bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine Conflict on Land Use across the World
Authors: Martinho Vítor João Pereira Domingues
Published: September 2022

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine crisis on the world economy are real. However, these implications do not appear to be symmetric across countries and different economic sectors. Indeed, the consequences of these two shocks are more severe for some countries, regions and economic activities than for others. Considering the importance of the agricultural sector for global food security, it is important to understand the impacts of the pandemic and the conflict on the different dimensions of agriculture, namely land use. Given the scarcity of data for the last few years available from the various statistical databases, this research mainly considers the insights highlighted in the literature on the implications, in agricultural dimensions, of the most recent shocks. The study here presented shows that the Russia–Ukraine crisis has had more impact on land use changes than the pandemic, namely promoting adjustments in the decisions of farmers and policymakers to deal with constraints in agri-food chains. Nonetheless, the impacts of the conflict on land use were not totally explored.
Is Climate Change Restoring Historical Fire Regimes across Temperate Landscapes of the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, USA?
Authors: Baker William L.
Published: September 2022

Wildfires are increasing with human-induced climate change, but could this be ecologically beneficial in landscapes where recent fire is deficient relative to historical? I compiled 1980–2020 fire data for the San Juan Mountains, Colorado. I analyzed fire sizes and trends in area burned and fire severity, and compared fire density and rotations between 1980–2010 and 2011–2020 among ecosystem types and watersheds. I compared historical (pre-industrial) evidence from tree-ring, charcoal, and land-survey reconstructions to evaluate whether recent fire is outside the historical range of variability (HRV). Nearly all burned area was in the southwestern San Juans in 5 of 41 years and 35 of 4716 wildfires. Between 1980–2010 and 2011–2020, fire densities increased ∼200% and rotations shortened to ∼25%, similarly among ecosystems and watersheds, consistent with climatic effects. Fire rotations in 2011–2020 were within HRV for three ecosystems and deficient for four. Fire sizes and severities were within HRV. Moderate- and high-severity fire had no significant trend. Thus, reducing fire size or severity is currently ecologically unnecessary. Instead, incorporating fire from climate change, via wildland fire use, supplemented by prescribed burning, could feasibly restore historical fire regimes in most San Juan landscapes by 2050, the target of the Paris 1.5 °C goal.
The Relative Roles of Socioeconomic Factors and Governance Policies in Urban Traffic Congestion: A Global Perspective
Authors: Sun Chao , Lu Jian
Published: September 2022

There is still doubt about how to accurately distinguish the objective and subjective factors that affect traffic congestion. This study aims to re-examine the role of socioeconomic factors and governance policies in the variation of urban traffic congestion from a global perspective at the macro-social development level. The heterogeneous characteristics of the traffic congestion index under the influence of changes in governance policies and variations of social–economic factors are distinguished through a residual trend model. Different time scenarios are addressed in the study to assess the respective contribution of socioeconomic factors and governance policies to variations of traffic congestion, which is helpful for identifying the most destructive factors and the most effective combination of governance policies. Taking Beijing City as the case, the results show that the social-economic factors and governance policies jointly drive congestion fluctuations, but the contribution of governance policies is greater. In addition, governance policies play an important role in alleviating traffic congestion, but unfortunately, an unreasonable combination of governance policies is also the chief culprit for the rise of the traffic congestion index in certain periods. The findings presented here can make us understand macro-mechanisms in response to urban traffic congestion and provide evidence for formulating regional development policies.
Plus-InVEST Study of the Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration’s Land-Use Change and Carbon Storage
Authors: Wang Chaoyue , Li Tingzhen , Guo Xianhua , Xia Lilin , Lu Chendong , Wang Chunbo
Published: September 2022

Based on China’s “carbon neutrality” strategy, this study explores the relationship between land-use/cover change and temporal and spatial changes of ecosystem carbon storage in urban agglomerations. Using the Plus-InVEST model, the projected spatial patterns of land use in the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration in 2030 under natural development and ecological protection scenarios were simulated and predicted, and the characteristics of carbon storage, together with its spatio-temporal dynamics, were evaluated under two scenarios. Results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, forests, water areas, construction areas, and unused land continued to increase, while the area of cropland and grassland decreased continuously. During the last 20 years, carbon storage in urban agglomeration showed an increasing trend, with an overall increase of 24.490 × 106 t. (2) Compared with the natural development scenario, forest land, grassland, and water area in 2030 under the ecological protection scenario exhibits a substantial change; the area of construction land is limited; and an ecological spatial effect is reflected. (3) Compared to 2020, carbon storage under natural development and ecological protection scenarios decreased by 50.001 × 106 t and 49.753 × 106 t in 2030, respectively. The stability of carbon storage under the ecological conservation scenario was significantly higher than that under the natural development scenario. Therefore, under the ecological protection scenario, as a result of the coordinated land use of Chengdu-Chongqing, the functions of various regions can be coordinated and carbon storage losses can be mitigated.
Land Use Has Changed through the Last 200 Years in Various Production Areas of South Bohemia
Authors: Moravcova Jana , Moravcova Vendula , Pavlicek Tomas , Novakova Nikola
Published: September 2022

This article focuses on land use changes in the area of interest in the southern part of the Czech Republic (South Bohemia Region). Land use changes have been assessed at several time levels over nearly two centuries. Unlike similar studies, two types of materials were used as source data and compared. Specifically, these are historical maps or aerial photographs and the Corine Land Cover database. The evolution of land use was examined on a representative set of sixty cadastral areas, which evenly cover the territory of three different production areas of the South Bohemia Region. Each production area was then evaluated both as a whole and separately. The paper’s results confirm the trend of decreasing the share of intensively used agricultural land (arable land), especially in worse natural conditions, like in other countries of the Central European region. An essential result of the publication was also the demonstration of the unique development of the post-1948 period when there was a significant difference in land use development between the border forage production areas and the rest of the agriculturally used parts of the region.
Tuberculosis in the Russian Federation: Dynamics of the Epidemic Indicators before and after COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Starshinova Anna , Dovgalyk Irina , Beltukov Mikhail , Zinchenko Yulia , Glushkova Anzhela , Starshinova Anastasia Y. , Doktorova Natalia , Kudlay Dmitry
Published: September 2022

The measures taken against tuberculosis (TB) in recent years in the Russian Federation have been highly effective. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic may seriously undermine the progress that has been made in the fight against TB. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the epidemiological rates of tuberculosis in the Russian Federation before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. The analysis was conducted by considering the main epidemiological indicators of tuberculosis, according to the federal statistics for the period from 2017 to 2021. The parameters were estimated according to the data received from 11 areas in the North-Western region. Statistical analysis was carried out using the free software computing environment R (v.3.5.1) and the commercial software package Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 24.0, IBM Corp., 2016). Research results. We found a positive correlation between the incidence among the overall population and the incidence among children aged 0–17, inclusively (r = 0.55 in 2017, r = 0.60 in 2020, and r = 0.53 in 2021). Along with the received regularities, a different trend is shown in the data analysis of general incidence and health X-ray examination for tuberculosis among the general population. The correlation has decreased threefold from 2017 (r = 0.72) to 2020 (r = 0.32); this negative trend might be the result of factors such as the quality of X-ray screening examinations among the general population, and the reduced assessment objectivity of the tuberculosis incidence rate. Conclusions. In assessing the correlation between general incidence and incidence in children under 17 years of age, as well as between incidence and mortality in the Russian Federation, a positive correlation was found with an increasing trend. Such a discrepancy might be due to decreases in the occupational health examination coverage among the general population. Therefore, in the years ahead, we can expect epidemiological indicators to increase incidence and mortality, including child mortality, associated with the insufficient detection of tuberculosis among the population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2-[Difluoro(phenylselenyl)methyl]benzo-1,3-thiazole
Authors: Xu Rongfu , Cai Ying , Liao Fumin , Liu Jinbiao
Published: September 2022

This short note elaborates a concise protocol for the synthesis of 2-[difluoro(phenylselenyl)methyl]benzo-1,3-thiazole in two steps from the commercially available reagent 2-aminobenzenethiol. The structures of the synthesized compounds are confirmed by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and 19F-NMR spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectra, and high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Numerical Aspects of Multilateration for Volumetric Error Calculation
Authors: Holub Michal , Zatočilová Jitka , Marek Tomáš , Blecha Petr , Heinrich Petr
Published: September 2022

We discuss two approaches to multilateration with a particular focus on numerical aspects for a given dataset. More precisely, we calculate the volumetric errors of the MCV 754 milling machine from the data measured by a LaserTRACER and provide criteria showing which numerical method is appropriate for the solution of the multilateration problem with respect to a given measurement dataset. In the first case, we consider two cost functions of the optimisation problem; in the second, we use the extremal principle method. We discuss the calculation accuracy depending on the matrix condition number. Our results are compared to the reference results produced by the Trac-Cal software, which is a standard used by most producers for error compensations.
Zero-Defect Manufacturing and Automated Defect Detection Using Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) Images
Authors: Subramaniam Sulochana , Kanfoud Jamil , Gan Tat-Hean
Published: September 2022

Ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) is a non-destructive testing (NDT) technique for weld inspection that has gained popularity in the industry, due to its ability to detect, position, and size defects based on the time difference of the echo signal. Although the TOFD technique provides high-speed data, ultrasonic data interpretation is typically a manual and time-consuming process, thereby necessitating a trained expert. The main aim of this work is to develop a fully automated defect detection and data interpretation approach that enables predictive maintenance using signal and image processing. Through this research, the characterization of weld defects was achieved by identifying the region of interest from A-scan signals, followed by segmentation. The experimental results were compared with samples of known defect size for validation; it was found that this novel method is capable of automatically measuring the defect size with considerable accuracy. It is anticipated that using such a system will significantly increase inspection speed, cost, and safety.
On the Signless Laplacian Spectral Radius of Graphs without Small Books and Intersecting Quadrangles
Authors: Chen Ming-Zhu , Wang Ning , Liu A-Ming , Makhnev Aleksandr A.
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we determine the maximum signless Laplacian spectral radius of all graphs which do not contain small books as a subgraph and characterize all extremal graphs. In addition, we give an upper bound of the signless Laplacian spectral radius of all graphs which do not contain intersecting quadrangles as a subgraph.
Methods for Mathematical Analysis of Simulated and Real Fractal Processes with Application in Cardiology
Authors: Gospodinova Evgeniya , Lebamovski Penio , Georgieva-Tsaneva Galya , Bogdanova Galina , Dimitrova Diana
Published: September 2022

In the article, a comparative analysis is performed regarding the accuracy parameter in determining the degree of self-similarity of fractal processes between the following methods: Variance-Time plot, Rescaled Range (R/S), Wavelet-based, Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) and Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MFDFA). To evaluate the methods, fractal processes based of Fractional Gaussian Noise were simulated and the dependence between the length of the simulated process and the degree of self-similarity was investigated by calculating the Hurst exponent (H > 0.5). It was found that the Wavelet-based, DFA and MFDFA methods, with a process length greater than 214 points, have a relative error of the Hurst exponent is less than 1%. A methodology for the Wavelet-based method related to determining the size of the scale and the wavelet algorithm was proposed, and it was investigated in terms of the exact determination of the Hurst exponent of two algorithms: Haar and Daubechies with different number of coefficients and different values of the scale. Based on the analysis, it was determined that the Daubechies algorithm with 10 coefficients and scale (i = 2, j = 10) has a relative error of less than 0.5%. The three most accurate methods are applied to the study of real cardiac signals of two groups of people: healthy and unhealthy (arrhythmia) subjects. The results of the statistical analysis, using the t-test, show that the proposed methods can distinguish the two studied groups and can be used for diagnostic purposes.
Results on Hankel Determinants for the Inverse of Certain Analytic Functions Subordinated to the Exponential Function
Authors: Shi Lei , Srivastava Hari M. , Rafiq Ayesha , Arif Muhammad , Ihsan Muhammad
Published: September 2022

In the present paper, we aimed to discuss certain coefficient-related problems for the inverse functions associated with a bounded turning functions class subordinated with the exponential function. We calculated the bounds of some initial coefficients, the Fekete–Szegö-type inequality, and the estimation of Hankel determinants of second and third order. All of these bounds were proven to be sharp.
Predicting Subgrade Resistance Value of Hydrated Lime-Activated Rice Husk Ash-Treated Expansive Soil: A Comparison between M5P, Support Vector Machine, and Gaussian Process Regression Algorithms
Authors: Ahmad Mahmood , Alsulami Badr , Al-Mansob Ramez , Ibrahim Saerahany , Keawsawasvong Suraparb , Majdi Ali , Ahmad Feezan
Published: September 2022

Resistance value (R-value) is one of the basic subgrade stiffness characterizations that express a material’s resistance to deformation. In this paper, artificial intelligence (AI)-based models—especially M5P, support vector machine (SVM), and Gaussian process regression (GPR) algorithms—are built for R-value evaluation that meets the high precision and rapidity requirements in highway engineering. The dataset of this study comprises seven parameters: hydrated lime-activated rice husk ash, liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, optimum moisture content, and maximum dry density. The available data are divided into three parts: training set (70%), test set (15%), and validation set (15%). The output (i.e., R-value) of the developed models is evaluated using the performance measures coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), relative squared error (RSE), root mean square error (RMSE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), performance indicator (ρ), and visual framework (Taylor diagram). GPR is concluded to be the best performing model (R2, MAE, RSE, RMSE, RRMSE, and ρ equal to 0.9996, 0.0258, 0.0032, 0.0012, 0.0012, and 0.0006, respectively, in the validation phase), very closely followed by SVM, and M5P. The application used for the aforementioned approaches for predicting the R-value is also compared with the recently developed artificial neural network model in the literature. The analysis of performance measures for the R-value dataset demonstrates that all the AI-based models achieved comparatively better and reliable results and thus should be encouraged in further research. Sensitivity analysis suggests that all the input parameters have a significant influence on the output, with maximum dry density being the highest.
Wavelet Density and Regression Estimators for Functional Stationary and Ergodic Data: Discrete Time
Authors: DIDI Sultana , AL HARBY Ahoud AL , BOUZEBDA Salim
Published: September 2022

The nonparametric estimation of density and regression function based on functional stationary processes using wavelet bases for Hilbert spaces of functions is investigated in this paper. The mean integrated square error over adapted decomposition spaces is given. To obtain the asymptotic properties of wavelet density and regression estimators, the Martingale method is used. These results are obtained under some mild conditions on the model; aside from ergodicity, no other assumptions are imposed on the data. This paper extends the scope of some previous results for wavelet density and regression estimators by relaxing the independence or the mixing condition to the ergodicity. Potential applications include the conditional distribution, curve discrimination, and time series prediction from a continuous set of past values.
Prediction and Compensation Model of Longitudinal and Lateral Deck Motion for Automatic Landing Guidance System
Authors: Cheng Chen , Wang Zian , Gong Zheng , Cai Pengcheng , Zhang Chengxi
Published: September 2022

This paper mainly studies the longitudinal and lateral deck motion compensation technology. In order to ensure the safe landing of the carrier-based aircrafts on the flight decks of carriers during the landing process, it is necessary to introduce deck motion information into the guidance law information of the automatic landing guidance system when the aircraft is about to land so that the aircraft can track the deck motion. To compensate the influence of the height change in the ideal landing point on the landing process, the compensation effects of the deck motion compensators with different design parameters are verified by simulation. For further phase-lead compensation for the longitudinal automatic landing guidance system, a deck motion predictor is designed based on the particle filter optimal prediction theory and the AR model time series analysis method. Because the influence of up and down motions on the vertical motion of the ideal landing point is the largest, the compensation effects of the designed predictor and compensator are simulated and verified based on the up and down motion of the power spectrum. For the compensation for the lateral motion, a tracking strategy of the horizontal measurement axis of the inertial stability coordinate system to the horizontal axis of the hull coordinate system (center line of the deck) is proposed. The tracking effects of the horizontal measurement axis of the designed integral and inertial tracking strategies are simulated and compared. Secondly, the lateral deck motion compensation commands are designed, and the compensation effects of different forms of compensation commands are verified by simulations. Finally, the compensation effects for the lateral deck motion under integral and inertial tracking strategies are simulated and analyzed.
Convolutional Neural Network for Closed-Set Identification from Resting State Electroencephalography
Authors: Lai Chi Qin , Ibrahim Haidi , Suandi Shahrel Azmin , Abdullah Mohd Zaid
Published: September 2022

In line with current developments, biometrics is becoming an important technology that enables safer identification of individuals and more secure access to sensitive information and assets. Researchers have recently started exploring electroencephalography (EEG) as a biometric modality thanks to the uniqueness of EEG signals. A new architecture for a convolutional neural network (CNN) that uses EEG signals is suggested in this paper for biometric identification. A CNN does not need complex signal pre-processing, feature extraction, and feature selection stages. The EEG datasets utilized in this research are the resting state eyes open (REO) and the resting state eyes closed (REC) EEG. Extensive experiments were performed to design this deep CNN architecture. These experiments showed that a CNN architecture with eleven layers (eight convolutional layers, one average pooling layer, and two fully connected layers) with an Adam optimizer resulted in the highest accuracy. The CNN architecture proposed here was compared to existing models for biometrics using the same dataset. The results show that the proposed method outperforms the other task-free paradigm CNN biometric identification models, with an identification accuracy of 98.54%.
Fucoxanthin Production of Microalgae under Different Culture Factors: A Systematic Review
Authors: Khaw Yam Sim , Yusoff Fatimah Md , Tan Hui Teng , Noor Mazli Nur Amirah Izyan , Nazarudin Muhammad Farhan , Shaharuddin Noor Azmi , Omar Abdul Rahman , Takahashi Kazutaka
Published: September 2022

Fucoxanthin is one of the light-harvesting pigments in brown microalgae, which is increasingly gaining attention due to its numerous health-promoting properties. Currently, the production of microalgal fucoxanthin is not yet feasible from an economic perspective. However, the cultivation of microalgae at favourable conditions holds great potential to increase the viability of this fucoxanthin source. Hence, this study aimed to review the fucoxanthin production of microalgae under different conditions systematically. A literature search was performed using the Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed databases. A total of 188 articles were downloaded and 28 articles were selected for the current review by two independent authors. Microalgae appeared to be a more reliable fucoxanthin source compared to macroalgae. Overall, a consensus fucoxanthin production condition was obtained and proposed: light intensity ranging from 10 to 100 µmol/m2/s could achieve a higher fucoxanthin content. However, the optimal light condition in producing fucoxanthin is species-specific. The current review serves as an antecedent by offering insights into the fucoxanthin-producing microalgae response to different culture factors via a systematic analysis. With the current findings and recommendations, the feasibility of producing fucoxanthin commercially could be enhanced and possibly achieve practical and sustainable fucoxanthin production.
Impact of Anticoagulants in Reducing Mortality and Disability in Cardioembolic Stroke Patients
Authors: Jurjāns Kristaps , Cērpa Marija , Baborikina Alise , Kalējs Oskars , Miglāne Evija
Published: September 2022

Background and Objectives: Stroke is currently the second most common cause of death and disability-adjusted life years worldwide. Previous studies have determined that cardioembolic stroke is associated with higher mortality. Our aim is to compare the long-term outcome and mortality of atherothrombotic, cardioembolic stroke patients and patients taking direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), and to demonstrate that adequate treatment with DOACs is associated with better results. Materials and Methods: In our retrospective study, we collected the data of ischemic stroke patients who were treated at P. Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia, Stroke Unit, in the year 2017. In the present study, we analyzed this information to assess the patients’ demographic and clinical data, vascular risk factors, functional and neurological evaluation results, and the use of anticoagulant therapy. Stroke survivors were followed-up via telephone at 30/90/180/365 days and 4 years after being discharged from the hospital. The Latvian version of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS-LV) was used to evaluate patients’ neurological outcomes at discharge, and patients’ functional outcomes were evaluated using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). The collected data of the patients were separated into three groups according to the stroke subtype and use of direct oral anticoagulants. Results: A total of 654 ischemic stroke patients were admitted to the hospital in the year 2017. Of all the strokes included in the study, 262 presented an atherothrombotic etiology and 392 presented a cardioembolic etiology. The median age of the patients in the study was 76 years (IQR: 67–83). The median age of patients in the atherothrombotic stroke group was 71 years (IQR = 64–79), in the cardioembolic stroke group it was 79 (IQR = 72–84), and in the DOAC group it was 75 years (IQR = 69–82), respectively. At the period of four years, of all the atherothrombotic stroke survivors 14 (10.5%) had a severe disability, and 64 (48.1%) did not survive. However, 12 (4.1%) of the cardioembolic stroke survivors were severely disabled and 37 (12.5%) had died. In the group of patients taking DOACs 6 (4.5%) had a severe disability and 17 (12.9%) did not survive. In all the patient groups, the leading cause of death was due to severe disability (22%), followed by recurrent cardioembolic events (8%). Conclusions: Previous studies until now have concluded that cardioembolic stroke is associated with higher mortality and an unfavorable functional outcome. In our study, the cardioembolic stroke group and the DOAC group had a statistically significant higher percentage of patients with congestive heart failure and older age, but their long-term mortality was lower and they achieved independence more often than the atherothrombotic stroke patients. The proper use of anticoagulants shows great improvement in long-term survival rate and functional outcome.
Neural Basis of Etiopathogenesis and Treatment of Cervicogenic Orofacial Pain
Authors: Šedý Jiří , Rocabado Mariano , Olate Leonardo Enrique , Vlna Marek , Žižka Radovan
Published: September 2022

(1) Background and Objectives: The aim of this narrative review was to analyze the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological basis of cervicogenic pain in cervico-cranial pain syndromes, focusing particularly on cervico-orofacial syndromes as a background for the proper diagnosis and non-surgical treatment. Relevant literature on the topic from past 120 years has been surveyed. (2) Material and Methods: We surveyed all original papers, reviews, or short communications published in the English, Spanish, Czech or Slovak languages from 1900 to 2020 in major journals. (3) Results: The cervicogenic headache originates from the spinal trigeminal nucleus where axons from the C1–C3 cervical spinal nerves and three branches of the trigeminal nerve converge (trigeminocervical convergence) at the interneurons that mediate cranio-cervical nociceptive interactions. The role of the temporomandibular joint in the broad clinical picture is also important. Despite abundant available experimental and clinical data, cervicogenic orofacial pain may be challenging to diagnose and treat. Crucial non-surgical therapeutic approach is the orthopedic manual therapy focused on correction of body posture, proper alignment of cervical vertebra and restoration of normal function of temporomandibular joint and occlusion. In addition, two novel concepts for the functional synthesis of cervico-cranial interactions are the tricentric concept of mouth sensorimotor control and the concept of a cervicogenic origin of bruxism. (4) Conclusions: Understanding the basis of neuroanatomical and neurophysiological neuromuscular relations enables an effective therapeutic approach based principally on orthopedic manual and dental occlusal treatment.
Sleep Disorders and Their Associated Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Data from Peruvian Medical Students
Authors: Copaja-Corzo Cesar , Miranda-Chavez Brayan , Vizcarra-Jiménez Dariela , Hueda-Zavaleta Miguel , Rivarola-Hidalgo Marco , Parihuana-Travezaño Edgar G. , Taype-Rondan Alvaro
Published: September 2022

Background and objectives: Sleep disorders are a common public health problem among college students. The objective of this study was to evaluate sleep quality and its associated factors in medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study—we conducted a secondary analysis of the survey “Nomophobia in medical students in Peru” database between 2020 and 2021. Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). To evaluate associated factors, crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Results: We analyzed data from 3139 participants from 18 cities in Peru (61.1% were women, median age: 22 years). 43.4% had a quality of sleep that could require medical attention; the PSQI dimension with the highest score was daytime dysfunction. The poor sleep quality was associated with symptoms of anxiety (aPR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.27–1.72), depression (aPR: 2.03; 1.72–2.39), or nomophobia (aPR: 1.28; 1.09–1.51). Conclusions: Sleep disorders were a common problem among Peruvian medical students and were associated with anxiety, depression, or nomophobia symptoms.
Mixture of Anthraquinone Sulfo-Derivatives as an Inexpensive Organic Flow Battery Negolyte: Optimization of Battery Cell
Authors: Petrov Mikhail , Chikin Dmitry , Abunaeva Lilia , Glazkov Artem , Pichugov Roman , Vinyukov Alexey , Levina Irina , Motyakin Mikhail , Mezhuev Yaroslav , Konev Dmitry , Antipov Anatoly
Published: September 2022

Anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonic acid (2,7-AQDS) is a promising organic compound, which is considered as a negolyte for redox flow batteries as well as for other applications. In this work we carried out a well-known reaction of anthraquinone sulfonation to synthesize 2,7-AQDS in mixture with other sulfo-derivatives, namely 2,6-AQDS and 2-AQS. Redox behavior of this mixture was evaluated with cyclic voltammetry and was almost identical to 2,7-AQDS. Mixture was then assessed as a potential negolyte of anthraquinone-bromine redox flow battery. After adjusting membrane-electrode assembly composition (membrane material and flow field)), the cell demonstrated peak power density of 335 mW cm−2 (at SOC 90%) and capacity utilization, capacity retention and energy efficiency of 87.9, 99.6 and 64.2%, respectively. These values are almost identical or even higher than similar values for flow battery with 2,7-AQDS as a negolyte, while the price of mixture is significantly lower. Therefore, this work unveils the promising possibility of using a mixture of crude sulfonated anthraquinone derivatives mixture as an inexpensive negolyte of RFB.
Simulation of the Influence of the as-Deposited Wall Thickness on Arc Shape and Stability during Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Zhou Chundong , Zhang Xiaoyong , Peng Yong , Huang Yong , Wang Kehong , Wang Jianchun , Zhou Ming
Published: September 2022

The single-pass multi-layer depositing strategy is usually used to fabricate thin-wall structures with wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology. Various deposited wall thicknesses often lead to a change in arc shrinkage in the wall thickness direction, which affects the arc shape and stability, and even the microstructure and properties. To systematically study the effect of wall thickness (δ) on arc shape and stability, 3D numerical models were established, with wall thickness varying from 1 to 14 mm during the WAAM process. The characteristics of the arc shape, temperature field, velocity field, current density, and the electromagnetic force were investigated. When δ is smaller than the arc diameter (Φ), the thinner wall will result in a longer arc along the deposition direction. When δ is greater than the Φ, the arc shape tends to be a bell shape. When δ < Φ, the peak temperature in the arc centre, the peak current density, and the electromagnetic intensity along the welding direction decreased with the increase in the wall thickness. However, the opposite observations were found when δ < Φ. The simulation results are consistent with the actual arc shape collected and showed that when δ is slightly less than Φ, the forming quality of the deposited wall is the best. The research in this paper can fill the research gap and provide a theoretical basis for the matching selection of process parameters and wall thickness in WAAM applications.
Integrative Analysis of the Metabolome and Transcriptome Provides Insights into the Mechanisms of Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Quinoa Seeds at Different Developmental Stages
Authors: Wang Qianchao , Yao Lan , Li Qunying , Xie Heng , Guo Yirui , Huang Tingzhi , Zhang Xuesong , Liu Junna , Zhang Ping , Li Li , Qin Peng
Published: September 2022

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a crop with high nutritional and health benefits. Quinoa seeds are rich in flavonoid compounds; however, the mechanisms behind quinoa flavonoid biosynthesis remain unclear. We independently selected the high-generation quinoa strain ‘Dianli-3260′, and used its seeds at the filling, milk ripening, wax ripening, and mature stages for extensive targeted metabolome analysis combined with joint transcriptome analysis. The results showed that the molecular mechanism of flavonoid biosynthesis in quinoa seeds was mainly concentrated in two pathways: “flavonoid biosynthesis pathway” and “flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathway”. Totally, 154 flavonoid-related metabolites, mainly flavones and flavonols, were detected in the four development stages. Moreover, 39,738 genes were annotated with KEGG functions, and most structural genes of flavonoid biosynthesis were differentially expressed during grain development. We analyzed the differential flavonoid metabolites and transcriptome changes between the four development stages of quinoa seeds and found that 11 differential flavonoid metabolites and 22 differential genes were the key factors for the difference in flavonoid biosynthesis. This study provides important information on the mechanisms underlying quinoa flavonoid biosynthesis, the screening of potential quinoa flavonoid biosynthesis regulation target genes, and the development of quinoa products.
Thromboembolic Disease and Cardiac Thrombotic Complication in COVID-19: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nappi Francesco , Nappi Pierluigi , Gambardella Ivancarmine , Avtaar Singh Sanjeet Singh
Published: September 2022

The coronavirus 2019 pandemic has affected many healthcare systems worldwide. While acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been well-documented in COVID-19, there are several cardiovascular complications, such as myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, and pulmonary embolism, leading to disability and death. The link between COVID-19 and increasing thrombogenicity potentially occurs due to numerous different metabolic mechanisms, ranging from endothelial damage for direct virus infection, associated excessive formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), pathogenic activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), direct myocardial injury, and ischemia induced by respiratory failure, all of which have measurable biomarkers. A search was performed by interrogating three databases (MEDLINE; MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, and EMBASE). Evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCT), prospective series, meta-analyses, and unmatched observational studies were evaluated for the processing of the algorithm and treatment of thromboembolic disease and cardiac thrombotic complications related to COVID-19 during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Studies out with the SARS-Cov-2 infection period and case reports were excluded. A total of 58 studies were included in this analysis. The role of the acute inflammatory response in the propagation of the systemic inflammatory sequelae of the disease plays a major part in determining thromboembolic disease and cardiac thrombotic complication in COVID-19. Some of the mechanisms of activation of these pathways, alongside the involved biomarkers noted in previous studies, are highlighted. Inflammatory response led to thromboembolic disease and cardiac thrombotic complications in COVID-19. NETs play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory response. Despite moving into the endemic phase of the disease in most countries, thromboembolic complications in COVID-19 remain an entity that substantially impacts the health care system, with long-term effects that remain uncertain. Continuous monitoring and research are required.
Dielectric Behaviour and Electrical Conductivity of α-BiNbO4 and β-BiNbO4 Ceramics
Authors: Devesa S. , Graça M. P. , Costa L. C.
Published: September 2022

In this work, orthorhombic (α-BiNbO4) and triclinic bismuth niobate (β-BiNbO4) ceramics were prepared by a wet chemical route. The structure of the obtained powders was characterised by X-ray diffraction and the morphology by scanning electron microscopy. The dielectric measurements were performed in the radiofrequency region, at different temperatures, using the impedance spectroscopy technique. The α-BiNbO4 sample presented a temperature-dependent relaxation process, with the corresponding activation energy being calculated through the Arrhenius equation. The AC conductivity dependence on the frequency was in agreement with Jonscher’s universal power. The conduction mechanism in the α-BiNbO4 compound is governed by two processes, which can be ascribed to a hopping transport mechanism. The correlated barrier hopping model until 280 K and the non-overlapping small polaron tunnelling model above 280 K are the most suitable models to describe the conductivity of this sample. In the β-BiNbO4 compound, the motion of mobile charge carriers involves localised hopping between neighbouring sites.
A Heat-Killed Probiotic Mixture Regulates Immune T Cells Balance and IgE Production in House Dust Mite Extraction-Induced Atopic Dermatitis Mice
Authors: Chen Hsin-Yu , Chen Yung-Tsung , Li Kuan-Yi , Huang Hsiao-Wen , Lin Yu-Chun , Chen Ming-Ju
Published: September 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease accompanied with severe itching and skin lesions. Current studies have demonstrated that probiotics can exert an immunomodulatory effect, improve epithelial barrier function, and normalize the composition of gut microbiota. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of probiotics on the immune balance of AD in vivo. We first screened two lactic acid bacteria strains, which were Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MP01 and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei MP02, from 10 strains isolated from traditional fermented milk with inflammation regulating activities in vitro. In the house dust mite (HDM) extraction-induced AD mouse model, mice were assigned randomly to four groups: control group (PC), HDM-induced AD group (NC), HDM-induced AD mice with administration of a mixture of heat-killed MP01 and MP02 at a low concentration (LD), and high concentration (HD) groups. Compared with the NC group, the probiotic treatments could relieve the AD symptoms. Moreover, the LD group significantly decreased total and HDM-specific IgE concentration. These results indicated that a combination of heat-killed MP01 and MP02 strains modulated the proportion of IL4+CD4+ T cells and IFNγ+CD4+ T cells in the spleen of HDM extraction-induced AD mice. In conclusion, administration of the heat-killed MP01 and MP02 mixtures appeared to relieve the classic AD signs, decrease serum IgE concentration, and rebalance the population of Th1/Th2 cells in HDM extraction-induced AD mice. The immunomodulatory activities of a combination of heat-killed MP01 and MP02 provided a potential new therapeutic strategy against AD.
Comparative Surfaceome Analysis of Clonal Histomonas meleagridis Strains with Different Pathogenicity Reveals Strain-Dependent Profiles
Authors: Ramires Marcelo de Jesus , Hummel Karin , Hatfaludi Tamas , Riedl Petra , Hess Michael , Bilic Ivana
Published: September 2022

Histomonas meleagridis, a poultry-specific intestinal protozoan parasite, is histomonosis’s etiological agent. Since treatment or prophylaxis options are no longer available in various countries, histomonosis can lead to significant production losses in chickens and mortality in turkeys. The surfaceome of microbial pathogens is a crucial component of host–pathogen interactions. Recent proteome and exoproteome studies on H. meleagridis produced molecular data associated with virulence and in vitro attenuation, yet the information on proteins exposed on the cell surface is currently unknown. Thus, in the present study, we identified 1485 proteins and quantified 22 and 45 upregulated proteins in the virulent and attenuated strains, respectively, by applying cell surface biotinylation in association with high-throughput proteomic analysis. The virulent strain displayed upregulated proteins that could be linked to putative virulence factors involved in the colonization and establishment of infection, with the upregulation of two candidates being confirmed by expression analysis. In the attenuated strain, structural, transport and energy production proteins were upregulated, supporting the protozoan’s adaptation to the in vitro environment. These results provide a better understanding of the surface molecules involved in the pathogenesis of histomonosis, while highlighting the pathogen’s in vitro adaptation processes.
Extremophilic Microorganisms for the Green Synthesis of Antibacterial Nanoparticles
Authors: Romano Ida , Vitiello Giuseppe , Gallucci Noemi , Di Girolamo Rocco , Cattaneo Andrea , Poli Annarita , Di Donato Paola
Published: September 2022

The biogenic synthesis of nanomaterials, i.e., synthesis carried out by means of living organisms, is an emerging technique in nanotechnology since it represents a greener and more eco-friendly method for the production of nanomaterials. In this line, in order to find new biological entities capable of biogenic synthesis, we tested the ability of some extremophilic microorganisms to carry out the biogenic production of AgNPs and SeNPs. Silver NPs were produced extracellularly by means of the thermophilic Thermus thermophilus strain SAMU; the haloalkaliphilic Halomonas campaniensis strain 5AG was instead found to be useful for the synthesis of SeNPs. The structural characterization of the biogenic nanoparticles showed that both the Ag and Se NPs possessed a protein coating on their surface and that they were organized in aggregates. Moreover, both types of NPs were found be able to exert an interesting antibacterial effect against either Gram-positive or Gram-negative species. This study confirmed that extremophilic microorganisms can be considered valuable producers of biologically active nanoparticles; nevertheless, further experiments must be performed to improve the synthesis protocols in addition to the downstream processes.
SIMS Zircon U-Pb Ages and O Isotope Compositions of Gabbro from the Laguoco Ophiolite from Western Shiquanhe–Yonzhu Suture Zone (Tibet) and Their Geological Significance
Authors: Wu Yong , Qin Ming-Kuan , Zhang Cai , Guo Guo-Lin , Guo Dong-Fa , Liu Fei , Wu Wei-Wei , Yang Jing-Sui
Published: September 2022

The Shiquanhe–Laguoco–Yongzhu–Jiali ophiolite mélange belt in Tibet includes the Laguoco Tso ophiolite as part of its western segment. Researchers studying the evolution of the Tibetan Plateau and the Tethys have taken a keen interest in the debated relationship between this ophiolite belt and the Bangong–Nujiang ophiolite belt. However, there is little research in this field. This study reports the rock geochemistry, SIMS (the secondary ion mass spectrometry) zircon U-Pb ages, and O isotope compositions of gabbro from the Laguoco ophiolite. Gabbro has substantial depletion in HFSEs (the high field strength elements) such as Th, Nb, Zr, and Hf, as well as exhibits comparatively high Mg# (80.6 on average), and low K, N, P, and Ti contents. Therefore, it was possibly formed in an intra oceanic subduction island arc environment originating from ~30% partial melting of the depleted spinel lherzolite. The SIMS zircon U-Pb ages of the gabbro samples are 187 ± 1.2 Ma and 189 ± 2.1 Ma, and the weighted averages of δ18O are 5.24‰ ± 0.12‰ and 5.34‰ ± 0.13‰, which are close to mantle-derived zircon δ18O (5.3‰ ± 0.3‰). These results suggest that during the Early Jurassic, the Laguoco ophiolite recorded the intra oceanic subduction of the northern branch of the Neo-Tethys.