bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization, Comparison of Two New Mitogenomes of Crocodile Newts Tylototriton (Caudata: Salamandridae), and Phylogenetic Implications
Authors: Wang Jin-Xiu , Lan Xiang-Ying , Luo Qing-Hua , Gu Zhi-Rong , Zhou Qiang , Zhang Ming-Yao , Zhang You-Xiang , Jiang Wan-Sheng
Published: October 2022

Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are valuable resources in molecular and evolutionary studies, such as phylogeny and population genetics. The complete mitogenomes of two crocodile newts, Tylototriton broadoridgus and Tylototriton gaowangjienensis, were sequenced, assembled, and annotated for the first time using next-generation sequencing. The complete mitogenomes of T. broadoridgus and T. gaowangjienensis were 16,265 bp and 16,259 bp in lengths, which both composed of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 1 control region. The two mitogenomes had high A + T content with positive AT-skew and negative GC-skew patterns. The ratio of non-synonymous and synonymous substitutions showed that, relatively, the ATP8 gene evolved the fastest and COI evolved the slowest among the 13 PCGs. Phylogenetic trees from BI and ML analyses resulted in identical topologies, where the Tylototriton split into two groups corresponding to two subgenera. Both T. broadoridgus and T. gaowangjienensis sequenced here belonged to the subgenus Yaotriton, and these two species shared a tentative sister group relationship. The two mitogenomes reported in this study provided valuable data for future molecular and evolutionary studies of the genus Tylotoriton and other salamanders.
Assessment of Flood Hazard in Climatic Extreme Considering Fluvio-Morphic Responses of the Contributing River: Indications from the Brahmaputra-Jamuna’s Braided-Plain
Authors: Shampa  , Roy Binata , Hussain Md. Manjurul , Islam A. K. M. Saiful , Rahman Md. Ashiqur , Mohammed Khaled
Published: October 2022

Climate change is expected to raise river discharge and sea level in the future, and these near-term changes could alter the river flow regime and sedimentation pattern of future floods. Present hazard assessment studies have limitations in considering such morpho-dynamic responses in evaluating flood hazards or risks. Here, we present a multi-model-based approach to quantify such potential hazard parameters influenced by climate change for the most vulnerable communities living on river bars and islands of the Brahmaputra–Jamuna River. River flood-flow and flood wave propagation characteristics are predicted to be affected by changing temporal distribution patterns of precipitation as a result of enhanced global warming. Increased incidences of large multi-peak floods or uncommon floods resulting in long-duration floods driven by sea-level rise may happen as a result of this. To assess it, we have set up a hydromorphic model, Delft3D, for the Brahmaputra–Jamuna River forced by upstream flow, generated from a hydrological model SWAT, over the Brahmaputra basin. The simulations cover moderate, wettest, and driest conditions of the RCP8.5 scenario, and the results reflect the flooding consequences of the near-future, mid-century, and end-century. Floods in the Brahmaputra–Jamuna River are becoming more severe, frequent, and long-lasting, as a result of climate change, and are expected to last until the end of November rather than the current September timeline. While assessing the hazard, we found that the pattern and timing of the flood are as equally important as the peak of the flood, as the river continuously adjusts its cross-sectional area with the flow. The study also demonstrates that, depending on their location/position, climate-induced hazards can affect sand bars/islands disproportionally. The high flood depth, duration, and sedimentation have a significant impact on the sand bars downstream of the river, making them more vulnerable.
Determinants of Telehealth Continuance Intention: A Multi-Perspective Framework
Authors: Hsieh Hui-Lung , Lai Jhih-Ming , Chuang Bi-Kun , Tsai Chung-Hung
Published: October 2022

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries’ physicians in the world have used telehealth to visit patients via telehealth. The study aimed to integrate the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the technology acceptance model (TAM), and self-determination theory (SDT) to explore the adoption behavior of a telehealth system. A convenient sample of residents was drawn from the population of Nantou County in Taiwan and analyzed via structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that attitude, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, and perceived autonomy support jointly have significantly positive effects on continuance intention. Results also confirmed that perceived autonomy support, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness jointly have significantly positive effects on attitude. Furthermore, this study also showed that a crucial mediators’ role is played by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude. The conclusions and practical implications of the research will hopefully provide health organizations and institutions with some innovative insights and foresights, which in turn will promote better practices and services of telehealth technology.
High Nitrogen Fertilization Decreases Seed Weight but Increases Longevity in Tomato Seeds
Authors: Sánchez Javier , Albornoz Francisco , Contreras Samuel
Published: October 2022

Nitrogen fertilization is a key practice in agriculture and its effects on yield and quality of most commodity products are widely known. However, the response of seed production to N fertilization, especially with regard to its effects on seed quality, is still poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of N fertilization on tomato seed yield and quality. Six quality attributes were assessed (weight, standard germination, germination rate under normal and adverse conditions, dormancy and longevity) in tomato cv. Moneymaker plants fertigated with one of three nutrient solutions differing in their N concentration: 5, 15 or 25 mM. Seed weight decreased by 4% with increasing N fertilization while standard germination and mean germination time did not vary among treatments, with average values of 89.7% and 6.2 days, respectively. The percentage and rate of germination decreased when seeds were imbibed in solutions with reduced osmotic potential; however, this effect was less pronounced in seeds from the 25 mM treatment, indicating a lower dormancy. When germination was evaluated after accelerated aging, seeds from the high N fertilization treatment showed greater longevity. These results contribute to optimizing fertilization practices for the production of high quality tomato seeds.
The Modified Hydroponic Kit Based on Self-Fertigation System Designed for Remote Areas
Authors: Dwiratna Sophia , Amaru Kharistya , Nanda Muhammad Achirul
Published: October 2022

Hydroponics has great potential to improve the sustainability of food supplies in various regions presently and in the future. However, studies on proposed hydroponic technology specifically for remote areas are still very limited, with the majority focusing on urban areas. Limited resources, such as electricity supply, are the main obstacles to implementing hydroponics in remote areas. Therefore, this study proposes a breakthrough in hydroponic technology based on a self-fertigation system that can work without electricity for effective and efficient plant growth. This study employs a descriptive quantitative methodology. The proposed hydroponic technology was applied to spinach (Amaranthus dubius) with green and red varieties, from January to April 2021 during the wet season in the tropical climate of Indonesia. Spinach seeds were sown and placed at the nursery for 10 days in net pots containing rockwool of 25 mm of cubes growth media, and then transferred to a hydroponic kit until harvesting. Based on the analysis, microclimate conditions had a safe range and were consistent with plant growth standards. The modified hydroponic kit provided good fertigation quality including temperature, electrical conductivity, potential hydrogen and dissolved oxygen for spinach plants. The total fertigation consumption amounted to 46.64 L during the 20 days of planting (equal to 0.012 L/plant day−1) with low evapotranspiration (0.89 mm/day). In addition, green spinach had higher productivity of 1.34 kg/m2 than red at 0.71 kg/m2. The nutritional analysis results also showed that green spinach is superior for calcium, iron, phosphor, and vitamin C, while red is superior for potassium and magnesium. The hydroponic kit was used successfully to cultivate spinach plants with good morphological and nutritional qualities. This type of technology has a bright outlook for the near future and must be continuously developed.
Environmental and Health Factors as Organic Fruit Purchase Drivers and the Mediating Role of Price and Effort
Authors: Llanos-Herrera Gonzalo , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Salazar-Sepúlveda Guido , Contreras-Barraza Nicolás , Gil-Marín Miseldra
Published: October 2022

This article analyzes the organic fruit consumption behavior associated with environmental and health care. The literature review focused on the relationship between attitudes and perceptions of health care through the organic food consumption, and on the other hand, the association between the organic products consumer behavior and environmental care. The methodology included a theoretical relationship model proposed, considering different constructs provided by previous literature to measure motivations, fears and attitudes associated with the intention to purchase organic fruit, once the methods that confirm their validity and reliability were applied to evaluate seven direct relationship hypotheses, three indirect relationship hypotheses and two moderation hypotheses. As result, nine hypotheses are supported, being health and environmental motivations drivers of the attitude towards organic fruit and the intention to purchase organic fruit, intention that is reinforced by the positive attitude towards these foods but is moderated by the perceived price and the purchase effort.
A New Promising Plant Defense Stimulator Derived from a By-Product of Agar Extraction from Gelidium sesquipedale
Authors: Koçi Rromir , Dupuy Fabrice , Lebbar Salim , Gloaguen Vincent , Faugeron Girard Céline
Published: October 2022

Stimulation of plant defenses by elicitors is an alternative strategy to reduce pesticide use. In this study, we examined the elicitor properties of a by-product of the industrial extraction of agar from the red alga Gelidium sesquipedale. Agar extraction process leads to the formation of an alkaline residue which is poorly valorized. This by-product has been analyzed for its chemical composition. It contains 44% minerals and, among the organic compounds, sugars are the most represented and encompass 12.5% of the dry matter. When sprayed on tomato plants, this by-product enhanced the levels of defense markers such as peroxidase or phenylalanine ammonia lyase activities. Furthermore, this treatment increased the expression levels of the pathogenesis-related gene, PR9 encoding peroxidase. A field trial conducted on grapevine revealed that spraying treatment with this by-product resulted in a reduction of the macroscopic disease symptoms induced by Plasmospora viticola, with 40 to 60% efficacy. These results indicate that this agar extraction by-product could be used as a plant defense stimulator.
Effects of 8-Week Exhausting Deep Knee Flexion Flywheel Training on Persistent Quadriceps Weakness in Well-Trained Athletes Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Henderson Frederick James , Konishi Yu , Shima Norihiro , Shimokochi Yohei
Published: October 2022

Persistent quadriceps weakness after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a common hurdle to efficient rehabilitation. Therefore, we evaluated a new treatment strategy for athletes with ACL reconstruction. Eleven athletes with unilateral ACL reconstruction performed one set of flywheel Bulgarian split squats to exhaustion with a maximum knee extension of 60°, over 16 sessions, on their reconstructed limb. Quadriceps rate of force development (RFD) 0–50 ms (RFD0–50 ms), and 0–150 ms (RFD0–150 ms), maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), and central activation ratio (CAR) were measured bilaterally on the week before and after the intervention. In the reconstructed limb, the RFD0–50 ms (p = 0.04; Cohen’s d = 0.8) and RFD0–150 ms (p = 0.03; d = 0.9) increased after training. Before-after changes in MVIC and CAR were not significant (p > 0.05), but the lower the baseline MVIC, the greater the gain in MVIC (r = −0.71, p = 0.02). The between-leg difference in MVIC changed from large before (p = 0.01; d = 0.8) to small after training (p = 0.04; d = 0.4). One set of deep knee flexion flywheel Bulgarian split squats to exhaustion improved quadriceps deficits in well-trained athletes with ACL-reconstruction, particularly those with relatively low quadriceps force production.
From Project-Based Health Literacy Data and Measurement to an Integrated System of Analytics and Insights: Enhancing Data-Driven Value Creation in Health-Literate Organizations
Authors: Sørensen Kristine
Published: October 2022

Health literacy measurement is important to improve equity, health and well-being as part of health system transformation. However, health literacy data of good quality are often lacking or difficult to access for decision-makers. To better inform policy, research and practice, this paper discusses how to move from project-based health literacy data and measurement to an integrated system of analytics and insights enhancing data-driven value creation in health-literate organizations. There is a need for the development of health literacy data pipelines, data dashboards, and data governance mechanisms which are timely and trustworthy. Investing in health literacy data analytics and data governance can pave the way for the integration of health literacy as an acknowledged global health indicator in large-scale surveys, ventures, and daily business. Leadership and management buy-in are needed to steer the process. Lessons learned from decades of measurement research combined with strategic implementation of systematic use of health literacy monitoring may accelerate the progress.
Saliva Analysis of pH and Antioxidant Capacity in Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients
Authors: Venza Nicolò , Alloisio Giulia , Gioia Magda , Liguori Claudio , Nappi Annarita , Danesi Carlotta , Laganà Giuseppina
Published: October 2022

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may be associated with and activates the stress response system, and variation in the physiological antioxidant capacity of body fluids. Our aim was to evaluate the variation of pH and antioxidant capacity on the saliva of obstructive sleep apnea subjects (OG) compared to a control group (CG). Method: Fifty subjects with moderate/severe OSAS were recruited in Tor Vergata Hospital and compared with 20 healthy subjects CG. The buffer and the antioxidant capacity of the samples were quantified measuring the pH and the percentage of total salivary antioxidant capacity (%TAC), which refers to the reduced glutathione salivary concentration (GSH). Moreover, the protein concentration and the gelatinolytic activity of metalloproteinases were quantified. Results: The data showed that the pH value is slightly more alkaline in OSAS subjects; however, it is not directly related to the severity of OSAS. The %TAC was found to be significantly reduced by 86.2% in the OG. Proteins of saliva from the OG were found 1.5 times more concentrated than in the healthy sample. The gelatinolytic activity of metalloproteinases of healthy and OSA did not show statistically significant changes. Conclusions: The salivary samples from OSAS compared to CG show an alteration of the oxidative state, the pH buffering power, and protein concentrations, inducing conditions that can easily evolve chronic gingivitis. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the feasibility of using salivary fluid for the early diagnosis of oral or systemic problems in OSAS subjects.
Research on the Influence Mechanisms of the Affective and Cognitive Self-Esteem
Authors: Yang Shufang , Zhang Mingyao
Published: October 2022

Most prior studies examined the direct relation between social media usage and loneliness. This study tries to reveal the covert mechanisms involved in how different types of SMU affect older adults’ loneliness, which has rarely been an object of attention in the prior literature. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used to analyze the data collected from 466 older adults in a field study. This research divided self-esteem into two dimensions: affective self-esteem (AE) and cognitive self-esteem (CE). The study found that changes in CE only stemmed from functional SMU (FSMU), rather than active SMU (ASMU) and passive SMU (PSMU). ASMU and PSMU had a significant effect on FSMU. CE had a significant effect on loneliness. Objective social isolation (OSI) had a positive relationship with loneliness. Moreover, PSMU, FSMU, and CE had a significant effect on ASMU, CE, and AE, respectively. For older adults, the feeling of connecting with others was more valuable than acquiring specific outcomes. The mediation test results showed that FSMU could play a completely mediating role in the relationship between ASMU and PSMU, as well as that between ASMU and CE. CE significantly mediated the relationship between FSMU and loneliness. Finally, the total effect sizes of ASMU and PSMU on FSMU were significant, and those of CE on older adults’ loneliness and AE were significant, while the total effect of AE on older adults’ loneliness was non-significant. AE moderated the relationship between PSMU and OSI, so PSMU was related to higher OSI only for users experiencing high AE. These findings offer a guide for the use of social media to conduct future loneliness interventions for older adults.
How Does Environmental Regulation Affect the Green Growth of China’s Citrus Industry? The Mediating Role of Technological Innovation
Authors: Zhang Hepei , Zhong Zhangbao
Published: October 2022

Exploring suitable types and intensities of environmental regulations to promote technological innovation and guide industrial green growth is an essential goal for China. This paper uses the SBM super-efficiency model with the GML index to measure the level of green growth in China’s citrus industry from 2008 to 2019, and examines the impact generated by heterogeneous environmental regulations and the mediating effect of technological innovation using a panel Tobit model. The study found that: (1) From 2008 to 2019, the green growth level of the citrus industry has gradually improved, with an average annual growth rate of 2.7%, and the contribution of technical efficiency is more significant than technological progress. (2) The green growth of the citrus industry is closely related to the intensity and type of environmental regulation. The impact of market-incentive environmental regulation has an inverted U-shape, the impact of guidance-based environmental regulation is U-shaped, and the command-and-control environmental regulation has no significant effect. (3) The mediating effect suggests that guidance-based environmental regulation promotes green growth in the citrus industry by stimulating technological innovation. In contrast, market-incentive environmental regulation inhibits technological innovation and thus discourages green growth in the citrus industry. According to the study results, the government should strive to ensure the effective implementation of environmental laws and regulations, optimize the channels and amounts of investment in environmental governance, strengthen environmental protection-related media campaigns, and guide the citrus industry to break through technological bottlenecks to promote green growth.
Model to Predict Oral Frailty Based on a Questionnaire: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yamamoto Tatsuo , Tanaka Tomoki , Hirano Hirohiko , Mochida Yuki , Iijima Katsuya
Published: October 2022

A statistical model to predict oral frailty based on information obtained from questionnaires might help to estimate its prevalence and clarify its determinants. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a predictive model to assess oral frailty thorough a secondary data analysis of a previous cross-sectional study on oral frailty conducted on 843 patients aged ≥ 65 years. The data were split into training and testing sets (a 70/30 split) using random sampling. The training set was used to develop a multivariate stepwise logistic regression model. The model was evaluated on the testing set and its performance was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The final model in the training set consisted of age, number of teeth present, difficulty eating tough foods compared with six months ago, and recent history of choking on tea or soup. The model showed good accuracy in the testing set, with an area of 0.860 (95% confidence interval: 0.806–0.915) under the ROC curve. These results suggested that the prediction model was useful in estimating the prevalence of oral frailty and identifying the associated factors.
Revealing Public Opinion towards the COVID-19 Vaccine with Weibo Data in China: BertFDA-Based Model
Authors: Zhu Jianping , Weng Futian , Zhuang Muni , Lu Xin , Tan Xu , Lin Songjie , Zhang Ruoyi
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented burdens on people’s health and subjective well-being. While countries around the world have established models to track and predict the affective states of COVID-19, identifying the topics of public discussion and sentiment evolution of the vaccine, particularly the differences in topics of concern between vaccine-support and vaccine-hesitant groups, remains scarce. Using social media data from the two years following the outbreak of COVID-19 (23 January 2020 to 23 January 2022), coupled with state-of-the-art natural language processing (NLP) techniques, we developed a public opinion analysis framework (BertFDA). First, using dynamic topic clustering on Weibo through the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model, a total of 118 topics were generated in 24 months using 2,211,806 microblog posts. Second, by building an improved Bert pre-training model for sentiment classification, we provide evidence that public negative sentiment continued to decline in the early stages of COVID-19 vaccination. Third, by modeling and analyzing the microblog posts from the vaccine-support group and the vaccine-hesitant group, we discover that the vaccine-support group was more concerned about vaccine effectiveness and the reporting of news, reflecting greater group cohesion, whereas the vaccine-hesitant group was particularly concerned about the spread of coronavirus variants and vaccine side effects. Finally, we deployed different machine learning models to predict public opinion. Moreover, functional data analysis (FDA) is developed to build the functional sentiment curve, which can effectively capture the dynamic changes with the explicit function. This study can aid governments in developing effective interventions and education campaigns to boost vaccination rates.
Cardiorespiratory Coordination in Collegiate Rowing: A Network Approach to Cardiorespiratory Exercise Testing
Authors: Papadakis Zacharias , Etchebaster Michelle , Garcia-Retortillo Sergi
Published: October 2022

Collegiate rowing performance is often assessed by a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Rowers’ on-water performance involves non-linear dynamic interactions and synergetic reconfigurations of the cardiorespiratory system. Cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC) method measures the co-variation among cardiorespiratory variables. Novice (n = 9) vs. Intermediate (n = 9) rowers’ CRC (H0: Novice CRC = Intermediate CRC; HA: Novice CRC < Intermediate CRC) was evaluated through principal components analysis (PCA). A female NCAA Division II team (N = 18) grouped based on their off-water performance on 6000 m time trial. Rowers completed a customized CPET to exhaustion and a variety of cardiorespiratory values were recorded. The number of principal components (PCs) and respective PC eigenvalues per group were computed on SPSS vs28. Intermediate (77%) and Novice (33%) groups showed one PC1. Novice group formed an added PC2 due to the shift of expired fraction of oxygen or, alternatively, heart rate/ventilation, from the PC1 cluster of examined variables. Intermediate rowers presented a higher degree of CRC, possible due to their increased ability to utilize the bicarbonate buffering system during the CPET. CRC may be an alternative measure to assess aerobic fitness providing insights to the complex cardiorespiratory interactions involved in rowing during a CPET.
Development and Validation of the Weighted Index for Childhood Adverse Conditions (WICAC)
Authors: Jacobsen Sofie A. , Bibby Bo M. , Frostholm Lisbeth , Petersen Marie W. , Ørnbøl Eva , Schovsbo Signe U. , Dantoft Thomas M. , Carstensen Tina B. W.
Published: October 2022

Background: Adverse experiences in childhood are a major public health concern, promoting social inequality in health through biopsychosocial mechanisms. So far, no known measures comprehend the complexity and variations of severity of adverse events. This study aims to develop and validate a new index: the Weighted Index for Childhood Adverse Conditions (WICAC). Methods: The population consists of 7493 randomly invited men and women aged 18–72 years. Data were collected in 2012–2015 as part of the Danish Study of Functional Disorders (DanFunD). Content and construct validation of the WICAC was performed with the hypothesis testing of multiple biopsychosocial outcomes: cardiovascular disease, cancer, poor health, back pain, BMI, obesity, anxiety, depression, low vitality, subjective social status, lower education, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Data were analysed with binominal and linear regression models with risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD). Results: Content validation is fitting for WICAC. The strongest associations observed were for most severe adversity: Poor Health RR = 2.16 (1.19–2.91), Anxiety RR = 3.32 (2.32–4.74), Heavy Drinking RR = 4.09 (1.85–9.04), and Subjective Social Status MD = −0.481 (−0.721–(−0.241)). Similar results were found for the remaining outcomes. Discriminative validation was undecided. Conclusions: WICAC is an adequate instrument for measuring cumulative adverse life events in childhood and adolescence for research purposes.
Work Ability and Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Tański Wojciech , Dudek Krzysztof , Adamowski Tomasz
Published: October 2022

Background. Reduced work participation has social implications (sickness absence, economic impact) and consequences for the individual patient (impoverishment, depression, limited social interaction). As patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more likely to experience job loss and/or at-work productivity loss and are at higher risk of sickness absence and, ultimately, permanent work productivity, consideration should be given to the association between work productivity or partial work capacity and quality of life (QoL). The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between QoL and the risk of work disability, as well as to estimate the risk of a future event and identify factors affecting the risk of work disability in RA inpatients. Material and methods. This cross-sectional study included 142 inpatients (65 male) aged 47 (38–58) years, who met the established criteria for a diagnosis of RA and treatment with biologic drugs. Only standardized tools were used to examine the patients: WHOQOL-BREF, MFIS and AS-WIS. Results. An analysis of the QoL scores on the WHOQOL-BREF demonstrated that the patients’ QoL was lowest in the physical health domain and highest in the social relationships domain. The median WHOQOL-BREF total score in the group studied was 62.8, which indicates a moderate QoL. The median total score for the risk of work disability (AS-WIS) was 10.1, which indicates that the level of risk of work disability in the patients was higher than the average level reported in the literature. A multivariate analysis showed that the following were significant independent determinants of a higher risk of work disability: low QoL in the WHOQOL-BREF physical health (β = 0.961; p = 0.029) and psychological health (β = 1.752; p = 0.002) domains, being in a relationship (β = 0.043; p = 0.005) and the use of opioids for pain (β = 3.054; p = 0.012). Conclusions. RA patients presented with moderate QoL, moderate fatigue (MFIS) and high risk of disability (AS-WIS). There is an association between a high risk of work disability and lower QoL, especially in the physical and psychological health domains. The lower the QoL in those domains, the higher the risk of work disability. The identification of factors increasing the risk of work disability will help in planning tailored interventions to improve at-work productivity loss and thus prevent work disability.
The Economic Impact of the SARS Epidemic with Related Interventions in China
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Zhang Yishan , Qin Yingying , Chen Chao , Richard Beason
Published: October 2022

Epidemics represent a threat to human life and economy. Meanwhile, medical and non-medical approaches to fight against them may result in additional economic shocks. In this paper, we examine the economic impact of the 2003 SARS outbreak in China and associated government policies. Although the epidemic caused a substantial economic loss in the short term, the interventions for medical purposes positively impacted the economy of the severely affected regions through the increase in investments such as other fiscal stimuli. There is strong and robust evidence suggesting that the SARS epidemic and its associated countermeasure policies boosted local output by around 4% and industrial production by around 5%. The positive growth was mainly derived from the increase in investment and government activity, especially government expenditure. Besides that, lagged impacts were particularly pronounced to the economic system and lasted for longer even than the epidemic period in a biological sense. We attribute this to the relatively aggressive stance of policymakers in the face of the epidemic situation.
Cloud Screening Method in Complex Background Areas Containing Snow and Ice Based on Landsat 9 Images
Authors: Wu Tingting , Liu Qing , Jing Ying
Published: October 2022

The first step in the application of Landsat 9 imagery is cloud screening, and the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) has made cloud screening an important part of the World Climate Research Program. The accurate identification of clouds in remote sensing satellite images containing snow and ice on the subsurface has been a challenging task in the cloud screening process. It is imperative to fully exploit the characteristic heterogeneous information of the cloud and snow subsurface, to solve the problem of cloud–snow confusion in the snow and ice environment, and to carry out research on cloud screening technology without interference from the snow and ice subsurface. In view of this, this paper will systematically carry out research on cloud screening methods in snow and ice environments. In this paper, we propose the building of a cloud screening algorithm that takes into account the difficulty of the fact that snow and ice on the subsurface can easily interfere with cloud recognition, and the influence of an empirical threshold or statistical threshold that makes its application less effective, and then establish a dynamic threshold cloud screening algorithm that is suitable for snow and ice environments. The research results will provide new ideas and perspectives to solve the problem of surface-type interference that most of the existing cloud screening algorithms contend with.
Nutrition, Body Composition, and Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Kim Susan Taejung , Song Young-Hwan
Published: October 2022

We aimed to investigate the association between nutrition and blood pressure and the role that body composition plays in this relationship. Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from the years 2008–2020 were reviewed. A total of 11,234 subjects (5974 boys and 5260 girls) aged 10–18 years of age were selected. We analyzed the correlation between nutrition (intakes of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium, saturated fatty acid (SFA), unsaturated fatty acid (USFA), and dietary fiber (DF)) and body composition (height, weight, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), and waist to height ratio (WHtR)), and performed multiple regression analysis to find the independent correlation between body composition and blood pressure (BP). We then compared the correlation between nutrition and BP, with or without adjustment for body composition. The intakes of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium, and USFA had positive associations with height, weight, WC, and BMI. Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were independently positively correlated with height and BMI. The intakes of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, sodium, and SFA had positive correlations with SBP and DBP, which disappeared when additionally adjusted for BMI and height. In conclusion, nutrition seems to affect BP via height and BMI in Korean children and adolescents.
Bibliometric Analysis of the Research on the Impact of Environmental Regulation on Green Technology Innovation Based on CiteSpace
Authors: Li Mingxing , Wang Xinxing , Wang Zihao , Maqbool Babar , Hussain Abid , Khan Waris Ali
Published: October 2022

With increasing environmental regulation (ER), the requirements for green technology innovation (GTI) in enterprises are also rising. However, there are relatively few systematic summaries of the themes of ER-affecting GTI. Adopting the method of bibliometrics and visual analysis, this research discusses the status of research and development trends of ER-affecting GTI and summarizes the research in this field. The paper takes 738 papers from 2001 to 2021 in the core database of Web of Science as the research sample. Based on CiteSpace, this paper makes a visual analysis of the number of published papers, institutions, authors, keywords, countries (regions) and journals. The study found that to some extent, favorable collaboration between authors and institutions in this field needs to be strengthened. Research hotspots in this field include innovation, technology, performance, policy and environmental regulation. Renewable energy consumption, the pollution haven hypothesis, sustainable development, carbon dioxide emission, energy technology and environmental Kuznets curve are the current research frontiers in this field. In terms of the number of published papers, research in this field has been conducted in a national (regional) layout with China as the core force, and Italy, America, Britain, Germany and other European countries as important forces. This field covers three main research areas: enterprise performance, policy instruments and research methods, going through the start-up phase (2001–2011), the growth phase (2012–2018) and the development phase (2019–2021). Future research can further incorporate the digital economy and synergy of multiple environmental regulation policies into this field, which will continuously enrich the theoretical research system in this field. The content, methods and conclusions of research in this field are becoming increasingly diverse.
Longitudinal Dyadic Associations between Depressive Symptoms and Life Satisfaction among Chinese Married Couples and the Moderating Effect of Within-Dyad Age Discrepancy
Authors: Guo Xiamei
Published: October 2022

Family systems theory defines the family unit as a complex social system in which individual members influence and are influenced by each other. The current study aimed to investigate the longitudinal dyadic associations between life satisfaction and depressive symptoms among a sample of Chinese married couples and the moderating effect of within-dyad age discrepancy. The current sample included 5773 married couples who completed three waves of assessments of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2012, 2016, and 2018. The sample was categorized into two groups based on the within-dyad age discrepancy: the younger-wife–older-husband dyads (n = 4280, 74.13%) and the older-wife–younger-husband dyads (n = 1493, 25.86%). The longitudinal actor–partner interdependence models with multiple-group analysis were used to analyze the data. The results showed that a majority of actor effects were significant across time, and the two groups exhibited the same pattern among the actor effects. The older-wife–younger-husband dyads showed fewer significant partner effects than the younger-wife–older-husband dyads, and most partner effects indicated mutual rather than unidirectional influence. These findings yielded support for the statement of family systems theory that family members interconnect and that the development of one’s well-being needs to be understood in the context of the spouse’s well-being.
Anxiety Assessment in Polish Students during the Russian–Ukrainian War
Authors: Skwirczyńska Edyta , Kozłowski Mateusz , Nowak Katarzyna , Wróblewski Oskar , Sompolska-Rzechuła Agnieszka , Kwiatkowski Sebastian , Cymbaluk-Płoska Aneta
Published: October 2022

Anxiety is described as a feeling of fear that appears in stressful or threatening situations. A terrorist attack is one such situation. The aim of this study was to assess anxiety levels among students using the STAI questionnaire. The study group consisted of 510 participants. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica software. Anxiety levels, correlations between STAI scores, and individual variables were assessed. Logit models were performed for the study variables. Higher levels of anxiety were found in females compared to males (p = 0.0000). The highest level of anxiety overall was found in year 1 students, the lowest in year 5 students (p = 0.0005). The highest level of anxiety overall was found in pharmacy students, the lowest in midwifery students. We concluded that there was a relatively strong relationship between anxiety and gender. Gender and fear of an armed attack on Poland had a significant impact on anxiety.
COVID-19 Vaccines on TikTok: A Big-Data Analysis of Entangled Discourses
Authors: Sun Shaojing , Liu Zhiyuan , Zhai Yujia , Wang Fan
Published: October 2022

Focusing on social media affordances and China’s social/political context, the present study analyzed the digital communication practices about COVID-19 vaccines on a popular social media platform—TikTok—which is called DouYin in China. Overall, this study identified five major forces partaking in constructing the discourses, with government agencies and state media being the dominant contributors. Furthermore, video posters demonstrated different patterns of utilizing social media affordances (e.g., hashtags) in disseminating their messages. The top hashtags adopted by state media were more representative of international relations and Taiwan; those by government agencies were of updates on pandemic outbreaks; those by individual accounts were of mainstream values and health education; those by commercial media were of celebrities and health education; those by enterprise accounts were of TikTok built-in marketing hashtags. The posted videos elicited both cognitive and affective feedback from online viewers. Implications of the findings were discussed in the context of health communication and global recovery against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and Chinese culture.
Global Population Exposure to Extreme Temperatures and Disease Burden
Authors: Du Yajie , Jing Ming , Lu Chunyu , Zong Jingru , Wang Lingli , Wang Qing
Published: October 2022

The frequency and duration of extreme temperature events continues to increase worldwide. However, the scale of population exposure and its quantitative relationship with health risks remains unknown on a global scale, limiting our ability to identify policy priorities in response to climate change. Based on data from 171 countries between 2010 and 2019, this study estimated the exposure of vulnerable populations to extreme temperatures, and their contemporary and lag associations with disease burden attributed to non-optimal temperatures. Fixed-effects models and dynamic panel models were applied. Increased vulnerable population exposure to extreme temperatures had adverse contemporary effects on the burden of disease attributed to non-optimal temperature. Health risks stemming from extreme cold could accumulate to a greater extent, exhibiting a larger lag effect. Population exposure to extreme cold was mainly distributed in high-income countries, while extreme heat occurred more in low-income and middle-income countries. However, the association between population exposure to extreme cold and burden of disease was much stronger in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries, whereas the effect size of population exposure to extreme heat was similar. Our study highlighted that differential strategies should be determined and implemented according to the characteristics in different countries.
Patient-Reported Quality of Life versus Physical Examination in Treating Temporomandibular Disorders with Intra-Articular Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections: An Open-Label Clinical Trial
Authors: Sikora Maciej , Sielski Marcin , Chęciński Maciej , Chęcińska Kamila , Czerwińska-Niezabitowska Barbara , Chlubek Dariusz
Published: October 2022

Temporomandibular disorders, often manifested by articular pain, limitation of the mouth opening range, and unpleasant acoustic symptoms originating from inside the joint, have been associated with reduced quality of life. These symptoms, among others, can be treated with intra-articular injections of various substances, including repeated platelet-rich plasma (PRP) administration. The reported study was designed as an uncontrolled open-label clinical trial of consecutive cases. The participants completed a Fonseca questionnaire and evaluated acoustic symptoms, and spontaneous and provoked pain on VAS, and were subjected to a physical examination before, during, and after PRP therapy. The total Fonseca questionnaire results were statistically significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with 340 out of 348 (98%) other variables. The fully subjective assessment of the presence and intensity of acoustic symptoms coming from the temporomandibular joints was correlated with the physical examination results (0.45–0.63) and the maximum mouth opening with the maximum pain-free mouth opening (0.73–0.87). There were no correlations observed between the patient’s and the physician’s assessment of mandibular mobility. The Fonseca questionnaire seems to cover the entire spectrum of temporomandibular disorders, making it a balanced tool for assessing the quality of life in TMDs. However, it is worth considering extending the standard 3-point response scale to an 11-point one. The patient is somewhat able to perform a self-diagnosis with regard to the acoustic symptoms, but it is not possible for them to determine without measurement whether the range of mandibular mobility is appropriate..
Multi-Site Musculoskeletal Symptoms in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry in China: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yin Yan , Di Niu , Guo Weiwei , Ding Wenbin , Jia Ning , Wang Zhongxu , Yang Feng
Published: October 2022

Background: With the development of the electronics manufacturing industry, the demand for human resources has increased, which has also led to the frequent occurrence of multi-site work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Method: The participants (n = 7307) were recruited from 30 enterprises in China in 2018. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was estimated using a modified Chinese version of the Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire. The multivariate logistic regression model was applied to evaluate the effects of risk factors on multi-site musculoskeletal symptoms. Additionally, the log-binomial model was established to examine the correlation between the various sites of musculoskeletal symptoms in the body. Results: The 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among participants was 40.6%. The proportion of musculoskeletal symptoms involving single-site and 2/>2 body sites were 11.6% and 29.0%, respectively. The results of logistic regression showed that female adults who smoked, had >5-year job tenure, and always stood or sat for long period at work had a higher risk in 2/>2 body sites of musculoskeletal symptoms (p < 0.05). However, physical exercise during leisure time and “Squatting or kneeling for long period at work” were more frequently protective factors. Furthermore, the log-binomial model indicated that the neck and shoulder were significantly related to each other (Prevalence Ratio, PR: 5.511 and 7.017). Conclusions: Several demographic characteristics and work-related factors were associated with multi-site musculoskeletal symptoms in the electronics manufacturing industry in China. Improving the levels of physical exercise and reducing posture problems and force loads may help to promote the health of workers.
The Role of Self-Esteem in the Academic Performance of Rural Students in China
Authors: Yu Wenjing , Qian Yiwei , Abbey Cody , Wang Huan , Rozelle Scott , Stoffel Lauren , Dai Chenxu
Published: October 2022

The self-esteem of students may be significantly associated with their academic performance. However, past research in developing contexts on this issue is limited, particularly among early adolescents. Using a sample of 3101 students from rural primary and junior high schools in China, this study measured their self-esteem by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and explored its association with academic performance. Our findings indicate that students in rural China had both significantly lower self-esteem and a higher prevalence of low self-esteem when compared to past studies of similarly aged students both from urban China and internationally. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation between a student’s self-esteem and academic performance. A one-SD increase in RSES score (indicating better self-esteem) was associated with an increase of 0.12 SD in standardized math scores (p < 0.001), and students with low self-esteem (RSES score < 25) scored lower on math tests by 0.14 SD (p < 0.001), which were robust and consistent when employing the propensity score matching method. Our study expands the growing body of empirical evidence on the link between self-esteem and academic performance among rural youth in developing countries and emphasizes the need to improve their self-esteem with the aim of helping them achieve academically.