bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antivax attitude in the general population along the autism-schizophrenia continuum and the impact of socio-demographic factors
Authors: Tarasi Luca , Borgomaneri Sara , Romei Vincenzo
Published: April 2023

Introduction

One of the most important inventions in human history is vaccines. However, to date a consistent amount of people exhibit a hesitant approach toward them and mixed results have emerged in the attempt to characterize which factors may play a role in predicting such negative attitude. Here, we aimed at investigating how the individual scoring along the autism-schizophrenic continuum component and socio-cultural factors contribute toward vaccination attitudes in the general population.

Methods

To test whether individual position along the autism-schizophrenic continuum could predict vaccine attitude, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to extract the component showing diametric loading between the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) and Autistic Quotient (AQ) subscales. Then, we performed a series of multiple linear regression analyses to understand the relation between the ASD-SSD continuum component and Vax scores. We also included socio-demographic factors (i.e., gender, education level, and age) as predictors.

Results

Multiple regression analysis revealed that the closer the individual lied on the positive schizotypal pole, the higher was their negative attitude toward vaccines. A diametric, more favorable disposition was found for individuals closer to the autistic end of the continuum. Furthermore, we reported that among the socio-cultural factors, only age can be considered a significant predictor of vaccination attitudes, with younger participants showing a more positive attitudes toward vaccination, while the level of education is an important protective factor in mitigating the negative impact that the proximity to the SSD pole and age play against vaccination disposition.

Discussion

These findings are relevant to improve targeted public health interventions, highlighting the crucial role of demographic, psychological, and social correlates in predicting anti-vax beliefs, which have the devasting potential to increase the spread of infectious disease.
Social movements and collective behavior: an integration of meta-analysis and systematic review of social psychology studies
Authors: da Costa Silvia , Páez Dario , Martí-González Mariacarla , Díaz Virginia , Bouchat Pierre
Published: April 2023

Background

The impact of social movements (SMs) and collective behavior (CB) supports the relevance of approaching this phenomenon from social psychology. Several systematic reviews (10) and meta-analyses (6) have been carried out in the 21st century, but there is a lack of integration.

Aim

This study seeks to review the patterns of CB and corroborate the psychosocial factors that explain participation in CB and SMs, as well as the long-term psychological effects of participating in them.

Method

A systematic search was carried out in the databases Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Willey Online Library, EBSCO, and JSTOR for articles dated between 1969 and 2022. We searched for meta-analyses and systematic reviews that empirically evaluated social movements and collective behavior. Of the 494 initial records, after scanning and eligibility phases, 16 meta-analyses and systematic reviews were analyzed in the present work.

Results

The evidence reviewed shows that participation in collective gatherings and CB are common. A cross-cultural survey suggests that collective gatherings are mostly of a leisure type, to a lesser extent religious and sporting, and to an even lesser extent, demonstrations and large religious rites. World Value surveys found that one to three persons out of 10 participate in protests or CB related to SMs and four out of 10 movements achieved some kind of success. Studies challenged that CBs were characterized by unanimity of beliefs, identification and behavior, generalized excitement, as well as mass panic and riot after catastrophes. Only two out of 10 CB are violent. Meta-analysis and systematic reviews confirm that participation in CB and SMs was associated with (a) intergroup conflict and realistic threat (r= 0.30); (b) positive attitudes, expectations, or agreement with goals or collective motive (r= 0.44); (c) cognitive fraternal relative deprivation (r= 0.25); (d) collective efficacy (r= 0.36); (e) collective identity (r= 0.34); (f) emotions and affective relative deprivation (r= 0.35); (g) moral conviction and threat to moral (r= 0.29); and (h) disagreement with system justification belief (r= −0.26). Participation in successful CB and SMs provokes positive changes in emotions, social identity and social relationships, values and beliefs, and empowerment, as well as negative effects such as depression, stress, burnout, and disempowerment related to the failures of SMs.

Conclusion

Studies confirm the importance of explanatory factors for SMs, with data from various cultural regions. There is a lack of systematic studies of CB as well as meta-analyses and more culturally diverse studies of the effects of participation in them.
Interoceptive hunger, eating attitudes and beliefs
Authors: Stevenson Richard J. , Hill Brayson J. , Hughes Alannah , Wright Madeline , Bartlett Johanna , Saluja Supreet , Francis Heather M.
Published: April 2023

Interoceptive individual differences have garnered interest because of their relationship with mental health. One type of individual difference that has received little attention is variability in the sensation/s that are understood to mean a particular interoceptive state, something that may be especially relevant for hunger. We examined if interoceptive hunger is multidimensional and idiosyncratic, if it is reliable, and if it is linked to dysfunctional eating and beliefs about the causes of hunger. Participants completed a survey just before a main meal, with most retested around 1 month later. We found that interoceptive hunger has 11 dimensions, and while people differ considerably in their combinations of interoceptive hungers, these represent only 4% of all possible permutations. Hunger reports were reliable. We found relationships between variability in hunger interoception and dysfunctional eating, especially for uncontrolled eating. We also found that hunger beliefs were in some cases strongly related to aspects of hunger interoception. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Why psychiatry needs an honest dose of gentle medicine
Authors: Cosgrove Lisa , D'Ambrozio Gianna , Herrawi Farahdeba , Freeman Moira , Shaughnessy Allen
Published: April 2023

The pharmaceutical industry’s influence on psychiatric research and practice has been profound and has resulted in exaggerated claims of the effectiveness of psychotropic medications and an under-reporting of harms. After the regulatory approval of fluoxetine, the pharmaceutical industry began promoting (and continues to promote) a chemical imbalance theory of emotional distress. In the last decade, there has been an increased awareness about the limits of this theory and the risks of psychotropic medications. Nonetheless, the medicalization of distress, the sedimented belief in “magic bullets,” and the push to “scale up” mental health treatment have contributed to the meteoric rise in the prescription of psychiatric drugs and of polypharmacy. A major premise of this paper is that the conceptual framework of medical nihilism can help researchers and clinicians understand and address the harms incurred by inflated claims of the efficacy of psychotropic medications. We propose that psychiatry, and the mental health field more generally, adopt a model of ‘gentle medicine’ with regard to both the diagnosis of and treatment for mental health conditions and focus greater attention on the upstream causes of distress.
Automated snow avalanche monitoring for Austria: State of the art and roadmap for future work
Authors: Kapper Kathrin Lisa , Goelles Thomas , Muckenhuber Stefan , Trügler Andreas , Abermann Jakob , Schlager Birgit , Gaisberger Christoph , Eckerstorfer Markus , Grahn Jakob , Malnes Eirik , Prokop Alexander , Schöner Wolfgang
Published: April 2023

Avalanches pose a significant threat to the population and infrastructure of mountainous regions. The mapping and documentation of avalanches in Austria is mostly done by experts during field observations and covers usually only specific localized areas. A comprehensive mapping of avalanches is, however, crucial for the work of local avalanche commissions as well as avalanche warning services to assess, e.g., the avalanche danger. Over the past decade, mapping avalanches from satellite imagery has proven to be a promising and rapid approach to monitor avalanche activity in specific regions. Several recent avalanche detection approaches use deep learning-based algorithms to improve detection rates compared to traditional segmentation algorithms. Building on the success of these deep learning-based approaches, we present the first steps to build a modular data pipeline to map historical avalanche cycles in Copernicus Sentinel-1 imagery of the Austrian Alps. The Sentinel-1 mission has provided free all-weather synthetic aperture radar data since 2014, which has proven suitable for avalanche mapping in a Norwegian test area. In addition, we present a roadmap for setting up a segmentation algorithm, in which a general U-Net approach will serve as a baseline and will be compared with the mapping results of additional algorithms initially applied to autonomous driving. We propose to train the U-Net using labeled training dataset of avalanche outlines from Switzerland, Norway and Greenland. Due to the lack of training and validation data from Austria, we plan to compile the first avalanche archive for Austria. Meteorological variables, e.g., precipitation or wind, are highly important for the release of avalanches. In a completely new approach, we will therefore consider weather station data or outputs of numerical weather models in the learning-based algorithm to improve the detection performance. The mapping results in Austria will be complemented with pointwise field measurements of the MOLISENS platform and the RIEGL VZ-6000 terrestrial laser scanner.
The Nocebo Effect: The Placebo’s “Evil Twin”
Authors: Hartmann Helena , Potthoff Jonas , Asan Livia , Bingel Ulrike
Published: April 2023

Treatments are designed to help people fight diseases or their symptoms, and they are supposed to make us feel better. However, some treatments can have unpleasant side effects. But did you know that we can sometimes feel side effects because we expect them to happen? Imagine that you have a cold and your parents give you a pill to help you get better. If they tell you that the pill could give you a headache, you might feel the headache coming on as soon as you take it—but if they had not told you, you might not have felt the headache at all. Such negative expectations are the driving force behind what is known as the nocebo effect. This article explains what the nocebo effect is, how it works, and how we can combat it.
Effects of recurrent summer droughts on arbuscular mycorrhizal and total fungal communities in experimental grasslands differing in plant diversity and community composition
Authors: Albracht Cynthia , Eisenhauer Nico , Vogel Anja , Wagg Cameron , Buscot François , Heintz-Buschart Anna
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Biodiversity loss and climate change have been determined as major global drivers affecting ecosystems and their functioning. In this context, drought was shown to have negative effects on ecosystems by disrupting ecological processes, which could be buffered in more biodiverse systems. Many studies, however, focus on effects on aboveground communities of single drought events, while dynamics of soil-borne communities are still widely unclear, despite their important roles in ecosystem functioning.

Methods

To elucidate the effect of recurrent summer drought periods on fungal communities in a long-term grassland biodiversity experiment, roof shelters were installed on grassland plots ranging in plant species richness from 1 to 16 species and plant functional group richness (1-4 groups) and composition. After 9 years of summer droughts, bulk soil was sampled and used for Illumina sequencing of the ITS2 and SSU genes to characterize the total fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities, respectively.

Results

We found shifts of AMF and total fungi community structures caused by recurrent drought and plant species richness, but no buffering of drought effects by plant diversity. Alpha-diversity (VT or ASV richness) of both AMF and total fungi increased with plant species richness but was not significantly affected by drought. Even though drought overall had minimal long-lasting effects, we found Diversispora and Paraglomus among the AMF and Penicillium among total fungal communities to be more abundant after the drought treatment. AMF communities were affected by the presence of individual plant functional groups, reacting stronger to presence of legumes under drought, while total fungal interaction with plant communities were similar under drought as control. AMF α-diversity differed between plant functional groups in control conditions but was independent of plant community composition under drought. In contrast, total fungi α-diversity was increased by presence of herbs and legumes only under drought.

Discussion

From our results, we conclude that recurring moderate summer droughts do not strongly affect soil fungal communities. All shifts can be explained by indirect effects through the plant community and its top-down effect on soils altered by drought. Further, AMF are not less affected than total fungal communities, but rather respond differently by interacting more strongly with legumes in response to drought. Consequently, not plant species richness, but plant functional composition, dominates in shaping fungal communities under recurrent droughts.
Sustainable food packaging: An updated definition following a holistic approach
Authors: Dörnyei Krisztina Rita , Uysal-Unalan Ilke , Krauter Victoria , Weinrich Ramona , Incarnato Loredana , Karlovits Igor , Colelli Giancarlo , Chrysochou Polymeros , Fenech Margaret Camilleri , Pettersen Marit Kvalvåg , Arranz Elena , Marcos Begonya , Frigerio Valeria , Apicella Annalisa , Yildirim Selçuk , Poças Fátima , Dekker Matthijs , Johanna Lahti , Coma Véronique , Corredig Milena
Published: April 2023

Food packaging solutions need to be redesigned to be more sustainable, but determining which solution is ‘more optimal’ is a very difficult task when considering the entire food product value chain. Previous papers paved the way toward a sustainable food packaging definition, but it is far from being commonly accepted or well usable in the broad food systems domain, which further results in uninformed choices for sustainable food packaging made by all stakeholders in the value chain: producers, distributors, practitioners and consumers. Therefore, this work aims first at giving a state-of-the-art overview of sustainable food packaging terms (38 similar terms were identified and grouped into four clusters: Sustainable, Circular, Bio and Other sustainable packaging) and definitions using systematic (narrative) review analysis and ‘controlled expert opinion feedback’ methodology. Second, it aims to offer an updated definition for sustainable food packaging, which is also specific to food packaging and be simple, coherent, easily understandable, and communicable to everybody. The applied holistic approach intends to include all aspects of the food-packaging unit, to consider food safety and packaging functionality, while taking into account different disciplines and challenges related to food packaging along the supply chain. Being a balancing act, a sustainable food packaging may not be a perfect solution, but contextual, suboptimal and in need of constant validation.
Association of hospital volume and long-term survival after esophagectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Qing , Mine Shinji , Nasu Motomi , Fukunaga Tetsu , Nojiri Shuko , Zhang Chun-Dong
Published: April 2023

Background

It remains controversial whether esophageal cancer patients may benefit from esophagectomy in specialized high-volume hospitals. Here, the effect of hospital volume on overall survival (OS) of esophageal cancer patients post esophagectomy was assessed.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for relevant published articles between January 1990 and May 2022. The primary outcome was OS after esophagectomy in high- vs. low-volume hospitals. Random effect models were applied for all meta-analyses. Subgroup analysis were performed based on volume grouping, sample size, study country, year of publication, follow-up or study quality. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using the leave-one-out method. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the study quality. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidance, and was registered (identifier: INPLASY202270023).

Results

A total of twenty-four studies with 113,014 patients were finally included in the meta-analysis. A significant improvement in OS after esophagectomy was observed in high-volume hospitals as compared to that in their low-volume counterparts (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.71–0.84, P < 0.01). Next, we conducted subgroup analysis based on volume grouping category, consistent results were found that high-volume hospitals significantly improved OS after esophagectomy than their low-volume counterparts. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analyses further confirmed that all the results were robust.

Conclusions

Esophageal cancer should be centralized in high-volume hospitals.
Living Donor Kidney Transplantation in Older Individuals: An Ethical Legal and Psychological Aspects of Transplantation (ELPAT) View
Authors: Courtney Aisling E. , Moorlock Greg , Van Assche Kristof , Burnapp Lisa , Mamode Nizam , Lennerling Annette , Dor Frank J. M. F.
Published: April 2023

Living donor transplantation is the optimal treatment for suitable patients with end-stage kidney disease. There are particular advantages for older individuals in terms of elective surgery, timely transplantation, and early graft function. Yet, despite the superiority of living donor transplantation especially for this cohort, older patients are significantly less likely to access this treatment modality than younger age groups. However, given the changing population demographic in recent decades, there are increasing numbers of older but otherwise healthy individuals with kidney disease who could benefit from living donor transplantation. The complex reasons for this inequity of access are explored, including conscious and unconscious age-related bias by healthcare professionals, concerns relating to older living donors, ethical anxieties related to younger adults donating to aging patients, unwillingness of potential older recipients to consider living donation, and the relevant legislation. There is a legal and moral duty to consider the inequity of access to living donor transplantation, recognising both the potential disparity between chronological and physiological age in older patients, and benefits of this treatment for individuals as well as society.
Deep Learning Application for Crop Classification via Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Li Qianjing , Tian Jia , Tian Qingjiu
Published: April 2023

The combination of multi-temporal images and deep learning is an efficient way to obtain accurate crop distributions and so has drawn increasing attention. However, few studies have compared deep learning models with different architectures, so it remains unclear how a deep learning model should be selected for multi-temporal crop classification, and the best possible accuracy is. To address this issue, the present work compares and analyzes a crop classification application based on deep learning models and different time-series data to exploit the possibility of improving crop classification accuracy. Using Multi-temporal Sentinel-2 images as source data, time-series classification datasets are constructed based on vegetation indexes (VIs) and spectral stacking, respectively, following which we compare and evaluate the crop classification application based on time-series datasets and five deep learning architectures: (1) one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-CNNs), (2) long short-term memory (LSTM), (3) two-dimensional-CNNs (2D-CNNs), (4) three-dimensional-CNNs (3D-CNNs), and (5) two-dimensional convolutional LSTM (ConvLSTM2D). The results show that the accuracy of both 1D-CNN (92.5%) and LSTM (93.25%) is higher than that of random forest (~ 91%) when using a single temporal feature as input. The 2D-CNN model integrates temporal and spatial information and is slightly more accurate (94.76%), but fails to fully utilize its multi-spectral features. The accuracy of 1D-CNN and LSTM models integrated with temporal and multi-spectral features is 96.94% and 96.84%, respectively. However, neither model can extract spatial information. The accuracy of 3D-CNN and ConvLSTM2D models is 97.43% and 97.25%, respectively. The experimental results show limited accuracy for crop classification based on single temporal features, whereas the combination of temporal features with multi-spectral or spatial information significantly improves classification accuracy. The 3D-CNN and ConvLSTM2D models are thus the best deep learning architectures for multi-temporal crop classification. However, the ConvLSTM architecture combining recurrent neural networks and CNNs should be further developed for multi-temporal image crop classification.
Recovering, Stabilizing, and Reusing Nitrogen and Carbon from Nutrient-Containing Liquid Waste as Ammonium Carbonate Fertilizer
Authors: Brondi Mariana , Eisa Mohamed , Bortoletto-Santos Ricardo , Drapanauskaite Donata , Reddington Tara , Williams Clinton , Ribeiro Caue , Baltrusaitis Jonas
Published: April 2023

Ammonium carbonates are a group of fertilizer materials that include ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate hydrate, and ammonium carbamate. They can be synthesized from diverse nutrient-bearing liquid waste streams but are unstable in a moist environment. While extensively utilized several decades ago, their use gradually decreased in favor of large-scale, facility-synthesized urea fertilizers. The emergence of sustainable agriculture, however, necessitates the recovery and reuse of nutrients using conventional feedstocks, such as natural gas and air-derived nitrogen, and nutrient-containing biogenic waste streams. To this extent, anaerobic digestion liquid presents a convenient source of solid nitrogen and carbon to produce solid fertilizers, since no significant chemical transformations are needed as nitrogen is already present as an ammonium ion. This review describes detailed examples of such feedstocks and the methods required to concentrate and crystallize solid ammonium carbonates. The technologies currently proposed or utilized to stabilize ammonium carbonate materials in the environment are described in detail. Finally, the agricultural efficiency of these materials as nitrogen and carbon source is also described.
The YieldWise Approach to Post-Harvest Loss Reduction: Creating Market-Driven Supply Chains to Support Sustained Technology Adoption
Authors: Sonka Steven , Lee Hyeonsuh , Shah Sonali
Published: April 2023

Excessively high levels of post-harvest loss often are a feature of agricultural systems dominated by small-holder farmers. However, this situation is something of a paradox, as technologies exist that have been shown in field demonstrations to substantially reduce post-harvest loss. What explains this paradox? Building on insights derived from the Rockefeller Foundation’s YieldWise Initiative, this article proposes that while reducing post-harvest loss generally does require technology adoption by small-holder farmers, market-driven supply chains are essential to the sustained use of those technologies. We illustrate this approach using in-depth interview data collected from the YieldWise participants belonging to the Iringa Hope Cooperative in Tanzania. Data on the benefits and challenges of such an approach are provided from the perspective of the small-holder farmer. In addition, we model the economic benefits associated with this approach.
Chromosomes of Asian Cyprinid Fishes: Genomic Differences in Conserved Karyotypes of ‘Poropuntiinae’ (Teleostei, Cyprinidae)
Authors: Khensuwan Sudarat , Sassi Francisco de M. C. , Moraes Renata L. R. , Jantarat Sitthisak , Seetapan Kriengkrai , Phintong Krit , Thongnetr Weera , Kaewsri Sarawut , Jumrusthanasan Sarun , Supiwong Weerayuth , Rab Petr , Tanomtong Alongklod , Liehr Thomas , Cioffi Marcelo B.
Published: April 2023

The representatives of cyprinid lineage ‘Poropuntiinae’ with 16 recognized genera and around 100 species form a significant part of Southeast Asian ichthyofauna. Cytogenetics are valuable when studying fish evolution, especially the dynamics of repetitive DNAs, such as ribosomal DNAs (5S and 18S) and microsatellites, that can vary between species. Here, karyotypes of seven ‘poropuntiin’ species, namely Cosmochilus harmandi, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, Hypsibarbus malcomi, H. wetmorei, Mystacoleucus chilopterus, M. ectypus, and Puntioplties proctozysron occurring in Thailand were examined using conventional and molecular cytogenetic protocols. Variable numbers of uni- and bi-armed chromosomes indicated widespread chromosome rearrangements with a stable diploid chromosome number (2n) of 50. Examination with fluorescence in situ hybridization using major and minor ribosomal probes showed that Cosmochilus harmandi, Cyclocheilichthys apogon, and Puntioplites proctozystron all had one chromosomal pair with 5S rDNA sites. However, more than two sites were found in Hypsibarbus malcolmi, H. wetmorei, Mystacoleucus chilopterus, and M. ectypus. The number of chromosomes with 18S rDNA sites varied amongst their karyotypes from one to three; additionally, comparative genomic hybridization and microsatellite patterns varied among species. Our results reinforce the trend of chromosomal evolution in cyprinifom fishes, with major chromosomal rearrangements, while conserving their 2n.
Promoting Good Nonhuman Primate Welfare outside Regular Working Hours
Authors: Brando Sabrina , Vitale Augusto , Bacon Madison
Published: April 2023

Promoting good primate welfare outside of daylight hours is an important task. The responsibility to provide a complex environment and environmental enrichment is an essential element of primate wellbeing programs that should be approached from a 24-h perspective and planned according to the species and individual needs, including giving animals the ability to interact with and control their environment during hours when animal care staff are not present. One must be aware, however, that their needs may differ at night-time from their care needs during the day when staff are present. Assessing welfare and providing enrichment during times when staff are not on hand can be achieved through the use of a variety of technologies, such as night-view cameras, animal-centred technologies, and data loggers. This paper will address the relevant topics concerning the care and welfare of primates during off-hours, and the use of related technologies to facilitate and assess wellbeing at these times.
Molecular Modification of Kex2 P1’ Site Enhances Expression and Druggability of Fungal Defensin
Authors: Jin Yanjie , Yang Na , Teng Da , Hao Ya , Mao Ruoyu , Wang Jianhua
Published: April 2023

Pichia pastoris is the widely used expression system for producing recombinant secretory proteins. It is known that Kex2 protease plays a vital role in the process of protein secretion, in which the P1’ site affects its cleavage efficiency. To enhance the expression level of fungal defensin-derived peptide NZ2114, this work attempts to optimize the P1’ site of Kex2 by replacing it with 20 amino acids in turn. The results showed that when the amino acid of the P1’ site was changed to Phe (F), the yield of target peptide significantly increased from 2.39 g/L to 4.81 g/L. Additionally, the novel peptide F-NZ2114 (short for FNZ) showed strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive (G+) bacteria, especially for Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae (MIC: 4–8 μg/mL). The FNZ was very stable and retained high activity in various conditions; in addition, a low cytotoxicity and no hemolysis were observed even at a high concentration of 128 μg/mL, and a longer postantibiotic effect was reached. The above results indicate that this engineering strategy provided a feasible optimization scheme for enhancing the expression level and druggability of this antimicrobial peptide from fungal defensin and other similar targets by this updated recombinant yeast.
Protective Effect of Lonicera japonica on PM2.5-Induced Pulmonary Damage in BALB/c Mice via the TGF-β and NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Lee Hyo Lim , Kim Jong Min , Go Min Ji , Kim Tae Yoon , Joo Seung Gyum , Kim Ju Hui , Lee Han Su , Kim Hyun-Jin , Heo Ho Jin
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to assess the protective effect of an extract of Lonicera japonica against particulate-matter (PM)2.5-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. The compounds with physiological activity were identified as shanzhiside, secologanoside, loganic acid, chlorogenic acid, secologanic acid, secoxyloganin, quercetin pentoside, and dicaffeoyl quinic acids (DCQA), including 3,4-DCQA, 3,5-DCQA, 4,5-DCQA, and 1,4-DCQA using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MSE). The extract of Lonicera japonica reduced cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammation in A549 cells. The extract of Lonicera japonica decreased serum T cells, including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and total T helper 2 (Th2) cells, and immunoglobulins, including immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin E (IgE), in PM2.5-induced BALB/c mice. The extract of Lonicera japonica protected the pulmonary antioxidant system by regulating superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) contents, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In addition, it ameliorated mitochondrial function by regulating the production of ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ATP contents. Moreover, the extract of Lonicera japonica exhibited a protective activity of apoptosis, fibrosis, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) via TGF-β and NF-κB signaling pathways in lung tissues. This study suggests that the extract of Lonicera japonica might be a potential material to improve PM2.5-induced pulmonary inflammation, apoptosis, and fibrosis.
Hepatitis Delta Virus Antigens Trigger Oxidative Stress, Activate Antioxidant Nrf2/ARE Pathway, and Induce Unfolded Protein Response
Authors: Smirnova Olga A. , Ivanova Olga N. , Mukhtarov Furkat , Valuev-Elliston Vladimir T. , Fedulov Artemy P. , Rubtsov Petr M. , Zakirova Natalia F. , Kochetkov Sergey N. , Bartosch Birke , Ivanov Alexander V.
Published: April 2023

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a viroid-like satellite that may co-infect individuals together with hepatitis B virus (HBV), as well as cause superinfection by infecting patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Being a defective virus, HDV requires HBV structural proteins for virion production. Although the virus encodes just two forms of its single antigen, it enhances the progression of liver disease to cirrhosis in CHB patients and increases the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. HDV pathogenesis so far has been attributed to virus-induced humoral and cellular immune responses, while other factors have been neglected. Here, we evaluated the impact of the virus on the redox status of hepatocytes, as oxidative stress is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of various viruses, including HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV). We show that the overexpression of large HDV antigen (L-HDAg) or autonomous replication of the viral genome in cells leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It also leads to the upregulated expression of NADPH oxidases 1 and 4, cytochrome P450 2E1, and ER oxidoreductin 1α, which have previously been shown to mediate oxidative stress induced by HCV. Both HDV antigens also activated the Nrf2/ARE pathway, which controls the expression of a spectrum of antioxidant enzymes. Finally, HDV and its large antigen also induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the concomitant unfolded protein response (UPR). In conclusion, HDV may enhance oxidative and ER stress induced by HBV, thus aggravating HBV-associated pathologies, including inflammation, liver fibrosis, and the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Weighting Failure Mechanisms of Pre-Driven Recovery Rooms and Evaluation of Hydraulic Fracturing Applications: A Case Study
Authors: Li Guanjun , Wang Xiangyu , Bai Jianbiao , Zhang Yongqiang , Zhang Feiteng , Li Menglong
Published: April 2023

Roof weighting failures of pre-driven recovery rooms may cause huge economic losses and even casualties. The excessive dynamic load from the sliding of the broken main roof rock block causes the recovery room roof and inner supports to lose their support capacity during the last weighting. Discrete element software UDEC was used to investigate the surrounding rock deformation of the pre-driven recovery room with the main roof break at different positions. The results show that when the recovery room’s length from the main roof rock layer’s fracture region is short, the immediate roof is subjected to high deviatoric stress and the occurrence of horizontal stress concentration due to the deflection of the fractured rocks, and eventually the roof supports fail owing to the development of macroscopic shear crack zones. In this research, the hydraulic fracturing technique was applied to pretreat the main roof (fine-grained sandstone) of the 31108 panel at Huoluowan Coal Mine. Field observations suggest that the strength and duration of the periodic weighting after hydraulic fracturing treatment are both significantly reduced, effectively maintaining the bearing layer performance of the roof of the recovery room and coal pillar walls. The proposed fracturing design offers an effective method of ground control to the coal mines facing roof weighting failures of recovery rooms.
Improved Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange by Onion-like Nanocarbon/TiO2 Nanocomposites
Authors: Ntuli Themba D. , Sikeyi Ludwe L. , Dziike Faria , Coville Neil J. , Nxumalo Edward N. , Maubane-Nkadimeng Manoko S.
Published: April 2023

Waste cooking oil, a known environmental pollutant, has been used as a precursor for the synthesis of onion-like nanocarbons (OLNCs) using flame pyrolysis. The OLNCs were added to TiO2 to form TiO2/OLNC nanocomposites through hydrothermal treatment. The TiO2/OLNCs ratio was varied by increasing the mass of the OLNCs (10, 20, 30, and 50 mg), while the mass of TiO2 (100 mg) was kept constant at C to TiO2 molar ratios of 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, and 1:10, respectively. The surface area of the photocatalysts increased with an increase in the mass of OLNCs. The nanocomposites were applied in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange. The photocatalysts showed a degradation efficiency trend of TC-10 > (99.9%) TC-20 > (90%) TC-30 > (81%) TC-50 > (70%) TiO2 (44%) in 120 min. A similar trend was observed from the first-order kinetic rate data. The degradation efficiency of methyl orange was improved by adding 5% H2O2 (99.9%) in 30 min. The OLNCs were responsible for increased photocatalytic activity due to a high adsorption efficiency compared to pure TiO2. The OLNCs acted as an electron acceptor, while the TiO2 acted as an electron donor. The enhanced catalytic behavior was achieved by hindering the recombination of e−/h+ in the composite and increasing the adsorption capability of TiO2.
Prediction of Phytochemical Constituents in Cayenne Pepper Using MIR and NIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Johnson Joel B. , El Orche Aimen , Mani Janice S. , Aït-Kaddour Abderrahmane , Walsh Kerry B. , Naiker Mani
Published: April 2023

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential of handheld near-infrared (NIR) and benchtop mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy for the rapid prediction of antioxidant capacity, dry matter, and total phenolic contents in cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum ‘Cayenne’). Using NIR spectroscopy, the best-performing model for dry matter had an R2pred = 0.74, RMSEP = 0.38%, and RPD of 2.02, exceeding the best results previously reported in the literature. This was also the first study to predict dry matter content from the mid-infrared spectra, although with lower accuracy (R2pred = 0.54; RMSEP = 0.51%, RPD 1.51). The models for antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content did not perform well using NIR or MIR spectroscopy (RPD values < 1.5), indicating that further optimization is required in this area. Application of support vector regression (SVR) generally gave poorer results compared to partial least squares regression (PLSR). NIR spectroscopy may be useful for in-field measurement of dry matter in the chili crop as a proxy measure for fruit maturity. However, the lower accuracy of MIR spectroscopy is likely to limit its use in this crop.
FTIR Analysis of the Functional Group Composition of Coal Tar Residue Extracts and Extractive Residues
Authors: Wang Xiaolong , He Xin , Wang Xiaohua
Published: April 2023

The extracts and extractive residues were obtained by single-stage extraction with acetone, CS2 and acetone/carbon disulphide solvent (IACDSM) under mild conditions, and they were then characterised by infrared and segmented peak fitting analysis. The results showed that acetone and CS2 solvents could dissolve more aromatic structures containing fatty side chains, while the mixed solvents could extract more phenolic substances. The acetone extracts were mainly asymmetric -CH2 stretching vibrations, while the remaining two extracts were dominated by aliphatic -CH. A comparison of the IR results of the tar residue and the three solvent extracts showed that the main structure of the tar residue was not altered throughout the process, but the aromatic structure was altered more by the extraction. Compared to the original sample, the proportion of tetrasubstituted or trisubstituted benzene rings in the three solvent extracts increased, while the proportion of pentasubstituted benzene rings produced a significant decrease. Comparison of the IR structural parameters showed that the aromatic ring condensation was higher in the as-received CS2 extracts and acetone extracts, with the acetone extracts having longer straight aliphatic chains and fewer branched chains. The analysis of the composition of the extraction results provides a reference basis for the separation and purification technology of coal tar residue, enabling the further development of China’s coal chemical industry.
Adaptive Decentralized Cooperative Localization for Firefighters Based on UWB and Autonomous Navigation
Authors: Chong Yang , Xu Xiangbo , Guo Ningyan , Shu Longkai , Zhang Qingyuan
Published: April 2023

Cooperative localization (CL) is a popular research topic in the area of localization. Research is becoming more focused on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and robots and less on pedestrians. This is because UAVs and robots can work in formation, but pedestrians cannot. In this study, we develop an adaptive decentralized cooperative localization (DCL) algorithm for a group of firefighters. Every member maintains a local filter and estimates the position and the relative measurement noise covariance is estimated rather than a fixed value. We derived the explicit expressions for the inter-member collaboration instead of using approximations. This method reduces the influence of non-line-of-sight (NLOS) errors in the ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging on the CL, eliminating the need for fixed UWB anchors. The proposed algorithm was validated by two experiments designed in the building and forest environments. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm improved the accuracy of localization, and the proposed algorithm suppressed the localization errors by 14.23% and 47.01% compared to the decentralized cooperative localization extended Kalman filter (DCLEKF) algorithm, respectively.
Rapid Parametric Modeling and Robust Analysis for the Hypersonic Ascent Based on Gap Metrics
Authors: Liu Yiran , Chen Boyi , Chen Jinbao , Liu Yanbin
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates a rapid modeling method and robust analysis of hypersonic vehicles using multidisciplinary integrated techniques. First, the geometrical configuration is described using parametric methods based on the class–shape technique. Aerodynamic forces and moments are estimated for the specific configuration using engineering methods. Moreover, the nonlinear model is simplified by the polynomial fitting expressions, and the linear variable parameter model is obtained for the tracking control design and dynamic characteristic analysis with the aid of the sensitivity analysis and gap metric methods. A velocity-driven trajectory design method is deduced for hypersonic ascent, and the tracking control law is developed to realize the flight process from the initial point to the cruise point. Furthermore, a robust analysis process based on gap margin is proposed for climb trajectory tracking. Simulation results are provided to verify the feasibility of the proposed modeling method and show that the flight control of a hypersonic vehicle is more sensitive to altitude variation.
Integrated Optimization of Process Planning and Scheduling for Aerospace Complex Component Based on Honey-Bee Mating Algorithm
Authors: Yang Guozhe , Tan Qingze , Tian Zhiqiang , Jiang Xingyu , Chen Keqiang , Lu Yitao , Liu Weijun , Yuan Peisheng
Published: April 2023

To cope with the problems of poor matching between processing characteristics and manufacturing resources, low production efficiency, and the hard-to-meet dynamic and changeable model requirements in multi-variety and small batch aerospace enterprises, an integrated optimization method of complex component process planning and workshop scheduling for aerospace manufacturing enterprises is proposed. This paper considers the process flexibility of aerospace complex components comprehensively, and an integrated optimization model for the process planning and production scheduling of aerospace complex components is established with the optimization objectives of achieving a minimum makespan, machining time and machining cost. A honey-bee mating optimization algorithm (HBMO) combined with the greedy algorithm was proposed to solve the model. Then, it formulated a four-layer encoding method based on a feature-processing sequence, processing method, and machine tool, a tool was designed, and five worker bee cultivation strategies were designed to effectively solve the problems of infeasible solutions and local optimization when a queen bee mated to a drone. Finally, taking the complex component parts of an aerospace enterprise as an example, the integrated optimization of process planning and workshop scheduling is carried out. The results demonstrate that the proposed model and algorithm can effectively shorten the makespan and machining time, and reduce the machining cost.
Effects of the Excavation of a Hydraulic Tunnel on Groundwater at the Wuyue Pumped Storage Power Station
Authors: Jiang Tong , Pei Xun , Wang Wenxue , Li Longfei , Guo Shihao
Published: April 2023

The tailwater tunnel of the Wuyue pumped storage power station is located in bedrock and extends to depths between tens and hundreds of meters. It is impossible to analyze and evaluate the whole engineering area from geological exploration data, and the hydrogeological conditions are complicated. In the early stages of the tailwater tunnel’s construction, the drinking water wells in four villages dried up. This paper reports the results from a field investigation, in situ tests, laboratory tests, and numerical simulation carried out to determine how the groundwater was affected when the tunnel was excavated. A hydrogeological model of the region was established from the inverted regional natural flow field parameters. The model was validated, and an analysis of the errors showed that there was an average error of 1.98% between the natural flow field and the hydrogeological survey flow field. The model was then used to simulate the three-dimensional transient seepage fields under normal seepage conditions and limited seepage conditions, as far as was practical. The results showed that, as the excavation of the tailwater tunnel advanced, the water inflow to the tunnel also increased. When the water inflow increased from 1000 to 5000 m3/d, the water level at a distance of 100 m from the axis of the tunnel dropped from −0.956 to −1.604 m. We then analyzed how the water level changed as the water inflow varied and proposed a formula for calculating the extent of the influence on the groundwater. We studied how the water level changed at different well points to ascertain how a groundwater well became depleted and determined the factors that influenced seepage in the regional flow field. The water level in different areas of the project area was simulated and analyzed, and the extent of the groundwater area affected by the tunnel construction was clarified. We then studied how the groundwater in different areas of, and distances from, the project area was influenced by normal seepage conditions and limited seepage conditions and proposed a formula for calculating the extent of the influence on groundwater for different water inflows. We constructed a ‘smart site’ for visualizing data, sharing information, and managing the project. Time–frequency domain analysis was applied to explore the extent of the impacts and range of the vibration effects on residential housing at different distances from the project area caused by the different methods for excavating the tailwater tunnel. The results from this analysis will provide useful insights into how the excavation of this tailwater tunnel will impact the local residents and living areas.
Thermal Analysis and Junction Temperature Estimation under Different Ambient Temperatures Considering Convection Thermal Coupling between Power Devices
Authors: Wei Kaixin , Shi Peiji , Bao Pili , Gao Xianping , Du Yang , Qin Yanzhou
Published: April 2023

The convection thermal coupling between adjacent power devices in power converters is dependent on the ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature changes, the convection thermal coupling also changes. This results in an inaccurate thermal model that causes errors in the prediction of the thermal distribution and junction temperature based on a fixed ambient temperature for power devices in converters application. To solve this variable-ambient-temperature-related issue, a thermal coupling experiment for semiconductor power devices (the MOSFET and diode) was performed to discuss the influence of the thermal coupling effect between adjacent devices and the FEM (Finite Element Method) thermal models for the power devices considering the convection thermal coupling are established. Through these simulations, the junction temperatures of devices under different ambient temperatures were obtained, and the relationships between the junction temperature and ambient temperatures were established. Moreover, the junction temperatures of power devices under different ambient temperatures were calculated and temperature distributions are analyzed in this paper. This method shows a strong significance and has potential applications for high-efficiency and high-power density converter designs.