bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HealthBlock: A Framework for a Collaborative Sharing of Electronic Health Records Based on Blockchain
Authors: Abdelgalil Leina , Mejri Mohamed
Published: February 2023

Electronic health records (EHRs) play an important role in our life. However, most of the time, they are scattered and saved on different databases belonging to distinct institutions (hospitals, laboratories, clinics, etc.) geographically distributed across one or many countries. Due to this decentralization and the heterogeneity of the different involved systems, medical staff are facing difficulties in correctly collaborating by sharing, protecting, and tracking their patient’s electronic health-record history to provide them with the best care. Additionally, patients have no control over their private EHRs. Blockchain has many promising future uses for the healthcare domain because it provides a better solution for sharing data while preserving the integrity, the interoperability, the availability of the classical client–server architectures used to manage EHRS. This paper proposes a framework called HealthBlock for collaboratively sharing EHRs and their privacy preservation. Different technologies have been combined to achieve this goal. The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) technology stores and shares patients’ EHRs in distributed off-chain storage and ensures the record’s immutability; Hyperledger Indy gives patients full control over their EHRs, and Hyperledger Fabric stores the patient-access control policy and delegations.
A Fractional Chemotaxis Navier–Stokes System with Matrix-Valued Sensitivities and Attractive–Repulsive Signals
Authors: Jiang Chao , Liu Zuhan , Lei Yuzhu
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we considered a fractional chemotaxis fluid system with matrix-valued sensitivities and attractive–repulsive signals on a two-dimensional periodic torus T2. This model describes the interaction between a type of cell that proliferates following a logistic law, and the diffusion of cells is fractional Laplace diffusion. The cells and attractive–repulsive signals are transported by a viscous incompressible fluid under the influence of a force due to the aggregation of cells. We proved the existence and uniqueness of the global classical solution on the matrix-valued sensitivities, and the initial data satisfied the regular conditions. Moreover, by using energy functionals, the stabilization of global bounded solutions of the system was proven.
Roles of Local Soluble Factors in Maintaining the Growth Plate: An Update
Authors: Zhang Yiqian , Ahmadpoor Xenab , Lin Hang
Published: February 2023

The growth plate is a cartilaginous tissue found at the ends of growing long bones, which contributes to the lengthening of bones during development. This unique structure contains at least three distinctive layers, including resting, proliferative, and hypertrophic chondrocyte zones, maintained by a complex regulatory network. Due to its soft tissue nature, the growth plate is the most susceptible tissue of the growing skeleton to injury in childhood. Although most growth plate damage in fractures can heal, some damage can result in growth arrest or disorder, impairing leg length and resulting in deformity. In this review, we re-visit previously established knowledge about the regulatory network that maintains the growth plate and integrate current research displaying the most recent progress. Next, we highlight local secretary factors, such as Wnt, Indian hedgehog (Ihh), and parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), and dissect their roles and interactions in maintaining cell function and phenotype in different zones. Lastly, we discuss future research topics that can further our understanding of this unique tissue. Given the unmet need to engineer the growth plate, we also discuss the potential of creating particular patterns of soluble factors and generating them in vitro.
Genetic Variants of HNF4A, WFS1, DUSP9, FTO, and ZFAND6 Genes Are Associated with Prediabetes Susceptibility and Inflammatory Markers in the Saudi Arabian Population
Authors: Binjawhar Dalal , Ansari Mohammed , Sabico Shaun , Hussain Syed , Alenad Amal , Alokail Majed , Al-Masri Abeer , Al-Daghri Nasser
Published: February 2023

Prediabetes is a reversible, intermediate stage of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Lifestyle changes that include healthy diet and exercise can substantially reduce progression to T2DM. The present study explored the association of 37 T2DM- and obesity-linked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with prediabetes risk in a homogenous Saudi Arabian population. A total of 1129 Saudi adults [332 with prediabetes (29%) and 797 normoglycemic controls] were randomly selected and genotyped using the KASPar SNP genotyping method. Anthropometric and various serological parameters were measured following standard procedures. Heterozygous GA of HNF4A-rs4812829 (0.64; 95% CI 0.47–0.86; p < 0.01), heterozygous TC of WFS1-rs1801214 (0.60; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44–0.80; p < 0.01), heterozygous GA of DUSP9-rs5945326 (0.60; 95% CI 0.39–0.92; p = 0.01), heterozygous GA of ZFAND6-rs11634397 (0.75; 95% CI 0.56–1.01; p = 0.05), and homozygous AA of FTO-rs11642841 (1.50; 95% CI 0.8–1.45; p = 0.03) were significantly associated with prediabetes, independent of age and body mass index (BMI). Additionally, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in rs11634397 (AA) with a median of 5389.0 (2767.4–7412.8) were significantly higher than in the heterozygous GA genotype with a median of 1736.3 (1024.4–4452.0) (p < 0.01). In conclusion, only five of the 37 genetic variants previously linked to T2DM and obesity in the Saudi Arabian population [HNF4A-rs4812829, WFS1-rs1801214, DUSP9-rs5945326, ZFAND6-rs11634397, FTO-rs11642841] were associated with prediabetes susceptibility. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the potential clinical value of the studied genetic variants of interest.
An Analysis Procedure for the Surviving Rural Architecture, Built with Raw Earth Mortars, in the Amatrice Area (Italy) as a Starting Point for the Development of Conservation Strategies
Authors: Porrovecchio Chiara
Published: February 2023

The contribution of this article is that it provides indications for the conservation of the surviving architecture in the Amatrice area, which was severely affected by the long seismic sequence between 2016 and 2017. The traditional construction technique was carefully studied during the safety works that were carried out in the villages from 2018 to 2020. From the studies conducted, it emerged that most of the historical building fabrics date to a post-seismic reconstruction phase of the seventeenth–eighteenth century. The masonry construction technique found on the site is homogeneous throughout the area and is based on the use of local sandstone and raw earth mortars. The mineralogical nature of the materials used for building was identified by means of specific diagnostic analyses as well as the production processes of the materials. An interpretation of the use of different materials and processes was provided by cross-referencing the analytical results with the existing data on the seismic history and on the geographical and geological characteristics of the territory; additionally, an interpretation of the development of the local historical construction techniques was provided as well. Defining conservation strategies for buildings that are still recoverable is an important objective that is aimed at safeguarding the material evidence of the local construction tradition. The same conservation strategies could be pre-emptively adopted in similar rural contexts.
Environmental Impact of Two Plant-Based, Isocaloric and Isoproteic Diets: The Vegan Diet vs. the Mediterranean Diet
Authors: Filippin Denise , Sarni Anna Rita , Rizzo Gianluca , Baroni Luciana
Published: February 2023

Food consumption is one of the major causes of climate change, resource depletion, loss of biodiversity, and other kinds of environmental impact by modern households. According to evidence, a global change in dietary habits could be the single most effective and rapid intervention to reduce anthropic pressure on the planet, especially with respect to climate change. Our study applied Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to investigate the total environmental impact of two plant-based diets: the Mediterranean and the Vegan diets, according to relevant Italian nutritional recommendations. The two diets share the same macronutrient rates and cover all the nutritional recommendations. Calculations were made on the basis of a theoretical one-week 2000 kcal/day diet. According to our calculations, the Vegan diet showed about 44% less total environmental impact when compared to the Mediterranean diet, despite the fact that the content of animal products of the latter was low (with 10.6% of the total diet calories). This result clearly supports the concept that meat and dairy consumption plays a critical role, above all, in terms of damage to human health and ecosystems. Our study supports the thesis that even a minimal-to-moderate content of animal foods has a consistent impact on the environmental footprint of a diet, and their reduction can elicit significant ecological benefits.
Parental Ethnicity and Adolescent Development: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Dataset
Authors: Lyu Lidan , Sheng Danyang , Chen Yu , Bai Yu
Published: February 2023

Adolescent developmental outcomes can vary significantly by differences in ethnicity. While previous studies have examined the impacts of adolescents’ own ethnicity on their development, little research has been conducted about the impacts of the ethnicity of both parents as an important family background factor which is likely to expose adolescents to a variety of growth environments. Using nationally representative data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) surveys, we examine the relationship between parental ethnicity (including both monoethnic families and interethnic families with intermarried Han and ethnic minority groups) and adolescent developmental outcomes, measured by academic performance, cognitive development, and health. Our results show that adolescents with interethnic parents had higher scores in literacy and mathematics tests than those of monoethnic non-Han parents, but their scores were not statistically significantly different from those in monoethnic Han families. Adolescents with interethnic parents also performed better in fluid intelligence assessments and had lower obesity rates than those with monoethnic ethnic minority parents. Our results further suggest that socioeconomic status, parental education, and education expectations partially mediate the association between interethnic parents and adolescent development. Moreover, parental ethnic composition acts as a potential moderator that influences the effects of parents’ non-agricultural work on adolescent development. Our study expands the growing body of empirical evidence on the relationship between parental ethnicity and adolescent development and is conducive to policy recommendations for interventions in the development of adolescents with ethnic minority parents.
Impact of 3D Printing on the Overall Project Success of Residential Construction Projects Using Structural Equation Modelling
Authors: Waqar Ahsan , Othman Idris , Pomares Juan
Published: February 2023

After a decade of research and development, 3D printing is now an established technique in the construction sector, complete with its own set of accepted standards. The use of 3D printing in construction might potentially improve the outcome of the project as a whole. However, traditional strategies are often used in the residential construction industry in Malaysia, which causes serious public safety and health issues along with a negative impact on the environment. In the context of project management, overall project success (OPS) has five dimensions, such as cost, time, quality, safety, and environment. Understanding the role of 3D printing in relation to OPS dimensions in Malaysian residential construction projects would allow construction professionals to adopt 3D printing more easily. The aim of the study was to find the impact of 3D construction printing on OPS while considering the implications for all five dimensions. Fifteen professionals were interviewed to first evaluate and summarise the impact factors of 3D printing using the current literature. Then, a pilot survey was conducted, and the results were checked using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The feasibility of 3D printing in the building sector was investigated by surveying industry experts. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to investigate and validate the fundamental structure and linkages between 3D printing and OPS (PLS-SEM). A strong correlation was found between 3D printing in residential projects and OPS. Highly positive implications are indicated by the environmental and safety dimensions of OPS. Malaysian decision-makers may look to the outcomes of introducing 3D printing into the residential construction industry as a modern method for increasing environmental sustainability, public health and safety, reducing cost and time, and increasing the quality of construction work. With this study’s findings in hand, construction engineering management in Malaysia’s residential building sector might benefit from a deeper understanding of how 3D printing is used for improving environmental compliance, public health and safety, and project scope.
An Educational Game to Teach Children about Air Quality Using Augmented Reality and Tangible Interaction with Sensors
Authors: Fernandes João , Brandão Tomás , Almeida Susana Marta , Santana Pedro
Published: February 2023

Air pollution is known to be one of the main causes of injuries to the respiratory system and even premature death. Gases, particles, and biological compounds affect not only the air we breathe outdoors, but also indoors. Children are highly affected by the poor quality of the air they breathe because their organs and immune systems are still in the developmental stages. To contribute to raising children’s awareness to these concerns, this article presents the design, implementation, and experimental validation of an serious augmented reality game for children to playfully learn about air quality by interacting with physical sensor nodes. The game presents visual representations of the pollutants measured by the sensor node, rendering tangible the invisible. Causal knowledge is elicited by stimulating the children to expose real-life objects (e.g., candles) to the sensor node. The playful experience is amplified by letting children play in pairs. The game was evaluated using the Wizard of Oz method in a sample of 27 children aged between 7 and 11 years. The results show that the proposed game, in addition to improving children’s knowledge about indoor air pollution, is also perceived by them as easy to use and a useful learning tool that they would like to continue using, even in other educational contexts.
Effects of Different Isometric Training Programs on Muscle Size and Function in the Elbow Flexors
Authors: Zou ZhenFei , Morimoto Naoshi , Nakatani Miyuki , Morinaga Hirotsugu , Takai Yohei
Published: February 2023

It remains unknown whether a regimen of a combination of high- and low-intensity resistance training increases muscle size and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) simultaneously. This study aimed to clarify the effect of the combination of high- and low-intensity resistance training on muscle size and neuromuscular function in the elbow flexors. Sixteen male adults participated in a 9-week isometric training regimen in elbow joint flexion of each arm. We randomly assigned two different training regimens to left and right arms: one aiming to strengthen maximal strength (ST) and the other aiming to develop muscle size as well as maximal strength, which consists of one contraction to volitional failure with 50% of MVC added to ST (COMB). Following the 3-week training to volitional failure as familiarization, the participants conducted the 6-week ST and COMB training in each arm. Before the intervention, and at the third (Mid) and ninth (Post) weeks, MVC and muscle thickness in the anterior part of the upper arm (ultrasound) were measured. Muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) was derived from the obtained muscle thickness. From Mid to Post, the relative change in MVC was similar in both arms. The COMB regimen increased muscle size, but no significant change was found in ST. Following the 3-week isometric training to volitional failure, the 6-week training regimen for developing maximal voluntary and muscle hypertrophy increased MVC, with increasing mCSA, and the training-induced change in MVC was similar to that for developing maximal voluntary strength alone.
A Bibliometric Analysis to Identify Research Trends in Intervention Programs for Smartphone Addiction
Authors: Wu Yi-Ying , Chou Wen-Huei
Published: February 2023

Smartphone addiction is a serious social problem that necessitates research. To identify trends in intervention programs for smartphone addiction, distribution of research topics, and inter-relationships in academic research. We analyzed 104 studies published between 30 June 2022, and 31 August 2022, on the Web of Science (WoS). We applied the bibliometric method and identified the relationship and development trends of academic research in the field using descriptive analysis, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, and co-occurrence. There were four findings: First, intervention programs are classified into 10 types: psychological, social support, lifestyle, technological, family, medical care, educational, exercise, mindfulness, and meditation. Second, the volume of research on intervention programs increased every year. Third, China and South Korea had the highest research involvement. Finally, academic studies were split into either the human behavior or social science categories. Most of them defined the symptoms in terms of individual behavior and social relations, implying that smartphone addiction is not yet recognized as a disorder. Smartphone addiction has not yet been internationally recognized as a disorder, despite its impact on human physiology, psychology, and social behavior. Most related studies have been conducted in Asia, specifically in China and South Korea; Spain has the most outside Asia. Additionally, most of the research subjects were students, probably because of the convenience of sampling. As smartphones gain popularity among older adults, future studies could focus on smartphone addiction among individuals of varied ages.
Association between Dementia Severity and Oral Hygiene Management Issues in Older Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Shirobe Maki , Edahiro Ayako , Motokawa Keiko , Morishita Shiho , Ohara Yuki , Motohashi Yoshiko , Iwasaki Masanori , Watanabe Yutaka , Hirano Hirohiko
Published: February 2023

Oral hygiene management issues vary across types and clinical stages of dementia. We aimed to clarify the issues related to oral hygiene management in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) according to stages defined by the Functional Assessment Staging of Alzheimer’s Disease (FAST). In all, 397 records (45 men and 352 women; average age, 86.8 years; age range, 65–106) from older adults with AD were used for the cross-sectional study. We used data from a cohort of older adults (≥65 years old) who required long-term care and lived in the Omorimachi area of Yokote City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations of the FAST stage, set as the exposure variable, with oral hygiene management parameters set as outcome variables. Compared to the reference category (combined FAST stage 1–3), FAST stages 6 and 7 had significantly higher odds ratios for refusal of oral health care, dependence in performing oral health care, and rinsing and gargling disability. FAST stages 4 and 7 were associated with dental plaque accumulation. Oral health care for older adults with AD should be planned appropriately according to dementia severity.
Comparative Morphological Evaluation of Young Women’s Breast-Bra Reshaping by Different Bra Cups
Authors: Zhong Zejun , Zhang Beibei , Hu Yupeng , Zhang Lingling , Gu Bingfei , Sun Yue
Published: February 2023

Female breasts are regarded as a factor reflecting women’s morphological beauty. An appropriate bra can fulfill aesthetic needs, thus boosting self-esteem. This study proposed a method to analyze young women’s breast-bra morphological variations between two identical bras with different bra cup thicknesses. The 3D surface scan data of 129 female students who were braless and wore a thin bra (13 mm) and a thick bra (23 mm) were analyzed. Integral sections of the breasts and bra were cut at a fixed thickness of 10 mm, and slice maps were derived. Morphological parameters were extracted in braless and the two bra conditions. The variations in breast-bra shape caused by different thicknesses of bra cups were evaluated by quantifying breast ptosis, gathering, and breast slice area. The results showed that the thin bra lifted the breasts by 2.16 cm, whereas the thick bra decreased breast separation, gathering the breasts and moving them 2.15 cm laterally towards the center of the chest wall. Moreover, prediction models constructed using the critical morphological parameters were used to characterize breast-bra shape after wearing the provided bras. The findings lay the groundwork for quantifying the breast-bra shape variation caused by different bra cup thicknesses, allowing young females to choose optimally fitting bras to achieve their desired breast aesthetics.
Rural Industrial Integration’s Impact on Agriculture GTFP Growth: Influence Mechanism and Empirical Test Using China as an Example
Authors: Wang Yafei , Huang Huanhuan , Liu Jing , Ren Jin , Gao Tingting , Chen Xinrui
Published: February 2023

Agricultural carbon emission is an significant cause of global climate change and many environmental and health problems. Achieving low-carbon and green development in agriculture is not only an inevitable choice for countries around the world to cope with climate change and the accompanying environmental and health problems, but also a necessary path for the sustainable development of global agriculture. The promotion of rural industrial integration is a practical way to realize sustainable agricultural growth and urban–rural integration development. The analysis framework of agriculture GTFP is creatively extended in this study to include the integration and growth of rural industries, rural human capital investment and rural land transfer. According to the sample data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 and the systematic GMM estimation method, and through the combination of theoretical analysis and empirical testing, this paper discusses the influence mechanism of rural industrial integration development on agriculture GTFP growth, as well as the regulating role of rural human capital investment and rural land transfer. The results show that rural industrial integration has significantly promoted the growth of agriculture GTFP. Additionally, after decomposing agriculture GTFP into the agricultural green technology progress index and agricultural green technology efficiency index, it is found that rural industrial integration has a more obvious role in promoting agricultural green technology progress. Furthermore, quantile regression found that with the increase in agricultural GTFP, the promoting effect of rural industrial integration showed an “inverted U-shaped” feature. Through heterogeneity testing, it is found that the agriculture GTFP growth effect of rural industrial integration is more obvious in areas with high level of rural industrial integration. Additionally, as the nation places more and more focus on rural industrial integration, the promotion role of rural industrial integration has become more and more obvious. The moderating effect test showed that health, education and training, migration of rural human capital investment and rural land transfer all strengthened the promoting effect of rural industrial integration on agricultural GTFP growth to varying degrees. This study provides rich policy insights for China and other developing countries around the world to address global climate change and many related environmental and monitoring issues by developing rural industrial integration, strengthening rural human capital investment and promoting agricultural land transfer to achieve sustainable agricultural growth and reduce undesirable output outputs such as agricultural carbon emissions.
Posttraumatic Growth and Subjective Well-Being in Men and Women after Divorce: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Self-Esteem
Authors: Kaleta Kinga , Mróz Justyna
Published: February 2023

Prior research has mainly examined non-adaptive responses to divorce, with less attention being paid to positive changes following the adversity of marital dissolution, especially posttraumatic growth and its consequences. The aim of this paper was to analyse the relationship between posttraumatic growth and subjective well-being, as well as the mediating and moderating role of self-esteem in this relationship among divorced men and women. The sample consisted of 209 divorcees (143 females, 66 males) aged 23–80 (M = 41.97, SD = 10.72). The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) were used in the study. Positive associations between overall posttraumatic growth, specific growth dimensions, subjective well-being and self-esteem were found. Self-esteem was confirmed as a mediator in the relationships between changes in perception of self and subjective well-being (SWB), between changes in relating to others and SWB and between appreciation for life and SWB. Self-esteem moderated the association between spiritual changes and subjective well-being; namely, changes in spirituality were positively related to happiness in individuals with lower and average self-esteem but not with high self-esteem. We found no differences between women and men in the obtained results. Self-esteem might be considered a possible psychological (mediating rather than moderating) mechanism in the transmission of PTG onto SWB in divorcees, regardless of their gender.
Lower Limb Ischemia as Acute Onset of Primary Aortic Occlusion: CTA Imaging and Management
Authors: Lassandro Giulia , Tamburrini Stefania , Liguori Carlo , Picchi Stefano Giusto , Pezzullo Filomena , Ferrandino Giovanni , Spinetti Fabio , Vigliotti Gennaro , Marano Ines , Scaglione Mariano
Published: February 2023

Primary aortic occlusion (PAO) is defined as acute occlusion in the absence of aortic atherosclerosis or aneurysm. PAO is a rare disease with acute onset and can determine massive parenchymal ischemia and distal arterial embolization. The aim of our study was to focus on the assessment of clinical characteristic, CT signs, medical and surgical treatment, complication rates and the overall survival of PAO. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of all patients with acute lower limb ischemia and a final surgical or discharge diagnosis of PAO who underwent aortic CT angiography in ER settings in our hospital from January 2019 to November 2022. Results: A total of 11 patients (8 males/3 females; male/female ratio, 2.66:1, age range 49 to 79 years-old, mean age 65.27 y/o) with acute onset of lower limb impotence or ischemia were diagnosed with PAO. The etiology was thrombosis in all patients. The aortic occlusion was always located in the abdominal aorta and extended bilaterally through the common iliac arteries. The upper limit of the thrombosis was detected in the aortic subrenal tract in 81.8% of the cases, and in the infrarenal tract in 18.2%. A total of 81.8% of the patients were referred to the ER for symptoms related to lower limb: bilateral acute pain, hypothermia and sudden onset of functional impotence. Two patients (18.2%) died before undergoing surgery for multi-organ failure determined by the severe acute ischemia. The other patients (81.8%) underwent surgical treatment that included aortoiliac embolectomy (54.5%), aortoiliac embolectomy + aorto-femoral bypass (18.2%) and aortoiliac embolectomy and right lower limb amputation (9.1%). The overall mortality was 36.4% while the estimated survival at 1 year was 63.6%. Conclusions: PAO is a rare entity with high morbidity and mortality rates if not recognized and treated promptly. Acute onset of lower limb impotence is the most common clinical presentation of PAO. Aortic CT angiography is the first-choice imaging technique for the early diagnosis of this disease and for the surgical treatment, planning and assessment of any complications. Combined with surgical treatment, anticoagulation is considered the first-line medical therapy at the time of diagnosis, during surgical treatment and after at discharge.
Improving Sleep with Far-Infrared-Emitting Pajamas: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Chen Shu-Cheng , Cheung Tin-Wai , Yu Branda , Chan Mei-Yan , Yeung Wing-Fai , Li Li
Published: February 2023

Far infrared (FIR)-based clothing may alleviate sleep disturbance. This study aimed to explore the effects of FIR-emitting pajamas on sleep quality. This was a pilot randomized, sham-controlled trial. Forty subjects with poor sleep quality were randomized to FIR-emitting-pajamas and sham-pajamas groups in a 1:1 ratio. The primary outcome measure was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Other measures included the Insomnia Severity Index, and 7 day sleep diary, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Outcomes were measured at baseline and weeks 2, 4, and 6. Both groups showed within-group improvements in the PSQI score, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. However, FIR-emitting pajamas appeared to perform better than sham pajamas in reducing the MFI-physical score, with large effect sizes at three time points (dppc2 = 0.958, 0.841, 0.896); however, the differences were statistically insignificant. The intervention compliance was satisfactory. The effects of FIR-emitting pajamas on sleep quality were not superior to those in the control group. However, these pajamas may improve physical fatigue in adults with poor sleep quality, which warrants further exploration.
Change in Alcohol Use during the Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Psychosocial Factors: A One-Year Longitudinal Study in Japan
Authors: Sugaya Nagisa , Yamamoto Tetsuya , Suzuki Naho , Uchiumi Chigusa
Published: February 2023

This study investigated changes in alcohol use and its related psychosocial factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Two online surveys were completed by participants between 15 and 20 June 2021 (phase 1) and 13 and 30 May 2022 (phase 2). A total of 9614 individuals participated in both phases (46% women, mean age = 50.0 ± 13.1 years) and a repeated three-way analysis of variance and multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted. These data analyses showed that the presence of hazardous alcohol use at phase 2 was predicted by being male and unmarried, having a higher annual household income and age, having a larger social network, and displaying fewer COVID-19 prevention behaviors at phase 1. Further, the presence of potential alcoholism at phase 2 was predicted by being male, being more anxious, having a larger social network, exercising more, showing a deterioration of economic status, having more difficulties owing to a lack of daily necessities, having less healthy eating habits, and showing fewer COVID-19 prevention behaviors at phase 1. These findings suggest that psychological problems and increased work (or academic) and economic difficulties were associated with severe alcohol problems during a later stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ready for Action! Destination Climate Change Communication: An Archetypal Branding Approach
Authors: Stankov Uglješa , Filimonau Viachaslau , Vujičić Miroslav D. , Basarin Biljana , Carmer Adam B. , Lazić Lazar , Hansen Brooke K. , Ćirić Lalić Danijela , Mujkić Dino
Published: February 2023

At the destination level, destination branding may coexist with climate change communication. These two communication streams often overlap because they are both designed for large audiences. This poses a risk to the effectiveness of climate change communication and its ability to prompt a desired climate action. The viewpoint paper advocates the use of archetypal branding approach to ground and center climate change communication at a destination level while concurrently maintaining the uniqueness of destination branding. Three archetypes of destinations are distinguished: villains, victims, and heroes. Destinations should refrain from actions that would make them appear to be climate change villains. A balanced approach is further warranted when portraying destinations as victims. Lastly, destinations should aim at assuming the heroic archetypes by excelling in climate change mitigation. The basic mechanisms of the archetypal approach to destination branding are discussed alongside a framework that suggests areas for further practical investigation of climate change communication at a destination level.
Study on the Quality of Mixed Silage of Rapeseed with Alfalfa or Myriophyllum
Authors: Chen Siwei , Wan Chen , Ma Yingjun , Zhang Keqiang , Wang Feng , Shen Shizhou
Published: February 2023

The objective of this study was to improve the comprehensive rate of utilization of rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus L.), Myriophyllum (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) spicatum and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), reduce resource waste and environmental pollution. In this experiment, the effects of different proportions of the mixed silage of rapeseed and alfalfa or M. spicatum on the fermentation and nutritional quality were analyzed and further improved the quality of mixed silage using molasses and urea. Rapeseed was separately silaged with alfalfa and M. spicatum based on the ratios of 3:7, 5:5 and 7:3. After 60 days of mixed silage, the fermentation index and nutrient contents were measured to explore the appropriate ratio of mixed silage. The mixing ratio of rapeseed and alfalfa was better at 3:7: The contents of NH3-N/TN (4.61%), lactic acid (96.46 g·kg−1 dry matter [DM]) were significantly higher (p < 0.05). The crude protein content (118.20 g·kg−1 DM) was the highest (p < 0.05), while the pH (4.56) was the lowest when the mixing ratio of rapeseed and M. spicatum was 7:3. Considering the fermentation and nutrition quality, it is suggested that rapeseed and alfalfa should be mixed as silage at a ratio of 3:7 with 3% molasses and 0.3% urea, and rapeseed and M. spicatum should be mixed as silage at a ratio of 7:3 with 3% molasses.
Removal of Copper Ions from Wastewater: A Review
Authors: Liu Yongming , Wang Haishuang , Cui Yuanyuan , Chen Nan
Published: February 2023

Copper pollution of the world’s water resources is becoming increasingly serious and poses a serious threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems. With reported copper concentrations in wastewater ranging from approximately 2.5 mg/L to 10,000 mg/L, a summary of remediation techniques for different contamination scenarios is essential. Therefore, it is important to develop low-cost, feasible, and sustainable wastewater removal technologies. Various methods for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater have been extensively studied in recent years. This paper reviews the current methods used to treat Cu(II)-containing wastewater and evaluates these technologies and their health effects. These technologies include membrane separation, ion exchange, chemical precipitation, electrochemistry, adsorption, and biotechnology. Thus, in this paper, we review the efforts and technological advances made so far in the pursuit of more efficient removal and recovery of Cu(II) from industrial wastewater and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each technology in terms of research prospects, technical bottlenecks, and application scenarios. Meanwhile, this study points out that achieving low health risk effluent through technology coupling is the focus of future research.
Relationships between Heavy Metal Concentrations in Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus L.) Tissues and Soil in Urban Parks
Authors: Rahmonov Oimahmad , Środek Dorota , Pytel Sławomir , Makieieva Natalina , Kupka Teobald
Published: February 2023

Anthropogenic ecological ecosystems create favourable conditions for the growth of the nitrophilous medicinal species Chelidonium majus in six urban parks in Southern Poland. This study focuses on the concentrations of trace elements in the soils, leaves, stems, and rhizomes of greater celandine. The soil samples were taken only in the humus horizon (A), which averaged approximately 15 cm in thickness under the clumps of Ch. majus. Regarding the reaction, the soil samples tested can be described as slightly acidic (5.6–6.8 in KCl) to alkaline (7.1–7.4 in H2O). Organic carbon content at all sites is high, ranging from 3.2% to 13.6%, while the highest total nitrogen (Nt) content is 0.664%. The average total phosphorus (Pt) content in all samples is 548.8 mg/kg (and its range is 298–940 mg/kg), such values indicating its anthropogenic origin. In terms of heavy metals, Zn has the highest content in the analysed soil samples compared to the other elements, and its range is from 394.50 mg/kg to 1363.80 mg/kg in soil. In rhizomes, Zn also has the highest values (178.7–408.3 mg/kg), whereas, in stems and leaves, it varies (from 80.6 to 227.5 and from 57.8 to 297.4 mg/kg, respectively). Spearman’s rank correlation showed high correlations between the content of Pb, Zn, Cd, and As in the soil and rhizomes of Ch. majus. Despite soil contamination with Pb, Cd, and Zn, Ch. majus does not accumulate them in its tissues. However, the translocation of Hg and Cr from rhizomes to leaves was observed. The different concentrations of metals in each park result from the degree of diversity of the parent rocks on which the soil was formed.
Classification of Spatial Objects with the Use of Graph Neural Networks
Authors: Kaczmarek Iwona , Iwaniak Adam , Świetlicka Aleksandra
Published: February 2023

Classification is one of the most-common machine learning tasks. In the field of GIS, deep-neural-network-based classification algorithms are mainly used in the field of remote sensing, for example for image classification. In the case of spatial data in the form of polygons or lines, the representation of the data in the form of a graph enables the use of graph neural networks (GNNs) to classify spatial objects, taking into account their topology. In this article, a method for multi-class classification of spatial objects using GNNs is proposed. The method was compared to two others that are based solely on text classification or text classification and an adjacency matrix. The use case for the developed method was the classification of planning zones in local spatial development plans. The experiments indicated that information about the topology of objects has a significant impact on improving the classification results using GNNs. It is also important to take into account different input parameters, such as the document length, the form of the training data representation, or the network architecture used, in order to optimize the model.
Neuroprotective Strategies for Ischemic Stroke—Future Perspectives
Authors: Haupt Matteo , Gerner Stefan T. , Bähr Mathias , Doeppner Thorsten R.
Published: February 2023

Ischemic stroke is the main cause of death and the most common cause of acquired physical disability worldwide. Recent demographic changes increase the relevance of stroke and its sequelae. The acute treatment for stroke is restricted to causative recanalization and restoration of cerebral blood flow, including both intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy. Still, only a limited number of patients are eligible for these time-sensitive treatments. Hence, new neuroprotective approaches are urgently needed. Neuroprotection is thus defined as an intervention resulting in the preservation, recovery, and/or regeneration of the nervous system by interfering with the ischemic-triggered stroke cascade. Despite numerous preclinical studies generating promising data for several neuroprotective agents, successful bench-to-bedside translations are still lacking. The present study provides an overview of current approaches in the research field of neuroprotective stroke treatment. Aside from “traditional” neuroprotective drugs focusing on inflammation, cell death, and excitotoxicity, stem-cell-based treatment methods are also considered. Furthermore, an overview of a prospective neuroprotective method using extracellular vesicles that are secreted from various stem cell sources, including neural stem cells and bone marrow stem cells, is also given. The review concludes with a short discussion on the microbiota–gut–brain axis that may serve as a potential target for future neuroprotective therapies.
Testing the Effectiveness of the Diagnostic Probing Paradigm on Italian Treebanks
Authors: Miaschi Alessio , Alzetta Chiara , Brunato Dominique , Dell’Orletta Felice , Venturi Giulia
Published: February 2023

The outstanding performance recently reached by neural language models (NLMs) across many natural language processing (NLP) tasks has steered the debate towards understanding whether NLMs implicitly learn linguistic competence. Probes, i.e., supervised models trained using NLM representations to predict linguistic properties, are frequently adopted to investigate this issue. However, it is still questioned if probing classification tasks really enable such investigation or if they simply hint at surface patterns in the data. This work contributes to this debate by presenting an approach to assessing the effectiveness of a suite of probing tasks aimed at testing the linguistic knowledge implicitly encoded by one of the most prominent NLMs, BERT. To this aim, we compared the performance of probes when predicting gold and automatically altered values of a set of linguistic features. Our experiments were performed on Italian and were evaluated across BERT’s layers and for sentences with different lengths. As a general result, we observed higher performance in the prediction of gold values, thus suggesting that the probing model is sensitive to the distortion of feature values. However, our experiments also showed that the length of a sentence is a highly influential factor that is able to confound the probing model’s predictions.
Fitness Costs and Incomplete Resistance Associated with Delayed Evolution of Practical Resistance to Bt Crops
Authors: Carrière Yves , Tabashnik Bruce E.
Published: February 2023

Insect pests are increasingly evolving practical resistance to insecticidal transgenic crops that produce Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins. Here, we analyzed data from the literature to evaluate the association between practical resistance to Bt crops and two pest traits: fitness costs and incomplete resistance. Fitness costs are negative effects of resistance alleles on fitness in the absence of Bt toxins. Incomplete resistance entails a lower fitness of resistant individuals on a Bt crop relative to a comparable non-Bt crop. In 66 studies evaluating strains of nine pest species from six countries, costs in resistant strains were lower in cases with practical resistance (14%) than without practical resistance (30%). Costs in F1 progeny from crosses between resistant and susceptible strains did not differ between cases with and without practical resistance. In 24 studies examining seven pest species from four countries, survival on the Bt crop relative to its non-Bt crop counterpart was higher in cases with practical resistance (0.76) than without practical resistance (0.43). Together with previous findings showing that the nonrecessive inheritance of resistance is associated with practical resistance, these results identify a syndrome associated with practical resistance to Bt crops. Further research on this resistance syndrome could help sustain the efficacy of Bt crops.
Ferroptosis-Related Gene SLC1A5 Is a Novel Prognostic Biomarker and Correlates with Immune Microenvironment in HBV-Related HCC
Authors: Su Hanwen , Liu Youyi , Huang Jingtao
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide with limited treatment satisfaction. Finding new therapeutic targets has remained a major challenge. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent cell death program that plays a regulatory role in HBV infection and HCC development. It is necessary to classify the roles of ferroptosis or ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in HBV-related HCC progression. (2) Methods: We conducted a matched case–control study from the TCGA database, retrospectively collecting demographic data and common clinical indicators from all subjects. The Kaplan–Meier curve, univariate and multivariate cox regression analysis of the FRGs were used to explore the risk factors for HBV-related HCC. The CIBERSORT algorithm and TIDE algorithm were executed to evaluate the functions of FRGs in the tumor-immune environment. (3) Results: A total of 145 HBV-positive HCC patients and 266 HBV-negative HCC patients were enrolled in our study. Four ferroptosis related genes (FANCD2, CS, CISD1 and SLC1A5) were positively correlated with the progression of HBV-related HCC. Among them, SLC1A5 was an independent risk factor for HBV-related HCC, and correlated with poor prognosis, advanced progression and an immunosuppression microenvironment. (4) Conclusions: Here, we revealed that a ferroptosis-related gene, SLC1A5, may be an excellent predictor of HBV-related HCC and may provide insight into the development of innovative possible therapeutic techniques.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Liposuction for Lower Limb versus Upper Limb Lymphedema
Authors: Yoshida Shuhei , Imai Hirofumi , Roh Solji , Mese Toshiro , Koshima Isao
Published: February 2023

Objective: Liposuction is the most frequently performed debulking procedure in patients with lymphedema. However, it remains uncertain whether liposuction is equally effective for upper extremity lymphedema (UEL) and lower extremity lymphedema (LEL). In this study, we retrospectively compared the effectiveness of liposuction according to whether it was performed for LEL or UEL, and identified factors associated with outcomes. Materials and Methods: All patients had been treated at least once by lymphovenous anastomosis or vascularized lymphatic transplant before liposuction but without sufficient volume reduction. The patients were divided into an LEL group and a UEL group, and then subdivided further according to whether they completed their planned compression therapy into an LEL compliance group, an LEL non-compliance group, a UEL compliance group, and a UEL non-compliance group. The reduction rates in LEL (REL) and in UEL (REU) were compared between the groups. Results: In total, 28 patients with unilateral lymphedema were enrolled (LEL compliance group, n = 12; LEL non-compliance group, n = 6; UEL compliance group, n = 10; UEL non-compliance group, n = 0). The non-compliance rate was significantly higher in the LEL group than in the UEL group (p = 0.04). REU was significantly higher than REL (100.1 ± 37.3% vs. 59.3 ± 49.4%; p = 0.03); however, there was no significant difference between REL in the LEL compliance group (86 ± 31%) and REU in the UEL group (101 ± 37%) (p = 0.32). Conclusion: Liposuction seems to be more effective in UEL than in LEL, probably because the compression therapy required for management after liposuction is easier to implement for UEL. The lower pressure and smaller coverage area required for postoperative management after liposuction in the upper limb may explain why liposuction is more effective in UEL than in LEL.