bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Efficiency Plasma Source Using a Magnetic Mirror Trap for Miniature-Ion Pumps
Authors: Kurashima Yuichi , Motomura Taisei , Yanagimachi Shinya , Matsumae Takashi , Watanabe Mitsuhiro , Takagi Hideki
Published: January 2023

In this study, we design a highly efficient plasma source using a magnetic mirror trap with two opposing permanent magnets for a miniature high-efficiency ion pump. First, we simulated the distribution of the magnetic field line formed by the proposed magnetic mirror configuration. By optimizing the distance between two opposing permanent magnets and size of these magnets, a magnetic mirror ratio value of 27 could be obtained, which is an electron confinement efficiency of over 90%. We also conducted an experiment on a high-efficiency discharge plasma source for a miniature ion pump using an optimized magnetic circuit. As a result, we revealed that the proposed magnetic circuit has a pronounced effect on plasma generation, particularly in the high-vacuum region.
Eddy Current Testing of Conductive Coatings Using a Pot-Core Sensor
Authors: Tytko Grzegorz
Published: January 2023

Conductors consisting of thin layers are commonly used in many industries as protective, insulating or thermal barrier coatings (TBC). Nondestructive testing of these types of structures allows one to determine their dimensions and technical condition, while also detecting defects, which significantly reduces the risk of failures and accidents. This work presents an eddy current system for testing thin layers and coatings, which has never been presented before. It consists of an analytical model and a pot-core sensor. The analytical model was derived through the employment of the truncated region eigenfunction expansion (TREE) method. The final formulas for the sensor impedance have been presented in a closed form and implemented in Matlab. The results of the calculations of the pot-core sensor impedance for thin layers with a thickness above 0.1 mm were compared with the measurement results. The calculations made for the TBC were verified with a numerical model created using the finite element method (FEM) in Comsol Multiphysics. In all the cases, the error in determining changes in the components of the pot-core sensor impedance was less than 4%. At the same time, it was shown that the sensitivity of the applied pot-core sensor in the case of thin-layer testing is much higher than the sensitivity of the air-core sensor and the I-core sensor.
Communication between Autonomous Vehicles and Pedestrians: An Experimental Study Using Virtual Reality
Authors: Zhanguzhinova Symbat , Makó Emese , Borsos Attila , Sándor Ágoston Pál , Koren Csaba
Published: January 2023

One of the major challenges of autonomous vehicles (AV) is their interaction with pedestrians. Unofficial interactions such as gestures, eye contact, waving, and flashing lights are very common behavioral patterns for drivers to express their intent to give priority. In our research we composed a virtual reality experiment for a pedestrian crossing in an urban environment in order to test pedestrians’ reactions on an LED light display mounted on a virtual AV. Our main research interest was to investigate whether communication patterns influence the decision making of pedestrians when crossing the road. In a VR environment, four scenarios were created with a vehicle approaching a pedestrian crossing with different speeds and displaying a special red/green sign to pedestrians. Here, 51 persons participating in the experiment had to decide when crossing is safe. Results show that the majority of people indicated they would cross in the time windows when it was actually safe to cross. Male subjects made their decision to cross slightly faster but no significant differences were found in the decision making by gender. It was found that age is not an influencing factor, either. Overall, a quick learning process was experienced proving that explicit communication patterns are self-explaining.
Photoactivated Processes on the Surface of Metal Oxides and Gas Sensitivity to Oxygen
Authors: Chizhov Artem , Kutukov Pavel , Astafiev Artyom , Rumyantseva Marina
Published: January 2023

Photoactivation by UV and visible radiation is a promising approach for the development of semiconductor gas sensors with reduced power consumption, high sensitivity, and stability. Although many hopeful results were achieved in this direction, the theoretical basis for the processes responsible for the photoactivated gas sensitivity still needs to be clarified. In this work, we investigated the mechanisms of UV-activated processes on the surface of nanocrystalline ZnO, In2O3, and SnO2 by in situ mass spectrometry and compared the obtained results with the gas sensitivity to oxygen in the dark and at UV irradiation. The results revealed a correlation between the photoactivated oxygen isotopic exchange activity and UV-activated oxygen gas sensitivity of the studied metal oxides. To interpret the data obtained, a model was proposed based on the idea of the generation of additional oxygen vacancies under UV irradiation due to the interaction with photoexcited holes.
Evaluating 60 GHz FWA Deployments for Urban and Rural Environments in Belgium
Authors: Castellanos German , De Beelde Brecht , Plets David , Martens Luc , Joseph Wout , Deruyck Margot
Published: January 2023

Fixed wireless access (FWA) provides a solution to compete with fiber deployment while offering reduced costs by using the mmWave bands, including the unlicensed 60 GHz one. This paper evaluates the deployment of FWA networks in the 60 GHz band in realistic urban and rural environment in Belgium. We developed a network planning tool that includes novel backhaul based on the IEEE 802.11ay standard with multi-objective capabilities to maximise the user coverage, providing at least 1 Gbps of bit rate while minimising the required network infrastructure. We evaluate diverse serving node locations, called edge nodes (EN), and the impact of environmental factors such as rain and vegetation on the network design. Extensive simulation results show that defining a proper EN’s location is essential to achieve viable user coverage higher than 95%, particularly in urban scenarios where street canyons affect propagation. Rural scenarios require nearly 75 ENs per km2 while urban scenarios require four times (300 ENs per km2) this infrastructure. Finally, vegetation can reduce the coverage by 3% or increment infrastructure up to 7%, while heavy rain can reduce coverage by 5% or increment infrastructure by 15%, depending on the node deployment strategy implemented.
An Efficient and Conditional Privacy-Preserving Heterogeneous Signcryption Scheme for the Internet of Drones
Authors: Khan Muhammad Asghar , Ullah Insaf , Abdullah Ako Muhammad , Mohsan Syed Agha Hassnain , Noor Fazal
Published: January 2023

The Internet of Drones (IoD) is a network for drones that utilizes the existing Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure to facilitate mission fulfilment through real-time data transfer and navigation services. IoD deployments, on the other hand, are often conducted in public wireless settings, which raises serious security and privacy concerns. A key source of these security and privacy concerns is the fact that drones often connect with one another through an unprotected wireless channel. Second, limits on the central processing unit (CPU), sensor, storage, and battery capacity make the execution of complicated cryptographic methods onboard a drone impossible. Signcryption is a promising method for overcoming these computational and security limitations. Additionally, in an IoD setting, drones and the ground station (GS) may employ various cryptosystems in a particular region. In this article, we offer a heterogeneous signcryption scheme with a conditional privacy-preservation option. In the proposed scheme, identity-based cryptography (IBC) was used by drones, while the public key infrastructure (PKI) belonged to the GS. The proposed scheme was constructed by using the hyperelliptic curve cryptosystem (HECC), and its security robustness was evaluated using the random oracle model (ROM). In addition, the proposed scheme was compared to the relevant existing schemes in terms of computation and communication costs. The results indicated that the proposed scheme was both efficient and secure, thereby proving its feasibility.
Ultrasonic (US)-Assisted Electrocoagulation (EC) Process for Oil and Grease (O&G) Removal from Restaurant Wastewater
Authors: Nassar Shefaa Omar Abu , Yusoff Mohd Suffian , Halim Herni , Mokhtar Kamal Nurul Hana , Bashir Mohammed J. K. , Manan Teh Sabariah Binti Abd , Aziz Hamidi Abdul , Mojiri Amin
Published: January 2023

Restaurant wastewater contains a high concentration of O&G, up to 3434 mg/L. This study aims to (a) assess the efficiency of EC combined with US methods for O&G removal in restaurant wastewater, (b) identify the optimum condition for COD degradation using EC treatment via response surface methodology (RSM), and (c) determine the morphological surface of the aluminium (Al) electrode before and after EC treatment. The wastewater samples were collected from the Lembaran cafeteria at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The efficiency of EC, US, and US-EC, combined methods for O&G removal, was investigated using a batch reactor (pH 7). The interelectrode distance (ID, 2–6 cm), electrolysis time (T, 15–35 min), and current density (CD, 40–80 A/m2) were analysed, followed by RSM. The response variables were O&G (1000 mg/L) and chemical oxygen demand (COD low range, 1000 mg/L). The central composite design (CCD) with a quadratic model was used to appraise the effects and interactions of these parameters. The morphological surface of the electrode used was observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optimum removal efficiencies obtained were 95.4% (O&G) and 75.9% (COD) (ID: 2.4 cm, T: 30.5 min, and CD: 53.2 A/m2). The regression line fitted the data (R2 O&G: 0.9838, and R2 COD: 0.9558). The SEM images revealed that the use of US was useful in minimising cavitation on the electrode surface, which could lower the EC treatment efficacy. The US-EC combined technique is highly recommended for O&G removal from the food industry’s wastewater.
New Challenges in (Bio)Analytical Sample Treatment Procedures for Clinical Applications
Authors: Greco Valentina , Locatelli Marcello , Savini Fabio , Grazia Ugo de , Montanaro Ottavia , Rosato Enrica , Perrucci Miryam , Ciriolo Luigi , Kabir Abuzar , Ulusoy Halil Ibrahim , D’Ovidio Cristian , Ali Imran , Giuffrida Alessandro
Published: January 2023

The primary cause of poor and ambiguous results obtained from the bioanalytical process is the sample pre-treatment, especially in clinical analysis because it involves dealing with complex sample matrices, such as whole blood, urine, saliva, serum, and plasma. So, the aim of this review is to focus attention on the classical and new techniques of pre-treatment for biological samples used in the bioanalytical process. We discussed the methods generally used for these types of complex samples. Undoubtedly, it is a daunting task to deal with biological samples because the analyst may encounter a substantial loss of the analytes of interest, or the overall analysis may be too time-consuming. Nowadays, we are inclined to use green solvents for the environment, but without sacrificing analytical performance and selectivity. All the characteristics mentioned above should be added to the difficulty of the withdrawal of samples like blood because it can be an invasive practice. For these reasons, now we can also find in the literature the use of saliva as alternative biological samples and new techniques that do not require substantial sample pre-treatment, such as fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE). The text has been divided into the following two distinct parts: firstly, we described clinical applications under different subsections, such as anticancer drugs, antibiotics, vitamins, antivirals, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statin, imidazoles, and triazoles. The second part is dedicated to sample preparation techniques for diagnostic purposes and is divided into the following different sample preparation techniques: solid-phase microextraction (SPME), microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DDLME), and fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE).
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Separations in 2022
Authors:   Separations Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Description of and Relationships among Potential Variables Supported for the Diagnosis of Delayed Ejaculation
Authors: Rowland David L. , McNabney Sean M. , Teague Lijana G. , Padilla Sarah M. , Bacys Katelyn R. , Hevesi Krisztina
Published: January 2023

The lack of empirically based diagnostic criteria for delayed ejaculation (DE) not only undermines confidence in the reported prevalence rates for this sexual dysfunction, but it has also resulted in a lack of validated patient reported outcomes (PROs) for assessing this condition. The current study was designed to describe and evaluate six face-valid variables previously shown to discriminate between men with and without DE for their utility as diagnostic measures for DE. A sample of 1285 men (mean age = 37.8, SD = 12.7) free of erectile problems and premature ejaculation completed an online sexual health survey that included potential questions intended for use in the diagnosis of DE. Questionnaire items included ones reflective of previously proposed diagnostic constructs related to DE: ejaculation timing/latency, ejaculation efficacy/control, and negative effects of DE. Results indicated that five of the six proposed items showed moderate intercorrelations, suggesting that each constituted a distinct (i.e., non-redundant) though relevant criterion related to the diagnosis of DE. Based on the level of interrelatedness, the better items representing each construct were included in commonality analysis to assess their unique contributions to the diagnosis of DE. Perceived lack of ejaculatory efficacy/control contributed the largest portion of the variance to the diagnosis of DE (58%), with bother/distress (an index of the negative effects of DE) contributing the second largest portion (25%), and ejaculation timing/latency contributing only a small portion of the variance (6%) to the diagnosis of DE. The relevance of these findings to developing a patient report outcome (PRO) for diagnosing DE that considers both empirically supported questions/items and an appropriate balance of items regarding the three constructs was discussed.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Societies in 2022
Authors:   Societies Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Soil Systems in 2022
Authors:   Soil Systems Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Generalization of Psychosocial Skills to Life Skills in Collegiate Athletes
Authors: Yabunaka Yuki , Kametani Ryo , Tsuchiya Hironobu
Published: January 2023

This study investigated how needs–supportive and needs–thwarting coaching behaviors, basic need satisfaction (BNS), and basic need frustration (BNF) are positively or negatively related to collegiate athletes’ generalization of psychosocial skills in competitive sports. Japanese collegiate athletes (N = 228, Mage = 19.7 years) completed the measures to assess the study variables. Structural equation modeling for the hypothesized models of associations among the variables showed that needs–supportive coaching behavior positively influenced BNS, which, in turn, positively affected the generalization of all 10 psychosocial skills in competitive sports. Moreover, needs–thwarting coaching behavior had a positive influence on BNF, which, in turn, negatively affected the following skills: generalization of stress management, appreciating others, communication, and maintaining etiquette and manners. These findings highlight that coaches and life skills educational supporters should display needs–supportive behaviors that help to improve participants’ BNS and promote generalization of the psychosocial skills for life skills development through competitive sports. Furthermore, they should prevent needs–thwarting behaviors that frustrate their basic needs in competitive sports.
Spatial Heterogeneity of Sustainable Land Use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area in the Context of the Carbon Cycle: GIS-Based Big Data Analysis
Authors: Chen Xiaolong , Chen Fang , Cui Fangyuan , Lei Wachio
Published: January 2023

The primary object of this study is to survey the spatial heterogeneity of sustainable land use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, The introduction of GIS technology into the evaluation index system under the traditional concept of circular economy, combined with the “double carbon target” and the methods of entropy weight analysis and superposition analysis led to the establishment of the evaluation index system for sustainable land use in the GIS model. The evaluation’s findings indicate that: (1) Spatially, the horizontal gravity center of sustainable land use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area changed dimensionally from 2010 to 2021, and the spatial gravity center shifted from north to south. (2) In terms of time characteristics, sustainable land use showed a steady upward trend in the 11 years from 2010 to 2021. (3) There were regional differences and uneven development levels in the comprehensive evaluation of sustainable land use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. It shows that there are great differences in the degree of social and economic development among federation-level cities in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. From the current research on the sustainable use of land resources, the evaluation of sustainable use of land based on the concept of a circular economy is less favorable. Thus far, there has been no case study on land sustainability in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area based on carbon cycles. In this study, the results are systematically sorted out, and the influencing factors are analyzed in depth to provide theoretical guidance on the sustainable and circular development of society, culture, and economy in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.
The Effect of FDI Agglomeration on Carbon Emission Intensity: Evidence from City-Level Data in China
Authors: Wu Yunyun , Xu Han
Published: January 2023

How to accelerate the reduction of carbon emissions in the context of the “double carbon” target has become a key concern for all sectors of society. This paper firstly analyzes the influence mechanism of foreign direct investment (FDI) agglomeration on carbon emission intensity, from a theoretical perspective. Then, based on a panel data of 270 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this paper uses ArcGIS software to visually analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of FDI agglomeration and carbon emission intensity, and constructs traditional fixed effect models and spatial econometric models for empirical analysis. The results show that, first, FDI agglomeration has a significantly positive impact on the carbon emission intensity of local and neighboring cities with crowding effect. Second, the level of technological innovation can mitigate the crowding effect of FDI agglomeration on carbon emission intensity in local and neighboring cities. Third, there is a negative spatial autocorrelation between the local carbon emission intensity and the carbon emission intensity of neighboring cities. Fourth, the crowding effect of FDI agglomeration on carbon emission intensity is mainly concentrated in the central and western regions. Based on the research conclusions, this paper puts forward corresponding countermeasure suggestions.
Social Life Cycle Assessment in Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems with Contribution of Waste Pickers: Literature Review and Proposals for New Studies
Authors: Mattos Flávio , Calmon João Luiz
Published: January 2023

Since the publication of the Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) of Products by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) in 2009, there has been an increase in publications and research using this tool to assess the positive or negative social impacts of products and services. This can be done by assessing all processes in the material supply chain, thereby identifying and quantifying the respective social impacts to inform decision makers. Because raw materials can come from different countries, some production processes may use recyclable or reusable materials handled by waste pickers in order to return them to the production chain. Since these waste pickers earn their living from collecting and selling these materials, the social impacts of the final product integrate the social evaluation results of the processes involving these materials. Thus, this article aims to survey the characteristics of current S-LCA models applied to Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems (MSWMS) that include waste pickers and their organizations, in order to identify research opportunities to expand the understanding and application of this tool. In this study, 33 articles were selected, using a systematic review methodology. Analyzing these articles has revealed possible paths to improve the choice of elements for S-LCA models applied to MSWMS that involve waste pickers or equivalents.
Assessing the Impact of Road Network on Urban Landscape Ecological Risk Based on Corridor Cutting Degree Model in Fuzhou, China
Authors: Yan Zichun , You Ninglong , Wang Lu , Lan Chengwei
Published: January 2023

The rapidly expanding road network has resulted in the separation of the urban ecological landscape. To assess the potential implication of the road systems on the landscape ecological risk, the corridor cutting degree model based on roadway impact zones was introduced, and the effects of the road system on the landscape pattern change were analyzed in Fuzhou City, China, in 2000, 2010, and 2020. Meanwhile, through spatial auto-correlation analysis and a geographical detector model, it was shown that there was a link between the characteristics of the road network and the temporal and spatial distribution of landscape ecological risk index, and the main determinants of landscape ecological risk were identified. The outcome indicated that (1) the intermediate cutting had the greatest impact on the ecological landscape of the four corridor cutting modes of the road network. Furthermore, the land types with a higher corridor cutting degree index were woodland, cultivated land, and grassland, accounting for 35.23%, 33.61%, and 5.95% of the total cutting areas, respectively, and the landscape fragmentation was relatively serious. (2) Fuzhou’s landscape ecological risk has significantly increased over the past 20 years, with sub-high-risk and high-risk areas experiencing increases of 9.47% and 7.63%, respectively, and the spatial distribution pattern being primarily high-high and low-low clustering. (3) Corridor cutting degree index (CCI) and distance from sampling point to road (shortest distance) were two key factors that altered the geographic distribution of ecological risk in the landscape, and they showed a positive and negative connection, respectively. (4) In the geographic distribution of landscape ecological risk, the interaction between CCI and land type, or shortest distance and land type, was much higher than that of other components, with an explanation rate of more than 22%. The study findings could provide a scientific basis for integrated transportation and ecological restoration strategies in national space.
Research on the Restrictive Factors of Vigorous Promotion of Prefabricated Buildings in Yancheng under the Background of “Double Carbon”
Authors: Sun Houchao , Fang Yuwei , Yin Minggan , Shi Feiting
Published: January 2023

In the field of construction, the promotion of prefabricated buildings has been strongly supported by the state due to its low-carbon, environmental protection and high-efficiency characteristics. The process of design, prefabrication, and installation, is restricted by factors such as unsound policy standards, insufficient technological innovation, lack of professional talents, and high costs, which have led to the slow development of prefabricated buildings in China. The main factors that restrict the development of prefabricated buildings in Yancheng are identified from the researcher’s point of view by literature review and questionnaire survey method. The degree of centrality and cause of each constraint has been analyzed by the decision-making laboratory method (DEMATEL), and the interpretation structure method (ISM) was used to build a multi-level hierarchical structure model of constraints, the logical relationship, hierarchical relationship and relative importance of each constraint are clarified. It is concluded that industry policies, imperfect standards and insufficient government publicity are the fundamental reasons to hinder the development of prefabricated buildings in Yancheng. According to the order of the centrality, the main restrictive factors are determined, which benefits the establishment of the homologous counterplan for the vigorous promotion of prefabricated buildings in Yancheng.
Fruit and Non-Starchy Vegetable Acquisition and Supply in Solomon Islands: Identifying Opportunities for Improved Food System Outcomes
Authors: Farrell Penny , Sharp Michael K. , Reeve Erica , Brewer Tom D. , Farmery Anna K. , Tutuo Jillian , Bogard Jessica R. , Kanamoli Samson , Thow Anne Marie
Published: January 2023

The Pacific Guidelines for Healthy Living recommend consuming a minimum of five servings of fruit and/or non-starchy vegetables each day, however, diets in Solomon Islands stray from the regional and global trend of healthy diets high in fresh fruit and vegetables. Our study drew on multiple sources of data and a food systems framework to show a country-wide picture of the role and benefits offered by fruit and non-starchy vegetables in Solomon Islands. First, we analysed data on fruit and non-starchy vegetable consumption and matched this to the data on supply. Second, we used a policy documentary analysis to highlight opportunities for the roles of fruit and non-starchy vegetables in the Solomon Island food system to advance progress in multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Key findings related to supply were the findings that domestic production of fruit and non-starchy vegetables is insufficient to meet per capita requirements, which coupled with our finding that per capita national level supply through imports is inconsequential, thus highlighting important undersupply issues for the nation. The food environment analysis indicated multiple further challenges hampering fruit and non-starchy vegetable consumption. Integrated with our analysis of policy, these revealed several opportunities, including improving affordability of this healthy commodity, enhancing livelihood equitability of supply chains, and strengthening environmentally sustainable agricultural practices that support increased production.
Tax Burden and Corporate Investment Efficiency
Authors: Lu Yu , Liu Rui , Cao Yuhe , Li Yuhan
Published: January 2023

Using A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2015 to 2021 as the research sample, a fixed-effects model was used to examine the effect of the reduction of corporate tax burden on investment efficiency under the tax reduction policy, as well as the role of tax avoidance and financing constraints in the mechanism. The results of the study show that the reduction of tax burden can effectively improve the efficiency of corporate investment, and this positive effect is reflected in the alleviation of corporate under-investment and discouragement of over-investment. The paper also analyses the mechanism through which tax burden affects the efficiency of corporate investment, and finds that tax reduction can discourage inefficient investment by reducing corporate tax avoidance and alleviating corporate financing constraints. In further analysis, it is found that the effect of tax cuts on investment efficiency is more significant in the sample of non-state enterprises, low corporate governance and low marketisation. The findings of the study support the positive significance of the current tax reduction policy. We provide a reference of tax reduction benefits to curb tax avoidance behavior, and provide a basis for relevant policy departments to further accelerate the implementation of tax reduction policies.
Motivational Antecedents of Young Players’ Intentions to Drop Out of Football during a Season
Authors: Fabra Priscila , González-García Lorena , Castillo Isabel , Duda Joan L. , Balaguer Isabel
Published: January 2023

Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the major aim of this study was to examine the social, environmental, and motivational predictors of adolescent football players’ intentions to drop out of their sport over the course of a season. Participants were 552 players (Mage = 11.23, SD = 1.14). A longitudinal model was tested which hypothesized changes in the coach’s interpersonal style (autonomy supportive, controlling) perceived by the players to predict changes in the players’ motivation (autonomous, controlled and amotivation) which subsequently predicted changes in their intentions to drop out at the season’s end. The results of the longitudinal path analysis presented an adequate fit to the data. Consistent with SDT, findings suggest that increases in autonomy-supportive coaching is promotive of increases in players’ autonomous motivation, which negatively predicted dropout intentions. Over time, more perceived controlling coaching behaviors positively predicted higher levels of controlled motivation and amotivation, with positive changes in the latter corresponding to stronger intentions to dropout.
Strategy for Developing Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Culture Using Intensive/Super-Intensive Technology in Indonesia
Authors: Mustafa Akhmad , Syah Rachman , Paena Mudian , Sugama Ketut , Kontara Endhay Kusnendar , Muliawan Irwan , Suwoyo Hidayat Suryanto , Asaad Andi Indra Jaya , Asaf Ruzkiah , Ratnawati Erna , Athirah Admi , Makmur  , Suwardi  , Taukhid Imam
Published: January 2023

The Government of the Indonesian Republic has targeted an increase in the value of shrimp exports and production until 250% by 2024. Thus, a special strategy is needed to develop whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture that can increase production but does not negatively impact the aquatic environment. For this reason, research was carried out to obtain a strategy for developing sustainable intensive/super-intensive technology of whiteleg shrimp culture in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The activity was conducted in South Sulawesi Province from March to July 2021. The data were collected from questionnaires submitted to respondents or actors, namely whiteleg shrimp brackishwater pond managers and other stakeholders and structured observations on whiteleg shrimp ponds. The validity of the questionnaire was tested using Corrected Item-Total Correlation method and the reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha method. Another primary data source was obtained through Focus Group Discussion. Data analysis was undertaken using the Analytical Hierarchy Process method. The research results show that, of the 18 intensive/super-intensive technology of whiteleg shrimp farming businesses operating in Bulukumba, Je’neponto, and Takalar Regencies, only one whitleg shrimp farming business applies super-intensive technology. The main problems in intensive/super-intensive whiteleg shrimp culture are disease attacks, namely acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease or early mortality syndrome and white feces disease and the inconsistent quality of seed. Among the four criteria studied, it was found that environmental factor criteria are the most influential in developing intensive/super-intensive technology of whiteleg shrimp culture. Among the seven alternative strategies, the order of priority of the alternative strategies is environmental protection of culture, management of culture areas, modern technological innovation, environmentally friendly culture technology, easy access to business and capital, improvement of human resources, and availability of pond facilities.
Investigating the Impact of Psychological Contract Violation on Survivors’ Turnover Intention under the Downsizing Context: A Moderated Mediation Mechanism
Authors: Lv Hao , Wang Guofeng , Ghouri Muhammad Waleed Ayub , Deng Zhuohang
Published: January 2023

In the light of social exchange theory, our study aimed to explore the impact of psychological contract violation on survivors’ turnover intention, specifically in a downsizing context. We put forth a moderated mediation model to uncover the mediating role of organizational commitment, as well as the boundary conditions of organizational support and emotional susceptibility as a moderating mechanism. To test our hypotheses, we surveyed 202 out of 271 layoff survivors belonging to the stores of an established manufacturing and retail footwear business in the southwest region of China. The study found a positive relationship between psychological contract violation and the survivors’ turnover intention. In addition, organizational commitment has been identified as a powerful mediator between psychological contract violation and turnover intention. This study, however, only explores how organizational support significantly moderates the mediating effect of organizational commitment in regard to psychological contract violation and turnover intention. This study helps organizational practitioners to ensure sound management practices for employees, in order to get rid of adverse consequences evinced through individuals’ negative emotions.
Research on Dynamic Scheduling Model of Plant Protection UAV Based on Levy Simulated Annealing Algorithm
Authors: Chen Cong , Li Yibai , Cao Guangqiao , Zhang Jinlong
Published: January 2023

The plant protection unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) scheduling model is of great significance to improve the operation income of UAV plant protection teams and ensure the quality of the operation. The simulated annealing algorithm (SA) is often used in the optimization solution of scheduling models, but the SA algorithm has the disadvantages of easily falling into local optimum and slow convergence speed. In addition, the current research on the UAV scheduling model for plant protection is mainly oriented to static scenarios. In the actual operation process, the UAV plant protection team often faces unexpected situations, such as new orders and changes in transfer path costs. The static model cannot adapt to such emergencies. In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes to use the Levi distribution method to improve the simulated annealing algorithm, and it proposes a dynamic scheduling model driven by unexpected events, such as new orders and transfer path changes. Order sorting takes into account such factors as the UAV plant protection team’s operating income, order time window, and job urgency, and prioritizes job orders. In the aspect of order allocation and solution, this paper proposes a Levy annealing algorithm (Levy-SA) to solve the scheduling strategy of plant protection UAVs in order to solve the problem that the traditional SA is easy to fall into local optimum and the convergence speed is slow. This paper takes the plant protection operation scenario of “one spray and three defenses” for wheat in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, as an example, to test the plant protection UAV scheduling model under the dynamic conditions of new orders and changes in transfer costs. The results show that the plant protection UAV dynamic scheduling model proposed in this paper can meet the needs of plant protection UAV scheduling operations in static and dynamic scenarios. Compared with SA and greedy best first search algorithm (GBFS), the proposed Levy-SA has better performance in static and dynamic programming scenarios. It has more advantages in terms of man-machine adjustment distance and total operation time. This research can provide a scientific basis for the dynamic scheduling and decision analysis of plant protection UAVs, and provide a reference for the development of an agricultural machinery intelligent scheduling system.
Botulinum Toxin Treatment of Motor Disorders in Parkinson Disease—A Systematic Review
Authors: Jabbari Bahman , Comtesse Samira Marie
Published: January 2023

This review provides an up-to-date literature account on the efficacy of Botulinum toxin treatment for common motor disorders of Parkinson Disease. The reviewed disorders include the common motor disorders in PD such as tremor, focal foot dystonia, rigidity and freezing of gait (FOG). In the area of Parkinson tremor, two newly described evaluation/injection techniques (Yale method in USA and Western University method in Canada) offer efficacy with low incidence of hand and finger weakness as side effects. Blinded studies conducted on foot dystonia of PD indicate that botulinum toxin injections into toe flexors are efficacious in alleviating this form of dystonia. Small, blinded studies suggest improvement of Parkinson rigidity after botulinum toxin injection; proof of this claim, however, requires information from larger, blinded clinical trials. In FOG, the improvement reported in open label studies could not be substantiated in blinded investigations. However, there is room for further controlled studies that include the proximal lower limb muscles in the injection plan and/or use higher doses of the injected toxin for this indication.
Cosmetic Treatment Using Botulinum Toxin in the Oral and Maxillofacial Area: A Narrative Review of Esthetic Techniques
Authors: Hong Sung Ok
Published: January 2023

Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is an anaerobic rod-shaped-neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum, that has both therapeutic and lethal applications. BoNT injection is the most popular cosmetic procedure worldwide with various applications. Patients with dynamic wrinkles in areas such as the glabella, forehead, peri-orbital lines, nasal rhytides, and perioral rhytides are indicated. Excessive contraction of muscles or hyperactivity of specific muscles such as bulky masseters, cobble stone chins, gummy smiles, asymmetric smiles, and depressed mouth corners can achieve esthetic results by targeting the precise muscles. Patients with hypertrophic submandibular glands and parotid glands can also benefit esthetically. There are several FDA-approved BoNTs (obabotuli-numtoxinA, abobotulinumtoxinA, incobotulinumtoxinA, letibotulinumtoxinA, prabotulinumtox-inA, daxibotulinumtoxinA, rimbotulinumtoxinB) and novel BoNTs on the market. This paper is a narrative review of the consensus statements of expert practitioners and various literature on the injection points and techniques, highlighting both the Asian and Caucasian population separately. This paper can serve as a practical illustrative guide and reference for optimal, safe injection areas and effective doses for application of BoNT in the face and oral and maxillofacial area. The history of BoNT indications, contraindications, and complications, and the merits of ultrasonography (US)-assisted injections are also discussed.
Mechanisms of Neuroinvasion and Neuropathogenesis by Pathologic Flaviviruses
Authors: de Vries Liset , Harding Alfred T.
Published: January 2023

Flaviviruses are present on every continent and cause significant morbidity and mortality. In many instances, severe cases of infection with flaviviruses involve the invasion of and damage to the central nervous system (CNS). Currently, there are several mechanisms by which it has been hypothesized flaviviruses reach the brain, including the disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) which acts as a first line of defense by blocking the entry of many pathogens into the brain, passing through the BBB without disruption, as well as travelling into the CNS through axonal transport from peripheral nerves. After flaviviruses have entered the CNS, they cause different neurological symptoms, leading to years of neurological sequelae or even death. Similar to neuroinvasion, there are several identified mechanisms of neuropathology, including direct cell lysis, blockage of the cell cycle, indication of apoptosis, as well as immune induced pathologies. In this review, we aim to summarize the current knowledge in the field of mechanisms of both neuroinvasion and neuropathogenesis during infection with a variety of flaviviruses and examine the potential contributions and timing of each discussed pathway.
Comparison of a Genotype 1 and a Genotype 2 Macaque Foamy Virus env Gene Indicates Distinct Infectivity and Cell-Cell Fusion but Similar Tropism and Restriction of Cell Entry by Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Proteins
Authors: Fricke Thomas , Schlagowski Sarah , Liu Shanchuan , Yang Xiaoliang , Fiebig Uwe , Kaul Artur , Ensser Armin , Hahn Alexander S.
Published: January 2023

Foamy viruses (FVs) are naturally found in many different animals and also in primates with the notable exception of humans, but zoonotic infections are common. In several species, two different envelope (env) gene sequence clades or genotypes exist. We constructed a simian FV (SFV) clone containing a reporter gene cassette. In this background, we compared the env genes of the SFVmmu-DPZ9524 (genotype 1) and of the SFVmmu_R289hybAGM (genotype 2) isolates. SFVmmu_R289hybAGM env-driven infection was largely resistant to neutralization by SFVmmu-DPZ9524-neutralizing sera. While SFVmmu_R289hybAGM env consistently effected higher infectivity and cell-cell fusion, we found no differences in the cell tropism conferred by either env across a range of different cells. Infection by both viruses was weakly and non-significantly enhanced by simultaneous knockout of interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) 1, 2, and 3 in A549 cells, irrespective of prior interferon stimulation. Infection was modestly reduced by recombinant overexpression of IFITM3, suggesting that the SFV entry step might be weakly restricted by IFITM3 under some conditions. Overall, our results suggest that the different env gene clades in macaque foamy viruses induce genotype-specific neutralizing antibodies without exhibiting overt differences in cell tropism, but individual env genes may differ significantly with regard to fitness.
Analysis of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours of Health Care Workers towards Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Recommended Vaccinations: An Observational Study in a Teaching Hospital
Authors: Riccio Marianna , Marte Mattia , Imeshtari Valentin , Vezza Francesca , Barletta Vanessa India , Shaholli David , Colaprico Corrado , Di Chiara Maria , Caresta Elena , Terrin Gianluca , Papoff Paola , La Torre Giuseppe
Published: January 2023

Background: Recommended vaccinations are the cheapest and most effective measure to reduce the risk of transmission and related complications, especially in high-risk healthcare settings. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of HCWs in relation to national recommendations. Methods: A transversal study was conducted through administration of a questionnaire by personal interview. The following care units were involved: Paediatric, Neonatal, Cardiac Surgery and General Intensive Care Units and Infectious Diseases Unit. Results: The study sample comprised 308 HCWs. Half the sample were aware of the vaccination recommendations, with occupation and age found to be predictive factors (OR = 9.38, 95%CI: 2.07–42.41; OR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.22–0.60). A higher percentage defined the diseases as a risk for their patients’ health, although this perception was lower in the over-40 age group. In several cases, there were statistically significant differences between the care units (p < 0.001). Around three-quarters of the sample agreed that vaccination should be mandatory; willingness to undergo a future booster vaccination was statistically correlated with the variables of age and care unit (p < 0.001, p = 0.03). Conclusion: The protection of health in the workplace can be achieved through some strategic actions, such as the implementation of educational strategies, and protocols for the monitoring of immunocompetence and the improvement of vaccination.
Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of the Dynamics of RNA Viruses in Presence of Immunity and Treatment: A Case Study of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Hattaf Khalid , El Karimi Mly Ismail , Mohsen Ahmed A. , Hajhouji Zakaria , El Younoussi Majda , Yousfi Noura
Published: January 2023

The emergence of novel RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2 poses a greater threat to human health. Thus, the main objective of this article is to develop a new mathematical model with a view to better understand the evolutionary behavior of such viruses inside the human body and to determine control strategies to deal with this type of threat. The developed model takes into account two modes of transmission and both classes of infected cells that are latently infected cells and actively infected cells that produce virus particles. The cure of infected cells in latent period as well as the lytic and non-lytic immune response are considered into the model. We first show that the developed model is well-posed from the biological point of view by proving the non-negativity and boundedness of model’s solutions. Our analytical results show that the dynamical behavior of the model is fully determined by two threshold parameters one for viral infection and the other for humoral immunity. The effect of antiviral treatment is also investigated. Furthermore, numerical simulations are presented in order to illustrate our analytical results.
S Protein, ACE2 and Host Cell Proteases in SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry and Infectivity; Is Soluble ACE2 a Two Blade Sword? A Narrative Review
Authors: Nejat Reza , Torshizi Maziar Fayaz , Najafi David J.
Published: January 2023

Since the spread of the deadly virus SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019, researchers have restlessly sought to unravel how the virus enters the host cells. Some proteins on each side of the interaction between the virus and the host cells are involved as the major contributors to this process: (1) the nano-machine spike protein on behalf of the virus, (2) angiotensin converting enzyme II, the mono-carboxypeptidase and the key component of renin angiotensin system on behalf of the host cell, (3) some host proteases and proteins exploited by SARS-CoV-2. In this review, the complex process of SARS-CoV-2 entrance into the host cells with the contribution of the involved host proteins as well as the sequential conformational changes in the spike protein tending to increase the probability of complexification of the latter with angiotensin converting enzyme II, the receptor of the virus on the host cells, are discussed. Moreover, the release of the catalytic ectodomain of angiotensin converting enzyme II as its soluble form in the extracellular space and its positive or negative impact on the infectivity of the virus are considered.