bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Green Office Building Choices by Corporate Tenants in Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Adnan Yasmin , Mohd Arif Nor Adibah , Razali Muhammad Najib
Published: November 2022

This paper aims to explore corporate tenants’ considerations for office space choices at green office buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This study focuses on the office choice perspectives between corporate tenants at two main locations in Kuala Lumpur’s business districts. The study then considers how these perspectives are similar and different amongst the various types of corporate tenants. This research is based on existing literature and semi-structured interviews that examined several themes in the context of leasing purpose-built green office buildings. Using a qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews along with desk research, this paper explores how the different profiles of corporate tenants of green office buildings that are located at different locations in Kuala Lumpur portray varying considerations for green office building choices. The responses gathered from the interviews revealed differing aspects of considerations. The various types of tenant organisations place varying importance on several themes that have emerged which include location, finance and cost, building features, health and well-being, image and branding and social corporate responsibility (CSR). Although the sustainability aspects are perceived to add value to the business for the tenants’ organisations, the office buildings’ choice can be influenced by the company’s profile and size and the structure of the business which will eventually influence the decision to occupy green office buildings. As highlighted by an earlier study, the company policy in relation to the sustainability strategy of the organisation that meets the business needs also plays a role in green office building choices. These findings could be significant to green office providers in anticipating the future demand for green office buildings which in turn would contribute towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals of cities in Malaysia.
A Fuzzy-Logic Approach for Optimized and Cost-Effective Early Warning System for Tsunami Detection
Authors: Qayyum Bushra , Ahmed Atiq , Ullah Ihsan , Shah Syed Attique
Published: November 2022

With the economic crisis going around the world, a new approach, “build back better”, has been adopted as a recovery package for various systems. The tsunami detection and warning system is one such system, crucial for saving human lives and infrastructure. While designing a tsunami detection system, the social, economic, and geographical circumstances are considered to be vital. This research is focused on designing a low-cost early warning system mainly for underdeveloped countries, which are more prone to tsunami damage due to a lack of any reliable early warning and detection systems. Such countries require proper cost-effective solutions to address these issues. Previous research has shown that the existing systems are either very costly or hard to implement and manage. In this study, we present a wireless sensor networking model, which is an optimized model in terms of cost, delay, and energy consumption. This research contemplates the techniques and advantages of the intelligence of marine animals. We propose a fuzzy logic-based approach for early tsunami detection, using electromagnetic and pressure sensors, based on the behavioral attributes of turtles and real-time values of earthquakes and water levels.
Simulation Optimization of an Industrial Heavy-Duty Truck Based on Fluid–Structure Coupling
Authors: Song Xinyu , Cao Fang , Rao Weifeng , Huang Peiwen
Published: November 2022

In order to realize the sustainable development of the field of automotive industrial engineering and reduce the emissions of heavy-duty trucks (HDTs), a simulation analysis method that combined fluid–structure coupling and a discrete phase model was proposed in this study. The pressure, velocity, and other parameters of an HDT air filter and its cartridge were analyzed by using CFX and the Static Structure module in the ANSYS software. The results showed that under six different flow rates, the error between the simulation results and the test results was basically less than 3% (the maximum error was 3.4%), and the pressure distribution of the fluid in the air filter was very uneven, leading to a severe deformation of 3.51 mm in the filter element. In order to reduce the pressure drop of the air filter and the deformation of the filter element, the position of the air inlet duct, the height of the filter element, and the number of folds of the air filter were optimized in this study. The optimization results showed that when the rated flow was 840 m3/h, compared with the original structure, the pressure drop of the air filter was reduced by 445 Pa, the maximum deformation of the filter element was reduced by 54.1% and the average deformation is reduced by 39.8%. After the optimization, the structural parameters of the air filter were as follows: the position of the air inlet moved down 126 mm along the shell, the filter height was 267 mm, and the pleat number of the filter element was 70. The simulation method and optimization design method of an air filter based on fluid–structure interaction presented in this study can be used to reduce the pressure drop, improve the engine performance, and reduce the amount of harmful emissions.
Sustainable Development of Cassava Value Chain through the Promotion of Locally Sourced Chips
Authors: Chancharoenchai Kanokwan , Saraithong Wuthiya
Published: November 2022

The benefits of using homegrown inputs in the production of processed agricultural products have been recognized, for example, in protecting the environment and generating local income. In Thailand, local fresh cassava can replace imported potatoes in the production of chips. However, chips made from local cassava are not widely available on the market. This market access difficulty could be because of insufficient information about consumers’ preferences. This study thus aims to address the factors determining people’s consumption decisions on locally sourced snacks in the case of chips made from Thai cassava. These factors include, for example, price, gender, generation, education, occupation, purchasing frequency, product attributes, nutrition, food safety, and an understanding of cassava chips. The questionnaire used was developed to elicit data related to these factors. The statistical analysis is undertaken by the probit model and marginal effect. The results of three estimated models with 19 independent variables show that the effects of generation and occupation significantly indicate the probability of preferring cassava chips. Having a higher level of education and coming from the northeastern part of the country seem to determine consumers’ preference for local cassava content. Moreover, a better understanding of the related issues implies a higher chance of favoring chips from the local cassava. Those findings would provide useful information for entrepreneurs and government agencies in promoting locally sourced chips, and further develop the higher value of the cassava supply chain.
Activated Biochar Is an Effective Technique for Arsenic Removal from Contaminated Drinking Water in Pakistan
Authors: Ahmad Iftikhar , Ghaffar Abdul , Zakir Ali , Khan Zia Ul Haq , Saeed Muhammad Farhan , Rasool Atta , Jamal Aftab , Mihoub Adil , Marzeddu Simone , Boni Maria Rosaria
Published: November 2022

Arsenic (As), the silent poison, is a widespread environmental pollutant which finds its way into drinking water supplies from natural or man-made sources and affects over 200 million people worldwide, including in Pakistan. It has been demonstrated that As causes serious health complications as well as social and economic losses. A quick, cost-effective, and simple method for efficiently filtering As from drinking water is urgently needed. The present study evaluates the ability of chemical treatment solutions to activate the sorption capacity of biochar derived from cotton stalks. The surface characteristics of CSB (cotton stalk biochar), HN-CSB (treated with nitric acid: HNO3), and Na-CSB (treated with sodium hydroxide: NaOH) were investigated for their As sorption capacities and efficiency in removing As from contaminated drinking water. The chemical modification of biochar significantly increased the surface area and pore volume of CSB, with a maximum observed in HN-CSB (three times higher than CSB). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed several functional groups (OH−, −COOH, C=O, N-H) on CSB, though the chemical modification of biochar creates new functional groups on its surface. Results showed that the maximum sorption capacity of CSB was (q = 90 µg g−1), of Na-CSB was (q = 124 µg g−1) and of HN-CSB was (q = 140 µg g−1) at an initial As concentration of 200 µg L−1, an adsorbent dose of 1 g L−1, with 4 h of contact time, a pH of 6 and a temperature of 25 ʰC. However, As removal was found to be 45–88% for CSB, 62–94% for Na-CSB and 67–95% for HN-CSB across all As concentrations. An isotherm model showed that As sorption results were best fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model in the case of CSB (Qmax = 103 µg g−1, R2 = 0.993), Na-CSB (Qmax = 151 µg g−1, R2 = 0.991), and HN-CSB (Qmax = 157 µg g−1, R2 = 0.949). The development of the largest surface area, a porous structure, and new functional groups on the surface of HN-CSB proved to be an effective treatment for As removal from contaminated drinking water. Both HN-CSB and Na-CSB are clearly cost-effective adsorbents under laboratory conditions, but HN-CSB is cheaper and more efficient in As removal than Na-CSB, allowing it to be used as a powerful and promising adsorbent for the removal of pollutants like Arsenic from aqueous solution.
Be(e) Engaged! How Students Benefit from an Educational Citizen Science Project on Biodiversity in Their Biology Classes
Authors: Christ Laura , Hahn Marie , Sieg Anne-Kathrin , Dreesmann Daniel C.
Published: November 2022

Citizen Science initiatives and their underlying concepts play an increasingly important role in getting the public interested in science and current scientific topics—one more reason to include Citizen Science in the school context. We develop a teaching concept with the aim of raising students’ awareness of the importance of wild-bee biodiversity by involving them in scientific investigations. By addressing the issue, we hope to change student’s attitudes towards wild bees as represented by common native bumblebees and encourage them to participate in pro-environmental behavior (PEB). A total sample size of 437 German high-school students from grades five to seven participated in the project. We examine students’ knowledge about bumblebees and insect decline, students’ attitude toward wild bees, and their PEB intentions before and after the project. Learning enjoyment is also measured in the post-test. Our results show that students’ knowledge increases and they positively change their attitudes toward wild bees by participating in a Citizen Science project. Furthermore, we show that although knowledge and attitude significantly correlate with PEB intentions, no strong difference between pre- and post-tests can be observed.
Effect of Mushy Zone Parameter on Phase Change Behavior of Different Configurations Storage Unit: Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation
Authors: Soliman Ahmed Saad , Sultan Ahmed A. , Sultan Mohamed A.
Published: November 2022

The melting process of paraffin wax placed in storage capsules of different shapes was experimentally and numerically studied. The phase change material (PCM) was initially at 27 °C. The effect of the mushy zone parameter (Amush) value on the melting process of the PCM was studied with storage capsules of different shapes (circular, vertical oval, and horizontal oval). The results of the numerical model were validated with the experimental results to obtain the optimum Amush value for each shape of the latent heat storage unit. The results showed that the value of the Amush has a great impact on the numerical results of the PCM melting process and changes with the shape of the storage capsule. The rate of heat transfer, convection, and fluid velocity all decrease as the Amush value rises. The experimental results of the circular, vertical oval, and horizontal oval capsules match very well with the numerical model with Amush values equal to 2 × 106, 1 × 105, and 1 × 106, respectively.
Modification of Peck Formula to Predict Surface Settlement of Tunnel Construction in Water-Rich Sandy Cobble Strata and Its Program Implementation
Authors: Gao Yanxia , Liu Yiwen , Tang Pengju , Mi Chunqiao
Published: November 2022

There are few studies on the land subsidence induced by shield tunneling in the water-rich sandy gravel stratum, which is of high research value. Linear regression and measured data were employed in this study to investigate the land subsidence induced by shield tunneling when crossing the water-rich sandy gravel stratum from Mudan Dadao Station to Longmen Dadao station of Luoyang Metro Line 2. The maximum land subsidence correction coefficient, α, and the settlement trough width correction coefficient, β, were introduced to modify the peck formula to predict land subsidence induced by shield tunneling in Luoyang’s water-rich sandy gravel stratum. It was discovered that the original Peck formula needs to be modified because its prediction result was significantly larger than the actual value. When the value ranges of α and β in the modified Peck formula were 0.379~0.690 and 0.455~0.508, respectively, the modified Peck formula presented a minor error, in terms of the prediction curve, compared with the original formula, and the prediction result was more reliable. The best prediction result could be obtained when α = 0.535 and β = 0.482. In addition, Python could effectively improve the calculation efficiency of the Peck formula modification.
Developing AI Literacy for Primary and Middle School Teachers in China: Based on a Structural Equation Modeling Analysis
Authors: Zhao Leilei , Wu Xiaofan , Luo Heng
Published: November 2022

As smart technology promotes the development of various industries, artificial intelligence (AI) has also become an important driving force for innovation and transformation in education. For teachers, how to skillfully apply AI in teaching and improve their AI literacy has become a necessary goal for their sustainable professional development. This research examines the correlations among the dimensions of AI literacy of teachers in order to promote the effectiveness of class teaching and the adoption of artificial intelligence literacy (AIL). Our findings are based on the analysis of 1013 survey results, where we tested the level of AI literacy of teachers, including Knowing and Understanding AI (KUAI), Applying AI (AAI), Evaluating AI Application (EAIA), and AI Ethics (AIE). We find that AAI had a significant, positive effect on the other three dimensions. Thus, based on the analysis, the government should take action to cultivate teachers’ AI literacy. In order to improve teachers’ AI literacy, the choice of curriculum, content, methods, and practical resources for special training should be diverse and committed to making AI literacy an essential enabler for teachers’ sustainable future development.
The Effects of Climate Change on the Activity of the Lobesia botrana and Eupoecilia ambiguella Moths on the Grapevine Cultivars from the Târnave Vineyard
Authors: Comșa Maria , Tomoiagă Liliana Lucia , Muntean Maria-Doinița , Ivan Mihaela Maria , Orian Sorița Maria , Popescu Daniela Maria , Chedea Veronica Sanda
Published: November 2022

Knowledge about the geographical areas preferred by grapevine moths, the size of the populations, and the attraction to certain cultivars supports winegrowers for a better zoning of vineyards and vine cultivars, which is in continuing dynamic due to the climate change. Grapevine moths Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) and Eupoecilia ambiguella (Hübner) are the main pests of grapes in the Târnave vineyard. For this reason, the influence of the cultivar in the climatic conditions of 2016–2019 period on the dynamics of the two moths species was evaluated in five plantations (Jidvei, Șona, Sâmniclăuș, Tăuni and Cenade) from Târnave vineyards on five cultivars Fetească regală, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Traminer and Rhine Riesling. During the studied period, the climate experienced deviations from the multiannual values. Our results highlight different activities of the two moth species. The number of captures was influenced by climatic conditions, geographical area and grape cultivar. L. botrana prefers drier climates, lower geographical areas and Traminer cultivar; meanwhile, E. ambiguella prefers wetter climates, higher hilly areas and the Sauvignon blanc cultivar. These findings are important in the general context of grapevine protection in order to reduce the use of pesticides by choosing the right cultivars in the appropriate climate conditions.
An Aspects Framework for Component-Based Requirements Prediction and Regression Testing
Authors: Ali Sadia , Hafeez Yaser , Humayun Mamoona , Jhanjhi N. Z. , Ghoniem Rania M.
Published: November 2022

Component-based software development has become more popular in recent decades. Currently, component delivery only includes interface specifications, which complicates the selection and integration of suitable components to build a new system. The majority of the components are reused, after appropriate modifications in accordance with the new system, or new version of the system. After components integration, errors may occur during the interaction of their features due to incomplete, ambiguous, or mismatched terms used in requirement analysis and specification, affecting component validation. Therefore, there is a need for a study that identifies challenges and covert concepts into practice by providing solutions to these challenges. The objective of this study is to identify some attributes and information sources that are essential during component-based development. The proposed framework is based on these attributes and information sources. In this study, we provide a taxonomy of attributes and information sources among different activities of component development, and propose a framework to improve the component development process. To investigate the proposed framework, we performed an experimental study to get real-world scenario results from industrial practitioners. The results showed that the proposed framework improves the process of component specification and validation without ambiguity and component failures. Additionally, compared with other methods (random priority, clustering-based and execution rate), the proposed framework successfully outperforms other methods. As a result, the proposed framework’s accuracy, F-measures, and fault identification rate were higher (i.e., greater than 80%) than those of other methods (i.e., less than 80%). The proposed framework will provide a significant guideline for practitioners and researchers.
Posthuman Learning Culture and Internet-Based Private Tutoring in South Korea: Implications for Online Instruction in Public Schooling
Authors: Jung Jung-Hoon , Bang Gi Hong , Kim Young Chun
Published: November 2022

In the digital age, education through the Internet becomes a new form of teaching and learning, which leaves many challenges as well as possibilities for teachers and students. In this study, we analyzed the effective practices for online learning comparing schools and private supplementary tutoring. South Korea is an appropriate country for this investigation, as public and private education sectors have attempted to advance online teaching and learning and approximately 80% of Korean elementary and secondary school students take online courses provided by private tutoring institutes. This qualitative study reveals that online learning in private supplementary tutoring, commonly known as shadow education, is highly advanced and favored by students and parents compared to that of schools. The features of online learning in shadow education include individualized learning, effective communication skills under post-human space, attention skills for cyber learning, and advanced Internet technologies and tools. The study results have practical implications for educational administrators and schoolteachers concerning effective online teaching and learning. In addition, we suggest that a more comprehensive understanding of online learning is needed to guide schoolteachers and policymakers.
Business Process-Organizational Structure (BP-OS) Performance Measurement Model and Problem-Solving Guidelines for Efficient Organizational Management in an Ontact Work Environment
Authors: Kim Hokyeom , Choi Injun , Lim Jitaek , Sung Sanghyun
Published: November 2022

In the COVID-19 crisis, telecommuting has become one of the most powerful countermeasures against spreading infections. Companies cannot effectively implement telecommuting owing to difficulties predicting organizational performance and future problems and responding to them in advance. Furthermore, even after overcoming the crisis, it is expected that the performance of so-called “ontact” jobs involving telecommuting will increase rapidly in the new typical environment. Nevertheless, there has been no systematic study on a holistic response method considering work interruption time and lead time from work interruption in the ontact work environment. This study predicts organizational performance by modeling the impact of the ontact work environment on organizational performance and presents problem-solving guidelines from three perspectives: business process, organizational structure, and human resource allocation. Additionally, it presents a case study of a simulation model established by extending a previously developed enterprise simulation software. This study presents a scientific model for predicting organizational performance and solving problems in the ontact work environment, which is presently the most significant concern in companies. This facilitates decision-making to minimize damage based on predicting corporate performance in the ontact work environment.
Estimation of the Lifespan of Imported Passenger Vehicles in Mongolia
Authors: Mendjargal Tulga , Yamasue Eiji , Tanikawa Hiroki
Published: November 2022

In the last few decades, there has been an increase in second-hand imported vehicles in developing countries, including Mongolia. However, the extension of vehicle lifespans abroad promotes circular economy activities. In this study, we investigated the lifespan of second-hand imported passenger vehicles and their implication for the future sustainability of the transportation sector in Mongolia. The methodology used in this study comprised three stages. First, we conducted surveys to investigate the trends in second-hand vehicles in Mongolia. Next, the results from the survey on passenger vehicles were classified into three major categories based on their mode of operation, namely fuel, liquefied gas petroleum (gas), and the hybrid engine vehicle (HV) (of which the Toyota Prius is the most used vehicle in Mongolia). Finally, we estimated the average lifespan of vehicles using the Weibull distribution to measure before and after the import. The results show that the total average lifespans of all vehicles range between 17.3 and 20.2 years, respectively. The results highlight the different shape parameters of each vehicle category (fuel, gas, and HV), providing a better understanding of each vehicle’s lifespan and providing insights on the future management of second-hand imported vehicles, lifecycles, and recycling potentials for the successful development of sustainable transport policies in Mongolia.
A Sustainable Approach to Cleaning Porous and Permeable Pavements
Authors: Yang Qiuxia , Gao Ziqi , Beecham Simon
Published: November 2022

The clogging of porous and permeable pavements is a problem that faces many municipalities and, because of the high associated costs, it has become a major impediment to the uptake of such water sensitive and sustainable technologies. This study has experimentally examined the performance of seven cleaning methods that were shown to be able to restore higher infiltration rates in partially clogged pavement systems. It was found that high-pressure water injection was the most effective cleaning method, particularly when combined with vacuuming. The highest restoration of infiltration rate was achieved using high-pressure water injection combined with the highest-pressure vacuum, which produced an average increase in infiltration rate of 20.9%. Cleaning a porous pavement involves removing the sediment that has caused clogging in the first place. In normal circumstances, this collected sediment would have to be dried before disposal to a landfill, which is another costly process. Through a sustainability analysis, the potential reuse of collected sediment was investigated and it was found that the resulting economic and environmental benefit-cost ratios were high.
Searching for Pedagogical Answers to Support STEM Learning: Gender Perspective
Authors: Daniela Linda , Kristapsone Silvija , Kraģe Gunta , Belogrudova Ludmila , Vorobjovs Aleksandrs , Krone Ilona
Published: November 2022

This article analyzes the results of a study on the situation concerning the educational achievements of girls and boys in the STEM field in Latvia. The study was conducted at the compulsory education level to understand the conditions in the learning environment that can predictably affect the academic achievements of girls. For the purposes of the study, a survey questionnaire was developed, which was filled out by 1847 students from the 7th–12th grades. The obtained results show which factors affect learning achievement in STEM subjects for students with low and high learning achievements in groups divided into boys and girls and which pedagogical activities can predictably improve STEM learning achievements. The research data confirm that there are differences in predicted learning achievements in groups of boys and girls with high learning achievements, depending on the pedagogical strategy used. Additionally, the results of the study confirm that the most significant factor for a predictable increase in learning achievements in the STEM field is students liking mathematics and, in the case of high learning achievements, them liking chemistry. An indicator that has a significant negative impact on academic achievement in STEM subjects is a dislike of physics, which appeared in the group of girls with low academic achievements. Liking other STEM subjects to improve student achievement did not appear statistically significant in any of the analyzed groups. This study is essential to supplement the knowledge base on gender differences in learning achievements in STEM subjects and is also important for the educational space of Latvia because the learning achievements of girls in the STEM field are lower in this country than it is for boys. The obtained results show which methods of pedagogical work have a higher impact on increasing the predicted learning achievements and also show potential future research directions.
Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors of Population Growth Transition in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Zhong Sheng , Shi Mingting , Xiao Qiang
Published: November 2022

At present, China has lost its demographic dividend. Meanwhile, in the face of the twin challenges of rising living costs and the uneven distribution of educational resources, the fertility intentions of ordinary people are rapidly declining. In the background, China’s latest birth incentive policy has not had the desired effect. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, these issues have become more complicated, making it more difficult to achieve policy goals. Analysis of changing characteristics and influencing mechanisms in China’s current stage of population growth is therefore significant. Such analysis can help improve China’s population structure and preserve the advantage of human resource endowment. In this paper, we use data from 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 as made available from the resources of China’s National Bureau of Statistics and National Health Commission. These included annual macro statistics, seventh census data, and COVID-19 pandemic data, allowing us to analyze the influencing mechanism of China’s population growth by using the Geographic Detector Model. The research revealed the dependency ratio as the primary factor influencing spatial differentiation of population growth in China, indicating that the dependency burden plays a role in inhibiting population growth. The secondary factor showed different changes in stages. At the same time, any two factors showed more substantial explanatory power after the interaction, meaning the spatial distribution of China’s population growth results from the joint influence of many factors. The strong interaction was mainly concentrated around the dependency ratio and were with women’s political participation and internet coverage. However, under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the explanatory power of traditional factors was diluted, leading to a decline in the strength of interaction.
The Stochastic Approach for SIR Epidemic Models: Do They Help to Increase Information from Raw Data?
Authors: Borri Alessandro , Palumbo Pasquale , Papa Federico
Published: November 2022

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 underlined the need for a fast and trustworthy methodology to identify the features of a pandemic, whose early identification is of help for designing non-pharmaceutical interventions (including lockdown and social distancing) to limit the progression of the disease. A common approach in this context is the parameter identification from deterministic epidemic models, which, unfortunately, cannot take into account the inherent randomness of the epidemic phenomenon, especially in the initial stage; on the other hand, the use of raw data within the framework of a stochastic model is not straightforward. This note investigates the stochastic approach applied to a basic SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) epidemic model to enhance information from raw data generated in silico. The stochastic model consists of a Continuous-Time Markov Model, describing the epidemic outbreak in terms of stochastic discrete infection and recovery events in a given region, and where independent random paths are associated to different provinces of the same region, which are assumed to share the same set of model parameters. The estimation procedure is based on the building of a loss function that symmetrically weighs first-order and second-order moments, differently from the standard approach that considers a highly asymmetrical choice, exploiting only first-order moments. Instead, we opt for an innovative symmetrical identification approach which exploits both moments. The new approach is specifically proposed to enhance the statistical information content of the raw epidemiological data.
The Decision-Making for the Optimization of Finance Lease with Facilities’ Two-Dimensional Deterioration
Authors: Fang Chih-Chiang , Hsu Chin-Chia , Liu Je-Hung
Published: November 2022

In the past, most companies in developing countries usually own facilities or equipment for running their businesses. However, for some managerial and financial reasons, the situation may change. Recently, leasing facilities is becoming more popular than purchasing them. Furthermore, since the deterioration of equipment or facilities depends on both time and usage, when considering only one of the two factors, the deterioration estimation for the leased facilities could be distorted. Therefore, in such cases, a two-dimensional failure model would be appropriate for dealing with such problems. In this study, in order to determine the optimal lease decision for lessors, we use analytical models and efficient solution algorithms based on the two deterioration factors (time and usage). However, such complex mathematical models are difficult to apply in real cases, and therefore the study proposes the design of computerized system architecture and the corresponding solution algorithms to enhance the practicality of the applications. Besides, a nonhomogeneous Poisson process is employed to describe the successive failure times of the leased facility. Finally, the application and sensitivity analyses will provide managerial implications and suggestions for decision-makers under different preventive maintenance alternatives.
Long-Term Consumption of Food-Derived Chlorogenic Acid Protects Mice against Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity via Promoting PINK1-Dependent Mitophagy and Inhibiting Apoptosis
Authors: Hu Bangyan , Li Jin , Gong Daoyin , Dai Yuan , Wang Ping , Wan Lihong , Xu Shijun
Published: November 2022

Hepatotoxicity brought on by acetaminophen (APAP) is significantly impacted by mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitophagy, particularly PINK1-mediated mitophagy, maintains the stability of cell function by eliminating damaged mitochondria. One of the most prevalent dietary polyphenols, chlorogenic acid (CGA), has been shown to have hepatoprotective properties. It is yet unknown, nevertheless, whether its defense against hepatocyte apoptosis involves triggering PINK1-mediated mitophagy. In vitro and in vivo models of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity were established to observe CGA’s effect and mechanism in preventing hepatotoxicity in the present study. Serum aminotransferase levels, mouse liver histology, and the survival rate of HepG2 cells and mice were also assessed. The outcomes showed that CGA could reduce the activities of serum enzymes such as alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alleviate liver injury in mice. It could also significantly increase the cell viability of HepG2 cells and the 24-h survival rate of mice. TUNEL labeling and Western blotting were used to identify the hepatocyte apoptosis level. According to data, CGA could significantly reduce liver cell apoptosis in vivo. Additionally, Tom20 and LC3II colocalization in mitochondria may be facilitated by CGA. CGA considerably increased the levels of genes and proteins associated with mitophagy (PINK1, Parkin, LC3II/LC3I), while considerably decreasing the levels of p62 and Tom20, suggesting that it might activate PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in APAP-induced liver damage. Additionally, the protection of CGA was reduced when PINK1 was knocked down by siPINK1 in HepG2 cells, and it did not upregulate mitophagy-related proteins (PINK1, Parkin, LC3II/LC3I). In conclusion, our findings revealed that long-term consumption of food-derived CGA could prevent APAP hepatotoxicity via increasing PINK1-dependent mitophagy and inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis.
Integrative Metabolomics and Proteomics Detected Hepatotoxicity in Mice Associated with Alkaloids from Eupatorium fortunei Turcz.
Authors: Zan Ke , Lei Wei , Li Yaolei , Wang Ying , Liu Lina , Zuo Tiantian , Jin Hongyu , Ma Shuangcheng
Published: November 2022

The traditional Chinese herbal medicine Eupatorium fortunei Turcz. (E. fortunei) has been widely adopted to treat nausea, diabetes, siriasis, and poor appetite. However, E. fortunei contains multiple pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). This study aimed to investigate the hepatotoxicity of total alkaloids in E. fortunei (EFTAs) and identify the toxic mechanisms of EFTAs on hepatocytes. Liquid chromatography with a tandem mass spectrometry assay with reference standards indicated that EFTAs mainly consisted of eight PAs whose content accounted for 92.38% of EFTAs. EFTAs markedly decreased mouse body and liver weights and increased the contents of AST and ALT. The histopathological assays demonstrated that, after exposition to EFTAs, the structures of hepatocytes were damaged and the fibrosis and apoptosis in hepatocytes were accelerated. Moreover, EFTAs increased the serum level of inflammatory cytokines and aggravated circulating oxidative stress. A combination of hepatic proteomics and metabolomics was used to investigate the toxic mechanisms of EFTAs. The study revealed that EFTAs seriously disrupted glycerophospholipid metabolism by upregulating the contents of lysophosphatidylglycerol acyltransferase 1 and phosphatidylinositol and downregulating the contents of choline/ethanolamine kinase beta, choline-ethanolamine phosphotransferase 1, phospholipase D4, 1-acylglycerophosphocholine, phosphatidylcholine, and dihydroxyacetone phosphate in the liver, resulting in detrimental inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis. This study revealed that EFTAs induced severe hepatotoxicity by disrupting glycerophospholipid metabolism.
Emissions of Greenhouse Gases from Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Ho Chi Minh City of Viet Nam
Authors: Verma Ram Lal , Borongan Guilberto
Published: November 2022

Accurate estimation of emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is required for making effective climate change mitigation policies at the national level. Among major sources, municipal solid waste (MSW) is an important source of GHGs, such as methane (CH4), generated during the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. In Viet Nam, the emissions of GHGs are not well quantified, in particular from the MSW management system. In this study, we estimated emissions of GHGs from the MSW management system of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), considering the current waste management practices. In HCMC, landfilling has been a common practice of solid waste management. About 85 percent of the total MSW generated in the city has been landfilled at two landfill sites. Our estimates show that landfilling was the significant source of GHGs in HCMC, with a net contribution of 781.05 kg CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq.) per tonne of MSW landfilled. From the whole MSW management system, the direct GHG emission was 768.61 (kg CO2-eq. per tonne of MSW) with avoided emissions of 72.47 (kg CO2-eq. per tonne of MSW) through composting and recycling of MSW. The net GHG emission from the MSW management system was 696.14 kg CO2-eq. per tonne of MSW (≈1.665 million tonnes of CO2-eq. per year). The GHG emission data of this study may be useful to policymakers for making effective climate change mitigation policies.
The sORF-Encoded Peptides, ATP Synthase Subunits, Facilitate WSSV Duplication in Shrimp
Authors: Huo Li-Jie , Lu Peng-Yuan , Li Dian-Xiang , Shi Xiu-Zhen
Published: November 2022

Short open reading frames (sORFs) are a newly identified family of genes, and the functions of most sORF genes and their encoded peptides (SEPs) are still unknown. In this study, two ATP synthase subunits were identified in kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) as SEPs, namely MjATP5I and MjATP5L. They were widely distributed in all of the tested tissues of shrimp and upregulated in hemocytes and intestines in response to WSSV challenge. The injection of recombinant proteins (rMjATP5I and rMjATP5L) increased the expression of Ie1 and Vp28, while the knockdown of MjATP5I and MjATP5L decreased the expression of Ie1 and Vp28. All of the results suggest that MjATP5I and MjATP5L were beneficial for WSSV replication. Further exploration found that MjATP5I and MjATP5L RNAi significantly improved the shrimp survival rates, reduced ATP production, and upregulated the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes post viral challenge, and the two ATPase subunits and Relish negatively regulated each other. These results reveal that MjATP5I and MjATP5L facilitated WSSV duplication by regulating the production of ATP contents and the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes in shrimp.
High-Risk Oncogenic Human Cytomegalovirus
Authors: Herbein Georges
Published: November 2022

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus that infects between 40% and 95% of the population worldwide, usually without symptoms. The host immune response keeps the virus in a latent stage, although HCMV can reactivate in an inflammatory context, which could result in sequential lytic/latent viral cycles during the lifetime and thereby participate in HCMV genomic diversity in humans. The high level of HCMV intra-host genomic variability could participate in the oncomodulatory role of HCMV where the virus will favor the development and spread of cancerous cells. Recently, an oncogenic role of HCMV has been highlighted in which the virus will directly transform primary cells; such HCMV strains are named high-risk (HR) HCMV strains. In light of these new findings, this review defines the criteria that characterize HR-HCMV strains and their molecular as well as the phenotypic impact on the infected cell and its tumor microenvironment.
Investigation of Adverse Events Experienced by Healthcare Workers following Immunization with Homologous or Heterologous COVID-19 Booster Vaccinations
Authors: Wei Yunhua , Wang Yan , Liu Jian , Zha Yan , Yang Yuqi , Li Ni , Zhou Yalin , Zhu Jinli , Roberts Neil , Liu Lin , Li Yaying
Published: November 2022

Objective: A comparative analysis was performed to investigate the potential risk factors of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) after receiving different booster vaccines. Methods: From 18 January 2021 to 21 January 2022, the Health Care Workers (HCWs) of Guizhou Provincial Staff Hospital (Guizhou Province, China) who received a third Booster vaccine, that was either homologous (i.e., (i) a total of three doses of Vero cell vaccine or (ii) three doses of CHO cell vaccine) or (iii) heterologous with two first doses of Vero cell vaccine, being either CHO cell vaccine or adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) vectored COVID-19 vaccine, were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire form to provide information on any AEFI that may have occurred in the first 3 days after vaccination with the booster. The frequency of AEFI corresponding to the three different booster vaccines was compared, and the risk factors for predicting AEFI were determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 904 HCWs who completed the survey, 792 met the inclusion criteria. The rates of AEFI were 9.8% (62/635) in the homologous Vero cell booster group, 17.3% (13/75) in the homologous CHO cell booster group, and 20.7% (17/82) in the heterologous mixed vaccines booster group, and the rates were significantly different (χ2 = 11.5, p = 0.004) between the three groups of vaccines. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that: (1) compared to the homologous Vero cell booster group, the risk of AEFI was about 2.1 times higher (OR = 2.095, 95% CI: 1.056–4.157, p = 0.034) in the CHO cell booster group and 2.5 times higher (OR = 2.476, 95% CI: 1.352–4.533, p = 0.003) in the mixed vaccines group; (2) the odds for women experiencing AEFI were about 2.8 times higher (OR = 2.792, 95% CI: 1.407–5.543, p = 0.003) than men; and (3) compared to the non-frontline HCWs, the risk of AEFI was about 2.6 times higher (OR = 2.648, 95% CI: 1.473–4.760, p = 0.001) in the doctors. Conclusion: The AEFI in all three booster groups are acceptable, and serious adverse events are rare. The risk of AEFI was higher in doctors, which may be related to the high stress during the COVID-19 epidemic. Support from government and non-governmental agencies is important for ensuring the physical and mental health of HCWs.
Preventive Measures for SARS-CoV-2 in the Workplace and Vaccine Acceptance: Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Workers in Southern Italy
Authors: Pelullo Concetta Paola , Tortoriello Pamela , Torsiello Livio , Lombardi Chiara , Napolitano Francesco , Di Giuseppe Gabriella
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: this study investigated the preventive measures implemented in the workplace and evaluated knowledge, attitudes and adherence behaviors regarding SARS-CoV-2 routes of transmission and preventive measures in a group of workers. (2) Methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2021 among 501 workers in the Campania region, in Southern Italy. (3) Results: 80.5% of respondents declared that their company had implemented the main COVID-19 preventive measures, and 54.7% of respondents knew SARS-CoV-2 routes of transmission along with the main preventive measures. Moreover, 34.2% were highly concerned about contracting SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace and transmitting it to family. Adherence to all preventive measures in the workplace involved 42.5% of respondents. The results of the multivariate logistic regression model revealed that significant determinants of adherence to all preventive measures in the workplace were being female, working not as a manager or office employee, cohabiting with someone that received a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, knowing SARS-CoV-2 routes of transmission and the related main preventive measures, being highly concerned of contracting SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace and transmitting it to family and believing that COVID-19 vaccine offers high protection against disease. At the time of the survey, 47.5% of respondents had already received COVID-19 vaccine. Among unvaccinated respondents, 11.8% expressed unwillingness to get vaccinated for COVID-19. (4) Conclusions: These findings highlighted a good awareness about COVID-19 prevention and underlined a good propensity to get vaccinated among workers. Therefore, there is the need that preventive measures should be prioritized in the working context.
Effect of Feed Supplementation with Tripotassium Citrate or Sodium Chloride on the Development of Urinary Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Fattening Pigs
Authors: Vrielinck Joris , Janssens Geert , Chantziaras Ilias , Cools An , Maes Dominiek
Published: November 2022

The present study investigated whether dietary supplementation of tripotassium citrate or NaCl reduced the prevalence of calcium oxalate dihydrate (COD) uroliths in fattening pigs on a farm with a high prevalence of COD uroliths. Each group (control, TPC, NaCl) consisted of three batches of approximately 260 fattening pigs each. Performance, water intake, markers for bone resorption (CTX) and bone formation (osteocalcin) and urinalysis from samples taken at the farm and in the slaughterhouse were investigated. Performance parameters, feed and water intake, CTX and osteocalcin were not significantly different between the groups (p > 0.05). The main crystals found were struvite, COD, calcite and amorphous crystals. The prevalence of COD crystals was lower in samples from the slaughterhouse in each group. Microscopic and biochemical examination of urine showed large differences between samples from the farm and the slaughterhouse. In conclusion, there were no beneficial effects of feed supplementation with TPC or NaCl on the prevalence of COD crystals but TPC has a clear promoting influence on the development of alkaline calcite crystals. Urinalysis from samples taken at the slaughterhouse does not fully reflect the situation on the farm.