bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Precipitates on the Grain Coarsening of 20CrMnTi Gear Steel during Pseudo-Carburizing
Authors: Zhang Rui , Yuan Qing , Tang En , Mo Jiaxuan , Zhang Zhicheng , Hu Haijiang , Xu Guang
Published: August 2023

The carburizing period for tool steel could be significantly shortened by operating at a higher carburizing temperature. However, grain coarsening happens during the carburizing process, and then results in the deteriorated surface properties in 20CrMnTi gear steel, especially at an elevated carburizing temperature. The relationships between grain coarsening and the precipitates in the developed 20CrMnTi gear steel during pseudo-carburizing were established by microstructure characterization, precipitate analysis and in-situ observation to clarify the coarsening mechanism. The results manifested the Baker–Nutting orientation relationship between the (Ti, Mo)(C, N) particles and the matrix, and then testified to the redissolution and ripening of the (Ti, Mo)(C, N) precipitates pre-formed in the α phase during the carburizing. Coarsening in austenite grain during the carburizing process was mainly caused by the rapid redissolution and ripening of the (Ti, Mo)(C, N) precipitates, although this occurred in a very short pseudo-carburizing time. The area density of the dispersed unripe (Ti, Mo)(C, N) particles markedly decreased from 0.389% in as-hot rolled gear steel to 0.341%, and then from 0.279% in carburized steels at 970 and 980 °C, respectively. Additionally, the redissolution and ripening of the (Ti, Mo)(C, N) precipitates were accelerated by the elevated carburizing temperature of 980 °C, at which time the growing rate in austenite grains was 2.34 μm/min during the prior 1 min (0.79 μm/min during the prior 3 min at 970 °C). The temperature then decreased to 0.003 μm/min in the subsequent carburizing process. The results obtained our current work reflected that the particles with excellent thermal stability should play important roles in the limitation of grain coarsening during the carburizing process.
Three-Year School-Based Multicomponent Intervention May Change Fruit and Vegetable Preferences in Primary School Children—A Quasi-Randomized Trial
Authors: Ilić Ana , Rumbak Ivana , Brečić Ružica , Colić Barić Irena , Bituh Martina
Published: August 2023

Preference could be the trigger for fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in children and could be modified by appropriate intervention to increase the acceptance of FVs. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the three-year school-based multicomponent intervention “Nutri-školica” on the FV preferences of primary school children. It also aimed to explore whether a positive change in FV preferences could lead to an increase in actual FV consumption. The study was conducted in 14 primary schools from the city of Zagreb on 193 children (52.3% boys; age, 7.7 ± 0.4 years; n = 85 in the control group and n = 108 in the intervention group) who completed a preference questionnaire before and after the intervention with a 5-point hedonic smiley-face scale, where 5 means “I like it a lot.” The per-protocol approach was used for data analysis (28.3% of children from the study sample). After the intervention, children in the intervention group (before: 3.1 ± 0.8; after: 3.5 ± 0.8) increased their FV preferences significantly more than children in the control group (before: 3.2 ± 0.8; after: 3.3 ± 0.7). Children’s FV preferences changed most toward the varieties for which they had the least preferences at the beginning of the study. Participation in the intervention had a stronger effect on changing FV intake than change in FV preferences among primary school children. In summary, the present study highlighted that a targeted intervention can increase children’s FV preferences, but that participation in the intervention is substantial for increasing FV intake.
Harbor Porpoise Aggregations in the Salish Sea
Authors: Anderson Dave , Shuster Laurie , Elliser Cindy R. , MacIver Katrina , Gless Erin Johns , Krieger Johannes , Hall Anna
Published: August 2023

Harbor porpoises are typically seen in small groups of 1–3 individuals, with aggregations of 20+ individuals treated as rare events. Since the 1990s, the harbor porpoise population in the Salish Sea has seen a significant recovery, and an increased number of observed aggregations that exceed the more usual small group sizes has been observed in recent years. By combining the observational data of United States and Canadian research organizations, community scientists, and whale watch captains or naturalists, we demonstrate that harbor porpoise aggregations appear to be more common than previously known, with 160 aggregations documented in 2022 alone. Behavioral data also indicate that foraging behaviors are common and social behaviors, like mating, are seen more often during these encounters compared to small groups. Other behaviors that are considered to be rare or unknown were also observed during these encounters, including cooperative foraging and vessel approach. These aggregations are likely important foraging and social gatherings for harbor porpoises. This holistic approach integrating data from two countries and multiple sources provides a population level assessment that more effectively reflects the behavior of harbor porpoises in this region, which do not recognize the socio-political boundaries imposed upon the natural world.
The Effect of Temperature on the Stability of African Swine Fever Virus BA71V Isolate in Environmental Water Samples
Authors: Loundras Eleni-Anna , Netherton Christopher L. , Flannery John , Bowes Michael J. , Dixon Linda , Batten Carrie
Published: August 2023

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is known to be very stable and can remain infectious over long periods of time especially at low temperatures and within different matrices, particularly those containing animal-derived organic material. However, there are some gaps in our knowledge pertaining to the survivability and infectivity of ASFV in groundwater. This study aims to determine the stability and infectivity of the cell culture-adapted ASFV strain BA71V by plaque assay after incubation of the virus within river water samples at three different environmentally relevant temperatures (4 °C, 15 °C, and 21 °C) over the course of 42 days. The results from this study indicate that ASFV can remain stable and infectious when maintained at 4 °C in river water for more than 42 days, but as incubation temperatures are increased, the stability is reduced, and the virus is no longer able to form plaques after 28 days and 14 days, respectively, when stored at 15 °C and 21 °C. Characterizing the survivability of ASFV in groundwater can allow us to develop more appropriate inactivation and disinfection methods to support disease control and mitigate ASFV outbreaks.
Sociopolitical Diagnostic Tools to Understand National and Local Response Capabilities and Vulnerabilities to Epidemics and Guide Research into How to Improve the Global Response to Pathogens
Authors: Friedman Samuel R. , Perlman David C. , Paraskevis Dimitrios , Feldman Justin
Published: August 2023

The AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics demonstrated that nations at similar economic development levels varied widely in their capacity to protect the health of their residents. For AIDS, Britain and Australia brought gay representatives into official counsels and adopted harm reduction far more rapidly than the United States or Spain, and East African countries responded more effectively than South Africa or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. National responses to COVID-19 varied widely, with New Zealand, China, and Vietnam more effective than Italy, Brazil, or the United States. Further, as phylogenetic research has demonstrated, these pandemics spread from one country to another, with those that responded poorly acting as sources for mutations and potentially sources of transmission to countries with more effective responses. Many observers expressed surprise at the poor responses of the United States to COVID-19, but in retrospect the cutbacks in public health funding at state and national levels made it clear that this was a predictable weakness even in addition to the political vacillations that crippled the US and Brazilian responses. In a time of global sociopolitical and climate instability, it is important to measure and conduct research into spatial and time variations in 1. public health and medical funding, 2. social influence networks, social cohesion and trust, and stigmatization, 3. income inequality, 4. social conflict, and 5. other factors that affect responsiveness to pandemics.
Development of Organs-on-Chips and Their Impact on Precision Medicine and Advanced System Simulation
Authors: Luo Ying , Li Xiaoxiao , Zhao Yawei , Zhong Wen , Xing Malcolm , Lyu Guozhong
Published: August 2023

Drugs may undergo costly preclinical studies but still fail to demonstrate their efficacy in clinical trials, which makes it challenging to discover new drugs. Both in vitro and in vivo models are essential for disease research and therapeutic development. However, these models cannot simulate the physiological and pathological environment in the human body, resulting in limited drug detection and inaccurate disease modelling, failing to provide valid guidance for clinical application. Organs-on-chips (OCs) are devices that serve as a micro-physiological system or a tissue-on-a-chip; they provide accurate insights into certain functions and the pathophysiology of organs to precisely predict the safety and efficiency of drugs in the body. OCs are faster, more economical, and more precise. Thus, they are projected to become a crucial addition to, and a long-term replacement for, traditional preclinical cell cultures, animal studies, and even human clinical trials. This paper first outlines the nature of OCs and their significance, and then details their manufacturing-related materials and methodology. It also discusses applications of OCs in drug screening and disease modelling and treatment, and presents the future perspective of OCs.
Intranasal Nanotransferosomal Gel for Quercetin Brain Targeting: II. Antidepressant Effect in an Experimental Animal Model
Authors: Elkomy Mohammed H. , Abo El-Ela Fatma I. , Zaki Randa Mohammed , Alsaidan Omar A. , Elmowafy Mohammed , Zafar Ameeduzzafar , Shalaby Khaled , Abdelgawad Mohamed A. , Omar Hany A. , Salama Rania , Eid Hussein M.
Published: August 2023

Depression is a serious mental disorder and the most prevalent cause of disability and suicide worldwide. Quercetin (QER) demonstrated antidepressant effects in rats exhibiting anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. In an attempt to improve QER’s antidepressant activity, a QER-loaded transferosome (QER-TFS) thermosensitive gel for intranasal administration was formulated and optimized. The therapeutic effectiveness of the optimized formulation was assessed in a depressed rat model by conducting a behavioral analysis. Behavioral study criteria such as immobility, swimming, climbing, sucrose intake, number of crossed lines, rearing, active interaction, and latency to feed were all considerably enhanced by intranasal treatment with the QER-TFS in situ gel in contrast to other formulations. A nasal histopathological study indicated that the QER-TFS thermosensitive gel was safe for the nasal mucosa. An immunohistochemical analysis showed that the animals treated with the QER-TFS thermosensitive gel had the lowest levels of c-fos protein expression, and brain histopathological changes in the depressed rats were alleviated. According to pharmacodynamic, immunohistochemical, and histopathological experiments, the intranasal administration of the QER-TFS thermosensitive gel substantially alleviated depressive symptoms in rats. However, extensive preclinical investigations in higher animal models are needed to anticipate its effectiveness in humans.
Development of Liposome Systems for Enhancing the PK Properties of Bivalent PROTACs
Authors: Kou Ponien , Levy Elizabeth S. , Nguyen An D. , Zhang Donglu , Chen Shu , Cui Yusi , Zhang Xing , Broccatelli Fabio , Pizzano Jennifer , Cantley Jennifer , Bortolon Elizabeth , Rousseau Emma , Berlin Michael , Dragovich Peter , Sethuraman Vijay
Published: August 2023

Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are a promising new technology in drug development. They have rapidly evolved in recent years, with several of them in clinical trials. While most of these advances have been associated with monovalent protein degraders, bivalent PROTACs have also entered clinical trials, although progression to market has been limited. One of the reasons is the complex physicochemical properties of the heterobifunctional PROTACs. A promising strategy to improve pharmacokinetics of highly lipophilic compounds, such as PROTACs, is encapsulation in liposome systems. Here we describe liposome systems for intravenous administration to enhance the PK properties of two bivalent PROTAC molecules, by reducing clearance and increasing systemic coverage. We developed and characterized a PROTAC-in-cyclodextrin liposome system where the drug was retained in the liposome core. In PK studies at 1 mg/kg for GNE-01 the PROTAC-in-cyclodextrin liposome, compared to the solution formulation, showed a 80- and a 380-fold enhancement in AUC for mouse and rat studies, respectively. We further investigated the same PROTAC-in-cyclodextrin liposome system with the second PROTAC (GNE-02), where we monitored both lipid and drug concentrations in vivo. Similarly, in a mouse PK study of GEN-02, the PROTAC-in-cyclodextrin liposome system exhibited enhancement in plasma concentration of a 23× increase over the conventional solution formulation. Importantly, the lipid CL correlated with the drug CL. Additionally, we investigated a conventional liposome approach for GNE-02, where the PROTAC resides in the lipid bilayer. Here, a 5× increase in AUC was observed, compared to the conventional solution formulation, and the drug CL was faster than the lipid CL. These results indicate that the different liposome systems can be tailored to translate across multiple PROTAC systems to modulate and improve plasma concentrations. Optimization of the liposomes could further improve tumor concentration and improve the overall therapeutic index (TI). This delivery technology may be well suited to bring novel protein targeted PROTACs into clinics.
Ampicillin Stability in a Portable Elastomeric Infusion Pump: A Step Forward in Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy
Authors: Rodríguez-Martínez Lorena , Castro-Balado Ana , Hermelo-Vidal Gonzalo , Bandín-Vilar Enrique , Varela-Rey Iria , Toja-Camba Francisco José , Rodríguez-Jato Teresa , Novo-Veleiro Ignacio , Varela-García Pablo Manuel , Zarra-Ferro Irene , González-Barcia Miguel , Mondelo-García Cristina , Mateos Jesús , Fernández-Ferreiro Anxo
Published: August 2023

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) with continuous infusion pumps is postulated as a very promising solution to treat complicated infections, such as endocarditis or osteomyelitis, that require patients to stay in hospital during extended periods of time, thus reducing their quality of life and increasing the risk of complications. However, stability studies of drugs in elastomeric devices are scarce, which limits their use in OPAT. Therefore, we evaluated the stability of ampicillin in sodium chloride 0.9% at two different concentrations, 50 and 15 mg/mL, in an elastomeric infusion pump when stored in the refrigerator and subsequently in real-life conditions at two different temperatures, 25 and 32 °C, with and without the use of a cooling device. The 15 mg/mL ampicillin is stable for up to 72 h under refrigeration, allowing subsequent dosing at 25 °C for 24 h with and without a cooling device, but at 32 °C its concentration drops below 90% after 8 h. In contrast, 50 mg/mL ampicillin only remains stable for the first 24 h under refrigeration, and subsequent administration at room temperature is not possible, even with the use of a cooling system. Our data support that 15 mg/mL AMP is suitable for use in OPAT if the volume and rate of infusion are tailored to the dosage needs of antimicrobial treatments.
Salbutamol Attenuates Diabetic Skeletal Muscle Atrophy by Reducing Oxidative Stress, Myostatin/GDF-8, and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Rats
Authors: Kumar Anand , Prajapati Priyanka , Singh Gurvinder , Kumar Dinesh , Mishra Vikas , Kim Seong-Cheol , Raorane Chaitany Jayprakash , Raj Vinit , Kushwaha Sapana
Published: August 2023

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that leads to accelerated skeletal muscle atrophy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of salbutamol (SLB) on skeletal muscle atrophy in high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 6): control, SLB, HFD/STZ, and HFD/STZ + SLB (6 mg/kg orally for four weeks). After the last dose of SLB, rats were assessed for muscle grip strength and muscle coordination (wire-hanging, rotarod, footprint, and actophotometer tests). Body composition was analyzed in live rats. After that, animals were sacrificed, and serum and gastrocnemius (GN) muscles were collected. Endpoints include myofibrillar protein content, muscle oxidative stress and antioxidants, serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, interleukin-2, and interleukin-6), serum muscle markers (myostatin, creatine kinase, and testosterone), histopathology, and muscle 1H NMR metabolomics. Findings showed that SLB treatment significantly improved muscle strength and muscle coordination, as well as increased lean muscle mass in diabetic rats. Increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and muscle markers (myostatin, creatine kinase) indicate muscle deterioration in diabetic rats, while SLB intervention restored the same. Also, Feret’s diameter and cross-sectional area of GN muscle were increased by SLB treatment, indicating the amelioration in diabetic rat muscle. Results of muscle metabolomics exhibit that SLB treatment resulted in the restoration of perturbed metabolites, including histidine-to-tyrosine, phenylalanine-to-tyrosine, and glutamate-to-glutamine ratios and succinate, sarcosine, and 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) in diabetic rats. These metabolites showed a pertinent role in muscle inflammation and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. In conclusion, findings showed that salbutamol could be explored as an intervention in diabetic-associated skeletal muscle atrophy.
Transcriptomic Insight into the Pollen Tube Growth of Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea Reveals Reprogramming and Pollen-Specific Genes Including New Transcription Factors
Authors: Bullones Amanda , Castro Antonio Jesús , Lima-Cabello Elena , Fernandez-Pozo Noe , Bautista Rocío , Alché Juan de Dios , Claros Manuel Gonzalo
Published: August 2023

The pollen tube is a key innovation of land plants that is essential for successful fertilisation. Its development and growth have been profusely studied in model organisms, but in spite of the economic impact of olive trees, little is known regarding the genome-wide events underlying pollen hydration and growth in this species. To fill this gap, triplicate mRNA samples at 0, 1, 3, and 6 h of in vitro germination of olive cultivar Picual pollen were analysed by RNA-seq. A bioinformatics R workflow called RSeqFlow was developed contemplating the best practices described in the literature, covering from expression data filtering to differential expression and clustering, to finally propose hub genes. The resulting olive pollen transcriptome consisted of 22,418 reliable transcripts, where 5364 were differentially expressed, out of which 173 have no orthologue in plants and up to 3 of them might be pollen-specific transcription factors. Functional enrichment revealed a deep transcriptional reprogramming in mature olive pollen that is also dependent on protein stability and turnover to allow pollen tube emergence, with many hub genes related to heat shock proteins and F-box-containing proteins. Reprogramming extends to the first 3 h of growth, including processes consistent with studies performed in other plant species, such as global down-regulation of biosynthetic processes, vesicle/organelle trafficking and cytoskeleton remodelling. In the last stages, growth should be maintained from persistent transcripts. Mature pollen is equipped with transcripts to successfully cope with adverse environments, even though the in vitro growth seems to induce several stress responses. Finally, pollen-specific transcription factors were proposed as probable drivers of pollen germination in olive trees, which also shows an overall increased number of pollen-specific gene isoforms relative to other plants.
Behaviour of FITC-Labeled Polyallylamine in Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules
Authors: Dubrovskii Alexey V. , Berezhnov Alexey V. , Kim Aleksandr L. , Tikhonenko Sergey A.
Published: August 2023

There are many studies devoted to the application of polyelectrolyte microcapsules (PMC) in various fields; however, there are significantly fewer studies devoted to the study of the polyelectrolyte microcapsules themselves. The study examined the mutual arrangement of the polyelectrolytes in 13-layered PMC capsules composed of (PAH/PSS)6PAH. The research showed that different layers of the polyelectrolyte microcapsules dissociate equally, as in the case of 13-layered PMC capsules composed of (PAH/PSS)6PAH with a well-defined shell, and in the case of 7-layered PMC capsules composed of (PAH/PSS)3PAH, where the shell is absent. The study showed that polyallylamine layers labeled with FITC migrate to the periphery of the microcapsule regardless of the number of layers. This is due to an increase in osmotic pressure caused by the rapid flow of ions from the interior of the microcapsule into the surrounding solution. In addition, FITC-polyallylamine has a lower charge density and less interaction with polystyrene sulfonate in the structure of the microcapsule. Meanwhile, the hydrophilicity of FITC-polyallylamine does not change or decreases slightly. The results suggest that this effect promotes the migration of labeled polyallylamine to a more hydrophilic region of the microcapsule, towards its periphery.
Catalytic Conversion of Oil in Model and Natural Reservoir Rocks
Authors: Okhotnikova Ekaterina S. , Barskaya Ekaterina E. , Ganeeva Yulia M. , Yusupova Tatyana N. , Dengaev Aleksey V. , Vakhin Alexey V.
Published: August 2023

The catalytic activity of metal oxides in the processes of low- and high-temperature oxidation (LTO and HTO, respectively) of oil was studied on model systems consisting of oil-saturated quartz sand with additives of Al2O3, Cr2O3 and MgO using thermal analysis methods. The used additives were shown to shift the LTO and HTO processes to the low-temperature region. The catalytic activity of a natural reservoir carbonate rock without and with water was studied. This study established that at room temperature in dry carbonate rock, the oil components undergo dealkylation and polycondensation of aromatic fragments for a week. In the presence of water, the polycondensation processes are suppressed, and the cracking of resin and asphaltene occurs. The cracking reactions lead to a decrease in the content of heteroatoms in resins and asphaltenes.
Low-Power Very-Large-Scale Integration Implementation of Fault-Tolerant Parallel Real Fast Fourier Transform Architectures Using Error Correction Codes and Algorithm-Based Fault-Tolerant Techniques
Authors: Chowdary M. Kalpana , Turaka Rajasekhar , Alabduallah Bayan , Khan Mudassir , Babu J. Chinna , Kiran Ajmeera
Published: August 2023

As technology advances, electronic circuits are more vulnerable to errors. Soft errors are one among them that causes the degradation of a circuit’s reliability. In many applications, protecting critical modules is of main concern. One such module is Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Real FFT (RFFT) is a memory-based FFT architecture. RFFT architecture can be optimized by its processing element through employing several types of adder and multipliers and an optimized memory usage. It has been seen that various blocks operate simultaneously in many applications. For the protection of parallel FFTs using conventional Error Correction Codes (ECCs), algorithmic-based fault tolerance (ABFT) techniques like Parseval checks and its combination are seen. In this brief, the protection schemes are applied to the single RAM-based parallel RFFTs and dual RAM-based parallel RFFTs. This work is implemented on platforms such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) using Verilog HDL and on application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) using a cadence encounter digital IC implementation tool. The synthesis results, including LUTs, slices registers, LUT–Flip-Flop pairs, and the frequency of two types of protected parallel RFFTs, are analyzed, along with the existing FFTs. The two proposed architectures with the combined protection scheme Parity-SOS-ECC present an 88% and 33% reduction in area overhead when compared to the existing parallel RFFTs. The performance metrics like area, power, delay, and power delay product (PDP) in an ASIC of 45 nm and 90 nm technology are evaluated, and the proposed single RAM-based parallel RFFTs architecture presents a 62.93% and 57.56% improvement of PDP in 45 nm technology and a 67.20% and 60.31% improvement of PDP in 90 nm technology compared to the dual RAM-based parallel RFFTs and the existing architecture, respectively.
State and Religion: The French Response to Jihadist Violence
Authors: Zinigrad Roman , Sawyer Stephen W.
Published: August 2023

The five acts of jihadist violence between 2012–2020, particularly the 2015 Paris attacks, combined with an increasingly polarized political discourse in France, have pushed jihadist extremism to the center of government policy and public opinion. Approaches to jihadist extremism in the last decade have comprised two characteristics: claims amalgamating Islam and Muslim religious practice—especially in its stricter forms—with extremist violence, along with the idea that such forms of dangerous religious indoctrination are best battled through education. As a result, there has been a renewed debate concerning the principle of laïcité (secularism) within public schools and other public institutions. One of the leading efforts in this context has focused on processes of “deradicalization”. These projects include various educational tools, rehabilitation attempts inside and outside of prisons, cultural and artistic initiatives, and administrative bans imposed on organizations inciting violence. However, the most ambitious of these efforts have also been subject to the greatest criticism. Projects within the public school system have been accused of securitizing education and stigmatizing Muslim students, whereas measures undertaken in prisons are currently limited to risk assessment of inmates linked with jihadist violence, while lacking more meaningful plans for their rehabilitation. Public–private partnerships have developed more promising initiatives, but their moderate success is still recent and requires further study.
Technological Cohesion and Convergence: A Main Path Analysis of the Bioeconomy, 1900–2020
Authors: Hoffmann Jakob , Glückler Johannes
Published: August 2023

The bioeconomy comprises a range of industries that are related through their reliance on biomass and their use of biotechnology, such as agriculture, food processing, and parts of the life sciences. While the bioeconomy has received increasing attention in the context of innovation policy, the internal structure of its underlying technological field remains opaque, and little is known about the long-term processes through which its subdomains have co-evolved. It is precisely the structure (cohesion) of this field and its evolution (convergence) over the course of more than a century of technological development that this article seeks to disentangle. For this purpose, we draw on a dataset of more than 1.5 million patent families and use bibliometric methods and main path analysis to assess the internal and external cohesion of the field and trace its long-term technological development. Our analysis supports two main findings: First, instead of becoming more closed as a field, the cohesion of technologies within the bioeconomy with external technologies has increased over time. Second, the bioeconomy technological field shows clear signs of structural convergence over the second half of the 20th century, with the biochemical domain absorbing most of the trajectories of technological knowledge originating in the traditional application areas. As such, the study illustrates the long-term processes of technological cross-fertilization through which the bioeconomy, as an example of a heterogeneous technological field, developed its ‘backbone’ of technological knowledge.
Calibrating Internal Communication Satisfaction within Organizations as an Auditing Index
Authors: Jaafari Muath I. , Amin Rizwana , Latif Muhammad Aamir , Bin Ajjaj Haya Abdulaziz
Published: August 2023

Prior research regarding communication audits within organizations depicts a general understanding of various aspects of the communication process that augment productivity. The present study aimed at validating a newly developed scale that measures internal communication maturity within organizations through an employee-centric approach rather than a management-centric one. The present study employs a cross-sectional survey research design. A total of 2071 employees (94.4% male; 5.6% female) from the logistic industry across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were approached through convenience sampling. Based on the literature review and results derived from interviews, 16 items were generated with a 5-point Likert response format. Results indicated the measure is reliable and valid. Reliability analysis showed good alpha reliability coefficients (>0.75) between total internal communication satisfaction and its subscales (awareness, appreciation, relationship, engagement and maturity). The correlation matrix from EFA revealed the presence of coefficients of 0.3 and above, indicating the data is fit for factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable model-data fit of the five-factor model. Data were collected only from the logistics industry; however, data can be gathered from other industries as well. Furthermore, cross-sectional data are used in the current study; therefore, they cannot be used to infer a causal relationship. The present study will be broadly helpful in diagnosing specific communication areas and formulating recommendations for improvement. The instrument will be worthwhile in communication audits of organizations.
Multi-Zonal Analysis of Indoor Air Quality in a Higher Educational Building in the UK
Authors: Abbaspour Atefeh , Bahadori-Jahromi Ali , Amirkhani Shiva , Janbey Alan , Godfrey Paulina B. , Tahayori Hooman , Piechowicz Jacek
Published: August 2023

This study focuses on the indoor air quality (IAQ) in a higher educational building, the London College in the UK. In this regard, indoor CO2 levels, as well as three contaminants with detrimental effects on human health: NO2, PM2.5, and SARS-CoV-2, are investigated. Various IAQ enhancement strategies are analyzed, including increased ventilation, background ventilation, improved airflow through opened doors, and the use of HEPA air cleaners. Results revealed that background ventilation and open doors during occupied periods reduced CO2 concentrations to around 1000 ppm. However, the effectiveness of background ventilation was influenced by outdoor conditions, such as wind speed and direction. The most effective method for reducing PM2.5 levels was installing an air cleaner alongside a commercial kitchen hood, resulting in a 15% greater reduction compared to background ventilation. To control the SARS-CoV-2 level, combining background ventilation or opening the doors with a 16,000 m3/h ventilation rate or using an air cleaner with baseline ventilation resulted in a basic reproductive number below 1. Overall, the research highlights the importance of background ventilation and open doors in enclosed spaces without operable windows for natural airflow. Additionally, the effectiveness of air purifiers in reducing particle and biological contaminant concentrations is demonstrated, providing valuable insights for improving IAQ in educational buildings.
Meteorological-Data-Driven Rubber Tree Powdery Mildew Model and Its Application on Spatiotemporal Patterns: A Case Study of Hainan Island
Authors: Kong Jiayan , An Yinghe , Shi Xian , Sun Zhongyi , Wu Lan , Cui Wei
Published: August 2023

Given that rubber is an important strategic material and the prevalence of rubber tree powdery mildew (RTPM) is a serious issue, the study of RTPM is becoming increasingly significant in aiding our understanding and managing rubber plantations. By enhancing our understanding, we may improve both the yield and quality of the rubber produced. Using meteorological station and reanalysis data, we employed factor expansion and three different feature-selection methods to screen for significant meteorological factors, ultimately constructing a data-driven RTPM disease index (RTPM-DI) model. This model was then used to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of RTPM-DI in Hainan Island from 1980 to 2018, to reproduce and explore its patterns. The results show that (1) the RTPM-DI is dominantly negatively influenced by the average wind speed and positively affected by days with moderate rain; (2) the average wind speed and the days with moderate rain could explain 71% of the interannual variations in RTPM-DI, and a model established on the basis of these can simulate the changing RTPM-DI pattern very well (RMSE = 8.2511, MAE = 6.7765, MAPE = 0.2486, KGE = 0.9921, MSE = 68.081, RMSLE = 0.0953); (3) the model simulation revealed that during the period from 1980 to 2018, oscillating cold spots accounted for 72% of the whole area of Hainan Island, indicating a declining trend in RTPM-DI in the middle, western, southwestern, and northwestern regions. Conversely, new hot-spots and oscillating hot-spots accounted for 1% and 6% of the entire island, respectively, demonstrating an upward trend in the southeastern and northern regions. Additionally, no discernible pattern was observed for 21% of the island, encompassing the southern, eastern, and northeastern regions. It is evident that the whole island displayed significant spatial differences in the RTPM-DI pattern. The RTPM-DI model constructed in this study enhances our understanding of how climate change impacts RTPM, and it provides a useful tool for investigating the formation mechanism and control strategies of RTPM in greater depth.
Enrichment of Anammox Bacteria Using Anammox Sludge as a Primer Combined with Ordinary Activated Sludge
Authors: Liu Lifang , Hu Meiling , Wang Cong , Qi Weikang , Peng Yongzhen
Published: August 2023

Anaerobic ammonia oxidation bacteria (AnAOB) are difficult to cultivate due to their long start-up time and sensitivity to environmental conditions. In this study, anammox granular sludge was cultured with ordinary activated sludge under influent dissolved oxygen concentrations of 6–8 mg/L, successfully enriching AnAOB. The presence of multiple microorganisms in the activated sludge enabled the anammox system to resist the unfavorable influent environment and sustain system stability. The total nitrogen removal rate reached a maximum of 81%, and the TN effective load increased from 0.1 to 1.5 kg N/m3/d. The results showed that the dissolved oxygen present in the influent did not lead to a breakdown in the anammox system. The protein in the sludge extracellular polymeric substances played an important role in the enrichment of AnAOB, and the sludge settling performance at the bottom of the reactor was better than that at the top of the reactor, with protein/polysaccharide in the range of 5–6.3. Candidatus brocadia and Candidatus kuenenia were the main anammox functional bacteria in the system. On 153 d of reactor operation, their relative abundances were 8.51 and 5.68%, respectively. This study shows that microorganisms in activated sludge contribute to the stability of the anammox system when the influent conditions are appropriate. This provides a new idea for the rapid start-up of the anammox system and enrichment of AnAOB.
Exploring the Mediating Effects of the Theory of Planned Behavior on the Relationships between Environmental Awareness, Green Advocacy, and Green Self-Efficacy on the Green Word-of-Mouth Intention
Authors: Wu Shih-Wei , Chiang Pei-Yun
Published: August 2023

The concept of green and sustainable has long been a global trend in consumerism. This study examines the mediating variables involved in the Theory of Planned Behavior (namely attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) to explore their mediating relationship with green word-of-mouth intention and the impact on subsequent green product purchase behavior. The aim is to clarify the antecedents of green word-of-mouth intention and the establishment of mediating variables in order to construct a framework for understanding the influence of consumers green product purchase decisions using Google online surveys and traditional paper surveys and subsequently analyze them via statistical software SPSS 23.0. The results indicated significant relationships between environmental awareness, green advocacy, green self-efficacy, and green word-of-mouth intention. Furthermore, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were found to mediate a partial mediating relationship between the antecedent variables and green word-of-mouth intention. This study also demonstrated the significant impact of green word-of-mouth intention on consumers green product purchase behavior.
Sustainable Rainwater Management and Life Cycle Assessment: Challenges and Perspectives
Authors: Martins Vaz Igor Catão , Istchuk Rodrigo Novais , Oneda Tânia Mara Sebben , Ghisi Enedir
Published: August 2023

Rainwater harvesting is a promising technique for more rational water use. However, its sustainability merits remain a subject of ongoing debate among researchers. Life cycle assessment (LCA), a method employed to measure the environmental impact of varying solutions, is helpful in this regard. Accordingly, this paper delivers an integrative review based on the PRISMA protocol, outlining challenges and potential avenues for the LCA application to rainwater harvesting. The central findings indicate that while residential buildings are most commonly examined, more consensus is needed on a uniform analytical framework. Furthermore, several benefits of rainwater are often not considered in LCA and need further exploration to understand possible synergies for its broader implementation. Finally, LCA integration with a life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) shows exciting results as it may be a more straightforward showcase of the benefits of an integrated assessment. It is concluded that specific details of the LCA of rainwater harvesting may still be simplistic. There is much work to be done in holistic assessments to prove the system’s sustainability.
Optimization of Cascade Small Hydropower Station Operation in the Jianhe River Basin Using a One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model
Authors: Li Ronghui , Xiao Kaibang , Lan Jiao , Cai Liting , Huang Xusheng
Published: August 2023

Hydropower development brings benefits in terms of power generation and flood control, but it also has inevitable ecological impacts. These impacts must be considered and addressed in order to ensure sustainable development and minimize harm to the environment. This study utilized the MIKE 11 HD modeling system to construct a hydrological and hydrodynamic model of the Jianhe River basin. The model incorporates the flow demand of ecologically sensitive targets for scheduling purposes and was calibrated and validated using hydrological data from 2014 to 2022. The hydrodynamic model was then applied to analyze the evolution characteristics of the water level in the main stream of the Jianhe River, identify key areas and periods for hydropower station operation, and calculate the minimum ecological water requirement using verification and estimation methods. Based on these findings, an ecological dispatching scheme for the cascade hydropower stations in the Jianhe River basin was developed. The results demonstrate satisfactory performance of the constructed NAM model for rainfall runoff and the 1D hydrodynamic MIKE 11 HD model for the Jianhe River basin. The deterministic coefficients exceed 0.8, and the relative errors in the total water volume are below 5.5%. The critical time and space interval for hydropower station operation in the main stream of the Jianhe River is identified as December to February of the following year, with the highest risk of flow interruption occurring in January, primarily concentrated between the Duoluo II and Huahai hydropower stations. If the appropriate dispatching scheme is not implemented in the areas prone to flow interruption during critical periods, it will have a negative impact on the ecological environment. These findings provide a scientific basis and decision support for developing multi-objective ecological flow guarantee schemes for rivers.
Dynamic Incentive Contract of Government for Port Enterprises to Reduce Emissions in the Blockchain Era: Considering Carbon Trading Policy
Authors: Sun Zhongmiao , Xu Qi , Liu Jinrong
Published: August 2023

Blockchain technology is very useful. This paper considers the application of blockchain technology to smart contracts, green certification, and market information disclosure, and introduces the carbon trading market price as a parameter to solve the dynamic incentive problem of the government for port enterprises to reduce emissions under the carbon trading policy. Based on the state change of port carbon emission reduction, this paper uses principal–agent theory to construct the dynamic incentive contract model of government without blockchain, with blockchain, and when carbon trading is considered under blockchain, respectively, and uses the optimal control method to solve and analyze the model. This paper finds that only when the opportunity cost of port enterprises is greater than a certain critical point and the fixed cost of blockchain is less than a certain critical point, the implementation of blockchain will help improve government efficiency. However, only when the critical value of carbon emission reduction of port enterprises and the unit operating cost of blockchain are small, the government should start the carbon trading market under blockchain technology. Through numerical simulation, this paper also finds that it is usually beneficial for the government to regulate and appropriately increase the carbon trading market price.
A Novel Approach to Quantitative Characterization and Visualization of Color Fading
Authors: Yoo Woo Sik , Kang Kitaek , Kim Jung Gon , Yoo Yeongsik
Published: August 2023

Color fading naturally occurs with time under light illumination. It is triggered by the high photon energy of light. The rate of color fading and darkening depends on the substance, lighting condition, and storage conditions. Color fading is only observed after some time has passed. The current color of objects of interest can only be compared with old photographs or the observer’s perception at the time of reference. Color fading and color darkening rates between two or more points in time in the past can only be determined using photographic images from the past. For objective characterization of color difference between two or more different times, quantification of color in either digital or printed photographs is required. A newly developed image analysis and comparison software (PicMan) has been used for color quantification and pixel-by-pixel color difference mapping in this study. Images of two copies of Japanese wood-block prints with and without color fading have been selected for the exemplary study of quantitative characterization of color fading and color darkening. The fading occurred during a long period of exposure to light. Pixel-by-pixel, line-by-line, and area-by-area comparisons of color fading and darkening between two images were very effective in quantifying color change and visualization of the phenomena. RGB, HSV, CIE L*a*b* values between images and their differences of a single pixel to areas of interest in any shape can be quantified. Color fading and darkening analysis results were presented in numerical, graphical, and image formats for completeness. All formats have their own advantages and disadvantages over the other formats in terms of data size, complexity, readability, and communication among parties of interest. This paper demonstrates various display options for color analysis, a summary of color fading, or color difference among images of interest for practical artistic, cultural heritage conservation, and museum applications. Color simulation for various moments in time was proposed and demonstrated by interpolation or extrapolation of color change between images, with and without color fading, using PicMan. The degree of color fading and color darkening over the various moments in time (past and future) can be simulated and visualized for decision-making in public display, storage, and restoration planning.
Carbon Nanotube-Supported FeCo2O4 as a Catalyst for an Enhanced PMS Activation of Phenol Removal
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhou Huanyu , Ma Li , Wang Quanfeng , Sun Da , Jin Libo , Zeng Guoming , Zhao Jujiao
Published: August 2023

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation has gained increasing attention for its water remediation. In this work, carbon nanotube-supported FeCo2O4 nanoparticles (FeCo2O4/CNT) were prepared and showed tremendous potential as a catalyst for PMS activation. The synergistic effect between FeCo2O4 and CNT in FeCo2O4/CNT promotes its better catalytic performance than individual CNT or FeCo2O4. The synthesized FeCo2O4/CNT could reach 100% phenol removal with a k value of 0.30 min−1 within 15 min ([PMS] = 0.3 g L−1, [FeCo2O4/CNT] = 0.3 g L−1). FeCo2O4/CNT can adapt well to a wide pH range (4–9) and a complex water component (with inorganic ions or organic matter). Moreover, the catalytic mechanism investigation suggested that both radical and non-radical pathways are accountable for the efficient removal of phenol.
Adsorption Technology for Water and Wastewater Treatments
Authors: Tran Hai Nguyen
Published: August 2023

This Special Issue includes 12 research papers on the development of various materials for adsorbing different contaminants in water, such as Sb, Cr(VI), Cu(II), Zn(II), fluorine, phenol, dyes (indigo carmine, Congo red, methylene blue, and crystal violet), and drugs (dlevofloxacin, captopril, and diclofenac, and paracetamol). The commercial, natural, and synthetic materials used as adsorbents comprise commercial activated carbon, natural clay and montmorillonite, biosorbent based on sugarcane bagasse or algal, graphene oxide, graphene oxide-based magnetic nanomaterial, mesoporous Zr-G-C3N4 nanomaterial, nitrogen-doped core–shell mesoporous carbonaceous nano-sphere, magnetic Fe-C-N composite, polyaniline-immobilized ZnO nanorod, and hydroxy-iron/acid–base-modified sepiolite composite. Various operational conditions are evaluated under batch adsorption experiments, such as pH, NaCl, solid/liquid ratio, stirring speed, contact time, solution temperature, initial adsorbate concentration. The re-usability of laden materials is evaluated through adsorption–desorption cycles. Adsorption kinetics, isotherm, thermodynamics, and mechanisms are studied and discussed. Machine learning processes and statistical physics models are also applied in the field of adsorption science and technology.