bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Mindfulness for Performance Programme on Actual Performance in Ecological Sport Context: Two Studies in Basketball and Table Tennis
Authors: Tebourski Karima , Bernier Marjorie , Ben Salha Manel , Souissi Nizar , Fournier Jean F.
Published: October 2022

Mindfulness For Performance is a programme that has been developed over 15 years. It aims to help athletes maintain effective attentional focus regardless of the disruptive sensations and thoughts induced by the performance situation. It is inspired by Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Acceptance Commitment Therapy programmes and has been adapted to the specificities of sport. It is composed of three steps: (a) psychoeducation and identification of the focus of attention, (b) mindfulness and acceptance training, and (c) integrating skills acquired into training and competition. This article reports the effects of MFP in two studies in national basketball players and in young table tennis players. The first study showed that mindfulness skills and free-throw accuracy during basketball games increased more in the experimental group than in the control group. Table tennis results revealed that participants who showed the highest percentage of adherence to the programme benefited more from MFP training in terms of performance outcome (i.e., accumulated points collected from published results compared with the baseline phase) than participants who showed weaker percentages of adherence to the programme. Both studies provided some evidence on the effects of MFP on specific performance indicators (i.e., free-throw accuracy in basketball and ranking points in table tennis), but this needs to be confirmed by further research measuring other relevant performance indicators. The impact and conditions of adherence also deserve more consideration.
The Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors of the Chinese Cities’ Ecological Welfare Performance
Authors: Zhang Can , Li Jixia , Liu Tengfei , Xu Mengzhi , Wang Huachun , Li Xu
Published: October 2022

In the “full world” where natural capital is scarce, within the limits of the ecological environment, the improvement of welfare is a fundamental requirement for sustainable development. The ecological wellbeing performance (EWP) of 284 cities in China from 2007 to 2020 was measured by the superefficient SBM-DEA model, considering undesirable output, and analyzing the evolutionary trends of overall comprehensive technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency. The Theil index was used to explore the source and distribution of the Chinese cities’ EWP differences. Exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and the spatial Durbin model (SDM) were applied to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics and driving factors of cities’ EWP. The results showed the following: (1) Regarding spatial and temporal distribution, the EWP of Chinese cities showed a fluctuating upward trend, in which pure technical efficiency > scale efficiency. (2) Considering regional differences, the differences in cities’ EWP were mainly intraregional rather than interregional. The contribution rates of distinct regions to the differences in EWP varied, i.e., western region > eastern region > central region > northeastern region. (3) In terms of spatial correlation, China’s EWP showed positive spatial correlation, i.e., high–high agglomeration and low–low agglomeration. (4) Concerning influencing factors, the level of financial development, the structure of secondary industries, the level of opening-up, and the degree of urbanization significantly improved EWP. Decentralization of fiscal revenue significantly inhibited improvement of EWP. Decentralization of fiscal expenditure and technological progress had no significant impact on the EWP. In the future, to improve cities’ EWP, China should focus on reducing differences in intraregional EWP, overcoming administrative regional limitations, encouraging regions with similar locations to formulate coordinated development plans, promoting economic growth, reducing levels of environmental pollution, and paying attention to the improvement of social welfare.
Evaluation Methods for Water Resource Suitability in Territorial Spatial Planning: A Case Study of Baiyin City in a Semi-Arid Region
Authors: Li Jiuyi
Published: October 2022

Water resources are a major factor in the spatial layout of agricultural production and urban construction, which is an important part of China’s ongoing territorial spatial planning. In order to assess the constraining and guiding effects of water resources on territorial spatial planning, water resources suitability evaluation needs to be carried out at the grid scale. Traditional basin or regional-scale indicators of water resources cannot satisfy the requirements with high spatial accuracy in territorial spatial planning, because the internal differences could not be described. In this study, irrigation water supply cost index (CIA) and urban water supply cost index (CIU) were evaluated to characterize the affordability of potential water supply costs by simulating of optimal water supply path. Further, grid-scale indexes of water resource suitability for agricultural production (WRSA) and for urban construction (WRSU) were constructed. The grades of WRSA and WRSU were classified at a 20 m grid scale in Baiyin City. The areas of water resources that were suitable, relatively suitable, less suitable, and unsuitable for agricultural production were 381.0 km2, 3354.7 km2, 3663.9 km2, and 12,700.7 km2, respectively, accounting for 1.9%, 16.7%, 18.2%, and 63.2% of the total area of Baiyin City. The areas of water resources that were suitable, relatively suitable, less suitable, and unsuitable for urban construction were 1657.7 km2, 4184.5 km2, 1177.7 km2, and 13,075.7 km2, respectively, accounting for 8.2%, 20.8%, 5.9%, and 65.1% of the total area of Baiyin City. Coupling analysis with land use and land resources suitability were carried out in this study, which showed that the grid-scale WRSA and WRSU could well characterize the spatial differences of water resources suitability for agricultural production and urban construction. The results of the Geodetector-based study show that the WRSA and WRSU indicators have better explanatory power for the land-use spatial distribution compared to indicators such as water distance. Therefore, the indexes could provide scientific support to delimit agricultural space and urban space, and are effective means of “determining regional functions by water resources“ in territorial spatial planning. Furthermore, the indexes could be applied to other arid and semi-arid areas, and also hilly areas, where water supply suitability plays a restrictive role in agricultural production and urban construction.
Quantification of the Influence of Citrate/Fe(II) Molar Ratio on Hydroxyl Radical Production and Pollutant Degradation during Fe(II)-Catalyzed O2 and H2O2 Oxidation Processes
Authors: Hu Bingbing , Zhang Peng , Liu Hui , Yuan Songhu
Published: October 2022

Ligand-enhanced hydroxyl radical (•OH) production is an important strategy for Fe(II)-catalyzed O2 and H2O2 oxidation processes. However, the influence of the molar ratio of ligands to Fe(II) on •OH production remains elusive. This study employed citrate and inorganic dissolved Fe(II) (Fe(II)dis) as the representative ligand and Fe(II) species, respectively, to quantify this relationship. Results showed that •OH production was highly dependent on the citrate/Fe(II) molar ratio. For instance, for the oxygenation of Fe(II)dis, the •OH accumulations were 2.0–8.5, 3.4–28.5 and 8.1–42.3 μM at low (0.25–0.5), moderate (0.5–1), and high (1–2) citrate/Fe(II) molar ratios, respectively. At low citrate/Fe(II) molar ratio (<0.5), inorganic Fe(II)dis mainly contributed to •OH production, with the increase in the citrate/Fe(II) molar ratio to a high level (1–2), Fe(II)-citrate complex turned to the electron source for •OH production. The change in Fe(II) speciation with the increase of citrate/Fe(II) molar ratio elevated •OH production. For pollutant degradation, 1 mg/L phenol was degraded by 53.6% within 40 min during oxygenation of Fe(II)-citrate system (1:1) at pH 7. Our results suggest that a moderate molar ratio of ligand/Fe(II) (0.5–1) may be optimal for Fe(II)-catalyzed O2 and H2O2 oxidation processes.
Inequality of Low Air Quality-Related Health Impacts among Socioeconomic Groups in the World of Work
Authors: Nguyen Thi Phuoc Lai , Virdis Salvatore G. P. , Winjikul Ekbordin
Published: October 2022

This research aimed to assess the perceptions of air quality and health symptoms caused by low urban air quality among vulnerable socio-economic groups in the world of work in Bangkok, Thailand through a questionnaire survey of 400 workers of both formal and informal sectors in the five districts with different socio-economic characteristics and levels of air pollution. The findings showed symmetry between air quality-monitoring data and health symptoms of different socio-economic groups but asymmetry between air quality-monitoring data and people’s perceptions of air quality in their areas. It also showed inequalities of low air quality-related health impacts on socio-economic groups in the world of work. People working near the streets, highways, and industrial zones tended to have more health symptoms related to low air quality, and informal sector workers faced more health risks than formal sector workers. The study appeals for effective air pollution communication to enhance the public and informal sector worker population’s literacy of air pollution, the sources of air pollution and its critical health impacts, and the available and sufficient primary care organizations and community health care centers to address work-related health needs to reach the informal sector worker population.
Predicting the Clean Movement Technique in Crossfit® Athletes Using an Optimal Upper-Limb Range of Motion: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Cejudo Antonio
Published: October 2022

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal upper-limb range of motion (ROM) profile for the catch phase of the clean movement (CPCM) and to identify the key ROMs for performing the CPCM in CrossFit® athletes. Methods: A prospective cohort study of twenty CrossFit® athletes aged 20–36 years was conducted. Data were collected regarding age, anthropometrics, CrossFit® training experience and upper-limb ROM. The ROM was measured using the ROM-SPORT method. After 7 months, athletes performed a clean movement with a load of 80% one repetition maximum. A Bayesian Student’s t-analysis, binary logistic regression analysis and Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis were performed. Results: The optimal upper-limb ROM profile that predicted correct CPCM performance was 78° in shoulder extension, 173° in shoulder flexion, 107° in shoulder external rotation, 89° in shoulder internal rotation, 153° in elbow flexion, 99° in elbow pronation and 92° in wrist extension (area under the curve ≥ 651; positive predictive value ≥ 80%). Shoulder external rotation, elbow pronation and wrist extension were found to be the most important ROMs for the efficient and safe performance of CPCM (area under the curve ≥ 854; positive predictive value ≥ 85.7%). Conclusion: The upper-limb ROM profile is associated with proper clean performance. Further studies are warranted to determine whether improving flexibility on upper-limb ROM may improve proper clean movement performance.
Eating Disorders in Hospitalized School-Aged Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Discharge Records in Developmental Ages in Italy
Authors: Giacomini Gianmarco , Elhadidy Heba Safwat Mhmoued Abdo , Paladini Giovanni , Onorati Roberta , Sciurpa Elena , Gianino Maria Michela , Borraccino Alberto
Published: October 2022

Eating disorders (EDs) are characterized by behavioral and cognitive aspects that result in a significant impairment of an individual’s well-being. COVID-19 pandemic consequences negatively impacted healthcare services and people’s mental health. Particularly, in developmental ages, difficulties in coping with the situation could have had an impact on eating behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess EDs’ hospitalization trend before, during and after the pandemic peak to evaluate whether it has been influenced. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on the hospital discharge forms of patients from 5 to 19 years old in Piedmont, which is a region in northern Italy. Overall, hospitalization, age, and gender-specific rates due to EDs that occurred in 2020 and 2021 were compared to those that occurred in 2018–2019. Since 2020, there has been a 55% reduction in overall hospitalizations, while the total proportion of EDs admissions has doubled from 2020 to 2021 (from 13.9‰ to 22.2‰). Significant hospitalization rate increases were observed both in 15–19 and in 10–14 females’ age groups in 2021. Non-significant increases were observed in all males’ age groups. The increase in hospitalizations for EDs should be further investigated, as it might be the tip of an iceberg not yet acknowledged.
RAI14 Promotes Melanoma Progression by Regulating the FBXO32/c-MYC Pathway
Authors: Xu Jie , Shi Pengfei , Xia Fanwei , Zhao Xuan , Chen Junfan , Geng Rui , Cui Hongjuan , Yang Liqun
Published: October 2022

Melanoma originates from the malignant transformation of melanocytes. Compared with other skin cancers, melanoma has a higher fatality rate. The 5-year survival rate of patients with early-stage primary melanoma through surgical resection can reach more than 90%. However, the 5-year survival rate of patients with metastatic melanoma is only 25%. Therefore, accurate assessment of melanoma progression is critical. Previous studies have found that Retinoic Acid Induced 14(RAI14) is critical in tumorigenesis. However, the biological function of RAI14 for the development of melanoma is unclear. In this study, RAI14 is highly expressed in melanoma and correlated with prognosis. The expression of RAI14 can affect the proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma cells. F-Box Protein 32(FBXO32) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of c-MYC. We found that RAI14 affects the transcriptional expression of FBXO32 and regulates the stability of c-MYC. These results suggest that RAI14 play an important role in the growth of melanoma and is expected to be a therapeutic target for melanoma.
Nanomedicine for Treating Muscle Dystrophies: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Ahmed Zaheer , Qaisar Rizwan
Published: October 2022

Muscular dystrophies are a group of genetic muscular diseases characterized by impaired muscle regeneration, which leads to pathological inflammation that drives muscle wasting and eventually results in weakness, functional dependency, and premature death. The most known causes of death include respiratory muscle failure due to diaphragm muscle decay. There is no definitive treatment for muscular dystrophies, and conventional therapies aim to ameliorate muscle wasting by promoting physiological muscle regeneration and growth. However, their effects on muscle function remain limited, illustrating the requirement for major advancements in novel approaches to treatments, such as nanomedicine. Nanomedicine is a rapidly evolving field that seeks to optimize drug delivery to target tissues by merging pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. However, the therapeutic potential of nanomedicine in muscular dystrophies is poorly understood. This review highlights recent work in the application of nanomedicine in treating muscular dystrophies. First, we discuss the history and applications of nanomedicine from a broader perspective. Second, we address the use of nanoparticles for drug delivery, gene regulation, and editing to target Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy. Next, we highlight the potential hindrances and limitations of using nanomedicine in the context of cell culture and animal models. Finally, the future perspectives for using nanomedicine in clinics are summarized with relevance to muscular dystrophies.
Biotechnological Advances to Improve Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crops
Authors: Villalobos-López Miguel Angel , Arroyo-Becerra Analilia , Quintero-Jiménez Anareli , Iturriaga Gabriel
Published: October 2022

The major challenges that agriculture is facing in the twenty-first century are increasing droughts, water scarcity, flooding, poorer soils, and extreme temperatures due to climate change. However, most crops are not tolerant to extreme climatic environments. The aim in the near future, in a world with hunger and an increasing population, is to breed and/or engineer crops to tolerate abiotic stress with a higher yield. Some crop varieties display a certain degree of tolerance, which has been exploited by plant breeders to develop varieties that thrive under stress conditions. Moreover, a long list of genes involved in abiotic stress tolerance have been identified and characterized by molecular techniques and overexpressed individually in plant transformation experiments. Nevertheless, stress tolerance phenotypes are polygenetic traits, which current genomic tools are dissecting to exploit their use by accelerating genetic introgression using molecular markers or site-directed mutagenesis such as CRISPR-Cas9. In this review, we describe plant mechanisms to sense and tolerate adverse climate conditions and examine and discuss classic and new molecular tools to select and improve abiotic stress tolerance in major crops.
Marine Biotoxins in Whole and Processed Scallops from the Argentine Sea
Authors: Goya Alejandra B. , Baqer Danial , Alexander Ryan P. , Stubbs Patrycja , Dean Karl , Lewis Adam M. , Coates Lewis , Maskrey Benjamin H. , Turner Andrew D.
Published: October 2022

Harmful algal blooms are an increasing worldwide threat to the seafood industry and human health as a consequence of the natural production of biotoxins that can accumulate in shellfish. In the Argentine Sea, this has been identified as an issue for the offshore fisheries of Patagonian scallops (Zygochlamys patagonica), leading to potentially harmful effects on consumers. Here we assess spatial and temporal patterns in marine biotoxin concentrations in Patagonian scallops harvested in Argentinian waters between 2012–2017, based on analyses for paralytic shellfish toxins, lipophilic toxins, and amnesic shellfish toxins. There was no evidence for concentrations of lipophilic or amnesic toxins above regulatory acceptance thresholds, with trace concentrations of pectenotoxin 2, azaspiracid 2 and okadaic acid group toxins confirmed. Conversely, paralytic shellfish toxins were quantified in some scallops. Gonyautoxins 1 and 2 dominated the unusual toxin profiles (91%) in terms of saxitoxin equivalents with maximum concentrations reaching 3985 µg STX eq/kg and with changes in profiles linked in part to seasonal changes. Total toxin concentrations were compared between samples of the adductor muscle and whole tissue, with results showing the absence of toxins in the adductor muscle confirming toxin accumulation in the digestive tracts of the scallops and the absence of a human health threat following the processing of scallop adductor meat. These findings highlight that paralytic shellfish toxins with an unusual toxin profile can occur in relatively high concentrations in whole Patagonian scallops in specific regions and during particular time periods, also showing that the processing of scallops on board factory ships to obtain frozen adductor muscle is an effective management process that minimizes the risk of poisonings from final products destined for human consumption.
Systemic Endothelial Function, Plasma Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity, and Blood Pressure Variability in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Hiraga Takashi , Saito Yuichi , Tateishi Kazuya , Mori Naoto , Murase Takayo , Nakamura Takashi , Akari Seigo , Saito Kan , Kitahara Hideki , Kobayashi Yoshio
Published: October 2022

Background and Objectives: Although previous studies showed that an activity of xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR), a rate-limiting enzyme in purine metabolism, beyond the serum uric acid level, was associated with the development of coronary artery disease (CAD), the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Because endothelial dysfunction and a greater blood pressure (BP) variability may play a role, we investigated the relations among the endothelial function, XOR, and BP variability. Materials and Methods: This was a post-hoc study using pooled data of patients with a stable CAD from two prospective investigations, in which the systemic endothelial function was assessed with the reactive hyperemia index (RHI) and the XOR activity was measured. The BP variability was evaluated using BP measurements during the three- and four-day hospitalization. Results: A total of 106 patients with a stable CAD undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention were included. Of the 106 patients, 46 (43.4%) had a systemic endothelial dysfunction (RHI < 1.67). The multivariable analysis identified a higher body mass index (BMI), female gender, and diabetes as factors associated with an endothelial dysfunction. A higher BMI was also related to an elevated XOR activity, in addition to current smoking. No significant correlation was observed between the RHI and XOR activity. Similarly, the in-hospital BP variability was associated with neither the endothelial function nor XOR. Conclusions: Among patients with a stable CAD, several factors were identified as being associated with a systemic endothelial dysfunction or an elevated XOR activity. However, no direct relations between the endothelial function, XOR, and BP variability were found.
State of Charge Estimation of Li-Ion Battery Based on Adaptive Sliding Mode Observer
Authors: Wang Qi , Jiang Jiayi , Gao Tian , Ren Shurui
Published: October 2022

As the main power source of new energy electric vehicles, the accurate estimation of State of Charge (SOC) of Li-ion batteries is of great significance for accurately estimating the vehicle’s driving range, prolonging the battery life, and ensuring the maximum efficiency of the whole battery pack. In this paper, the ternary Li-ion battery is taken as the research object, and the Dual Polarization (DP) equivalent circuit model with temperature-varying parameters is established. The parameters of the Li-ion battery model at ambient temperature are identified by the forgetting factor least square method. Based on the state space equation of power battery SOC, an adaptive Sliding Mode Observer is used to study the estimation of the State of Charge of the power battery. The SOC estimation results are fully verified at low temperature (0 °C), normal temperature (25 °C), and high temperature (50 °C). The simulation results of the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) show that the SOC error estimated at low temperature and high temperature is within 2%, and the SOC error estimated at normal temperature is less than 1%, The algorithm has the advantages of accurate estimation, fast convergence, and strong robustness.
Water IoT Monitoring System for Aquaponics Health and Fishery Applications
Authors: Alselek Mohammad , Alcaraz-Calero Jose M. , Segura-Garcia Jaume , Wang Qi
Published: October 2022

Aquaponic health is a very important in the food industry field, as currently there is a huge amount of fishing farms, and the demands are growing in the whole world. This work examines the process of developing an innovative aquaponics health monitoring system that incorporates high-tech back-end innovation sensors to examine fish and crop health and a data analytics framework with a low-tech front-end approach to feedback actions to farmers. The developed system improves the state-of-the-art in terms of aquaponics life cycle monitoring metrics and communication technologies, and the energy consumption has been reduced to make a sustainable system.
Opto-Mechanical Eye Models, a Review on Human Vision Applications and Perspectives for Use in Industry
Authors: Amorim André Rino , Bret Boris , González-Méijome José M.
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this review is to aggregate technical information on existent optomechanical eye models (OME) described in the literature, for image quality assessment in different applications. Several physical eye models have been reviewed from peer-reviewed papers and patent applications. A typical eye model includes an artificial cornea, an intraocular lens or other lens to simulate the crystalline lens, an aperture as the pupil, and a posterior retinal surface, which may be connected to a light sensor. The interior of the eye model may be filled with a fluid to better emulate physiological conditions. The main focus of this review is the materials and physical characteristics used and the dimensional aspects of the main components including lenses, apertures, chambers, imaging sensors and filling medium. Various devices are described with their applications and technical details, which are systematically tabulated highlighting their main characteristics and applications. The models presented are detailed and discussed individually, and the features of different models are compared when applicable, highlighting strengths and limitations. In the end there is a brief discussion about the potential use of artificial eye models for industrial applications.
Trunk Posture from Randomly Oriented Accelerometers
Authors: Friederich Aidan R. W. , Audu Musa L. , Triolo Ronald J.
Published: October 2022

Feedback control of functional neuromuscular stimulation has the potential to improve daily function for individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) by enhancing seated stability. Our fully implanted networked neuroprosthesis (NNP) can provide real-time feedback signals for controlling the trunk through accelerometers embedded in modules distributed throughout the trunk. Typically, inertial sensors are aligned with the relevant body segment. However, NNP implanted modules are placed according to surgical constraints and their precise locations and orientations are generally unknown. We have developed a method for calibrating multiple randomly oriented accelerometers and fusing their signals into a measure of trunk orientation. Six accelerometers were externally attached in random orientations to the trunks of six individuals with SCI. Calibration with an optical motion capture system resulted in RMSE below 5° and correlation coefficients above 0.97. Calibration with a handheld goniometer resulted in RMSE of 7° and correlation coefficients above 0.93. Our method can obtain trunk orientation from a network of sensors without a priori knowledge of their relationships to the body anatomical axes. The results of this study will be invaluable in the design of feedback control systems for stabilizing the trunk of individuals with SCI in combination with the NNP implanted technology.
Building Heating and Cooling Load Prediction Using Ensemble Machine Learning Model
Authors: Chaganti Rajasekhar , Rustam Furqan , Daghriri Talal , Díez Isabel de la Torre , Mazón Juan Luis Vidal , Rodríguez Carmen Lili , Ashraf Imran
Published: October 2022

Building energy consumption prediction has become an important research problem within the context of sustainable homes and smart cities. Data-driven approaches have been regarded as the most suitable for integration into smart houses. With the wide deployment of IoT sensors, the data generated from these sensors can be used for modeling and forecasting energy consumption patterns. Existing studies lag in prediction accuracy and various attributes of buildings are not very well studied. This study follows a data-driven approach in this regard. The novelty of the paper lies in the fact that an ensemble model is proposed, which provides higher performance regarding cooling and heating load prediction. Moreover, the influence of different features on heating and cooling load is investigated. Experiments are performed by considering different features such as glazing area, orientation, height, relative compactness, roof area, surface area, and wall area. Results indicate that relative compactness, surface area, and wall area play a significant role in selecting the appropriate cooling and heating load for a building. The proposed model achieves 0.999 R2 for heating load prediction and 0.997 R2 for cooling load prediction, which is superior to existing state-of-the-art models. The precise prediction of heating and cooling load, can help engineers design energy-efficient buildings, especially in the context of future smart homes.
Load Effect of Automated Truck Platooning on Highway Bridges and Loading Strategy
Authors: Ling Tianyang , Deng Lu , He Wei , Wu Haibing , Deng Jiayu
Published: October 2022

Automated truck platooning (ATP) has gained growing attention due to its advantage in reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. However, it poses serious challenges to highway bridges due to the load effect of multiple closely spaced heavy-duty trucks on the bridge. In China, ATP also has great application prospects in the massive and ever-increasing highway freight market. Therefore, the load effects of ATP on bridges need to be thoroughly investigated. In this study, typical Chinese highway bridges and trucks were adopted. ATP load models were designed according to the current Chinese road traffic regulations. The load effects of ATP on highway bridges were calculated using the influence line method and evaluated based on the Chinese bridge design specifications. Results show that the load effect of ATP on bridges increases with the increase in the gross vehicle mass and the truck platooning size but decreases with the increasing inter-truck spacing and the critical wheelbase. The Grade-I (best quality standard) highway bridges are generally capable of withstanding the ATP loads, while caution should be exercised for other bridges. Strategies for preventing serious adverse impacts of ATP load on highway bridges are proposed.
Solar Forecasts Based on the Clear Sky Index or the Clearness Index: Which Is Better?
Authors: Lauret Philippe , Alonso-Suárez Rodrigo , Le Gal La Salle Josselin , David Mathieu
Published: October 2022

In the realm of solar forecasting, it is common to use a clear sky model output to deseasonalise the solar irradiance time series needed to build the forecasting models. However, most of these clear sky models require the setting of atmospheric parameters for which accurate values may not be available for the site under study. This can hamper the accuracy of the prediction models. Normalisation of the irradiance data with a clear sky model leads to the construction of forecasting models with the so-called clear sky index. Another way to normalize the irradiance data is to rely on the extraterrestrial irradiance, which is the irradiance at the top of the atmosphere. Extraterrestrial irradiance is defined by a simple equation that is related to the geometric course of the sun. Normalisation with the extraterrestrial irradiance leads to the building of models with the clearness index. In the solar forecasting domain, most models are built using time series based on the clear sky index. However, there is no empirical evidence thus far that the clear sky index approach outperforms the clearness index approach. Therefore the goal of this preliminary study is to evaluate and compare the two approaches. The numerical experimental setup for evaluating the two approaches is based on three forecasting methods, namely, a simple persistence model, a linear AutoRegressive (AR) model, and a non-linear neural network (NN) model, all of which are applied at six sites with different sky conditions. It is shown that normalization of the solar irradiance with the help of a clear sky model produces better forecasts irrespective of the type of model used. However, it is demonstrated that a nonlinear forecasting technique such as a neural network built with clearness time series can beat simple linear models constructed with the clear sky index.
The Status Quos and Causes of Concentrated Elderly Populations in Old Urban Communities in China
Authors: Xiao Jinyi , Liu Hongyu , Wu Jing
Published: October 2022

The global population is aging rapidly and irreversibly, posing severe challenges to sustainable development. In China, a rapidly senescent population elucidates the urgency of actualizing healthy aging which supports a harmonious intergeneration relationship and a dynamic economy. Previous studies have evidenced the adverse effects of poor housing conditions on the well-being of the elderly. This study highlighted the potential risks to healthy aging from concentrating the elderly population in antiquated urban communities in China. It illustrated the facts and explored the reasons for the agglomeration by conducting a theoretical analysis grounded in residential migration theories along with an empirical analysis using China’s 1% national population sample survey and the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). First, the proportion of elderly residents of timeworn urban communities was found to be significantly 9.9% higher than the younger group, so senior populations were more likely to be exposed to isolation and health risks, physical and psychological, under poor housing conditions. Meanwhile, the elderly stayed in decaying habitations because of their disadvantageous economic status, less consciousness of upgrading demands, and close social connections. Therefore, the government should foster increasing cohesion between advancements in urban renewal and the refinement of the pension system to promote healthy aging in China.
The Efficacy of Honey Compared to Silver Sulfadiazine for Burn Wound Dressing in Superficial and Partial Thickness Burns—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Osman Samatar , Umar Hamza , Hashmi Yousuf , Jawaid Anam , Ahmed Zubair
Published: October 2022

Burn dressings play a vital role in protecting the patient from infection and aiding in the wound healing process. At present, the best burn wound dressing remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of honey versus silver sulfadiazine dressing (SSD) for the treatment of superficial and partial thickness burns. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis using the PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase databases to find relevant randomised control trials (RCTs) for inclusion. The outcomes measures included complete burn wound healing time, the proportion of wounds rendered sterile and subjective pain relief associated with the respective dressing type. This review was completed in line with PRISMA guidelines and has been registered with PROSPERO (Study ID: CRD42022337433). All studies in the English language that assessed honey versus SSD for patients with superficial or partial thickness burns were included. Quality and risk of bias assessments were performed using the Cochrane RoB2 tool. Seven studies were identified: totalling a population of 582 patients. From three studies, meta-analysis showed no significant difference in complete wound healing time (p = 0.06). Meta-analysis from five studies highlighted an overall significant difference favouring honey dressing in the proportion of wounds rendered sterile at day 7 post-injury (OR 10.80; 95% CI [5.76, 20.26]; p < 0.00001; I2 = 88%). We conclude that honey dressings may be as or more effective than SSD in the treatment of superficial and partial thickness burn injuries. However, due to the low quality of available studies in this field, further research is necessary to establish the optimum burn dressing. Ideally, this should be conducted in the form of prospective three-arm RCTs in accordance with the CONSORT statement.
A Covariant Polymerized Scalar Field in Semi-Classical Loop Quantum Gravity
Authors: Gambini Rodolfo , Benítez Florencia , Pullin Jorge
Published: October 2022

We propose a new polymerization scheme for scalar fields coupled to gravity. It has the advantage of being a (non-bijective) canonical transformation of the fields, and therefore ensures the covariance of the theory. We study it in detail in spherically symmetric situations and compare to other approaches.
Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer: The Impact on Sexual Function
Authors: Ramacciotti Lorenzo Storino , Jadvar Donya S. , Lenon Maria Sarah L. , Cacciamani Giovanni E. , Abreu Andre Luis , Kaneko Masatomo
Published: October 2022

Focal therapy (FT) has emerged as a potential treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa) with encouraging functional outcomes. According to the compelling evidence based on meta-analyses and recent trials, erectile function (EF) is mostly retained at 6 and 12 months after FT when compared to baseline. These findings are consistent across different energy sources reported to date. However, overall, quality of life, including impotence, was not the endpoint for most studies. Additionally, impotency has not been consistently reported in most of the recent literature. Furthermore, confounding factors such as baseline potency and usage of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5-I) were also frequently undisclosed. Long-term functional outcomes are awaited. To fully comprehend how FT affects EF, more extensive long-term randomized clinical trials using EF as a primary outcome are needed.
Corporate social responsibility of a city-forming and system-forming enterprise: analysis and directions of development
Authors: Nazarova El'vira R. , Sheina Anastasiya Yu. , Brusentsova Liliya S.
Published: October 2022

City-forming and system-forming organizations play an important role in the socio-economic development of the region, local and regional budgets are formed due to their tax revenues, they provide jobs to residents of the region, form the social environment and significantly affect the quality of life of the population. One of the basic elements of such organizations is the corporate social responsibility system, the effective functioning of which ensures not only sustainable business development, but also improvement of the social environment of the territory and improvement of the quality of life of its residents. This article discusses the experience of implementing the main directions of the corporate social responsibility system in PJSC "NEFAZ" (part of the group of PJSC "KAMAZ"). Particular attention is paid to the priority areas of the personnel policy of PJSC NEFAZ (staff motivation, staff development, social policy, labor protection) and its impact on the strategic development of the organization in question as a resident of the territory of advanced socio-economic development, a single-industry municipality (single-industry town) "Neftekamsk".
Endogenic factors of the institutional development of the EAEU financial market on the example of legal regulation of the development of the European Union financial services market (MIFID II, MIFIR, MiFID II "Quick Fix")
Authors: Beloborodko Alexandr M. , Fadeikina Natal'ya V.
Published: October 2022

This article is devoted to the problem of the urgency and the possibility of using the EU experience in the development of the common financial market of the EAEU. The integration issue is considered in political, legal, and institutional aspects. The article has a general theoretical and legal character, therefore, the emphasis is placed on legal and doctrinal issues, special attention is paid to the analysis of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union and its protocols, as well as identifying obstacles to the financial integration of the Union and ways to eliminate them. The article presents as an example for the EAEU markets mega-regulators in the EU financial markets and their impact on the eurozone economy during the COVID-19 period. The article proposes further steps required to consolidate financial integration and improve the future stability of the EAEU financial market.
Behavioral supervision in the Russian Federation: formation and analysis of development in insurance
Authors: Pirogova Tat'jana V. , Selivanova Marina A.
Published: October 2022

The article examines the issues of the emergence and development of behavioral supervision in Russia, analyzes the statistical data of complaints (appeals) received by the Bank of Russia from consumers of financial and insurance services, reveals the problem of misseling and quantifies it, provides measures of the mega-regulator aimed at expanding the availability of financial services.
Specific indicators of financial managementof enterprises engaged in the rental of commercial real estate
Authors: Kornyushchenko Andrey V.
Published: October 2022

In this article, the author examines the essence and content of specific indicators of financial management of organizations engaged in renting commercial real estate, and justifies the need for their application in order to improve the efficiency of the corporate finance system.
Analysis of the concept of "cluster" and its characteristic features
Authors: Bavykina Ekaterina M.
Published: October 2022

The paper analyzes the concept of "cluster" in foreign and domestic literature, as well as in regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation. Foreign and domestic sources on cluster topics are analyzed, aspects of the processes of cluster formation and development are highlighted, on the basis of which the analyzed concepts were proposed. In conclusion, the author provides the author's definition of "cluster".
Usage efficiency analysis fixed assets at agricultural enterprises of the Krasnodar territory
Authors: Takhumova Oksana Viktorovna , Gromova Elizaveta Alekseevna , Sukhorukova Nelya Andreevna , Titova Tatiana Andreevna
Published: October 2022

Fixed assets act as a key element of the material and technical base of agricultural enterprises, which is due to the specifics of the products they produce and the work they carry out. The importance of analyzing the efficiency of the use of fixed assets at agricultural enterprises of the Krasnodar Territory - the most strategically significant region of the Russian Federation in terms of production and sale of agricultural products - is determined by the important role they play in production processes. The article is devoted to the analysis of the efficiency of the use of fixed assets at agricultural enterprises of the Krasnodar Territory and the directions of its improvement. The authors studied the dynamics of return on funds, capital intensity and profitability of enterprises of the agricultural sector of the Krasnodar Territory. A factor analysis of key indicators of the efficiency of the use of fixed assets at agricultural enterprises of the Krasnodar Territory was carried out. The reasons that have a negative impact on the dynamics of the indicators of capital productivity and capital intensity are identified. Promising directions for improving the management system of fixed assets at agricultural enterprises of the Krasnodar Territory in order to increase the efficiency of their use have been identified.
Ambiguïtés et vicissitudes des noms d’arbres dans le grec d’Égypte : Le cas du jujubier épine-du-christ
Authors: Schram Valérie
Published: October 2022

Cet article s’intéresse au processus de dénomination des arbres à l’oeuvre dans la langue grecque d’Égypte et examine l’évolution de quelques uns de ces noms entre le IIIe s. av. J.-C. et le VIIIe s. ap. J.-C. d’après les sources papyrologiques grecques documentaires. L’étude du cas du jujubier épine-du-christ illustre ainsi comment le phytonyme παλίουρος, qui désigne en Grèce un buisson épineux (Paliurus spina-christi Mill., Rhamnaceae), s’enrichit d’un nouveau sens dans la langue d’Égypte puisqu’il y désigne une autre espèce de Rhamnaceae, le Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Willd. À l’ambiguïté de cette dénomination, qui masque la spécificité de l’espèce égyptienne capable de se développer sous la forme d’un véritable arbre dont les Égyptiens consommaient les fruits et exploitaient le bois de longue date, s’ajoute un phénomène de redénomination. À partir du IIe s. apparaît en effet dans les papyrus le nom δίζυφον, qui, s’il désigne dans la koinê le fruit du jujubier commun (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) — espèce découverte en Syrie et introduite en Italie peu auparavant — ne peut s’appliquer dans la langue grecque d’Égypte qu’au fruit de l’espèce locale, c’est-à-dire le même Z. spina-christi. La comparaison de ce cas avec les résultats issus de l’étude d’autres noms d’arbres d’Égypte suggère plus largement un renouvellement du vocabulaire botanique à l’époque romaine qui ne peut, comme le montre le cas du jujubier, s’expliquer par la seule introduction de nouvelles espèces dans le paysage égyptien.
Nicolas de Reggio et le De usu partium (livre X), méthodes de traduction et vocabulaire spécialisé
Authors: Dufossé Colette
Published: October 2022

La traduction du Traité sur l’utilité des parties du corps, réalisée par Nicolas de Reggio à l’instigation des rois de Sicile en 1317 et connue sous le titre de De utilitate particularum, revêt une importance particulière, bien qu’il n’en subsiste que trois manuscrits, car il s’agit du seul traité de Galien qui n’ait pas fait l’objet d’une nouvelle traduction à la Renaissance. Les habitudes de traduction de Nicolas de Reggio sont conformes à celles de son époque : il revendique son souci de proximité avec l’original, en s’efforçant de livrer une traduction «de verbo ad verbum, nihil addens, minuens vel permutans » , comme il l’écrit lui même. En effet, sa syntaxe reprend dans la mesure du possible celle de son texte source, multipliant notamment les relatives pour pallier l’usage intensif de la substantivation en grec. Son souci de rester proche de son texte source le conduit à multiplier les néologismes, simples translittérations, création de dérivés et de composés modelés sur la structure des termes grecs. La comparaison de son lexique médical avec celui du Pantegni de Constantin l’Africain (XIe siècle) montre que si ses connaissances en médecine transparaissent, il semble cependant rester traducteur avant tout : s’attachant à reproduire le texte de Galien suivant la méthode très littéraliste en usage au Moyen Age, il résiste à la tentation d’abandonner la terminologie de son texte source pour utiliser celle dont il a l’habitude.
Mômos bifrons. Étude sur la destinée littéraire du dieu du Sarcasme
Authors: Jouanno Corinne
Published: October 2022

Le présent article étudie la figure de Mômos, dieu du Sarcasme. Une première partie est consacrée à la mise en scène du personnage dans l’oeuvre de Lucien qui, non content de mettre en valeur cette divinité de second rang, a transformé le dieu grincheux de la tradition en figure de rieur, possible emblème de son propre esprit satirique. La seconde partie de l’article évoque l’accueil très mitigé réservé à Byzance à ce portrait novateur, et tente d’expliquer les raisons d’un relatif insuccès qui contraste avec la fortune dont Mômos, patron des rieurs, bénéficia en Occident à l’époque moderne.
Le chambellan dans les royaumes hellénistiques. À propos de Polybe 22, 22.
Authors: Savalli-Lestrade Ivana
Published: October 2022

Parmi les dignitaries de la cour séleucide, il y avait le ‘ chambellan du roi’ et le ‘ chambellan de la reine’. Le titre de leur charge est ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος, attesté par trois inscriptions : SEG 37, 1010 ; SEG 57, 1838 ; OGIS 256 (I. Délos 1547). Aucun ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος n’est connu à la cour des Ptolémées, mais il a été récemment suggéré qu’Aristonicos, que Polybe décrit comme proche de Ptolémée V et εὐνοῦχος, détenait en réalité cette fonction. Nous discutons la documentation épigraphique et littéraire sur les chambellans royaux et montrons qu’il faut revenir à l’interprétation traditionnelle du texte de Polybe.
L’expression de la personne dans les textes mathématiques grecs
Authors: Decorps-Foulquier Micheline
Published: October 2022

The following study explores the means of expression adopted by Greek mathematicians and more specifically the use they made of the category of person. The choice of this point of view leads to an analysis of the mathematical text not only for its conceptual content but as a speech act involving, to a greater or lesser extent, the mathematician and the reader. The identification of phenomena linked with utterance markers of person reveals that a variety of relationships structure mathematical discourse according to the nature of the text and the status the writer attributes to the reader.