bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women’s experiences of participation in mass participation sport events
Authors: Mirehie Mona
Published: October 2022

Mass participation sport events (MPSEs) have become a popular form of recreational sport participation. Understanding experiences of participants is pivotal to designing and implementing socially just and sustainable events. Applying constructivist grounded theory methodology, this inquiry explored experiences of participation in MPSEs, with particular attention to the impact of gender on participation experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 women who participated in MPSEs. Fear and power were two core themes in interviewees’ experiences. Fear of sexual assault, injury, and “something bad” was a significant element in women’s experiences which related to perceptions of place and time. The second theme, power, was generated from strong sport identities, camaraderie among female runners, all-women races, and finishing mixed-gender races. The findings provide some guidelines for practitioners to enhance experiences of female participants and encourage repeated participation that is key to sustainability of the events.
An evidence-based study on the current status of Chinese secondary school mathematics teachers’ autonomous learning capacity across demographic and contextual factors
Authors: Wang Guangming , Kang Yueyuan , Li Fengxian , Zhen Yiming , Chen Xia , Huang Huixuan
Published: October 2022

Autonomous learning capacity is a key competency that supports teachers’ professional development. In this study, a stratified sampling method was used to recruit 396 junior and senior high school mathematics teachers in T city, one of the provincial city in China. A questionnaire with high reliability and validity developed prior to the study by the researchers was employed to measure their autonomous learning capacity and differences across groups. Twelve teachers were then selected for interviews. The results showed satisfactory overall performance. By subdimension, teachers’ performance was the best in the development of study plans, followed by evaluation of learning outcomes, while they needed improvement in learning habit formation and proficiency in using learning methods. Furthermore, the analysis of differences across groups indicated that for autonomous learning capacity, female teachers were significantly better than their male peers; junior high school teachers were better compared to those in senior high school; teachers aged 41–50 underperformed those aged 51 and above; teachers who work in rural areas and townships did not perform worse than urban teachers; and those with doctoral degrees did not demonstrate considerable advantage over others. There were no significant differences in the overall autonomous learning capacity across years of teaching and job title groups. However, in the subdimensions, those with 21–30 years of teaching experience had lower proficiency in using learning methods and evaluation of learning outcomes, and teachers with senior titles did not demonstrate expected advantages in learning habit formation.
Impact of COVID-19 lockdown in a biomedical research campus: A gender perspective analysis
Authors: Izquierdo-Useros Nuria , Marin Lopez Miguel Angel , Monguió-Tortajada Marta , Muñoz-Moreno Jose A. , Agusti Benito Cristina , Morón-López Sara , Evans Harvey , Gualdrón-López Melisa , Müller Jörg , G Prado Julia
Published: October 2022

From March to September 2020, researchers working at a biomedical scientific campus in Spain faced two lockdowns and various mobility restrictions that affected their social and professional lifestyles. The working group “Women in Science,” which acts as an independent observatory of scientific gender inequalities on campus launched an online survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on scientific activity, domestic and caregiving tasks, and psychological status. The survey revealed differences in scientific performance by gender: while male researchers participated in a larger number of scientific activities for career development, female researchers performed more invisible scientific tasks, including peer review or outreach activities. Mental impact was greater in researchers caring for children or dependents, and this was aggravated for women. Results spot a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on female scientific career development, and urges for equity measures to mitigate the consequences of an increase in the gender gap in biomedical sciences for current and future pandemics.
Italian adaptation of the Edinburgh Social Cognition Test (ESCoT): A new tool for the assessment of theory of mind and social norm understanding
Authors: Isernia Sara , MacPherson Sarah E. , Baksh R. Asaad , Bergsland Niels , Marchetti Antonella , Baglio Francesca , Massaro Davide
Published: October 2022

The relevance of social cognition assessment has been formally described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. However, social cognition tools evaluating different socio-cognitive components for Italian-speaking populations are lacking. The Edinburgh Social Cognition Test (ESCoT) is a new social cognition measure that uses animations of everyday social interactions to assess (i) cognitive theory of mind, (ii) affective theory of mind, (iii) interpersonal social norm understanding, and (iv) intrapersonal social norm understanding. Previous studies have shown that the ESCoT is a sensitive measure of social cognition in healthy and clinical populations in the United Kingdom. This work aimed to adapt and validate the ESCoT in an Italian population of healthy adults. A translation-back-translation procedure was followed to create and refine the Italian version. Then, 94 healthy adults (47 females, mean age  35 ± 15.9) completed the ESCoT, a battery of conventional social cognition tests (Yoni; Reading the Mind in the Eyes Strange Stories, and Social Norm Questionnaire, SNQ) and measures of intelligence and executive functions. Reliability, convergent validity, and predictors of performance on the ESCoT were examined. Results demonstrated good reliability of the ESCoT and an association between the ESCoT scores and some traditional social cognition tests (Yoni cognitive subscale, SNQ). Hierarchical regression results showed that the ESCoT total score was associated with age. Also, the ESCoT subscore (intrapersonal social norm understanding) was associated with education. These findings support the ESCoT as a valid tool testing social norm understanding, a reliable measure of social cognition for an adult Italian population, and provides further evidence that the ESCoT is sensitive to age- and education-related changes in social cognition, and it is a task not affected by general cognitive functioning.
Law abidance leadership education for university students in Hong Kong: Post-lecture evaluation
Authors: Shek Daniel T. L. , Dou Diya , Zhu Xiaoqin , Li Xiang
Published: October 2022

Law abidance is very important for effective leaders. Without law abidance, abuse of power and corruption would easily happen, which would eventually erode organizational health. To promote law abidance leadership in university students in Hong Kong, we developed a law abidance leadership program with 3 h of face-to-face lecture and 7 h of self-study of materials disturbed to students. To understand students’ perception of the 3-h lecture, we conducted a post-lecture evaluation study using a 26-item measure (N = 914). Results showed that the scale possessed good reliability and validity. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the assessment tool has three internally consistent and factorial invariant dimensions: program attributes, appreciation of law abidance, and teacher attributes. Regarding students’ perception of the program, students were generally satisfied with the lecture attributes, including design, content, lecture atmosphere, teaching quality, and benefits to students. In particular, students agreed that the lecture helped them understand the importance and value of law abidance and national security; over 95% of the students indicated that they would try their best to serve as law-abiding citizens and socially responsible leaders. Multiple regression analyses showed that program attributes, appreciation of law abidance, and teacher attributes predicted overall satisfaction with the lecture. Qualitative comments of the student echoed the quantitative findings, with most of the comments being positive in nature. The present study replicated the findings reported previously. Local and international contextual factors relevant to the interpretations of the findings are highlighted.
Risk-to-befit ratios of consecutive antidepressants for heavy menstrual bleeding in young women with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder
Authors: Zhuo Chuanjun , Chen Guangdong , Lin Chongguang , Ping Jing , Zhu Jingjing , Wang Lina , Jin Shili , Liu Chuanxin , Zhang Qiuyu , Yang Lei , Li Qianchen , Zhou Chunhua , Cheng Langlang , Tian Hongjun , Song Xueqin
Published: October 2022

The occurrence of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) induced by pharmacological agents has been reported in young adult women. This study aimed to investigate a possible association between the occurrence rates of HMB and different treatment methods such as antidepressant agents alone and in combination with other pharmacological agents. The examined cohort included young women (age 18–35 years, n = 1,949) with bipolar disorder (BP) or major depressive disorder (MDD). Menstruation history for 24 months was recorded and evaluated according to pictorial blood loss assessment charts of HMB. Multivariate analyses were conducted to determine odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals. The examined antidepressant agents had varying ORs for patients with BP vs. those with MDD. For example, the ORs of venlafaxine-induced HMB were 5.27 and 4.58 for patients with BP and MDD, respectively; duloxetine-induced HMB, 4.72 and 3.98; mirtazapine-induced HMB, 3.26 and 2.39; fluvoxamine-induced HMB, 3.11 and 2.08; fluoxetine-induced HMB, 2.45 and 1.13; citalopram-induced HMB, 2.03 and 1.25; escitalopram-induced HMB, 1.85 and 1.99; agomelatine-induced HMB, 1.45 and 2.97; paroxetine-induced HMB, 1.19 and 1.75; sertraline-induced HMB, 0.88 and 1.13; reboxetine-induced HMB, 0.45 and 0.45; and bupropion-induced HMB, 0.33 and 0.37, in each case. However, when antidepressant agents were combined with valproate, the OR of HMB greatly increased, with distinct profiles observed for patients with BP vs. those with MDD. For example, the ORs of HMB induced by venlafaxine combined with valproate were 8.48 and 6.70 for patients with BP and MDD, respectively; for duloxetine, 5.40 and 4.40; mirtazapine, 5.67 and 3.73; fluvoxamine, 5.27 and 3.37; fluoxetine, 3.69 and 4.30; citalopram, 5.88 and 3.46; escitalopram, 6.00 and 7.55; agomelatine, 4.26 and 5.65; paroxetine, 5.24 and 3.25; sertraline, 4.97 and 5.11; reboxetine, 3.54 and 2.19; and bupropion, 4.85 and 3.46, in each case. In conclusion, some antidepressant agents exhibited potential risks of inducing HMB. Therefore, a combined prescription of antidepressant agents and valproate should be carefully considered for young women with HMB.
Association of coal mine dust lung disease with Nodular thyroid disease in coal miners: A retrospective observational study in China
Authors: Zhao Feng , Zhang Hongzhen , Ren Dingfei , Li Chang-ming , Gu Yaqi , Wang Yisong , Lu Dekun , Zhang Zongyao , Lu Qi , Shi Xinxin , Yang Lixin
Published: October 2022

Background

Coal dust is a major risk factor for the occupational health of coal miners, and underground workers with coal mine dust lung disease (Coal miners with coal mine dust lung disease (CMDLD) may have a higher risk of developing Nodular thyroid disease (NTD). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between coal mine dust lung disease and the development of Nodular thyroid disease in coal miners.

Methods

This was a clinical retrospective observational study that included 955 male coal miners from 31 different coal mining companies in Huainan, Anhui Province, China, who were examined in April 2021 at the Huainan Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Hospital to collect all their clinical physical examination data, including general conditions, laboratory test indices and imaging indices. Based on the presence or absence of Nodular thyroid disease, 429 cases with Nodular thyroid disease were classified as the diseased group and 526 cases without Nodular thyroid disease were classified as the control group. Logistic regression was used to analyse the correlation between the occurrence of Nodular thyroid disease in coal miners, and further single- and multi-factor logistic regression was used to screen the risk exposure factors for Nodular thyroid disease in coal miners.

Results

Age, coal mine dust lung disease (CMDLD), red blood cells (RBC), mean red blood cell volume (MCV), albumin (ALB), albumin/globulin (A/G), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), globulin (GLOB), total bilirubin (TBil) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were associated with the development of Nodular thyroid disease in coal miners (p < 0.05) The results of univariate and multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that CMDLD (OR:4.5,95%CI:2.79–7.51) had the highest OR and CMDLD was the strongest independent risk exposure factor for the development of Nodular thyroid disease in coal miners.

Conclusions

There is a strong correlation between coal mine dust lung disease and Nodular thyroid disease in underground coal miners, and clinicians need to be highly aware of the high risk of NTD in coal miners with CMDLD and adopt individualized clinical prevention strategies.
Assessing the potential of HTA to inform resource allocation decisions in low-income settings: The case of Malawi
Authors: Ramponi Francesco , Twea Pakwanja , Chilima Benson , Nkhoma Dominic , Kazanga Chiumia Isabel , Manthalu Gerald , Mfutso-Bengo Joseph , Revill Paul , Drummond Michael , Sculpher Mark
Published: October 2022

Health technology assessment (HTA) offers a set of analytical tools to support health systems' decisions about resource allocation. Although there is increasing interest in these tools across the world, including in some middle-income countries, they remain rarely used in low-income countries (LICs). In general, the focus of HTA is narrow, mostly limited to assessments of efficacy and cost-effectiveness. However, the principles of HTA can be used to support a broader series of decisions regarding new health technologies. We examine the potential for this broad use of HTA in LICs, with a focus on Malawi. We develop a framework to classify the main decisions on health technologies within health systems. The framework covers decisions on identifying and prioritizing technologies for detailed assessment, deciding whether to adopt an intervention, assessing alternative investments for implementation and scale-up, and undertaking further research activities. We consider the relevance of the framework to policymakers in Malawi and we use two health technologies as examples to investigate the main barriers and enablers to the use of HTA methods. Although the scarcity of local data, expertise, and other resources could risk limiting the operationalisation of HTA in LICs, we argue that even in highly resource constrained health systems, such as in Malawi, the use of HTA to support a broad range of decisions is feasible and desirable.
Exploring the influence of residential courtyard space landscape elements on people's emotional health in an immersive virtual environment
Authors: Fu Erkang , Zhou Jiawen , Ren Yuxin , Deng Xiaoyu , Li Lin , Li Xinyun , Li Xi
Published: October 2022

A good residential courtyard space not only brings people a psychological feeling of emotional pleasure but also attracts people to actively engage in more physical activities, which is of great significance to improving people's physical and mental health. Green vegetation and fitness facilities as the most preferred landscape elements in residential courtyard spaces and their effects on people's emotional health have not been further investigated. In this research, a virtual experiment was constructed in a residential courtyard space in Chengdu City, China, and electrodermal sensors were used to measure the real-time emotional changes of people in different virtual scenarios to analyze the effects of two landscape elements, green vegetation and fitness facilities, on people's emotional health, and the differences of such effects among different genders and ages. The results confirm that the combination of virtual reality technology and wearable physiological sensor measurement technology could effectively identify health-promoting landscape elements in urban environments; In residential courtyard spaces, green vegetation is more emotionally healthy than fitness facilities, and fitness facilities have better emotional health benefits for men and people over 30 years of age. The results of the study provide a quantitative basis for the healthier design and transformation of residential courtyard spaces for both green vegetation and fitness facilities.
Entomo-virological surveillance followed by serological active survey of symptomatic individuals is helpful to identify hotspots of early arbovirus transmission
Authors: Leandro André de Souza , Lopes Renata Defante , Amaral Martins Caroline , Delai Robson Michael , Villela Daniel A. M. , Maciel-de-Freitas Rafael
Published: October 2022

Arboviruses transmitted byAedes aegyptiin urban environments have spread rapidly worldwide, causing great impacts on public health. The development of reliable and timely alert signals is among the most important steps in designing accurate surveillance systems for vector-borne diseases. In July and September 2017, we conducted a pilot study to improve an existing integrated surveillance system by using entomo-virological surveillance to prioritize areas to conduct active searches for individuals with arbovirus infection symptoms. Foz do Iguaçu City has a permanent entomo-virological surveillance system with approximately 3,500 traps to captureAedessp. in the adult stage. TheAedes aegyptifemales are captured alive and human samples are submitted to RT-qPCR (real-time qPCR) screening for DENV, ZIKV, and CHIKV diagnosis. Of the 55Ae. aegyptimosquitoes tested in July 2017, seven (12.7%) were considered positive for DENV-2 and three (5.4%) for CHIKV. In September, we tested a sample of 54 mosquitoes, and 15 (27.7%) were considered infected by DENV-2. We created 25 circumferences with 150-m radius each to perform an active survey to identify symptomatic householders. In July, we selected one circumference, and five (35.7%) patients were positive for DENV, whereas two (14.3%) for CHIKV. In September, we selected four circumferences, and, from the 21 individuals sampled, nine (42.8%) were positive for DENV-2. A statistical model with a binomial response was used to estimate the number of cases in areas without active surveys, i.e., 20 circumferences. We estimated an additional 83 symptomatic patients (95% CI: 45–145) to be found in active searches, with 38 (95% CI: 18–72) of them confirming arbovirus infection. Arbovirus detection and serotyping in mosquitoes, but also in symptomatic individuals during active surveys, can provide an alert signal of early arbovirus transmission.
How to cushion economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: Fiscal or monetary policies?
Authors: Wu Ya , Luo Yu
Published: October 2022

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the global economy to a crisis: how to choose the optimal policy tools to cope with the external impacts has attracted worldwide attention. The research evaluates the effects of China's fiscal and monetary policies in promoting economic recovery by establishing a CGE model. Five representative countermeasures such as exempting value-added tax (VAT) and cutting loan rates are studied. The results indicate that: from the aspect of fiscal policies, increasing investment shows a better effect in boosting economy compared with exempting VAT and increasing medical care expenditures; however, the policy also causes price inflation (+0.45%) and crowding-out of enterprise investment (−0.03%). From the aspect of monetary policies, providing targeted loans to enterprises has a better boosting effect on economy compared with cutting loan rates. In the choice between fiscal or monetary policies, fiscal policies exert better effects (household income, +0.95%) when taking the improvement of residents' welfare as the objective. If taking promoting recovery of enterprises and boosting the economy as objectives, monetary policies are found to be better (GDP, +1.99%). Therefore, fiscal and monetary policies should be guided by different objectives and allowed to work in a synergistic manner.
Tax competition, environmental regulation and high-quality economic development: An empirical test based on spatial Durbin model
Authors: Shangguan Xuming , Hashmi Shabir Mohsin , Hu Haiya , Wong Wing-Keung
Published: October 2022

Studying economic development in China is a very important topic recently because China's economy is moving toward high-quality development and local governments face the dilemma of environmental governance and economic development. To contribute to the literature in this area further, this paper assesses the impact of tax competition and environmental regulation on high-quality economic development through the spatial Durbin model and instrumental variable and by using the data from 278 prefecture-level and above cities from 2007 to 2017 in China. Our empirical analysis shows that tax competition inhibits high-quality economic development and a positive spatial spillover effect, environmental regulation has a significant direct promoting effect on high-quality economic development and a negative spatial spillover effect, and local government tax competition inhibits the promotion effect of environmental regulation on high-quality economic development. Further heterogeneity analysis conducted in our study shows that both the direct and spatial spillover effects of tax competition and environmental regulation on high-quality economic development in large and medium-sized cities are significantly lower than those in small cities. Our empirical analysis infers that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the promotion effect of environmental regulation on high-quality economic development and the synergistic effect with tax competition has become more and more significant. The findings in our paper are useful for both the central government and the local governments in making better decisions for economic development in China as well as in other countries.
COVID-19-related knowledge influences mental health, self-care behaviors, and quality of life among elderly with non-communicable diseases in Northern Thailand
Authors: Napalai Pattareeya , Seangpraw Katekaew , Boonyathee Sorawit , Ong-artborirak Parichat
Published: October 2022

Background

A growing body of research shows that individuals with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and heart disease, are more likely to suffer from severe COVID-19 and, subsequently, death. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of COVID-19-related knowledge on mental health, healthcare behaviors, and quality of life among the elderly with NCDs in Northern Thailand.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, the participants were 450 elderly people with NCDs, living in the Chiang Rai province, Northern Thailand. Random sampling was applied to select the subjects. Data collection included demographic information, COVID-19-related knowledge, healthcare behaviors, the Suanprung Stress Test-20, the Thai General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) for the assessment of mental health, and the Thai version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF.

Results

Almost half of the participants (45.6%) had poor knowledge about COVID-19. More than half of the sample had high stress (52.0%) and a low score in healthcare behaviors (64.9%), while approximately one-third of the participants had mental health problems (34.0%). The overall quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic was moderate (70.7%). The score of COVID-19-related knowledge was significantly correlated with scores of stress (r = −0.85), mental health (r = −0.74), healthcare behaviors (r = 0.50), and quality of life (r = 0.33). Multiple linear regression found that history of COVID-19 detection and COVID-19-related knowledge were associated with scores of stress and quality of life (p < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression showed that history of COVID-19 detection (OR = 4.48, 95% CI = 1.45–13.84) and COVID-19-related knowledge (OR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.17–0.31) were associated with mental health problem (p < 0.05).

Discussion

The findings emphasize the importance of COVID-19-related knowledge concerning the improvement of self-care behaviors and quality of life in the elderly population with NCDs during the pandemic, especially due to the high rate of stress and mental health problems documented in our sample. Health education interventions for this vulnerable population should be organized.
Computationally efficient and sub-optimal trajectory planning framework based on trajectory-quality growth rate analysis
Authors: Takemura Reiya , Ishigami Genya
Published: October 2022

A planetary exploration rover has been used for scientific missions or as a precursor for a future manned mission. The rover’s autonomous system is managed by a space-qualified, radiation-hardened onboard computer; hence, the processing performance for such a computer is strictly limited, owing to the limitation to power supply. Generally, a computationally efficient algorithm in the autonomous system is favorable. This study, therefore, presents a computationally efficient and sub-optimal trajectory planning framework for the rover. The framework exploits an incremental search algorithm, which can generate more optimal solutions as the number of iterations increases. Such an incremental search is subjected to the trade-off between trajectory optimality and computational burden. Therefore, we introduce the trajectory-quality growth rate (TQGR) to statistically analyze the relationship between trajectory optimality and computational cost. This analysis is conducted in several types of terrain, and the planning stop criterion is estimated. Furthermore, the relation between terrain features and the stop criterion is modeled offline by a machine learning technique. Then, using the criterion predicted by the model, the proposed framework appropriately interrupts the incremental search in online motion planning, resulting in a sub-optimal trajectory with less computational burden. Trajectory planning simulation in various real terrain data validates that the proposed framework can, on average, reduce the computational cost by 47.6% while maintaining 63.8% of trajectory optimality. Furthermore, the simulation result shows the proposed framework still performs well even though the planning stop criterion is not adequately predicted.
Impact of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in women with non-male factor infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Huang Jun-Xia , Gao Yu-Qi , Chen Xiao-Tong , Han Ying-Qi , Song Jing-Yan , Sun Zhen-Gao
Published: October 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study is to determine whether intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is beneficial in patients with non-male factor infertility.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis included articles from inception to May 2022. Published studies of non-male factor infertile women undergoing ICSI or in vitro fertilization (IVF) included in PubMed, Embase, web of science, Wanfang Database, and CNKI were searched by computer, without language restrictions. A random-effect model was applied to calculate the risk ratios (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Letters, case reports, and review articles including meta-analyses and expert opinions were excluded. The primary endpoints were laboratory outcomes and pregnancy outcomes. The Secondary endpoints were neonatal outcomes.

Results

Six randomized controlled studies and 20 retrospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. In meta-analytic forest plots, compared with IVF, those who received ICSI treatment were not different in fertilization rate (RR = 0.99, 95% CI [0.90–1.09], P = 0.88), total fertilization failure rate (RR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.17–1.45], P < 0.00001), and good quality embryo rate (RR = 0.94, 95% CI [ 0.86–1.02], P = 0.15), clinical pregnancy rate (RR = 0.84, 95% CI [0.70–1.01], P = 0.06), live birth rate (RR = 0.89, 95% CI [0.77–1.03], P = 0.13), miscarriage rate (RR = 1.06, 95% CI [0.78–1.43], P = 0.71), preterm neonatal delivery rate (RR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.67–1.26], P = 0.61), and low neonatal weight rate (RR = 1.13, 95% CI [0.80–1.61], P = 0.48). However, the implantation rate of IVF was better than ICSI (RR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.64–0.93], P = 0.005). In the subgroup analysis of the live birth rate of fresh embryo transfer, IVF performed in those ≥35 years had a higher live birth rate (RR = 0.82, 95% CI [0.78–0.83], P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The findings of this study indicate that ICSI is not superior to IVF in the treatment of infertility related to non-male factors. In order to confirm this result, more high-quality clinical studies are needed.
Relationship between ionospheric TEC and geomagnetic SqZ at middle and low latitudes
Authors: Niu Chao , Wei Yiwei , Xu Buyun , Li Xihai , Mu Xiaodong
Published: October 2022

Solar quiet variation (Sq) generated from ionospheric currents are among the most important type of geomagnetic variations. In this paper, the correlation between the geomagnetic Z component solar quiet variation (SqZ) component and the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) is discussed. For the analysis, 20 stations at middle and low latitudes are chosen, and the correlation between geomagnetic SqZ and ionospheric TEC at these stations from 2008 to 2015 is analyzed. The time delays are estimated by detecting peaks in the cross-correlation function, which shows that there is a stable correlation between SqZ and TEC. The time delay between them is largest in summer and smallest in winter, which is consistent with the Sq field intensity. With increasing latitude, the time delay decreases gradually from positive to negative, i.e., SqZ goes from being ahead of the TEC to behind it. The turning point of this change is at ca. 28°N, exactly where the Sq current vortex is located.
Identification of regenerating island-derived protein 3E in dogs
Authors: Peters Laureen M. , Howard Judith , Leeb Tosso , Mevissen Meike , Graf Rolf , Reding Graf Theresia
Published: October 2022

Regenerating islet-derived protein (REG) 1A (aka pancreatic stone protein) and REG3A (aka pancreatitis-associated protein) are upregulated in humans with sepsis, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal diseases, but little is known about this protein family in dogs. Our aim was to identify REG1 and REG3 family members in dogs. REG-family genes were computationally annotated in the canine genome and proteome, with verification of gene expression using publicly available RNA-seq data. The presence of the protein in canine pancreatic tissue and plasma was investigated with Western blot and immunohistochemistry, using anti-human REG1A and REG3A antibodies. Protein identity was confirmed with mass spectrometry. Two members of the REG3 subfamily were found in the canine genome, REG3E1 and REG3E2, both encoding for the same 176 AA protein, subsequently named REG3E. Anti-human REG3A antibodies demonstrated cross-reactivity with the canine REG3E protein in pancreas homogenates. In canine plasma, a protein band of approximately 17 kDa was apparent. Mass spectrometry confirmed this protein to be the product of the two annotated REG3E genes. Strong immunoreactivity to anti-human REG3A antibodies was found in sections of canine pancreas affected with acute pancreatitis, but it was weak in healthy pancreatic tissue. Recombinant canine REG3E protein underwent a selective trypsin digestion as described in other species. No evidence for the presence of a homolog of REG1A in dogs was found in any of the investigations. In conclusion, dogs express REG3E in the pancreas, whose role as biomarker merits further investigations. Homologs to human REG1A are not likely to exist in dogs.
Circulatory microRNAs in helminthiases: Potent as diagnostics biomarker, its potential role and limitations
Authors: Ullah Hanif , Tian Yali , Arbab Safia , Li Ka , Khan Muhammad Inayat Ullah , Rahman Sajid Ur , Qadeer Abdul , Muhammad Nehaz , Suleman  , Hassan Inam Ul
Published: October 2022

Infections caused by helminths are responsible for severe public health problems and economic burden on continental scale. Well-timed and precise diagnosis of helminth infections is critical for taking by appropriate approaches for pathogen control. Circulating miRNAs are stable diagnostic tool for different diseases found in a variety of body fluid. As diagnostic biomarkers in infectious diseases, miRNAs detection in body fluids of helminth infected hosts is growing promptly. Uncovering miRNAs is a relatively new tool, used for early-stage detection of helminth infection from experimental or non-invasive clinical samples. miRNAs can be detected in body fluids such as serum, saliva, urine, and tissues of helminth infected host, mainly blood offering important benefits for diagnosis accurately. In this review, we discuss different characteristics of helminth parasite-derived circulating and EV miRNAs, supporting its potential uses in for helminth diagnosis and treatment efficiency.
Detection of suid herpesvirus 1 infectivity in pigs by propidium monoazide-qPCR
Authors: Yang Liu , Long Yunzhi , Li Qianqian , Song Wenbo , Huang Ying , Liang Gong , Yu Daobing , Zhou Mingguang , Xu Gaoyuan , Chen Yao , Huang Chao , Tang Xibiao
Published: October 2022

At present, there is no effective experimental method for detecting whether the suid herpesvirus 1 (SHV-1) detected in pigs is infectious. Although the technique of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has significantly improved the detection rate and accuracy of the disease, it does not differentiate between infective and non-infective status of the virus. Propidium monoazide (PMA) is a dye that can be combined with DNA molecules. The decomposition of PMA produces an azene compound covalently crosslinked with DNA molecules, thereby inhibiting PCR amplification of DNA. In this study, the combination of PMA and qPCR was used to determine the infectivity of SHV-1. We optimized the method from the selection of primers, the working concentration of PMA, and the method of inactivation using UV or heat inactivation. We found that when specific primer 1 was used and a PMA working concentration was 50–100 μM, heat inactivation was able to distinguish whether SHV-1 was infectious or not. We also showed that UV prevented the virus from replicating, it did not destroy the capsid of the virus, and therefore, PMA cannot enter the virus and bind to the nucleic acid of the virus. Consequently, there is no way to identify the infectivity of the virus using UV inactivation. The study showed that the method was stable and the detection rate reached 96%. In conclusion, this method exhibited strong specificity and high sensitivity and can identify the infectivity of SHV-1. This method has practical significance for clinical virus isolation and the effects of disinfection of farms.
Design and Test of an Active Pneumatic Soft Wrist for Soft Grippers
Authors: Chen Guangming , Lin Tao , Ding Shi , Chen Shuang , Ji Aihong , Lodewijks Gabriel
Published: October 2022

An active wrist can deliver both bending and twisting motions that are essential for soft grippers to perform dexterous manipulations capable of producing a wide range movements. Currently, the versions of gripper wrists are relatively heavy due to the bending and twisting motions performed by the motors. Pneumatic soft actuators can generate multiple motions with lightweight drives. This research evaluates a pneumatic soft wrist based on four parallel soft helical actuators. The kinematics models for predicting bending and twisting motions of this soft wrist are developed. Finite element method simulations are conducted to verify the functions of bending and twisting of this wrist. In addition, the active motions of the soft pneumatic wrist are experimentally demonstrated. Based on sensitivity studies of geometric parameters, a set of parameter values are identified for obtaining maximum bending and twisting angles for a bionic human wrist. Through simulation and experimental tests of the soft wrist for a soft gripper, the desired bending and twisting motions as those of a real human hand wrist are established.
Analysis of Trajectory Tracking Characteristics of a Magnetically Driven Oil-Free Scroll Compressor
Authors: Shi Ce , Sun Feng , Xu Fangchao , Jin Junjie , Tong Ling , Zhou Qing , Oka Koichi
Published: October 2022

The conventional scroll compressor cannot run oil-free because of wear and tear and lubrication problems during operation due to some parts, such as anti-rotation devices. The magnetic drive oil-free scroll compressor (MDOFSC) uses a contactless drive method to avoid this drawback. In order to solve the swing problem of the orbiting scroll during the operation of the MDOFSC, decentralized control and centralized control are used to study the trajectory tracking characteristics. Firstly, the structure and working principle of the MDOFSC are introduced, and the system’s magnetic circuit and differential control principle are analyzed. Then, the dynamic model of the MDOFSC under the condition of non-compressed gas is established, and the coordinate matrix decoupling method is used to analyze the relationship between the degree of freedom of the system and the measurement distance of the displacement sensor. Finally, the system is simulated and experimentally studied under centralized PID control, and the experimental comparison study between decentralized control and centralized control is conducted. The results show that centralized control dramatically improves the trajectory control ability of the system.
A Comparison of the Differences in Soil Structure under Long-Term Conservation Agriculture Relative to a Secondary Forest
Authors: Pires Luiz F. , Ferreira Talita R. , Cássaro Fábio A. M. , Cooper Hannah V. , Mooney Sacha J.
Published: October 2022

Conservation agriculture is increasingly preferred to conventional methods due to its benefits in promoting more sustainable soil management. Our study aims to compare physical and morphological properties, at the microscale, of soils under long-term no tillage (NT) and minimum-tillage (MT) to adjacent ‘natural’ soils under long-term secondary forest (SF). Soil aggregates of c. 2 cm length were imaged by X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT). The three-dimensional (3D) images were segmented and analyzed in order to assess properties such as porosity, number of pores, degree of anisotropy, pore shape, volume classifications, Euler number for pore connectivity, and pore tortuosity. The pore architecture of soils under NT and MT, for c. 40 years, was similar to that from the SF in terms of imaged porosity, pore size, and shape distributions, as hypothesized in our study. However, we observed some important differences; for instance, SF had larger, more connected, and more complex pores, likely due to the greater biological activity. In addition, SF had more isotropic pores than NT and MT, i.e., without preferential flow paths for water redistribution. Therefore, we concluded that long-term conservation agriculture was efficient at reversing structural damage typically associated with conventional, intensive agriculture, but some large differences remain, particularly concerning the pore network complexity and connectivity.
Targeted UHPLC-MS Analysis Reveals Disparate Polyphenol Composition and Concentration in Muscadine Grape Supplements with Proportional Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Chappell Mark C. , Duncan Aja V. , Melo Ana Clara , Schaich Christopher L. , Pirro Nancy T. , Diz Debra I. , Tallant E. Ann , Gallagher Patricia E.
Published: October 2022

Muscadine grape supplements (MGS) with high polyphenol content are a potential therapeutic option to combat oxidative stress; however, the precise identity and concentration of individual phenolics in commercially processed MGSs is not well defined. We probed for 17 phenolic compounds by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy from distinct lots of four commercially processed MGSs composed of MG seed and/or skin waste products. The total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity were highest in a dried water-extract MGS as compared to three ground seed and/or skin products. The TPC was not different between MGS lots from individual companies and remained stable for 3 years without microbial contamination. The extract MGS had the highest concentration of epicatechin, ellagic acid, gallic acid, procyanidin B2, catechin and catechin gallate compared to the other supplements. Only ellagic acid and gallic acid were detected in all four MGSs, while catechin and catechin gallate were below detection in two supplements. Based on gram weight, only the extract MGS prevented the angiotensin II-induced increase in malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenol in rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes as well as upregulated superoxide dismutase and catalase. This study demonstrates that commercial MGSs differ in phenolic composition and concentration, resulting in disparate antioxidant activity.
Computation and Statistical Analysis of Bearings’ Time- and Frequency-Domain Features Enhanced Using Cepstrum Pre-Whitening: A ML- and DL-Based Classification
Authors: Cascales-Fulgencio David , Quiles-Cucarella Eduardo , García-Moreno Emilio
Published: October 2022

Vibration signals captured with an accelerometer carry essential information about Rolling Element Bearings (REBs) faults in rotating machinery, and the envelope spectrum has proven to be a robust tool for their diagnosis at an early stage of development. In this paper, Cepstrum Pre-Whitening (CPW) has been applied to REBs’ signals to enhance and extract health-state condition indicators from the preprocessed signals’ envelope spectra. These features are used to train some of the state-of-the-art Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, combined with time-domain features such as basic statistics, high-order statistics and impulsive metrics. Before training, these features were ranked according to statistical techniques such as one-way ANOVA and the Kruskal–Wallis test. A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been designed to implement the classification of REBs’ signals from a Deep Learning (DL) point of view, receiving raw time signals’ greyscale images as inputs. The different ML models have yielded validation accuracies of up to 87.6%, while the CNN yielded accuracy of up to 77.61%, for the entire dataset. In addition, the same models have yielded validation accuracies of up to 97.8%, while the CNN, 90.67%, where signals from REBs with faulty balls have been removed from the dataset, highlighting the difficulty of classifying such faults. Furthermore, from the results of the different ML algorithms compared to those of the CNN, frequency-domain features have proven to be highly relevant condition indicators combined with some time-domain features. These models can be potentially helpful in applications that require early diagnosis of REBs faults, such as wind turbines, vehicle transmissions and industrial machinery.
Resilience Adaptation Approach for Reducing the Negative Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Heritage Sites through Machine Learning
Authors: Hegazi Yasmine Sabry
Published: October 2022

The continuous cumulative worsening impact of climate change on heritage sites represents a new challenge for most of the nonrenewable resources of heritage sites and buildings in general; this is especially true with respect to coastal heritage sites, which are facing a more dangerous situation as the climate becomes more extreme in coastal areas and sea levels rise, putting heritage sites at risk. A strict adaptation plan, usually made for reducing the impact of climate change, may not be the solution, as different heritage site locations, materials, and hazard types need tailored plans. Therefore, in this research paper, a resilience approach was introduced to help adapt the most problematic sites to the impacts of climate change, i.e., coastal heritage sites. To fulfill the objective of achieving adaptation in a resilient way that can easily be developed in relation to different types of sites, mixed research methods were used. First, the literature was reviewed using the Connected Papers tool. Then, machine learning methods were used to process and analyze the input data of the resilience adaptation plan for an Egyptian coastal heritage site case study, i.e., Alexandria. Next, the data were arranged and analyzed, highlighting the main classifying algorithms responsible for identifying the resilience range, using the machine learning software packages Infra Nodus and WEKA, according to the differences in the climate change impact at the heritage sites. The final outcome of this research is a resilience approach that can be adapted to rescue plans for coastal heritage sites via machine learning.
Two-Stage Metaheuristic Algorithms for Order-Batching and Routing Problems
Authors: Wu Gen-Han , Cheng Chen-Yang , Liu Ming-Hong
Published: October 2022

Because of time and cost constraints, item picking plays a major role in warehouse operations. Considering diversified orders and a constant warehouse design, deciding how to combine each batch and picker route effectively is a challenge in warehouse management. In this study, we focus on the evaluation of order-batching strategies for a single picker facing multiple orders with the objective of minimizing the total traveling distance. We propose two-stage simulated annealing and variable neighborhood search algorithms to solve the combined problem. The orders are first merged into batches, followed by determining the sequence in each batch. The computational analysis revealed that the best-fit-decreasing (BFD) batch ordering strategy in the two-stage algorithms, the variable neighborhood search algorithm, obtained superior solutions to those of the simulated annealing algorithm.
Dry-Low Emission Gas Turbine Technology: Recent Trends and Challenges
Authors: Faqih Mochammad , Omar Madiah Binti , Ibrahim Rosdiazli , Omar Bahaswan A. A.
Published: October 2022

Dry-low emission (DLE) is one of the cleanest combustion types used in a gas turbine. DLE gas turbines have become popular due to their ability to reduce emissions by operating in lean-burn operation. However, this technology leads to challenges that sometimes interrupt regular operations. Therefore, this paper extensively reviews the development of the DLE gas turbine and its challenges. Numerous online publications from various databases, including IEEE Xplore, Scopus, and Web of Science, are compiled to describe the evolution of gas turbine technology based on emissions, fuel flexibility, and drawbacks. Various gas turbine models, including physical and black box models, are further discussed in detail. Working principles, fuel staging mechanisms, and advantages of DLE gas turbines followed by common faults that lead to gas turbine tripping are specifically discussed. A detailed evaluation of lean blow-out (LBO) as the major fault is subsequently highlighted, followed by the current methods in LBO prediction. The literature confirms that the DLE gas turbine has the most profitable features against other clean combustion methods. Simulation using Rowen’s model significantly imitates the actual behavior of the DLE gas turbine that can be used to develop a control strategy to maintain combustion stability. Lastly, the data-driven LBO prediction method helps minimize the flame’s probability of a blow-out.