investigates how short-term naturalistic immersion shapes the development of evaluative narrative competence in Japanese junior high school students learning English as a foreign language. While prior second language acquisition (SLA) research has established the benefits of input-rich environments, little is known about how implicit learning during brief immersion experiences supports higher-order storytelling skills. To address this gap, we analyzed students’ performance on a standardized problem-solving task and a storytelling task before and after a one-month homestay abroad. Results showed significant post-immersion gains in narrative complexity, with longer stories, greater use of causal and evaluative devices, and increased diversity of expression. Regression analysis revealed that the age of first English exposure strongly predicted outcomes: early starters demonstrated broader and more sophisticated use of evaluative strategies than later starters. These findings suggest that short-term immersion can substantially enhance narrative competence, particularly for learners with early exposure, while highlighting the need for tailored pedagogical interventions to help later starters capitalize on implicit learning opportunities. Full article

Identifying and forecasting macro-financial conditions is critical to stabilizing the economy. This study aims to develop a novel methodology for constructing China’s Financial Conditions Index, utilizing monthly data from six major Chinese financial markets (comprising 33 key financial indicators) along with 25 external macroeconomic variables from both China and the United States, spanning January 2002 to June 2024. Although the traditional TVP-FAVAR model can capture the linear relationship in the financial market, it cannot adequately characterize the nonlinear or asymmetric nature of the macro-financial conditions exhibited when major risk events occur at home and abroad. In this paper, we propose an innovative kernel factor-augmented time-varying parameter vector autoregressive model (TVP-KFAVAR), which can better capture the nonlinear nature of the macro-financial situation. It is shown that the TVP-KFAVAR model successfully reflects the impact of major domestic and international risk events on China’s Financial Conditions Index. Meanwhile, the ARIMA model and five machine learning techniques (GRU, LSTM, BiLSTM, TCN and Transformer) are used in this study to predict the Macro-Financial Conditions Index, and it is found that the vast majority of the machine learning techniques outperform the traditional time-series models in terms of forecasting performance. TCN has the outstanding prediction performance under different input configurations. This study can provide policymakers with a powerful tool for macro-financial regulation and risk early warning, and help improve macro-financial management in emerging markets. Full article

This study examines the role of Christian missionary interpreters from the Open Port Period to the Japanese colonial era, highlighting their historical significance and influence. During the Open Port Period, missionaries relied on Korean language teachers to serve as interpreters, translators, evangelists, and preachers. Although their English proficiency was often limited, they played a crucial role in early Christian missions. In the Japanese colonial era, elite intellectuals who had studied abroad increasingly assumed interpretation roles, actively contributing to theological education and social reform. This study analyzes historical records, newspaper articles, and existing research to reconstruct the evolving role and broader impact of Christian interpreters. The findings suggest that missionary interpreters were not merely linguistic mediators but key figures in evangelism and social transformation. Furthermore, the study highlights the historical transition from consecutive interpretation to simultaneous interpretation in Korean churches and underscores the need for systematic training programs. Given the growing linguistic diversity in Korean congregations, churches must recognize the importance of trained interpreters in ensuring effective multilingual worship and uphold the legacy of missionary interpretation. Full article

Background: Suicidal behavior (SB) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are significant public health concerns among adolescents. The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated these issues. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 341 adolescents (aged 6–18 years) presenting to a Romanian pediatric psychiatry emergency department during the years 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2022 (post-pandemic). All participants underwent a thorough psychiatric assessment, and, together with their caregivers, were questioned on a wide range of potentially relevant issues, such as family, social, school, and life history factors. Logistic regression and random forest models were used to identify predictors of SB and NSSI. Results: SB was significantly predicted in regression models based on a prior suicidal ideation (OR = 68.410; p < 0.001), having a parent living abroad (OR = 11.438; p = 0.020), depression (OR = 6.803; p < 0.001), and conflicts with peers (OR = 0.325, p = 0.042), teachers (OR = 0.119, p = 0.024), or both (OR = 0.166, p = 0.012). The random forest model featured a slightly different order of the main predictors and highlighted the importance of additional predictors, such as prior suicide attempts, gender, and past non-suicidal self-injury. NSSI was mainly predicted by a history of self-harm (OR = 52.437; p < 0.001), the number of comorbid psychiatric disorders (OR = 1.709; p = 0.003), and conduct disorder (OR = 0.184; p < 0.001), to which are added, according to random forest models, new predictors, such as borderline personality disorder, suicidal ideation, and school performance. Post-pandemic increases were observed in depression, suicidal ideation, and possible psycho-traumatic negative life event exposure. Conclusions: This study underscores the complex interplay of individual, familial, and societal factors influencing adolescent self-harm. Comprehensive interventions are needed, with early intervention crucial for those with a history of self-harm. Further research using prospective designs is recommended. Full article

Developmental changes in functional neural networks are sensitive to environmental influences. This EEG study investigated how infant brain responses relate to the social context that their families live in. Event-related potentials of 255 healthy, awake infants between six and fourteen months were measured during a passive auditory oddball paradigm. Infants were presented with 200 standard tones and 48 randomly distributed deviants. All infants are part of a longitudinal study focusing on families with socioeconomic and/or cultural challenges (Bremen Initiative to Foster Early Childhood Development; BRISE; Germany). As part of their familial socioeconomic status (SES), parental level of education and infant’s migration background were assessed with questionnaires. For 30.6% of the infants both parents had a low level of education (≤10 years of schooling) and for 43.1% of the infants at least one parent was born abroad. The N2–P3a complex is associated with unintentional directing of attention to deviant stimuli and was analysed in frontocentral brain regions. Age was utilised as a control variable. Our results show that tone deviations in infants trigger an immature N2–P3a complex. Contrary to studies with older children or adults, the N2 amplitude was more positive for deviants than for standards. This may be related to an immature superposition of the N2 with the P3a. For infants whose parents had no high-school degree and were born abroad, this tendency was increased, indicating that facing multiple challenges as a young family impacts on the infant’s early neural development. As such, attending to unexpected stimulus changes may be important for early learning processes. Variations of the infant N2–P3a complex may, thus, relate to early changes in attentional capacity and learning experiences due to familial challenges. This points towards the importance of early prevention programs. Full article

Background: Adolescents can benefit from studying abroad in terms of personal development, cross-cultural encounters, and academic enrichment. This article digs into the psychological challenges that students may face before and during their study abroad, focusing on the emotional components of their experiences. Methods: The current descriptive study sought to assess the stability or change in levels of psychopathological risk in a sample of N = 195 adolescents before and during a study abroad sojourn. To examine psychological symptoms in pre-adolescents, teachers were asked to complete a report-form questionnaire. Results: The findings of this study revealed that students’ psychological functioning changed significantly after their study abroad experience. Anxious/depressed and withdrawn ratings specifically increased from the pre-sojourn assessment (T1) to the evaluation during the stay (T2), then remained consistent (T3). In addition, the scores for rule-breaking and aggressive conduct changed, increasing from T1 to T2 and then decreasing from T2 to T3. This trend implies that teenagers may struggle with behavioral challenges early in their study abroad experience, but subsequently adjust and improve their conduct as they grow more used to the new environment. Conclusions: this research offers insight into the emotional and behavioral issues that adolescents face when studying abroad, underlining the significance of treating psychopathological risk factors in this demographic. Full article

In recent years, long-span concrete bridges that have been built frequently expose the problems of excessive deflection and concrete cracking, which even lead to bridge collapse in serious cases. The reason is that, in addition to the insufficient estimation of creep and long-term deflection in current regulations, the rapid growth of traffic volume and the tight use of early-age concrete in construction schedules also have a great impact on long-term deflection. However, at present, the calculation methods of long-term performance are mostly based on the results of material performance tests. However, there are relatively few studies that take bridge components as research objects and consider the influence of load and age factors. The long-term performance of concrete beams is examined and the calculation methods of long-term performance are given by considering various loading levels and ages. Specimens are fabricated using a 1:4 scale model of a standard T-beam with a length of 20 m to conduct the experiment. Based on the long-term observation of the test beam, the variation laws of the mid-span deflection of the concrete T-beam and the concrete strain in the compression zone with time are obtained under the aforementioned conditions. Following a comparative analysis of experimental results with computational results based on existing studies and relevant national and international codes, this study proposes and discusses a set of formulas for the assessment of shrinkage and creep. The obtained creep coefficient test results fall between the values of the Chinese specification and those of AASHTO, where ASSTO is the lower limit and the Chinese specification is the upper limit. The long-term deflection is as follows: 40% of the one-year value at one month, 66% of the one-year value at three months, and 80% of the one-year value at six months. However, the long-term deflection coefficient of beams with an early loading age is larger than the current standard, and the deflection coefficient of T-beams with three-day loading age reaches 6.0. We compare and discuss the test results with the calculation results and related codes obtained in different studies conducted at home and abroad. Based on our present findings, we propose formulas for shrinkage and creep evaluations. Full article

The social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as the “greatest psychological experiment in the world”. It has tested the human capacity to extract meaning from suffering and challenged individuals and society in Brazil and abroad to promote cohesion that cushions the impact of borderline experiences on mental life. In this context, a survey was conducted with teachers, administrative technicians, and outsourced employees at the Federal Institute of Piauí (IFPI). This educational institution offers professional and technological education in Piauí, Brazil. This study proposes a system for the early diagnosis of health quality during social distancing in the years 2020 and 2021, over the COVID-19 pandemic, combining multi-criteria decision support methodology, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with machine learning algorithms (Random Forest, logistic regression, and Naïve Bayes). The hybrid approach of the machine learning algorithm with the AHP multi-criteria decision method with geometric mean accurately obtained a classification that stood out the most in the characteristics’ performance concerning emotions and feelings. In 2020, the situation was reported as the SAME AS BEFORE, in which the hybrid AHP with Geographical Average with the machine learning Random Forest algorithm stands out, highlighting the atypical situation in the quality of life of the interviewees and the timely manner in which they realized that their mental health remained unchanged. After that, in 2021, the situation was reported as WORSE THAN BEFORE, in which the hybrid AHP with geometric mean with the machine learning Random Forest algorithm provided an absolute result. Full article

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be precisely estimated in order to predict climate change and achieve environmental sustainability in a country. GHG emissions are estimated using empirical models, but this is difficult since it requires a wide variety of data and specific national or regional parameters. In contrast, artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods for estimating GHG emissions are gaining popularity. While progress is evident in this field abroad, the application of an AI model to predict greenhouse gas emissions in Saudi Arabia is in its early stages. This study applied decision trees (DT) and their ensembles to model national GHG emissions. Three AI models, namely bagged decision tree, boosted decision tree, and gradient boosted decision tree, were investigated. Results of the DT models were compared with the feed forward neural network model. In this study, population, energy consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), urbanization, per capita income (PCI), foreign direct investment (FDI), and GHG emission information from 1970 to 2021 were used to construct a suitable dataset to train and validate the model. The developed model was used to predict Saudi Arabia’s national GHG emissions up to the year 2040. The results indicated that the bagged decision tree has the highest coefficient of determination (R²) performance on the testing dataset, with a value of 0.90. The same method also has the lowest root mean square error (0.84 GtCO₂e) and mean absolute percentage error (0.29 GtCO₂e), suggesting that it exhibited the best performance. The model predicted that GHG emissions in 2040 will range between 852 and 867 million tons of CO₂ equivalent. In addition, Shapley analysis showed that the importance of input parameters can be ranked as urbanization rate, GDP, PCI, energy consumption, population, and FDI. The findings of this study will aid decision makers in understanding the complex relationships between the numerous drivers and the significance of diverse socioeconomic factors in defining national GHG inventories. The findings will enhance the tracking of national GHG emissions and facilitate the concentration of appropriate activities to mitigate climate change. Full article

To understand the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], we found the genetic loci associated with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and explored drought-tolerance candidate genes. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of sweet sorghum was performed using the general linear model (GLM), mixed linear model (MLM) and the fixed and random model circulating probability unification (FarmCPU) method in R. Mean productivity (MP), relative drought index (RDI) and stress-tolerance index (STI), based on plant height under two water treatments, were obtained from 354 sweet sorghum accessions from home and abroad. These plant-height drought-tolerance indices showed continuous quantitative variation. Except for the RDI, the others were close to normal distribution. A total of 6186 SNPs were obtained from the resequencing data after quality control and filling. The marker densities on chromosomes 9, 10 and 5 were higher than those on other chromosomes, which were 40.4, 16.5 and 10.0 SNPs within 1 Mb, respectively. The GWAS results showed that 49, 5 and 25 significant SNP loci were detected by the GLM, the MLM and FarmCPU, respectively, many of which were detected by two or more models. Two candidate genes of drought tolerance were annotated: Sb08g019720.1, homologous to the gene encoding the early flowering MYB protein transcription factor in Arabidopsis thaliana; and Sb01g037050.1, homologous to the gene encoding the basic leucine zipper transcription factor in maize. The results of this study can facilitate the cultivar development of drought-tolerant sweet sorghum. Full article

Genomic characterization of circulating influenza type-A viruses (IAVs) directs the selection of appropriate vaccine formulations and early detection of potentially pandemic virus strains. However, longitudinal data on the genomic evolution and transmission of IAVs in Africa are scarce, limiting Africa’s benefits from potential influenza control strategies. We searched seven databases: African Journals Online, Embase, Global Health, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science according to the PRISMA guidelines for studies that sequenced and/or genomically characterized Africa IAVs. Our review highlights the emergence and diversification of IAVs in Africa since 1993. Circulating strains continuously acquired new amino acid substitutions at the major antigenic and potential N-linked glycosylation sites in their hemagglutinin proteins, which dramatically affected vaccine protectiveness. Africa IAVs phylogenetically mixed with global strains forming strong temporal and geographical evolution structures. Phylogeographic analyses confirmed that viral migration into Africa from abroad, especially South Asia, Europe, and North America, and extensive local viral mixing sustained the genomic diversity, antigenic drift, and persistence of IAVs in Africa. However, the role of reassortment and zoonosis remains unknown. Interestingly, we observed substitutions and clades and persistent viral lineages unique to Africa. Therefore, Africa’s contribution to the global influenza ecology may be understated. Our results were geographically biased, with data from 63% (34/54) of African countries. Thus, there is a need to expand influenza surveillance across Africa and prioritize routine whole-genome sequencing and genomic analysis to detect new strains early for effective viral control. Full article

This study examined the relationship between intercultural social efficacy (ISE), coping strategies, Mandarin Chinese and English language proficiency, and depression. In total, 1870 foreign students in Taiwan participated in the study. Study results indicated that aspects of background demographics may influence depression levels. Participants with an immigrant background and those who are older are more likely to suffer from depression; however, gender and length of stay do not seem to affect depression. The moderating effects of Mandarin Chinese and English language proficiency and ISE on the relationship between coping strategies and depression were examined. Based on the results, the moderating role of Mandarin Chinese and English language proficiency was not supported, suggesting that coping strategies are independent of linguistic proficiency. However, knowing both languages is an important factor in reducing the stress of studying abroad. Additionally, the results confirmed the moderating effects of ISE, suggesting that a higher level of social effectiveness reinforces the negative association between coping strategies and depression. Students who are better able to interact with other cultures may be able to develop effective coping strategies. Moreover, this study found that although most of the study abroad students were not depressed, early intervention and prevention measures could help alleviate possible mental health crises. Full article