bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Information and Future Internet Security, Trust and Privacy
Authors: Meng Weizhi , Giannetsos Thanassis , Jensen Christian D.
Published: December 2022

The Internet has rapidly grown into a distributed and collaborative network with over one billion users, e.g., the Internet of Things (IoT). The future Internet will become the core of the next information infrastructure in regard to computation and communication, being capable of extensibility, survivability, mobility, and adaptability. However, with the increasing complexity of the future Internet and boost in information sharing, there is a threat to such infrastructure in the aspects of security, trust, and privacy. This editorial discusses the state-of-the-art advancements in information and the future internet.
Improved Performance in the Control of DC-DC Three-Phase Power Electronic Converter Using Fractional-Order SMC and Synergetic Controllers and RL-TD3 Agent
Authors: Nicola Marcel , Nicola Claudiu-Ionel
Published: December 2022

In this article, starting from a benchmark represented by a Direct Current-to-Direct Current (DC-DC) three-phase power electronic converter used as an interface and interconnection between the grid and a DC microgrid, we compare the performances of a series of control structures—starting with the classical proportional integrator (PI) type and continuing with more advanced ones, such as sliding mode control (SMC), integer-order synergetic, and fractional-order (FO) controllers—in terms of maintaining the constant DC voltage of the DC microgrid. We present the topology and the mathematical modeling using differential equations and transfer functions of the DC-DC three-phase power electronic converter that provides the interface between the grid and a DC microgrid. The main task of the presented control systems is to maintain the DC voltage supplied to the microgrid at an imposed constant value, regardless of the total value of the current absorbed by the consumers connected to the DC microgrid. We present the elements of fractional calculus that were used to synthesize a first set of FO PI, FO tilt-integral-derivative (TID), and FO lead-lag controllers with Matlab R2021b and the Fractional-order Modeling and Control (FOMCON) toolbox, and these controllers significantly improved the control system performance of the DC-DC three-phase power electronic converter compared to classical PI controllers. The next set of proposed and synthesized controllers were based on SMC, together with its more general and flexible synergetic control variant, and both integer-order and FO controllers were developed. The proposed control structures are cascade control structures combining the SMC properties of robustness and control over nonlinear systems for the outer voltage control loop with the use of properly tuned synergetic controllers to obtain faster response time for the inner current control loop. To achieve superior performance, this type of cascade control also used a properly trained reinforcement learning-twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (RL-TD3) agent, which provides correction signals overlapping with the command signals of the current and voltage controllers. We present the Matlab/Simulink R2021b implementations of the synthesized controllers and the RL-TD3 agent, along with the results of numerical simulations performed for the comparison of the performance of the control structures.
On Ψ-Hilfer Fractional Integro-Differential Equations with Non-Instantaneous Impulsive Conditions
Authors: Arul Ramasamy , Karthikeyan Panjayan , Karthikeyan Kulandhaivel , Geetha Palanisamy , Alruwaily Ymnah , Almaghamsi Lamya , El-hady El-sayed
Published: December 2022

We establish sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions of an integral boundary value problem for a Ψ-Hilfer fractional integro-differential equations with non-instantaneous impulsive conditions. The main results are proved with a suitable fixed point theorem. An example is given to interpret the theoretical results. In this way, we generalize recent interesting results.
Quantifying Particle Breakage and Its Evolution Using Breakage Indices and Grading Entropy Coordinates
Authors: Leak James , Barreto Daniel , Dimitriadi Vasiliki , Imre Emőke
Published: December 2022

Particle breakage in soils is a well-recognised behaviour. Conventional methods for quantifying the breakage process rely on calculating the area between the particle size distribution (PSD) curves produced before and after crushing. A key aspect of breakage is understanding the process across the different size/sieve fractions. Grading entropy coordinates allow for the representation of any PSD to be shown as a single point on a Cartesian plane and are able to track grading evolution with relative ease. In this study, grading entropy coordinates are compared to three commonly used breakage indices (Br, Br* and IG). It is shown that grading entropy coordinates are advantageous over the traditional indices in quantifying subtle changes in the PSD evolution and directly provide further insight with regards to the individual fraction sizes. It is also discussed that conventional breakage indices rely on relative measures and are dependent on assumptions of an initial and/or final PSD. In contrast, grading entropy coordinates depend only on the characteristics of the (current) PSD curve. It was also observed that the breakage evolution captured by the entropy coordinates is able to determine the rate at which differently sized particles break as differently sized particles take on stress. Moreover, it is suggested that entropy coordinates may also stress path dependency, a feature not present in conventional indices.
Trends in Higher Education
Authors: Kanuka Heather
Published: December 2022

Higher education has experienced tumultuous times for at least the last half of the century, and, at present, the turbulence continues to be unparalleled [...]
Application of GIS Techniques in Identifying Artificial Groundwater Recharging Zones in Arid Regions: A Case Study in Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka
Authors: Kariyawasam Tiran , Basnayake Vindhya , Wanniarachchi Susantha , Sarukkalige Ranjan , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: December 2022

Groundwater resources are severely threatened not only in terms of their quality but also their quantity. The availability of groundwater in arid regions is highly important as it caters to domestic needs, irrigation, and industrial purposes in those areas. With the increasing population and human needs, artificial recharging of groundwater has become an important topic because of rainfall scarcity, high evaporation, and shortage of surface water resources in arid regions. However, this has been given the minimum attention in the context of Sri Lanka. Therefore, the current research was carried out to demarcate suitable sites for the artificial recharging of aquifers with the help of geographic information system (GIS) techniques, in one of the water-scarce regions in Sri Lanka. Tissamaharama District Secretariat Division (DSD) is located in Hambanthota district. This region faces periodic water stress with a low-intensity seasonal rainfall pattern and a lack of surface water sources. Hydrological, geological, and geomorphological parameters such as rainfall, soil type, slope, drainage density, and land use patterns were considered to be the most influential parameters in determining the artificial recharging potential in the study area. The GIS tools were used to carry out a weighted overlay analysis to integrate the effects of each parameter into the potential for artificial groundwater recharge. The result of the study shows that 14.60% of the area in the Tissamaharama DSD has a very good potential for artificial groundwater recharge, while 41.32% has a good potential and 39.03% and 5.05% have poor and very poor potential for artificial groundwater recharge, respectively. The southern part of the DSD and the Yala nature reserve areas are observed to have a higher potential for artificial groundwater recharge than the other areas of Tissamaharama DSD. It is recommended to test the efficiency and effects of groundwater recharge using groundwater models by simulating the effects of groundwater recharge in future studies. Therefore, the results of the current research will be helpful in effectively managing the groundwater resources in the study area.
Variance Analysis in China’s Coal Mine Accident Studies Based on Data Mining
Authors: Zhou Tianmo , Zhu Yunqiang , Sun Kai , Chen Jialin , Wang Shu , Zhu Huazhong , Wang Xiaoshuang
Published: December 2022

The risk of coal mine accidents rises significantly with mining depth, making it urgent for accident prevention to be supported by both scientific analysis and advanced technologies. Hence, a comprehensive grasp of the research progress and differences in hotspots of coal mine accidents in China serves as a guide to find the shortcomings of studies in the field, promote the effectiveness of coal mine disaster management, and enhance the prevention and control ability of coal mine accidents. This paper analyzes Chinese and foreign literature based on data mining algorithms (LSI + Apriori), and the findings indicate that: (1) 99% of the available achievements are published in Chinese or English-language journals, with the research history conforming to the stage of Chinese coal industry development, which is characterized by “statistical description, risk evaluation, mechanism research, and intelligent reasoning”. (2) Chinese authors are the primary contributors that lead and contribute to the continued development of coal mine accident research in China globally. Over 81% of the authors and over 60% of the new authors annually are from China. (3) The emphasis of the Chinese and English studies is different. Specifically, the Chinese studies focus on the analysis of accident patterns and causes at the macroscale, while the English studies concentrate on the occupational injuries of miners at the small-scale and the mechanism of typical coal mine disasters (gas and coal spontaneous combustion). (4) The research process in Chinese is generally later than that in English due to the joint influence of the target audience, industrial policy, and scientific research evaluation system. After 2018, the Chinese studies focus significantly on AI technology in deep mining regarding accident rules, regional variation analysis, risk monitoring and early warning, as well as knowledge intelligence services, while the hotspots of English studies remain unchanged. Furthermore, both Chinese and English studies around 2019 focus on “public opinion”, with Chinese ones focusing on serving the government to guide the correct direction of public opinion while English studies focus on critical research of news authenticity and China’s safety strategy.
Calibration of Methods for SARS-CoV-2 Environmental Surveillance: A Case Study from Northwest Tuscany
Authors: Verani Marco , Federigi Ileana , Muzio Sara , Lauretani Giulia , Calà Piergiuseppe , Mancuso Fabrizio , Salvadori Roberto , Valentini Claudia , La Rosa Giuseppina , Suffredini Elisabetta , Carducci Annalaura
Published: December 2022

The current pandemic has provided an opportunity to test wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a complementary method to SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in the community. However, WBE infection estimates can be affected by uncertainty factors, such as heterogeneity in analytical procedure, wastewater volume, and population size. In this paper, raw sewage SARS-CoV-2 samples were collected from four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Tuscany (Northwest Italy) between February and December 2021. During the surveillance period, viral concentration was based on polyethylene glycol (PEG), but its precipitation method was modified from biphasic separation to centrifugation. Therefore, in parallel, the recovery efficiency of each method was evaluated at lab-scale, using two spiking viruses (human coronavirus 229E and mengovirus vMC0). SARS-CoV-2 genome was found in 80 (46.5%) of the 172 examined samples. Lab-scale experiments revealed that PEG precipitation using centrifugation had the best recovery efficiency (up to 30%). Viral SARS-CoV-2 load obtained from sewage data, adjusted by analytical method and normalized by population of each WWTP, showed a good association with the clinical data in the study area. This study highlights that environmental surveillance data need to be carefully analyzed before their use in the WBE, also considering the sensibility of the analytical methods.
Assessment of Urban Flood Vulnerability Using the Integrated Framework and Process Analysis: A Case from Nanjing, China
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhu Yifan , Yu Ping
Published: December 2022

Flooding is a serious challenge that increasingly affects residents as well as policymakers. Many studies have noted that decreasing the urban flood vulnerability (UFV) is an indispensable strategy for reducing flood risks; however, some studies have several pertinent assessment limitations. The objective of this study is to assess the UFV of the Xuanwu-Qinhuai-Jianye-Gulou-Yuhua (XQJGY) region from 2012 to 2018 by integrating various indicators into a composite index. This study uses the environment for visualizing images (ENVI) and the geographic information system (GIS) to extract indicators that have geographic attributes for the assessment of UFV and the process analysis method is then used to explore the relationship between these indicators. The results indicated that: (1) The UFV of Xuanwu, Qinhuai, and Gulou decreased from 2012 to 2018 and the UFV of Jianye and Gulou increased from 2012 to 2015 and decreased from 2015 to 2018. (2) The vegetation coverage, precipitation during the flood season, population density, and highway density significantly contributed to the UFV. (3) There also exist transformation pathways between the indicators that led to vulnerability in five districts. This study provides a theoretical basis for the government to manage floods.
Examining the Planning Policies of Urban Villages Guided by China’s New-Type Urbanization: A Case Study of Hangzhou City
Authors: Wu Yue , Zhang Yi , Han Zexu , Zhang Siyuan , Li Xiangyi
Published: December 2022

Planning policies have greatly influenced the development of urban villages, an informal phenomenon in which rural settlements are encircled by urban environments during China’s rapid urbanization process. “The National New-type Urbanization Plan (2014–2020)” of China initiated in 2014 provides a new perspective on planning policy research on China’ urban villages. Hangzhou, a pioneer city that adopts new-type urbanization in China and combines the characteristics of rapid urban growth, mountainous urban terrains, and a long cultural history, serves as a typical case study to compare the planning policies responding to the informality of urban villages guided by traditional and new-type urbanization. This study employed the content analysis method to analyze the evolution of Hangzhou’s planning policies of urban villages since the reform and opening up and used one-way ANOVA to analyze the differences in rental levels among the urban villages developed under the planning policies of different urbanization stages, aiming to compare the influences of planning policies guided by traditional and new-type urbanization on urban village development. The results indicate that the policies allowing some degree of informality in the new-type urbanization stage achieve a higher rental level for urban villages than the policies of the traditional urbanization stages that restrict and prevent informality. The findings of this research suggest that informality may provide advantages that formality cannot replace and provides important policy implications for rapidly urbanizing countries.
Personality Determinants of Diet Health Quality among an Elite Group of Polish Team Athletes
Authors: Gacek Maria , Wojtowicz Agnieszka , Popek Adam
Published: December 2022

The aim of the study was to analyse personality determinants of diet health quality among of an elite group of Polish team athletes. The correlations between personality traits of the big five model and the indices of diet health quality (the pro-healthy diet index, pHDI-10 and the non-healthy diet index, nHDI-14) were assessed. Research was carried out among 213 athletes (males), using the beliefs and eating habits questionnaire (Kom-PAN) and the neuroticism extraversion openness personality inventory—revised (NEO-PI-R). Statistical analysis was performed with the use of Pearson’s linear and Spearman’s signed rank correlation coefficients as well as multiple regression, assuming the significance level of α = 0.05. It has been shown that the pro-healthy diet index (pHDI-10) decreased with increasing Neuroticism, while an increase was noted along with increasing Extraversion. In the case of the non-healthy diet index (nHDI-14) a decrease along with a simultaneous increase in the level of Agreeableness (p < 0.05). Significant (but weak) correlations have been indicated between personality traits and diet health quality. The identified dependencies may be used to personalise the impact of dietary education among athletes.
Genotoxicity and Reproductive Risk in Workers Exposed to Pesticides in Rural Areas of Curicó, Chile: A Pilot Study
Authors: Landeros Natalia , Duk Soledad , Márquez Carolina , Inzunza Bárbara , Acuña-Rodríguez Ian S. , Zúñiga-Venegas Liliana A.
Published: December 2022

Significant risks to human health have been associated with chronic exposure to low doses of pesticides, a situation which may be frequent among agricultural workers. In this context, and regarding the agricultural-based economy of central Chile, we aimed to explore the genotoxic damage in agricultural workers and reproductive risk among women in rural and urban areas of Curicó, a traditional agricultural district in Chile. Hence, we sampled a group of rural agricultural workers associated with pesticide management (n = 30) and an urban unexposed group (n = 30). Our results showed that the agricultural workers had higher micronuclei frequencies (MN: β = 13.27; 95% CI low = 11.08, CI high = 15.47) and women had a 40-fold higher risk of reproductive problems (OR = 40.32; 95% CI low = 2.60, CI high = 624.31) than the unexposed group. The factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD) showed that neither the sex nor smoking habits appear to define the ordination of the data. Nevertheless, the exposure level did segregate them in the multidimensional space (explained variance: 35.38% dim-1; 18.63% dim-2). This pilot study highlights the higher risks of biological conditions negatively associated with the health of agricultural workers.
Dietary Patterns in Adolescent Obesity as Predictors of Long-Term Success Following an Intensive Inpatient Lifestyle Programme
Authors: Brauchmann Jana , Bau Anne-Madeleine , Mensink Gert B. M. , Richter Almut , Ernert Andrea , Keller Theresa , Wiegand Susanna
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: Lifestyle interventions for adolescents with obesity show minor long-term effects on anthropometric parameters. The persistence of dietary changes after obesity inpatient rehabilitation has not been sufficiently investigated. (2) Objectives: To analyse dietary patterns in German adolescents with obesity as predictors of long-term success following an intensive inpatient lifestyle programme regarding food choices as well as body weight and comorbidities. (3) Methods: Food consumption data of 137 German adolescents with obesity aged 10-17 years were collected by a nutrition interview. Cluster analysis was used to group the participants according to their food consumption. Dietary patterns, changes in body weight and insulin resistance were compared over a 2-year-period. (4) Results: Three dietary patterns were identified. Big Eaters (n = 32) consume high amounts of total sugar and meat, Moderate Eaters (n = 66) have a diet comparable to the national average, and Snackers (n = 39) have a particularly high consumption of total sugar. Big Eaters and Snackers significantly reduced the consumption of total sugar. Among Moderate Eaters, no persistent changes were observed. (5) Conclusion: Weight reduction interventions can induce long-lasting changes in the diet of adolescents with obesity. Therefore, the success of a weight reduction intervention should not be determined by weight reduction only.
Disparities in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Bile Duct Cancer in People with Disabilities: A National Cohort Study in South Korea
Authors: Park Seon Mee , Kim So Young , Yeob Kyoung Eun , Shin Dong Wook , Han Joung-Ho , Park Jong Heon , Park Jong Hyock
Published: December 2022

We aimed to evaluate the impacts of disability on the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of bile duct cancer (BDC) according to the severity and type of disability. Patients diagnosed with BDC were selected from an age- and sex-matched population (1:3 ratio) with or without disabilities from the National Disability Database, the Korean Central Cancer Registry, and the Korean National Health Insurance claims database. The cohort included 15,065 patients with BDC, with a significantly lower rate in those with severe disabilities than in people without or with mild disabilities (110.6 vs. 136.5 vs. 147.6 per 105 persons, respectively). People with severe disabilities were diagnosed with BDC at an earlier age but were less likely to undergo surgery (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45–0.61) or chemotherapy (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61–0.95) compared to those without disabilities. This trend was more evident in patients with mental disabilities. The overall and cancer-specific mortality rates were higher in patients (especially women) with disabilities than in those without. There needs systemic approach to ensure equal access to quality cancer care for people with disabilities.
Pathways Linking Housing Inequalities and Health Outcomes among Migrant and Refugee Populations in High-Income Countries: A Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review
Authors: Rana Kritika , Page Andrew , Kent Jennifer L. , Arora Amit
Published: December 2022

Several high-income countries are currently experiencing an unprecedented and multifaceted housing crisis. The crisis is escalating rapidly, and its negative ramifications are shared disproportionately by migrant and refugee communities. Although housing is often cited as an important social determinant of health, the relationship between housing inequalities and health outcomes in the context of migrant and refugee populations remain under-explored, particularly in high-income countries. This paper presents a protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review which will synthesize the evidence on the key housing and health inequalities faced by migrant and refugee populations in high-income countries. It will inform the identification of pathways linking housing inequalities to health outcomes. The protocol for this systematic review was developed with guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for mixed-methods systematic reviews using a convergent integrated approach to synthesis and integration, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies reporting the association of housing inequalities with physical and mental health outcomes among refugee and migrant populations in high-income countries will be included. Medline, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus and CINAHL will be searched for peer-reviewed literature. This will be supplemented by gray literature searches using Google Scholar, MedNar and WHOLIS. Two reviewers will independently screen and select studies, assess the methodological quality and conduct data extraction. This systematic review will elucidate the different pathways linking housing inequalities and health outcomes, which may guide the development of targeted housing and public health interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of migrant and refugee populations. The review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022362868).
Investigating the Association between Streetscapes and Mental Health in Zhanjiang, China: Using Baidu Street View Images and Deep Learning
Authors: Zhang Anjing , Zhai Shiyan , Liu Xiaoxiao , Song Genxin , Feng Yuke
Published: December 2022

Mental health is one of the main factors that significantly affect one’s life. Previous studies suggest that streets are the main activity space for urban residents and have important impacts on human mental health. Existing studies, however, have not fully examined the relationships between streetscape characteristics and people’s mental health on a street level. This study thus aims to explore the spatial patterns of urban streetscape features and their associations with residents’ mental health by age and sex in Zhanjiang, China. Using Baidu Street View (BSV) images and deep learning, we extracted the Green View Index (GVI) and the street enclosure to represent two physical features of the streetscapes. Global Moran’s I and hotspot analysis methods were used to examine the spatial distributions of streetscape features. We find that both GVI and street enclosure tend to cluster, but show almost opposite spatial distributions. The Results of Pearson’s correlation analysis show that residents’ mental health does not correlate with GVI, but it has a significant positive correlation with the street enclosure, especially for men aged 31 to 70 and women over 70-year-old. These findings emphasize the important effects of streetscapes on human health and provide useful information for urban planning.
The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Bryła Paweł , Chatterjee Shuvam , Ciabiada-Bryła Beata
Published: December 2022

Social media have progressed drastically in building successful consumer engagement both in brand building and sustainable consumption. This paper is a review of the articles concerning the influence of social media marketing on consumer engagement in sustainable consumption practices published over the last 8 years. We follow the PRISMA technique as a methodological approach. The review investigates 70 empirical research articles published between 2014 and 2022. A total of 70% of the reviewed articles were published during the last two years. The most influential theories in this field of study are relationship marketing and consumer engagement (16 articles), social exchange (10), and sustainable consumption (8). The most commonly used methods are quantitative (in as many as 61 of the 70 reviewed articles). A careful analysis of the reviewed articles suggests that the tools that are consistently contributing to sustainable consumption are influencer marketing along with creating meaningful content with the right balance of content design, quality, and creativity, as well as the use of emojis. Consumer involvement with a brand relationship quality is key to a sustainable lifestyle. Young individuals with an entrepreneurial vision and a high drive for increased social status demonstrate the highest social media engagement in sustainable consumption.
Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial Activity, and Withdrawal Period of Essential Oil-Based Pharmaceutical Formulation in Bovine Mastitis Treatment
Authors: Kovačević Zorana , Tomanić Dragana , Čabarkapa Ivana , Šarić Ljubiša , Stanojević Jovan , Bijelić Katarina , Galić Ivan , Ružić Zoran , Erdeljan Mihajlo , Kladar Nebojša
Published: December 2022

Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the risk it represents to public health, and the possible consequences for animal health and welfare, there is an increasing focus on reducing antimicrobial usage (AMU) in animal husbandry. Therefore, a great interest in developing alternatives to AMU in livestock production is present worldwide. Recently, essential oils (EOs) have gained great attention as promising possibilities for the replacement of antibiotics. The current study aimed to test the potential of using a novel EO-based pharmaceutical formulation (Phyto-Bomat) in bovine mastitis treatment. The antibacterial activity was performed using the microdilution technique. Lactating dairy cows were treated with 15 mL of Phyto-Bomat in the inflamed quarter for 5 consecutive days in order to analyze blood and milk samples for thymol and carvacrol residues using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Antimicrobial activity expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) indicates that this formulation has the highest activity against Gram-positive strains. The dominant compounds in Phyto-Bomat were thymol and carvacrol, at 12.58 ± 1.23 mg/mL and 23.11 ± 2.31 mg/mL, respectively. The quantification of these two compounds in evaluated biological samples showed that 24 h after administration the concentration of thymol and carvacrol in milk samples was at the same level as before application. On the other hand, thymol and carvacrol were detectable in plasma samples even after 24 h post-treatment, with values ranging from 0.15–0.38 and 0.21–0.66 µg/mL, respectively. The tested formulation showed encouraging results of antibacterial activity against bovine mastitis pathogens, as well as the withdrawal period of dominant compounds, which implies that further testing regarding the bacteriological and clinical cure rates in clinical settings is needed.
Will Joining Cooperative Promote Farmers to Replace Chemical Fertilizers with Organic Fertilizers?
Authors: Wei Guangcheng , Kong Xiangzhi , Wang Yumeng
Published: December 2022

This study examines whether cooperatives can assist more than 200 million farmers in China, who are facing tightening resources and environmental constraints, in adopting green farming practices. A framework for counterfactual analysis was established to quantify the impact of farmers joining cooperatives on the reduction in chemical fertilizer consumption and the use of organic fertilizers. The study’s conclusions are based on data from 712 farmers in four counties in Shandong and Henan provinces. Joining a cooperative can have a positive impact on farmers’ selection of environmentally friendly production methods, which increases the likelihood of farmers reducing chemical fertilizer application by 35.6% and organic fertilizer application by 22.0%. It can also reduce the cost of chemical fertilizer application by an average of $209.2/ha. The extent to which smallholder farmers use chemical and organic fertilizers after joining cooperatives depends on the size of their farming operations and their perception of green production.
Pathogenic Potential of Respirable Spodumene Cleavage Fragments following Application of Regulatory Counting Criteria for Asbestiform Fibres
Authors: Gardner Melinda , Cross Martyn , Reed Sue , Davidson Maggie , Hughes Rick , Oosthuizen Jacques
Published: December 2022

Health risks from exposure to lithium-bearing spodumene cleavage fragments are unknown. While asbestiform fibres can lead to fibrosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer, controversy remains whether non-asbestiform cleavage fragments, having equivalent dimensions, elicit similar pathologic responses. The mineralogy of respirable particles from two alpha (α)-spodumene concentrate grades (chemical and technical) were characterised using semi-quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD). Particles were measured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the dimensions (length [L], diameter [D], aspect ratio [AR]) applied to regulatory counting criteria for asbestiform fibres. Application of the current World Health Organization (WHO) and National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) counting criteria, L ˃ 5 µm, D ˂ 3 µm, AR ˃ 3:1, to 10 SEM images of each grade identified 47 countable particles in the chemical and 37 in the technical concentrate test samples. Of these particles, 17 and 16 in the chemical and technical test samples, respectively, satisfied the more rigorous, previously used Mines Safety and Inspection Regulations 1995 (Western Australia [WA]) criteria, L ˃ 5 µm and D ≤ 1 µm. The majority of the countable particles were consistent with α-spodumene cleavage fragments. These results suggest elongated α-spodumene particles may pose a health risk. It is recommended the precautionary principle be applied to respirable α-spodumene particles and the identification and control of dust hazards in spodumene extraction, handling and processing industries be implemented.
Preparation of Graphite Phase g-C3N4 Supported Metal Oxide Activator and Its Performance in Activating Peroxodisulfate Degradation of Methyl Orange
Authors: Yang Nan , Zhang Zhihan , Zhang Shicheng , Chen Liting , Zhu Jia , Gao Jingsi
Published: December 2022

In order to improve the catalytic activity and recycling performance of semiconductor activators, and improve the activation pathway of persulfate, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) was prepared by calcining melamine, and a composite activator Ag2O/g-C3N4 based on g-C3N4 supported metal oxide was prepared using a precipitation method. The morphology, structure, and basic properties of the composites were characterized using SEM, XRD, FT-IR and XPS. The activation efficiency of the Ag2O/g-C3N4 composite activator on peroxodisulfate (PDS) was explored. The results showed that Ag2O in the composite activator was highly dispersed on the surface of g-C3N4 and did not change the molecular structure of g-C3N4 significantly. Under different activation systems, the degradation process of MO was best fitted under the pseudo-second-order reaction kinetic model, compared to the separate g-C3N4 or Ag2O activated PDS systems; the activation of the PDS system with Ag2O/g-C3N4 had the best effect on MO degradation; and the composite activator Ag2O/g-C3N4 showed better activation performance. Under the conditions that the mass combined ratio of Ag2O in the activator was 12%, the initial concentration of PDS was 4 mmol/L, the initial concentration of the activator was 1.25 g/L, and the initial pH was 3, the degradation degree of MO reached 99.4% after 40 min reaction. The free radical quenching experiment proved that the active substances that could degrade MO in the system were SO4−· and ·OH, and the effect of SO4−· was greater than that of ·OH. The degradation degree of MO in the reaction system remained above 80% after four cycles of use, and the crystal structure of Ag2O/g-C3N4 did not change significantly before and after the reaction. The above results show that Ag2O/g-C3N4 is an efficient and stable composite activator with good application potential in the treatment of dye wastewater by activating PDS.
Impact of Air Pollution and COVID-19 Infection on Periprocedural Death in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Sielski Janusz , Jóźwiak Małgorzata Anna , Kaziród-Wolski Karol , Siudak Zbigniew , Jóźwiak Marek
Published: December 2022

Air pollution and COVID-19 infection affect the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. The impact of these factors on the course of ACS treatment is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of air pollution, COVID-19 infection, and selected clinical factors on the occurrence of perioperative death in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) by developing a neural network model. This retrospective study included 53,076 patients with ACS from the ORPKI registry (National Registry of Invasive Cardiology Procedures) including 2395 COVID-19 (+) patients and 34,547 COVID-19 (−) patients. The neural network model developed included 57 variables, had high performance in predicting perioperative patient death, and had an error risk of 0.03%. Based on the analysis of the effect of permutation on the variable, the variables with the greatest impact on the prediction of perioperative death were identified to be vascular access, critical stenosis of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) or left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Air pollutants and COVID-19 had weaker effects on end-point prediction. The neural network model developed has high performance in predicting the occurrence of perioperative death. Although COVID-19 and air pollutants affect the prediction of perioperative death, the key predictors remain vascular access and critical LMCA or LAD stenosis.
“That Was the Happiest Time of My Life”: Understanding Childhood Eco-Connections in Appalachian Communities
Authors: Hamby Sherry , Montgomery Katherine M. , Storer Heather L. , Banyard Victoria
Published: December 2022

The goal of this study was to explore facets of childhood eco-connections, using retrospective qualitative data from adults. One hundred and forty-five adults from predominantly rural and small-town communities in southern Appalachia (71.7% female), average age 36.23 years (SD = 12.08) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews on key life experiences and the places they grew up. Mentions about place-related childhood memories or interactions were grouped into four themes based on exploratory thematic content analysis: nature nostalgia (positive reminiscences about nature experiences); nature immersion (extensive contact with the natural world during childhood); formative experiences with nature (nature interactions that taught a skill or life lesson); and rhythms of nature (appreciation of seasonal or cyclical patterns). Childhood eco-connections are multifaceted and often emerge from early impactful or intense experiences. Pro-environmentalism messages to youth may benefit from more references to childhood eco-connections.
Prevalence of Perceived Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in HCW in Kosovo during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Arenliu Qosaj Fatime , Weine Stevan Merrill , Sejdiu Pleurat , Hasani Fekrije , Statovci Shukrije , Behluli Vigan , Arenliu Aliriza
Published: December 2022

A pandemic may have a negative impact on healthcare workers’ (HCW) mental health. In this cross-sectional study, we assess the self-reported prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression and identify their predictive factors among HCW in Kosovo. The online questionnaire collected data on socio-demographics (sex, age, occupation, education, workplace) and the presence and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress through the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, t-test, and linear logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Of the 545 respondents, the majority were male (53.0%), under 60 years of age (94.7%), and married (81.7%). Most of them were physicians (78.2%), while the remaining were nurses, midwives, and other health professionals (22%). Prevalence rates for moderate to extremely high stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were 21.9%, 13.0%, and 13.9%, respectively. The nurses reported significantly higher mean scores for depression and anxiety than the physicians (p < 0.05). Being married, having poor health, not exercising, and reporting “burnout” from work significantly predicted higher levels of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms among health workers (p < 0.05). Most HCWs (71.6%) reported a mild, moderate, or severe mental health burden, and certain factors predicted higher levels of such burden.
Interdisciplinary Cooperation in Technical, Medical, and Social Sciences: A Focus on Creating Accessibility
Authors: Zawadzka Dominika , Ratajczak-Szponik Natalia , Ostrowska Bożena
Published: December 2022

Accessibility and Universal Design (UD) is an area of professional interest for architects and occupational therapists, but college curricula rarely include both broader and collaborative education in this area. This article presents the experience of the inter-university, interdisciplinary project “Joint Architecture Initiative” (JAI), with the participation of students from the University of Science and Technology, University of Health and Sport Science, and Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw (Poland). The JAI project is a response of the university community of Wroclaw to the social-urban campaign “Life Without Barriers” and the needs of residents—the elderly and people with disabilities—for adaptation and modification of housing. The paper presents the theoretical background of the problem, the stages of implementation of the JAI project from the perspective of the model—human–environment–occupation—the tasks of project team members, and the justification for the need to create interdisciplinary teams from the area of technical and health sciences, with particular emphasis on occupational therapy practice (OTP).
Acoustic Biotopes, Listeners and Sound-Induced Action: A Case Study of Operating Rooms
Authors: Özcan Elif , Broekmeulen Cornelis L. H. , Luck Zoe Alexandra , van Velzen Monique , Stappers Pieter Jan , Edworthy Judy Reed
Published: December 2022

As socio-technological environments shape and direct listener behaviour, an ecological account is needed that encompasses listening in complexity (i.e., multiple listeners, multiple sounds and their sources, and multiple sound-induced actions that ensure the success of a mission). In this study, we explored sound-induced action under the framework of “acoustic biotopes” (a notion of ecological acoustics by Smolders, Aertsen, and Johanessma, 1979 and 1982) in a specific socio-technological environment, i.e., the context of an orthopaedic operating room. Our approach is based on literature research into the topics of environmental psychology and auditory perception and action and in situ observations in healthcare with field recordings, participatory observations, and interviews on the spot. The results suggest a human-centered definition of sound-induced action in acoustic biotopes: Acoustic biotope is an active and shared sound environment with entangled interactions and sound-induced actions taking place in a specific space that has a critical function. Listening in highly functional environments is an individual experience and is influenced by hearing function, physical position and role in an environment, and the task at hand. There is a range of active and passive sound listeners as a function of their attentive state and listeners as sound sources within the acoustic biotope. There are many different sound sources and sound locals in socio-technological environments and sounds have great potential to serve critical information to operators. Overall, our study provides a holistic, multi-layered and yet a listener-centric view on the organisation of complex spaces and the results can immediately be applicable for rethinking the acoustic environment for ORs for better listening and sound-induced action.
Simultaneous Determination for Nine Kinds of N-Nitrosamines Compounds in Groundwater by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Zhang Yi , Zhao Qinghua , Liu Yaodi , Wang Yun
Published: December 2022

The ability to effectively detect N-nitrosamine compounds by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry presents a challenge due to the problems of high detection limits and difficulty in simultaneous N-nitrosamine compound detection. In order to overcome these limitations, this study reduced the detection limit of N-nitrosamine compounds by applying n-hexane pre-treatment to remove non-polar impurities before the conventional process of column extraction. In addition, ammonium acetate was used as the mobile phase to enhance the retention of nitrosamine target substances on the chromatographic column, with formic acid added to the mobile phase to improve the ionization level of N-nitrosodiphenylamine, to achieve the simultaneous detection of multiple N-nitrosamine compounds. Applying these modifications to the established detection method allowed the rapid and accurate detection of N-nitrosamine in water within 12 min. The linear relationship, detection limit, quantification limit and sample spiked recovery rate of nine types of nitrosamine compound were investigated, showing that the correlation coefficient ranged from 0.9985–0.9999, while the detection limits of the instrument and the method were 0.280–0.928 µg·L−1 and 1.12–3.71 ng·L−1, respectively. The spiked sample recovery rate ranged from 64.2–83.0%, with a standard deviation of 2.07–8.52%, meeting the requirements for trace analysis. The method was applied to the detection of N-nitrosamine compounds in nine groundwater samples in Wuhan, China, and showed that the concentrations of N-nitrosodimethylamine and NDEA were relatively high, highlighting the need to monitor water bodies with very low levels of pollutants and identify those requiring treatment.
Spatial Pattern and Influencing Factors of Tourism Resources in Northwestern Ethnic Areas in China—A Case Study of Longde County
Authors: Zhang Shengrui , Chi Lei , Zhang Tongyan , Wang Yingjie
Published: December 2022

With the in-depth development of the Western Development Strategy and Rural Revitalization, the tourism industry has become an important economic sector to drive local development in northwestern minority areas of China. This study established a database of tourism resources in Longde county and analyzed the spatial pattern of these tourism resources by using the scale index and kernel density. From the perspective of the natural and social environment, this paper quantitatively discusses the influencing factors of the spatial pattern of tourism resources in the county based on a multiple linear regression model. The results showed that: (1) There were 2049 tourism resources distributed in Longde County, and building and facility resources were the most prevalent. (2) The hierarchical structure of tourism resources in the county showed a “pyramid” distribution, where excellent tourism resources accounted for 22.60% of the total resources. (3) The spatial pattern showed an agglomeration distribution, and the spatial differences of all kinds of resources were significant. The resources were mainly distributed in Chengguan Town and Wenbao Township. (4) Topographic conditions, convenient transportation, population density and water system distribution were important factors that affected the spatial pattern of tourism resources. It was suggested that the government issue corresponding policies to optimize the spatial pattern of tourism resources; balance the relationship between the exploitation of tourism resources, tourism development and local economy, and the social and ecological environment; and promote the sustainable development of tourism in the northwestern ethnic areas in China.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β Is a Key Regulator in the Inhibitory Effects of Accumbal Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Peptide 55–102 on Amphetamine-Induced Locomotor Activity
Authors: Cho Bo Ram , Kim Wha Young , Jang Ju Kyong , Lee Jung Won , Kim Jeong-Hoon
Published: December 2022

Microinjection of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide 55–102 into the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) core significantly attenuates psychostimulant-induced locomotor activity. However, the molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. We examined the phosphorylation levels of Akt, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), and glutamate receptor 1 (GluA1) in NAcc core tissues obtained 60 min after microinjection of CART peptide 55–102 into this site, followed by systemic injection of amphetamine (AMPH). Phosphorylation levels of Akt at Thr308 and GSK3β at Ser9 were decreased, while those of GluA1 at Ser845 were increased, by AMPH treatment. These effects returned to basal levels following treatment with CART peptide 55–102. Furthermore, the negative regulatory effects of the CART peptide on AMPH-induced changes in phosphorylation levels and locomotor activity were all abolished by pretreatment with the S9 peptide, an artificially synthesized indirect GSK3β activator. These results suggest that the CART peptide 55–102 in the NAcc core plays a negative regulatory role in AMPH-induced locomotor activity by normalizing the changes in phosphorylation levels of Akt-GSK3β, and subsequently GluA1 modified by AMPH at this site. The present findings are the first to reveal GSK3β as a key regulator of the inhibitory role of the CART peptide in psychomotor stimulant-induced locomotor activity.