bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Genetic Diversity among Wild Ruta chalepensis L. from the North of Jordan
Authors: Al-Ajlouni Zakaria , Migdadi Osama , Makhadmeh Ibrahim , Aldahadha Abdallah , Hasan Shireen , Al-Abdallat Ayed M.
Published: November 2022

Ruta chalepensis, known as Fringed Rue, is a small shrub of the Rutaceae family. To date, there is no record of its natural distribution across Jordan, a country located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean basin, and there are no previous studies on its genetic diversity in the region. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity of R. chalepensis in the northern parts of Jordan using morphological trait and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses. For the morphological traits, the analysis of variance indicated that there were significant differences between the identified populations. The Shannon diversity indices showed relatively high values, indicating the existence of a high variability among the identified populations. The principal component analysis explained 82% of the variation between the collected plants, and a clear separation of the collected individuals from the Jarash-A, Jarash-B and Ajloun-B populations from the rest of the populations was observed. The heatmap clustering was in general agreement with the results of the principal component analysis, with the plant height, rachis length and plant width considered as the discriminative traits. The AFLP analysis using eight different primer combinations generated 59 polymorphic bands, with an average polymorphism information content value of 0.32. The phylogenetic analysis identified three main clusters, with the first cluster including 65% of the individuals collected from the Jarash and Ajloun provinces, with a clear separation of the Jarash-B population. The AMOVA revealed that the genetic variation between the populations contributed 30% of the total genetic variation, while the variation within the populations explained 70%. In conclusion, morphological traits and molecular markers were used successfully to assess the genetic diversity among wild R. chalepensis from the north of Jordan, and such data can be used for future conservation plans and utilization purposes.
A New Species of Lycodapus from the Emperor Seamount Chain, Northwestern Pacific Ocean (Teleostei: Zoarcidae)
Authors: Prokofiev Artem M. , Balanov Andrei A. , Emelianova Olga R. , Orlov Alexei M. , Orlova Svetlana Yu.
Published: November 2022

A new species, Lycodapus imperatorius, is described from the seamounts of the Emperor Ridge, North Pacific Ocean. The new species can be identified by its stout gill rakers, single interorbital pore, four preopercular and four mandibular pores, 95–99 vertebrae, numerous vomerine and palatine teeth, and COI mtDNA sequences. Although the new species is most similar to L. endemoscotus and L. antarcticus in morphology, the closest match to already published sequences was Lycodapus fierasfer, which is fairly different from the new species in terms of morphology. The incongruence between molecular and morphological inferences might be explained by the homoplastic nature of the morphological characteristics used for species delimitation in Lycodapus. The percent of genetic identity between the closest species of Lycodapus ranges from 95.4 to 98.6% in comparison with 99.5–100.0% between individuals of the same valid species. A key of the genus is amended to include the new species.
Socio-Economic Risks Posed by a New Plant Disease in the Mediterranean Basin
Authors: Cardone Gianluigi , Digiaro Michele , Djelouah Khaled , Frem Michel , Rota Cosimo , Lenders Alessia , Fucilli Vincenzo
Published: November 2022

Xylella fastidiosa (Wells 1987, hereafter Xf), the causal agent of several devastating plant diseases, is threatening new countries of the Euro-Mediterranean, Balkans, Middle East, and North Africa (MENA) regions. In this perspective, a study was carried out to: (a) explore the potential establishment and spread and losses caused by Xf in Euro-Mediterranean countries (i.e., France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain) and the Balkans (i.e., Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia); (b) assess the potential introduction of Xf in the MENA countries (i.e., Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey); and (c) project the socio-economic impacts of Xf on olives, grapes, citrus, and almonds in these countries. A novel socio-economic risk assessment technique was developed and applied for these purposes. It revealed that Albania had the highest risk for Xf dispersal. In addition, the risk assessment also confirmed the vulnerability of Euro-Mediterranean countries in terms of Xf dispersal. In the MENA and Balkans regions, countries with fragmented and small farms are likely to face the worst social impacts, whereas the Euro-Mediterranean region runs the highest economic losses on the target crops.
Effects of David Deer Grazing on Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities in an Eastern Coastal Wetland of China
Authors: Zhu Yi , Wu Yongbo , An Yuting
Published: November 2022

The grazing activity of animals has a significant role on the environmental modification of land. In the coastal wetlands of eastern China, long-term David deer (Elaphurus davidianus) grazing has caused the degradation of various ecological elements in the area. Still, few studies have been reported concerning the effects of David deer grazing on the soil microorganisms of their habitats. We analyzed the community structure of soil bacteria and fungi in an area of continuous annual grazing and another area without traces of David deer grazing so as to learn about the effects of deer grazing on the soil microbial community structure in a spatial instead of temporal way, in preparation for improving the environment for deer survival. David deer grazing drastically changed the physicochemical characteristics of the soil, accelerating the alkalinization process and inhibiting the buildup of nutrients. There were differences in the microbial community structure between the grazed and the control areas, with bacteria predominating. The control had a higher level of bacterial and fungal alpha-diversity than the grazed area. The makeup of the soil’s microbial community was also influenced, except for the dominant microbial at the phylum level. In addition to the establishment of numerous complex fungal functional types, David deer grazing increased the number of bacterial functional types linked to the carbon cycle. The impacts of soil pH and urease activity on bacterial and fungi populations were highlighted using the redundancy analysis. This study demonstrates that David deer grazing changes and complicates microbial functional kinds of composition, as well as modifies the composition of the soil’s microbial community, improving the soil nutrient cycling process, mainly the carbon element.
Nighttime Image Dehazing Based on Multi-Scale Gated Fusion Network
Authors: Zhao Bo , Wu Han , Ma Zhiyang , Fu Huini , Ren Wenqi , Liu Guizhong
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm to directly restore a clear image from a hazy input, which can be adapted for nighttime image dehazing. The proposed algorithm hinges on a trainable neural network realized in an encoder–decoder architecture. The encoder is exploited to capture the context of the derived input images, while the decoder is employed to estimate the contribution of each input to the final dehazed result using the learned representations attributed to the encoder. The constructed network adopts a novel fusion-based strategy which derives three inputs from an original input by applying white balance (WB), contrast enhancing (CE), and gamma correction (GC). We compute pixel-wise confidence maps based on the appearance differences between these different inputs to blend the information of the derived inputs and preserve the regions with pleasant visibility. The final clear image is generated by gating the important features of the derived inputs. To train the network, we introduce a multi-scale approach to avoid the halo artifacts. Extensive experimental results on both synthetic and real-world images demonstrate that the proposed algorithm performs favorably against the state-of-the-art dehazing for nighttime images.
Pathogenesis of Glaucoma
Authors: Macanian Jason , Sharma Sansar C.
Published: November 2022

Glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease, has a varied pathogenesis scenario, including elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), and hypoxic conditions in the retina. Consequently, degenerating optic axons at the optic nerve head are observed clinically when extensive damage has already occurred. Following elevated IOP, changes in retinal ganglion cells lead to apoptosis immediately followed by degeneration of their optic axons. Degradation of axons leads to cupping of the optic nerve head and visual field losses. Here we emphasize that it is the retinal ganglion cells that are initial targets of elevated IOP, and, together with hyperactivity of retinal astrocytes, create the ischemic conditions which represent the earliest sign in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
NDVI Values Suggest Immediate Responses to Fire in an Uneven-Aged Mixed Forest Stand
Authors: Pompa-García Marín , Martínez-Rivas José Alexis , Valdez-Cepeda Ricardo David , Aguirre-Salado Carlos Arturo , Rodríguez-Trejo Dante Arturo , Miranda-Aragón Liliana , Rodríguez-Flores Felipa de Jesús , Vega-Nieva Daniel José
Published: November 2022

Fire modifies vegetation dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems. Abundant literature has studied the post-fire effects with satellite sensors; however, relatively fewer studies have used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assess the dynamics of greenness prior to and immediately following prescribed fires. Using multispectral sensors mounted on UAVs, we documented the results of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy for pre- and post-fire greenness in a natural forest stand in northern Mexico. Using spectral reflectance techniques and the statistical analyses of Kruskal–Wallis and pairwise Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, statistically significant differences were found in the NDVI values, measured before and after controlled burning (p < 0.05). The results showed an increase in post-fire “greenness” from 0.57 to 0.65. This was interpreted as an immediate change in vegetation activity in the canopy, which could be attributable as a stimulus to heat stress. Complementary spectral indices also reinforce our findings; we recognize that further research is required, for instance, to address the timing of image capture. Our findings demonstrate the potential and some of the challenges associated with the use of UAVs to monitor prescribed fires, while also suggesting the need for more detailed physiological and phenological studies. High spatial and spectral resolution maps of greenness represent a valuable starting point for subsequent temporal monitoring and contribute to the knowledge of fire effects at fine spatial resolutions.
Composition and Spatial Variation of Germinable Seed Bank in Burned Nothofagus pumilio Forests in Patagonia Argentina
Authors: Urretavizcaya M. Florencia , Albarracín Viviana , Orellana Ivonne , Rago M. Melisa , López Bernal Pablo , Monelos Lucas , Peri Pablo Luis
Published: November 2022

The availability of soil-stored seed determines initial plant functional types in post-fire landscapes. We evaluated the post-fire regeneration of Nothofagus pumilio forests, in Patagonia, Argentina, analyzing the soil seed bank (SSB) and the above-ground vegetation (AV). At three sites: La Colisión, Río Turbio and Monte Zeballos, burned in 2008, 1980 and 1941, respectively, we sampled the SSB and AV in two transects from the edge of the remaining forest, up to 90 m within the burned area, and recorded the emergence (198 soil samples) and presence of vascular species. To determine the effect of the distance to the remnant forest on the germinable seed bank, we performed simple linear regression analysis through the use of linear mixed-effect models, and we analyzed the similarity between the composition of SSB and AV with PERMANOVA. The emergence of plant growth forms had different patterns in relation to the distance from the forest in the three sites, which might be associated with the time of fire occurrence, and specific characteristics of each site. The emergence of N. pumilio was registered at more than one distance at the recent burning site. Herbs constituted the main source of cover with 69% of the composition, and native/endemic species represented 71%. This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between the seed bank and standing vegetation and a better understanding of the resilience of post-fire N. pumilio forests. Our findings suggest that from 15–20 m from the edge, the SSB would be insufficient to ensure the spontaneous recovery of the forest, making active restoration necessary in order to tend to a recovery of the structure and functionality of the original community.
Impact of Facility Location on the Financial Performance of Integrated and Distributed LVL Production in Subtropical Eastern Australia
Authors: Venn Tyron J. , Dorries Jack W. , McGavin Robert L. , Leggate William
Published: November 2022

In subtropical eastern Australia, the declining availability of traditional, large hardwood native forest logs has motivated hardwood sawmills to explore potentially utilising small logs in the manufacture of veneer-based engineered wood products (EWPs), such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL). An aspatial mathematical model that maximises net present value (NPV) over a 30-year project life has been applied to estimate the financial performance of LVL manufacture in this region. Of particular interest was how facility location affected financial performance, and whether distributed production of veneer (close to the log resource) and LVL (distant from the log resource) may be more profitable than integrated production under some circumstances. While integrated production of veneer and LVL near the resource maximised NPV, distributed production was found to be more profitable than integrated production in situations where the LVL manufacturing facility had to be located relatively far from the resource. Nevertheless, the level of value-adding and processing scale had a greater impact on financial performance than facility location. The analysis also highlighted that log procurement strategy substantially affected financial performance. Encouragingly for forest growers and wood processors, utilising large volumes of small diameter logs, was important for maximisation of NPV of larger-scale LVL facilities.
Inconsistent Response of Abundant and Rare Bacterial Communities to the Developmental Chronosequence of Pinus massoniana
Authors: Cao Qianbin , Zhou Yunchao , Zhao Hui , Bai Yunxing
Published: November 2022

There are differences in the environmental adaptability and regulation of nutrient cycling between abundant and rare bacterial communities during the development of planted forest ecosystems. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between the soil characteristics and the composition and diversity of abundant and rare bacteria across a chronosequence (i.e., 13-yr, 25-yr, 38-yr, 58-yr-old stands) of Pinus massoniana. Abundant bacterial OTUs, richness, and Shannon index showed a different variation with stand age compared with the rare taxa bacterial community. Both abundant and rare bacterial communities showed significant differences between the 13-yr and 25-yr-old stands, but were similar in the 38-yr and 58-yr-old stands. The dominant phyla were Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Planctomycetes in both abundant and rare taxa. However, the same phylum of abundant and rare taxa was inconsistent across the four forest ages. Network analysis further demonstrated that rare taxa had a greater network scale and complexity than abundant taxa, which may contribute to buffering the environmental stress. The Mantel test showed that soil pH, nitrogen pool (i.e., MBN, NH4+, NAlkali), and enzyme activities were the key factors that were associated with the changes in abundant bacterial diversity and structure during the development of P. massoniana. However, more soil variables (i.e., pH, SW, MBN, NH4+, NAlkali, AP, nitrite reductase, and sucrase) regulated the rare bacterial communities. Our results indicate that rare taxa are important contributors to soil bacterial community diversity, and their community dynamics responded to changes in soil physicochemical properties significantly distinct from the abundant taxa. We suggest that future studies should focus more on the response of different taxa subcommunities, rather than on the community as a whole, when studying the changes in microbial community dynamics.
Key Competences for Lifelong Learning through the “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” Video Game
Authors: Villarejo-Carballido Beatriz , Pulido Cristina M. , Tejedor Santiago
Published: November 2022

The growth and impact of video games in education at an international level is a reality. Research shows that gamers can increase their knowledge, skills, and behavioural flexibility. However, there has been no in-depth research into the relationship between current video games and the key competences for lifelong learning set out by the European Commission. This research focuses on learning acquisition through playing the popular game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons”. The Communicative Methodology has been used in this research through, on the one hand, use of the Social Impact in Social Media (SISM) method involving the analysis of 1000 comments posted on the social network Twitter and, on the other hand, through communicative inter, sanviews with five gamers and a family member of a user. The results show that the Animal Crossing video game promotes learning achievements regarding literacy, multilingualism, mathematical skills, digital competence, social skills, citizenship, entrepreneurship, and cultural awareness.
ABCA1 Polymorphism R1587K in Chronic Hepatitis C Is Gender-Specific and Modulates Liver Disease Severity through Its Influence on Cholesterol Metabolism and Liver Function: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ferreira Joana , Bicho Manuel , Serejo Fátima
Published: November 2022

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) progression is highly variable and can be influenced by lipid metabolism. The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is involved in lipid metabolism and mediates cholesterol efflux from liver cells. ABCA1 gene polymorphism rs2230808 (R1587K) modulates lipid levels as it is located in an ABCA1 protein domain, which is essential for cholesterol efflux. We aimed to analyze the role of ABCA1 polymorphism R1587K (rs2230808) in modulating the biochemical parameters of lipid metabolism and liver function and its association with liver disease severity, according to gender. A total of 161 CHC patients were clinically, histologically, and biochemically evaluated. Genotyping was performed by melting-curve analysis and statistical analysis by SPSS 24.0. There were significant differences between ABCA1_rs2230808 genotypes and total cholesterol, γGT (γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase), and HCV-RNA. Gender differences: in females, ABCA1_rs2230808 (GG or GA) was associated with higher HCV-RNA serum levels; in males, ABCA1_rs2230808 (GG or GA) was associated with higher γGT, lower total cholesterol, increased risk for γGT ≥ 38 UI/L, and total cholesterol < 4.92 mmol/L. Only in the case of males were higher γGT and lower total cholesterol associated with severe fibrosis and steatosis. Total cholesterol < 4.92 mmol/L also associates with severe necroinflammation. We conclude that ABCA1_rs2230808 is gender-specific. ABCA1_rs2230808 Allele G was associated with different clinical and biochemical parameters, which are related to more severe liver disease.
Assessment of the Genetic Distinctiveness and Uniformity of Pre-Basic Seed Stocks of Italian Ryegrass Varieties
Authors: Pasquali Elisa , Palumbo Fabio , Barcaccia Gianni
Published: November 2022

Lolium multiflorum Lam., commonly known as Italian ryegrass, is a forage grass mostly valued for its high palatability and digestibility, along with its high productivity. However, Italian ryegrass has an outbreeding nature and therefore has high genetic heterogeneity within each variety. Consequently, the exclusive use of morphological descriptors in the existing varietal identification and registration process based on the Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) test results in an inadequately precise assessment. The primary objective of this work was to effectively test whether the uniformity observed at the phenological level within each population of Italian ryegrass was confirmed at the genetic level through an SSR marker analysis. In this research, using 12 polymorphic SSR loci, we analyzed 672 samples belonging to 14 different Italian ryegrass commercial varieties to determine the pairwise genetic similarity (GS), verified the distribution of genetic diversity within and among varieties, and investigated the population structure. Although the fourteen commercial varieties did not show elevated genetic differentiation, with only 13% of the total variation attributable to among-cultivar genetic variation, when analyzed as a core, each variety constitutes a genetic cluster on its own, resulting in distinct characteristics from the others, except for two varieties. In this way, by combining a genetic tool with the traditional morphological approach, we were able to limit biases linked to the environmental effect of field trials, assessing the real source of diversity among varieties and concretely answering the key requisites of the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) system.
Genetic Characterization of Some Saudi Arabia’s Accessions from Commiphora gileadensis Using Physio-Biochemical Parameters, Molecular Markers, DNA Barcoding Analysis and Relative Gene Expression
Authors: Safhi Fatmah Ahmed , ALshamrani Salha Mesfer , Jalal Areej Saud , El-Moneim Diaa Abd , Alyamani Amal A. , Ibrahim Amira A.
Published: November 2022

Commiphora gileadensis L. is a medicinal plant, known as balsam, with pharmaceutical potential for its phytochemical activities and chemical constituents. Genetic diversity is a genetic tool used in medicinal plant evolution and conservation. Three accessions from C. gileadensis were collected from three localities in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Jizan and Riyadh). Genetic characterization was carried out using physio-biochemical parameters, molecular markers (inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT)), DNA barcoding (18 S rRNA and ITS rDNA regions), relative gene expressions (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 1 (PAL1), defensin (PR-12)) and pathogenesis-related protein (AFPRT). The results of this study showed that C. gileadensis accession C3, collected from Riyadh, had the highest content from the physio-biochemical parameters perspective, with values of 92.54 mg/g and 77.13 mg/g for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), respectively. Furthermore, the highest content of antioxidant enzyme activity was present in accession C3 with values of 16.87, 60.87, 35.76 and 27.98 U mg−1 for superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) (mol/min/mg FW) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (U mg−1 protein), respectively. The highest total number of bands and number of unique bands were 138 and 59, respectively, for the SCoT marker. The SCoT marker was the most efficient for the genetic diversity of C. gileadensis by producing the highest polymorphism (75.63%). DNA barcoding using 18 S and ITS showed the nearby Commiphora genus and clustered C. gileadensis accessions from Jeddah and Jizan in one clade and the C. gileadensis accession from Ryiadh in a separate cluster. Moreover, relative gene expression of the PAL1, defensin (PR-12) and AFPRT (PR1) genes was upregulated in the C. gileadensis accession from Ryiadh. In conclusion, ecological and environmental conditions in each locality affect the genomic expression and genetic diversity, which can help the evolution of important medicinal plants and improve breeding and conservation systems.
Inbreeding in Chinese Fir: Insight into the Rare Self-Fertilizing Event from a Genetic View
Authors: Huang Rong , Zeng Weishan , Deng Houyin , Hu Dehuo , Wang Runhui , Zheng Huiquan
Published: November 2022

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) is a fast-growing conifer with great forestation value and prefers outcrossing with high inbreeding depression effect. Previously, we captured a special Chinese fir parent clone named as ‘cx569’ that lacks early inbreeding depression. In view of the fact that very little has been published about the rare self-fertilizing event in Chinese fir from a genetic view, herein, we conduct an SSR-based study on the variation of open- and self-pollinated offspring of this parent to gain a view of the rare self-fertilizing event. The results indicated that genetic diversity of self-pollinated offspring was significantly reduced by half (Ho: 0.302, vs. 0.595, p = 0.001; He: 0.274 vs. 0.512, p = 0.002) when compared to an open-pollinated set. Self-pollinated offspring also had significantly positive FIS values (FIS = 0.057, p = 0.034) with a much higher proportion of common allele (20.59% vs. 0), reflecting their heterozygote deficiency. Clustering analysis further indicated a separation of the self- and opened- pollinated groups, implying a natural preference of outcrossing for cx569. However, the cx569 still had 6% acceptance for selfing. When accepted 100% for its own pollen, the cx569 led to a genetically unique selfing group. Additionally, this selfing group seemed to be consistently homozygous at seven particular loci. These findings gave us more genetic clues to gain insight into the rare self-fertilizing event in conifer (Chinese fir).
Cloning and Functional Analysis of NoMYB60 Gene Involved in Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.)
Authors: Ma Xiaoqing , Ran Jiajun , Mei Guihu , Hou Xilin , You Xiong
Published: November 2022

The MYB60 gene belongs to the R2R3-MYB subfamily, which includes the MYB31/30/96/94 genes. Although these genes have been shown to respond to heat and drought stresses, their role in flavonoid synthesis remains unclear. In this study, NoMYB60 was cloned from watercress and its structure and function were analyzed. Sequence structure analysis showed that NoMYB60 had a highly conserved R2R3 DNA-binding region at the N-terminus. Under the treatment of ABA, SA or MeJA, the expression level of NoMYB60 first significantly increased and then decreased, indicating that ABA, SA and MeJA positively regulated NoMYB60. The subcellular localization of NoMYB60-GFP indicated that NoMYB60 was localized in the nuclear region, which is consistent with the molecular characterization of the transcription factor. Gene silencing experiments were also performed to further test the function of NoMYB60. The result showed that virus-induced silencing of NoMYB60 affected the expression of enzyme genes in flavonoid synthesis pathways and promoted the synthesis of flavonoids. Moreover, we discovered that NoMYB60 interacts with NoBEH1/2. In this study, provides a reference for research on the regulation mechanism of flavonoid synthesis in Cruciferae and other crops.
Influence of Using Tire-Derived Aggregate on the Structural Performance of Buried Concrete Pipe under Embankment Load
Authors: Alzabeebee Saif , Alshibany Safaa Manfi , Keawsawasvong Suraparb
Published: November 2022

Induced trench method is a well-known technique usually used to reduce the soil pressure applied on buried pipes. This method involves the use of a lightweight compressible material above the buried pipe to increase the positive arching, and thus, to decrease the soil pressure applied on the buried pipe. However, little efforts have been given by previous studies to check the applicability of using tire-derived aggregate (TDA) as the light weight and compressible material in the induced trench method, where it is not clear if the TDA could be used to increase the positive arching for the case of concrete pipes with different diameters and backfill heights. Thus, this paper investigates the effect of using TDA on the structural performance of buried concrete pipes subjected to soil load using a validated three-dimensional finite element model. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to examine the effect of the configuration of the TDA, backfill height, and pipe diameter on the performance of the TDA in reducing the pipe wall bending moment. It was found that increasing the backfill height decreases the performance of the TDA. Furthermore, increasing the pipe diameter up to 1.2 m increases the TDA performance. However, the performance of the TDA significantly reduces as the diameter increases from 1.2 m to 2.4 m. In addition, it was also observed that the TDA configuration has a remarkable influence on its performance, where it is necessary to place the TDA layer on top of the pipe crown to increase the positive arching. The results reported in this paper provide useful addition to the literature and will help designers to ensure the economic design of buried pipes using recyclable materials.
A Qualitative Study of Drug Treatment Conformity Behavior among Young Drug Users Who Are in Recovery in China
Authors: Li Chen , Song Guandong
Published: November 2022

In response to social concerns about young drug users, this study aimed to qualitatively explore the types of drug treatment conformity behaviors and the processes of behavior formation among this population. Twenty-one young drug users were selected through purposive sampling, in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured approach, and the data were then analyzed. The social conformity theory is used as the framework of the analysis, and the results indicate that drug treatment behaviors can be differentiated by the three types of motivation that produce conformity with drug treatment: the cognitive, affective, and utilitarian. These three types of motivations produce three types of conformity, respectively: drug treatment abidance, drug treatment compliance, and drug treatment obedience. They are affected by informational social influences, normative influences of significant others, and normative structural levels, respectively. We also propose a model of the information processing involved in drug treatment conformity. Based on an in-depth analysis of the characteristics and formation processes of the three different types of conformity, intervention strategies are proposed. This study has important guiding significance for helping young drug users maintain their drug rehabilitation ethics and successfully return to society.
Can Sri Lankan Australians Recognise Depression? The Influence of Acculturation, Age and Experiences with Depression on Recognition
Authors: Daluwatta Amanda , Peiris Dushan , Fletcher Kathryn , Ludlow Chris , Murray Greg
Published: November 2022

Mental health literacy is an important determinant of mental health help-seeking and is associated with improved mental health. There is evidence that mental health literacy may be lower amongst some migrant communities in Australia. The present study conducted the first cross-sectional survey of mental health literacy in Sri Lankan Australians between April and October 2020. Participants (N = 404) were presented with a culturally-tailored vignette describing an individual with symptoms of major depressive disorder, with correct recognition determined by the coding of an open text response to the question ‘what’s wrong with Mr Silva?’. Binomial linear regression modelling was conducted to identify predictors of the correct recognition of depression. Approximately 74% of participants recognised the presented symptoms as depression, though multiple other labels were also used by the respondents. The results also suggested that younger age and having a prior diagnosis of depression were significant predictors of recognising depression in the vignette. In the first study of Sri Lankan migrants’ mental health literacy in an Australian context, the rates of depression recognition were comparable to those found in the general Australian population. Further research is urgently required to replicate and extend the present findings and ultimately support the development of tailored interventions aimed at improving mental health literacy across the diverse Sri Lankan Australian community.
Visualization and Analysis of Global Vision Zero Studies and Policy Orientation in China
Authors: He Yi , Fan Yixiong , Yan Lixin , Peng Jianhua , Li Zhiqiang
Published: November 2022

As a policy that is widely used worldwide, Vision Zero is a long-term strategic goal for road safety in China. The aim of this paper is to examine the literature in the field of Vision Zero retrieved by the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database from 1997 to 2021 based on mapping knowledge domain (MKD) and bibliometric methods. In this paper, we analyzed the overall development level of Vision Zero at different stages using the statistical analysis of the distribution of literature years. Based on the analysis, four major research directions of Vision Zero are obtained through keywords co-occurrence analysis, including “Vision Zero in road safety”, “vulnerable road users’ risks”, “effect of speed on severity”, and “responsibility management for crashes”. Furthermore, we explore the influence and development potential of each country and region of Vision Zero based on the number and citation frequency of the literature, and the distribution of time dimensions. Among the research topics, all countries and regions are clustered into four clusters, and the current status of Vision Zero for countries in the most influential clusters, which include Sweden, the United States, Australia, China, and Norway, have been presented. Finally, an analysis of road safety in China is carried out, which includes displaying the changes in the number of road accidents, fatalities, and serious injuries in China between 2009 and 2018, comparing the fatalities per 10,000 vehicles and the fatalities per 100,000 people between China and other countries, and describing China’s strategic routes toward Vision Zero.
Study on the Microclimate Effect of Water Body Layout Factors on Campus Squares
Authors: Xu Han , Lin Xinya , Lin Ying , Zheng Guorui , Dong Jianwen , Wang Minhua
Published: November 2022

Quantifying the water layout factors in a campus square helps to lay out water bodies more scientifically and utilize the microclimate effect to alleviate the heat and humidity of campus squares in summer. The West Gate Square of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in China has been used as the primary theoretical model, and the landscape pattern index from landscape ecology has been used to quantify the scale, shape, and dispersion of water bodies. Consider the typical weather, the summer solstice, as the experiment time. The relationship between the water body layout factors and cooling effect, the humidification effect, and the wind speed is clarified from both temporal and spatial perspectives. The data were analyzed with ENVI-met and Arcgis software. Then, the optimum campus square water body layout mode was concluded. The results show that: (1) The scale, dispersion, and shape of the water body has a significant effect on the campus temperature and humidity, while the effect on wind speed is not significant. (2) From the cooling and humidifying effect, the ranking of the regulating ability of the water body layout factors is scale > shape > dispersion; the ranking of the influence range is shape > scale > dispersion. (3) When the boundary of the square is determined, the optimum water body layout mode is that the water body area accounts for 36% of the total square area. The shape of the water body is concentrated and not dispersed square. When the water body layout is determined, the optimum layout mode of the boundary is length:width = 1:2.
Factors Influencing Intergovernmental Cooperation on Emission Reduction in Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration: An Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective
Authors: Liu Jingyu , Meng Weidong , Huang Bo , Li Yuyu
Published: November 2022

In this study, we introduced the realistic problem of a dynamic carbon tax, built several evolutionary game models for cooperative emission reduction by local governments, and determined the factors that influence governments’ willingness to cooperate in emission reduction. The findings revealed that, first, the probability of governments opting for cooperative emission reduction strategies increases at different rates depending on the benefits and costs of cooperation. Second, externalities influence governments’ willingness to cooperate in emission reduction during cooperative carbon emission reduction. Furthermore, the emergence of a free-riding situation reduces the effectiveness of intergovernmental cooperation in reducing carbon emissions. Third, carbon tax policy can influence the likelihood that local governments will choose cooperative emission reduction, and different carbon tax sizes have different effects on their willingness to choose cooperative emission reduction.
Temporal-Spatial Evolution and Driving Factors of Global Carbon Emission Efficiency
Authors: Cao Ping , Li Xiaoxiao , Cheng Yu , Shen Han
Published: November 2022

With global warming, the continuous increase of carbon emissions has become a hot topic of global concern. This study took 95 countries around the world as the research object, using the Gini coefficient, spatial autocorrelation, spatial econometric model and other methods to explore temporal and spatial evolution, and spatial agglomeration characteristics from 2009 to 2018. The results are as follows: First, global carbon emission efficiency (CEE) showed an overall upward trend, and the average value fluctuated from 0.3051 in 2009 to 0.3528 in 2018, with an average annual growth rate of 1.63%. Spatially, the areas with higher CEE are mainly located in Western Europe, East Asia, and North America, and the areas with lower values are mainly located in the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. Second, the Gini coefficient increased from 0.7941 to 0.8094, and regional differences showed a gradually expanding trend. The Moran’s I value decreased from 0.2389 to 0.1860, showing a positive fluctuation characteristic. Third, judging from the overall sample and the classified sample, the correlations between the influencing factors and CEE were different in different regions. Scientific and technological innovation, foreign direct investment and CEE in all continents are significantly positively correlated while industrial structure is significantly negatively correlated, and urbanization, economic development level, and informatization show obvious heterogeneity. The research is aimed at strengthening exchanges and cooperation between countries, adjusting industrial structure; implementing emission reduction policies according to local conditions; and providing guidance and reference for improving CEE and mitigating climate change.
Maternal Plasma Glycerophospholipids LC-PUFA Levels Have a Sex-Specific Association with the Offspring’s Cord Plasma Glycerophospholipids-Fatty Acid Desaturation Indices at Birth
Authors: Vamadeva Sowmya Giriyapura , Bhattacharyya Nagalakshmi , Sharan Kunal
Published: November 2022

Fatty acid desaturases, the enzymes responsible for the production of unsaturated fatty acids (FA) in fetal tissues, are known to be influenced by maternal-placental supply of nutrients and hormones for their function. We hypothesize that there could be a gender-specific regulation of unsaturated FA metabolism at birth, dependent on the maternal fatty acid levels. In this study, 153 mother-newborn pairs of uncomplicated and ‘full-term’ pregnancies were selected and the FA composition of plasma glycerophospholipids (GP) was quantified by gas chromatography. The FA composition of mother blood plasma (MB) was compared with the respective cord blood plasma (CB) of male newborns or female newborns. Product to substrate ratios were estimated to calculate delta 5 desaturase (D5D), delta 6 desaturase (D6D) and delta 9 stearoyl-CoA-desaturase (D9D/SCD) indices. Pearson correlations and linear regression analyses were employed to determine the associations between MB and CB pairs. In the results, the male infant’s MB-CB association was positively correlated with the SCD index of carbon-16 FA, while no correlation was seen for the SCD index of carbon-18 FA. Unlike for males, the CB-D5D index of female neonates presented a strong positive association with the maternal n-6 long chain-polyunsaturated FA (LC-PUFA), arachidonic acid. In addition, the lipogenic desaturation index of SCD18 in the CB of female new-borns was negatively correlated with their MB n-3 DHA. In conclusion, sex-related differences in new-borns’ CB desaturation indices are associated with maternal LC-PUFA status at the time of the birth. This examined relationship appears to predict the origin of sex-specific unsaturated FA metabolism seen in later life.
Psychological Impact of Cancellation of Elective Surgeries for Ophthalmic Patients during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chu Stephanie K. Y. , To David T. C. , Liu Candice C. H. , Wong Tony , Li Kenneth K. W.
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine hospital services globally. The cancellation of elective surgeries placed a psychological burden on patients. A questionnaire study was conducted to identify the psychological impact of canceling cataract operations on patients at Kowloon East Cataract Center, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Hong Kong, from April to June 2020. In total, 99 participants aged 59 years old and above, who had their cataract surgeries postponed or as scheduled, were studied using the standardized patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire (GAD-7). None of the patients who had their cataract surgeries rescheduled reached the cutoff score for major depression in PHQ-9, whereas, according to GAD-7, five patients had mild symptoms of anxiety, and one had severe symptoms. There was no significant psychosocial impact of the cancellation of cataract surgeries on patients.
Cognitive Fusion and Emotional Eating among Adolescents with Obesity: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Guerrini Usubini Anna , Bottacchi Michela , Caroli Diana , Castelnuovo Gianluca , Sartorio Alessandro
Published: November 2022

Cognitive fusion and avoidance are supposed to exert a key role in the development and maintenance of disordered eating behaviors related to obesity, such as emotional eating. A large portion of the research has focused on adult populations, while few data are available on adolescents so far. The current cross-sectional study is intended to explore the association between cognitive fusion, avoidance, and emotional eating in a sample of fifty-six Italian adolescents (13–17 years) with obesity (body mass index > 97th centile). For this purpose, participants attending a 3-week body weight reduction program were assessed using demographical, physical, and clinical data. A multivariate linear regression model was performed in order to preliminarily investigate the predictive role of cognitive fusion on emotional eating, controlling for possible confounding factors. Results showed a significant association between cognitive fusion and emotional eating. Regression revealed that cognitive fusion was a significant contributor for explaining emotional eating (controlling for sex) [R2 = 0.551; Adjusted R2 = 0.534; F(2,53) = 32.5; p < 0.001]. Even if preliminary, our findings suggest a predictive role of cognitive fusion on emotional eating, and also suggest that cognitive fusion can be considered a key component in understanding and addressing of disordered eating behaviors related to obesity. Future replications are required to expand the sample and collect longitudinal data. Intervention programs for childhood obesity could benefit from this line of research.
The Relationship between Atherogenic Index of Plasma and Obesity among Adults in Taiwan
Authors: Zhang Jen-Shan , Yeh Wei-Chung , Tsai Yi-Wen , Chen Jau-Yuan
Published: November 2022

Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), a novel biomarker, is associated with cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between AIP and obesity among Taiwanese hospital employees. A total of 1312 subjects with an average age of 42.39 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. AIP was calculated as log10 (TG/HDL-C). All subjects were divided into three groups according to AIP tertiles. Chi-square test, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare the demographic and clinical lab characteristics of the three groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between AIP and obesity. The results showed that subjects with obesity or with high AIP levels exhibited significant differences in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, alanine aminotransferase, fasting plasma glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome. In addition, age and total cholesterol were increased in the high AIP group. Increased AIP levels were strongly associated with obesity.
Highly Enhanced Photocatalytic Performances of Composites Consisting of Silver Phosphate and N-Doped Carbon Nanomesh for Oxytetracycline Degradation
Authors: Tong Shehua , Liu Zhibing , Lin Yan , Yang Chunping
Published: November 2022

Photocatalytic technology based on silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) has excellent potential in removing antibiotic pollutants, but the low separation rate of photogenerated hole-electron pairs restricts the application of the photocatalyst. In this study, it was found that the combination of nitrogen-doped carbon (NDC) with carbon defects and Ag3PO4 can significantly enhance the photocatalytic ability of Ag3PO4. After it was exposed to visible light for 5 min, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of oxytetracycline (OTC) by the composite photocatalyst Ag3PO4@NDC could reach 100%. In addition, the structure of NDC, Ag3PO4, and Ag3PO4@NDC was systematically characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, and EPR. The XPS results revealed intense interface interaction between Ag3PO4 and NDC, and electrons would transfer from Ag3PO4 to the NDC surface. A possible mechanism for enhancing the photocatalytic reaction of the Ag3PO4@NDC composite catalyst was proposed. This study provides a highly efficient visible light catalytic material, which can be a valuable reference for designing and developing a new highly efficient visible light catalyst.