bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transarterial Embolization of Ruptured Pancreaticoduodenal Artery Pseudoaneurysm Related to Chronic Pancreatitis
Authors: Mărginean Lucian , Mureșan Adrian Vasile , Arbănași Emil Marian , Coșarcă Cătălin Mircea , Arbănași Eliza Mihaela , Russu Eliza , Filep Rares Cristian , Kaller Réka
Published: March 2023

We presented a 67-year-old woman with lightheadedness, diaphoresis, and acute epigastric and right hypochondrium pain, with a past medical history including stage 2 essential hypertension, chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy, and class 1 obesity. An abdominal contrast-enhanced CT scan showed an extensive hematoma (3 × 4 cm2 in size) located intra-abdominally, adjacent to the duodenojejunal area, with hyperdensity around the duodenum, positioned inferior to the pancreas (30–59 HU). Moreover, the CT scan also revealed an enhancing lesion as a pseudoaneurysm of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, measuring 5 × 8 × 8 mm3 with active bleeding and associated hematoma. Following these investigations of the abdominal area, a decision was made to proceed with an endovascular intervention within the interventional radiology department. With the patient under conscious sedation, via a right common femoral artery approach, the superior mesenteric artery was catheterized. While injecting the contrast agent to obtain a better working projection, the pseudoaneurysm ruptured, and acute extravasation of the contrast agent was noted, followed by injection of a mixture of 1 mL Glubran 2 with 2 mL Lipiodol until complete obliteration of the pseudoaneurysm was obtained. The patient was hemodynamically stable at the end of the procedure and was discharged 6 days later in a good condition without active bleeding signs.
Ultrasound Imaging for Diaphragm Function in a Population of Healthy Infants: A Short Observational Report
Authors: Buonsenso Danilo , Mariani Francesco , Morello Rosa , Cammarota Gianmaria , De Rose Cristina , Valentini Piero , Camporesi Anna , Vetrugno Luigi
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Diaphragm ultrasound is increasingly used in adults, and more recently in pediatric practice. However, normal diaphragm parameters in healthy infants are unknown. This was a prospective observational pilot study aiming to define the normal diaphragm ultrasound characteristics in healthy infants during the first 6 months of life. Methods: We recruited healthy neonates at 7 to 15 days of life, who were followed until the sixth month of life, undergoing five assessments in different time points. The measurements included diaphragm thickness at end expiration (TEE) and at end inspiration (TEI). The thickening fraction (TF) was calculated as (TEI-TEE)/TEE and expressed as a percentage, and as (TEI-TEE)/TEI. Results: A total of 37 toddlers, 16 of which were females (43.2%), were enrolled. Thirty-four children (91.9%) were of Caucasian ethnicity and the median gestational age was 38.4 (35.7–40) weeks. Normal TEE, TEI, and TF have been provided for each time point. Conclusion: We provided new insight regarding data about thickness and thickening function in healthy children to be used for future physiologic and pathologic pediatric studies.
An Approach to Detect Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using UWB Radar-Based Temporal and Spectral Features
Authors: Siddiqui Hafeez-Ur-Rehman , Raza Ali , Saleem Adil Ali , Rustam Furqan , Díez Isabel de la Torre , Aray Daniel Gavilanes , Lipari Vivian , Ashraf Imran , Dudley Sandra
Published: March 2023

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a severe and chronic ailment that is currently ranked as the third most common cause of mortality across the globe. COPD patients often experience debilitating symptoms such as chronic coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Sadly, the disease frequently goes undiagnosed until it is too late, leaving patients without the care they desperately need. So, COPD detection at an early stage is crucial to prevent further damage to the lungs and improve quality of life. Traditional COPD detection methods often rely on physical examinations and tests such as spirometry, chest radiography, blood gas tests, and genetic tests. However, these methods may not always be accurate or accessible. One of the key vital signs for detecting COPD is the patient’s respiration rate. However, it is crucial to consider a patient’s medical and demographic characteristics simultaneously for better detection results. To address this issue, this study aims to detect COPD patients using artificial intelligence techniques. To achieve this goal, a novel framework is proposed that utilizes ultra-wideband (UWB) radar-based temporal and spectral features to build machine learning and deep learning models. This new set of temporal and spectral features is extracted from respiration data collected non-invasively from 1.5 m distance using UWB radar. Different machine learning and deep learning models are trained and tested on the collected dataset. The findings are promising, with a high accuracy score of 100% for COPD detection. This means that the proposed framework could potentially save lives by identifying COPD patients at an early stage. The k-fold cross-validation technique and performance comparison with the state-of-the-art studies are applied to validate its performance, ensuring that the results are robust and reliable. The high accuracy score achieved in the study implies that the proposed framework has the potential for the efficient detection of COPD at an early stage.
COVID-19 and Vasa vasorum: New Atherogenic Factor? A Case Report and Autopsy Findings
Authors: Macarova Julia A. , Malakhova Sofia A. , Novitskaya Tatiana A. , Shapkina Valeria A. , Churilov Leonid P.
Published: March 2023

Patients with COVID-19 demonstrate higher rates of cardiovascular complications, including thromboses and thromboembolism. One may suppose that the action of SARS-CoV-2 transforms stable atherosclerotic plaques into unstable status. Cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 may be caused by progressive viral alteration of the blood vessels, including Vasa vasorum. A lethal case of ischemic brain disease caused by cerebral atherosclerosis and exacerbated by a stroke during COVID-19 infection is briefly described. The results of the autopsy showed perivascular lymphocytic infiltration and signs of Vasa vasorum vasculitis with thrombi of adventitial microvasculature. The data discussed in the article are interpreted in the context of the concept giving the important role in atherogenesis to Vasa vasorum.
Strategic Entrepreneurship and the Performance of Women-Owned Fish Processing Units in Cibinong District, Bogor Regency
Authors: Yudhanto Aditya Ari , Rochima Emma , Rivani
Published: March 2023

Strategic entrepreneurship refers to the ability of an MSME to investigate potential entrepreneurial ventures while exploiting its current competitive advantages. Academics and practitioners have offered models to deconstruct strategic entrepreneurship; however, there are few distinctive strategic entrepreneurship models appropriate for certain business circumstances. Culinary businesses in Cibinong District, Bogor Regency face several challenges, including low-quality human resources, inadequate capital and technology, and poor entrepreneurial spirit. This study aims to learn how the performance of women-owned fish processing MSMEs under COVID-19 conditions connects to several strategic entrepreneurship components, such as environmental factors, individual resources, resource orchestration, and competitive advantage. Research data taken from 30 women-owned fish processing businesses were processed using SMART-PLS 3.0, followed by a quantitative descriptive method analysis. The outcome was that the components of the environment, specific resources, and orchestration of those resources could generate performance and value for the customer, leading to competitive advantages. This research provides a current understanding of attitudes to businesswomen’s activities throughout the pandemic period, particularly in relation to entrepreneurship chances and MSME performance. Strategic entrepreneurship is necessary to improve performance in dynamic environments.
The Role of International Research Collaboration and Faculty Related Factors in Publication Citations: Evidence from Lebanon
Authors: Alamah Zein , AlSoussy Ibrahim , Fakih Ali
Published: March 2023

The importance of international collaboration in the research field is well-documented, but its impact on the number of citations received by research publications is not fully understood. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the relationship between international collaboration and other factors and the number of citations for research publications. Using data from the Lebanese American University, the authors employ ordinary least squares estimation to analyze the impact of international collaboration on the number of citations while controlling for various publications, authorship, university, and socioeconomic factors. The results show that international collaboration has a statistically significant positive effect on the number of citations. Based on these findings, we recommend that institutions and researchers seeking to increase the number of citations for their publications should focus on building and maintaining strong international collaborations and publishing in high-quality journals. This paper provides evidence of the importance of international collaboration for researchers seeking to increase the reach and impact of their publications. It also provides insights into the relevance of other factors, such as the number of publications, age, and journal rank.
Teachers’ Readiness to Implement STEM Education: Psychometric Properties of TRi-STEM Scale and Measurement Invariance across Individual Characteristics of Greek In-Service Teachers
Authors: Papagiannopoulou Theano , Vaiopoulou Julie , Stamovlasis Dimitrios
Published: March 2023

The integration of STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—education in the curricula has become a priority in contemporary education, where teachers have a decisive role. Thus, research has focused on teachers’ readiness for STEM education, where the prerequisite is to ensure valid measurements. In this study, we present the psychometric properties of the TRi-STEM scale, validated to measure teachers’ readiness in implementing STEM education. The proposed scale was based on questionnaires that appeared in the literature, and the final form was adopted and refined for Greek in-service teachers (N = 494), via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. TRi-STEM comprises four dimensions: affective conditions (AC), cognitive conditions (CC), self-efficacy (SE), and STEM commitment (SC). The reliability measures of the four factors were AC (α = 0.972/ω = 0.972), CC (α = 0.976/ω = 0.976), SE (α = 0.934/ω = 0.935), and SC (α = 0.886/ω = 0.885), and confirmatory factor analysis showed a satisfactory fit [χ2(249) = 981.287, p < 0.001, TLI = 0.942, CFI = 0.948, GFI = 0.993, NNFI = 0.942, RMSEA = 0.078 (0.073–0.083), and SRMR = 0.062]. In addition, measurement invariance was carried out for gender, age, years of service, school level, and university degrees. The TRi-STEM scale is an essential and applicable tool to ensure validity in educational research and support further hypotheses testing.
Developing and Validating a Scale for University Teacher’s Caring Behavior in Online Teaching
Authors: Zhao Jing , Zhang Ling , Yao Xiangquan
Published: March 2023

Teacher caring behavior in higher education has been frequently studied in the context of face-to-face instruction. The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the territory of high education such that synchronous or asynchronous online instruction has become an important component of college students’ learning experience. The lack of valid and reliable scales makes it difficult to quantitatively examine teachers’ caring behavior in online contexts. Building on existing literature, we designed and implemented a three-stage study that aimed to develop and validate a scale for measuring Chinese university teachers’ online caring behavior from students’ perspectives. Results from data analysis have shown that the scale has construct validity and internal consistency reliability. The scale has revealed that teacher caring behavior in an online context consists of three latent factors, namely, inclusiveness, support, and conscientiousness. This is consistent with the existing conceptualization of teacher care as a three-dimensional construct. The scale made targeted improvement of existing scales and can be used to quantitatively examine the relationship between teachers’ caring behavior and students’ academic performance, learning motivation, learning engagement, learning self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and mental health.
Interactive Peer Instruction Method Applied to Classroom Environments Considering a Learning Engineering Approach to Innovate the Teaching–Learning Process
Authors: Rivadeneira Jessica , Inga Esteban
Published: March 2023

Faced with the problem of a need for more student participation and motivation in the teaching–learning process (TLP) due to the persistence of traditional methods, peer instruction (PI) has emerged as an interactive teaching method. It is based on a dynamic of questions and answers to promote student reflection and discussion. Thus, this article shows the applicability of PI, considering a learning engineering approach to innovating the TLP. For this, the historical-descriptive method is used to conduct a literature review and a bibliometric study, evaluating scientific articles in Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus between 2018 and 2022. In addition, in the second stage, the experimental method is used to apply PI in two educational institutions and evaluate its applicability with Likert scales for teachers and students following a quantitative methodology. Consequently, following the analytical-synthetic method, the results indicate that PI the stages, the most relevant aspects, and the conditions to consider in a classroom environment are highly relevant to enhancing its effects. Thus, such applicability is reflected in its positive results in the TLP, considering the learning engineering, and its representation as a flexible and innovative alternative to traditional methods. This is because PI generated benefits for teachers and students, thus encouraging greater satisfaction, motivation, interest, understanding, and student participation.
A Framework with Elaborate Feature Engineering for Matching Face Trajectory and Mobile Phone Trajectory
Authors: Dong Ziqi , Tian Furong , Yang Hua , Sun Tao , Zhang Wenchuan , Ruan Dan
Published: March 2023

The advances in positioning techniques have generated massive trajectory data that represent the mobility of objects, e.g., pedestrians and mobile phones. It is important to integrate information from various modalities for subject tracking or trajectory prediction. Our work attempts to match a face with a corresponding mobile phone based on the heterogeneous trajectories. We propose a framework which associates face trajectories with their corresponding mobile phone trajectories using elaborate and explainable features. Our solution includes two stages: an initial selection of phone trajectories for a given face trajectory and a subsequent identification of which phone trajectory provides an exact match to the given face trajectory. In the first stage, we propose a Multi-Granularity SpatioTemporal Window Searching (MGSTWS) algorithm to select candidate mobile phones that are spatiotemporally close to a given face. In the second stage, we first build an affinity function to score face–phone trajectory point pairs selected by MGSTWS, and construct a feature set for building a face–phone trajectory matching determinator which determines whether a phone trajectory matches a given face trajectory. Our well-designed features guarantee high model simplicity and interpretability. Among the feature set, BGST intelligently leverages disassociation between a face and a mobile phone even if there exists some co-occurence for a non-matching face–phone pair. Based on the feature set, we represent the face–phone matching task as a binary classification problem and train various models, among which LightGBM achieves the best performance with 92.6% accuracy, 96.9% precision, 88.5% recall, and 92.5% F1. Our framework is acceptable in most application scenarios and may benefit some downstream tasks. The preselection-refining architecture of our framework guarantees the applicability and efficiency of the face–phone trajectory pair matching frame.
Laser Radar Data Registration Algorithm Based on DBSCAN Clustering
Authors: Liu Yiting , Zhang Lei , Li Peijuan , Jia Tong , Du Junfeng , Liu Yawen , Li Rui , Yang Shutao , Tong Jinwu , Yu Hanqi
Published: March 2023

At present, the core of lidar data registration algorithms depends on search correspondence, which has become the core factor limiting the performance of this kind of algorithm. For point-based algorithms, the data coincidence rate is too low, and for line-based algorithms, the method of searching the correspondence is too complex and unstable. In this paper, a laser radar data registration algorithm based on DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) clustering is proposed, which avoids the search and establishment of the corresponding relationship. Firstly, a ring band filter is designed to process the outliers with noise in a point cloud. Then, the adaptive threshold is used to extract the line segment features in the laser radar point cloud. For the point cloud to be registered, a DBSCAN density clustering algorithm is used to obtain the key clusters of the rotation angle and translation matrix. In order to evaluate the similarity of the two frames of the point cloud in the key clusters after data registration, a kernel density estimation method is proposed to describe the registered point cloud, and K-L divergence is used to find the optimal value in the key clusters. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm avoids the direct search of the correspondence between points or lines in complex scenes with many outliers in laser point clouds, which can effectively improve the robustness of the algorithm and suppress the influence of outliers on the algorithm. The relative error between the registration result and the actual value is within 10%, and the accuracy is better than the ICP algorithm.
Dynamic Capability Theory Based Study on Performance of Intelligent Manufacturing Enterprise under RFID Influence
Authors: Wang Weibin , Liu Caihong
Published: March 2023

To help intelligent manufacturing enterprises lower their confusion in RFID investment and improve their performance through a prior understanding of the RFID influence, given the moderating of entrepreneurship, a dynamic capability theory-based conceptual model is proposed by us. Then, through a questionnaire survey, measurable indicators are effectively selected. Next, AMOS method-based modeling is put forward to analyze the moderating effect and mediating effect to test the research hypotheses. The results show, firstly, that the most significant variables are the “consistent investment” and the “management decision-making ability”. Besides, different from the view of cost performance, the best reflected factors of enterprise performance in “intelligent manufacturing” are “product innovation speed and product market share”. Secondly, proper RFID investment can have a positive impact on enterprise performance only if it is converted into intelligent manufacturing capability (mediating variable), which hints at the true mediating effect. Moreover, Entrepreneurship can positively moderate the RFID’s influence on an enterprise’s intelligent manufacturing capability, but not on the enterprise performance. Namely, the moderated mediating effect of enterprise’s intelligent manufacturing capability is tenable. Generally, reasonable RFID investment in Chinese enterprises can promote intelligent manufacturing capability to improve the “intelligent manufacturing” performance. All these influence relations also vary with different entrepreneurships.
Data Collection Mechanism for UAV-Assisted Cellular Network Based on PPO
Authors: Chen Tuo , Dong Feihong , Ye Hu , Wang Yun , Wu Bin
Published: March 2023

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly gaining in application value in many fields because of their low cost, small size, high mobility and other advantages. In the scenario of traditional cellular networks, UAVs can be used as a kind of aerial mobile base station to collect information of edge users in time. Therefore, UAVs provide a promising communication tool for edge computing. However, due to the limited battery capacity, these may not be able to completely collect all the information. The path planning can ensure that the UAV collects as much data as possible under the limited flight distance, so it is very important to study the path planning of the UAV. In addition, due to the particularity of air-to-ground communication, the flying altitude of the UAV can have a crucial impact on the channel quality between the UAV and the user. As a mature technology, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is an important algorithm in the field of machine learning which can be deployed in unknown environments. Deep reinforcement learning is applied to the data collection of UAV-assisted cellular networks, so that UAVs can find the best path planning and height joint optimization scheme, which ensures that UAVs can collect more information under the condition of limited energy consumption, save human and material resources as much as possible, and finally achieve higher application value. In this work, we transform the UAV path planning problem into an Markov decision process (MDP) problem. By applying the proximal policy optimization (PPO) algorithm, our proposed algorithm realizes the adaptive path planning of UAV. Simulations are conducted to verify the performance of the proposed scheme compared to the conventional scheme.
Metaverse-Based Learning Opportunities and Challenges: A Phenomenological Metaverse Human–Computer Interaction Study
Authors: Said Ghada Refaat El
Published: March 2023

The Metaverse is an end-users-oriented integration of various layers of Information Technology (IT), where Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) would be the core technology. With the rapid development of IT, the Metaverse would allow users to connect, work, conduct business, and access educational resources, all in a technology-mediated environment in new interaction ways. The Metaverse can play a major role in the future of online learning and enable a rich active learning environment, where learners have the opportunity to obtain first-hand experiences that might not be accessible in the physical world. While currently there is a severe shortage in Metaverse-Learning studies, such research strands are expected to soon emerge. The main objective of this paper is to investigate challenges and opportunities for human-centric Metaverse technology in the learning sector, hence accelerating research in this field. A phenomenological research method was used, including semi-structured in-depth interviews, essays written by participants, a focus group discussion with 19 experts in the areas of HCI, intelligent interactive technologies, and online learning. The individual interviews took place in May 2022, with a focus group meeting held online in June 2022 to formulate a collective opinion of the 19 experts. Five challenges were identified for the Metaverse-Learning context: immersive design, privacy and security, universal access, physical and psychological health concerns, and governance. While the research provided suggestions to overcome those challenges, three Meta-Learning opportunities were identified: hands-on training and learning, game-based learning, and collaboration in creating knowledge. The findings of this research contribute to understanding the complexity of the online learning in the Metaverse from the Human–Computer Interaction point of view. These findings can be used to further research the Metaverse as a virtual communication environment and potential business and learning platform.
From Bioimpedance to Volume Estimation: A Model for Edema Calculus in Human Legs
Authors: Scaliusi Santiago F. , Gimenez Luis , Pérez Pablo , Martín Daniel , Olmo Alberto , Huertas Gloria , Medrano F. Javier , Yúfera Alberto
Published: March 2023

Heart failure (HF) is a severe disease and one of the most important causes of death in our society nowadays. A significant percentage of patients hospitalized for decompensation of heart failure are readmitted after some weeks or months due to an expected bad and uncontrolled HF evolution due to the lack of the patient supervision in real time. Herein is presented a straightforward electric model useful for volume leg section calculus based on the bioimpedance test as a way to assist with the acute HF patient’s supervision. The method has been developed for time-evolution edema evaluation in patients’ corresponding legs. The data are picked up with a wearable device specifically developed for acute heart failure patients. As an initial step, a calibration method is proposed to extract the extracellular volume component from bioimpedance measurements done in healthy subjects, and then applied to unhealthy ones. The intra- and extracellular resistance components are calculated from fitted Cole–Cole model parameters derived from BI spectroscopy measurements. Results obtained in a pilot assay, with healthy subjects and heart failure subjects, show sensitivities in leg volume [mL/Ω], with much lower values for healthy than in unhealthy people, being an excellent biomarker to discriminate between both. Finally, circadian cycle evolution for leg volume has been measured from the bioimpedance test as an extension of the work, enabling an alternative parameter for the characterization of one day of human activity for any person.
A Hybrid Deep Learning Model Using CNN and K-Mean Clustering for Energy Efficient Modelling in Mobile EdgeIoT
Authors: Bisen Dhananjay , Lilhore Umesh Kumar , Manoharan Poongodi , Dahan Fadl , Mzoughi Olfa , Hajjej Fahima , Saurabh Praneet , Raahemifar Kaamran
Published: March 2023

In mobile edge computing (MEC), it is difficult to recognise an optimum solution that can perform in limited energy by selecting the best communication path and components. This research proposed a hybrid model for energy-efficient cluster formation and a head selection (E-CFSA) algorithm based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and a modified k-mean clustering (MKM) method for MEC. We utilised a CNN to determine the best-transferring strategy and the most efficient partitioning of a specific task. The MKM method has more than one cluster head in each cluster to lead. It also reduces the number of reclustering cycles, which helps to overcome the energy consumption and delay during the reclustering process. The proposed model determines a training dataset by covering all the aspects of cost function calculation. This training dataset helps to train the model, which allows for efficient decision-making in optimum energy usage. In MEC, clusters have a dynamic nature and frequently change their location. Sometimes, this creates hurdles for the clusters to form a cluster head and, finally, abandons the cluster. The selected cluster heads must be recognised correctly and applied to maintain and supervise the clusters. The proposed pairing of the modified k-means method with a CNN fulfils this objective. The proposed method, existing weighted clustering algorithm (WCA), and agent-based secure enhanced performance approach (AB-SEP) are tested over the network dataset. The findings of our experiment demonstrate that the proposed hybrid model is promising in aspects of CD energy consumption, overhead, packet loss rate, packet delivery ratio, and throughput compared to existing approaches.
Layout of MOS Varactor with Improved Quality Factor for Cross-Coupled Differential Voltage-Controlled Oscillator Applications
Authors: Lee Milim , Lee Jaeyong , Park Changkun
Published: March 2023

In this study, we designed an MOS varactor for application in the differential voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). To improve the quality factor of the MOS varactor, we proposed a symmetric layout technique of the MOS varactor with reduced parasitic components. Compared with the typical MOS varactor layout, the metal line for the interconnection of the MOS varactors that is inevitable in the typical MOS varactors for the cross-coupled VCO was minimized to reduce the parasitic resistance. In addition, with the reduced interconnection metal line, the overall size of the proposed MOS varactor was also reduced compared with the typical one. To verify the feasibility of the proposed MOS varactor structure, the typical and proposed MOS varactors were designed using a 180 nm RFCMOS process. Compared to the typical MOS varactor, the measured quality factor of the proposed MOS varactor was improved by approximately 32% at the operating frequency of 5.0 GHz. Additionally, we successfully verified that the parasitic capacitance induced by the lossy silicon substrate was reduced in the proposed MOS varactor structure.
Environmental and Health Risk Assessment of Soil Adjacent to a Self-Burning Waste Pile from an Abandoned Coal Mine in Northern Portugal
Authors: Santos Patrícia , Ribeiro Joana , Espinha Marques Jorge , Flores Deolinda
Published: March 2023

Abandoned mines and disposal of mining residues can be responsible for the release of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into the environment causing soil and water contamination, with potential ecological damage and human health hazards. The quantification of the apportionment of PTEs in soils and the study of the associated ecological and human health risks are essential. This study aims to assess the environmental and human health risk of the soils surrounding an abandoned coal mine in São Pedro da Cova, whose waste pile has been affected by self-combustion for over 17 years. The soil environmental characterization of the study area regarding PTEs was accessed by different pollution indices, considering the elementary crustal abundance and the determined regional soil geochemical background. The soil contamination degree was evaluated using indices such as the contamination factor (Cf) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo), inferred for all soil samples, and the potential ecological risk index (PERI) was also accessed. The human health risk was evaluated for adults and children, considering the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. The pollution indices calculated for the PTEs using distinct reference values showed significant differences, resulting in lower pollution indices when using the regional reference values. The regional background proved to be a much more reliable geochemical baseline for environmental assessment. Regarding Igeo, the soils were found to be unpolluted to moderately polluted for most of the studied PTEs. The determined PERI for the soils surrounding the abandoned mine classifies them as low ecological risk. The evaluation of the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, resulting from exposure to the studied soils, suggests that there is no potential human health risk for children or adults regarding the considered PTEs.
Choline Chloride-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent-Treated Wood
Authors: Can Ahmet , Özlüsoylu İsmail , Antov Petar , Lee Seng Hua
Published: March 2023

Due to their adaptability and low preparation costs, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been widely used in a variety of applications. For some potential industrial applications, developing new low-cost DESs is critical. Oxalic acid (OA), acetic acid (AA), urea (Ur), and glycerol (GL) were mixed in various molar ratios to make DES solutions, with choline chloride (ChCL) acting as the hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA). In this work, DES solutions were applied to wood samples of Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis) at 150 °C. The chemical structures of wood samples were significantly altered after impregnation with DES solutions, as revealed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The hemicellulose and cellulose peaks increased around 1700 cm−1, while the lignin peak disappeared completely around 1500 cm−1. After the decay test, mass losses were lower than in the control samples. The decay tests revealed that the leached wood samples were more resistant to decay. DES-treated wood samples, on the other hand, decomposed at lower temperatures.
Response of Understory Plant Diversity to Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Urban Forests in Beijing, China
Authors: Meng Xiangyu , Fan Shunxin , Dong Li , Li Kun , Li Xiaolu
Published: March 2023

Understory vegetation affects the richness and stability of urban forest ecosystems. To investigate the influence of soil physicochemical properties on the diversity of understory plants in urban forests, this study used 30 urban forest communities in the Beijing Plain area as the research object and analyzed the correlation between understory plant diversity and soil factors by correlation analysis. Furthermore, pH, soil bulk density (SBD), total soil porosity (TSP), soil water content (SWC), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), effective phosphorous (AP), and effective potassium (AK) were determined in this study. The Shannon diversity index (H’), Pielou evenness index (E), Simpson dominance index (C), and Margalef richness index (DMG) of understory plants were calculated. The soil nutrient contents and the understory plant diversity indices of the different community types showed significant differences. There was a strong correlation between soil properties and the diversity index of understory vegetation. SOM and SOC were the main factors affecting the Shannon-Wiener index, Pielou index, Simpson index, and Margalef richness index of the understory plants. We conclude that soil properties were one of the primary drivers of the formation of understory vegetation diversity. The results of the study can provide scientific guidance for the management of urban forests.
Wood Decay Fungi Associated with Galleries of the Emerald Ash Borer
Authors: Simeto Sofía , Held Benjamin W. , Blanchette Robert A.
Published: March 2023

The emerald ash borer is causing dramatic losses following its introduction into North America, with hundreds of millions of ash trees killed. Attacked trees lose wood integrity rapidly after infestation and are prone to failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the wood degrading potential of Basidiomycota fungi previously found associated with EAB galleries. Laboratory soil and agar microcosm experiments showed that many of the white-rot fungi isolated were aggressive wood degraders. Trametes versicolor, Phlebia radiata and Phlebia acerina were among the top decomposers from the 13 tested fungi, resulting in as much as 70%, 72% and 64% weight loss, respectively, after 6 months of incubation. Micromorphological observations documented the significant wood cell wall degradation that had taken place. The decay capacity of these fungi confirms their contributing role to the loss of wood integrity in ash trees after EAB attack.
Glucose Conversion for Biobutanol Production from Fresh Chlorella sorokiniana via Direct Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Authors: Yang Jinzhi , Cai Di , Liu Xudong , Zhu Liqi , Zhang Changwei , Peng Qing , Han Yanxia , Liu Guozhen , Yang Ming
Published: March 2023

Microalgae, which accumulate considerable carbohydrates, are a potential source of glucose for biofuel fermentation. In this study, we investigated the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of wet microalgal biomass compared with freeze-dried and oven-dried biomasses, both with and without an acidic pretreatment. With the dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment followed by amy (α-amylase and amyloglucosidase) and cellulase hydrolysis, approximately 95.4% of the glucose was recovered; however, 88.5% was released by the pretreatment with 2% (w/v) sulfuric acid, which indicates the potential of the acids for direct saccharification process. There were no considerable differences in the glucose yields among the three kinds of materials. In the direct amy hydrolysis without any pretreatment, a 78.7% glucose yield was obtained, and the addition of cellulase had no significant effect on the hydrolysis to glucose. Compared with the oven-dried biomass, the wet biomass produced a substantially higher glucose yield, which is possibly because the cross-linked cells of the oven-dried biomass prevented the accessibility of the enzymes. According to the results, the fresh microalgal biomass without cell disruption can be directly used for enzymatic hydrolysis to produce glucose. The enzymatic hydrolysate of the wet microalgal biomass was successfully used for acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation, which produced 7.2 g/L of ABE, indicating the application potential of wet microalgae in the bioalcohol fuel fermentation process.
Recent Advances in the Hydroxylation of Amino Acids and Its Derivatives
Authors: Wang Bangxu , Xiao Shujian , Zhao Xingtao , Zhao Liming , Zhang Yin , Cheng Jie , Zhang Jiamin
Published: March 2023

Hydroxy amino acids (HAAs) are of unique value in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry with antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. At present, the hydroxylated amino acids most studied are tryptophan, lysine, aspartic acid, leucine, proline, etc., and some of their derivatives. The hydroxylation of amino acids is inextricably linked to the catalysis of various biological enzymes, such as tryptophan hydroxylase, L-pipecolic acid trans-4-hydroxylase, lysine hydroxylase, etc. Hydroxylase conspicuously increases the variety of amino acid derivatives. For the manufacture of HAAs, the high regioselectivity biocatalytic synthesis approach is favored over chemical synthesis. Nowadays, the widely used method is to transcribe the hydroxylation pathway of various amino acids, including various catalytic enzymes, into Corynebacterium glutamicum or Escherichia coli for heterologous expression and then produce hydroxyamino acids. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the biosynthetic hydroxylation of aliphatic, heterocyclic, and aromatic amino acids and introduced the basic research and application of HAAs.
The Effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZZU203, Cellulase-Producing Bacillus methylotrophicus, and Their Combinations on Alfalfa Silage Quality and Bacterial Community
Authors: Zhang Xueying , Zhao Shanshan , Wang Yanping , Yang Fengyuan , Wang Yuan , Fan Xiaomiao , Feng Changsong
Published: March 2023

This study assessed the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (ZZU203), cellulase-producing Bacillus methylotrophicus (CB), or their combination (ZZU203_CB) on the fermentation parameters of alfalfa after 10 and 60 days of ensiling. Additionally, the bacterial community compositions were analyzed using absolute quantification 16S-seq (AQS). The results showed that CB silage displayed a higher lactic acid (LA) concentration at 10 d, a higher abundance of Lactobacillus, and lower abundance of Pediococcus, Enterococcus, and Weissella than those in the control (CK) silage. Compared with CK silage, the ZZU203 silage increased LA concentration, fructose and rhamnose concentrations, and the abundance of Lactobacillus, and decreased pH value, ammoniacal nitrogen, acetic acid, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber concentrations, and the abundance of Pediococcus, Enterococcus, Weissella, Hafnia, and Garciella after 60 days of ensiling. In addition, ZZU203 and ZZU203_CB silage had a similar silage quality and bacterial community, while the inoculation of ZZU203_CB significantly promoted LA accumulation and the numbers of Lactobacillus at 10 d compared with ZZU203 silage. Therefore, ZZU203 or a combination of ZZU203 and CB can be used as potential silage additives to improve the silage quality of alfalfa.
Characteristic Analysis of Four Major Nighttime Fire Cases on Fire Safety of Long-Term Care Institutions Using Fire Protection Defense-In-Depth Strategy
Authors: Wu Liang-Sheng , Pan Ryh-Nan , Wang Shiuan-Cheng , Su Chung-Hwei , Wu Wen-Chien
Published: March 2023

Providing high-quality care services and fire safety for long-term care institutions is an important issue in Taiwan, which became an aging society in 2018. The fire incidents in Taiwan over the years show that nighttime fires in care institutions often cause serious casualties. It is necessary not only to understand the causes of serious nighttime fire incidents that have occurred but also to draw lessons from the fires that have been put out without causing injuries. In this study, the top two serious nighttime fire accidents in long-term care institutions in the past two decades in Taiwan were analyzed based on the publicly official and academic literature utilizing fire protection defense-in-depth strategies. For comparison, two other nighttime fire cases with similar scenarios but no casualties were also analyzed in depth about the cause of no casualties. The buildings of the four nighttime fires were equipped with fire protection equipment in their public areas. The theoretical basis of the research is the fire protection defense-in-depth strategy. In both categories of severe casualties and no severe casualties, one was caused by arson and the other one by an electrical fire, with the ignition point of a fire in the storeroom and the other in the ward. However, the end results were quite different. The analyzed results showed that the severe fires lasted for about an hour, while the fires without casualties were put out within 15 min. A well-constructed second layer of defense measures could effectively contain a fire, and an effective third layer of measures could avoid casualties. The death rate of personnel can be reduced from a dozen to zero, and the burning time is also greatly reduced. The results could be used as a reference for emergency measures in long-term care institutions.
Experimental Study on Steel-Fiber-Reinforced Scoria Aggregate Concrete Subjected to Freeze-Thaw Cycles and Then Exposure to Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Cai Bin , Wang Shengda , Fu Feng , Duan Wenfeng , Wang Lin
Published: March 2023

Steel-fiber-reinforced scoria aggregate concrete (SFSAC), which contains scoria aggregate and steel fiber, was developed to reduce the environmental impacts and improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Experimental studies were performed. The test variables included steel fiber volume contents (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%), freeze-thaw cycles (0 and 25 times), and temperature (20 °C, 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C). Mass loss, relative dynamic elastic modulus, mechanical properties, and the variation pattern of the complete stress–strain curves were analyzed through rapid freeze-thaw, high-temperature, and mechanical tests. The test results showed that after 25 freeze-thaw cycles and then exposure to high temperatures, the surfaces of SFSAC specimens showed aggregate spalling accompanied by dense cracks. Moreover, the residual mechanical properties of steel-fiber-reinforced natural aggregate concrete (SFNAC) were better than those of natural aggregate concrete (NAC). Although the incorporation of steel fiber cannot significantly improve the anti-freezing performance of SFSAC, it can improve the residual mechanical properties of SFSAC, and the optimal amount of incorporation is 1%, considering the economic cost factors. The stress–strain curves of both SFSAC and SFNAC showed the same trend after freeze-thaw cycles and then high temperatures, i.e., the peak stress decreased, the peak strain increased, and the descending section tended to level off. Finally, based on the concrete damage mechanics theory, considering the role of steel fibers in the uniaxial compression process of scoria aggregate concrete (SAC) and the effect of freeze-thaw and high-temperature tests on the SFSAC, the mechanical damage model and the uniaxial compression stress–strain constitutive model were proposed as being able to highly accurately reflect the overall process damage characteristics of SFSAC after freeze-thaw and then high-temperature tests, and also provided a theoretical basis for the high-temperature resistance assessment of SFSAC structures in cold regions.
Influence of Total Suspended Solids on the Growth of the Sea Lettuce Ulva lactuca Integrated with the Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei in a Biofloc System
Authors: Carvalho Andrezza , Costa Léa Carolina de Oliveira , Holanda Mariana , Poersch Luís H. , Turan Gamze
Published: March 2023

A biofloc system is rich in nutrients, which favors the cultivation of macroalgae, but the influence of the system on the performance of macroalgae is unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze the feasibility of introducing the macroalgae Ulva lactuca into the culture of Litopenaeus vannamei in a biofloc system. The first experiment evaluated the influence of 400 mg L−1 and 30 mg L−1 solids concentration of the system in biofloc and von Stosch culture medium on macroalgae growth. In the second experiment, the densities of 1, 2, and 3 g L−1 of U. lactuca were cultivated in an integrated system with shrimp and monoculture treatment. Both experiments had 35 days of cultivation. There was no significant difference in macroalgae growth between the treatments with biofloc and von Stosch culture medium. In the integrated culture, the density of 1 g L−1 showed better nutrient absorption. Shrimp performance was not affected by macroalgae cultivation. In conclusion, the solids did not affect the growth of the macroalgae, and it could be cultivated in a biofloc system for nitrate uptake in integrated culture with shrimp.
Soluble and Insoluble Dietary Fibre in Date Fruit Varieties: An Evaluation of Methods and Their Implications for Human Health
Authors: Stojanovska Lily , Ali Habiba I. , Kamal-Eldin Afaf , Souka Usama , Al Dhaheri Ayesha S. , Cheikh Ismail Leila , Hilary Serene
Published: March 2023

Dietary fibre analysis is expensive due to its reliance on enzymes such as α-amylase, protease, and amyloglucosidase. This study investigated whether enzymes are essential in analysing insoluble, soluble, and total dietary fibre (IDF, SDF and TDF) contents in dry fruits with very low starch and protein contents. The IDF, SDF, and TDF were measured in date fruits using the enzymatic gravimetric method AOAC 991.43 in the ANKOM dietary fibre analyser, with and without enzymatic digestion. The study analysed six date fruit varieties with a range of texture profiles. Our results highlighted agreement between both methods in the measured IDF, SDF, and TDF values. TDF values in date fruit varieties varied considerably, from 5.67% g/100 g to 10.33% g/100 g. Results from both methods also indicate that IDF constituted the bulk of dietary fibre content in all date fruit varieties (77.8% to 91.6%), while the proportion of SDF was between 8.4% and 22.2%. This study confirms that dates are a rich source of dietary fibre, and can be a valuable functional ingredient in foods that reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The study confirmed that the inexpensive non-enzymatic technique is a viable substitute for the enzymatic method for analysing dietary fibre in dry fruits.