bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Findings on Fly Ash-Derived Zeolites Synthesis and Utilization According to the Circular Economy Concept
Authors: Mlonka-Mędrala Agata
Published: September 2023

The synthesis and utilization of zeolites derived from fly ash (FA) gained significant attention years ago due to their potential to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable practices subscribing to the circular economy concept. This paper highlights the recent findings regarding the synthesis and utilization of zeolites derived from FA. It begins with a discussion about the recent challenges regarding industrial waste management and statistics regarding its availability on the global market with a special insight into the situation in Poland. The characteristics of FA obtained from various fuels were presented and the main differences were highlighted. Then, different methods used for the synthesis of zeolites from FA were discussed in small and pilot scales taking into consideration the main challenges and problems. The analytical methods used in porous materials synthesis verification and properties determination were described. The sorption properties of FA-derived zeolites were presented and discussed. Finally, the paper emphasizes the potential applications of fly ash-derived zeolites in different fields. Their importance as sustainable alternatives to conventional materials in industry, construction, agriculture, power, medicine, and other industrial sectors was analyzed.
PePTM: An Efficient and Accurate Personalized P2P Learning Algorithm for Home Thermal Modeling
Authors: Boubouh Karim , Basmadjian Robert , Ardakanian Omid , Maurer Alexandre , Guerraoui Rachid
Published: September 2023

Nowadays, the integration of home automation systems with smart thermostats is a common trend, designed to enhance resident comfort and conserve energy. The introduction of smart thermostats that can run machine learning algorithms has opened the door for on-device training, enabling customized thermal experiences in homes. However, leveraging the flexibility offered by on-device learning has been hindered by the absence of a tailored learning scheme that allows for accurate on-device training of thermal models. Traditional centralized learning (CL) and federated learning (FL) schemes rely on a central server that controls the learning experience, compromising the home’s privacy and requiring significant energy to operate. To address these challenges, we propose PePTM, a personalized peer-to-peer thermal modeling algorithm that generates tailored thermal models for each home, offering a controlled learning experience with a minimal training energy footprint while preserving the home’s privacy, an aspect difficult to achieve in both CL and FL. PePTM consists of local and collaborative learning phases that enable each home to train its thermal model and collaboratively improve it with a set of similar homes in a peer-to-peer fashion. To showcase the effectiveness of PePTM, we use a year’s worth of data from US homes to train thermal models using the RNN time-series model and compare the data across three learning schemes: CL, FL, and PePTM, in terms of model performance and the training energy footprint. Our experimental results show that PePTM is significantly energy-efficient, requiring 695 and 40 times less training energy than CL and FL, respectively, while maintaining comparable performance. We believe that PePTM sets the stage for new avenues for on-device thermal model training, providing a personalized thermal experience with reduced energy consumption and enhanced privacy.
Trends and Future Perspective of Electrification in Agricultural Tractor-Implement Applications
Authors: Mocera Francesco , Somà Aurelio , Martelli Salvatore , Martini Valerio
Published: September 2023

The worldwide growing demand for food is pushing the agricultural field towards new innovative solutions to increase the efficiency and productivity of cultivations. In this direction, agricultural mechanization plays a crucial role, and tractors are among the most important actors. Agricultural tractors are machines designed to push/pull special instruments usually referred to as implements, to which they may transfer power by means of a mechanical power take-off (PTO) or via hydraulic connections, thanks to the availability of pressurized oil. The tractor can be seen as a mobile power station: the more efficiently it provides power to external implements or to the ground in terms of tractive effort, the higher will be the efficiency and productivity of a certain task. However, the growing demand for greener and sustainable work machines is pushing towards new concepts of tractor powertrains with the goal of reducing, as much as possible, the amount of pollutants and GHG emissions per unit of work. In this paper, the authors will propose a review of the current trends towards electrification of agricultural tractors. Electrification can help in making vehicles more efficient and opening a new scenario for work optimization. Moreover, electrification is also involving the implements attached to the tractor and responsible for actually performing a wide variety of field tasks. However, tractor electrification requires proper attention due to the impact of high power electric systems on the vehicle configuration. For this reason, a proper level of hybridization should be considered. In this paper, a new classification method will be proposed, considering the electrification level in terms of power and as a function of the installed electric energy storage. This definition will be applied to classify the current state of the art of electric and hybrid agricultural tractors, investigating current trends in the scientific community and among industrial manufacturers with a look to the new upcoming technologies.
Analysis of Residential Electricity Usage Characteristics and the Effects of Shifting Home Appliance Usage Time under a Time-of-Use Rate Plan
Authors: Chung Young Mo , Chung Beom Jin , Kim Dong Sik
Published: September 2023

Carbon reduction programs are being introduced for carbon neutrality and energy transition to clean energy sources in various sectors, such as energy, buildings, transportation, and agriculture. In the residential electricity energy of the energy sector, the time-of-use (TOU) rate plan, which employs dynamic rates depending on energy usage times based on the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), is being implemented for efficient electricity energy consumption. For broad expansion of the TOU rate plan, customers need information about its benefits, such as potential savings on electricity bills. In this paper, we first analyze the statistical characteristics of electricity energy usage using the metering data collected from 10 apartment complexes through AMI and develop a model to calculate the electricity bill savings. We next introduce examples of major home appliances, of which usage times can be shifted, and offer projected bill savings from the developed model. We analyze the examples from both the perspectives of households and apartment complexes. The information from this analysis is helpful in practically investigating customers’ willingness to shift the usage time for a successful implementation of the demand response program.
Technical and Economic Analysis of the Use of Electricity Generated by a BIPV System for an Educational Establishment in Poland
Authors: Kurz Dariusz , Głuchy Damian , Filipiak Michał , Ostrowski Dawid
Published: September 2023

In the face of ongoing climate changes and the current geopolitical situation, Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are continuously gaining popularity in many countries. Objectives related to environmental protection and the use of RES set by different countries all over the world, as well as by the European Union (EU), are becoming priorities for many. The increase in the installed capacity of photovoltaic systems has been growing steadily for several years, leading to the creation of new systems accompanying PV installations; this phenomenon has also been observed in Poland. This paper presents a photovoltaic system in the form of a bicycle shed next to a school building as an example of building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) without connection to the power grid. It was shown that the energy consumption profile should be properly correlated with the production profile, otherwise significant losses occur. Alternative methods to improve the correlation of production and energy consumption by using SCADA systems or building automation to properly manage the electricity generation and consumption installation were also proposed. Furthermore, it was shown that adopting a fixed discount rate in financial analyses can distort the picture of real profits. An analysis of the changes in the NPV ratio using variable discount rates was carried out when analyzing the entire life of the solar plant.
Sustainable Energy Supplies in Developing Countries: Does National Governance Matter?
Authors: Shang Mengya , Aleesa Noha , Zakari Abdulrasheed
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we examine the impact of national governance quality on clean energy supplies in developing countries. We used a large sample of 103 developing countries over 21 years. We employ pooled ordinary least squares as the primary estimator. Additionally, we apply a Fixed Effect and the Two-Step System-Generalized Method of Moments to mitigate contemporaneity bias. Following prior studies, we construct national governance quality from the six World Governance Indicators. Consistent with our expectations, we find a positive and significant association between national governance quality and clean energy supplies. The results show that countries with high national governance quality are more likely to generate high amounts of clean energy than low-governed countries and to experience a high green economy. The results are also significant when the governance indicator is disaggregated into individual components. However, in a continental analysis, we found that the link between national governance quality and clean energy supplies is stronger in Africa than on other continents. Our results are robust to alternative measurements and econometric identification strategies.
Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics of Tristable Exponential Section of Piezoelectric Energy Harvester
Authors: Cai Zhaoxin , Zhou Kuntao , Yang Tao , Hao Shuying
Published: September 2023

Variable-cross-section beams have better mass and strength distribution compared with constant cross-section beams, which can optimize the harvesting power of piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters, which are widely used in self-supplied and low-power electronic devices, providing more convenience and innovation for the development of micromechanical intelligence and portable mobile devices. This paper proposes a piezoelectric energy harvester with a tristable-exponential-decay cross section, which optimizes the strain distribution of the cantilever beam through exponential decay changes to improve the harvesting efficiency of the harvester in low-frequency environments. First, the nonlinear magnetic force is obtained based on the magnetic dipole, and the dynamic model is established by using the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and Lagrangian equation. The influence of the structural parameters of the harvester on the system dynamics and output characteristics is analyzed in the two dimensions of time and frequency, and the influence of the exponential decay coefficient on the system dynamic response and output power is deeply studied. The research shows that the exponential decay section can reduce the first natural frequency of the cantilever beam; by changing the amplitude, frequency, d and dg of the excitation acceleration, the switching of the monostable, tristable and bistable states of the system can be realized. With a decrease in the exponential decay coefficient, under a low-frequency excitation of 0–7 Hz, the output power of the cantilever beam per unit volume is significantly improved, and under a 4 Hz low-frequency excitation, the acquisition output power per unit volume of the cantilever beam is increased by 7 times, thus realizing low-frequency, high-efficiency energy harvesting.
Virtual Inertia Control in Autonomous Microgrids via a Cascaded Controller for Battery Energy Storage Optimized by Firefly Algorithm and a Comparison Study with GA, PSO, ABC, and GWO
Authors: Amiri Farhad , Eskandari Mohsen , Moradi Mohammad Hassan
Published: September 2023

Modern (micro) grids host inverter-based generation units for utilizing renewable and sustainable energy resources. Due to the lack of physical inertia and, thus, the low inertia level of inverter-interfaced energy resources, the frequency dynamic is adversely affected, which critically impacts the stability of autonomous microgrids. The idea of virtual inertia control (VIC), assisted by battery energy storage systems (BESSs), has been presented to improve the frequency dynamic in islanded microgrids. This study presents the PD-FOPID cascaded controller for the BESS, a unique method for enhancing the performance of VIC in islanded microgrids. Using the firefly algorithm (FA), the settings of this controller are optimally tuned. This approach is robust to disruptions due to uncertainties in islanded microgrids. In several scenarios, the performance of the suggested approach is compared with those of other control techniques, such as VIC based on an MPC controller, VIC based on a robust H-infinite controller, adaptive VIC, and VIC based on an optimized PI controller. The simulation results in MATLAB show that the suggested methodology in the area of VIC is better than previous methods.
Machine Learning- and Artificial Intelligence-Derived Prediction for Home Smart Energy Systems with PV Installation and Battery Energy Storage
Authors: Rojek Izabela , Mikołajewski Dariusz , Mroziński Adam , Macko Marek
Published: September 2023

Overview: Photovoltaic (PV) systems are widely used in residential applications in Poland and Europe due to increasing environmental concerns and fossil fuel energy prices. Energy management strategies for residential systems (1.2 million prosumer PV installations in Poland) play an important role in reducing energy bills and maximizing profits. Problem: This article aims to check how predictable the operation of a household PV system is in the short term—such predictions are usually made 24 h in advance. Methods: We made a comparative study of different energy management strategies based on a real household profile (selected energy storage installation) based on both traditional methods and various artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which is a new approach, so far rarely used and underutilized, and may inspire further research, including those based on the paradigm of Industry 4.0 and, increasingly, Industry 5.0. Results: This paper discusses the results for different operational scenarios, considering two prosumer billing systems in Poland (net metering and net billing). Conclusions: Insights into future research directions and their limitations due to legal status, etc., are presented. The novelty and contribution lies in the demonstration that, in the case of domestic PV grids, even simple AI solutions can prove effective in inference and forecasting to support energy flow management and make it more predictable and efficient.
Long Exposure to Salt Stress in Jatropha curcas Leads to Stronger Damage to the Chloroplast Ultrastructure and Its Functionality Than the Stomatal Function
Authors: Cao Huijuan , Han Yongguang , Cheng Ziyi , Lv Qian , Pompelli Marcelo F. , Pereira Jaqueline Dias , Araújo Wagner L.
Published: September 2023

As sessile organisms, plants face a wide range of abiotic stresses, with salinity being a significant condition affecting their growth, development, and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study focused on understanding how salinity impacts Jatropha curcas, an important oilseed plant for the production of biodiesel. By examining the anatomy and ultrastructure of stomata and chloroplasts, we investigated the effects of prolonged salinity stress on J. curcas. This stress led to changes in the stomatal density, stomatal index, and ostiole aperture, which can cause an imbalance of water conductivity in the xylem. Through transmission electron microscopy, we explored the subcellular organization of J. curcas chloroplasts and their contribution to plant photosynthetic efficiency, providing insights into their role in this process. Notably, increases in salinity resulted in a significant increase in starch granule accumulation, leading to impaired granal and stromal grana lamellae, destroying this ultrastructure. Our findings indicate that the anatomy and ultrastructure of chloroplasts play a crucial role in influencing photosynthetic efficiency. Moreover, impaired hydraulic conductivity due to salinity and a lesser osmotic potential in vessels may cause a reduced source-to-sink relationship, which increases starch accumulation in the chloroplast and influences the ultrastructure of the chloroplast. This study offers a new perspective on the structure and function of chloroplasts in J. curcas, presenting innovative opportunities to develop strategies that enhance the production of biofuel in areas with high soil salinity.
Responses of Tree Growth and Intrinsic Water Use Efficiency to Climate Factors and Human Activities in Upper Reaches of Tarim River in Alaer, Xinjiang, China
Authors: Ye Yuanda , Liu Yu , Ren Meng , Cai Qiufang , Sun Changfeng , Li Qiang , Song Huiming , Ye Mao , Zhang Tongwen
Published: September 2023

With global warming and increasing human activities, exploring the impact of the rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and climate change on forest ecosystems is crucial. In this study, we focus on Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica Oliv.) in the upper reaches of the Tarim River in the Alaer region of Xinjiang. We use dendrochronological methods, tree-ring width, and stable carbon isotope series to explain basal area increment (BAI) and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) changes. We further explore the influence of past climate change and human activities on the radial growth and iWUE of P. euphratica through stable oxygen isotope analysis combined with historical literature records. The results showed that relative humidity had an essential effect on Δ13C and δ18O fractionation in P. euphratica tree rings, whereas the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was considered the main factor influencing the inter-annual variability of the iWUE and BAI. Since 1850, long-term variations in iWUE have exhibited an upward trajectory correlated with rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Approximately 13% of this iWUE increase can be attributed to changes in carbon-concentration-induced water use efficiency (cciWUE). Although Δ13C and δ18O were generally uncorrelated between 1850 and 2018, around 1918, their relationship changed from being weakly correlated to being significantly negatively correlated, which may record changes related to the upstream Tarim River diversion. During the period from 1850 to 2018, both the BAI and iWUE showed an increasing trend for P. euphratica growth; however, the relationship between them was not stable: during 1850–1958, both variables were mainly influenced by climatic factors, while during 1959–2018, the most important influence was due to human activities, specifically agricultural development and irrigation diversions. An abrupt surge in the BAI was observed from 1959 to 1982, reaching its peak around 1982. Surprisingly, post-1983, the escalating iWUE did not correspond with a continuation of this upward trajectory in the BAI, highlighting a divergence from the previous trend where the enhanced iWUE no longer facilitated the growth of P. euphratica. Despite P. euphratica having adapted to the continuously rising Ca, improving its iWUE and growth capacity, this adaptive ability is unstable and may easily be affected by human activities. Overall, the increase in Ca has increased the iWUE of P. euphratica and promoted its growth at a low frequency, while human activities have promoted its development at a high frequency.
Exploring Homomorphic Encryption and Differential Privacy Techniques towards Secure Federated Learning Paradigm
Authors: Aziz Rezak , Banerjee Soumya , Bouzefrane Samia , Le Vinh Thinh
Published: September 2023

The trend of the next generation of the internet has already been scrutinized by top analytics enterprises. According to Gartner investigations, it is predicted that, by 2024, 75% of the global population will have their personal data covered under privacy regulations. This alarming statistic necessitates the orchestration of several security components to address the enormous challenges posed by federated and distributed learning environments. Federated learning (FL) is a promising technique that allows multiple parties to collaboratively train a model without sharing their data. However, even though FL is seen as a privacy-preserving distributed machine learning method, recent works have demonstrated that FL is vulnerable to some privacy attacks. Homomorphic encryption (HE) and differential privacy (DP) are two promising techniques that can be used to address these privacy concerns. HE allows secure computations on encrypted data, while DP provides strong privacy guarantees by adding noise to the data. This paper first presents consistent attacks on privacy in federated learning and then provides an overview of HE and DP techniques for secure federated learning in next-generation internet applications. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of these techniques in different settings as described in the literature, with a particular focus on the trade-off between privacy and convergence, as well as the computation overheads involved. The objective of this paper is to analyze the challenges associated with each technique and identify potential opportunities and solutions for designing a more robust, privacy-preserving federated learning framework.
The Potential Relationship between Gastric and Small Intestinal-Derived Endotoxin on Serum Testosterone in Men
Authors: Phan Laura N. , Murphy Karen J. , Pearce Karma L. , Tran Cuong D. , Tremellen Kelton P.
Published: September 2023

The association between H. pylori and small intestinal permeability (IP) on serum testosterone levels in men as mediated by metabolic endotoxemia remains unclear. We sought to explore relationships using correlational analysis between H. pylori IgG class antibody levels and small IP via dual sugar probe analysis on T levels in 50 male participants of reproductive age. Sleep quality, physical activity levels, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptom severity were measured as potential confounders. Measures for H. pylori (antibodies) increased small IP (lactulose/rhamnose ratio), and hypogonadism (testosterone) did not exceed diagnostic cut-off values for respective pathologies. There was no correlation between lactulose/rhamnose e ratio and GI function markers, zonulin, H. pylori, and IBS questionnaire scores; inflammatory markers, high-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hsCRP) and Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein (LBP); nor endocrine markers, testosterone, Luteinizing hormone (LH), and Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). There was a moderate inverse relationship revealed between IBS symptom severity and LBP (r = −0.457, p = 0.004); and hsCRP and testosterone (r = −0.398, p = 0.004). This was independent of physical activity level and sleep quality, but not BMI, which supports the existing link between adiposity, inflammation, and hypogonadism currently present in the literature.
Towards In Silico Identification of Genes Contributing to Similarity of Patients’ Multi-Omics Profiles: A Case Study of Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Batten Declan J. , Crofts Jonathan J. , Chuzhanova Nadia
Published: September 2023

We propose a computational framework for selecting biologically plausible genes identified by clustering of multi-omics data that reveal patients’ similarity, thus giving researchers a more comprehensive view on any given disease. We employ spectral clustering of a similarity network created by fusion of three similarity networks, based on mRNA expression of immune genes, miRNA expression and DNA methylation data, using SNF_v2.1 software. For each cluster, we rank multi-omics features, ensuring the best separation between clusters, and select the top-ranked features that preserve clustering. To find genes targeted by DNA methylation and miRNAs found in the top-ranked features, we use chromosome-conformation capture data and miRNet2.0 software, respectively. To identify informative genes, these combined sets of target genes are analyzed in terms of their enrichment in somatic/germline mutations, GO biological processes/pathways terms and known sets of genes considered to be important in relation to a given disease, as recorded in the Molecular Signature Database from GSEA. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were analyzed to identify genes that are hubs of PPI networks. We used data recorded in The Cancer Genome Atlas for patients with acute myeloid leukemia to demonstrate our approach, and discuss our findings in the context of results in the literature.
The Role of MicroRNA in Graft-Versus-Host-Disease: A Review
Authors: Pitea Martina , Canale Filippo Antonio , Porto Gaetana , Verduci Chiara , Utano Giovanna , Policastro Giorgia , Alati Caterina , Santoro Ludovica , Imbalzano Lucrezia , Martino Massimo
Published: September 2023

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a clinically challenging modality for the treatment of many hematologic diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication after allo-HSCT and remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, limiting the success of a potentially curative transplant. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been shown to impact the biology of GVHD. They are molecular regulators involved in numerous processes during T-cell development, homeostasis, and activation, and contribute to the pathological function of T-cells during GvHD. Here, we review the key role of miRNAs contributing to the GvHD; their detection might be an interesting possibility in the early diagnosis and monitoring of disease
Development of a Sensitive, Easy and High-Throughput Compliant Protocol for Maize and Soybean DNA Extraction and Quantitation Using a Plant-Specific Universal Taqman Minor Groove Binder Probe
Authors: Ambra Roberto , Marcelli Marco , D’Orso Fabio
Published: September 2023

We report the optimization of a high-throughput, compliant DNA extraction method that uses standard format 96-well plates and a commercial automated DNA purification system (ABI PRISM® 6100 Nucleic Acid PrepStation). The procedure was set up for maize and soybean, the most common GMO crops and the main ingredients of several foodstuffs, and compared with an EU-validated CTAB-based method. Optimization of the DNA extraction was achieved by applying self-prepared buffers (for DNA extraction, binding, and washing) on the PrepStation loaded with proprietary glass-fiber-coated purification plates. Quantification of extracted DNA was performed by real-time PCR using previously reported endogenous soybean lectin and maize starch synthase genes and a novel plant-specific universal TaqMan MGB probe that targets the 18S rRNA multiple copy gene. Using serial dilutions of both maize and soybean genomic DNAs, we show low PCR sensitivity and efficiency for the official TransPrep DNA extraction protocol compared to the CTAB-based one. On the other hand, using serial dilutions of a standard reference plasmid containing a 137 bp sequence cloned from the 18S rRNA plant-specific ribosomal gene, we demonstrate the high PCR sensitivity and efficiency of the optimized DNA extraction protocol setup with self-prepared buffers. The limits of detection and quantification of the 18S rDNA reiteration were consistent with the calculated values, supporting the suitability of the DNA extraction procedure for high-throughput analyses of large populations and small amounts of tissue.
Mass-Movement Causes and Landslide Susceptibility in River Valleys of Lowland Areas: A Case Study in the Central Radunia Valley, Northern Poland
Authors: Małka Anna , Zabuski Lesław , Enzmann Frieder , Krawiec Arkadiusz
Published: September 2023

This work aims to analyse the mechanisms and factors contributing to shallow soil landslides in river valleys entrenched in lowlands on the example of the Central Radunia Valley. The combination of susceptibility analysis using geographic-information-system-based statistical models, field surveys, analysis of archival materials, and numerical modelling for the analysis of slope stability and hydrogeological processes allows for comprehensive landslide reconstruction, mass movement mechanism description, and an explanation of the role of triggering and causal factors. The results emphasise the need for cross-disciplinary studies of shallow soil landslides. The identification and prioritisation of the causal factors indicate that geomorphological conditions play a particularly important role. The current study shows that the greatest influence on landslide formation in the Central Radunia Valley is slope angle, as determined using a high-resolution digital elevation model. The slope angle factor is sufficient to produce a reliable susceptibility map (the areas under the curve of the success rate and prediction rate curves are 87.84% and 85.34%, respectively). However, numerical modelling of slope failure also clearly indicated that there was a significant influence of anthropogenic impacts on the landslide process. We determined that the main triggering factor causing the January 2019 Rutki landslide was related to the drilling of a borehole on 10 January 2019. The water used for drilling hydrated the soil and thus weakened the stability conditions.
Illegal Solid-Waste Dumping in a Low-Income Neighbourhood in South Africa: Prevalence and Perceptions
Authors: Ngalo Nobomi , Thondhlana Gladman
Published: September 2023

Illegal solid-waste dumping (ISWD) is prevalent globally with adverse social and environmental impacts, particularly in poor communities. Understanding the extent, practices and perceptions of ISWD is needed to inform interventions. Using GIS techniques and household surveys, this study examined the prevalence of dumpsites, and perceptions of ISWD in a low-income neighbourhood of Komani, South Africa. A total of 120 dumpsites were encountered in green spaces, empty residential plots and street edges, suggesting illegal dumping of solid waste is widespread. More than half of the respondents (58%) disposed of household waste in undesignated sites or burnt it, attributing this to the non-collection of waste. Potential interventions suggested were largely technical, including regular collection of waste, and the provision of bins and plastic bags. The paper suggests approaches to addressing sustainable solid-waste management should consider the views of local communities, who are principal stakeholders in the solid-waste production and management mix.
Correction: Ishihara et al. Association between Daily Physical Activity and Locomotive Syndrome in Community-Dwelling Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 8164
Authors: Ishihara Yoshihiko , Ozaki Hayao , Nakagata Takashi , Yoshihara Toshinori , Natsume Toshiharu , Kitada Tomoharu , Ishibashi Masayoshi , Deng Pengyu , Yamada Yasuyuki , Kobayashi Hiroyuki , Machida Shuichi , Naito Hisashi
Published: September 2023

There was an error in the “d-value of the first paragraph in Section 3 (Results)” in the original publication (Page 5, Line 41) [...]
How Does the Health Literacy of Adults Residing in Social Housing Compare with That of Those Living in Other Housing Tenures in Australia? A Secondary Analysis of the Australian National Health Survey 2017–2018 Dataset
Authors: Freund Megan , Noble Natasha , Boyes Allison , Clapham Matthew , Adamson David , Sanson-Fisher Robert
Published: September 2023

Background: Social housing tenants have poorer health outcomes than homeowners or those renting privately. Health literacy is associated with access to care and health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the health literacy of Australian adults residing in social housing compared with that of people living in other housing types. Methods: A secondary analysis of the Australian National Health Survey 2017–2018 dataset was undertaken. A total of 5275 respondents were included in the sample and completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Respondents were categorised according to their housing tenure: 163 (3.1%) respondents were living in social housing, 873 (17%) were living in private rentals, 2085 (40%) were homeowners, and 2154 (41%) were homeowners/mortgages. Mean scores were calculated for each of the nine health literacy domains in the HLQ and compared across housing tenure using linear regression models. Results: Social housing tenants had lower mean domain scores than either homeowners, owner mortgagees, or private renters on six of the nine health literacy domains. This included ‘having sufficient information to manage my health’, ‘social support for health’, ‘ability to engage with healthcare providers’, ‘navigating the healthcare system’ ‘ability to find good health information’, and being able to ‘understand health information enough to know what to do’. However, the differences in mean scores were small. Conclusions: Increasing health literacy may be an important part of multicomponent interventions seeking to improve the health and wellbeing of social housing tenants.
Prevalence and Predictors of Long COVID in Patients Accessing a National Digital Mental Health Service
Authors: Staples Lauren G. , Nielssen Olav , Dear Blake F. , Bisby Madelyne A. , Fisher Alana , Kayrouz Rony , Titov Nickolai
Published: September 2023

MindSpot is a national mental health service that provides assessments and treatment to Australian adults online or via telephone. Since the start of 2020, questions related to the mental health impacts of COVID-19 have been routinely administered. The objective of the current study is to report the prevalence and predictors of self-reported “long COVID” in patients completing an assessment at the MindSpot Clinic between 5 September 2022 and 7 May 2023 (n = 17,909). Consistent with the World Health Organization definition, we defined long COVID as the occurrence of ongoing physical or mental health symptoms three months after a COVID-19 infection. We conducted a descriptive univariate analysis of patients who reported: no COVID-19 diagnosis (n = 6151); a current or recent (within 3 months) COVID-19 infection (n = 2417); no symptoms three months post-COVID-19 infection (n = 7468); or COVID-related symptoms at least three months post-infection (n = 1873). Multivariate logistic regression was then used to compare patients with and without symptoms three months post-COVID to identify potential predictors for long COVID. The prevalence of long COVID was 10% of the total sample (1873/17909). Patients reporting symptoms associated with long COVID were older, more likely to be female, and more likely to be depressed and report a reduced ability to perform their usual tasks. Sociodemographic factors, including cultural background, education, and employment, were examined. These results provide evidence of the significant prevalence of symptoms of long COVID in people using a national digital mental health service. Reporting outcomes in an Australian context and in specific sub-populations is important for public health planning and for supporting patients.
A Comparison of Cognitive Performance, Depressive Symptoms, and Incidence of Falls in Brazilian Older Women with and without a Confirmed History of COVID-19
Authors: Nascimento Marcelo de Maio , Barros Naiara de Souza , Coelho Josiane Maria Rodrigues , Silva Ana Beatriz dos Santos , Ribeiro Adriane de Souza , Santos Shákia Thâmara Guedes da Rocha , Rodríguez Astrid Bibiana , Ihle Andreas
Published: September 2023

The study aimed to compare cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and the incidence of falls in Brazilian older women with and without a confirmed history of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study included 188 women (60–89 years), divided into two groups: one with a history of COVID-19 (n = 139), and one without any history of COVID-19 (n = 49). The instruments used were the Cognitive Telephone Screening Instrument (COGTEL) test battery, the Trail Making Test (TMT), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and the self-reported history of falls since the beginning of mandatory confinement. The higher the age, the higher the incidence of falls. The highest prevalence of falls (57.1%) occurred in the COVID-19 group (p = 0.001), the members of which also indicated a better cognitive performance in the COGTEL test (p = 0.017), TMT-B (p = 0.004), and ∆TMT (B-A) (p = 0.004). In turn, the depressive symptoms were more severe in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.001). We observed that COVID-19 infection without hospitalization did not affect the cognitive performance of older adult women. Future studies should be carried out to monitor the mental health of older adult Brazilian women. Moreover, regardless of their history of COVID-19, older adults should participate in a physical training program focused on preventing falls.
Degree of Knowledge and Commitment of the Spanish Podiatry Community to Green Podiatry: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Gómez-Ruiz Lara , Martínez-Nova Alfonso , Simón-Pérez Eduardo , Morán-Cortés Juan Francisco
Published: September 2023

Climate change is real and we are witnessing its consequences, such as rising temperatures, water scarcity, and sea-level rise, among other significant impacts. As healthcare professionals, podiatrists should be concerned about climate change; however, they still contribute to the damage caused. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the level of awareness among podiatrists regarding this issue and determine their attitudes toward the climate change process. The study involved conducting a survey comprising a series of questions, including personal information, Likert-scale questions, and short questions to evaluate attitudes toward environmental sustainability in their workplace and how they contribute to the climate change process. The questions addressed their commuting habits to determine sustainability, the number of hours of physical exercise per week, and their clinical attitudes, such as prescribing unnecessary treatments or emphasizing sports as the primary treatment. The results revealed that nearly 89% of the respondents were unaware of ecological podiatry or shoe recycling. Regarding clinical attitudes, 31.1% of the respondents stated that they prescribe sports as the primary treatment for all their patients, while 37.9% do so in most cases. They also tend to avoid prescribing unnecessary treatments, with 44.9% stating that they never prescribe them unless absolutely necessary. In conclusion, based on this survey, Spanish podiatrists do not undertake favorable actions for climate change and lack knowledge of the concept of “ecological podiatry”. To improve the situation, efforts should focus on waste reduction, eliminating unnecessary treatments, and promoting and practicing ecological podiatry.
Non-Canonical Amino Acids in Analyses of Protease Structure and Function
Authors: Goettig Peter , Koch Nikolaj G. , Budisa Nediljko
Published: September 2023

All known organisms encode 20 canonical amino acids by base triplets in the genetic code. The cellular translational machinery produces proteins consisting mainly of these amino acids. Several hundred natural amino acids serve important functions in metabolism, as scaffold molecules, and in signal transduction. New side chains are generated mainly by post-translational modifications, while others have altered backbones, such as the β- or γ-amino acids, or they undergo stereochemical inversion, e.g., in the case of D-amino acids. In addition, the number of non-canonical amino acids has further increased by chemical syntheses. Since many of these non-canonical amino acids confer resistance to proteolytic degradation, they are potential protease inhibitors and tools for specificity profiling studies in substrate optimization and enzyme inhibition. Other applications include in vitro and in vivo studies of enzyme kinetics, molecular interactions and bioimaging, to name a few. Amino acids with bio-orthogonal labels are particularly attractive, enabling various cross-link and click reactions for structure-functional studies. Here, we cover the latest developments in protease research with non-canonical amino acids, which opens up a great potential, e.g., for novel prodrugs activated by proteases or for other pharmaceutical compounds, some of which have already reached the clinical trial stage.
Skin Cancer Microenvironment: What We Can Learn from Skin Aging?
Authors: D’Arino Andrea , Caputo Silvia , Eibenschutz Laura , Piemonte Paolo , Buccini Pierluigi , Frascione Pasquale , Bellei Barbara
Published: September 2023

Aging is a natural intrinsic process associated with the loss of fibrous tissue, a slower cell turnover, and a reduction in immune system competence. In the skin, the continuous exposition of environmental factors superimposes extrinsic damage, mainly due to ultraviolet radiation causing photoaging. Although not usually considered a pathogenic event, photoaging affects cutaneous biology, increasing the risk of skin carcinogenesis. At the cellular level, aging is typified by the rise of senescence cells a condition characterized by reduced or absent capacity to proliferate and aberrant hyper-secretory activity. Senescence has a double-edged sword in cancer biology given that senescence prevents the uncontrolled proliferation of damaged cells and favors their clearance by paracrine secretion. Nevertheless, the cumulative insults and the poor clearance of injured cells in the elderly increase cancer incidence. However, there are not conclusive data proving that aged skin represents a permissive milieu for tumor onset. On the other hand, tumor cells are capable of activating resident fibroblasts onto a pro-tumorigenic phenotype resembling those of senescent fibroblasts suggesting that aged fibroblasts might facilitate cancer progression. This review discusses changes that occur during aging that can prime neoplasm or increase the aggressiveness of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.
Different Expression Pattern of G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor GPER1 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liu Jingshi , Niu Yongdong , Zhang Bin , Sun Qisi , Li Haiyi , Bai Lu , Su Zhongjing
Published: September 2023

Esophageal carcinoma is a male-dominant malignancy worldwide, and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) shows more significant sex bias than esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in morbidity and mortality. The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) is involved in several sex-related cancers; however, its expression level in esophageal carcinoma has been poorly investigated and its role is not precisely defined, depending on histological types. In the present study, the mRNA levels of GPER1 in esophageal carcinoma were collected from GEPIA and Oncomine databases for meta-analyses. The protein expression levels of GPER1 were detected by immunohistochemistry in the tissue microarray of EAC and ESCC. The GPER1 selective agonist G1, antagonist G15, and siRNA were applied in vitro to investigate their impacts on esophageal cell lines. Analysis of the RNA levels from the databases showed a decreased expression of GPER1 in overall esophageal carcinoma, and low expression levels of GPER1 were found to be associated with low survival of tumor patients. However, in the subgroup of EAC and its precancerous lesion, Barrett’s esophagus, overexpression of GPER1 RNA was increased when compared with the normal tissues. The average staining scores of GPER1 protein in the tissue microarray of EAC were significantly higher than normal esophageal samples, and the rate of positive staining increased with the grade of poor tumor differentiation. The scores of GPER1 protein in ESCC tissues were lower than those in the normal tissues. The results from cell line experiments in vitro showed that the GPER1 agonist G1 inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of ESCC cells EC109 with positive expression of GPER1. G1 had no obvious effect on normal esophageal NE2 cells with weak expression of GPER1. In addition, GPER1 RNA knockdown and application of antagonist G15 reversed the effects of G1 on EC109. The results of this study indicate that the expression levels of GPER1 are higher in EAC than in ESCC, which might be correlated with the dimorphic estrogen signaling pathway in different types of esophageal carcinoma.
Bioactive Endodontic Hydrogels: From Parameters to Personalized Medicine
Authors: Leveque Marianne , Bekhouche Mourad , Farges Jean-Christophe , Aussel Audrey , Sy Kadiatou , Richert Raphaël , Ducret Maxime
Published: September 2023

Regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) aim at recreating dental pulp tissue using biomaterials such as hydrogels. Their bioactivity is mostly related to the nature of biomolecules or chemical compounds that compose the endodontic hydrogel. However, many other parameters, such as hydrogel concentration, bioactive molecules solubility, and apex size, were reported to influence the reciprocal host–biomaterial relationship and hydrogel behavior. The lack of knowledge regarding these various parameters, which should be considered, leads to the inability to predict the clinical outcome and suggests that the biological activity of endodontic hydrogel is impossible to anticipate and could hinder the bench-to-bedside transition. We describe, in this review, that most of these parameters could be identified, described, and studied. A second part of the review lists some challenges and perspectives, including development of future mathematical models that are able to explain, and eventually predict, the bioactivity of endodontic hydrogel used in a clinical setting.
Mechanism of Escherichia coli Lethality Caused by Overexpression of flhDC, the Flagellar Master Regulator Genes, as Revealed by Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Sun Guanglu , Yu Zihao , Li Qianwen , Zhang Yuanxing , Wang Mingxiao , Liu Yunhui , Liu Jinze , Liu Lei , Yu Xuping
Published: September 2023

The flhDC operon of Escherichia coli encodes a transcription factor that initiates flagella synthesis, elevates flagella construction and enhances cell motility, which all are energetically costly and highly regulated processes. In this study, we found that overexpression of flhDC genes from a strong regulatable pN15E6 plasmid could inhibit the growth of E. coli host cells and even eventually cause death. We used transcriptome analysis to investigate the mechanism of flhDC overexpression lethal to host bacteria. The results showed that a total of 568 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 378 up-regulated genes and 190 down-regulated genes were detected when the flhDC genes were over-expressed. Functional enrichment analysis results showed that the DEGs are related to a series of crucial biomolecular processes, including flagella synthesis, oxidative phosphorylation and pentose phosphate pathways, etc. We then examined, using RT-qPCR, the expression of key genes of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway at different time points after induction. Results showed that their expression increased in the early stage and decreased afterward, which was suggested to be the result of feedback on the overproduction of ROS, a strong side effect product of the elevated oxidative phosphorylation process. To further verify the level of ROS output, flhDC over-expressed bacteria cells were stained with DCHF-DA and a fluorescence signal was detected using flow cytometry. Results showed that the level of ROS output was higher in cells with over-expressed flhDC than in normal controls. Besides, we found upregulation of other genes (recN and zwf) that respond to ROS damage. This leads to the conclusion that the bacterial death led by the overexpression of flhDC genes is caused by damage from ROS overproduction, which leaked from the oxidative phosphorylation pathway.