bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy in Determining the Glycaemic Impact of Meals by Adding Individual Food Values Is Affected by Food Number, Homeostasis and Glucose Reference Dose
Authors: Monro John
Published: July 2023

Summing glycaemic glucose equivalent (GGE) values of foods in a meal would be a practical way to predict the relative glycaemic impact (RGI) of the meal, without measuring the whole meal postprandial effect. However, as glycaemic response is non-linear, and glycaemic responsiveness per gram of glucose decreases with dose, addition accumulates inaccuracy. This research described determined inaccuracies accruing during addition of GGE values of foods and identifies approaches to reduce inaccuracy. By combining five published glucose dose–glycaemic response curves, the relationship between GGE dose and response was shown to be nearly quadratic (R2 = 0.98). This curve allowed determination of the divergence between the theoretically true glycaemic glucose equivalence of food intakes and estimates obtained by extrapolating linearly from zero through responses to glucose reference doses of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 g. For each reference, the disparity between the linearly determined sum of GGE values of foods in 20 realistic meals, and true homeostasis-adjusted glucose equivalence for each whole meal, was calculated. Summation of the GGE values of individual foods could lead to inaccurate (>5 g GGE) estimates of the RGI of meals, depending on the GGE total, the number of foods, and the size of the glucose reference. Inaccuracy that accumulates during linear addition of GGE values of foods limits the range in which they can be used linearly in dietary management, public health and epidemiology. However, the steps discussed herein may be taken to allow for non-linearity.
Association between Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Authors: Cheng Wenjie , Li Lintian , Long Zhaoqing , Ma Xiuxiu , Chen Fangyao , Ma Le , Zhang Shunming , Lin Jing
Published: July 2023

(1) Background: Although studies have suggested that dietary interventions may have potential benefits over conventional medical treatments, research on the association between dietary patterns and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) in pregnant women is scarce. (2) Methods: To explore the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of HG, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Xi’an, China from April 2021 to September 2022. Dietary intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire, and then factor analysis was used to derive dietary patterns. HG was defined as persistent and severe nausea and vomiting with weight loss ≥ 5%, pregnancy-unique quantification of emesis (PUQE) score ≥ 13, or hospitalization due to vomiting. Logistic regression models were used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs for HG according to dietary pattern scores. Stratified analyses and tests for interaction were performed by potential confounders. (3) Results: Of the 3122 pregnant women enrolled, 2515 individuals (mean age: 31.2 ± 3.4 years) were included in the final analysis. In total, 226 (8.9%) pregnant women were identified as having HG. Five dietary patterns were identified. After adjusting for covariates, the highest quartile of the “fish, shrimp and meat” and “egg, milk and water drinking” patterns was associated with a 37% and 58% lower risk of HG compared with the lowest quartile, respectively (p-trend < 0.05). Conversely, the highest quartile of the “beverage” pattern was associated with a 64% higher risk of HG compared with the lowest quartile (p-trend = 0.02). Furthermore, significant interactions were observed between the “egg, milk and water drinking” pattern and parity, employment status and nutritional supplement use (p-interaction < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: A diet rich in eggs, milk, seafood and unprocessed poultry and animal meat may be a protective factor against HG, while a diet high in beverages may be detrimental to HG. These associations may vary by parity, employment status and nutritional supplement use.
Vitamin E and Multiple Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses
Authors: Xiong Zheyu , Liu Linhu , Jian Zhongyu , Ma Yucheng , Li Hong , Jin Xi , Liao Banghua , Wang Kunjie
Published: July 2023

The relationship between vitamin E intake or circulating α-tocopherol and various health outcomes is still debatable and uncertain. We conducted an umbrella review to identify the relationships between vitamin E intake or circulating tocopherol and health outcomes by merging and recalculating earlier meta-analyses. The connections that were found to be statistically significant were then classified into different evidence levels based on p values, between-study heterogeneity, prediction intervals, and small study effects. We finally included 32 eligible meta-analyses with four vitamin E sources and 64 unique health outcomes. Only the association between circulating α-tocopherol and wheeze or asthma in children was substantiated by consistent evidence. Suggestive evidence was suggested for seven results on endothelial function (supplemental vitamin E): serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations (supplemental vitamin E), cervical cancer (dietary vitamin E), esophageal cancer (dietary vitamin E), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN, dietary vitamin E), pancreatic cancer (total vitamin E intake), and colorectal cancer (circulating α-tocopherol levels); all of these showed a protective effect consistent with the vitamin E source. In conclusion, our work has indicated that vitamin E is protective for several particular health outcomes. Further prospective studies are required when other factors that may contribute to bias are considered.
Prognostic Value of Creatinine Levels at Admission on Disease Progression and Mortality in Patients with COVID-19—An Observational Retrospective Study
Authors: Russo Antonio , Pisaturo Mariantonietta , Monari Caterina , Ciminelli Federica , Maggi Paolo , Allegorico Enrico , Gentile Ivan , Sangiovanni Vincenzo , Esposito Vincenzo , Gentile Valeria , Calabria Giosuele , Pisapia Raffaella , Carriero Canio , Masullo Alfonso , Manzillo Elio , Russo Grazia , Parrella Roberto , Dell’Aquila Giuseppina , Gambardella Michele , Ponticiello Antonio , Onorato Lorenzo , Coppola Nicola
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Acute kidney disease and chronic kidney disease are considered conditions that can increase the mortality and severity of COVID-19. However, few studies have investigated the impact of creatinine levels on COVID-19 progression in patients without a history of chronic kidney disease. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of creatinine levels at hospital admission on COVID-19 progression and mortality. Methods: We performed a multicenter, observational, retrospective study involving seventeen COVID-19 Units in the Campania region in southern Italy. All adult (≥18 years) patients, hospitalized with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction on a naso-oropharyngeal swab, from 28 February 2020 to 31 May 2021, were enrolled in the CoviCamp cohort. Results: Evaluating inclusion/exclusion criteria, 1357 patients were included. Considering in-hospital mortality and creatinine value at admission, the best cut-off point to discriminate a death during hospitalization was 1.115 mg/dL. The logistic regression demonstrated that factors independently associated with mortality were age (OR 1.082, CI: 1.054–1.110), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (OR 1.341, CI: 1.178–1.526), and an abnormal creatinine value at admission, defined as equal to or above 1.12 mg/dL (OR 2.233, CI: 1.373–3.634). Discussion: In conclusion, our study is in line with previous studies confirming that the creatinine serum level can predict mortality in COVID-19 patients and defining that the best cut-off of the creatinine serum level at admission to predict mortality was 1.12 mg/dL.
A Chromosome-Level Genome of ‘Xiaobaixing’ (Prunus armeniaca L.) Provides Clues to Its Domestication and Identification of Key bHLH Genes in Amygdalin Biosynthesis
Authors: Guo Ling , Xie Fangjie , Huang Xue , Luo Zhengrong
Published: July 2023

Apricot is a widely cultivated fruit tree of the drupe family, and its sweet/bitter kernel traits are important indicators of the quality and merchantability of apricots. The sweetness/bitterness traits were mainly determined by amygdalin content. However, the lack of high-quality genomes has limited insight into the traits. In this study, a high-quality genome of ‘Xiaobaixing’ was obtained by using single-molecule sequencing and chromosome-conformation capture techniques, with eight chromosomes of 0.21 Gb in length and 52.80% repetitive sequences. A total of 29,157 protein-coding genes were predicted with contigs N50 = 3.56 Mb and scaffold N50 = 26.73 Mb. Construction of phylogenetic trees of 15 species of Rosaceae fruit trees, with ‘Xiaobaixing’ differentiated by 5.3 Ma as the closest relative to ‘Yinxiangbai’. GO functional annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis identified 227 specific gene families to ‘Xiaobaixing’, with 569 expansion-gene families and 1316 contraction-gene families, including the significant expansion of phenylalanine N-monooxygenase and β-glucosidase genes associated with amygdalin synthesis, significant contraction of wild black cherry glucoside β-glucosidase genes, amygdalin β-glucosidase genes, and β-glucosidase genes, and significant enrichment of positively selected genes in the cyanogenic amino acid metabolic pathway. The 88 bHLH genes were identified in the genome of ‘Xiaobaixing’, and ParbHLH66 (rna-Par24659.1) was found to be a key gene for the identification of sweet/bitter kernels of apricots. The amino acid sequence encoded by its gene is highly conserved in the species of Prunus mume, Prunus dulcis, Prunus persica, and Prunus avium and may be participating in the regulation of amygdalin biosynthesis, which provides a theoretical foundation for the molecular identification of sweet/bitter kernels of apricots.
Sand Burial, Rather than Salinity or Drought, Is the Main Stress That Limits the Germination Ability of Sophora alopecuroides L. Seed in the Desert Steppe of Yanchi, Ningxia, China
Authors: Zhao Jingdong , Shi Chaoyi , Wang Danyu , Zhu Yuanjun , Liu Jiankang , Li Hanzhi , Yang Xiaohui
Published: July 2023

Global change and environmental pollution have reawakened ecologists to the great threat of multi-stress interactions to different growth stages of plants. Sophora alopecuroides L., a dune plant, has been widely studied for its medicinal components and strong salinity tolerance. S. alopecuroides seeds, obtained from the desert steppe of Yanchi, Ningxia, China, were used to analyze the effects of sand burial, salinity, drought, and their interactions on seed germination (germination percentage, germination energy, and germination index). The results showed that sand burial and salinity stress had significant effects on the seed germination ability of S. alopecuroides, and drought stress had no significant effect, but the interaction of the three stresses had a significant effect. Under different drought-stress treatments, the interaction of no sand burial and a certain degree of salinity stress significantly improved the germination ability of S. alopecuroides, and the overall intensity of the effects of the three stresses showed that sand burial > salinity > drought. Considering the germination percentage, germination energy, and germination index of S. alopecuroides under various stress interactions, the treatment of no sand burial × 1% soil saline-alkali content × 18–20% soil water content was adopted to maximize the germination ability of S. alopecuroides. In the desert steppe area of Yanchi, Ningxia, sand burial stress was still the most limiting factor for seed germination of S. alopecuroides, and soil saline-alkali content should be increased moderately, and soil moisture should be ensured to obtain the best germination ability.
Co-Expression Networks in Sunflower: Harnessing the Power of Multi-Study Transcriptomic Public Data to Identify and Categorize Candidate Genes for Fungal Resistance
Authors: Ribone Andrés I. , Fass Mónica , Gonzalez Sergio , Lia Veronica , Paniego Norma , Rivarola Máximo
Published: July 2023

Fungal plant diseases are a major threat to food security worldwide. Current efforts to identify and list loci involved in different biological processes are more complicated than originally thought, even when complete genome assemblies are available. Despite numerous experimental and computational efforts to characterize gene functions in plants, about ~40% of protein-coding genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana L. are still not categorized in the Gene Ontology (GO) Biological Process (BP) annotation. In non-model organisms, such as sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), the number of BP term annotations is far fewer, ~22%. In the current study, we performed gene co-expression network analysis using eight terabytes of public transcriptome datasets and expression-based functional prediction to categorize and identify loci involved in the response to fungal pathogens. We were able to construct a reference gene network of healthy green tissue (GreenGCN) and a gene network of healthy and stressed root tissues (RootGCN). Both networks achieved robust, high-quality scores on the metrics of guilt-by-association and selective constraints versus gene connectivity. We were able to identify eight modules enriched in defense functions, of which two out of the three modules in the RootGCN were also conserved in the GreenGCN, suggesting similar defense-related expression patterns. We identified 16 WRKY genes involved in defense related functions and 65 previously uncharacterized loci now linked to defense response. In addition, we identified and classified 122 loci previously identified within QTLs or near candidate loci reported in GWAS studies of disease resistance in sunflower linked to defense response. All in all, we have implemented a valuable strategy to better describe genes within specific biological processes.
Composite Interlaminar Fracture Toughness Enhancement Using Electrospun PPO Fiber Veils Regulated by Functionalized CNTs
Authors: Huang Yuan , Ning Na , Qiu Yiping , Wei Yi
Published: July 2023

In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are functionalized through diazonium salt reaction to introduce polar groups onto their surfaces. These functionalized CNTs (FCNTs) are added into PPO solutions at different loadings (0 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%) and used for electrospinning. The results show that the addition of FCNTs facilitate the production of PPO veils having small fiber diameters. The veils are used as interleaves in CF/EP composite laminates. The Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness tests reveal that PPO veils containing 0.5 wt% FCNTs exhibit the optimal toughening. GICini and GIIC have an improvement of approximately 120% and 180% over the untoughened samples, respectively, which is 15% and 26% higher than that of PPO veils containing no CNTs, respectively. The toughening mechanism is also analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Preparation of Microcrystalline Cellulose/N-(2-aminoethyl)-3- Aminopropyl Methyl Dimethoxysilane Composite Aerogel and Adsorption Properties for Formaldehyde
Authors: Li Yaning , Liu Zhongzheng , Chi Chuanxi , Yuan Bin , Zhang Yang , Jiang Guiquan , Song Jianxi
Published: July 2023

Air pollution is related to the development of the national economy and people’s livelihoods. Formaldehyde, as one of the main pollutants in the air, affects people’s physical and mental health. In order to remove formaldehyde and better protect the health of residents, it is necessary to develop efficient adsorption materials. In this study, APMDS-modified cellulose composite aerogel microcrystalline was investigated. The adsorption of formaldehyde by the MCC/APMDS (Microcrystalline Cellulose/N-(2-aminoethyl)-3- Aminopropyl Methyl Dimethoxysilane) composite aerogel mainly relied upon the reaction of the protonated –NH3+ group in APMDS with formaldehyde to form a Schiff base to achieve the effect of deformaldehyde. Meanwhile, the modification of the aerogel reduced the pore volume and specific surface area, and the average pore size increased to 14.56 nm, which enhanced the adsorption capacity of formaldehyde, and the adsorption amount reached 9.52 mg/g. This study provides valuable information for the preparation of adsorbent materials with high formaldehyde adsorption capacity for air purification.
Multi-Spectroscopic Characterization of MgO/Nylon (6/6) Polymer: Evaluating the Potential of LIBS and Statistical Methods
Authors: Fayyaz Amir , Asghar Haroon , Waqas Muhammad , Kamal Asif , Al-Onazi Wedad A. , Al-Mohaimeed Amal M.
Published: July 2023

The potential of using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in combination with various other spectroscopic and statistical methods was assessed for characterizing pure and MgO-doped nylon (6/6) organic polymer samples. The pure samples, obtained through a polycondensation chemical technique, were artificially doped with MgO prior to analysis for comparative purposes. These artificially doped samples served as crucial reference materials for comparative analysis and reference purposes. The LIBS studies were performed under local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and optically thin plasma conditions. To assess the structural crystallinity of the nylon (6/6) polymer samples, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed to detect functional groups such as N-H, C-H, and C-N in the adsorbent polyamide nylon sample. Additionally, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of doping and temperature on the band gap and material reflectance across different sample temperatures. Chemical compositional analysis was performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with the carbon C1s peak at 248.8 eV serving as a reference for spectrum calibration, along with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, which demonstrated good agreement between the techniques. To validate the different methodologies, the results obtained from CF-LIBS and EDX were compared with those from the standard inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique. Finally, for classification analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the LIBS spectral data at different sample temperatures (25 °C, 125 °C, 225 °C, and 325 °C). The analyses demonstrated that the combination of LIBS with PCA, along with other methods, presents a robust technique for polymer characterization.
Resonance as Pluralism: Toward an Existential-Phenomenological Approach to Relational Plurality, in Dialogue with Rosa and Arendt
Authors: Van Boxtel Bram , Suárez-Müller Fernando , De Groot Isolde , Ten Kate Laurens
Published: July 2023

Discussions on modern pluralism have mainly focused on its socio-political dimension. This article focuses on the existential-phenomenological dimension of plurality, conceiving of pluralism as a responsive relationship between the self and the other. We advance a philosophical reading of Hartmut Rosa’s theory of resonance in order to further give shape to this existential-phenomenological approach to pluralism. The theory of resonance offers a framework to characterize the responsive relationships at play throughout human life. We argue that Rosa’s account is promising in its contribution to thinking the concept of pluralism as responsive relationship, but we problematize how Rosa tends to reduce resonance to subjective experience rather than taking the relationship itself as a focal point. We strengthen the potential of a philosophy of resonance by further embedding it in Arendt’s philosophy of worldliness; this, we conclude, leads to a conceptualization of pluralism as the responsivity of relationships themselves rather than a function of responding entities.
Imagination and the Cosmic Consciousness in Chaucer’s The House of Fame
Authors: Ruszkiewicz Dominika
Published: July 2023

The aim of this article is to situate Chaucer’s The House of Fame in the tradition of exercising the self as practiced by ancient philosophers and theorized by Pierre Hadot. It shows that Chaucer’s poem contains echoes of an ancient exercise referred to as ‘the view from above’, which engages the faculties of the imagination in order to enable an individual to review their life and to situate it in the context of universal nature. The poet’s creative use of the ancient motif of the celestial flight, I will argue, distances him from those writers who use the theme to develop the contemptus mundi topos and affiliates him with those ancient thinkers who, like Marcus Aurelius, employ it to turn their attention to their own self, which may be achieved via meditations on the identity and homogeneity of all things (homoeides). It is Chaucer’s use of the view from above topos that vindicates the role of imagination by showing how it contributes to self-knowledge, that is, to an awareness of where one stands.
On the Ontic Origin of Art: Can Art Tell Us Anything about God?
Authors: Čačić Antonia
Published: July 2023

Heidegger’s ontological differentiation and Derrida’s deconstruction of metaphysics rearranged the key players of the onto-stage, essence, being, existence, and entity (the being), which had an impact on the contemporary understanding of ontology. This paper focuses on the study of the origins of art, but also on the ontological matter to the extent to which it might be related to the matter of art. It appears that the origins of both ontology and art are at the core of this interaction. The ontological matter is connected to the issue of art in the way that questions: what if freedom, in a co-creative way, is that which is immutable and fundamental to being? What if the essence of being is the freedom of co-creating? Such an essence would always be capable of alteration (via co-creation) and transformation. It is important to note that the perception of form in art, as an experiment of the form, i.e., continuous movement and growth from the conventional to the unconventional, will also be examined. This artistic observation emphasizes the relational dynamics within a work of art, shifting the focus from its “objectivity” (an ontological perspective) to its inherent relational nature (an ontic perspective).
Balaam’s God(s): Divine Designations in Num 22–24
Authors: Zernecke Anna Elise
Published: July 2023

The biblical figure of Balaam is ambivalent in many ways, including his religious affiliation. In the attestations of the Balaam tradition within the Hebrew Bible, different conceptions of this literary character are sometimes blended, sometimes unconnected. In the prose of Num 22–24, he is portrayed as a worshipper of YHWH and even confers with him nightly, albeit being a stranger from far away. In the oracles, a variety of divine designations is used without apparent reason, while the prose alternates between YHWH and Elohim only. The article focuses on the third and fourth oracles (Num 24:3–9, 15–19) and explores their use of divine designations against the backdrop of Num 22–24. The variation can be interpreted as a stylistic feature, literary conception, spoil from different religious traditions, and/or theological statement.
Accurate and Robust Rotation-Invariant Estimation for High-Precision Outdoor AR Geo-Registration
Authors: Huang Kejia , Wang Chenliang , Shi Wenjiao
Published: July 2023

Geographic registration (geo-registration) is a crucial foundation for augmented reality (AR) map applications. However, existing methods encounter difficulties in aligning spatial data with the ground surface in complex outdoor scenarios. These challenges make it difficult to accurately estimate the geographic north orientation. Consequently, the accuracy and robustness of these methods are limited. To overcome these challenges, this paper proposes a rotation-invariant estimation method for high-precision geo-registration in AR maps. The method introduces several innovations. Firstly, it improves the accuracy of generating heading data from low-cost hardware by utilizing Real-Time Kinematic GPS and visual-inertial fusion. This improvement contributes to the increased stability and precise alignment of virtual objects in complex environments. Secondly, a fusion method combines the true-north direction vector and the gravity vector to eliminate alignment errors between geospatial data and the ground surface. Lastly, the proposed method dynamically combines the initial attitude relative to the geographic north direction with the motion-estimated attitude using visual-inertial fusion. This approach significantly reduces the requirements on sensor hardware quality and calibration accuracy, making it applicable to various AR precision systems such as smartphones and augmented reality glasses. The experimental results show that this method achieves AR geo-registration accuracy at the 0.1-degree level, which is about twice as high as traditional AR geo-registration methods. Additionally, it exhibits better robustness for AR applications in complex scenarios.
An Optimization Method for Radar Anti-Jamming Strategy via Key Time Nodes
Authors: Feng Cheng , Fu Xiongjun , Dong Jian , Zhao Zhichun , Yu Jiyang , Pan Teng
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes an optimization method to improve the radar anti-jamming strategy by using the predictability of left game interval. Firstly, we propose the concept of key time nodes in radar/jammer confrontation and analyze its predictability. Secondly, we analyze the radar-winning scenarios by considering the temporal constraints and construct the actual utility matrix of the radar. Then, we describe the optimization algorithm using radar-winning probability statistics based on the prediction of left game interval. Finally, we carry out a simulation experiment by comparing it with other anti-jamming strategies to verify the rationality, and the result shows that the proposed method can significantly improve the radar’s winning probability in the confrontation. By using the proposed anti-jamming strategy optimization method just at the key time nodes, the imperceptibility from the jammer is improved, and its long-term superiority can be maintained in the confrontation.
Vehicle State Estimation Combining Physics-Informed Neural Network and Unscented Kalman Filtering on Manifolds
Authors: Tan Chenkai , Cai Yingfeng , Wang Hai , Sun Xiaoqiang , Chen Long
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a novel vehicle state estimation (VSE) method that combines a physics-informed neural network (PINN) and an unscented Kalman filter on manifolds (UKF-M). This VSE aimed to achieve inertial measurement unit (IMU) calibration and provide comprehensive information on the vehicle’s dynamic state. The proposed method leverages a PINN to eliminate IMU drift by constraining the loss function with ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Then, the UKF-M is used to estimate the 3D attitude, velocity, and position of the vehicle more accurately using a six-degrees-of-freedom vehicle model. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed PINN method can learn from multiple sensors and reduce the impact of sensor biases by constraining the ODEs without affecting the sensor characteristics. Compared to the UKF-M algorithm alone, our VSE can better estimate vehicle states. The proposed method has the potential to automatically reduce the impact of sensor drift during vehicle operation, making it more suitable for real-world applications.
Identification of Language-Induced Mental Load from Eye Behaviors in Virtual Reality
Authors: Schirm Johannes , Gómez-Vargas Andrés Roberto , Perusquía-Hernández Monica , Skarbez Richard T. , Isoyama Naoya , Uchiyama Hideaki , Kiyokawa Kiyoshi
Published: July 2023

Experiences of virtual reality (VR) can easily break if the method of evaluating subjective user states is intrusive. Behavioral measures are increasingly used to avoid this problem. One such measure is eye tracking, which recently became more standard in VR and is often used for content-dependent analyses. This research is an endeavor to utilize content-independent eye metrics, such as pupil size and blinks, for identifying mental load in VR users. We generated mental load independently from visuals through auditory stimuli. We also defined and measured a new eye metric, focus offset, which seeks to measure the phenomenon of “staring into the distance” without focusing on a specific surface. In the experiment, VR-experienced participants listened to two native and two foreign language stimuli inside a virtual phone booth. The results show that with increasing mental load, relative pupil size on average increased 0.512 SDs (0.118 mm), with 57% reduced variance. To a lesser extent, mental load led to fewer fixations, less voluntary gazing at distracting content, and a larger focus offset as if looking through surfaces (about 0.343 SDs, 5.10 cm). These results are in agreement with previous studies. Overall, we encourage further research on content-independent eye metrics, and we hope that hardware and algorithms will be developed in the future to further increase tracking stability.
A Customized Deep Sleep Recommender System Using Hybrid Deep Learning
Authors: Park Ji-Hyeok , Lee Jae-Dong
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a recommendation system based on a hybrid learning approach for a personal deep sleep service, called the Customized Deep Sleep Recommender System (CDSRS). Sleep is one of the most important factors for human life in modern society. Optimal sleep contributes to increasing work efficiency and controlling overall well-being. Therefore, a sleep recommendation service is considered a necessary service for modern individuals. Accurate sleep analysis and data are required to provide such a personalized sleep service. However, given the variations in sleep patterns between individuals, there is currently no international standard for sleep. Additionally, service platforms face a cold start problem when dealing with new users. To address these challenges, this study utilizes K-means clustering analysis to define sleep patterns and employs a hybrid learning algorithm to evaluate recommendations by combining user-based and collaborative filtering methods. It also incorporates feedback top-N classification processing for user profile learning and recommendations. The behavior of the study model is as follows. Using personal information received through mobile devices and data, such as snoring, sleep time, movement, and noise collected through AI motion beds, we recommend sleep and receive user evaluations of recommended sleep. This assessment reconstructs the profile and, finally, makes recommendations using top-N classification. The experimental results were evaluated using two absolute error measurement methods: mean squared error (MSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The research results regarding the hybrid learning methods show 13.2% fewer errors than collaborative filtering (CF) and 10.2% fewer errors than content-based filtering (CBF) on an MSE basis. According to the MAPE, the methods are 14.7% more accurate than the CF model and 9.2% better than the CBF model. These results demonstrate that CDSRS systems can provide more accurate recommendations and customized sleep services to users than CF, CBF, and combination models. As a result, CDSRS, a hybrid learning method, can better reflect a user’s evaluation than traditional methods and can increase the accuracy of recommendations as the number of users increases.
Fostering Community Impact through Social Capital: Rent Control Policy in Palestine and Israel Amid Crises and Transitions
Authors: Mark Maya
Published: July 2023

The article aims to link the theoretical framework of social capital with historical analysis. It traces a controversy of half a century between landlords and tenants in Palestine and Israel and their attempts to influence the government’s policy in the rental market during crisis and transitions. The article portrays social capital as a decisive factor in the success or failure of landlords and tenants to promote their group interests and impact rent control policy. However, as the two groups are competing over the same resource, the triumph of one group comes at the direct expense of the other. In that respect, social capital could act as “double-edged sword”.
It’s a Matter of Trust: How Thirty Years of History Prepared a Community-Based Organization to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Coll Kathleen Marie , Flores Juana , Jiménez María , López Nathalie , Lee Andrea Lauren , Carrillo Maria , Camberos Laura , Díaz Ana , Delgado Enma , Muñoz Hortencia , López Sylvia , Nieto Veronica , Ruiz Mirna , Quiles Taina B. , Cohen Alison K.
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic drew public attention to the essential work and vulnerability of low-income Latina immigrants. Less recognized were the ways immigrant community organizations mobilized under exceptional conditions to provide immediate support to their communities while continuing to work toward durable systematic change. This paper analyzes the approach of Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over three decades, MUA developed an organizing model that builds transformative relationships among peers and provides direct services and leadership development for civic engagement. MUA has a long history of research collaborations and self-study aligned with critical community-engaged research methods and values. In 2019, MUA formed a research team of its leaders and academics to analyze the impact of their model. Since data collection occurred between March 2020 and December 2022, the research also documented the organization’s response to COVID-19. This paper argues that specific organizational values and practices of liderazgo, apoyo, and confianza (leadership, support, and trust) proved to be particularly powerful resources for sustaining individuals and community work through the pandemic, enabling women who have experienced multiple forms of structural violence to perceive themselves as capable of healing themselves and their communities while working to address root causes of trauma and inequity.
The Economic Management of Physical Assets: The Practical Case of an Urban Passenger Transport Company in Portugal
Authors: Mendes Caropul , Raposo Hugo , Ferraz Ricardo , Farinha José Torres
Published: July 2023

Organizations are increasingly concerned with new strategic guidelines and ways of managing physical assets to improve their competitiveness and sustainability. In this paper, we analyze the determinants of the economic management of physical assets in the specific case of a public passenger transport company located in one of the main cities of Portugal. Based on the case under analysis, it was possible to conclude that the economic management of physical assets is oriented by relevant indicators, including, for example, expenses associated with acquisition, maintenance, and operation. This paper provides a relevant contribution to monitoring and evaluating the life cycle of equipment, enabling more efficient and effective management of these physical assets for transport companies. We are convinced that the valuable results presented in this paper can open up new research avenues in the area of physical asset management.
Novel Resilient and Sustainable Farm Profiles in Small Ruminant Production Systems Using Mathematical Programming Model
Authors: Theodoridis Alexandros , Ragkos Athanasios , Vouraki Sotiria , Arsenos Georgios , Kominakis Antonis , Coppin Stephanie , Thenard Vincent , Byrne Tim J.
Published: July 2023

In this study, a farm-scale mathematical programming model for sheep and goat farms is proposed to simulate economic performance, including new resilience sheep traits that allow animals to counteract the presence of infectious and noninfectious diseases. The model was developed in the Small Ruminants Breeding for Efficiency and Resilience (SMARTER) Horizon 2020 project. The SMARTER model is a comprehensive and adaptable linear programming model that enables the assessment of hypothetical scenarios/challenges related to animal traits that prevent infectious and noninfectious diseases. The optimal performance and the structure of the farm are modeled under the presence of infectious and noninfectious diseases (disease plan) and under conditions where no diseases occur (future plan). A comparison of the model solutions, between presence and absence of diseases, provides suggested adjustments to the farming system and insights into the potential shape of new sustainable farm system profiles for the sheep and goat sector. Technical and economic data from five different sheep farms and one goat farm in Greece and France were used in this empirical application to assess different scenarios in the presence of mastitis, parasitism, and lameness in the flocks. The results showed that the profitability and sustainability of the farms are significantly improved when the resilience of animals reduces the impact of the diseases (the highest increase in gross margin was 23.5%). However, although there is substantial improvement in the economic performance of the farms that rear healthy animals, this does not affect the production and management plan of the farmer and does not alter the farm’s structure.
Structure and Assembly Mechanism of Archaeal Communities in Deep Soil Contaminated by Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
Authors: Fan Yanling , Liu Zengjun , Xu Hefeng , Wang Hongqi
Published: July 2023

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are typical organic pollutants in contaminated sites, and microbial remediation technology has attracted more and more attention. To study the structural characteristics and assembly mechanism of the archaeal community in chlorinated hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, unsaturated-zone soil within 2~10 m was collected. Based on high-throughput sequencing technology, the archaeal community was analyzed, and the main drivers, environmental influencing factors, and assembly mechanisms were revealed. The results showed that chlorinated hydrocarbon pollution altered archaeal community structure. The archaeal community composition was significantly correlated with trichloroethylene (r = 0.49, p = 0.001), chloroform (r = 0.60, p = 0.001), pH (r = 0.27, p = 0.036), sulfate (r = 0.21, p = 0.032), and total carbon (r = 0.23, p = 0.041). Under pollution stress, the relative abundance of Thermoplasmatota increased to 25.61%. Deterministic processes increased in the heavily polluted soil, resulting in reduced species richness, while positive collaboration among surviving species increased to 100%. These results provide new insights into the organization of archaeal communities in chlorinated hydrocarbon-contaminated sites and provide a basis for remediation activities.
Analysis of Chemical and Phytotoxic Properties of Frass Derived from Black Soldier Fly-Based Bioconversion of Biosolids
Authors: Bohm Kristin , Hatley Gregory A. , Robinson Brett H. , Gutiérrez-Ginés María J.
Published: July 2023

Black soldier fly (BSF)-based bioconversion can reduce significant volumes of biosolids and other organic waste while generating high-value BSF larvae (BSFL) and frass. While the mass of frass is greater than the BSFL biomass, its end use is less explored, especially when the bioprocessed waste, such as biosolids, contains high concentrations of contaminants. We assessed the potential to use frass from bioconverted biosolids as fertiliser by analysing chemical parameters and conducting phytotoxicity germination tests. We included frass from bioconverted food waste and wheat bran as comparisons. The chemical composition and phytotoxicity of the frass was related to the type of feedstock. Frass originating from biosolids and from wheat bran had the highest phytotoxicity, which was correlated with increased NH4+-N and EC. Initially, these feedstocks had significantly higher total N compared to food waste. Frass derived from food waste showed the lowest phytotoxicity, which was related to low NH4+-N and EC. This study demonstrates that frass from BSF-based bioconversion could be used as fertiliser; however, the original feedstock will dictate how this by-product has to be used. In this study, frass from food waste was most suitable as fertiliser. Frass originating from bioconverted biosolids needs to be applied at similar rates as unconverted biosolids to avoid phytotoxicity.
Diversity and Their Response to Environmental Factors of Prokaryotic Ultraplankton in Spring and Summer of Cihu Lake and Xiandao Lake in China
Authors: Lan Cong , Sun Lili , Hu Yihan , Zhang Yan , Xu Jinjing , Ding Heng , Tang Rong , Hou Jianjun , Li Yuntao , Wu Xiaodong
Published: July 2023

Ultraplankton plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of aquatic ecosystems. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology, the community structure composition of prokaryotic ultraplankton and its relationship with environmental factors were analyzed. The results showed that Cihu Lake was experiencing eutrophication and that Xiandao Lake was in the process of changing from mesotrophic to oligotrophic conditions. Cihu Lake and Xiandao Lake were regulated primarily by nitrogen nutrients. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteria, and Actinobacteriota were the major phyla of prokaryotic ultraplankton in both lakes. Among them, Cyanobacteria dominate in the summer in Cihu Lake, which can have seasonal cyanobacterial blooms. Seasonal variation significantly affects the diversity and community structure of prokaryotic ultraplankton in the lakes, with temperature and dissolved oxygen being the key environmental factors determining plankton community composition. The PICRUSt functional prediction analysis indicated a higher water purification and exogenous pollution remediation capacity of the microbial communities of Xiandao Lake, as well as in the spring samples of Cihu Lake. In this study, the diversity and spatial–temporal succession patterns of prokaryotic ultraplankton in Cihu Lake and Xiandao Lake were elucidated, providing a useful reference for the lake environmental protection and water eutrophication management in Cihu Lake and Xiandao Lake.
Team-Teaching as a Promising Pathway toward Interdisciplinary Sustainability Competency Development
Authors: Pollard Jennifer R. , Michel Jessica Ostrow , Simon Adam C. , Shriberg Mike
Published: July 2023

Through a qualitative, interview-based inquiry on students’ learning in a single team-taught course focused on energy resources and policy implications, our team explored how team-taught interdisciplinary courses facilitate students’ development as leaders in energy resource sustainability. We conducted pre- and post-course interviews of nine undergraduate student participants and the two co-instructors for the course. The students self-identified as seven women and two men, ranging in age from 18 to 21 years. Six students were White, two were Asian/Asian American, and one was Black; the co-instructors were White men. To develop our findings, all interviews were subjected to a process of qualitative coding to derive themes, which we present with rich data from participants’ verbatim quotes. Findings revealed that constructivist-informed interdisciplinary instruction by the teaching team deepened students’ understandings of the importance of the knowledge of both energy science and policy, helping them to become holistically informed on critical issues in energy resource sustainability. Further, students recognized that an integrated understanding of these bodies of knowledge was critical to writing energy resource policy memos that constituted the central learning/assessment activity of the course. The kind of literacy afforded to the students through the team-teaching endeavor is foundational to students’ development as climate leaders. We suggest that this mode of teaching may represent an effective teaching enhancement for preparing energy sustainability and climate change leaders at the University of Michigan, other US institutions and internationally.
Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines in Pregnant and Lactating Mexican Women and Breastfed Infants: A Survey-Based Study
Authors: Moll María Elena Camacho , Martínez Ana María Salinas , Cisneros Benjamín Tovar , Onofre Juan Ignacio García , Floriano Gloria Navarrete , de León Mario Bermúdez
Published: July 2023

COVID-19 vaccines’ safety has been extensively studied; however, further analysis is required in pregnant women, nursing mothers, and breastfed infants. Our aim was to compare the extension and severity of self-reported COVID-19 vaccine side effects in pregnant and breastfeeding women, and breastfed infants. In this cross-sectional study, COVID-19-vaccinated subjects were enrolled using an online survey in Mexico. Women were classified by pregnancy and breastfeeding status at the time of vaccination (n = 3167). After the first or only dose, there was a trend toward fewer systemic effects in pregnant women (p = 0.06). BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) had a higher frequency of local symptoms in pregnancy. Lactating women experienced fewer local symptoms after the first or single dose (p = 0.04) and the opposite occurred after the second dose (p = 0.001). ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca) increased the chances of developing both local and systemic symptoms after the first dose but decreased them after the second dose. The severity was similar across groups, although the result of lack of association in pregnancy requires studies with a larger sample size. Irritability was the most reported symptom in breastfed infants. This study contributes to the knowledge about the side effects in pregnant and lactating women, and breastfed babies.
Retinal Vein Occlusion after COVID-19 Vaccination—A Review
Authors: Leung Ho-Man , Au Sunny Chi-Lik
Published: July 2023

Background Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) occurring after COVID-19 vaccination has been reported worldwide. Such a sight-threatening condition occurring after COVID-19 vaccination is a menace to ophthalmic health. This article reviews current evidence related to post-COVID-19 vaccination RVO. Method A total of 29 relevant articles identified on PubMed in January 2023 were selected for review. Observation All cases presented to ophthalmologists with visual loss shortly after COVID-19 vaccination. Mean and median age were both 58. No sex predominance was observed. RVO was diagnosed from findings on dilated fundal examination and ophthalmic imaging. AstraZeneca and BNT vaccines accounted for most cases. Vascular risk factors, e.g., diabetes mellitus and hypertension, were common. Most laboratory tests requested came back unremarkable. Most patients responded well to standard treatment, except those with ophthalmic comorbidities. Visual prognosis was excellent on short-term follow-up. Discussion The causality between RVO and COVID-19 vaccination is undeterminable because of the nature of articles, heterogenous reporting styles, contradicting laboratory findings and co-existing vascular risk factors. Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, retinal vasculitis and homocysteinaemia were proposed to explain post-vaccination RVO. Large-scale studies have demonstrated that the incidence of RVO following COVID vaccination is very low. Nevertheless, the effects of boosters on retinal vasculature and ophthalmic health are still unclear. Conclusions The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination are believed to outweigh its ophthalmic risks. To ensure safe vaccination, the prior optimisation of comorbidities and post-vaccination monitoring are important. COVID-19 vaccines (including boosters) should be offered with reasonable confidence. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the ophthalmic impact of vaccines.