bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global, regional, and national years lived with disability due to blindness and vision loss from 1990 to 2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Authors: Li Shasha , Ye Enlin , Huang Jiasheng , Wang Jia , Zhao Yumei , Niu Dongdong , Yue Suru , Huang Xueying , Liu Jie , Hou Xuefei , Wu Jiayuan
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of burden estimates and the secular trend of blindness and vision loss, as measured by years lived with disability (YLDs), at the global, regional, and national levels.

Methods

The age-standardized YLD rates (ASYRs) due to blindness and vision loss and its subtypes, including moderate vision loss, severe vision loss, blindness, and presbyopia, from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. The estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to quantify the temporal trends in the ASYRs due to blindness and vision loss.

Results

In 2019, the global ASYRs per 100,000 population was 327.98 for blindness and vision loss, specifically, 85.81 for moderate vision loss, 74.86 for severe vision loss, 95.03 for blindness, and 62.27 for presbyopia. From 1990 to 2019, the ASYRs due to blindness and vision loss slightly decreased. Females showed higher ASYRs than males in 2019. The global highest ASYRs were observed in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Negative associations were found between the burden estimates of blindness and vision loss and the sociodemographic index levels. The EAPCs of ASYRs in blindness and vision loss were significantly negatively correlated with the ASYRs in 1990 and positively correlated with human development indices in 2019.

Conclusions

Globally, blindness and vision loss continue to cause great losses of healthy life. Reasonable resource allocation and health-service planning are needed for the prevention and early intervention of disabilities caused by vision loss.
Recruitment, retention and employment growth in the long-term care sector in England
Authors: Teo Hansel , Vadean Florin , Saloniki Eirini-Christina
Published: October 2022

This paper studies the relationship between turnover, hiring and employment growth in the long-term care (LTC) sector in England and sheds light on how challenges in both recruitment and retention affect the sector's ability to meet growing demand for care services. Using the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS), a large longitudinal dataset of LTC establishments in England, and fixed effects estimation methods we: (a) quantify the relationship between the in/outflow of care workers and the expansion/contraction of employment within establishments, (b) establish the role of staff retention policy for workforce expansion, and (c) identify the role of recruitment frictions and its impact on hiring and employment contraction. Our analysis indicates that care worker turnover and employment growth are negatively related. A one percentage point increase in employment contraction is associated with a 0.71 percentage point rise in turnover, while a one percentage point increase in employment expansion is associated with a 0.23 percentage point fall in turnover. In contrast, we find that hiring rates and employment growth are positively related. A one percentage point increase in employment expansion is associated with a 0.76 percentage point rise in hiring, while a one percentage point increase in employment contraction is associated with a 0.26 percentage point decrease in hiring. We argue that the negative turnover-employment growth relationship within expanding establishments provides evidence that better staff retention is associated with higher employment growth. Using information on establishments' annual change in vacancies, and controlling for changes in new labor demand, we also find rising year-on-year vacancies amongst establishments with declining employment. This provides evidence that recruitment frictions drive the declining rate of replacement hiring amongst contracting establishments. Across sectors, we find that the employment growth-turnover and the employment decline-hiring relationships are relatively stronger in the private and voluntary sectors compared to the public sector, suggesting that the impact of staff retention and recruitment frictions on employment is more acute in these sectors.
An overview of artificial intelligence in diabetic retinopathy and other ocular diseases
Authors: Sheng Bin , Chen Xiaosi , Li Tingyao , Ma Tianxing , Yang Yang , Bi Lei , Zhang Xinyuan
Published: October 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI), also known as machine intelligence, is a branch of science that empowers machines using human intelligence. AI refers to the technology of rendering human intelligence through computer programs. From healthcare to the precise prevention, diagnosis, and management of diseases, AI is progressing rapidly in various interdisciplinary fields, including ophthalmology. Ophthalmology is at the forefront of AI in medicine because the diagnosis of ocular diseases heavy reliance on imaging. Recently, deep learning-based AI screening and prediction models have been applied to the most common visual impairment and blindness diseases, including glaucoma, cataract, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). The success of AI in medicine is primarily attributed to the development of deep learning algorithms, which are computational models composed of multiple layers of simulated neurons. These models can learn the representations of data at multiple levels of abstraction. The Inception-v3 algorithm and transfer learning concept have been applied in DR and ARMD to reuse fundus image features learned from natural images (non-medical images) to train an AI system with a fraction of the commonly used training data (<1%). The trained AI system achieved performance comparable to that of human experts in classifying ARMD and diabetic macular edema on optical coherence tomography images. In this study, we highlight the fundamental concepts of AI and its application in these four major ocular diseases and further discuss the current challenges, as well as the prospects in ophthalmology.
The economic burden of malaria inpatients and its determinants during China's elimination stage
Authors: Chen Fangfei , Chen Xiaoyu , Gu Peng , Sang Xiaodong , Wu Ruijun , Tian Miaomiao , Ye Yisheng , Long Chengxu , Bishwajit Ghose , Ji Lu , Feng Da , Yang Lei , Tang Shangfeng
Published: October 2022

Background

Malaria burden is still worrisome, while empirical evidence from malaria-eliminated countries including China may provide inspiration for the world.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate China's malaria hospitalization costs and explore its determinants.

Methods

Stratified multistage sampling across provincial, municipal, and county hospitals was conducted in 2017. All the malaria medical records were retrieved from 2014 to 2016 in 70 hospitals. Parametric and non-parametric methods were employed to estimate hospitalization costs, and the non-parametric bootstrap was used to compare hospitalization costs among sample areas and assessed the uncertainty of its differences. Quantile regressions were conducted to identify the determinants of hospitalization costs.

Results

The median hospitalization costs of 1633 malaria inpatients were 628 USD. Medication and laboratory tests accounted for over 70% of total expenditure. The median reimbursement rate was 41.87%, and this number was even lower in higher-level hospitals (<35%) and among the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (<40%). Finally, health insurance type, hospital tier, clinical units, unknown fever, and comorbidity were the main determinants of hospitalization costs.

Conclusion

The disparity of health protection for malaria hospitalization between rural and urban areas was noteworthy. Equivocal diagnosis and comorbidity are contributors of high cost as well. A reasonable payment system and enhanced capacities to treat malaria in a cost-effective way are suggested to reassure malaria economic burden.
Cutting-edge communication and learning assistive technologies for disabled children: An artificial intelligence perspective
Authors: Zdravkova Katerina , Krasniqi Venera , Dalipi Fisnik , Ferati Mexhid
Published: October 2022

In this study we provide an in-depth review and analysis of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) components and solutions that support the development of cutting-edge assistive technologies for children with special needs. Various disabilities are addressed and the most recent assistive technologies that enhance communication and education of disabled children, as well as the AI technologies that have enabled their development, are presented. The paper summarizes with an AI perspective on future assistive technologies and ethical concerns arising from the use of such cutting-edge communication and learning technologies for children with disabilities.
Development of an inexpensive 3D clinostat and comparison with other microgravity simulators using Mycobacterium marinum
Authors: Clary Joseph L. , France Creighton S. , Lind Kara , Shi Runhua , Alexander J.Steven , Richards Jeffrey T. , Scott Rona S. , Wang Jian , Lu Xiao-Hong , Harrison Lynn
Published: October 2022

2D and 3D Clinostats are used to simulate microgravity on Earth. These machines continuously alter the sample’s orientation, so the acceleration vector changes faster than the biological endpoint being monitored. Two commercially available microgravity simulators are the Rotary Cell Culture System (Synthecon Inc.), which is a 2D clinostat, and the RPM 2.0 (Yuri), which is a 3D clinostat that can operate as a random positioning machine or in constant frame velocity mode. We have developed an inexpensive 3D clinostat that can be 3D printed and assembled easily. To determine the optimal combination of inner (I) and outer (O) frame velocities to simulate microgravity, two factors were considered: the time-averaged magnitude and the distribution of the acceleration vector. A computer model was developed to predict the acceleration vector for combinations of frame velocities between 0.125 revolutions per minute (rpm) and 4 rpm, and a combination of I = 1.5 rpm and O = 3.875 rpm was predicted to produce the best microgravity simulation. Two other frame velocity combinations were also used in further tests: I = 0.75 rpm and O = 3.625 rpm, and I = 2 rpm and O = 1.125 rpm. By operating the RPM 2.0 in constant velocity mode at these three velocity combinations, the RPM 2.0 algorithm data confirmed that these operating conditions simulated microgravity. Mycobacterium marinum was selected for biological comparison experiments as this bacterium can grow as a biofilm or a planktonic culture. Biofilm experiments revealed that the RPM 2.0 and the 3D clinostat with I = 1.5 rpm and O = 3.825 rpm produced similar structures in attached biofilm, and similar changes in transcriptome for the bacteria in suspension compared to the normal gravity transcriptome. Operating the 3D clinostat at I = 2 rpm and O = 1.125 rpm, and the Synthecon 2D clinostat in simulated microgravity orientation at 25 rpm resulted in the same decreased planktonic growth and increased rifampicin survival compared to normal gravity. This study validates the inexpensive 3D clinostat and demonstrates the importance of testing the operating conditions of lab-developed clinostats with biological experiments.
How Do Our Brains Change as We Age?
Authors: Soreq Lilach
Published: October 2022

Aging, which is a natural process in which an organism’s functions decline, is present in all living organisms. As we age, our brains begin to break down—certain brain regions get smaller and certain cell types decrease in number. These changes are similar to those seen in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The similarities between aging and these neurodegenerative diseases tells us that the same genes might be affecting both processes. However, it is difficult to get samples of human brains to study aging, so we still do not understand what happens to genes in the various regions of the human brain during the aging process. Through global collaboration, a resource called the mouse brain Allen Brain Atlas (BrainMap) of 7 different cell types from cortex has been used, which is like a catalog of genes that are active in the human brain. We downloaded this database as used it as a comparative platform to our brain expression data. The study described in this article shows how protein coding regions of genes involved in different pathways are expressed across the brain, including in specific brain regions and specifically examining different cell type marker genes.
A MacIntyrean account of chronic moral injury: Assessing the implications of bad management and marginalized practices at work
Authors: Abadal Lily M. , Potts Garrett W.
Published: October 2022

In this article, we engage with a theory of management advanced by MacIntyrean scholars of business ethics and organization studies to develop an account of “chronic moral injury” in the workplace. In contrast to what we call “acute moral injury,” which focuses on grave, traumatic events, chronic moral injury results from poor institutional form—when an individual desiring excellence must function within a vicious institution that impedes the acquisition of virtues and marginalizes practices. In other words, chronic moral injury occurs when practitioners who pursue excellence in their practice work within corrupt or malformed organizations. To demonstrate this point, we recount the events associated with the rise and fall of the biotech company, Theranos. This case study advances an empirical contribution to MacIntyrean studies by demonstrating how chronic moral injury can happen under such conditions and what the negative consequences may entail for workers.
MacIntyre, Weber and institutional logics
Authors: Chu Irene
Published: October 2022

This paper explores “what more and what else” MacIntyre's concepts can contribute, specifically as applied to neoinstitutional theory and especially institutional logics. Drawing on the common influence of Max Weber's work as further developed by Friedland, MacIntyre's concept of eudaimonia being furthered by the pursuit of internal goods supported by external goods is used to develop a typology of goods. This typology is then deployed to show how the differing institutional logics of, for example, the market and the family have differing rationalities with differing emphases on internal and external goods, and consequently differing moral content. A simple picture of the market economy is then developed to show how such MacIntyrean concepts can be used to address the critique of a lack of morality in neoinstitutional theory. Conversely, the analytical framework provided by the institutional logics perspective is used to show how MacIntyrean concepts can be applied practically in a way that provides an interesting perspective on the current world.
Catalyzing transformative futures in food and farming for global sustainability
Authors: Bhagwat Shonil A.
Published: October 2022

This perspective article highlights the need for transformation in food and farming at three scales to promote a food system that meets UN Sustainable Development Goals. Food insecurity is still a persistent problem globally because of how food and farming sector is currently organized vs. how it should be organized if cultural traditions, environmental concerns, and nutritional needs of the world's growing population were foregrounded. The article argues that system-wide transformations are needed at different scales: landscape (macro), species (meso) and genes (micro). It suggests alternatives available for food and farming sector and identifies transformative pathways that are more sustainable in cultural, social and environmental terms. A better management of farming landscapes; diversification of the food system to include a wider range of species; and better use of neglected and underutilized species, varieties and cultivars of plants, and breeds of animals, in the food system can help to catalyze such a transformation. This can go a long way in promoting global sustainability by achieving three key UN Sustainable Development Goals: 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) and 15 (Life on Land).
Burden of foodborne disease due to bacterial hazards associated with beef, dairy, poultry meat, and vegetables in Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, 2017
Authors: Havelaar Arie H. , Sapp Amanda C. , Amaya Mirna P. , Nane Gabriela F. , Morgan Kara M. , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Grace Delia , Knight-Jones Theo , Kowalcyk Barbara B.
Published: October 2022

Foodborne disease is a significant global health problem, with low- and middle-income countries disproportionately affected. Given that most fresh animal and vegetable foods in LMICs are bought in informal food systems, much the burden of foodborne disease in LMIC is also linked to informal markets. Developing estimates of the national burden of foodborne disease and attribution to specific food products will inform decision-makers about the size of the problem and motivate action to mitigate risks and prevent illness. This study provides estimates for the burden of foodborne disease caused by selected hazards in two African countries (Burkina Faso and Ethiopia) and attribution to specific foods. Country-specific estimates of the burden of disease in 2010 for Campylobacter spp., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Shiga-toxin producing E. coli and non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica were obtained from WHO and updated to 2017 using data from the Global Burden of Disease study. Attribution data obtained from WHO were complemented with a dedicated Structured Expert Judgement study to estimate the burden attributable to specific foods. Monte Carlo simulation methods were used to propagate uncertainty. The burden of foodborne disease in the two countries in 2010 was largely similar to the burden in the region except for higher mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to Salmonella in Burkina Faso. In both countries, Campylobacter caused the largest number of cases, while Salmonella caused the largest number of deaths and DALYs. In Burkina Faso, the burden of Campylobacter and ETEC increased from 2010 to 2017, while the burden of Salmonella decreased. In Ethiopia, the burden of all hazards decreased. Mortality decreased relative to incidence in both countries. In both countries, the burden of poultry meat (in DALYs) was larger than the burden of vegetables. In Ethiopia, the burdens of beef and dairy were similar, and somewhat lower than the burden of vegetables. The burden of foodborne disease by the selected pathogens and foods in both countries was substantial. Uncertainty distributions around the estimates spanned several orders of magnitude. This reflects data limitations, as well as variability in the transmission and burden of foodborne disease associated with the pathogens considered.
A hybrid method to quantify household urban agriculture gardening: Implications for sustainable and equitable food action planning
Authors: Ramaswami Anu , Boyer Dana , Nixon Peter , Jelinski Nic
Published: October 2022

Urban food action plans seek quantitative data on household agriculture gardening, traditionally difficult to quantify rapidly, as well as data on inequality to explore the potential to improve equitable access to fresh vegetables through household agriculture. This article presents a novel hybrid field survey (HFS) method, combining ground surveys with satellite imagery to quantify the prevalence and area of household agriculture gardens, as well as inequality by neighborhood income. We test the method in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, (Twin Cities), USA, analyzing the presence/absence (prevalence) and size of agriculture gardens across a total of ~17,500 households in 2017 and repeated in 2020 (during COVID-19). In 2017, the overall mean frequency of household agricultural gardening was 5.0%, with significant differences (2.7 vs. 7.0%) across low- vs. high-income neighborhoods. The city-wide median area per agriculture garden size was 14.6 m2 with greater size (19.8 vs. 11.6 m2) in low- vs. high-income neighborhoods, respectively. Across all income groups, the gardening area was a small fraction of the yard area, suggesting little land availability constraints. Measurements in the summer of 2020 during COVID-19 found the method sensitive over time, showing an overall 60% increase in the prevalence of household agriculture with low-income neighborhoods increasing rates from 3 to 5%. Overall, the method can inform aggregate production potential and inequality in household agriculture.
Lymphepithelial carcinoma - a rare tumor of the larynx. Case Report
Authors: Nogal Piotr , Staśkiewicz Michalina , Jackowska Joanna , Wierzbicka Małgorzata
Published: October 2022

Lymphoepithelioma was described in 1921 separately by Regaud and Schmincke as nests of non-keratinizing squamous cells embedded in a lymphoid stroma (Regaud) and isolated transitional cells scattered in lymphoid tissue resembling sarcoma (Schmincke). Lymphoepithelial tumors are the most common lesions of the nasopharynx, although they have also been reported in other localizations, such as the nasal cavity, maxillary sinus, the base of the tongue, parapharyngeal area, tonsils and thymus. Lymphoepithelioma of the larynx is extremely rare. We present a case of a 55-year-old patient treated due to this type of lesion to share our experience in the management of this type of malignancy and contribute to the field of rare laryngeal tumors diagnosis and treatment.
Dynamic changes of gut fungal community in horse at different health states
Authors: Lan Yanfang , Li Yaonan , Yu Gang , Zhang Zhengyi , Irshad Irfan
Published: October 2022

Accumulating studies indicated that gut microbial changes played key roles in the progression of multiple diseases, which seriously threaten the host health. Gut microbial dysbiosis is closely associated with the development of diarrhea, but gut microbial composition and variability in diarrheic horses have not been well characterized. Here, we investigated gut fungal compositions and changes in healthy and diarrheic horses using amplicon sequencing. Results indicated that the alpha and beta diversities of gut fungal community in diarrheal horses changed significantly, accompanied by distinct changes in taxonomic compositions. The types of main fungal phyla (Neocallimastigomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota) in healthy and diarrheal horses were same but different in relative abundances. However, the species and abundances of dominant fungal genera in diarrheal horses changed significantly compared with healthy horses. Results of Metastats analysis indicated that all differential fungal phyla (Blastocladiomycota, Kickxellomycota, Rozellomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Glomeromycota, and Olpidiomycota) showed a decreasing trend during diarrhea. Moreover, a total of 175 differential fungal genera were identified for the gut fungal community between healthy and diarrheal horses, where 4 fungal genera increased significantly, 171 bacterial genera decreased dramatically during diarrhea. Among these decreased bacteria, 74 fungal genera even completely disappeared from the intestine. Moreover, this is the first comparative analysis of equine gut fungal community in different health states, which is beneficial to understand the important role of gut fungal community in equine health.
Swine enteric colibacillosis: Current treatment avenues and future directions
Authors: Castro Joana , Barros Maria Margarida , Araújo Daniela , Campos Ana Maria , Oliveira Ricardo , Silva Sónia , Almeida Carina
Published: October 2022

Enteric colibacillosis is a common disease in nursing and weanling pigs. It is caused by the colonization of the small intestine by enterotoxigenic strains ofEscherichia coli(ETEC) that make use of specific fimbria or pili to adhere to the absorptive epithelial cells of the jejunum and ileum. Once attached, and when both the immunological systems and the gut microbiota are poorly developed, ETEC produce one or more enterotoxins that can have local and, further on, systemic effects. These enterotoxins cause fluid and electrolytes to be secreted into the intestinal lumen of animals, which results in diarrhea, dehydration, and acidosis. From the diversity of control strategies, antibiotics and zinc oxide are the ones that have contributed more significantly to mitigating post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) economic losses. However, concerns about antibiotic resistance determined the restriction on the use of critically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals and the prohibition of their use as growth promoters. As such, it is important now to begin the transition from these preventive/control measures to other, more sustainable, approaches. This review provides a quick synopsis of the currently approved and available therapies for PWD treatment while presenting an overview of novel antimicrobial strategies that are being explored for the control and treatment of this infection, including, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, organic acids, bacteriophages, spray-dried plasma, antibodies, phytogenic substances, antisense oligonucleotides, and aptamers.
A Preliminary Design Method of High-Power Electro-Hydrostatic Actuators Considering Design Robustness
Authors: Guo Tuanhui , Han Xu , Minav Tatiana , Fu Yongling
Published: October 2022

Electro-hydrostatic actuators (EHAs) are expanding their application fields due to their combined advantages of electric and hydraulic actuation. However, the control performance, the weight, and the efficiency turn out to be more challenging requirements when the EHA power level increases to over 30 kW. Therefore, a preliminary design dedicated to trading off the system-level EHA performance based on multi-domain coupling analysis is necessary considering the comprehensive performance requirements and the parameter uncertainties. However, the existing methods are deficient in responding to all these design challenges. In this paper, an EHA preliminary design method is proposed to achieve the optimum system-level performance with robustness. First, the design parameters are analyzed and selected. Second, an optimization design of EHAs is realized by developing multi-disciplinary performance simulation models. The robustness is also considered during the optimization design. Third, the optimization results are evaluated by a specifically built EHA model, which realizes high fidelity than the models used for optimization. As a result, the general high-power EHA requirements are fully considered during the preliminary design and an optimum EHA performance is achieved. The proposed method is demonstrated in a design case of a 30 kW EHA for aerospace applications, which achieved the optimum performance of 8 Hz bandwidth and 69.92 kg weight. The preliminary design results also outline the input information for the following detailed design. Therefore, the proposed method demonstrated its applicability for delivering robust EHA design results for engineering applications.
The Prediction and Correction Method of Aircraft Static Aeroelastic Effects: A Review of Recent Progress
Authors: Guo Hongtao , Yan Yu , Xia Hongya , Yu Li , Lv Binbin
Published: October 2022

This paper comprehensively reviews the progress of static aeroelastic effect prediction and correction methods for aircraft, including the damage and protection of aeroelastic. It is significantly important to determine the similarity conditions and static aeroelastic scaling modeling in wind tunnel experiments to obtain accurate aerodynamic characteristics. Meanwhile, similar stiffness distribution, manufacturing materials, and processing technology are strongly associated with the simulation of aircraft structural dynamics. The structural layout of the static aeroelastic model, including plate type, beam type, bearing skin type, and full structural similarity type, are described in detail. Furthermore, the wind tunnel and test technique also play an important role in static aeroelastic experiments. It is worth noting that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational structure dynamics (CSD) have attracted increasing attention from researchers for application in aeroelastic analysis of the flow field. The research status and key technologies of aeroelastic numerical simulation of aircraft are introduced in detail. Additionally, this paper briefly introduces the static aeroelastic prediction and correction method, especially the widely practiced K-value method.
Displacement Model of Giant Magnetostrictive Actuator for Direct-Drive Injector
Authors: Zhou Zhaoqi , He Zhongbo , Xue Guangming , Zhou Jingtao , Rong Ce , Liu Guoping
Published: October 2022

Aiming at the inherent problems of non-direct-drive injectors, such as long oil circuits and a difficult precise control of the needle stroke, based on the structure of a direct-drive injector and combined with the demand for the needle drive of a truck diesel injector, this study designs and fabricates a giant magnetostrictive actuator for direct-drive injectors. A simplified model of a giant magnetostrictive actuator is established, which mainly simplifies the magnetization model to facilitate the subsequent integrated modeling of the fuel injector. An actuator output displacement test system was built, and the output waveform and frequency characteristics of the actuator were analyzed. It was found that the experimental results were in good agreement with the calculated results of the model, and the average relative error of the amplitude was 3.26%, while the average relative error of the phase difference was 3.83%, which verifies the correctness of the model. This research enriches the modeling method of giant magnetostrictive actuators and has an important reference value for the research and design of fuel injectors.
Experimental Study on the Snowfall Flow Control of Backward-Facing Steps Using a High-Durability Designed Plasma Electrode
Authors: Tanaka Tasuku , Matsuda Hisashi , Takahashi Toshiki , Chiba Takahiro , Watanabe Nobuyoshi , Sato Hideaki , Takeyama Masafumi
Published: October 2022

Using a high-durability designed plasma electrode (PA), the plasma actuation effect on both a two-dimensional backward-facing step flow (standard model) and an arc-shaped three-dimensional backward-facing step flow (arc model) was investigated experimentally. First, we searched for plasma operation control conditions suitable for the two-dimensional backward-facing step flow by carrying out experiments using a medium-sized circulating wind tunnel. Next, using the natural-snow wind tunnel of the Hokkaido University of Science, we examined whether an AC-driven PA can control snowfall flow. It became clear for the first time that the amount of snow accumulation can be reduced by more than 20% when the PA is driven at a dimensionless frequency of fH/U = 0.32, where f is the pulsed modulation frequency, H is the step height, and U is the mainstream velocity, and the duty ratio D (the time ratio of PA_ON to the total time when controlled by the pulsed modulation frequency) is equal to 1.0%. It was also confirmed that by masking the arc-shaped electrode parallel to the mainstream and using only the part perpendicular to the mainstream of the PA electrode, the amount of accumulated snow could be reduced by up to 20%. It has become clear that high-durability designed plasma electrodes can control the snowfall flow and reduce the amount of accumulated snow.
The Effect of Social Media Activities on Brand Loyalty for Banks: The Role of Brand Trust
Authors: Althuwaini Sulaiman
Published: October 2022

The aim of this research was to examine the impact of social media marketing activities on brand trust and brand loyalty in the banking sector. Based on an online survey of 252 users who follow banking services suppliers on social media located in Saudi Arabia, data were gleaned and analyzed via Smart-PLS (3.0). The findings showed that social media marketing activities, namely customization, entertainment, and promotions, were reported to have the highest impact on trust and loyalty. This study emphasizes the role of trust as mediating brand loyalty in social media marketing. The implications for marketing managerial and future research are discussed.
Cooperation of Trailing-Edge Flap and Shock Control Bump for Robust Buffet Control and Drag Reduction
Authors: Zhang Shenghua , Deng Feng , Qin Ning
Published: October 2022

At transonic flight conditions, the buffet caused by the interaction between the shock waves and the boundary layers can degrade an aircraft’s aerodynamic performance and even threaten its safety. In this paper, the shock control bumps, originally designed to reduce the wave drag at cruise speeds, are applied to enhance the robustness of the closed-loop buffet control system using the trailing-edge flap. For the OAT15A supercritical airfoil, a closed-loop buffet control system is first designed with a feedback signal of lift coefficient. Then, the shock control bumps designed for drag reduction are integrated into the active buffet control system. The results show that the closed-loop flap control can be greatly enhanced by coupling with the shock control bumps. At the steady state under control, the shock control bumps can slightly increase the airfoil lift–drag ratio. More importantly, the ranges of control parameters that can effectively suppress the buffet are significantly enlarged with the help of the bumps; thus, the robustness of the control system is greatly enhanced.
Application of Fiber Optic Sensing System for Predicting Structural Displacement of a Joined-Wing Aircraft
Authors: Meng Yang , Bi Ying , Xie Changchuan , Chen Zhiying , Yang Chao
Published: October 2022

This work aims to achieve real-time monitoring of strains and structural displacements for the target Joined-Wing aircraft. To this end, a Fiber Optic Sensing System (FOSS) is designed and deployed in the aircraft. The classical modal method, which is used for Strain-to-Displacement Transformation (SDT), is improved to adapt to different boundary conditions by introducing extra constraint equations. The method is first verified by numerical studies on a cantilever beam model and the high-fidelity finite element model of the Joined-Wing aircraft. Ground static tests are then carried out to further demonstrate the capability of the developed FOSS and SDT algorithm in practical application. The results have shown that the improved modal method is able to predict structural deformation under different boundary conditions by using only free–free modes. In addition, the errors between the predicted displacement and the reference in the ground test are within 10%, which proves the FOSS has reasonable accuracy and the potential for future flight tests.
Modeling the Agricultural Soil Landscape of Germany—A Data Science Approach Involving Spatially Allocated Functional Soil Process Units
Authors: Ließ Mareike
Published: October 2022

The national-scale evaluation and modeling of the impact of agricultural management and climate change on soils, crop growth, and the environment require soil information at a spatial resolution addressing individual agricultural fields. This manuscript presents a data science approach that agglomerates the soil parameter space into a limited number of functional soil process units (SPUs) that may be used to run agricultural process models. In fact, two unsupervised classification methods were developed to generate a multivariate 3D data product consisting of SPUs, each being defined by a multivariate parameter distribution along the depth profile from 0 to 100 cm. The two methods account for differences in variable types and distributions and involve genetic algorithm optimization to identify those SPUs with the lowest internal variability and maximum inter-unit difference with regards to both their soil characteristics and landscape setting. The high potential of the methods was demonstrated by applying them to the agricultural German soil landscape. The resulting data product consists of 20 SPUs. It has a 100 m raster resolution in the 2D mapping space, and its resolution along the depth profile is 1 cm. It includes the soil properties texture, stone content, bulk density, hydromorphic properties, total organic carbon content, and pH.
Using UAV Multispectral Remote Sensing with Appropriate Spatial Resolution and Machine Learning to Monitor Wheat Scab
Authors: Zhu Wenjing , Feng Zhankang , Dai Shiyuan , Zhang Pingping , Wei Xinhua
Published: October 2022

This study took the wheat grown in the experimental area of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences as the research object and used the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to carry the Rededge-MX multispectral camera to obtain the wheat scab image with different spatial resolutions (1.44 cm, 2.11 cm, 3.47 cm, 4.96 cm, 6.34 cm, and 7.67 cm). The vegetation indexes (VIs) and texture features (TFs) extracted from the UAV multispectral image were screened for high correlation with the disease index (DI) to investigate the impact of spatial resolution on the accuracy of UAV multispectral wheat scab monitoring. Finally, the best spatial resolution for UAV multispectral monitoring of wheat scab was determined to be 3.47 cm, and then, based on the 3.47 cm best resolution image, VIs and TFs were used as input variables, and three algorithms of partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector machine regression (SVR), and back propagation neural network (BPNN) was used to establish wheat scab, monitoring models. The findings demonstrated that the VIs and TFs fusion model was more appropriate for monitoring wheat scabs by UAV remote sensing and had better fitting and monitoring accuracy than the single data source monitoring model during the wheat filling period. The SVR algorithm has the best monitoring effect in the multi-source data fusion model (VIs and TFs). The training set was identified as 0.81, 4.27, and 1.88 for the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and relative percent deviation (RPD). The verification set was identified as 0.83, 3.35, and 2.72 for R2, RMSE, and RPD. In conclusion, the results of this study provide a scheme for the field crop diseases in the UAV monitoring area, especially for the classification and variable application of wheat scabs by near-earth remote sensing monitoring.
Complementarity or Substitution: A Study of the Impacts of Internet Finance and Rural Financial Development on Agricultural Economic Growth
Authors: Mei Bingjing , Khan Arshad Ahmad , Khan Sufyan Ullah , Ali Muhammad Abu Sufyan , Luo Jianchao
Published: October 2022

Based on the Chinese county-level panel data from 2014–2018, in the study reported in this paper, we empirically tested the “complementarity and substitution” effects of internet finance and rural finance on rural economic development using the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) estimation method. The research data were obtained from the China County Statistical Yearbook. Similarly, the data of agricultural credit societies were obtained from the unique database of the agricultural credit societies of Shaanxi Rural Finance Research Center, while the internet finance development index was obtained from the Digital Finance Research Center of Peking University. In this research, we found that rural finance and internet finance contribute to rural economic growth. In the context of rural economic growth, internet finance and rural finance development show a substitution effect. The scale and efficiency of rural finance contribute to rural economic growth, while the structure of rural finance has the opposite effect. The development of internet finance reduces the marginal contribution of the rural financial scale and efficiency to rural economic growth. It weakens the negative effect of the rustic financial structure on rural economic growth. Furthermore, the development of internet finance contributes to the rural economic growth of counties of high economic levels but hinders the development of counties of low and medium economic levels. In counties with a high economic status, the development of internet finance and rural finance have a complementary effect on rural economic growth, while in counties of low and medium economic levels, we can observe a substitution effect. These assessments provide guidance, a source for policy recommendations and a reference for researchers and policy makers seeking to optimize the structure and break the monopoly pattern of agricultural credit cooperation in the rural financial market and to strengthen innovation and significantly improve the operational level of rural financial institutions. Moreover, the development of internet financial business and technology is necessary to overcome the demerits of traditional financial institutions.
Investigating the Coupling Effect of High Pressure and Hot Air on External Friction Angle Based on Resistance Reduction Tests on Subsoiling Tillage Tools for Sandy Clay Loam
Authors: Qin Kuan , Zhang Yongzheng , Shen Zhougao , Cao Chengmao , Wu Zhengmin , Ge Jun , Fang Liangfei , Bi Haijun
Published: October 2022

Sandy clay loam has the characteristics of both sand and clay. Because of these characteristics, both frictional resistance and adhesive resistance occur between the soil and tillage tool. The combined effect of the two frictional forces increases the external friction angle between the soil and tillage tool, thus increasing the working resistance. To address this issue, this study investigated the coupling effect of high pressure and hot air on the external friction angle by using a self-developed device to measure the external friction angle. Test results showed that high-pressure air between the soil and tillage tool formed a high-pressure air curtain layer which acted as a lubricant, thereby reducing the external friction angle. The external friction angle decreased as the airflow pressure increased. The reduction in the moisture content of the subsoil to less than 30% by the high-pressure hot air reduced the resistance between the soil and tillage tool. The approach with the high-pressure hot air curtain was verified in tests on a subsoiling shovel; the working resistance of the shovel under high-pressure hot air was reduced by 14.8%, demonstrating that this approach was effective in reducing the working resistance of the shovel.
Determination of the Optimal In-Feed Amino Acid Ratio for Japanese Quail Breeders Based on Utilization Efficiency
Authors: Carvalho Lizia C. , Mani Tatyany S. A. , Lima Michele B. , Pavanini Jaqueline A. , Vieira Rita B. , Amoroso Lizandra , Silva Edney P.
Published: October 2022

The description of the genetic potential is the first step to estimating amino acid requirements and the ideal amino acid relation (IAAR). The aim of this study was to estimate the parameters that describe the daily maximum theoretical nitrogen retention (NRmaxT, mg/BWkg0.67), daily nitrogen maintenance requirement (NMR, mg/BWkg0.67), protein quality (b), dietary efficiency of the limiting amino acid (bc−1) and determine the lysine requirement and the IAAR for Japanese quail breeders. Two nitrogen balance assays were performed, one assay using 49 quails distributed in seven treatments (protein levels between 70.1 and 350.3 g/kg) and seven replicates and other assay to determine the IAAR by the use of bc−1, 12 treatments and 10 replicate, with a control diet (CD) and 11 treatments that had limited essential amino acids by providing only 60% of the CD. The values obtained for NRmaxT, NMR, b and bc−1 were 3386.61, 0.000486 and 0.000101, respectively. The daily intake of Lys was 291 mg/bird day. Lys was set at 100% for determining the IAAR: 87, 67, 21, 117, 96, 66, 142, 39, and 133 for Met + Cys, Thr, Trp, Arg, Val, Ile, Leu, His, and Phr + Tyr, respectively, for Japanese quail breeders.
The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Eurasian Minnow (Phoxinus cf. Phoxinus) from the Heilongjiang River, and Its Phylogenetic Implications
Authors: Cheng Lei , Wang Ezhou , Li Weitao , Yu Xiaoli , Liao Xiaolin
Published: October 2022

Over the past two decades, the genus Phoxinus has undergone extensive taxonomic revision and many new species or mitochondrial lineages have been found in Europe. However, Asian populations of Phoxinus spp. have received less attention and have rarely been compared with their European relatives. In this study, we deciphered the 16,789-nucleotide mitochondrial genome of Phoxinus cf. phoxinus from the Heilongjiang River (HLJ) and compared it with other known mitogenomes or partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of Phoxinus spp. We discovered that all known mitochondrial genomes of Phoxinus had a typical mtDNA architecture across vertebrates, but their D-loop regions varied greatly in length. A repetitive motif of ~130 bp was identified in the D-loop regions of Phoxinus spp. The unusual repetitive structure was revealed at the beginning of D-loop regions of all known mitogenomes of Phoxinus spp. The length differences of the D-loop region were attributed mainly to the number of repetitive motifs and the inserted sequences among them. However, this repetitive structure was absent in the other Far East phoxinins. This is further evidence for the notion that Far Eastern phoxinins should be divided into two genera: Phoxinus and Rhynchocypris. All mtDNA sequences (including three mitogenomes) from South Korea represent the same genetic lineage, as there were only slight differences among them. The remaining six mtDNA sequences are highly divergent and represent different lineages of the genus, as supported by partial mtDNA sequences. The updated phylogeny of genus Phoxinus suggests that there are five distinct mtDNA lineages in Asia. The Asian lineages have diverged markedly from their European relatives and should not be included with the European minnow (P. phoxinus).
Molecular Detection and Genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Beef Cattle in Shanxi Province, North China
Authors: Liu Ya-Ya , Qin Rui-Lin , Mei Jin-Jin , Zou Yang , Zhang Zhen-Huan , Zheng Wen-Bin , Liu Qing , Zhu Xing-Quan , Gao Wen-Wei , Xie Shi-Chen
Published: October 2022

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an intracellular pathogen that can parasitize humans and a variety of animals. The infection of E. bieneusi in most hosts is asymptomatic, but in immunocompromised individuals, it can lead to serious complications such as acute diarrhea, dehydration, and even death. However, no data on the prevalence and genotyping of E. bieneusi in beef cattle in Shanxi province are currently available. In this study, a total of 401 fecal samples were collected from beef cattle in farms from two representative counties—Qi county and Jishan county—in Shanxi province, north China. Nested PCR was applied to determine the prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi by amplifying and sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the rRNA gene. A total of 90 out of 401 samples were detected as E. bieneusi-positive, with 22.44% overall prevalence of E. bieneusi in beef cattle in Shanxi province. The highest prevalence of E. bieneusi was detected in calves (28.67%, 41/143) and male beef cattle (28.13%, 54/192). Statistical analysis revealed that the prevalence of E. bieneusi was significantly associated with gender and age factors (p < 0.05), but without any statistical difference among regions. Moreover, six known E. bieneusi genotypes (BEB4, BEB6, BEB8, J, I, and PigSpEb2) and two novel genotypes (designated CSC1 and CSC2) were identified by analysis of ITS sequences, and genotype I was the predominant genotype in these two counties. Phylogenetic analysis showed that five known genotypes and two novel genotypes were clustered into Group 2, but PigSpEb2 belonged to Group 1. To our knowledge, the present study demonstrated the presence and identified genotypes of E. bieneusi in beef cattle in Shanxi province for the first time, extending the data on prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi in beef cattle and providing baseline data for executing intervention measures to control it in the study regions.