bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Patient Flow Effect of Pandemic Policies: A Hybrid Simulation Study in a Norwegian Emergency Department
Authors: Terning Gaute , Brun Eric Christian , El-Thalji Idriss
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic required several interventions within emergency departments, complicating the patient flow. This study explores the effect of intervention policies on patient flow in emergency departments under pandemic conditions. The patient flow interventions under evaluation here are the addition of extra treatment rooms and the addition of a waiting zone. A predeveloped hybrid simulation model was used to conduct five scenarios: (1) pre-pandemic patient flow, (2) patient flow with a 20% contamination rate, (3) adding extra treatment rooms to patient flow, (4) adding a waiting zone to the patient flow, (5) adding extra treatment rooms and a waiting zone to the patient flow. Experiments were examined based on multiple patient flow metrics incorporated into the model. Running the scenarios showed that introducing the extra treatment rooms improved all the patient flow parameters. Adding the waiting zone further improved only the contaminated patient flow parameters. Still, the benefit of achieving this must be weighed against the disadvantage for ordinary patients. Introducing the waiting zone in addition to the extra treatment room has one positive effect, decreasing time that the treatment rooms are blocked for contaminated patients entering the treatment room.
Relationship, Discourse and Construction: The Power Process and Environmental Impact of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces as a World Heritage Site
Authors: Hua Honglian , Wang Yikun , Ding Zhiqiang , Liu Hua , Zhou Shangyi , Liu Yuli
Published: December 2022

The coexistence of conservation and degradation is a challenge for protected areas, and unequal political and social power is the mechanism underlying this conservation paradox. The World Heritage site of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (HHRT) has important natural and cultural value, but despite the enormous investment in protecting the site, the rice terraces continue to degrade, and much of the degradation has been unexpected. This study attempts to reveal the mechanism of these unintended protection outputs from the perspective of power relations. After reviewing the literature on the political ecology of protected areas, this study further considers the conceptual framework of power in view of the ambiguity of the concept and integrates the themes from research on protected areas into the power analysis framework of political ecology. Three aspects of the power process and environmental impact of heritage sites are analyzed: the actor network, conservation discourse and natural reconstruction. The results reveal that power among actors in the HHRT has changed over the course of continuous interaction, power has been produced and re-established in different relational networks, and the exercise of power has changed and reshaped the natural environment of the heritage site through a series of spatial planning decisions. Conservation discourse related to heritage is an important way for actors to establish and exercise power. However, due to spatial differences in the allocation of power, local development opportunities are unbalanced. In this unbalanced relationship, in order to maintain or strive for development opportunities and achieve economic development, residents of the HHRT have reshaped the natural environment by changing their farming methods and traditional planting methods, posing a potential threat to the sustainable development of the heritage site.
Client Views of Contingency Management in Gambling Treatment: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Dorey Lucy , McGarrigle Jack , May Richard , Hoon Alice E. , Dymond Simon
Published: December 2022

Low levels of treatment access and poor retention among those with gambling problems suggests a need to improve treatment. Contingency management (CM) is a behavioural intervention involving the identification of target behaviours and the provision of incentives when targets are met. There exists a substantial evidence base for CM increasing abstinence and attendance in substance misuse treatment, but this has not been widely extended to gambling treatment setting. This study sought to explore the views of clients about CM for the treatment of problematic and disordered gambling. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 25 gambling treatment clients who were, or had previously been, engaged in treatment in Great Britain. Participants were provided with an explanation of CM, two hypothetical scenarios, and two structured questionnaires to facilitate discussion. Thematic analysis was used to interpret findings. Some participants felt that clients could manipulate CM while in treatment to obtain money to gamble, and that mechanisms of CM could trigger recovering clients into relapse. Participants also identified potential benefits of CM to achieve treatment goals, by enhancing motivation and engagement while in treatment, and helping bring people into treatment earlier. Gambling treatment clients broadly supported the use of incentives for treatment. CM is seen as a facilitator of extended engagement in treatment, and an encouragement for clients to make progress in the treatment process.
The Effect of Airbnb Users’ Regret on Dissatisfaction and Negative Behavioral Intention
Authors: Lee Seunghwan , Kim Min Jung , Kim Dae-Young
Published: December 2022

As the most successful platform for peer-based accommodation sharing, Airbnb has transformed the lodging industry into something much more affordable and accessible for travelers on a budget. Compared to a hotel stay, however, its variability of facility and service has created guests’ negative emotions such as regret and dissatisfaction. These emotions may cause stress, which negatively affect mental health. Therefore, we explore the factors that influence Airbnb guests’ regret, and investigate the relationship between their regret, dissatisfaction, and negative behavioral intention. Structural equation model is utilized on a total of 456 U.S. consumers to examine the relationship among Airbnb users’ responses. The findings indicate that price perception influences regret and dissatisfaction the most. The study also reveals that regret has a positive correlation with dissatisfaction, while does not have an influence on switching intention and negative word of mouth. Based on the result, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Motivating Personal Climate Action through a Safety and Health Risk Management Framework
Authors: Mullins-Jaime Charmaine , Wachter Jan K.
Published: December 2022

Background: There is overwhelming evidence the impacts of climate change present a probable threat to personal health and safety. However, traditional risk management approaches have not been applied to ameliorate the crises. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact on personal motivation for action of a communication intervention that framed climate change as a safety issue that can be mitigated through a safety and health risk management framework. Participants’ perception of climate change in terms of its anthropogenicity, context and importance, perception as a personal threat, belief in the efficacy of human action, motivating drivers for action, knowledge of climate change impacts, perceived personal barriers to climate action, and short- and long-term preferences for mitigating actions were evaluated. In addition, this study assessed the role of personal worldview on motivation for climate action. Methods: Through an online survey instrument embedded with a communication/education intervention, data were collected from N = 273 participants. Pre and post-intervention responses were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and descriptive statistics. A path analysis assessed the influence of anthropogenicity, personal impact, and human efficacy beliefs on participant motivation for action. Multi-regression analyses and descriptive statics were used to evaluate the role of worldview on participant motivation for climate action. Results: Personal motivation for action significantly increased post-intervention. Anthropogenicity, personal impact, and human efficacy beliefs were predictive of personal motivation. Those who prioritized climate change as a safety issue and those driven by a desire to protect current and future generations had higher levels of personal motivation, post-intervention. Knowledge of climate change increased, psychosocial factors as barriers to climate action decreased, and preferences for personal mitigating actions shifted towards more impactful choices post-intervention. Holding Egalitarian worldviews significantly predicted climate action motivation. Conclusion: Presenting climate change and climate action strategies via a traditional health and safety risk management context was effective in increasing personal motivation for climate action. This study contributes to the literature on climate change communication and climate action motivation.
Convolutional Neural Network-Based ECG-Assisted Diagnosis for Coal Workers
Authors: Wang Yujia , Chen Zhe , Tian Sen , Zhou Shuxun , Wang Xinbo , Xue Ling , Wu Jianhui
Published: December 2022

Objective: To process and extract electrocardiogram (ECG, ECG, or EKG) features using a convolutional neural network (CNN) to establish an ECG-assisted diagnosis model. Methods: Coal workers who underwent physical examinations at Gequan Mine Hospital and Dongpang Mine Hospital of Hebei Jizhong Energy from July 2020 to September 2020 were selected as the study subjects. The ECG images were preprocessed. We use Python software and convolutional neural network to establish ECG images recognition and classification model.We usecalibration curve, calibration-in-the-large, Brier score, specificity, sensitivity, F1 score, Kappa value, accuracy, and area under the curve (AUC) of ROC to evaluate the performance of the model. Results: The number of abnormal ECG results was 849, and the rate of abnormal results was 25.02%. The test set accuracies of the sinus bradycardia model, nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay model, myocardial ischemia model, and sinus tachycardia model were 97.66%, 96.49%, 93.62%, and 93.02%, respectively; sensitivities were 96.63%, 96.30%, 96.88% and 95.24%, respectively; specificities were 98.78%, 96.67%, 86.67%, and 90.90%, respectively; Brier scores were 0.03, 0.07, 0.09, and 0.11, respectively; Calibration-in-the-large values were 0.026, 0.110, 0.041, and 0.098, respectively. Conclusions: The convolutional neural network model can accurately identify the main ECG abnormality types of coal workers. Additionally, the main ECG abnormalities in these coal company workers were sinus bradycardia, non-specific intraventricular conduction delay, myocardial ischemia, and sinus tachycardia.
Oestrogenic Activity in Girls with Signs of Precocious Puberty as Exposure Biomarker to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: A Pilot Study
Authors: Gea Marta , Toso Anna , Bentivegna Giuseppe Nicolò , Buganza Raffaele , Abrigo Enrica , De Sanctis Luisa , Schilirò Tiziana
Published: December 2022

The relationship between endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure and Precocious Puberty (PP) was investigated in this pilot study, involving girls with signs of PP (P) and pre-pubertal girls (C). Risk factors for PP were assessed through questionnaires, while 17β-oestradiol (E2) levels and oestrogenic activity were quantified on sera. The oestrogenic activity, expressed as E2 equivalent concentration (EEQ), was applied as EDC exposure biomarker. Questionnaires showed a low EDC knowledge, a high EDC exposure, and a potential relationship between some habits at risk for EDC exposure and PP. EEQs were similar between C and P; however, they were significantly higher in girls living in an urban environment than in girls living in a rural environment, suggesting a potential higher EDC exposure in cities. The results of this pilot study highlighted the need to raise awareness on EDCs and can be considered a starting point to clarify the relationship between EDC exposure and PP.
Hypertriglyceridemia and Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Stenosis
Authors: Miura Yoichi , Suzuki Hidenori
Published: December 2022

Both fasting and non-fasting hypertriglyceridemia have emerged as residual risk factors for atherosclerotic disease. However, it is unclear whether hypertriglyceridemia increases the risks of the progression of carotid artery stenosis. Statins are well known to prevent carotid plaque progression and improve carotid plaque instability. In addition, statin therapy is also known to reduce cerebrovascular events in patients with carotid artery stenosis and to improve clinical outcomes in patients undergoing revascularization procedures. On the other hand, there have been no randomized controlled trials showing that the combination of non-statin lipid-lowering drugs with statins has additional beneficial effects over statin monotherapy to prevent cerebrovascular events and stenosis progression in patients with carotid artery stenosis. In this article, the authors demonstrate the mechanisms of atherosclerosis formation associated with hypertriglyceridemia and the potential role of lipid-lowering drugs on carotid artery stenosis. The authors also review the articles reporting the relationships between hypertriglyceridemia and carotid artery stenosis.
Past COVID-19: The Impact on IVF Outcomes Based on Follicular Fluid Lipid Profile
Authors: Lomova Natalia , Dolgushina Natalia , Tokareva Alisa , Chagovets Vitaly , Starodubtseva Natalia , Kulikov Ilya , Sukhikh Gennady , Frankevich Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Follicular fluid is an important component of follicle growth and development. Negative effects of COVID-19 on follicular function are still open. The aim of this work was to study the features of the lipid profile of follicular fluid and evaluate the results of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) program in women after COVID-19 to identify biomarkers with prognostic potential. The study involved samples of follicular fluid collected from 237 women. Changes in the lipid composition of the follicular fluid of patients who underwent COVID-19 in mild and severe forms before entering the IVF program and women who did not have COVID-19 were studied by mass spectrometry. Several lipids were identified that significantly changed their level. On the basis of these findings, models were developed for predicting the threat of miscarriage in patients who had a severe course of COVID-19 and models for predicting the success of the IVF procedure, depending on the severity of COVID-19. Of practical interest is the possibility of using the developed predictive models in working with patients who have undergone COVID-19 before entering the IVF program. The results of the study suggest that the onset of pregnancy and its outcome after severe COVID-19 may be associated with changes in lipid metabolism in the follicular fluid.
Iron Dyshomeostasis in COVID-19: Biomarkers Reveal a Functional Link to 5-Lipoxygenase Activation
Authors: Dufrusine Beatrice , Valentinuzzi Silvia , Bibbò Sandra , Damiani Verena , Lanuti Paola , Pieragostino Damiana , Del Boccio Piero , D’Alessandro Ersilia , Rabottini Alberto , Berghella Alessandro , Allocati Nerino , Falasca Katia , Ucciferri Claudio , Mucedola Francesco , Di Perna Marco , Martino Laura , Vecchiet Jacopo , De Laurenzi Vincenzo , Dainese Enrico
Published: December 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms. After acute infection, some subjects develop a post-COVID-19 syndrome known as long-COVID. This study aims to recognize the molecular and functional mechanisms that occur in COVID-19 and long-COVID patients and identify useful biomarkers for the management of patients with COVID-19 and long-COVID. Here, we profiled the response to COVID-19 by performing a proteomic analysis of lymphocytes isolated from patients. We identified significant changes in proteins involved in iron metabolism using different biochemical analyses, considering ceruloplasmin (Cp), transferrin (Tf), hemopexin (HPX), lipocalin 2 (LCN2), and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). Moreover, our results show an activation of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) in COVID-19 and in long-COVID possibly through an iron-dependent post-translational mechanism. Furthermore, this work defines leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and lipocalin 2 (LCN2) as possible markers of COVID-19 and long-COVID and suggests novel opportunities for prevention and treatment.
De Novo Asp219Val Mutation in Cardiac Tropomyosin Associated with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Tsaturyan Andrey K. , Zaklyazminskaya Elena V. , Polyak Margarita E. , Kopylova Galina V. , Shchepkin Daniil V. , Kochurova Anastasia M. , Gonchar Anastasiia D. , Kleymenov Sergey Y. , Koubasova Natalia A. , Bershitsky Sergey Y. , Matyushenko Alexander M. , Levitsky Dmitrii I.
Published: December 2022

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), caused by mutations in thin filament proteins, manifests as moderate cardiac hypertrophy and is associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). We identified a new de novo variant, c.656A>T (p.D219V), in the TPM1 gene encoding cardiac tropomyosin 1.1 (Tpm) in a young SCD victim with post-mortem-diagnosed HCM. We produced recombinant D219V Tpm1.1 and studied its structural and functional properties using various biochemical and biophysical methods. The D219V mutation did not affect the Tpm affinity for F-actin but increased the thermal stability of the Tpm molecule and Tpm-F-actin complex. The D219V mutation significantly increased the Ca2+ sensitivity of the sliding velocity of thin filaments over cardiac myosin in an in vitro motility assay and impaired the inhibition of the filament sliding at low Ca2+ concentration. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation provided insight into a possible molecular mechanism of the effect of the mutation that is most likely a cause of the weakening of the Tpm interaction with actin in the "closed" state and so makes it an easier transition to the “open” state. The changes in the Ca2+ regulation of the actin-myosin interaction characteristic of genetic HCM suggest that the mutation is likely pathogenic.
Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells Using the Attune NxT
Authors: Gruijs Mandy , Zeelen Carolien , Hellingman Tessa , Smit Jasper , Borm Frank J. , Kazemier Geert , Dickhoff Chris , Bahce Idris , de Langen Joop , Smit Egbert F. , Hartemink Koen J. , van Egmond Marjolein
Published: December 2022

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been detected in many patients with different solid malignancies. It has been reported that presence of CTCs correlates with worse survival in patients with multiple types of cancer. Several techniques have been developed to detect CTCs in liquid biopsies. Currently, the only method for CTC detection that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration is CellSearch. Due to low abundance of CTCs in certain cancer types and in early stages of disease, its clinical application is currently limited to metastatic colorectal cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. Therefore, we aimed to develop a new method for the detection of CTCs using the Attune NxT—a flow cytometry-based application that was specifically developed to detect rare events in biological samples without the need for enrichment. When healthy donor blood samples were spiked with variable amounts of different EpCAM+EGFR+ tumor cell lines, recovery yield was on average 75%. The detection range was between 1000 and 10 cells per sample. Cell morphology was confirmed with the Attune CytPix. Analysis of blood samples from metastatic colorectal cancer patients, as well as lung cancer patients, demonstrated that increased EpCAM+EGFR+ events were detected in more than half of the patient samples. However, most of these cells showed no (tumor) cell-like morphology. Notably, CellSearch analysis of blood samples from a subset of colorectal cancer patients did not detect CTCs either, suggesting that these blood samples were negative for CTCs. Therefore, we anticipate that the Attune NxT is not superior to CellSearch in detection of low amounts of CTCs, although handling and analysis of samples is easier. Moreover, morphological confirmation is essential to distinguish between CTCs and false positive events.
Evolution and Phylogeny of Soybean Mosaic Virus Based on 143 Complete Genomes
Authors: Choi Hoseong , Jo Yeonhwa , Choi Soo Yeon , Kim Sang-Min , Choi Yu Mi , Hong Jin-Sung , Lee Bong Choon , Cho Won Kyong
Published: December 2022

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) of the genus Potyvirus is an important virus in cultivated soybeans. Here, we obtained 7 SMV genomes from soybean germplasms using RNA sequencing and conducted a comprehensive evolutionary and phylogenetic study of 143 SMV genomes derived from 10 plant species and 12 countries. The phylogenetic tree we constructed using coding DNA sequences revealed the existence of nine clades of SMV isolates/strains. Recombination analysis revealed 76 recombinant events and 141 recombinants in total. Clades 1 and 3 contain the most common SMV pathotypes, including G1 through G7, which are distributed worldwide. Clade 2 includes several Chinese SMV pathotypes. The SMV isolates were further divided into two groups. The SMV isolates in the first group, including clades 8 and 9, were identified from Pinellia and Atractylodes species, whereas those in the second group (clades 1 through 7) were mostly found in cultivated soybeans. The SMV polyprotein undergoes positive selection, whereas most mature proteins, except for the P1 protein, undergo negative selection. The P1 protein of SMV isolates in group 1 may be highly correlated with host adaptation. This study provides strong evidence that recombination and plant hosts are powerful forces driving the genetic diversity of the SMV genome.
Characterizing the ZrBe2Hx Phase Diagram via Neutron Scattering Methods
Authors: Wu Hui , Zhou Wei , Udovic Terrence J. , Bowman Robert C. , Hauback Bjørn C.
Published: December 2022

Since the initial assessment four decades ago of zirconium diberyllide, ZrBe2, as a potential hydride-forming intermetallic for hydrogen-storage applications, structural and dynamical studies to date have been chiefly limited to the hydride composition, ZrBe2H1.5, which exists as a single-phase disordered hydride with hexagonal P6/mmm symmetry that undergoes hydrogen sublattice ordering below ~200 K (~235–250 K for ZrBe2D1.5). It is desirable from both fundamental and technological viewpoints to have a more complete understanding of the ZrBe2Hx phase diagram. In the present study, both neutron powder diffraction and neutron vibrational spectroscopy measurements of ZrBe2Hx at lower hydrogen contents (x < 1.5) indicate that at least two other ordered phases exist at low temperatures, coinciding with respective nominal x values of 1 and 0.67. Compared to ZrBe2H1.5, these more-hydrogen-dilute phases possess different structural symmetries (orthorhombic) with different H-sublattice orderings and undergo much-higher-temperature order-disorder transitions at ≈ 460 K (x = 1) and ≈ 490 K (x = 0.67) to the characteristic H-disordered hexagonal P6/mmm structure associated with ZrBe2H1.5.
Dental and Occlusal Changes during Mandibular Advancement Device Therapy in Japanese Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Four Years Follow-Up
Authors: Ishida Eri , Kunimatsu Ryo , Medina Cynthia Concepcion , Iwai Koji , Miura Sayumi , Tsuka Yuji , Tanimoto Kotaro
Published: December 2022

Dentoskeletal changes caused by the long-term use of mandibular advancement devices (MADs) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have rarely been investigated in Japan. We assessed the long-term dentofacial morphological changes in 15 Japanese patients with OSA who used two-piece MADs for an average of 4 years. Lateral cephalography analyses were performed initially and 4 years later (T1). The dental assessment included overjet, overbite, upper anterior facial height, lower anterior facial height (LAFH), total anterior facial height (TAFH), and anterior facial height ratio. Dental casts were digitized and analyzed using a 3D scanner. Changes in the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and other sleep-assessment indices were assessed using polysomnography and out-of-center sleep testing. Radiography revealed lingual inclination of the maxillary central incisors, labial inclination of the mandibular central incisors, clockwise rotation of the mandible, and an increase in the TAFH and LAFH at T1. In the dental cast analysis, the diameter width and palatal depth tended to decrease and increase, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the AHI and other sleep assessment indices after using the MADs for approximately 4 years. However, these findings do not provide a strong basis and should be interpreted cautiously. Future studies should have a larger sample size and should further investigate the long-term occlusal and dental changes caused by the original MADs in Japanese patients with OSA.
Association between Abortion History and Perinatal and Neonatal Outcomes of Singleton Pregnancies after Assisted Reproductive Technology
Authors: Sun Hanxiang , Su Xiujuan , Liu Yang , Li Guohua , Liu Xiaosong , Du Qiaoling
Published: December 2022

Importance: At present, few people have studied the associations between abortion history before pregnancy on the outcomes of women and their infants after assisted reproductive technology (ART). Objective: To explore the association between the history of abortion and the outcomes of singleton pregnancies after ART. Design: This was a retrospective study in a hospital from 2015 to 2020 in Shanghai, China. Pregnant women with live singleton births through ART were included (n = 3043). Abortion was classified into spontaneous abortion (SAB) and induced abortion. We compared the maternal and fetal outcomes of singleton pregnancies obtained through ART with different abortion histories. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations between the history of pre-pregnancy abortion with perinatal complications and neonatal outcomes. Results: We observed that compared with those who had no abortion history and obtained singleton pregnancies through ART, women who had an abortion history before pregnancy (including SAB or induced abortion history) and only SAB history were more likely to have gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), thyroid-related diseases, and placenta-related diseases. After adjusting the potential confounding factors, these differences still existed. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of GDM, thyroid-related diseases, and placenta-related diseases in women with a history of abortion and only a history of SAB were 1.239 (1.030–1.492) and 1.240 (1.010–1.522), 1.589 (1.261–2.002) and 1.724 (1.344–2.213), 1.465 (1.183–1.815) and 1.433 (1.132–1.814), respectively. However, we did not observe the association between the history of induced abortion and GDM and thyroid-related diseases. Conclusions and Relevance: Our research showed that pregnant women with singleton pregnancies through ART who had a history of abortion or only a history of SAB were more likely to have GDM, thyroid-related diseases, and placenta-related diseases. Pregnant women who had both SAB and induced abortion before pregnancy had a higher risk of thyroid-related diseases and placenta-related diseases, while women who had only a history of induced abortion had a higher risk of placenta-related diseases. Further research is needed to explore the biological mechanism of different types of abortion related to subsequent pregnancy.
Efficacy of Conservative Therapy in Overhead Athletes with Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jiménez-del-Barrio Sandra , Ceballos-Laita Luis , Lorenzo-Muñoz Almudena , Mingo-Gómez María Teresa , Rebollo-Salas Manuel , Jiménez-Rejano José Jesús
Published: December 2022

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of conservative therapy in range of movement (ROM), strength, pain, subacromial space and physical function, in overhead athletes with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD). Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was designed, and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021281559). The databases searched were: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Web of Science and SCOPUS. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving conservative therapy applied in overhead athletes with GIRD were included. Two independent assessors evaluated the quality of the studies with the PEDro scale, and with the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool. The overall quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. Data on outcomes of interest were extracted by a researcher using RevMan 5.4 software. Estimates were presented as standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of eleven studies involving 514 overhead athletes were included in the systematic review; of these 8 were included in the meta-analysis. The methodological quality of the included RCTs ranged from high to low. Conservative therapy showed significant improvements in internal rotation, adduction, physical function and subacromial space. Conclusions: Conservative therapy based on stretch, passive joint and muscular mobilizations can be useful to improve the internal rotation and adduction ROM, subacromial space, and physical function of the shoulder in overhead athletes with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit.
Acute Hepatitis of Unknown Origin in Pediatric Age Group: Recent Outbreaks and Approach to Management
Authors: Patel Neil , Sethi Yashendra , Kaka Nirja , Kaiwan Oroshay , Gupta Ishita , Shaheen Rahma Sameh , Sapoor Shady , Chopra Hitesh , Popoviciu Mihaela Simona , Emran Talha Bin , Cavalu Simona
Published: December 2022

Acute hepatitis has always been a public health concern, but the recent clustering of cases in various parts of the world has drawn some special attention. The sudden rise in cases has mainly been among the pediatric population of around 35 countries around the world, including developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and European countries. The outbreaks have had a devastating impact, with around 10% of the affected patients developing liver failure. The clinical presentation of patients resembles any other case of acute hepatitis, with the major symptoms being: jaundice (68.8%), vomiting (57.6%), and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain (36.1%) and nausea (25.7%). Interestingly, the cases have tested negative for hepatotropic viruses Hep A, B, C, and E, thus giving rise to the terms Hepatitis of Unknown Origin or non-HepA–E hepatitis. Many causes have been attributed to the disease, with major evidence seen for adenovirus and SARS-CoV-2. International agencies have stressed on establishing diagnostic and management protocols to limit these outbreaks. As the understanding has evolved over time, diagnostic and management faculties have found more shape. The current review was designed to comprehensively compile all existing data and whittle it down to evidence-based conclusions to help clinicians.
Modeling of Ship DC Power Grid and Research on Secondary Control Strategy
Authors: Zeng Hong , Zhao Yuanhao , Wang Xuming , He Taishan , Zhang Jundong
Published: December 2022

Compared to alternating current (AC) grids, direct current (DC) grids are becoming more and more popular. A power distribution approach is suggested in order to solve the issue of uneven power distribution of distributed generation (DG) in a ship DC microgrid. Power control is carried out using a tracking differentiator (TD), while the output power change rate is not greater than the maximum power ramp rate permitted by the battery, and state-of-charge balance is attained quickly. The proposed strategy also reduces the communication pressure on the power grid. A distributed hierarchical control model of a DC microgrid based on a consensus algorithm is created in order to validate the suggested methodology. The simulation results demonstrate that the established model is capable of simulating the DC microgrid accurately, that the states of charge values of the five batteries gradually converge under the adjustment of the secondary strategy, and that the suggested strategy is reasonable and efficient.
Deep Learning-Based Classification of Raw Hydroacoustic Signal: A Review
Authors: Lin Xu , Dong Ruichun , Lv Zhichao
Published: December 2022

Underwater target recognition is a research component that is crucial to realizing crewless underwater detection missions and has significant prospects in both civil and military applications. This paper provides a comprehensive description of the current stage of deep-learning methods with respect to raw hydroacoustic data classification, focusing mainly on the variety and recognition of vessels and environmental noise from raw hydroacoustic data. This work not only aims to describe the latest research progress in this field but also summarizes three main elements of the current stage of development: feature extraction in the time and frequency domains, data enhancement by neural networks, and feature classification based on deep learning. In this paper, we analyze and discuss the process of hydroacoustic signal processing; demonstrate that the method of feature fusion can be used in the pre-processing stage in classification and recognition algorithms based on raw hydroacoustic data, which can significantly improve target recognition accuracy; show that data enhancement algorithms can be used to improve the efficiency of recognition in complex environments in terms of deep learning network structure; and further discuss the field’s future development directions.
Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of Shipboard Boom Cranes Based on Moving Horizon State Estimation
Authors: Cao Yuchi , Li Tieshan , Hao Liying
Published: December 2022

As important equipment in offshore engineering and freight transportation, shipboard cranes, working in non-inertial coordination systems, are complicated nonlinear systems with strong couplings and typical underactuation. To tackle the challenges in the controller design for shipboard boom cranes, which is a representative type of shipboard cranes, a comprehensive framework embedding moving horizon estimation (MHE) in model predictive control (MPC) is constructed in this paper while considering disturbances and noise. By utilizing MHE, velocity information can be estimated with high precision even though this is influenced by disturbances and measurement noises. This expected superiority can greatly ease the difficulties in directly measuring all states of shipboard boom cranes. Then, the estimated information can be passed to MPC to derive the optimal control law by solving a constrained optimal problem. During this process, the physical limits of shipboard boom cranes are fully considered. Therefore, the practicability of the proposed framework is highly suitable for the actual requirements of shipboard boom cranes. Finally, the framework is verified by designing three typical scenarios with different disturbances and/or noises. Comparisons with other control approaches are also performed to demonstrate the effectiveness.
Fungal Tracheobronchitis in Lung Transplant Recipients: Incidence and Utility of Diagnostic Markers
Authors: Hammarström Helena , Magnusson Jesper , Stjärne Aspelund Anna , Stenmark Jakob , Isaksson Jenny , Kondori Nahid , Riise Gerdt , Wennerås Christine , Friman Vanda
Published: December 2022

Fungal tracheobronchitis caused by Aspergillus and Candida spp. is a recognized complication after lung transplantation, but knowledge of the incidence of Candida tracheobronchitis is lacking. The diagnosis relies on fungal cultures in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), but cultures have low specificity. We aimed to evaluate the one-year incidence of fungal tracheobronchitis after lung transplantation and to assess the utility of diagnostic markers in serum and BALF to discriminate fungal tracheobronchitis from colonization. Ninety-seven consecutively included adult lung-transplant recipients were prospectively followed. BALF and serum samples were collected at 1, 3 and 12 months after transplantation and analyzed for betaglucan (serum and BALF), neutrophils (BALF) and galactomannan (BALF). Fungal tracheobronchitis was defined according to consensus criteria, modified to include Candida as a mycologic criterion. The cumulative one-year incidence of Candida and Aspergillus tracheobronchitis was 23% and 16%, respectively. Neutrophils of >75% of total leukocytes in BALF had 92% specificity for Candida tracheobronchitis. The area under the ROC curves for betaglucan and galactomannan in BALF to discriminate Aspergillus tracheobronchitis from colonization or no fungal infection were high (0.86 (p < 0.0001) and 0.93 (p < 0.0001), respectively). To conclude, the one-year incidence of fungal tracheobronchitis after lung transplantation was high and dominated by Candida spp. Diagnostic markers in BALF could be useful to discriminate fungal colonization from tracheobronchitis.
Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Particulate Matter: Geodetector Approach
Authors: Mun Hansol , Li Mengying , Jung Juchul
Published: December 2022

In 2019, South Korea’s Framework Act on The Management of Disasters and Safety was revised to include respirable particulate matter as a social disaster. Urban air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution, has been a serious threat to socioeconomic development and public health. In order to address this problem, strong climate crisis response strategies and policies to improve urban air quality are necessary. Therefore, it is of great importance to assess the frequency of urban air pollution occurrence and its influencing factors. The objective of this study is to develop consistent methodologies for the construction of an index system and for assessing the influencing factors of urban particulate matter pollution based on population, social welfare, land use, environmental, transportation, and economic governance considerations. We applied the local indicators of spatial association and geographical detector methods, and 35 influencing factors were selected to assess their influence on urban air pollution occurrence in 229 cities and counties in South Korea. The results indicated the spatial pattern of the particulate matter concentration in these locations showed strong spatial correlation, and it was confirmed that there was a difference in distribution according to the season. As a result of the analysis of influencing factors, it was found that environment and land use characteristics were the main influencing factors for PM10 and PM2.5. The explanatory power between the two influencing factors of particulate matter was greater than that of a single influencing factor. In addition, most influencing factors resulted in both positive and negative effects on urban fine particulate matter pollution. The interaction relationship of all factors showed a strong action effect in the case of both PM10 and PM2.5, so it was confirmed that all influencing factors were interdependent. In particular, the findings proved that combining the two factors would have a more pronounced effect on particulate matter than when they were independent. We confirmed the significant results for the factors affecting particulate matter. This study offers suggestions on reducing urban air pollution occurrence that can be used to provide a basis and reference for the government to form policies on urban air pollution control in cities and counties.
Correction: Niu, F.; Wang, F. Economic Spatial Structure in China: Evidence from Railway Transport Network. Land 2022, 11, 61
Authors: Niu Fangqu , Wang Fang
Published: December 2022

In the original publication [...]
Effect of Deforestation on Land Surface Temperature in the Chiquitania Region, Bolivia
Authors: Maillard Oswaldo , Vides-Almonacid Roberto , Salazar Álvaro , Larrea-Alcazar Daniel M.
Published: December 2022

Neotropical forests offer alternatives to surface cooling and their conservation is an effective solution for mitigating the effects of climate change. Little is known about the importance of tropical dry forests for temperature regulation in Chiquitania, a region with increasing deforestation rates. The impact that deforestation processes are having on the surface temperature in Chiquitania remains an open question. This study evaluated trends in forest cover loss based on land surface temperatures (°C) in forested and deforested areas in Chiquitania. We hypothesized a positive relationship between higher deforestation and a temperature increase, which would decrease the resilience of highly disturbed Chiquitano forests. We evaluated ten sampling sites (10 × 10 km), including five in forested areas with some type of protection and the other five in areas with populated centers and accelerated forest loss. We developed scripts on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform using information from the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, MOD13A2) and the daytime and nighttime Land Surface Temperature (LST, MYD11A1) from MODIS products for the period 2001–2021. The statistical significance of the trends of the time series averages of the MODIS products was analyzed using a nonparametric Mann–Kendall test and the degree of the relationship between the variables was determined using the Pearson statistic. Our results based on NDVI analysis showed consistent vegetation growth in forested areas across the study period, while the opposite occurred in deforested lands. Regarding surface temperature trends, the results for daytime LST showed a positive increase in the four deforested areas. Comparatively, daytime LST averages in deforested areas were warmer than those in forested areas, with a difference of 3.1 °C. Additionally, correlation analyses showed a significant relationship between low NDVI values due to deforestation in three sites and an increase in daytime LST, while for nighttime LST this phenomenon was registered in two deforested areas. Our results suggest a significant relationship between the loss of forest cover and the increase in land surface temperature in Chiquitania. This study could be the first step in designing and implementing an early climate–forest monitoring system in this region.
Water Balance Uncertainty of a Hydrologic Model to Lengthy Drought and Storm Events in Managed Forest Catchments, Eastern Australia
Authors: Jamshidi Reza , Dragovich Deirdre
Published: December 2022

Interest has grown in applying hydrologic models in managed catchments despite uncertainties around model inputs and empirical relationships to simulate complex geo-hydrological processes of streamflow and sediment variations. Unquantified interactions between geophysical, climate and management indices can also increase simulation uncertainties. Calibration of model outputs against observed values allows identification of the most influential variables and their optimised ranges by which model performance can be enhanced. A rainfall-runoff Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was utilised for four catchments in northern New South Wales, Australia to simulate time series of streamflow across varying rainfall regimes, from dry seasons from 2002 towards rainy 2009. Parameters causing a substantial change on model streamflow outputs were first identified using a sensitivity analysis which indicated that hydrologic factors governing the sources of water supply were critical parameters. These sensitive variables were substantially derived from groundwater modules, basic flow in the main channel, and management practices. Statistical tests of between-catchment differences showed that model simulations performed better in a catchment where the sole rain gauge was installed, while also having the narrowest variations in simulated values (r-index = 0.02). In contrast, the highest uncertainty of model simulations was found in the furthest catchment from the rain gauge where there was not a satisfactory agreement with observed data. Yearly differences between 2002 and 2009 indicated an overestimation of streamflow during low flow periods. However, the calibration process performed well in most peak flows where estimations followed the respective observed values. Long-term dry periods between 2002 and 2007 resulted in an overestimated baseflow by predicting an unrealistic recharge infiltrating aquifers.
Degraded Landscapes in Hillside Systems with Agricultural Use: An Integrated Analysis to Establish Restoration Opportunities in Central Chile
Authors: Lebuy Roxana , Mancilla-Ruiz Diana , Manríquez Hermann , De la Barrera Francisco
Published: December 2022

Hillside systems are key centers of ecological and cultural diversity, providing humanity with goods (e.g., food) and vital services (e.g., prevention of landslides) and sustaining 25% of terrestrial biodiversity. However, historical land use practices over these landscapes have contributed to their degradation. In this work, the hillside systems (i.e., slope > 5%) of the agricultural-rural landscape in the Coastal range of Central Chile (32° S–34° S) was analyzed and integrated analysis methods were used for the identification of areas that are degraded and have agricultural potential. The criteria used to identify them include morphometric parameters, current land cover/use, and legal protection status. The hillside systems represent a 74% of the study area, and while 1.2% is currently used for agriculture (13,473 ha), there are 3.2 thousand hectares that could be potentially recovered for agriculture, representing 0.4% of the hillside systems and 0.3% of the study area. In contrast, there are 773,131 ha of hillside systems with natural vegetation in need of conservation and/or protection, representing 69.4% of the study area (93.9% of the hillside systems). The last are key for the resilience of the entire landscape, helping to maintain critical processes linked to the productivity of agricultural areas, especially in the context of climate change and recurrent droughts.
In Envelope Additive/Subtractive Manufacturing and Thermal Post-Processing of Inconel 718
Authors: Atabay Sila Ece , Wanjara Priti , Bernier Fabrice , Sarafan Sheida , Gholipour Javad , Soost Josh , Amos Robert , Patnaik Prakash , Brochu Mathieu
Published: December 2022

This study investigated the application of an in envelope additive/subtractive (LPBF) manufacturing method (Matsuura LUMEX-Avance-25) to fabricate IN718 benchmarking coupons. The coupons were then examined comprehensively for surface finish both with and without high-speed micro-machining. The microstructure of the manufactured IN718 coupons was investigated thoroughly in the as-fabricated condition and following three different standard and one non-standard post-processing heat treatments. As built coupons revealed columnar grain morphology mainly along the <100> direction with a cellular dendritic sub-grain structure and without any strengthening precipitates. Grain size, aspect ratio, and texture were maintained after each of the applied four heat treatments. Only one of the standard heat treatments resulted in the δ phase formation. The other three heat treatments effectively dissolved the Laves phase preventing the δ formation while promoting the formation of γ′/γ″ precipitates. Despite the observed differences in their microstructures, all of the heat treatments resulted in similar yield and ultimate tensile strength values that ranged between 1103–1205 MPa and 1347–1387 MPa, respectively. These values are above the minimum requirements of 1034 MPa and 1241 MPa for the wrought material. The non-standard heat treatment provided the highest elongation of 24.0 ± 0.1% amongst all the heat-treated specimens without a significant loss in strength, while the standard heat treatment for the wrought parts resulted in the lowest elongation of 18.3 ± 0.7% due to the presence of δ phase.