bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Media Attention to Environmental Issues and ESG Investing
Authors: Csillag J. Balázs , Granát P. Marcell , Neszveda Gábor
Published: December 2022

We analyse how ESG scores affect future returns when environmental issues receive higher media coverage. Investors might take environmental aspects into account if they are confronted with the issue of global warming more frequently in the press. We assess the prevalence of environmental issues in the media with a machine learning-based Structural Topic Modelling (STM) methodology, using a news archive published in the USA. Running Fama-MacBeth regressions, we find that in periods when the media actively report on environmental issues, ESG scores have a significant negative impact on future returns, whereas, in months when fewer such articles are published, investors do not take sustainability measures into account, and ESG scores have no explanatory power.
Monetary Policy and Green Transition
Authors: Kolozsi Pál Péter , Horváth Balázs István , Csutiné Baranyai Judit , Tengely Veronika
Published: December 2022

One of the biggest challenges in the coming decades is the achievement and maintenance of environmental sustainability, regarding which the central banks have also shown an increasingly active and supportive attitude in recent years. A new monetary policy approach is emerging, but it is unclear how central banks can participate in the green transition. In this paper, we briefly present the most relevant issues in this regard, namely how price stability, which is the most important objective of central banks, is affected by climate change and the green economic transformation; what follows from the potential conflict between the goals of green transition and price stability in terms of the green activity of central banks; and what challenges are faced as a result by central banks that also have the sustainability goal in mind.
Cold Tolerance and Cold-Resistant Substances in Two Tomicus Species during Critical Transferring Periods
Authors: Pan Xiukui , Chen Siyu , Peng Qiyan , Guo Li , Gao Lei , Zhang Zhen , Yang Maofa , Wu Chengxu
Published: December 2022

The pine shoot beetles Tomicus minor and Tomicus yunnanensis are important stem borers of Pinus yunnanensis in southwestern China. To determine strategies for cold resistance and changes in major cold-resistant substances in adults of two Tomicus species during two critical transferring periods, “shoot-to-trunk” and “trunk-to-shoot”, the insects’ supercooling point (SCP), freezing point (FP), and antifreeze protective substances were determined. The SCP and FP did not differ between female and male adults in the shoot-to-trunk phase, but were significantly lower in females in the trunk-to-shoot period. Although there was no difference in the SCP and FP between the two Tomicus species adults, both indexes were significantly lower in the shoot-to-trunk period than in the trunk-to-shoot period. The trehalose content in females of two Tomicus species was significantly lower than that in males in the trunk-to-shoot period, and the protein, glycerol, glycogen, fat, and sorbitol contents were different between the species in the same period. The protein and water content in adults of both species were significantly lower in the shoot-to-trunk period than in the trunk-to-shoot period, but the content of glycerol, trehalose, water, sorbitol, glycogen, and fat content were significantly higher in the shoot-to-trunk. Different types of cold-resistant substances regulating sex, species, and developmental stages were found, and the most abundant were cold-resistant substances regulating developmental stages.
Geraniol: A Potential Defense-Related Volatile in “Baiye No. 1” Induced by Colletotrichum camelliae
Authors: Chen Wei , Liu Huifang , Chen Yao , Liu Yaoguo , Ma Chiyu , Cheng Yongjia , Yang Wen
Published: December 2022

Plants produce and emit a large variety of volatiles that have multiple defense-related functions in response to abiotic or biotic stresses. In comparison with studies on plant volatile–herbivore interactions, little research has been carried out on plant volatile–microbe interactions. In the present paper, tea volatile–Colletotrichum camelliae interactions were studied. The results of emitted volatiles following infection with C. camelliae in “Baiye No. 1” showed that healthy tea plants contained 68 kinds of volatiles, while infected tea plants contained 76 kinds of volatiles. Five volatiles, namely, geraniol, linalool, methyl salicylate, (E)-3-hexen-1-ol, and α-farnesene, were found to have a relatively large content variation in infected tea plants, with increments of 7.903%, −2.247%, 2.770%, −6.728%, and 3.848%, respectively. The fungicidal activity results of the five volatiles against C. camelliae showed that geraniol had the best activity, with MIC and MBC values of 0.5 and 1 mg·mL−1, respectively. Thus, geraniol was selected for subsequent studies. The effects of geraniol on the mycelia and cell structures of C. camelliae were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results showed that the mycelia were significantly disrupted, and the cell structures were damaged. The effects of geraniol on the related enzymes of C. camelliae were assessed. The results showed that cellulase activity increased, malondialdehyde content increased, and the activity of defense enzymes was inhibited, thereby inhibiting the growth of pathogens. This study provides the first evidence that geraniol is a defense-related function volatile of “Baiye No. 1” in response to C. camelliae stress. It also provides valuable information and enriches the chemical ecology of tea plant diseases for the research field on defensive substances of microbe-induced plant volatiles.
Inoculation with Potassium Solubilizing Bacteria and Its Effect on the Medicinal Characteristics of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis
Authors: Zhao Shun-Xin , Deng Qiao-Sheng , Jiang Chun-Yang , Wu Qiang-Sheng , Xue Yan-Bin , Li Guo-Li , Zhao Jing-Jing , Zhou Nong
Published: December 2022

Potassium (K) use efficiency in Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis production is relatively low, and the excessive use of K fertilization has negative environmental impacts. Bacterial isolates can effectively alleviate this situation. The present work aimed to analyze the effects of different combinations of three potassium-solubilizing bacteria (KSB) (Bacillus thuringiensis, B. polymyxa, and Paenibacillus amylolyticus) on K in soil and P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The results showed that the contents of different forms of K were increased after the application of KSB. Compared with the control group, the maximum increases of slow-acting K, available K, quick-acting K, exchangeable K, and water-soluble K were 32.6% under inoculation with both P. amylolyticus and B. polymyxa, 73.5% with B. thuringiensis, 114.0% with B. thuringiensis, 83.2% with P. amylolyticus, and 210.0% with B. thuringiensis, respectively. This promoted the conversion of soil K to the form of K with high plant availability. Pseudo-protodiosgenin and diosgenin H contents were improved by KSB inoculations, which promoted medicinal quality of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. Correlation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlations among the five forms of K in the soil in all experimental groups. In conclusion, the inoculation of KSB effectively improved the plant availability of soil K and medicinal quality of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, providing a path for sustainable production of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.
Non-Farm Employment Experience, Risk Preferences, and Low-Carbon Agricultural Technology Adoption: Evidence from 1843 Grain Farmers in 14 Provinces in China
Authors: Li Chaozhu , Li Xiaoliang , Jia Wei
Published: December 2022

Guiding and encouraging farmers to adopt low-carbon agricultural technologies is highly significant for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating climate change, and achieving agricultural production development and food security. This study used survey data from 1843 grain farmers in 14 provinces of China to empirically analyze the impact of non-farm employment experience and risk preferences on grain farmers’ low-carbon agricultural technology (LCAT) adoption. The results show that for grain farmers: (1) non-farm employment experience significantly promoted the adopting of LCAT. The probability of adopting LCAT by those with non-farm experience is 23.5% higher than those without. (2) Non-farm employment experience reinforced their risk preferences and promoted the adoption of LCAT. The adoption probability of LCAT of those with high-risk preferences was 6.1% higher than those with low-risk preferences. (3) The impact of non-farm employment experience on adopting LCAT was more significant for those with high education and training. Non-farm employment experience outside the province and employment experience in the tertiary sector while working outside significantly affect grain farmers’ LCAT adoption.
Impact of Meloxicam Administration in Cows Prior to Caesarean Section on the Efficacy of Passive Immunity Transfer in Calves
Authors: Guatteo Raphaël , Lesort Caroline , Touzot-Jourde Gwenola
Published: December 2022

The objective of this study was to assess in the Charolais cow–calf system, the benefit of meloxicam administered to cows prior to c-section to the efficacy of passive immune transfer to the newborn under the assumption that providing analgesia to the dam could lead to an earlier or longer colostrum intake. This study was performed in Burgundy, France in two veterinary private practices. Colostrum quality, delay between the end of the c-section and the first spontaneous colostrum suckling, and the 24 h after birth calf serum IgG content from cows treated 15 min prior to c-section with meloxicam subcutaneously (0.5 mg/kg) (n = 22) or without analgesia (n = 26) were compared. No significant differences were observed in the quality of the colostrum nor the delay between the end of the surgery and the first spontaneous colostrum suckling between treatment groups. However, the number of calves showing a better transfer of passive immunity (IgG content >15 g/L) was significantly higher (p = 0.023) among those originating from dams receiving meloxicam prior to c-section. This effect was notably observed in multiparous cows (p = 0.041). This study confirms that pre-emptive analgesia in cows prior to c-section benefits the calf through an improved colostrum intake that is of paramount importance for calf short- and long-term survival.
Diagnostic Value of C-Reactive Protein and Serum White Blood Cell Count during Septic Two-Stage Revision of Total Knee Arthroplasties
Authors: Benda Sebastian , Mederake Moritz , Schuster Philipp , Fink Bernd
Published: December 2022

Aims and Methods: In septic two-stage revision arthroplasty, the timing of reimplantation is crucial for therapeutic success. Recent studies have shown that singular values of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC count) display weak diagnostic value in indicating whether periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is controlled or not during two-stage revision surgery of knee arthroplasty. Therefore, in addition to the values of CRP and WBC, the course of CRP and WBC counts were compared between groups with and without later reinfection in 95 patients with two-stage revision (TSR) of infected total knee arthroplasties (TKA). Of these patients, 16 had a reinfection (16.84%). Results: CRP values decreased significantly after the first stage of TSR in both the reinfection and no-reinfection groups. WBC count values decreased significantly in the no-reinfection group. Decrease in WBC count was not significant in the reinfection group. No significant difference could be found in either the CRP values or the WBC counts at the first stage of TSR, the second stage of TSR, or their difference between stages when comparing groups with and without reinfection. Area under the curve (AUC) values ranging between 0.631 and 0.435 showed poor diagnostic value for the calculated parameters. The courses of CRP over 14 days after the first stage of both groups were similar with near identical AUC. Conclusions: CRP and WBC count as well as their course over 14 days postoperatively are not suitable for defining whether a PJI of the knee is under control or not.
Hierarchical Scheduling of Complex Dynamic Supply Chain
Authors: Hu Lihua , Fan Tao
Published: December 2022

Green manufacturing (especially the right production scale) and optimization of logistics transportation (especially logistics transportation to ensure economic benefits) have become challenging issues. This paper focuses on production planning and scheduling of dynamic supply chain via H∞ control scheme. This paper considers the production scale control and resource scheduling optimization of complex dynamic supply chain under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.Firstly, the information of green manufacturing production is collected, and a new mathematical model of complex dynamic supply chain including multi-level distributor/retailer, multi-delay inventory and multi-lead time is established. Secondly, the optimal resource scheduling scheme is designed based on the principle of H∞ cybernetics, which is called the hierarchical scheduling of complex dynamic supply chain in this paper. Finally, a numerical example shows the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed scheme. Through this model, the production of manufacturers, the inventory of manufacturers and distributors, and the order quantity of distributors can be arranged in advance, which improves the robustness of the closed-loop dynamic supply chain.
A Semi-Empirical Model for Sound Absorption by Perforated Plate Covered Open Cell Foam and Improvements from Optimising the Perforated Plate Parameters
Authors: Zhang Junzhe , Chen Tianning , Zhang Bo , Zhu Jian
Published: December 2022

Composite structures can be designed with specific parameters for efficient sound absorption in specific frequency bands; however, determining the optimal parameters and topology to maximize sound absorption is a computationally challenging task. In this work, a semi-empirical model is constructed to predict the sound absorption performance of composite structures consisting of open-cell foam and perforated plates. The calculated results of the semi-empirical model are in good agreement with the experimental results carried out in the B and K tube impedance measurement system. The parameters such as perforation ratio, plate thickness, air gap, etc., of the composite structure within limited thickness were optimized by using a genetic algorithm (GA) to improve the sound absorption coefficient at a lower frequency band. The calculation and experimental results show that when the thickness is fixed, the peak sound absorption frequency can be reduced by 400 Hz; on the contrary, with the goal of broadening the sound absorption frequency band, the optimized composite structure can widen the sound absorption frequency band by 55.38%. The results of this work have potential engineering applications for the calculation of the sound absorption of porous materials and perforated plate composite structures and their optimal design, particularly when the total volume or total weight of the sound-absorbing material is strictly limited.
Risks in the European Transmission System and a Novel Restoration Strategy for a Power System after a Major Blackout
Authors: Fotis Georgios , Vita Vasiliki , Maris Theodoros I.
Published: December 2022

Many citizens of European countries may soon experience a long and extensive blackout. The lack of predictability in the output of renewable energy sources, aggravating the problem of consistently matching supply with demand on electric grids, along with cyber-attacks or even worse unpredictable incidents in the electric grid are some factors that may mean a blackout is much more likely than in previous years. This paper covers the possibility of an extensive blackout in a country of the interconnected European electricity transmission system or, even worse, a blackout in a wide area of the European continent. The topic of this paper becomes even more important and timely given the energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine, which has made the possibility of a blackout in the winter of 2022–2023 high. First, the major European blackouts that occurred in the past 20 years are presented, examining their causes. On 8 January 2021, the European electricity grid was divided into two separate sections, with different frequencies; some additional scenarios are considered which, if they had happened, could have led to blackouts in some European countries or, even worse, a wide area of Europe. This work also examines how to avoid such an eventuality, as well as how European TSOs should react in case a blackout occurs. Focused on the fast and reliable supply of consumers after a blackout, a novel restoration strategy based on the A* Algorithm is presented. Its efficiency is validated in the IEEE-39 and IEEE-68 bus systems.
Experimental Study on the Influence of Delay Time on Rock Fragmentation in Bench Blasting
Authors: Tang Hong-Liang , Liu Xin , Yang Jun , Yu Qi
Published: December 2022

Delay time is an important factor in the quality of bench blasting. The development and application of electronic detonators make it possible to control the timing of detonation by a highly precise delay time. It is an easily achievable way to seek a better blast fragmentation by controlling the delay time. In order to investigate the influence of delay time on rock fragmentation, eight experiments on bench blasting models with double holes were carried out. The average weight of 4.59 g of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) was charged into each blast hole with a diameter of 10 mm. Delay times between the double holes were set as: 13.69, 27.36, 54.72, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 339.6 µs. During blast loading, the breakage processes of specimens were captured in detail by high-speed cameras. Full-field strains on the bench slope were analyzed by the three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) technique. After each experiment, the coarse fragments were backfilled into the post-blast specimen to observe and record the bench slope’s final breakage pattern. The experimental results showed that the fragmentation of the bench slope transformed from horizontal crack dominance to vertical crack dominance as the delay time increased. In addition, post-blast fragments were collected and sieved, including fine materials. In the premise of approximate excavation, the optimum delay time was 180 µs. Compared to short delay times such as 27.36 µs, x50 was improved by approximately 25% at the delay time of 180 µs. The results showed a significant difference and great improvement in fragmentation when the delay times were in the time range of no-shock-wave interaction compared to interactions. When determining the optimum delay time in multi-hole blasting, except for the stress wave interaction, factors such as crack propagation should also be considered. The results of experiments could contribute to references for relevant research.
Ground-Borne Vibration Model in the near Field of Tunnel Blasting
Authors: Gao Yufan , Fu Hongxian , Rong Xing , Paneiro Gustavo
Published: December 2022

Accurate prediction of blasting vibration associated with tunnel engineering is essential to ensure the safety and stability of tunnel excavation and to prevent any damage or distress to adjacent existing tunnels. Based on the dimensional analysis principle, this paper deduces the classical Sadovsky formula, analyzes its limitations from a mathematical point of view, and proves the feasibility of using this principle to derive a prediction model of blasting vibration. On this basis, considering the influence factors of blasting vibration such as the rock density, delay initiation time, and number of free surfaces, a new prediction model that can simultaneously consider the influence of the vibration in near-field and far-field blasting is proposed, and its rationality is explained. Combined with a case study, comparative analysis, variance analysis, and Akaike information criterion, the results show that the new prediction model can effectively solve the difference in blasting vibration in different types of blast holes and different areas, and the calculated results are in better agreement with the monitoring data than is the Sadovsky formula. Overall, this study provides a new solution and reference for more accurate prediction of blasting vibration.
Mental Health and Safety Assessment Methods of Bus Drivers
Authors: Xi Jianfeng , Wang Ping , Ding Tongqiang , Tian Jian , Li Zhiqiang
Published: December 2022

To explore the influence of the health psychology characteristics of bus driver on the probability of traffic accidents, such as the severity of unhealthy psychology and negative and impulsive personality. Combined with the demographic questionnaire, SCL-90 scale, and Y-G scale, the psychological factors of drivers causing traffic accidents were evaluated. The key factors selected by binary logistic regression analysis are used as node variables, and the Bayesian network structure was established by combining the K2 algorithm and expert knowledge. The EM algorithm was used for parameter learning. The work identified seven key factors that made bus drivers prone to accidents. The most likely factors were moderate depression, mild anxiety, and mild somatization. Bus drivers in the accident group were significantly more anxious, depressed, and more hypersensitive and emotionally unstable than drivers in the non-accident group. The psychological scale and a Bayesian network model were used to evaluate the mental health and traffic safety of bus drivers. It shows that different degrees of depression, anxiety, and different degrees of subjective and cyclical personality of bus drivers had different effects on traffic safety.
Solving Vehicle Routing Problems under Uncertainty and in Dynamic Scenarios: From Simheuristics to Agile Optimization
Authors: Ammouriova Majsa , Herrera Erika M. , Neroni Mattia , Juan Angel A. , Faulin Javier
Published: December 2022

Many real-life applications of the vehicle routing problem (VRP) occur in scenarios subject to uncertainty or dynamic conditions. Thus, for instance, traveling times or customers’ demands might be better modeled as random variables than as deterministic values. Likewise, traffic conditions could evolve over time, synchronization issues should need to be considered, or a real-time re-optimization of the routing plan can be required as new data become available in a highly dynamic environment. Clearly, different solving approaches are needed to efficiently cope with such a diversity of scenarios. After providing an overview of current trends in VRPs, this paper reviews a set of heuristic-based algorithms that have been designed and employed to solve VRPs with the aforementioned properties. These include simheuristics for stochastic VRPs, learnheuristics and discrete-event heuristics for dynamic VRPs, and agile optimization heuristics for VRPs with real-time requirements.
Non-Autoregressive End-to-End Neural Modeling for Automatic Pronunciation Error Detection
Authors: Wadud Md. Anwar Hussen , Alatiyyah Mohammed , Mridha M. F.
Published: December 2022

A crucial element of computer-assisted pronunciation training systems (CAPT) is the mispronunciation detection and diagnostic (MDD) technique. The provided transcriptions can act as a teacher when evaluating the pronunciation quality of finite speech. The preceding texts have been entirely employed by conventional approaches, such as forced alignment and extended recognition networks, for model development or for enhancing system performance. The incorporation of earlier texts into model training has recently been attempted using end-to-end (E2E)-based approaches, and preliminary results indicate efficacy. Attention-based end-to-end models have shown lower speech recognition performance because multi-pass left-to-right forward computation constrains their practical applicability in beam search. In addition, end-to-end neural approaches are typically data-hungry, and a lack of non-native training data will frequently impair their effectiveness in MDD. To solve this problem, we provide a unique MDD technique that uses non-autoregressive (NAR) end-to-end neural models to greatly reduce estimation time while maintaining accuracy levels similar to traditional E2E neural models. In contrast, NAR models can generate parallel token sequences by accepting parallel inputs instead of left-to-right forward computation. To further enhance the effectiveness of MDD, we develop and construct a pronunciation model superimposed on our approach’s NAR end-to-end models. To test the effectiveness of our strategy against some of the best end-to-end models, we use publicly accessible L2-ARCTIC and SpeechOcean English datasets for training and testing purposes where the proposed model shows the best results than other existing models.
A PDE Model Approach to Formation Control of Large-Scale Mobile Sensor Networks with Boundary Uncertainties
Authors: Qian Xueming , Cui Baotong
Published: December 2022

This paper investigates the formation problem of an array of large-scale mobile sensor networks. A new framework for the dynamic of mobile sensors as a continuum described by the parabolic system with boundary disturbance is proposed. The communication topology of agents is a chain graph and fixed. Leader feedback laws which are designed in a manner to the boundary control of large-scale mobile sensor networks allow the mobile sensors to achieve the formation steadily. By referring to the Lyapunov functional method and employing a boundary control approach, a new protocol is established to deal with a formation problem for the large-scale mobile sensor networks. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the usefulness of the results.
Recognition of Rare Microfossils Using Transfer Learning and Deep Residual Networks
Authors: Wang Bin , Sun Ruyue , Yang Xiaoguang , Niu Ben , Zhang Tao , Zhao Yuandi , Zhang Yuanhui , Zhang Yiheng , Han Jian
Published: December 2022

Various microfossils from the early Cambrian provide crucial clues for understanding the Cambrian explosion and the origin of animal phyla. However, specimens with important anatomical structures are extremely rare and the efficiency of retrieving such fossils by traditional manual selection under a microscope is quite low. Such a contradiction has hindered breakthroughs in micropaleontology for a long time. Here, we propose a solution for identifying specific taxa of Cambrian microfossils using only a few available specimens by transferring a model pre-trained on natural image datasets to the field of paleontological artificial intelligence. The method employs a 34-layer deep residual neural network as the underlying framework, migrates the ImageNet pre-trained model, freezes the low-layer network parameters and retrains the high-layer parameters to build a microfossil image recognition model. We built training sets with randomly selected images of varied number for each taxon. Our experiments show that the average recognition accuracy for specific taxa of Cambrian microfossils (50 images for each taxon) is higher than 0.97 and it can reach 0.85 with only three training samples per taxon. Comparative analyses indicate that our results are much better than those of various prevalent methods, such as the transpose convolutional neural network (TCNN). This demonstrates the feasibility of using natural images (ImageNet) for the training of microfossil recognition models and provides a promising tool for the discovery of rare fossils.
Heart Rate Variability in Elite International ITF Junior Davis Cup Tennis Players
Authors: Villafaina Santos , Crespo Miguel , Martínez-Gallego Rafael , Fuentes-García Juan
Published: December 2022

The aim of the present study was to investigate the evolution of the HRV during an international team tennis tournament in elite junior tennis players. A total of 11 tennis players, with a mean age of 15.36 (0.67) from six nationalities, participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were measured one day before the event, before the first match, and before the second match of the ITF Junior Davis Cup event. Each of the registers lasted 5 min and the time domain, frequency domain and non-linear variables were extracted. The tournament took place in Valencia (Spain). Results showed that there was not a significant decrease in the heart rate variability (HRV) induced by precompetitive stress. However, significant differences (p-value < 0.05) were found between baseline and second match pre-competition HRV values in low frequency (LFNu) (p-value = 0.008) and high frequency (HFNu) power (p-value = 0.008), LF/HF ratio (p-value = 0.008) and Sample Entropy (SampEn) (p-value = 0.033) variables. Furthermore, cognitive anxiety (measured by CSAI-2r) (p-value = 0.017) and anxiety (measured by STAI-S) (p-value = 0.042) were higher before the first match than before the second match. Coaches and physical trainers could use HRV to control and manage the precompetitive anxiety of junior tennis players. The experience in international tournaments and the familiarization with the environment in the second match could explain these results.
Pressure Ulcers and Dressings: A Strain Sensitivity Analysis of the Boundary Conditions of a Finite Element Model
Authors: Fougeron Nolwenn , Rivals Isabelle , Connesson Nathanaël , Chagnon Grégory , Alonso Thierry , Pasquinet Laurent , Auguste Stéphane , Perrier Antoine , Payan Yohan
Published: December 2022

Recently, a new bi-layer dressing was proposed by Urgo RID to reduce the healing time of pressure ulcers (PU). This dressing was numerically evaluated in previously published work. In the current work, the influence on the maximal shear strains of modelling parameters such as the dressing local geometry, the pressure applied by the gauze inside the wound, the wound deepness, and the mattress stiffness, was assessed. A sensitivity analysis was performed on these four parameters. Among all experiments, the mean maximal Green–Lagrange shear strain was 0.29. The gauze pressure explained 60% of the model response in terms of the volume of tissues under strains of 0.3, while the wound deepness explained 28%. The mattress had a significant, but low impact, whereas the dressing local geometry had no significant impact. As expected, the wound deepness was one of the most influential parameters. The gauze turned out to be more significant than expected. This may be explained by the large range of values chosen for this study. The results should be extended to more subjects, but still suggest that the gauze is a parameter that might not be neglected. Care should also be taken in clinical practice when using gauze that could have either a positive or negative impact on the soft tissues’ strains. This may also depend on the wound deepness.
Treatment of Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Authors: Teschke Rolf
Published: December 2022

Current pharmacotherapy options of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remain under discussion and are now evaluated in this analysis. Needless to say, the use of the offending drug must be stopped as soon as DILI is suspected. Normal dosed drugs may cause idiosyncratic DILI, and drugs taken in overdose commonly lead to intrinsic DILI. Empirically used but not substantiated regarding efficiency by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is the intravenous antidote treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in patients with intrinsic DILI by N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP) overdose. Good data recommending pharmacotherapy in idiosyncratic DILI caused by hundreds of different drugs are lacking. Indeed, a recent analysis revealed that just eight RCTs have been published, and in only two out of eight trials were DILI cases evaluated for causality by the worldwide used Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM), representing overall a significant methodology flaw, as results of DILI RCTs lacking RUCAM are misleading since many DILI cases are known to be attributable erroneously to nondrug alternative causes. In line with these major shortcomings and mostly based on anecdotal reports, glucocorticoids (GCs) and other immuno-suppressants may be given empirically in carefully selected patients with idiosyncratic DILI exhibiting autoimmune features or caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), while some patients with cholestatic DILI may benefit from ursodeoxycholic acid use; in other patients with drug-induced hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) and coagulopathy risks, the indication for anticoagulants should be considered. In view of many other mechanistic factors such as the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 with a generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ferroptosis with toxicity of intracellular iron, and modification of the gut microbiome, additional therapy options may be available in the future. In summation, stopping the offending drug is still the first line of therapy for most instances of acute DILI, while various therapies are applied empirically and not based on good data from RCTs awaiting further trials using the updated RUCAM that asks for strict exclusion and inclusion details like liver injury criteria and provides valid causality rankings of probable and highly probable grades.
Bioadhesive Gauze Embedded with Chitosan-Butein Bioconjugate: A Redox-Active pH Sensor Platform
Authors: Krishnan Vinoth , Ananth Venkatachalam , Velayutham Jayasudha , Manickam Pandiaraj , Veerapandian Murugan
Published: December 2022

With the ever-growing global wound care market, demand for robust redox-active healthcare material is obvious for the construction of wearable sensor platforms. Surface reactive functional group-rich material like chitosan holds huge potential for electrochemical biosensor application. Herein, a metal-free redox-active chitosan–butein (CSB) bioconjugate is processed into epidermal bioadhesive electrode material useful for pH sensors promising toward wound site analysis. A two-electrode system devised for conducting carbon-reinforced silver chloride paste and CSB-modified carbon/silver chloride matrix was used as a reference and working electrodes, respectively. Dimensions of working and reference electrodes (4 mm) were designed by 2D cutter plotter-assisted stenciling. The cross-sectional topology of the constructed adhesive CSB-sensor platform exhibits an average surface thickness of 183 ± 2 μm. Cyclic voltammetric analysis revealed the inherent 2e−/2H+ transfer attributed to the catechol OH groups of graft polymerized CSB modified on adhesive gauze. As-fabricated modified electrode substrates exhibit distinguishable potential differences with respect to electrolytes of varied pH (between 5 to 9), promising for wound site analysis.
A Multisensor System Embedded in a Computer Mouse for Occupational Stress Detection
Authors: Androutsou Thelma , Angelopoulos Spyridon , Hristoforou Evangelos , Matsopoulos George K. , Koutsouris Dimitrios D.
Published: December 2022

Occupational stress is a major challenge in modern societies, related with many health and economic implications. Its automatic detection in an office environment can be a key factor toward effective management, especially in the post-COVID era of changing working norms. The aim of this study is the design, development and validation of a multisensor system embedded in a computer mouse for the detection of office work stress. An experiment is described where photoplethysmography (PPG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) signals of 32 subjects were obtained during the execution of stress-inducing tasks that sought to simulate the stressors present in a computer-based office environment. Kalman and moving average filters were used to process the signals and appropriately formulated algorithms were applied to extract the features of pulse rate and skin conductance. The results found that the stressful periods of the experiment significantly increased the participants’ reported stress levels while negatively affecting their cognitive performance. Statistical analysis showed that, in most cases, there was a highly significant statistical difference in the physiological parameters measured during the different periods of the experiment, without and with the presence of stressors. These results indicate that the proposed device can be part of an unobtrusive system for monitoring and detecting the stress levels of office workers.
Primary Care Clinician and Child Characteristics Impacting Autism Surveillance
Authors: Williams Lashae N. , Wieckowski Andrea Trubanova , Dieckhaus Mary F. S. , Dai Yael G. , Zhang Fengqing , Dumont-Mathieu Thyde , Barton Marianne , Fein Deborah , Robins Diana L.
Published: December 2022

Early detection of autism provides access to early intervention and subsequently fewer lifelong challenges. However, disparities in screening have been associated with socioeconomic status (SES) and race, and disparities in surveillance have been associated with clinician knowledge and beliefs about autism identification. The present study examines associations between demographic variables and clinician beliefs, and agreement between screening results and clinician surveillance. Surveillance included activities used by the primary care clinicians (PCCs) to assess risk for autism. PCCs reported their beliefs about autism screening and identification, their sex, race, years in practice, and racial distribution of their patient population. Children’s demographic information was also collected. PCCs identified children as having, or not having, an increased likelihood of autism, and parents of children completed an autism screener. Agreement between screening and surveillance results were examined across PCC, practice, and child demographics. Higher confidence in autism knowledge and screening resources, female PCC sex, and majority White practice patient demographics all predicted agreement between screening and surveillance. Female child sex and higher maternal education also predicted agreement between screening and surveillance. These findings highlight the importance of PCC screening beliefs and child and PCC demographics on the autism identification process.
Best Fit of Cumulative Cost Curves at the Planning and Performed Stages of Construction Projects
Authors: Szóstak Mariusz
Published: December 2022

The correct planning of investment costs and the effective monitoring of implementation process are significant problems in the management of investment projects. At the stage of construction works, it is worth determining the trend of the performed cost curve and periodically testing the fitting to the scheduled course of the budgeted cost curve. The aim of this research was to determine the shape and course of the cost curves for selected construction projects. A procedure was developed to forecast the distribution of cumulative costs at the planning stage of construction projects using envelopes (spaces) and cost curves for three different types of buildings and construction sectors: collective residential buildings, hotel buildings, and commercial and service buildings. An assessment of the actual costs incurred of investment tasks was carried out, the trend of which the cumulative cash flow curves can be estimated with a large match by forecasting the construction process. The article determines the best fit curves and the spaces of cost curves (the banana envelope of the S-curve) using mathematical formulas (third-degree polynomials), along with developed graphs for various construction projects. The analysis of the author’s own research was used to determine the best-fit curve and the curve’s area, which indicates the area of the correct planning of cumulative costs of construction investments.
The Influence Innovation Has on the Visual Appearance and Aesthetic Preference of Architectural Products
Authors: Mridha Mozammel , Kuys Blair , Suhaimi Safia Najwa
Published: December 2022

The importance of innovation for architectural products in the building industry increases due to global competitive markets and users’ increased value given to the visual aesthetics of products. Visual appearance is crucial in architecture and product design and influences users’ product choices in many ways. Substantial research on innovation exists concerning users’ purchasing, adopting, and recommending it to others, but little research investigates the link between product innovation and aesthetic preference. This gap in knowledge prompted our investigation. Quantitative analysis of a survey of 114 respondents from Australia was conducted in this study to examine whether innovation plays a significant role in perceiving the aesthetic preference of an architectural product more than other visual appearances. Standard multiple regression using SPSS V28 was applied for statistical data analysis. Results uncovered that innovation explained the highest percentage of variance in overall aesthetic preference, and the innovativeness of a product strongly influences the visual appearance and aesthetic preference. The findings of this study offer new insight into the level of innovation for new product development where visual appearance is of high importance.
The Potential of Using Passive Cooling Roof Techniques to Improve Thermal Performance and Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings in Hot Arid Regions
Authors: Athmani Wafa , Sriti Leila , Dabaieh Marwa , Younsi Zohir
Published: December 2022

In hot dry regions, the building envelope receives abundant solar radiation, which contributes to heat stress and indoor thermal discomfort. To mitigate overheating inside spaces, cooling is the main basic requirement during most of the year. However, due to the harsh climatic conditions, buildings fail to provide passively the required comfort conditions. Consequently, they are fully dependent on-air conditioning systems, which are huge energy consumers. As roofs are exposed to the sun throughout the daytime, they are estimated to be the main source of heat stress. In return, they can contribute significantly to achieve optimum comfort and energy savings when efficient design strategies are used in an early design stage. To examine the potential for cooling load reduction and thermal comfort enhancement by using cooling roof techniques in residential buildings, a study was performed in the city of Biskra (southern Algeria). Accordingly, an in-field measurement campaign was carried out on test-cells during five days in summer. Three different cooling roof techniques were addressed: (a) cool reflective white paint (CR), (b) white ceramic tiles (CT) and (c) a cool-ventilated roof (C-VR). These roofing alternatives were investigated by monitoring both roof surface temperatures and indoor temperatures. Comparative analysis showed that a cool-ventilated roof is the most efficient solution, reducing the average indoor temperature by 4.95 °C. A dynamic simulation study was also performed based on TRNSYS software to determine the best roofing system alternatives in terms of thermal comfort and energy consumption, considering the hottest month of the year. Simulation tests were run on a base-case model representing the common individual residential buildings in Biskra. Results showed that a double-skin roof combined with cool-reflective paint is the most efficient roofing solution. By comparison to a conventional flat roof, meaningful improvements have been achieved, including reducing thermal discomfort hours by 45.29% and lowering cooling loads from 1121.91 kWh to 741.09 kWh.
Clinical Practice Evolvement for Post-Operative Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy—Part 2: Feasibility of Margin Reduction for Fractionated Radiation Treatment with Advanced Image Guidance
Authors: Laughlin Brady S. , Yu Nathan Y. , Lo Stephanie , Duan Jingwei , Welchel Zachary , Tinnon Katie , Beckett Mason , Schild Steven E. , Wong William W. , Keole Sameer R. , Rwigema Jean-Claude M. , Vargas Carlos E. , Rong Yi
Published: December 2022

Purpose: Planning target volume (PTV) expansion for post-prostatectomy radiotherapy is typically ≥5 mm. Recent clinical trials have proved the feasibility of a reduced margin of 2–3 mm for treatments on MRI-linac. We aim to study the minimum PTV margin needed using iterative cone-beam CT (iCBCT) as image guidance on conventional linacs. Materials/Methods: Fourteen patients who received post-prostatectomy irradiation (8 with an endorectal balloon and 6 without a balloon) were included in this study. Treatment was delivered with volumetric modulated radiation therapy (VMAT). Fractional dose delivery was evaluated in 165 treatment fractions. The bladder, rectal wall, femoral heads, and prostate bed clinical tumor volume (CTV) were contoured and verified on daily iCBCT. PTV margins (0 mm, 2 mm, and 4 mm) were evaluated on daily iCBCT. CTV coverage and OAR dose parameters were assessed with each PTV margin. Results: CTV D100% was underdosed with a 0 mm margin in 32% of fractions in comparison with 2 mm (6%) and 4 mm (6%) PTV margin (p ≤ 0.001). CTV D95% > 95% was met in 93–94% fractions for all PTV expansions. CTV D95% > 95% was achieved in more patients with an endorectal balloon than those without: 0 mm—90/91 (99%) vs. 63/74 (85%); 2 mm—90/91 (99%) vs. 65/75 (87%); 4 mm—90/90 (100%) vs. 63/73 (86%). There was no difference in absolute median change in CTV D95% (0.32%) for 0-, 2-, and 4 mm margins. The maximum dose remained under 108% for 100% (0 mm), 97% (2 mm), and 98% (4 mm) of images. Rectal wall maximum dose remained under 108% for 100% (0 mm), 100% (2 mm), and 98% (4 mm) of images. Conclusions: With high-quality iCBCT image guidance, PTV margin accounting for inter-fractional uncertainties can be safely reduced for post-prostatectomy radiotherapy. For fractionated radiotherapy, an isotropic expansion of 2 mm and 4 mm may be considered for margin expansion with and without the endorectal balloon. Future application for margin reduction needs to be further evaluated and considered with the advent of shorter post-prostatectomy radiation courses.
Low CD8 T Cell Counts Predict Benefit from Hypoxia-Modifying Therapy in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Smith Vicky , Mukherjee Debayan , Tsakiroglou Anna Maria , Baker Alexander , Mistry Hitesh , Choudhury Ananya , Hoskin Peter , Illidge Timothy , West Catharine M. L.
Published: December 2022

Background: As hypoxia can drive an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment and inhibit CD8+ T cells, we investigated if patients with low tumour CD8+ T cells benefitted from hypoxia-modifying therapy. Methods: BCON was a phase III trial that randomised patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) to radiotherapy alone or with hypoxia-modifying carbogen plus nicotinamide (CON). Tissue microarrays of diagnostic biopsies from 116 BCON patients were stained using multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) with the markers CD8, CD4, FOXP3, CD68 and PD-L1, plus DAPI. Hypoxia was assessed using CA9 IHC (n = 111). Linked transcriptomic data (n = 80) identified molecular subtype. Relationships with overall survival (OS) were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: High (upper quartile) vs. low CD8 T cell counts associated with a better OS across the whole cohort at 16 years (n = 116; HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.28–0.78, p = 0.003) and also in the radiotherapy alone group (n = 61; HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19–0.76, p = 0.005). Patients with low CD8+ T cells benefited from CON (n = 87; HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.4–1.0, p = 0.05), but those with high CD8 T cells did not (n = 27; p = 0.95). CA9 positive tumours had fewer CD8+ T cells (p = 0.03). Prognostic significance of low CD8+ T cells in the whole cohort remained after adjusting for clinicopathologic variables. Basal vs. luminal subtype had more CD8+ cells (p = 0.02) but was not prognostic (n = 80; p = 0.26). Exploratory analyses with other immune markers did not improve on findings obtained with CD8 counts. Conclusions: MIBC with low CD8+ T cell counts may benefit from hypoxia-modifying treatment.