bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gyro-Free Inertial Navigation Systems Based on Linear Opto-Mechanical Accelerometers
Authors: Sanjuan Jose , Sinyukov Alexander , Warrayat Mohanad F. , Guzman Felipe
Published: April 2023

High-sensitivity uniaxial opto-mechanical accelerometers provide very accurate linear acceleration measurements. In addition, an array of at least six accelerometers allows the estimation of linear and angular accelerations and becomes a gyro-free inertial navigation system. In this paper, we analyze the performance of such systems considering opto-mechanical accelerometers with different sensitivities and bandwidths. In the six-accelerometer configuration adopted here, the angular acceleration is estimated using a linear combination of accelerometers’ read-outs. The linear acceleration is estimated similarly but requires a correcting term that includes angular velocities. Accelerometers’ colored noise from experimental data is used to derive, analytically and through simulations, the performance of the inertial sensor. Results for six accelerometers, separated by 0.5 m in a cube configuration show noise levels of 10−7 m s−2 and 10−5 m s−2 (in Allan deviation) for time scales of one second for the low-frequency (Hz) and high-frequency (kHz) opto-mechanical accelerometers, respectively. The Allan deviation for the angular velocity at one second is 10−5 rad s−1 and 5×10−4 rad s−1. Compared to other technologies such as MEMS-based inertial sensors and optical gyroscopes, the high-frequency opto-mechanical accelerometer exhibits better performance than tactical-grade MEMS for time scales shorter than 10 s. For angular velocity, it is only superior for time scales less than a few seconds. The linear acceleration of the low-frequency accelerometer outperforms the MEMS for time scales up to 300 s and for angular velocity only for a few seconds. Fiber optical gyroscopes are orders of magnitude better than the high- and low-frequency accelerometers in gyro-free configurations. However, when considering the theoretical thermal noise limit of the low-frequency opto-mechanical accelerometer, 5×10−11 m s−2, linear acceleration noise is orders of magnitude lower than MEMS navigation systems. Angular velocity precision is around 10−10 rad s−1 at one second and 5×10−7 rad s−1 at one hour, which is comparable to fiber optical gyroscopes. While experimental validation is yet not available, the results shown here indicate the potential of opto-mechanical accelerometers as gyro-free inertial navigation sensors, provided the fundamental noise limit of the accelerometer is reached, and technical limitations such as misalignments and initial conditions errors are well controlled.
Label-Free Anomaly Detection Using Distributed Optical Fiber Acoustic Sensing
Authors: Xie Yuyuan , Wang Maoning , Zhong Yuzhong , Deng Lin , Zhang Jianwei
Published: April 2023

Deep learning anomaly detection is important in distributed optical fiber acoustic sensing (DAS). However, anomaly detection is more challenging than traditional learning tasks, due to the scarcity of true-positive data and the vast imbalance and irregularity within datasets. Furthermore, it is impossible to catalog all types of anomalies, therefore, the direct application of supervised learning is deficient. To overcome these problems, an unsupervised deep learning method that only learns the normal data features from ordinary events is proposed. First, a convolutional autoencoder is used to extract DAS signal features. A clustering algorithm then locates the feature center of the normal data, and the distance to the new signal is used to determine whether it is an anomaly. The efficacy of the proposed method was evaluated in a real high-speed rail intrusion scenario, and considered all behaviors that may threaten the normal operation of high-speed trains as abnormal. The results show that the threat detection rate of this method reaches 91.5%, which is 5.9% higher than that of the state-of-the-art supervised network and, at 7.2%, the false alarm rate is 0.8% lower than the supervised network. Moreover, using a shallow autoencoder reduces the parameters to 1.34 K, which is significantly lower than the 79.55 K of the state-of-the-art supervised network.
Short- and Long-Term Effects of an Intervention to Act against Sexual Violence in Sports
Authors: Schäfer-Pels Alina , Ohlert Jeannine , Rau Thea , Allroggen Marc
Published: April 2023

In recent years, an increasing number of cases of sexual violence (SV) in organized sports have received worldwide attention. To counteract the emergence of SV, various preventive measures have been developed and implemented. However, the effectiveness of these preventive measures has not been adequately tested. To close this gap, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a workshop intervention that was conducted within the context of organized sports in Germany. The one-day workshop intervention was conducted with 137 stakeholders in organized sports (coaches, athletes, board members, and parents). The intervention was evaluated by measuring the short-term (immediately before and after the workshop) and long-term effects (six months after the workshop). The analyses showed positive short-term (such as on attitudes toward SV and the intention to act against SV) and positive long-term effects (on knowledge about SV and a culture of prevention in the sports club and club behavior) of the workshop. The workshop was effective in the short term and the long term regarding the most relevant indicators (i.e., taking measures against SV). Therefore, it can be concluded that more workshops should be held in clubs in order to sensitize stakeholders and foster measures against SV in sports.
An Experimental Study on the Implementation of a STEAM-Based Learning Module in Science Education
Authors: Arpaci Ibrahim , Dogru Muhammed Said , Kanj Hassan , Ali Nawaf , Bahari Mahadi
Published: April 2023

Over the last decade, there has been notable academic interest in the multidisciplinary studies of science education with the emergence of STEAM. Accordingly, this study aimed to conduct an experimental study to explore the effectiveness of a STEAM-based space-themed learning module in science education taught to primary school students. The sample of the study was 6th- and 7th-grade students from the Central Anatolia Region of Turkiye. The experimental group consisted of 180 students, whereas the control group consisted of 94 students. The STEAM-based learning module was applied to the students in the experimental group, and the traditional lecture-based approach was applied to students in the control group. The traditional education and intervention lasted eight weeks. The chi-square test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the differences and associations between the variables. The results indicated that gender and academic achievement level were the two key factors determining the effectiveness of the STEAM-based learning module. The comparison of the pre-test and post-test scores indicated that the scores of the female students who participated in the module increased the most. This suggested that girls benefited more from the STEAM-based learning module than boys. Further, the lecture-based approach led to a decrease in some high-achieving students. The findings have implications for educational policymakers, curriculum developers, and syllabus designers.
Research on Parking Recommendation Methods Considering Travelers’ Decision Behaviors and Psychological Characteristics
Authors: Qin Huanmei , Xu Ning , Zhang Yonghuan , Pang Qianqian , Lu Zhaolin
Published: April 2023

Intelligent parking services can provide parking recommendations and reservations for travelers. They are an effective method for solving the cruising for parking problems in big cities. This research conducted a sequential parking decision behavior survey and analyzed travelers’ parking choices and reservation behaviors at different stages of the travel process. Then, a parking recommendation model was established to consider the travelers’ psychological thresholds and the attention to parking factors. The effects of different parking recommendation schemes in different situations were further explored based on parking simulations. It was concluded that travelers were more willing to accept and use the parking recommendation system. A total of 56% of travelers chose to make parking reservations during the travel process. The satisfaction proportion of the psychological threshold for the parking reservation group was higher than that for the non-parking reservation group. A dynamic parking recommendation scheme with a regulation threshold can change the recommendation strategy according to the overall utilization of parking lots. The implementation of the scheme can not only improve travelers’ parking experience, but it can also effectively balance the utilization of parking resources. It can be applied to different parking utilization situations and produce good performance. The research results provide references for the design and application of intelligent parking services in order to solve parking problems.
Effects of Rural Population Aging on Agricultural Carbon Emissions in China
Authors: Zhang Yongqiang , Dong Quanyao , Ma Guifang
Published: April 2023

The “double carbon” goal (China aims to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060) puts forward new requirements for the low-carbon development of agriculture. However, with the increasing aging of the rural population and the gradual aging of the agricultural labor force, determining the best means of achieving the target of reducing agricultural carbon emissions is particularly urgent. Based on the IPAT identity relationship (method of decomposing environmental impact (I) into socio-economic variables: population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T)), aging of the rural population, rural residents’ income, and agricultural technology innovation were selected as threshold variables. Using provincial panel data from 2003 to 2020 in China, this study empirically analyzed the impact of rural population aging on agricultural carbon emissions through a threshold–STIRPAT expansion model. The results showed that agricultural carbon emissions showed an inverted U-shaped growth trend from 2003 to 2020 and reached a peak in 2016. Baseline regression found that rural population aging has a significant emission reduction effect on agricultural carbon emissions. In addition, rural residents’ income and agricultural technology innovation have significant positive and negative impacts on agricultural carbon emissions, respectively. Using the three environmental factors as threshold variables, it was found that there is a significant threshold effect. The emission reduction effect of rural population aging weakens with the deepening of the aging degree but is enhanced with the improvement of rural residents’ income and agricultural technology innovation. In view of these findings, policy suggestions are put forward for agricultural low-carbon development that alleviates the effects of rural population aging, increases rural residents’ income, and strengthens agricultural technological innovation.
Self-Reported Depression and Anxiety among Graduate Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining Risk and Protective Factors
Authors: Malik Sana , Bessaha Melissa , Scarbrough Kathleen , Younger Jessica , Hou Wei
Published: April 2023

Depression and anxiety among students in higher education are well-established public health concerns with rates that have steadily increased over the past several decades. The global COVID-19 pandemic caused a need for rapid transition on campuses to online learning, a disruption of research, and uncertainty about meeting program requirements and employment. Graduate students often feel overlooked at the best of times and the potential for the pandemic to worsen this perception cannot be understated. This study examined the rates of self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms among graduate students who were located at the national epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in the spring of 2020. Demographic characteristics, loneliness, and coping to determine potential risk and protective factors were also examined. A comprehensive online survey was created including the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) 3-Item Loneliness Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Spearman’s correlation, and unadjusted and adjusted multivariable logistic ordinal regression models were used to describe the sample and to assess factors associated with depression and anxiety. 341 surveys were analyzed; respondents had a mean age of 31.88, 68% were female, 63% were White, and 23% identified as lesbian/gay/bisexual. Approximately 89% of students reported moderate-severe depression, and 76% moderate-severe anxiety. Risk factors associated with depression (p < 0.05) were being “sometimes’ lonely”, “often/always lonely”, and time spent searching COVID-19 information. Emotional support, having children, and perceived emotional/mental health were protective against depression (p < 0.05). Risk factors associated with anxiety were “‘often/always lonely”, identifying as lesbian/gay/bisexual, and time searching COVID-19 information. Coping, having children, being born outside of the U.S., and perceived emotional/mental health were protective against anxiety (p < 0.05). Based on study findings, it is recommended that universities include more focused interventions for graduate students in consideration of their unique personal and professional needs. Graduate students are part of the emerging professional workforce and as such employers are also advised to integrate wellness and mental health programs and interventions into their employee assistance programs.
Comparative Study on Strategies for the Division of Earthquake-Proof Strengthening Segments to Reinforce the Reliability of Water Supply Systems
Authors: Lee Chan-Wook , Yoo Do-Guen
Published: April 2023

It is very important to secure the sustainability of physical and non-physical social infrastructure facilities in the event of a disaster. The water supply network is particularly vulnerable to seismic damage, and so physical earthquake resistance is very necessary to adapt to or withstand disaster situations. This study evaluated various strategic methods to improve the reliability of water distribution network systems in the event of an earthquake disaster with a focus on structural earthquake-proofing methods for pipelines. For this purpose, three major flow-, diameter- and connection-hierarchy-based earthquake proofing strategies are proposed. We quantified the extent to which earthquake reliability improved after the strengthening of the earthquake-proofing of the pipeline segments, which had been divided based on the proposed strategies. The proposed methodology of dividing the pipeline segments for earthquake-proof strengthening was applied to the water supply system of the Republic of Korea and analyzed thereafter. As a result, it was confirmed that the associated costs and the extent of the improvement in the reliability of earthquake proofing for each strategy and scenario need to be precisely analyzed. Thus, it is necessary to execute strategic earthquake proofing of pipelines with medium size diameters and which occupy most of the length of a mainline, in order to simultaneously satisfy the reliability and cost efficiency of the relevant water supply. However, additional earthquake proofing for segments of a higher level of flowrate is required because a marked drop in overall reliability is caused if they are damaged. In addition, because the effect of an increase in reliability in comparison with the costs incurred is insignificant in the case of some low demand and small-diameter pipeline segments, it is reasonable to exclude earthquake resistance strategies for these sections. The proposed study results—determining the level of importance of each resistance method—can be utilized to make a combined plan for optimal earthquake-proofing strategies.
Analysis of Development Strategy for Ecological Agriculture Based on a Neural Network in the Environmental Economy
Authors: Cheng Yi
Published: April 2023

Ecological agriculture (E.A.) protects soil, water, and the climate, ensuring nutritious food. It encourages biodiversity and prohibits chemical inputs or hybrids. Agricultural development strategy should prioritize the development of water, land, forests, biodiversity, agricultural infrastructure, research and extension, technology transfer, investment, and unified management to bring about significant changes in agriculture. Agricultural practices have resulted in deforestation, biodiversity loss, ecosystem extinction, genetic engineering, irrigation issues, pollution, degraded soils, and related waste. Food producers increasingly use artificial neural networks (ANN) at most agricultural production and farm management stages. A new EA-ANN method, including agriculture, has been widely employed to solve categorization and prediction tasks. In addition to maintaining natural resources, sustainable agriculture helps preserve soil quality, reduces erosion, and conserves water. Ecological farming uses ecological services, including water filtering, pollination, oxygen generation, and disease and insect management. ANN increases harvest quality and accuracy of evaluating the economy by enhancing productivity. Agriculture’s prediction and economic profitability are focused on the energy optimization afforded by ANN. Ecological knowledge is assessed in light of commercial markets’ inability to provide sufficient environmental goods. Future agriculture can include robotics, sensors, aerial photos, and global positioning systems. The proposed method uses supervised artificial learning to read the data and provide an output based on effectively classifying the natural and constructed environment. The probability distribution implemented in ANN is a function specifying all possible values and probabilities of a random variable within a specific range of values. The mathematical model assumes that EA-ANN utilizes machine learning on an internet of things platform with bio-sensor assistance to achieve ecological agriculture. Microbial biotechnology is activated, and the best option for EA-ANN is calculated for an effective data-driven model. This ensures profitability and limits the impacts of manufacturing, such as pollution and waste, on the environment. Various agricultural strategies can result in environmental concerns. The EA-ANN methodology is used to make accurate predictions using field data. Agricultural workers can use the results to plan for the future of water resources more effectively.
How China’s Ecological Compensation Policy Improves Farmers’ Income?—A Test of Environmental Effects
Authors: Sun Hong , Dai Feng , Shen Wenxing
Published: April 2023

Based on the quasi-natural experiment established in China’s national key ecological function areas, this paper takes 102 counties in Hebei Province, China, from 2014 to 2018 as the research object. It uses propensity score matching and difference-in-difference methods to investigate the impact of policy implementation on farmers’ income levels and constructs a mechanism using the air quality index to examine the environmental effect. The results show that when the time and regional fixed effects are not considered, the income level of farmers in the county increased by 3.11% due to the influence of the transfer payment policy, and the policy treatment effect grew over time. Among the control variables, the degree of industrialization and agriculturalization, urbanization rate and government financial scale were all positively related to farmers’ income. Controlling the fixed effects of region and year, the impact of policy on the improvement of farmers’ income was weakened, and the regression coefficient changed from 0.2211 to 0.0366, a drop of 83.45%. This suggests that the policy is greatly affected by the city where farmers live. The “environmental effect” test results showed that transfer payments could increase the income level of farmers in counties affected by the policy. The mechanism is that the priority measure of the ecological compensation policy is to improve the ecological environment, which is conducive to improving local environmental governance and environmental productivity and increasing crop yields, and thus increasing farmers’ incomes. Because the regions where the policy is implemented overlap with highly poverty-stricken areas, it is necessary for the central government to improve transfer payment standards and enrich their content to protect people’s livelihood while promoting ecological protection. As a result, local governments will be encouraged to act ecologically, vigorously develop local ecological industries, and promote the internalization of positive externalities in ecological environmental services, further improving the level of agricultural modernization and ecological sustainability and improving the income levels of farmers and their quality of life.
Visual Aid Systems from Smart City to Improve the Life of People with Low Vision
Authors: Apostoaie Mirela Gabriela , Baritz Mihaela , Repanovici Angela , Barbu Daniela Mariana , Lazăr Alexandra Maria , Bodi Gyury
Published: April 2023

In the current time, the development of urban centers is a very complex process in terms of new residential or administrative building locations expansion, but also in terms of design and/or the combination of the constructions with the environment. In the same context, the various transport development, communication or social activities facilities require an important database and an infrastructure to ensure and satisfy the population needs at the highest level. Accordingly, interest has developed in the smart cities (SC) concept creation with connection possibilities over extended geographical areas. This paper addresses a problem related to the preparation and ensuring the development of Brasov city as a smart city, with the possibility of finding solutions for low-vision people’s mobility and opening even more access to the city’s infrastructure. The paper’s main objectives and contributions are represented by the current considerations provision for ensuring functionality as a smart city by identifying the involvement points of the administrative system and, respectively, by introducing technical solutions for the low-vision people inclusion, having their mobility as a central element. The research results reveal the capacity and flexibility of permanent adaptation actions of public administrative and educational/research institutions to different population categories (with or without disabilities, active or retired, etc.) requirements regarding inclusion and mobility.
Success Criteria for Applying Construction Technologies in Residential Projects
Authors: Altuwaim Ayman , AlTasan Abdulelah , Almohsen Abdulmohsen
Published: April 2023

The construction sector has seen a surge in publications over the years, indicating that construction technologies are gaining traction across all economic sectors as a result of rapid technology growth. The focus on construction technologies is evident in industrialized nations and those with high gross national product (GNP). This study was conducted to assess the success criteria of applying advanced construction technologies in residential projects. The research started with creating the evaluation criteria which were formulated by taking into account the analysis and findings of previous research and expert opinions. Then, these criteria have been evaluated according to their importance for real estate developers. To assess the contributions of construction technologies in bettering the current construction methods in residential projects, the success criteria of employing the new technologies are examined based on real estate developers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who are the target customers. Research findings illustrated that the most essential criteria for utilizing construction technologies in residential projects are “Reducing cost”, “Increasing the safety on-site” and “Reducing the time”. Research results asserted that the effectiveness of construction technologies used in residential projects relies on their ability to improve the management of essential construction operations and provide concrete advantages to homeowners. By implementing advanced construction technologies in the residential sector, there is a possibility of transforming the way we strategize, construct, and maintain our homes, thus making them better.
Investigation of Viscoelastic Properties of Polymer-Modified Asphalt at Low Temperature Based on Gray Relational Analysis
Authors: Huang Zhongcai , Lu Rong , Fu Zhiyu , Li Jingxiao , Li Pengfei , Wang Di , Wei Ben , Zhu Weining , Wang Zujian , Wang Xinyu
Published: April 2023

As the investigation indexes of low-temperature viscoelastic properties of polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) are unclear at present, in this paper, the creep stiffness (S), creep rate (m), low-temperature continuous classification temperature (TC), ΔTC, m/S, relaxation time (λ), and dissipation energy ratio (Wdt/Wst) were taken as a comparison sequence. The maximum flexural tensile strain (εB) of porous asphalt mixture (PAM) in a low-temperature bending test was selected as a reference sequence. Gray relational analysis was used to investigate the PMA’s low-temperature viscoelastic properties based on a bending beam rheometer (BBR). The results show certain contradictions in investigating the low-temperature properties of PMA when only considering the low-temperature deformation capacity or the stress relaxation capacity. The modulus and relaxation capacity should be considered when selecting the investigation indexes of the low-temperature viscoelastic properties of PMA. When rheological method is used to evaluate the low-temperature of polymer modified asphalt, TC and m/S are preferred. When only S or m is contradictory, m should be preferred. ΔTC can determine whether the low-temperature performance of PMA is dominated by S or m. The result can better guide the construction of asphalt pavement in areas with low temperatures. Asphalt can be selected quickly and accurately to avoid the waste of resources.
The Role of Privacy Obstacles in Privacy Paradox: A System Dynamics Analysis
Authors: Arzoglou Ektor , Kortesniemi Yki , Ruutu Sampsa , Elo Tommi
Published: April 2023

People use social media to achieve particular gratifications despite expressing concerns about the related privacy risks that may lead to negative consequences. This inconsistency between privacy concerns and actual behaviour has been referred to as the privacy paradox. Although several possible explanations for this phenomenon have been provided over the years, they each consider only some of the obstacles that stand in the way of informed and rational privacy decisions, and they usually assume a static situation, thus neglecting the changes taking place over time. To overcome these limitations, this article incorporates all the key privacy obstacles into a qualitative system dynamics model and examines the conditions under which the privacy paradox emerges over time in the context of social media. The results show that the privacy obstacles prevent adequately accounting for the negative consequences by (1) reinforcing gratifications, thus inducing social media adoption and use, while (2) hampering the realisation of (all) negative consequences, thus reducing the motivation for social media discard. Moreover, gratifications kick off early and often seem to dominate even major long-term negative consequences, thereby resulting in users becoming only gradually concerned about privacy, by which time they are usually deeply engaged in the platform to consider discarding, and therefore arriving in a paradoxical situation that seems not viable to escape from (i.e., the boiling frog syndrome). Conversely, major short-term negative consequences are more likely to conflict with gratifications already earlier, thereby resulting in users becoming less engaged, more concerned, and therefore still able to discard the platform, thus resolving the paradoxical situation.
Effects of COVID-19 Disease on DNA Damage, Oxidative Stress and Immune Responses
Authors: Basaran M. Mert , Hazar Merve , Aydın Mehtap , Uzuğ Gülsüm , Özdoğan İlkima , Pala Emin , Aydın Dilsiz Sevtap , Basaran Nursen
Published: April 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a great threat to public health and has caused concern due to its fatal consequences over the last few years. Most people with COVID-19 show mild-to-moderate symptoms and recover without the need for special treatment, while others become seriously ill and need medical attention. Additionally, some serious outcomes, such as heart attacks and even stroke, have been later reported in patients who had recovered. There are limited studies on how SARS-CoV-2 infection affects some molecular pathways, including oxidative stress and DNA damage. In this study, we aimed to evaluate DNA damage, using the alkaline comet assay, and its relationship with oxidative stress and immune response parameters in COVID-19-positive patients. Our results show that DNA damage, oxidative stress parameters and cytokine levels significantly increased in SARS-CoV-2-positive patients when compared with healthy controls. The effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on DNA damage, oxidative stress and immune responses may be crucial in the pathophysiology of the disease. It is suggested that the illumination of these pathways will contribute to the development of clinical treatments and to reduce adverse effects in the future.
Engineering BinB Pore-Forming Toxin for Selective Killing of Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Kumkoon Tipaporn , Noree Chalongrat , Boonserm Panadda
Published: April 2023

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. Conventional cancer chemotherapy always has adverse side effects on the patient’s healthy tissues. Consequently, combining pore-forming toxins with cell-targeting peptides (CTPs) is a promising anticancer strategy for selectively destroying cancer cells. Here, we aim to improve the target specificity of the BinB toxin produced from Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Ls) by fusing a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) peptide to its pore-forming domain (BinBC) to target MCF-7 breast cancer cells as opposed to human fibroblast cells (Hs68). The results showed that LHRH-BinBC inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner while leaving Hs68 cells unaffected. BinBC, at any concentration tested, did not affect the proliferation of MCF-7 or Hs68 cells. In addition, the LHRH-BinBC toxin caused the efflux of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), demonstrating the efficacy of the LHRH peptide in directing the BinBC toxin to damage the plasma membranes of MCF-7 cancer cells. LHRH-BinBC also caused MCF-7 cell apoptosis by activating caspase-8. In addition, LHRH-BinBC was predominantly observed on the cell surface of MCF-7 and Hs68 cells, without colocalization with mitochondria. Overall, our findings suggest that LHRH-BinBC could be investigated further as a potential cancer therapeutic agent.
Dissolving Microneedles Loaded with Nanoparticle Formulation of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Fusion Protein Virus-like Particles (F-VLPs) Elicits Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses
Authors: Menon Ipshita , Patil Smital , Bagwe Priyal , Vijayanand Sharon , Kale Akanksha , Braz Gomes Keegan , Kang Sang Moo , D’Souza Martin
Published: April 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children ages five years and below. Recent outbreaks of the virus have proven that RSV remains a severe burden on healthcare services. Thus, a vaccine for RSV is a need of the hour. Research on novel vaccine delivery systems for infectious diseases such as RSV can pave the road to more vaccine candidates. Among many novel vaccine delivery systems, a combined system with polymeric nanoparticles loaded in dissolving microneedles holds a lot of potential. In this study, the virus-like particles of the RSV fusion protein (F-VLP) were encapsulated in poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs were then loaded into dissolving microneedles (MNs) composed of hyaluronic acid and trehalose. To test the in vivo immunogenicity of the nanoparticle-loaded microneedles, Swiss Webster mice were immunized with the F-VLP NPs, both with and without adjuvant monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) NPs loaded in the MN. The mice immunized with the F-VLP NP + MPL NP MN showed high immunoglobulin (IgG and IgG2a) levels both in the serum and lung homogenates. A subsequent analysis of lung homogenates post-RSV challenge revealed high IgA, indicating the generation of a mucosal immune response upon intradermal immunization. A flowcytometry analysis showed high CD8+ and CD4+ expression in the lymph nodes and spleens of the F-VLP NP + MPL NP MN-immunized mice. Thus, our vaccine elicited a robust humoral and cellular immune response in vivo. Therefore, PLGA nanoparticles loaded in dissolving microneedles could be a suitable novel delivery system for RSV vaccines.
Genomic Analysis of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus in Nigeria: Identification of Unique Mutations of Yet Unknown Biological Functions in Both Segments A and B
Authors: Nwagbo Ijeoma , Milani Adelaide , Salviato Annalisa , Zamperin Gianpiero , Sulaiman Lanre , Maurice Nanven , Meseko Clement , Fusaro Alice , Shittu Ismaila
Published: April 2023

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a viral poultry disease known worldwide for impacting the economy and food security. The disease is endemic in Nigeria, with reported outbreaks in vaccinated poultry flocks. To gain insight into the dynamics of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) evolution in Nigeria, near-complete genomes of four IBDVs were evaluated. Amino acid sequences in the hypervariable region of the VP2 revealed conserved markers (222A, 242I, 256I, 294I and 299S) associated with very virulent (vv) IBDV, including the serine-rich heptapeptide motif (SWSASGS). Based on the newly proposed classification for segments A and B, the IBDVs clustered in the A3B5 group (where A3 are IBDVs with vvIBDV-like segment A, and where B5 are from non-vvIBDV-like segment B) form a monophyletic subcluster. Unique amino acid mutations with yet-to-be-determined biological functions have been observed in both segments. Amino acid sequences of the Nigerian IBDVs showed that they are reassortant viruses. Circulation of reassortant IBDVs may be responsible for the vaccination failures observed in the Nigerian poultry population. Close monitoring of changes in the IBDV genome is recommended to nip deleterious changes in the bud through the identification and introduction of the most appropriate vaccine candidates and advocacy/extension programs for properly implementing disease control.
Cloning of the RNA m6A Methyltransferase 3 and Its Impact on the Proliferation and Differentiation of Quail Myoblasts
Authors: Liu Jing , Zhang Wentao , Luo Wei , Liu Shuibing , Jiang Hongxia , Liu Sanfeng , Xu Jiguo , Chen Biao
Published: April 2023

Methyltransferase 3 (METTL3), which has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in a variety of biological processes, is the key enzyme for catalyzing m6A modification in RNA. However, the complete protein sequence of METTL3 in quail has not been annotated, and its function in skeletal muscle of quails remains unknown. In the current study, the full-length coding sequence of the quail METTL3 was obtained through the 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (3’ RACE) and its homology with that of other species was predicted based on a generated phylogenetic tree. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry in a quail myoblast cell line (QM7) demonstrated that METTL3 promotes myoblast proliferation. The overexpression of METTL3 in QM7 cells significantly increased the expression levels of the myoblast differentiation markers myogenin (MYOG), myogenic differentiation 1 (MYOD1), and myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C), further demonstrating that METTL3 promotes myoblast differentiation. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing following METTL3 overexpression revealed that METTL3 controls the expression of various genes involved in RNA splicing and the regulation of gene expression, as well as pathways such as the MAPK signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that METTL3 plays a vital function in quail myoblast proliferation and differentiation and that the METTL3-mediated RNA m6A modification represents an important epigenetic regulatory mechanism in poultry skeletal muscle development.
Removal of Carbamazepine in Aqueous Solution by TiO2 Ceramic Photo-Catalyst under Simulated Solar Light: Kinetics, Effects of Environmental Factors and Degradation Pathways
Authors: Nghia Trinh Hoang , Khanh Vu Toan , Vu Cam Tu , Oanh Nguyen Thi Kieu , Van Anh Nguyen Thi , Luyen Le Hong , Negishi Nobuaki , Ouillon Sylvain , Van Hoi Bui
Published: April 2023

Current research on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 mainly focuses on its nano- or micro-particle forms, which are difficult to recycle and apply in real engineering applications. This study aims to apply a small pilot of TiO2 in the ceramic form to remove carbamazepine (CBZ) from an aqueous solution under simulated sunlight. A high removal efficiency up to >99% was shown in a 5 mg L−1 CBZ solution after 6 h of irradiation with a total energy of 150.92 kJ. The kinetic degradation was not affected in an alkaline solution (at pH 7, pH 10, and pH 13) but was faster under acidic conditions (pH 2) in which CBZ existed in the protonated form. The presence of NO3− (10–50 mg L−1) slightly affected the photodegradation of CBZ while humic acid significantly reduced the photocatalytic activity. In addition, the presence of major ions in water also had a negative effect at concentrations between 10 and 50 mg L−1. The MS/MS was used to identify the transformation products of CBZ, and a possible degradation mechanism was proposed. The toxicity of CBZ and the by-products was primarily evaluated. The results showed that TiO2 ceramics show high reusability and stability with a photocatalytic performance of >95% and a mass loss of <5% after 90 degradation cycles.
Trend Analysis of Streamflows in Relation to Precipitation: A Case Study in Central Italy
Authors: Gentilucci Matteo , Djouohou Sophie Ingrid , Barbieri Maurizio , Hamed Younes , Pambianchi Gilberto
Published: April 2023

The monitoring of water resources is becoming increasingly important for humid temperate climates in light of climate change, which shows a generalised increase in temperatures and a decrease in precipitation, which is not generalised but relative to the area of interest. In this context, it is interesting to understand what the climatic changes have been, in terms of precipitation and how they have affected streamflows, by analysing them on a monthly basis. At the basin scale, interpolations were carried out with geostatistical methods using GIS software, spatialising the areal distribution of precipitation and obtaining an average value that can be correlated with water flows. As a pilot project, this research analysed the Upper Potenza basin in relation to the flow rates of the Potenza River over two reference periods, from 1964 to 1979 and from 2005 to 2020. The results show a decreasing trend in streamflows within the studied basin, while the precipitation trend decreases for the period 1964–1979 and increases for the period 2005–2020. Effective precipitation, in turn, shows a rather pronounced decrease in the more recent 2005–2020 period, due to climate change influencing the increase in temperature and consequently, the increase in evapotranspiration. In this context, it is significant to note that the Pearson correlation coefficient of streamflow to effective rainfall for both periods is about 0.8, suggesting that the net of anthropogenic disturbances, streamflow and actual precipitation maintain a high correlation. This model could be exported to other territories, in order to gain a global view for a better understanding and subsequent adaptation to ongoing climate change.
Unité de traduction ou unité de sens ? Du linguistique au cognitif
Authors: Lederer Marianne
Published: April 2023

Cet article trace l’évolution de l’unité de traduction telle que définie par Vinay et Darbelnet, d’un concept purement linguistique, et plus précisément lexical, vers la prise en compte du cognitif, c’est-à-dire de l’intervention du traducteur, pour aboutir à la notion d’unité de sens mise en avant par la théorie interprétative de la traduction, notion qui, à l’ère des sciences cognitives, finira, on peut l’espérer, par s’imposer en traductologie.
Plonger dans le texte… sans perdre pied
Authors: Keromnes Yvon
Published: April 2023

Cet article propose une conception fonctionnelle des unités de traduction (UT) rendant compte de la façon dont une personne qui traduit un texte spécialisé reconnaît dans le texte source des unités de sens, selon un processus qui met en jeu deux types d’expertise : linguistique, et disciplinaire. Cette reconnaissance d’unités de sens est donc double, et connaît à la fois un versant linguistique et un versant cognitif. Sur le versant linguistique, il ne s’agit pas simplement de découper le texte en unités traditionnelles, mot, syntagme, phrase ou texte, mais plutôt de ce que l’on appelle en linguistique cognitive des constructions, associations conventionnelles d’une forme et d’un sens, qui recouvrent l’étendue du langage sur trois axes, du simple au complexe (du morphème au texte… et au genre de texte), du lexicalisé à l’abstrait (du morphème, mot, idiome ou proverbe au pur schéma syntaxique, par exemple d’une structure passive ou concessive) et du connu au nouveau. Sur le versant cognitif, qui déborde largement le linguistique, les unités de sens sont établies dans la constitution de représentations mentales permises par la familiarité avec les objets et pratiques du domaine. C’est la combinaison de ces deux dimensions qui permet, par ajustements successifs, l’expression linguistique d’unités de sens équivalentes dans la langue cible.
Les unités de traduction dans la poésie générative de Jean-Pierre Balpe
Authors: Kadiu Silvia
Published: April 2023

This article examines the units of translation in Jean-Pierre Balpe's generative poetry, through analysis of his poem “Le poète dramatique raconte le poète aveugle” (2000) and its possible translations into English. Created automatically by a text generator which relies on a dictionary of words and a description of the rules governing the combination of these words, “Le poète dramatique raconte le poète aveugle” presents an excellent example of this unclassifiable art called digital literature. Using computer programming as a medium for creative writing, Balpe's poem blurs the boundaries between calculation and creativity, logic and imagination. It also disturbs the main entities on which translation is usually based : the units of meaning, the text and the author – thus forcing the translator to approach the construction of meaning in terms of fragments rather than units. Drawing on specific examples from Balpe’s poem, this article shows how translating digital poetry exacerbates the challenges of literary translation at large, and suggests that by taking the concept of unity to its extreme, digital literature paradoxically highlights its instability.
Unité de traduction et identité des traducteurs : l’impact des outils d’aide à la traduction
Authors: Merten Pascaline
Published: April 2023

Les mémoires de traduction (MT) sont bien implantées dans le monde de la traduction spécialisées et font partie intégrante de la formation des futurs traducteurs. Néanmoins, elles gardent une mauvaise réputation, parce qu’elles forcent à travailler de manière fragmentée, au niveau du segment. Dès lors, les critiques subjectives ou objectives portent sur la tarification au mot, sur la décontextualisation et sur la dépossession de sa propre production. En forçant le trait, on pourrait dire qu’une traduction n’est plus un texte, mais un ensemble de segments et de termes. Nous allons ici étudier ces critiques, les problèmes techniques, les implications au niveau du droit d’auteur, ainsi que l’impact cognitif. Entre acceptation fataliste et révolte délétère, il y a des solutions techniques à des problèmes concrets, des améliorations à opérer aux MT, mais aussi, sans doute, d’autres modes de saisie, comme la dictée vocale, ou un autre processus de traduction dans son ensemble, pour retrouver la dimension discursive du texte, et en final, l’identité du traducteur.
La terminologie de l’enseignement de la traductologie en questions
Authors: الفغالي لينا صادر
Published: April 2023

It seems ambitious, if not challenging, to initiate a project that aims at organizing the terminology of translation studies. It is not an easy task if the tendency of scholars to stand out and question their field of study, its object and the concepts related to it is taken into consideration. This article will try to outline the process of questioning and reflecting that took place over the first phase of the project whose purpose is to compile key concepts used in Translation Studies courses. Thus, this article is not intended to give definitive answers to all the questions raised, but it attempts to set the problem in context in order to find the most adequate and realistic solutions with regard to the selection of the corpus, the validation of key terms and terminological data, the design of a conceptual map, and the identification of equivalents.
How trainee translators and their teachers deal with phraseological units in the ARTES database
Authors: Pecman Mojca , Gledhill Christopher
Published: April 2023

This paper discusses the notion of ‘ generic collocation’ as a translational unit of relevance for achieving textual coherence, and explores how such units are analysed and processed in the ARTES database by Masters students in Specialised Translation. Generic collocations (GCs) are semi pre-constructed sequences of words, which are used widely in texts belonging to the same register or genre, and which extend beyond the narrow confines of one single domain – e. g. in this paper/report/study we conclude/show/suggest that X, Failure to (comply/follow these instructions, etc.) may result in (damage/malfunction injury, etc). GCs constitute one of the most codified ‘ signatures’ of technical and specialised discourse, a fact that should be of interest to specialised translators. The ARTES project (Aide à la Redaction de TExtes Scientifiques) involves a database in which students collect and record GCs for future use by translators and writers of LSP texts. We thus explore the architecture of ARTES and its role as a template for teaching GCs. We also discuss the problems encountered by students of translation, who often have difficulty in understanding the concept of GCs and applying it to the analysis of their own data.