bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pontos positivos e negativos do livro didático de Inglês na visão dos professores de cursos de idiomas
Authors: Da Silva Renato Caixeta , De Almeida Dias Isabela Soares
Published: August 2022

Este artigo busca entender de que forma professores de curso livre de idiomas se relacionam com os livros didáticos de inglês. Pretendeu-se explorar, interpretando dizeres de professores, as características que fazem com que um livro seja considerado bom ou ruim, as diferenças que os docentes percebem entre material e livro didático, e como os participantes lidam com a imposição do livro didático a ser usado. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de questionários estruturados abertos, aplicados via e-mail, e respondidos por professores que trabalham ou já trabalharam em cursos livres, por cinco anos ou mais, em Belo Horizonte. Os dados mostram que, em geral, os docentes reconhecem ser o livro didático um tipo de material que organiza o trabalho, mas que precisa ser complementado. Também reconhecem mais pontos positivos que negativos, e que a imposição não é um problema, pois parece ser amenizada pela liberdade de adaptações e de uso de outros materiais. Assim, percebe-se que o livro didático é material importante e essencial neste contexto, exercendo a função de fonte, facilitador e guia para o ensino.
Comparison of the Use of Linkage in Cluster Integration With Path Analysis Approach
Authors: Fernandes Adji Achmad Rinaldo , Solimun Solimun
Published: August 2022

This study aims to compare integrated clusters on various linkages (Ward, Complete, and Average linkage) with path analysis to classify the behavior of subservient to pay for mortgages. The data used are primary data from questionnaires filled out by Bank X customers, using purposive sampling. The measurement method used is the average score method. Liu et al. with the title “Enhanced path-based Clustering Algorithm” shows the results that path analysis with cluster integration gives results that outperform other cluster algorithms. So, this study uses the cluster integration with path analysis method by comparing the linkage. The results showed that cluster integration in the Ward linkage method with path analysis was the best method, by comparing the coefficient of determination. The variables of attitude, subjective norms, behavioral control, and intention to comply with paying explained the behavior of Bank X customers to comply with paying mortgages by 88.32%, while the remaining 11.68% was explained by variables outside the model.
ACLD patients exhibit additional knee kinematic asymmetries at the speed level of healthy subjects
Authors: Kong Lingchuang , Yang Tao , Wang Qing , Ou Yongliang , Huang Huayang , Huang Wenhan , Zhang Tao , Zhang Yu , Zeng Xiaolong
Published: August 2022

Anterior cruciate ligament deficiency (ACLD) patients tend to walk slowly but try to catch up with the speed level of healthy subjects daily. Exploring the effects of the walking speed level of healthy subjects on the ACLD patients’ knee kinematics is important to improving non-operative treatments and delaying the progression of posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis. This study aimed to explore whether healthy controls’ walking speed level leads to additional knee kinematic asymmetries in patients with ACLD. 27 ACLD patients and 29 healthy controls were recruited for the study. The ACLD patients walked at two levels of walking speed, including self-selected and healthy controls’ walking speed levels. A three-dimensional gait analysis system was used to collect their knee kinematic data. ACLD patients exhibited more kinematic asymmetries when walking at healthy controls’ walking speed level than at their self-selected speeds. The kinematic asymmetries included increased posterior tibial translation (4.6 mm) and anteroposterior tibial ROM (3.9 mm), abduction angle (1.5°), and distal tibial translation (3.2 mm) asymmetries (p < 0.05). Our findings are meaningful for developing non-operative treatment strategies for patients with ACLD. To get fewer knee kinematic asymmetries, self-selected walking speed could be suggested for patients with ACLD daily rather than the speed levels of healthy subjects.
The context matrix: Navigating biological complexity for advanced biodesign
Authors: Moschner Camillo , Wedd Charlie , Bakshi Somenath
Published: August 2022

Synthetic biology offers many solutions in healthcare, production, sensing and agriculture. However, the ability to rationally engineer synthetic biosystems with predictable and robust functionality remains a challenge. A major reason is the complex interplay between the synthetic genetic construct, its host, and the environment. Each of these contexts contains a number of input factors which together can create unpredictable behaviours in the engineered biosystem. It has become apparent that for the accurate assessment of these contextual effects a more holistic approach to design and characterisation is required. In this perspective article, we present the context matrix, a conceptual framework to categorise and explore these contexts and their net effect on the designed synthetic biosystem. We propose the use and community-development of the context matrix as an aid for experimental design that simplifies navigation through the complex design space in synthetic biology.
Ligament mechanics of ageing and osteoarthritic human knees
Authors: Peters Abby E. , Geraghty Brendan , Bates Karl T. , Akhtar Riaz , Readioff Rosti , Comerford Eithne
Published: August 2022

Knee joint ligaments provide stability to the joint by preventing excessive movement. There has been no systematic effort to study the effect of OA and ageing on the mechanical properties of the four major human knee ligaments. This study aims to collate data on the material properties of the anterior (ACL) and posterior (PCL) cruciate ligaments, medial (MCL) and lateral (LCL) collateral ligaments. Bone-ligament-bone specimens from twelve cadaveric human knee joints were extracted for this study. The cadaveric knee joints were previously collected to study ageing and OA on bone and cartilage material properties; therefore, combining our previous bone and cartilage data with the new ligament data from this study will facilitate subject-specific whole-joint modelling studies. The bone-ligament-bone specimens were tested under tensile loading to failure, determining material parameters including yield and ultimate (failure) stress and strain, secant modulus, tangent modulus, and stiffness. There were significant negative correlations between age and ACL yield stress (p = 0.03), ACL failure stress (p = 0.02), PCL secant (p = 0.02) and tangent (p = 0.02) modulus, and LCL stiffness (p = 0.046). Significant negative correlations were also found between OA grades and ACL yield stress (p = 0.02) and strain (p = 0.03), and LCL failure stress (p = 0.048). However, changes in age or OA grade did not show a statistically significant correlation with the MCL tensile parameters. Due to the small sample size, the combined effect of age and the presence of OA could not be statistically derived. This research is the first to report tensile properties of the four major human knee ligaments from a diverse demographic. When combined with our previous findings on bone and cartilage for the same twelve knee cadavers, the current ligament study supports the conceptualisation of OA as a whole-joint disease that impairs the integrity of many peri-articular tissues within the knee. The subject-specific data pool consisting of the material properties of the four major knee ligaments, subchondral and trabecular bones and articular cartilage will advance knee joint finite element models.
Aptamer-siRNA chimera and gold nanoparticle modified collagen membrane for the treatment of malignant pleural effusion
Authors: Chen Wen , Guo Fengjie , Ren Zhipeng , Wang Linghui , Li Tinghui , Hou Xiaobin
Published: August 2022

Malignant pleural effusion is one of the most common complications of advanced lung cancer and there is no effective clinical treatment at present. Here, we constructed an aptamer-siRNA chimeras/PEI/PEG/gold nanoparticle (AuNP)/collagen membrane that can progressively activate T cells by layer by layer assembly. Electron microscope showed this collagen membrane could be divided into 10 layers with a total thickness of 50–80μm, and AuNPs could be observed. Aptamer-siRNA chimeras could bind specifically to OX40+ cells and silencing programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) gene. In vitro experiments demonstrated that chimeras/PEI/PEG/AuNPs gradually activated T cells to continuously kill lung adenocarcinoma cells in malignant pleural effusion. Animal experiments showed that chimeras/PEI/PEG/AuNP/collagen membrane effectively treated malignant pleural effusion. Compared with PD-1 inhibitor group, the number of cancer cells, ki-67 proliferation index and CD44 expression in the pleural effusion was significantly decreased and the lymphocyte/cancer cell ratio was significantly increased in the chimeras/AuNP-CM group. Flow cytometry showed that compared with PD-1 inhibitor group, T cell number in the chimeras/AuNP-CM group was significantly increased, while the proportion of PD-1+ T cells was markedly decreased. In conclusion, we constructed an chimeras/PEI/PEG/AuNP/collagen membrane, which was more effective in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion, and had less side effects than PD-1 inhibitors.
Deep deterministic policy gradient and graph convolutional network for bracing direction optimization of grid shells
Authors: Kupwiwat Chi-tathon , Hayashi Kazuki , Ohsaki Makoto
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose a method for bracing direction optimization of grid shells using a Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) and Graph Convolutional Network (GCN). DDPG allows simultaneous adjustment of variables during the optimization process, and GCN allows the DDPG agent to receive data representing the whole structure to determine its actions. The structure is interpreted as a graph where nodes, element properties, and internal forces are represented by the node feature matrix, adjacency matrices, and weighted adjacency matrices. DDPG agent is trained to optimize the bracing directions. The trained agent can find sub-optimal solutions with moderately small computational cost compared to the genetic algorithm. The trained agent can also be applied to structures with different sizes and boundary conditions without retraining. Therefore, when various types of braced grid shells have to be considered in the design process, the proposed method can significantly reduce computational cost for structural analysis.
Aquaporin-8 transports hydrogen peroxide to regulate granulosa cell autophagy
Authors: Huang Binbin , Jin Lingling , Zhang Luodan , Cui Xiaolin , Zhang Zhen , Lu Yongqi , Yu Lujia , Ma Tonghui , Zhang He
Published: August 2022

Aquaporin-8 (AQP8), a member of the aquaporin family, is strongly expressed in follicular granulosa cells, which could affect the hormone secretion level in females. AQP8, as a membrane protein, could mediate H2O2 into cells, thereby triggering various biological events. The deficiency of Aqp8 increases female fertility, resulting from the decrease in follicular atresia. The low cell death rate is related to the apoptosis of granulosa cells. However, the mechanism by which AQP8 regulates the autophagy of granulosa cells remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to explore the effect of AQP8 on autophagy in follicular atresia. We found that the expression of the autophagy marker light-chain protein 3 was significantly downregulated in the granulosa cells of Aqp8-knockout (Aqp8−/−) mice, compared with wild-type (Aqp8+/+) mice. Immunofluorescence staining and transmission electron microscopic examination indicated that the number of autophagosomes in the granulosa cells of Aqp8−/− mice decreased. Using a follicular granulosa cell autophagy model, namely a follicular atresia model, we verified that the concentration of H2O2 significantly increased during the autophagy of granulosa cells, consistent with the Aqp8 mRNA level. Intracellular H2O2 accumulation was modulated by endogenous AQP8 expression level, indicating that AQP8-mediated H2O2 was involved in the autophagy of granulosa cells. AQP8 deficiency impaired the elevation of H2O2 concentration through phosphorylated tyrosine activation. In addition, we carried out the analysis of transcriptome sequencing datasets in the ovary and found there were obvious differences in principal components, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and KEGG pathways, which might be involved in AQP8-regulated follicular atresia. Taken together, these findings indicated that AQP8-mediated H2O2 transport could mediate the autophagy of granulosa cells. AQP8 might be a potential target for diseases related to ovarian insufficiency.
Non-neutral clonal selection and its potential role in mammalian germline stem cell dysfunction with advancing age
Authors: Stolzenbach Victor , Woods Dori C. , Tilly Jonathan L.
Published: August 2022

The concept of natural selection, or "survival of the fittest", refers to an evolutionary process in nature whereby traits emerge in individuals of a population through random gene alterations that enable those individuals to better adapt to changing environmental conditions. This genetic variance allows certain members of the population to gain an advantage over others in the same population to survive and reproduce in greater numbers under new environmental pressures, with the perpetuation of those advantageous traits in future progeny. Here we present that the behavior of adult stem cells in a tissue over time can, in many respects, be viewed in the same manner as evolution, with each stem cell clone being representative of an individual within a population. As stem cells divide or are subjected to cumulative oxidative damage over the lifespan of the organism, random genetic alterations are introduced into each clone that create variance in the population. These changes may occur in parallel to, or in response to, aging-associated changes in microenvironmental cues perceived by the stem cell population. While many of these alterations will be neutral or silent in terms of affecting cell function, a small fraction of these changes will enable certain clones to respond differently to shifts in microenvironmental conditions that arise with advancing age. In some cases, the same advantageous genetic changes that support survival and expansion of certain clones over others in the population (viz. non-neutral competition) could be detrimental to the downstream function of the differentiated stem cell descendants. In the context of the germline, such a situation would be devastating to successful propagation of the species across generations. However, even within a single generation, the “evolution” of stem cell lineages in the body over time can manifest into aging-related organ dysfunction and failure, as well as lead to chronic inflammation, hyperplasia, and cancer. Increased research efforts to evaluate stem cells within a population as individual entities will improve our understanding of how organisms age and how certain diseases develop, which in turn may open new opportunities for clinical detection and management of diverse pathologies.
Mutation in Drosophila concentrative nucleoside transporter 1 alters spermatid maturation and mating behavior
Authors: Maaroufi Houda Ouns , Pauchova Lucie , Lin Yu-Hsien , Wu Bulah Chia-Hsiang , Rouhova Lenka , Kucerova Lucie , Vieira Ligia Cota , Renner Marek , Sehadova Hana , Hradilova Miluse , Zurovec Michal
Published: August 2022

Concentrative nucleoside transporters (Cnts) are unidirectional carriers that mediate the energy-costly influx of nucleosides driven by the transmembrane sodium gradient. Cnts are transmembrane proteins that share a common structural organization and are found in all phyla. Although there have been studies on Cnts from a biochemical perspective, no deep research has examined their role at the organismal level. Here, we investigated the role of the Drosophila melanogaster cnt1 gene, which is specifically expressed in the testes. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate a mutation in the cnt1 gene. The cnt1 mutants exhibited defects in the duration of copulation and spermatid maturation, which significantly impaired male fertility. The most striking effect of the cnt1 mutation in spermatid maturation was an abnormal structure of the sperm tail, in which the formation of major and minor mitochondrial derivatives was disrupted. Our results demonstrate the importance of cnt1 in male fertility and suggest that the observed defects in mating behavior and spermatogenesis are due to alterations in nucleoside transport and associated metabolic pathways.
Capacitation promotes a shift in energy metabolism in murine sperm
Authors: Tourmente Maximiliano , Sansegundo Ester , Rial Eduardo , Roldan Eduardo R. S.
Published: August 2022

In mammals, sperm acquire fertilization ability after a series of physiological and biochemical changes, collectively known as capacitation, that occur inside the female reproductive tract. In addition to other requirements, sperm bioenergetic metabolism has been identified as a fundamental component in the acquisition of capacitation. Mammalian sperm produce ATP through two main metabolic processes, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and aerobic glycolysis that are localized to two different flagellar compartments, the midpiece, and the principal piece, respectively. In mouse sperm, the occurrence of many events associated with capacitation relies on the activity of these two energy-producing pathways, leading to the hypothesis that some of these events may impose changes in sperm energetic demands. In the present study, we used extracellular flux analysis to evaluate changes in glycolytic and respiratory parameters of murine sperm that occur as a consequence of capacitation. Furthermore, we examined whether these variations affect sperm ATP sustainability. Our results show that capacitation promotes a shift in the usage ratio of the two main metabolic pathways, from oxidative to glycolytic. However, this metabolic rewiring does not seem to affect the rate at which the sperm consume ATP. We conclude that the probable function of the metabolic switch is to increase the ATP supply in the distal flagellar regions, thus sustaining the energetic demands that arise from capacitation.
Novel sulfur-doped single-ion conducting multi-block copolymer electrolyte
Authors: Mayer Alexander , Ates Tugce , Varzi Alberto , Passerini Stefano , Bresser Dominic
Published: August 2022

Solid-state lithium batteries are considered one of the most promising candidates for future electrochemical energy storage. However, both inorganic solid electrolytes (such as oxide-based or sulfide-based materials) and polymer electrolytes still have to overcome several challenges to replace the currently used liquid organic electrolytes. An increasingly adopted approach to overcome these challenges relies on the combination of different electrolyte systems. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel sulfur-doped single-ion conducting multi-block copolymer (SIC-BCE) system. This SIC-BCE may serve as interlayer between the electrodes and the sulfidic electrolyte such as Li6PS5Cl, thus benefitting of the high ionic conductivity of the latter and the favorable interfacial contact and electrochemical stability of the polymer. The polymer shows excellent ionic conductivity when swollen with ethylene carbonate and allows for stable stripping/plating of lithium, accompanied by a suitable electrochemical stability towards reduction and oxidation. First tests in symmetric Cu|SIC-BCE|Li6PS5Cl|SIC-BCE|Cu cells confirm the general suitability of the polymer to stabilize the electrode|electrolyte interface by preventing the direct contact of the sulfidic electrolyte with, e.g., metallic copper foils.
Bacterial nucleoid-associated protein HU as an extracellular player in host-pathogen interaction
Authors: Stojkova Pavla , Spidlova Petra
Published: August 2022

HU protein is a member of nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) and is an important regulator of bacterial virulence, pathogenesis and survival. NAPs are mainly DNA structuring proteins that influence several molecular processes by binding the DNA. HU´s indispensable role in DNA-related processes in bacteria was described. HU protein is a necessary bacterial transcription factor and is considered to be a virulence determinant as well. Less is known about its direct role in host-pathogen interactions. The latest studies suggest that HU protein may be secreted outside bacteria and be a part of the extracellular matrix. Moreover, HU protein can be internalized in a host cell after bacterial infection. Its role in the host cell is not well described and further studies are extremely needed. Existing results suggest the involvement of HU protein in host cell immune response modulation in bacterial favor, which can help pathogens resist host defense mechanisms. A better understanding of the HU protein’s role in the host cell will help to effective treatment development.
Flexible forecast presentation overcomes longstanding obstacles to using probabilistic seasonal forecasts
Authors: Hansen James W. , Dinku Tufa , Robertson Andrew W. , Cousin Remi , Trzaska Sylwia , Mason Simon J.
Published: August 2022

We describe an innovative forecast presentation that aims to overcome obstacles to using seasonal climate forecasts for decision making, trace factors that influenced how seasonal forecast conventions have evolved, and describe a workshop process for training and supporting farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to use probabilistic seasonal forecasts. Mainstreaming seasonal climate forecasts through Regional Climate Outlook Forums (RCOFs) was an important milestone in the development of climate services. Most RCOFs and National Meteorological Services (NMS) adopted a subjective process to arrive at a consensus among different sources of prediction, and express the forecast as probabilities that rainfall in the upcoming season will fall in “below-normal,” “normal” or “above-normal” historical tercile categories. The Flexible Forecast is an online presentation that rectifies the main criticisms of the tercile convention by presenting downscaled forecasts as full probability distributions in probability-of-exceedance format along with the historical climate distribution. A map view provides seasonal forecast quantities, anomalies, or probabilities of experiencing above or below a user-selected threshold in amount or percentile, at the spatial resolution of the underlying gridded data (typically 4 to 5 km). We discuss factors that contributed to the persistence of the tercile convention, and milestones that paved the way to adopting seasonal forecast methods and formats that better align with user needs. The experience of adopting the new flexible forecast presentation regionally and at a national level in Eastern Africa illustrates the challenges and how they can be overcome. We also describe a seasonal forecast training and planning workshop process that has been piloted with smallholder farmers in several African countries. Beginning with participants' collective memory of past seasonal climate variations, the process leads them incrementally to understand the forecast presented in probability-of-exceedance format, and apply it to their seasonal planning decisions.
Non-coding RNAs in cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity: Mechanisms, biomarkers, and treatments
Authors: Sun Wanli , Xu Juping , Wang Li , Jiang Yuchen , Cui Jingrun , Su Xin , Yang Fan , Tian Li , Si Zeyu , Xing Yanwei
Published: August 2022

As a result of ongoing breakthroughs in cancer therapy, cancer patients' survival rates have grown considerably. However, cardiotoxicity has emerged as the most dangerous toxic side effect of cancer treatment, negatively impacting cancer patients' prognosis. In recent years, the link between non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity has received much attention and investigation. NcRNAs are non-protein-coding RNAs that impact gene expression post-transcriptionally. They include microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In several cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy-induced cardiotoxicity, ncRNAs play a significant role in the onset and progression of cardiotoxicity. This review focuses on the mechanisms of ncRNAs in cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity, including apoptosis, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, autophagy, aging, calcium homeostasis, vascular homeostasis, and fibrosis. In addition, this review explores potential ncRNAs-based biomarkers and therapeutic strategies, which may help to convert ncRNAs research into clinical practice in the future for early detection and improvement of cancer therapy-induced cardiotoxicity.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging patterns of acute COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis in young male patients: A first single-center experience
Authors: Evertz Ruben , Schulz Alexander , Lange Torben , Backhaus Sören J. , Vollmann Dirk , Kowallick Johannes T. , von Haehling Stephan , Hasenfuß Gerd , Schuster Andreas
Published: August 2022

Background

The risk of myocarditis after mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 has emerged recently. Current evidence suggests that young male patients are predominantly affected. In the majority of the cases, only mild symptoms were observed. However, little is known about cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging patterns in mRNA-related myocarditis and their differences when compared to classical viral myocarditis in the acute phase of inflammation.

Methods and results

In total, 10 mRNA vaccination-associated patients with myocarditis were retrospectively enrolled in this study and compared to 10 patients suffering from viral myocarditis, who were matched for age, sex, comorbidities, and laboratory markers. All patients (n = 20) were hospitalized and underwent a standardized clinical examination, as well as an echocardiography and a CMR. Both, clinical and imaging findings and, in particular, functional and volumetric CMR assessments, as well as detailed tissue characterization using late gadolinium enhancement and T1 + T2-weighted sequences, were compared between both groups. The median age of the overall cohort was 26 years (group 1: 25.5; group 2: 27.5; p = 0.57). All patients described chest pain as the leading reason for their initial presentation. CMR volumetric and functional parameters did not differ significantly between both groups. In all cases, the lateral left ventricular wall showed late gadolinium enhancement without significant differences in terms of the localization or in-depth tissue characterization (late gadolinium enhancement [LGE] enlargement: group 1: 5.4%; group 2: 6.5%; p = 0.14; T2 global/maximum value: group 1: 38.9/52 ms; group 2: 37.8/54.5 ms; p = 0.79 and p = 0.80).

Conclusion

This study yielded the first evidence that COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis does not show specific CMR patterns during the very acute stage in the most affected patient group of young male patients. The observed imaging markers were closely related to regular viral myocarditis in our cohort. Additionally, we could not find any markers implying adverse outcomes in this relatively little number of patients; however, this has to be confirmed by future studies that will include larger sample sizes.
Evaluation of race and ethnicity disparities in outcome studies of CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy
Authors: Nguyen Anh B. , Cavallari Larisa H. , Rossi Joseph S. , Stouffer George A. , Lee Craig R.
Published: August 2022

Dual antiplatelet therapy with a P2Y12inhibitor (clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor) and aspirin remains the standard of care for all patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). It is well-established that patients carryingCYP2C19no function alleles have impaired capacity to convert clopidogrel into its active metabolite and thus, are at higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The metabolism and clinical effectiveness of prasugrel and ticagrelor are not affected byCYP2C19genotype, and accumulating evidence from multiple randomized and observational studies demonstrates thatCYP2C19genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy following PCI improves clinical outcomes. However, most antiplatelet pharmacogenomic outcome studies to date have lacked racial and ethnic diversity. In this review, we will (1) summarize current guideline recommendations and clinical outcome evidence related toCYP2C19genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy, (2) evaluate the presence of potential racial and ethnic disparities in the major outcome studies supporting current genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy recommendations, and (3) identify remaining knowledge gaps and future research directions necessary to advance implementation of this precision medicine strategy for dual antiplatelet therapy in diverse, real-world clinical settings.
Automated stress detection using mobile application and wearable sensors improves symptoms of mental health disorders in military personnel
Authors: Winslow Brent D. , Kwasinski Rebecca , Hullfish Jeffrey , Ruble Mitchell , Lynch Adam , Rogers Timothy , Nofziger Debra , Brim William , Woodworth Craig
Published: August 2022

Leading causes in global health-related burden include stress, depression, anger, fatigue, insomnia, substance abuse, and increased suicidality. While all individuals are at risk, certain career fields such as military service are at an elevated risk. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is highly effective at treating mental health disorders but suffers from low compliance and high dropout rates in military environments. The current study conducted a randomized controlled trial with military personnel to assess outcomes for an asymptomatic group (n = 10) not receiving mental health treatment, a symptomatic group (n = 10) using a mHealth application capable of monitoring physiological stress via a commercial wearable alerting users to the presence of stress, guiding them through stress reduction techniques, and communicating information to providers, and a symptomatic control group (n = 10) of military personnel undergoing CBT. Fifty percent of symptomatic controls dropped out of CBT early and the group maintained baseline symptoms. In contrast, those who used the mHealth application completed therapy and showed a significant reduction in symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and anger. The results from this study demonstrate the feasibility of pairing data-driven mobile applications with CBT in vulnerable populations, leading to an improvement in therapy compliance and a reduction in symptoms compared to CBT treatment alone. Future work is focused on the inclusion of passive sensing modalities and the integration of additional data sources to provide better insights and inform clinical decisions to improve personalized support.
Study on anti-collision behavior of new precast concrete curb components in a highway tunnel
Authors: Li Changjun , Zou Junpeng , He Wenbin , Ding Xianying , Zheng Guoping , Zhuang Yizhou , Wang Man
Published: August 2022

In order to improve the prefabrication level of highway mountain tunnels, improve the quality of the project, and shorten the construction period, a new type of prefabricated concrete curb member was developed based on an actual project. The production process, construction technical points, and on-site assembly technology are discussed. In addition, a method to calculate the anti-collision performance of the curb components is proposed, that is, the collision force of 850 kN was calculated by the pseudo-static method, and then finite element simulation analysis was used to obtain the stress of the concrete structure and reinforcement. The results show that the reinforcement will not fail, which will ensure the curb component will not undergo brittle fracture. This study provides a reference to improve the prefabrication level of highway tunnels.
Improving the effectiveness of senior graders’ education based on the development of mathematical intuition and logic: Kazakhstan’s experience
Authors: Popova Yuliya , Abdualiyeva Marzhan , Torebek Yerlan , Yelshibekov Nurgali , Omashova Gaukhar
Published: August 2022

Mathematical learning in many developing nations is below average due to which students face difficulties in solving the equations and problems of mathematics as a result of limited understanding of the main concepts and reliance upon intuition as well as memorization. This study is focused on analyzing the effectiveness of senior graders’ education based on the development of mathematical intuition and logic in the context of Kazakhstan’s educational system. The quantitative research method and primary data sources were used for this research with a 147 sample size, which was selected by using a random strategy of sampling. With the use of IBM SPSS STATISTICS for data analysis, it was concluded that mathematical intuition and logic have a positive influence on the effectiveness of a student’s education. Effective strategies, such as rote learning instructions, problem-based learning, RME approach, mathematical reasoning, etc., are essential for enhancing the capabilities of studies in learning mathematics. It is found that there is a significant and positive association between student effectiveness and the logical reasoning abilities of students. Additionally, a positive and moderate relationship is noticed between the critical thinking of students, problem-solving abilities of students, and student effectiveness. Nevertheless, the main limitation of this study is that with small sample size, the findings of the study cannot be generalized; therefore, a large sample size would increase the reliability of the results in the future research. However, in the context of Kazakhstan, this study potentially contributes to the existing literature by presenting conclusive findings in the context of mathematical logic and intuition and student effectiveness.
The Effect of Trace Ions on the Performance of Reverse Electrodialysis Using Brine/Seawater as Working Pairs
Authors: Wang Zhihao , Li Jianbo , Wang Hao , Li Mengqi , Wang Lingjie , Kong Xiangqiang
Published: August 2022

Harvesting the salinity gradient power (SGP) between concentrated brine discharged from seawater desalination installations and seawater and converting into electric energy by reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a promising technique. However, trace ions in brine and seawater may affect the performance of the RED stack, and little attention has been focused on this issue. Therefore, the influences of trace ions in seawater and concentrated brine are analyzed in this work. The effects of these ions on power density, open-circuit voltage, and internal resistance of the RED stack are analyzed by configuring manual seawater and concentrated brine including K1+, Mg2+, SO42-, and Ca2+. Experimental results show that divalent ions (Mg2+, SO42-, and Ca2+) can significantly increase the internal resistance of the RED stack and reduce power density. Mg2+ especially has the largest reduction in the output power of the stack. Oppositely, potassium ions (K1+) in feed solutions will reduce the internal resistance and improve power output. In addition, increasing the salinity gradient of feed solutions, temperature, and flow rate can increase open-circuit voltage and power density, and reduce inner power consumption of the RED stack. This study can provide references for the recovery of SGP in seawater desalination plants.
Investigations of the static and dynamic performances of an annular seal with a tilted rotor by transient CFD methods with dynamic mesh
Authors: Li Fengqin , Zhai Lulu , Cui Baoling , Zhu Zuchao , Guo Jia
Published: August 2022

A transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on dynamic mesh is adopted to investigate the static and dynamic performances of an annular seal with a tilted rotor. The reliability of the CFD method is verified by the experimental data, and then the variations of dynamic performance and sealing performance under different length-diameter ratios and misalignment angles are investigated by the method. The results show that the leakage flowrate of the tilted annular seal decreases with the increasing length-diameter ratio, while the whirl frequency ratio increases with the length-diameter ratio. The increase of misalignment angle has little detrimental effect on the stability of long shaft system in the three misalignment modes. In addition, the misalignment mode for the tilted position at the half-length of the annular seal can reduce the leakage flowrate.
Research on comprehensive evaluation method of distribution network based on AHP-entropy weighting method
Authors: Liu ZiWei , Xie QiongYao , Dai Lu , Wang HaiLiang , Deng Ling , Wang Chun , Zhang Yu , Zhou XiaoXia , Yang ChuYuan , Xiang Chuan , Qin SiYu
Published: August 2022

In the context of smart grid planning and construction, how to tackle the future distribution network, a comprehensive evaluation of smart distribution network planning has become an urgent problem to be solved. To address this issue, this research provides a method for comprehensive evaluation that combines subjective and objective weighing approaches. Firstly, a set of evaluation index system is constructed and quantified based on the characteristics of the future distribution network; after that a comprehensive evaluation model is established and a subjective and objective weighting method combining AHP-entropy weighting method is used to weight the indicators; Finally, the actual data from the distribution network is evaluated and scored. Based on the scoring verification results, the correctness and effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper are verified.
The impact of metal waste imports on industrial wastewater discharge in China
Authors: Chen Weitao , Yan Weitao
Published: August 2022

Once the world’s largest waste importer, China alleviated the shortage of raw materials in its related industries; however, such activity incited more prominent ecological and environmental problems. Based on several major sample databases from 2003 to 2006—including the China Industry Business Performance Data, Customs Trade Database, and scrap metal commodity data from Harmonized System code catalogues—this paper establishes a city-level panel data model and a mediation effect model to examine the impact of scrap metal imports on industrial wastewater discharge in China as well as the mechanism of this impact. Furthermore, this paper analyses the impact of scrap metal imports on Chinese enterprises’ pollution fees from the perspective of enterprises to ensure the robustness of results based on the China Industry Business Performance Data in 2004. Results show that scrap metal imports significantly increase industrial wastewater discharge in China and exacerbate environmental pollution. Specifically, results indicate that if scrap metal imports increase by 1%, wastewater discharge will significantly increase by approximately 0.015–0.198 percentage points. In terms of the impact mechanisms, by driving the development of metal smelting, scrap metal imports have increased both the metal smelting rate in total industrial output and cities’ reliance on metal smelting, which has significantly increased industrial wastewater discharge in China. Finally, the robustness test demonstrates that increasing metal waste imports will significantly increase the discharge of pollutants by Chinese industrial enterprises, thereby increasing their pollution fees. Specifically, the results of the Ordinary Least Square and IV 2SLS model indicate that if scrap metal imports increase by 1%, industrial enterprises’ pollution fees will significantly increase by 1.081–11.3 million yuan. On the premise of protecting the environment, the Chinese government can import recyclable scrap metal commodities such as high-grade waste copper and aluminium that can meet the product quality standards for enterprises. Additionally, the Chinese government should raise the standards of the metal smelting and recycling industries, reduce the discharge of industrial waste water, and strive to improve the ecological environment.
Volatile organic compounds in urban Lhasa: variations, sources, and potential risks
Authors: Guo Shuzheng , Wang Yaru , Zhang Tiantian , Ma Zhiqiang , Ye Chunxiang , Lin Weili , Yang Zong De Ji , Yang Zong Bai Ma
Published: August 2022

Lhasa is a typical high-altitude city with strong solar radiation and high background ozone levels. With the rapid development and urbanization, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Tibet has been increasing annually. However, VOCs activity and the impact on air quality and human health have scarcely been investigated. We conducted online measurement of VOCs in urban Lhasa during May 2019. The mean mixing ratio (with one standard deviation) of the total VOCs was 21.5 ± 18.6 ppb. Of the total VOCs, alkanes, alkenes, and aromatic hydrocarbons accounted for 57.7%, 20.9%, and 21.4%, respectively. On the basis of VOC atmospheric reactivity, the ozone formation potential (OFP) and hydroxyl radical loss rate (LOH) were 91.7 ppb and 3.1 s−1, respectively. Alkenes accounted for the largest proportion of the OFP and LOH, followed by aromatic hydrocarbons. The results of correlation analysis on the benzene series (BTEX), and the similarity of the diurnal changes in CO, NOy, BTEX, and TVOC mixing ratios indicated that Lhasa city strongly affected by motor vehicle emissions. Source apportionments using positive matrix factorization (PMF) model further confirmed that traffic related emissions, including gasoline automobiles, diesel vehicles, and public transportation vehicles fueled with liquid natural gas contributed the most in total VOCs concentration (44.5%–50.2%), LOH (41.6%–46.8%) and OFP (47.4%–52.3%). Biomass combustion, mainly from the traditional biomass fuel in the plateau, was the second contributor to ambient VOCs (41.3%), LOH (26.4%), and OFP (29.7%), and existed a less variation in diurnal changes with a feature of regional background. Plants contributed only about 1.5% to the VOCs concentration but a relatively high (approximately 14.6%) LOH. The noncarcinogenic risk of BTEX did not exceed the hazard quotient value, but the carcinogenic risk of benzene was 4.47 × 10–6, indicating a potential risk.
Stranding of larval nase (Chondrostoma nasus L.) depending on bank slope, down-ramping rate and daytime
Authors: Führer Simon , Hayes Daniel S. , Hasler Thomas , Graf David R. M. , Fauchery Elora , Mameri Daniel , Schmutz Stefan , Auer Stefan
Published: August 2022

Rapid water level decreases due to hydropeaking are known to negatively affect riverine biota, mainly due to the stranding of organisms in the river bank area that becomes regularly dewatered. Even though studies of the last decades have focused on salmonid fish, also cyprinids may be affected. However, limited knowledge is available of this fish family. Therefore, we conducted mesocosm experiments under semi-natural conditions, simulating single hydropeaking events at two different lateral bank slopes (2% and 5%) with varying down-ramping rates (0.7–3.0 cm min−1) during day and night. As a response parameter, we quantified stranding rates of different larval stages (III-IV and V) of common nase (Chondrostoma nasus L.). The experiments revealed that lower sloped banks exhibited distinctly higher stranding rates than steeper ones. Daytime revealed a similar pattern, with more fish becoming stranded at night than during the day, and this was consistent for all down-ramping rates. The data also indicate increased stranding with higher down-ramping rates, particularly at low sloped riverbanks, and interaction effects between the tested parameters. Overall, this study, for the first time, quantifies the consequences of flow down-ramping on nase larvae, also revealing differences between larval stages. The gained information will, therefore, advance the ongoing discussion on hydropeaking mitigation by providing a deeper understanding of the effects of artificial sub-daily flow fluctuations on the early life stages of cyprinid fish. Our results can inform management and policy to sharpen existing mitigation concepts and fine-tune hydropower operations to reduce negative effects on riverine ecosystems.
Variety is the spice of life: Flying-foxes exploit a variety of native and exotic food plants in an urban landscape mosaic
Authors: Yabsley Samantha H. , Meade Jessica , Hibburt Thomas D. , Martin John M. , Boardman Wayne S. J. , Nicolle Dean , Walker Melissa J. , Turbill Christopher , Welbergen Justin A.
Published: August 2022

Generally, urbanization is a major threat to biodiversity; however, urban areas also provide habitats that some species can exploit. Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are becoming increasingly urbanized; which is thought to be a result of increased availability and temporal stability of urban food resources, diminished natural food resources, or both. Previous research has shown that urban-roosting grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) preferentially forage in human-modified landscapes. However, which land-use areas and food plants support its presence in urban areas is unknown. We tracked nine P. poliocephalus roosting in Adelaide, South Australia, between December 2019 and May 2020, using global positioning systems (GPS), to investigate how individuals used the urban landscape mosaic for feeding. The most frequently visited land-use category was “residential” (40% of fixes) followed by “road-side,” “reserves” and “primary production” (13–14% each). However, “reserves” were visited four times more frequently than expected from their areal availability, followed by the “residential” and “road-side” categories that were visited approximately twice more than expected each; in contrast, the “primary production” category was visited approximately five times less than expected. These results suggest that while residential areas provide most foraging resources supporting Adelaide’s flying-fox population, reserves contain foraging resources that are particularly attractive to P. poliocephalus. Primary production land was relatively less utilized, presumably because it contains few food resources. Throughout, flying-foxes visited an eclectic mixture of diet plants (49 unique species), with a majority of feeding fixes (63%) to locally indigenous Australian native species; however, in residential areas 53% of feeding visits were to non-locally indigenous species, vs only 13% in reserves. Flowering and fruiting phenology records of the food plants visited further indicated that non-locally indigenous species increase the temporal availability of foraging resources for P. poliocephalus in urban Adelaide. Our findings demonstrate the importance of residential areas for urban-roosting P. poliocephalus, and suggest that the anthropogenic mixture of food resources available in the urban landscape mosaic supports the species’ year-round presence in urban areas. Our results further highlight the importance of conserving natural habitats within the urban landscape mosaic, and stress the need for accounting for wildlife responses to urban greening initiatives.