bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Profiling of Diet and Physical Activity in Reproductive Age Women and Their Association with Body Mass Index
Authors: Awoke Mamaru Ayenew , Wycherley Thomas P. , Earnest Arul , Skouteris Helen , Moran Lisa J.
Published: June 2022

Pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postpartum are critical life stages associated with higher weight gain and obesity risk. Among these women, the sociodemographic groups at highest risk for suboptimal lifestyle behaviours and core lifestyle components associated with excess adiposity are unclear. This study sought to identify subgroups of women meeting diet/physical activity (PA) recommendations in relation to sociodemographics and assess diet/PA components associated with body mass index (BMI) across these life stages. Cross-sectional data (Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2011–2012) were analysed for pre-pregnancy, pregnant and postpartum women. The majority (63–95%) of women did not meet dietary or PA recommendations at all life stages. Core and discretionary food intake differed by sociodemographic factors. In pre-pregnant women, BMI was inversely associated with higher whole grain intake (β = −1.58, 95% CI −2.96, −0.21; p = 0.025) and energy from alcohol (β = −0.08, −0.14, −0.005; p = 0.035). In postpartum women, BMI was inversely associated with increased fibre (β = −0.06, 95% CI −0.11, −0.004; p = 0.034) and PA (β = −0.002, 95% CI −0.004, −0.001; p = 0.013). This highlights the need for targeting whole grains, fibre and PA to prevent obesity across life stages, addressing those most socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Intestinal Morphometric Changes Induced by a Western-Style Diet in Wistar Rats and GSPE Counter-Regulatory Effect
Authors: Segú Helena , Jalševac Florijan , Pinent Montserrat , Ardévol Anna , Terra Ximena , Blay Maria Teresa
Published: June 2022

Western-style diet is an obesogenic diet for rodents and humans due to its content of saturated fat and refined sugars, mainly sucrose and, in consequence, sucrose-derived fructose. This type of diets relates with intestinal disturbances when consumed regularly. The aim of this work was to analyse the adaptive morphologic and functional changes at intestinal level derived from the unhealthy components of a Cafeteria diet in rats. The effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) in the prevention of diet-induced intestinal dysfunction was also analysed. Rats were fed a 17-week cafeteria diet (CAF) without or with oral-GSPE supplementation, either intermittent GSPE administration (SIT-CAF); last 10-day GSPE supplementation at doses of 100 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg day (CORR-100) and (CORR-500) or pre-supplementation with 500 mg/kg GSPE (PRE-CAF). GSPE-CAF supplemented groups showed similar results to CAF diet group regarding morphology and inflammatory score in the duodenum. As an adaptive response to diet, CAF increased intestinal absorptive surface (1.24-fold) all along the intestinal tract and specifically in the small intestine, duodenum, due to increase villus height and a higher villus/crypt ratio, in addition to increase in Goblet cell percentage and inflammatory index. Animals fed GSPE at the current doses and times had higher villus heights and absorptive surface similar to Cafeteria diet group. In the duodenum, villus height correlated with body weight at 17 week and negatively with MLCK gene expression. In the colon, villus height correlated with the percentage of goblet cells. In conclusion, the CAF diet produced adaptive modifications of the intestine by increasing the absorptive area of the small intestine, the percentage of goblet cells and the inflammatory index at the duodenal level. GSPE supplementation can partially reverse the intestinal morphological changes induced by the high fat/sucrose diet when administered intermittently.
Evaluation of a Physical Activity and Multi-Micronutrient Intervention on Cognitive and Academic Performance in South African Primary Schoolchildren
Authors: Beckmann Johanna , Nqweniso Siphesihle , Ludyga Sebastian , du Randt Rosa , Gresse Annelie , Long Kurt Z. , Nienaber Madeleine , Seelig Harald , Pühse Uwe , Steinmann Peter , Utzinger Jürg , Walter Cheryl , Gerber Markus , Lang Christin
Published: June 2022

Executive functions (EFs) are essential for optimal academic development. Appropriate nutrition and physical activity (PA) have been shown to facilitate optimal cognitive development. Therefore, this study examined whether a 12-week school-based PA and multi-micronutrient supplementation (MMNS) intervention would improve cognitive and academic performance. A cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. Children from four schools located in a peri-urban area of South Africa were randomly assigned to (i) PA + MMNS, (ii) PA + placebo, (iii) MMNS or (iv) placebo. Information processing and inhibitory control were measured with a computerized Flanker task. End-of-year results provided insight into academic achievement. Anthropometric measures were used to determine nutritional status. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-models, adjusting for baseline scores, school classes and age; 932 children (458 girls (49.1%), Mage (mean age) = 8.42 ± 1.94 years) completed baseline and post-intervention assessments. Cognitive performance improved among all four groups, with no significant group × time effects. For academic achievement, there was no significant interaction effect between the combined intervention group and placebo. We encourage future studies in this neglected area in order to determine the most optimal design of school-based nutrition and PA programs to enhance overall cognitive performance.
Novel Therapies to Address Unmet Needs in ITP
Authors: Mingot-Castellano María Eva , Bastida José María , Caballero-Navarro Gonzalo , Entrena Ureña Laura , González-López Tomás José , González-Porras José Ramón , Butta Nora , Canaro Mariana , Jiménez-Bárcenas Reyes , Gómez del Castillo Solano María del Carmen , Sánchez-González Blanca , Pascual-Izquierdo Cristina ,   on behalf of the GEPTI
Published: June 2022

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder that causes low platelet counts and subsequent bleeding risk. Although current corticosteroid-based ITP therapies are able to improve platelet counts, up to 70% of subjects with an ITP diagnosis do not achieve a sustained clinical response in the absence of treatment, thus requiring a second-line therapy option as well as additional care to prevent bleeding. Less than 40% of patients treated with thrombopoietin analogs, 60% of those treated with splenectomy, and 20% or fewer of those treated with rituximab or fostamatinib reach sustained remission in the absence of treatment. Therefore, optimizing therapeutic options for ITP management is mandatory. The pathophysiology of ITP is complex and involves several mechanisms that are apparently unrelated. These include the clearance of autoantibody-coated platelets by splenic macrophages or by the complement system, hepatic desialylated platelet destruction, and the inhibition of platelet production from megakaryocytes. The number of pathways involved may challenge treatment, but, at the same time, offer the possibility of unveiling a variety of new targets as the knowledge of the involved mechanisms progresses. The aim of this work, after revising the limitations of the current treatments, is to perform a thorough review of the mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, efficacy, safety, and development stage of the novel ITP therapies under investigation. Hopefully, several of the options included herein may allow us to personalize ITP management according to the needs of each patient in the near future.
Omeprazole Prevents Colistin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rats: Emphasis on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Apoptosis and Colistin Accumulation in Kidneys
Authors: Nasrullah Mohammed Z. , Eljaaly Khalid , Neamatallah Thikryat , Fahmy Usama A. , Alamoudi Abdulmohsin J. , Bakhsh Hussain T. , Abdel-Naim Ashraf B.
Published: June 2022

The clinical value of colistin, a polymyxin antibiotic, is limited by its nephrotoxicity. Omeprazole is a commonly prescribed proton pump inhibitor. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of the concomitant administration of omeprazole on colistin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Omeprazole significantly ameliorated colistin nephrotoxicity as evidenced by prevention in the rise in the serum level of creatinine, urea and cystactin C as well as urinary N-acetylglucosamine activity. This was confirmed by histological studies that indicated a decreased incidence of interstitial nephritis, degenerative cortical changes and collagen deposition. This was accompanied by the prevention of oxidative stress as omeprazole significantly inhibited the lipid peroxidation, glutathione depletion and enzymatic exhaustion of superoxide dismutase as well as catalase. Additionally, omeprazole inhibited the expression of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. Further, omeprazole inhibited the colistin-induced rise in Bax and the down-regulation of Bcl2 mRNA expression. An assessment of the serum levels of colistin revealed that omeprazole had no significant impact. However, it was observed that omeprazole significantly inhibited the accumulation of colistin in kidney tissues. In conclusion, omeprazole protects against colistin-induced nephrotoxicity. This can be attributed to, at least partly, omeprazole’s anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities in addition to its ability to prevent the toxic accumulation of colistin in kidneys.
Cyclodextrin Complexation of Fenofibrate by Co-Grinding Method and Monitoring the Process Using Complementary Analytical Tools
Authors: Kondoros Balázs Attila , Berkesi Ottó , Tóth Zsolt , Aigner Zoltán , Ambrus Rita , Csóka Ildikó
Published: June 2022

Solvent-free preparation types for cyclodextrin complexation, such as co-grinding, are technologies desired by the industry. However, in-depth analytical evaluation of the process and detailed characterization of intermediate states of the complexes are still lacking in areas. In our work, we aimed to apply the co-grinding technology and characterize the process. Fenofibrate was used as a model drug and dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin as a complexation excipient. The physical mixture of the two substances was ground for 60 min; meanwhile, samples were taken. A solvent product of the same composition was also prepared. The intermediate samples and the final products were characterized with instrumental analytical tools. The XRPD measurements showed a decrease in the crystallinity of the drug and the DSC results showed the appearance of a new crystal form. Correlation analysis of FTIR spectra suggests a three-step complexation process. In vitro dissolution studies were performed to compare the dissolution properties of the pure drug to the products. Using a solvent-free production method, we succeeded in producing a two-component system with superior solubility properties compared to both the active ingredient and the product prepared by the solvent method. The intermolecular description of complexation was achieved with a detailed analysis of FTIR spectra.
Multi-Mode Correlation in a Concurrent Parametric Amplifier
Authors: Wang Hailong , Shi Yunpeng
Published: June 2022

A concurrent parametric amplifier consisting of two pump beams is used to investigate the possibility of generating multi-mode correlation and entanglement. The existence of three-mode entanglement is demonstrated by analyzing the violation degree of three-mode entanglement criteria, including the sufficient criterion, i.e., two-condition and optimal single-condition criterion, and necessary and sufficient criterion, i.e., positivity under partial transposition (PPT) criterion. Besides, two-mode entanglement generated from any pair is also studied by using the Duan criterion and PPT criterion. We find that three-mode entanglement and two-mode entanglement of the two pairs are present in the whole parameter region. Our results pave the way for the realization and application of multi-mode correlation and entanglement based on the concurrent parametric amplifiers.
Improving Peach Fruit Quality Traits Using Deficit Irrigation Strategies in Southern Tunisia Arid Area
Authors: Toumi Ines , Zarrouk Olfa , Ghrab Mohamed , Nagaz Kamel
Published: June 2022

The peach (Prunus persica L.) is one of Tunisia’s major commercial fruit crops and is considered one of the biggest water consumers of all crops. In warm and arid areas of southern Tunisia, irrigation is necessary to ensure orchard longevity and high yield and fruit quality. Nevertheless, under water-scarcity conditions and low water quality, water management should rely on efficient deficit irrigation strategies. In this study, sustained deficit irrigation (DI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD50) at 50% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) were evaluated for their impact on the primary and secondary metabolites of the peach fruit of early cultivar Flordastar grown in the Tataouine region. A full irrigation (FI) treatment at 100%, etc., was used as a control treatment. Color, dry-matter content, firmness, organic acids, sugars, phenolic compounds, vitamin C, β-carotene and minerals were assessed on harvested mature fruits. Dry-matter content and firmness increased significantly under DI and PRD50 (13% and 15.5%). DI fruit had the highest soluble-solid content (SSC), reaching Brix values of 14.3°. Fruit sorbitol and sucrose contents were not affected by Di and PRD50. Higher glucose in fruit juice was observed in PRD50 (23%) and DI (21.5%) compared to FI, which had the highest malic acid content (33.5–37%). Quinic and citric acids decreased with DI and PRD50, while almost all individual phenolic compounds increased with deficit irrigation. Hydroxycinnamates and anthocyanins were significantly higher in fruits harvested from DI and PRD50 treatments. Proanthocyanidins (catechin and epicatechin) were only improved by DI, while flavone compounds and vitamin C were not affected by irrigation restrictions. β-carotene was higher in fruits yielded under FI (0.71 mg/100 g DM) than DI and PRD50 (0.21–0.43 mg/100 g DM). Macro- and micronutrients significantly increased in DI and PRD50 fruit. A significant difference between DI and PRD50 fruits was observed for Zn and Fe concentrations. This research highlights the positive impact of reduced irrigation on bioactive-fruit quality attributes and the suitability of PRD50 and DI as tools for irrigation management in arid areas of southern Tunisia, contributing to water-saving in orchards and the improvement of fruit commercial value.
Effect of Process Parameters on the Performance of Drop-On-Demand 3D Inkjet Printing: Geometrical-Based Modeling and Experimental Validation
Authors: Elkaseer Ahmed , Schneider Stella , Deng Yaqi , Scholz Steffen G.
Published: June 2022

As additive manufacturing has evolved, 3D inkjet printing (IJP) has become a promising alternative manufacturing method able to manufacture functional multi-material parts in a single process. However, issues with part quality in terms of dimensional errors and lack of precision still restrict its industrial and commercial applications. This study aims at improving the dimensional accuracy of 3D IJP parts by developing an optimization-oriented simulation tool of droplet behavior during the drop-on-demand 3D IJP process. The simulation approach takes into consideration the effect of droplet volume, droplet center-to-center distance, coverage percentage of jetted droplets, the contact angle of the ink on the solid substrate and coalescence performance of overlapping droplets, in addition to the number of printed layers. Following the development of the simulation tool using MATLAB, its feasibility was experimentally validated and the results showed a good agreement with a maximum deviation of 2.25% for horizontal features. In addition, the simulated horizontal features are compared with the results of “Inkraster” software, which also illustrates droplet behavior, however, only in 2D. For vertical features, a dial gauge indicator is used to measure the sample height, and the validation results show that the simulation tool can predicate the height of the sample with an average error of 10.89% for a large droplet diameter and 8.09% for a small diameter. The simulation results were found to be in a good agreement with the dimensions of the printed parts. The developed tool was then used to elucidate the effect of resolution of processed TIFF image and droplet diameter on the dimensional accuracy of 3D IJP parts.
An Overview on Visual SLAM: From Tradition to Semantic
Authors: Chen Weifeng , Shang Guangtao , Ji Aihong , Zhou Chengjun , Wang Xiyang , Xu Chonghui , Li Zhenxiong , Hu Kai
Published: June 2022

Visual SLAM (VSLAM) has been developing rapidly due to its advantages of low-cost sensors, the easy fusion of other sensors, and richer environmental information. Traditional visionbased SLAM research has made many achievements, but it may fail to achieve wished results in challenging environments. Deep learning has promoted the development of computer vision, and the combination of deep learning and SLAM has attracted more and more attention. Semantic information, as high-level environmental information, can enable robots to better understand the surrounding environment. This paper introduces the development of VSLAM technology from two aspects: traditional VSLAM and semantic VSLAM combined with deep learning. For traditional VSLAM, we summarize the advantages and disadvantages of indirect and direct methods in detail and give some classical VSLAM open-source algorithms. In addition, we focus on the development of semantic VSLAM based on deep learning. Starting with typical neural networks CNN and RNN, we summarize the improvement of neural networks for the VSLAM system in detail. Later, we focus on the help of target detection and semantic segmentation for VSLAM semantic information introduction. We believe that the development of the future intelligent era cannot be without the help of semantic technology. Introducing deep learning into the VSLAM system to provide semantic information can help robots better perceive the surrounding environment and provide people with higher-level help.
Comparison of Vegetation Phenology Derived from Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Enhanced Vegetation Index, and Their Relationship with Climatic Limitations
Authors: Wang Cong , Wu Yijin , Hu Qiong , Hu Jie , Chen Yunping , Lin Shangrong , Xie Qiaoyun
Published: June 2022

Satellite-based vegetation datasets enable vegetation phenology detection at large scales, among which Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) are widely used proxies for detecting phenology from photosynthesis and greenness perspectives, respectively. Recent studies have revealed the divergent performances of SIF and EVI for estimating different phenology metrics, i.e., the start of season (SOS) and the end of season (EOS); however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we compared the SOS and EOS of natural ecosystems derived from SIF and EVI in China and explored the underlying mechanisms by investigating the relationships between the differences of phenology derived from SIF and EVI and climatic limiting factors (i.e., temperature, water and radiation). The results showed that the differences between phenology generated using SIF and EVI were diverse in space, which had a close relationship with climatic limitations. The increasing climatic limitation index could result in larger differences in phenology from SIF and EVI for each dominant climate-limited area. The phenology extracted using SIF was more correlated with climatic limiting factors than that using EVI, especially in water-limited areas, making it the main cause of the difference in phenology from SIF and EVI. These findings highlight the impact of climatic limitation on the differences of phenology from SIF and EVI and improve our understanding of land surface phenology from greenness and photosynthesis perspectives.
Fuzzy-Assisted Mobile Edge Orchestrator and SARSA Learning for Flexible Offloading in Heterogeneous IoT Environment
Authors: Khanh Tran Trong , Hai Tran Hoang , Hossain Md. Delowar , Huh Eui-Nam
Published: June 2022

In the era of heterogeneous 5G networks, Internet of Things (IoT) devices have significantly altered our daily life by providing innovative applications and services. However, these devices process large amounts of data traffic and their application requires an extremely fast response time and a massive amount of computational resources, leading to a high failure rate for task offloading and considerable latency due to congestion. To improve the quality of services (QoS) and performance due to the dynamic flow of requests from devices, numerous task offloading strategies in the area of multi-access edge computing (MEC) have been proposed in previous studies. Nevertheless, the neighboring edge servers, where computational resources are in excess, have not been considered, leading to unbalanced loads among edge servers in the same network tier. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a collaboration algorithm between a fuzzy-logic-based mobile edge orchestrator (MEO) and state-action-reward-state-action (SARSA) reinforcement learning, which we call the Fu-SARSA algorithm. We aim to minimize the failure rate and service time of tasks and decide on the optimal resource allocation for offloading, such as a local edge server, cloud server, or the best neighboring edge server in the MEC network. Four typical application types, healthcare, AR, infotainment, and compute-intensive applications, were used for the simulation. The performance results demonstrate that our proposed Fu-SARSA framework outperformed other algorithms in terms of service time and the task failure rate, especially when the system was overloaded.
Calibration of PurpleAir PA-I and PA-II Monitors Using Daily Mean PM2.5 Concentrations Measured in California, Washington, and Oregon from 2017 to 2021
Authors: Wallace Lance , Zhao Tongke , Klepeis Neil E.
Published: June 2022

Large quantities of real-time particle data are becoming available from low-cost particle monitors. However, it is crucial to determine the quality of these measurements. The largest network of monitors in the United States is maintained by the PurpleAir company, which offers two monitors: PA-I and PA-II. PA-I monitors have a single sensor (PMS1003) and PA-II monitors employ two independent PMS5003 sensors. We determine a new calibration factor for the PA-I monitor and revise a previously published calibration algorithm for PA-II monitors (ALT-CF3). From the PurpleAir API site, we downloaded 83 million hourly average PM2.5 values in the PurpleAir database from Washington, Oregon, and California between 1 January 2017 and 8 September 2021. Daily outdoor PM2.5 means from 194 PA-II monitors were compared to daily means from 47 nearby Federal regulatory sites using gravimetric Federal Reference Methods (FRM). We find a revised calibration factor of 3.4 for the PA-II monitors. For the PA-I monitors, we determined a new calibration factor (also 3.4) by comparing 26 outdoor PA-I sites to 117 nearby outdoor PA-II sites. These results show that PurpleAir PM2.5 measurements can agree well with regulatory monitors when an optimum calibration factor is found.
Electrochemical (Bio)Sensors Based on Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs)
Authors: Martínez-Periñán Emiliano , Martínez-Fernández Marcos , Segura José L. , Lorenzo Encarnación
Published: June 2022

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are defined as crystalline organic polymers with programmable topological architectures using properly predesigned building blocks precursors. Since the development of the first COF in 2005, many works are emerging using this kind of material for different applications, such as the development of electrochemical sensors and biosensors. COF shows superb characteristics, such as tuneable pore size and structure, permanent porosity, high surface area, thermal stability, and low density. Apart from these special properties, COF’s electrochemical behaviour can be modulated using electroactive building blocks. Furthermore, the great variety of functional groups that can be inserted in their structures makes them interesting materials to be conjugated with biological recognition elements, such as antibodies, enzymes, DNA probe, aptamer, etc. Moreover, the possibility of linking them with other special nanomaterials opens a wide range of possibilities to develop new electrochemical sensors and biosensors.
Striding on a Winding Road: Young People’s Transitions from Education to Work in Bulgaria
Authors: Kovacheva Siyka , Hristozova Darena
Published: June 2022

The transition from education to work in the global economy is no longer a straightforward one-time move for young people. In Bulgaria, this change started with the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy in the 1990s and was accompanied by the arrival of high rates of early school leaving, youth unemployment, and a growing group of disengaged youths (NEETs). The European initiatives in support of youth labour market integration are translated locally, with a narrow focus on “employability” while neglecting the many educational, training, and social needs of young people. The analysis in this paper is informed by the theoretical framework of life course research. It starts with an elaboration of the recontextualisation of EU policies such as the Youth Guarantee in the local realities of socioeconomic structures using Eurostat and national data. Second, we present 4 case studies (selected out of a total of 42 in-depth interviews) of young adults aged 18–30 in order to highlight the ways in which young people’s individual agency filters and influences the institutional policies and practices regulating youth social integration. Our qualitative analysis reveals the multiplicity and diversity of youth journeys into work through the institutions and social structures and the inadequacy of the applied policy measures.
School Culture, Racial Composition, and Preventing Violence: Evaluating Punitive and Supportive Responses to Improving Safety
Authors: Crawford Charles , Burns Ronald
Published: June 2022

Research on the impact of school climate and culture on campus violence has yielded some promising responses for improving school safety. Evaluations of school policies and practices have shown that strict discipline and enforcement may have negative consequences and a disparate impact on students of color. Using a sample of 2092 respondents from the 2015–2016 School Survey on Crime and Safety from the Department of Education, the present research assessed the effectiveness of supportive programs and the impact of punitive responses to school violence within predominantly minority schools. Results from this study found that there were more statistically significant supportive policies that were associated with reductions in serious violence and disciplinary actions in predominately minority schools as compared to predominately white schools. Policy and research implications are discussed.
Assessment of the Landfill Barrier System through Numerical Analysis: Rehabilitation and Expansion of Belgrade Landfill Case Study
Authors: Štefaňák Jan , Chalmovský Juraj
Published: June 2022

There are still many unmanaged landfills around the world that pose significant potential environmental problems. One of the largest unmanaged landfills in Europe, which has been used for more than 40 years to deposit waste from Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, is the Vinča landfill. A revitalization and extension of this landfill was proposed that would allow its sustainable operation in the future. The revitalization project considered building a capping layer on the surface of the current landfill, which will close it and which will serve as a liner on the bottom of the new landfill. The use of a composite system including a HDPE geomembrane is considered in the project. New landfill settlements were predicted using the FEM method utilizing a Hardening-soil constitutive model for subgrade. Both immediate settlements of subgrade caused by waste deposition and primary consolidation settlement were calculated. The results show that a substantial increase in the settlement of the geomembrane subgrade can be expected during the primary consolidation period, due to the high rate of filling compared to the permeability of the subgrade. The total settlement of the new landfill in its crown is expected to be between 2.73 and 4.52 m. The axial force in the geomembrane will not exceed the tensile strength of the membrane at any time during or after the new landfill operation.
The Effect of Perceptions on Tourism: An Econometric Analysis of the Impacts and Opportunities for Economic and Financial Development in Albania and Kosovo
Authors: Tase Mirela , Lulaj Enkeleda
Published: June 2022

Today, tourism plays an important role in the economic and financial development of countries, and its impact is greater than ever. Therefore, for sustainable economic and financial growth and well-planned development, public and private investments should be directed to areas of priority tourism development. Research on the effect of perceptions on the behavior of tourists in these two countries has not been carried out before, thus, the purpose of this research is to determine whether the effects of the perception of tourists has an impact on economic and financial development based on factors (F1 (f.1.1 and f.1.2) and F2 (f.2.1 and f. 2.2)). For this study, the data were provided by respondents from several cities in Albania and Kosovo. A total of 1002 questionnaires divided into three sessions were analyzed using factor analysis, data reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 23.0 for Windows. In this case, 23 variables were tested and divided into two factors and five sub-factors. The results showed that special attention should be paid to the following factors: (a) awareness of tourists of facilities in tourist destinations where they would like to visit; (b) greater knowledge of foreign languages for residents of both countries, which could facilitate communication with tourists during purchases or other requests; (c) attracting new investors and the creation by the government bodies of conditions and security for both investors and tourists; (d) supporting the marketing and sale of local products for tourists; (e) the need for infrastructure support from government bodies in both countries in order to increase economic and financial well-being through tourism; (f) the need to implement strategies focusing on the sustainable development of both countries through tourism should be strengthened; (g) in terms of sustainable development and regional competitiveness, Kosovo and Albania should follow development trends and be competitive with other countries in the region. The implications of this paper relate only to certain studied variables, and only in certain cities of Albania and Kosovo. In case of future analysis by different researchers, other variables can be analyzed for different locales by making comparisons with the presented data.
Uncertainties Influencing Transportation System Performances
Authors: Raicu Serban , Popa Mihaela , Costescu Dorinela
Published: June 2022

The design and operation of transportation systems, as with any large complex technical system, are marked by indetermination—risks and uncertainties (scientific/methodologic and/or socio-economic). This paper analyzes the occurrence and consequences of uncertainties, defined as completely unknown random events (“unknown unknowns”), on transportation system performances. Interest in the topic is justified by the considerable value and long life of transportation system components. In order to reduce the effects of uncertainties, a holistic approach to all technical infrastructures in society, regardless of the flow category (material, energy, information), is necessary. Technological progress and changes in territorial activity systems historically confirm the dynamism of the competition and complementarity relations between civil and industrial infrastructures and transport infrastructures, as well as among different modal transport/traffic infrastructures. Declining discount rates are applied to compensate for the effects of uncertainties on investment project opportunities on long time horizons. There is no unanimous agreement on the discount rate values. Unforeseen exogenous events are considered differentiated/non-systemic or undifferentiated/systemic uncertainties. They can have significant consequences on the performance of a transport system, including a change in the transport market share. Therefore, an adaptive policy is required to reduce the methodological/scientific and socio-economic uncertainties that affect the design and operation of any transportation system.
Interpersonal Factors Affecting Adolescents’ Career Exploration in PAKISTAN
Authors: Kayani Sumaira , Kayani Humaira , Raza Khisro Kaleem , Kayani Saima , Li Weijian , Biasutti Michele
Published: June 2022

This study examined the effects of social support on the career exploration of university students in Pakistan. Nine hundred and seventy-three university students from Pakistan completed the measures of social support and career exploration. Regression analysis was applied to examine the impact of social support by family, friends, and significant others. The results revealed that career exploration is significantly predicted by family support (β = 0.063; p = 0.010), friend support (β = 0.081; p = 0.001), and teacher support (β = 0.065; p = 0.010). Moreover, total social support significantly predicts career exploration (β = 0.027; p = 0.003) of university students in Pakistan. These findings enhance our understanding of the factors influencing career exploration in university students. Further development of the research is discussed as well as possible educational implications.
Micro-Irrigation Technology Adoption in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon: A Behavioural Model
Authors: Sabbagh Maria , Gutierrez Luciano
Published: June 2022

Potato crops are one of the main sources of income for farmers living in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. Given the high sensitivity of potatoes to water stress, water shortages can cause considerable losses in terms of potato yield and quality. To overcome this challenge, the use of water-saving technologies such as micro-irrigation systems are very important. However, the adoption of this technique remains quite low among potato farmers in the Bekaa region, who still use ordinary sprinkler systems. In this study, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) serves as the conceptual framework for investigating these farmers’ behaviour in adopting a new micro-irrigation system. To achieve this objective, we extended the UTAUT model by considering farmers’ risk perception of the use of a new micro-irrigation technology. The moderators tested were age, previous experience, voluntariness of use, gross unit margin and educational level. Examining the standard regression coefficients, i.e., the β weights, the results indicate that performance expectancy raised behavioural intention for investment in micro-irrigation (β = 0.29) while for effort expectancy the β weight value was 0.24. Overall, an increase of 1 standard deviation of the behavioural intention strongly impacted investment in micro-irrigation systems, β = 0.8 standard deviation of the effective adoption of the technology. Risk perception (β = −0.08) negatively affected farmers’ performance expectancy, i.e., the higher the perceived risk, the lower the perceived performance of the investment, which in turn affected their intention to use micro-irrigation systems. Age (β = 0.11) exerted a significant effect on effort expectancy. Finally in this paper, the policy implications of the results are discussed.
Factors Affecting Undergraduates’ Academic Performance during COVID-19: Fear, Stress and Teacher-Parents’ Support
Authors: Abdullah Nor Aishah , Shamsi Nurulaini Abu , Jenatabadi Hashem Salarzadeh , Ng Boon-Kwee , Mentri Khairul Anam Che
Published: June 2022

The emergency transition from physical to online learning during COVID-19 has affected university students in various aspects, especially their academic performance. It can be caused by many factors, such as individual, environmental and social factors. Therefore, this study aims to determine the impact of fear, stress, well-being, teacher and parents’ support (independent variables) on undergraduates’ academic performance (dependent variable) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A structured online questionnaire has been developed and administered to 400 undergraduates. A structural equation model that integrated all variables under investigation was built and statistically validated using AMOS. The results demonstrated that well-being, teacher emotional support and teacher academic support have the highest significant impact on the respondents’ academic performance. It can be concluded that teachers’ support is the most substantial influence in ensuring student learning sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Identify Patterns in Online Bin Packing Problem: An Adaptive Pattern-Based Algorithm
Authors: Lin Bingchen , Li Jiawei , Bai Ruibin , Qu Rong , Cui Tianxiang , Jin Huan
Published: June 2022

Bin packing is a typical optimization problem with many real-world application scenarios. In the online bin packing problem, a sequence of items is revealed one at a time, and each item must be packed into a bin immediately after its arrival. Inspired by duality in optimization, we proposed pattern-based adaptive heuristics for the online bin packing problem. The idea is to predict the distribution of items based on packed items, and to apply this information in packing future arrival items in order to handle uncertainty in online bin packing. A pattern in bin packing is a combination of items that can be packed into a single bin. Patterns selected according to past items are adopted and periodically updated in scheduling future items in the algorithm. Symmetry in patterns and the stability of patterns in the online bin packing problem are discussed. We have implemented the algorithm and compared it with the Best-Fit in a series of experiments with various distribution of items to show its effectiveness.
The Influence of Introducing the Concept of Sustainable System Design Thinking on Consumer Cognition: A Designer’s Perspective
Authors: Yang Chun , Zhang Linghao , Wei Wei
Published: June 2022

Environmental problems represent one of the most intensive focuses in the world. At present, the rate of environmental damage caused by peoples’ consumption of products and services is still far faster than the rate of regeneration, processing, and recycling of natural ecosystems. In the face of increasingly severe environmental problems, consumers must change their consumption behavior toward a sustainable direction. Based on the ultimate goal of sustainable innovation and development, the introduction of sustainable system design thinking can enable the optimization of sustainable systems for production, manufacturing, consumption, or recycling. As with the concept of traditional system design thinking, sustainable system design thinking is not only a product form but also a creative systematic way to solve problems for the purpose of promoting innovation. It has been transformed from “giving form” to “design process”, “design strategy”, or “design system”. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the potential structure of consumers’ sustainable consumption cognition from the perspective of designers through the introduction of sustainable system design thinking. This study combined literature analysis and a questionnaire survey to propose a research model with seven constructs and eight hypotheses and then used a reliability test, validity test, and structural equation model to analyze and verify the data. The results show that the three constructs of design evaluation (aesthetics, innovation, and function) in system design thinking are feasible and effective in sustainable design. With the support of sustainability concept, the autonomy of consumers’ consumption attitude and intention will be improved. This study can provide reference to governments, enterprises, and designers when formulating, implementing, and practicing sustainable innovative strategies. The results of this study can further influence the continuous promotion and deepening of sustainable design thinking in the cultivation of design talents in colleges and universities, and thus provide multi-field and recyclable theoretical guidance for sustainable design facing future life.
Painlevé Analysis of the Cosmological Field Equations in Weyl Integrable Spacetime
Authors: Paliathanasis Andronikos
Published: June 2022

We apply a singularity analysis to investigate the integrability properties of the gravitational field equations in Weyl Integrable Spacetime for a spatially flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker background spacetime induced by an ideal gas. We find that the field equations possess the Painlevé property in the presence of the cosmological constant, and the analytic solution is given by a left Laurent expansion.
Increased Serum Mir-150-3p Expression Is Associated with Radiological Lung Injury Improvement in Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Bueno Larissa C. M. , Paim Layde R. , Minin Eduarda O. Z. , da Silva Luís Miguel , Mendes Paulo R. , Kiyota Tatiana A. , Schreiber Angelica Z. , Bombassaro Bruna , Mansour Eli , Moretti Maria Luiza , Chow Jonathan Tak-Sum , Salmena Leonardo , Coelho-Filho Otavio R. , Velloso Licio A. , Nadruz Wilson , Schreiber Roberto
Published: June 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for an atypical pneumonia that can progress to acute lung injury. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that control specific genes and pathways. This study evaluated the association between circulating miRNAs and lung injury associated with COVID-19. Methods: We evaluated lung injury by computed tomography at hospital admission and discharge and the serum expression of 754 miRNAs using the TaqMan OpenArray after hospital discharge in 27 patients with COVID-19. In addition, miR-150-3p was validated by qRT-PCR on serum samples collected at admission and after hospital discharge. Results: OpenArray analysis revealed that seven miRNAs were differentially expressed between groups of patients without radiological lung improvement compared to those with lung improvement at hospital discharge, with three miRNAs being upregulated (miR-548c-3p, miR-212-3p, and miR-548a-3p) and four downregulated (miR-191-5p, miR-151a-3p, miR-92a-3p, and miR-150-3p). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that five of these miRNAs had binding sites in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Validation of miR-150-3p by qRT-PCR confirmed the OpenArray results. Conclusions: The present study shows the potential association between the serum expression of seven miRNAs and lung injury in patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, increased expression of miR-150 was associated with pulmonary improvement at hospital discharge.
Targeted Therapy of HPV Positive and Negative Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Reveals Synergy between CDK4/6, PI3K and Sometimes FGFR Inhibitors, but Rarely between PARP and WEE1 Inhibitors
Authors: Kostopoulou Ourania N. , Zupancic Mark , Pont Mariona , Papin Emma , Lukoseviciute Monika , Mikelarena Borja Agirre , Holzhauser Stefan , Dalianis Tina
Published: June 2022

Human papillomavirus positive (HPV+) tonsillar and base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC/BOTSCC) have a favorable outcome, but upon relapse, survival is poor and new therapeutical options are needed. Recently, we found synergistic effects by combining the food and drug administration approved (FDA) phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and fibroblast-growth-factor-receptor (FGFR) inhibitors BYL719 and JNJ-42756493 on TSCC cell lines. Here this approach was extended and Cyclin-Dependent-Kinase-4/6 (CDK4/6) and Poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase (PARP) and WEE1 inhibitors PD-0332991, and MK-1775 respectively were also examined. HPV+ CU-OP-2, -3, -20, and HPV− CU-OP-17 TSCC cell lines were treated with either BYL719 and JNJ-42756493, PD-0332991 BMN-673 and MK-1775 alone or in different combinations. Viability, proliferation, and cytotoxicity were followed by WST-1 assays and the IncuCyte S3 Live® Cell Analysis System. All inhibitors presented dose-dependent inhibitory effects on tested TSCC lines. Synergy was frequently obtained when combining CDK4/6 with PI3K inhibitors, but only sometimes or rarely when combining CDK4/6 with FGFR inhibitors or PARP with WEE1 inhibitors. To conclude, using CDK4/6 with PI3K or FGFR inhibitors, especially PD-0332991 with BYL719 presented synergy and enhanced the decrease of viability considerably, while although dose dependent responses were obtained with PARP and WEE1 inhibitors (BMN-673 and MK-1775 resp.), synergy was rarely disclosed.
HYGIEIA: HYpothesizing the Genesis of Infectious Diseases and Epidemics through an Integrated Systems Biology Approach
Authors: Ward Bradley , Yombi Jean Cyr , Balligand Jean-Luc , Cani Patrice D. , Collet Jean-François , de Greef Julien , Dewulf Joseph P. , Gatto Laurent , Haufroid Vincent , Jodogne Sébastien , Kabamba Benoît , Pyr dit Ruys Sébastien , Vertommen Didier , Elens Laure , Belkhir Leïla
Published: June 2022

More than two years on, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the world and has battle-tested the pandemic-situation responses of all major global governments. Two key areas of investigation that are still unclear are: the molecular mechanisms that lead to heterogenic patient outcomes, and the causes of Post COVID condition (AKA Long-COVID). In this paper, we introduce the HYGIEIA project, designed to respond to the enormous challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic through a multi-omic approach supported by network medicine. It is hoped that in addition to investigating COVID-19, the logistics deployed within this project will be applicable to other infectious agents, pandemic-type situations, and also other complex, non-infectious diseases. Here, we first look at previous research into COVID-19 in the context of the proteome, metabolome, transcriptome, microbiome, host genome, and viral genome. We then discuss a proposed methodology for a large-scale multi-omic longitudinal study to investigate the aforementioned biological strata through high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and mass-spectrometry (MS) technologies. Lastly, we discuss how a network medicine approach can be used to analyze the data and make meaningful discoveries, with the final aim being the translation of these discoveries into the clinics to improve patient care.