bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Acoustical Emulation of the “Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok”
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Jung Byungkyu , Chang Minho
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze the possibility of using the “Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok” which is designated as National Treasure No. 29, as a musical resource through acoustic analysis and sound synthesis method. Based on the acoustically analyzed data of the Bell, it was tried to synthesized with frequency and fluctuation of partial sound, the beat cycle and envelop application by the additive synthesis among the method of sound synthesis The spatial sounds were modelled by an artificial neural network to estimate the exact reverberation of the source. The final result was produced with Native Instruments Reactor6, which can be easily used not only by sound designers and multimedia artists but also by many musicians, to preserve the history and identity of Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, and to confirm its potential as a medium to be fused to new media.
A Study of the Research Trend on the Military Service System in Korea: Focusing on Domestic Journals in the Last 10 years
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Yoo Byungduk , Jeon Kiseok
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze research trends on the military service system in Korea for the past 10 years. A total of 256 papers were extracted as a result of searching with the keywords 'military service', 'conscription system', and 'recruitment system' in the Korean Journal Citation Index and a total of 162 papers that fit the research purpose was analyzed. In terms of research topics, studies on conscientious objection were the most common, followed by improvement of the special military service system and introduction of the military recruitment system. In terms of academic journals, law studies accounted for the most, which is interpreted as conscientious objection to military service is a legal issue. Next, research on the recruitment system was conducted in various fields such as law, military science, public administration and policy studies, and sociology. Literature studies were the most common, and empirical studies or case studies using actual data were very few. Based on the research results, suggestions for future research directions were presented.
The Effect of the Relationship with Users on Turnover Intention among PAS Assistants for the Disabled
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Kim Heeja
Published: April 2023

This study is to find out the effect of the relationship with users on the turnover intention of the PAS assistants. The research model consisted of sequentially mediating job insecurity, pay satisfaction, and pride in service between the relationships with users and turnover intention. The data were collected by conducting an online survey of PAS assistants, and a total of 341 copies were used for analysis. As a result of the study, it was found that the relationship with users had a complete mediating effect on turnover intention. In other words, the relationship with users does not directly affect the turnover intention, but has an indirect effect through job insecurity, pay satisfaction, and job pride. This suggests that institutional supplementation is needed, such as various compensation systems for working hours outside of service hours and the establishment of an organization to protect the rights and interests of care workers.
Analysis of Research Trends related to Psychotherapy through Picture Book: Focused on Academic Domestic Journals Published between 2013 and 2022
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Lee Hyunmi , Lee Youngrim
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze research trends related to psychotherapy through picture books and to suggest directions for follow-up research. For this purpose, For this purpose, 35 papers published in domestic academic journals over the past 10 years were analyzed. Research results First, the research was conducted steadily from 2013 to 2022. Second, these studies were presented at 24 domestic conferences, with ‘Bibliotherapy Therapy’ (22.86%) being the most common. Third, the study subjects had the highest rate of children’s, followed by elementary school students and adults. Fourth, the type of research was qualitative research, quantitative research, and mixed research in order. Fifth, picture book-mediated activities included viewing, listening, reading, speaking, writing, making, and play/activities. In terms of psychology/counseling, they were effective in self-esteem, anger, anxiety, aggression, mourning and happiness. Based on the results of the study, it suggests that picture book-based psychotherapeutic interventions are needed in various psychological counseling settings.
Affix rivalry: Theoretical and methodological challenges
Authors: Huyghe Richard , Varvara Rossella
Published: April 2023

Affix rivalry is a key element in the organization and evolution of derivational systems. Its study provides insight into word-formation semantics, morphological change, productivity, lexical variation, and the many-to-many relationship between form and meaning. Affix rivalry is characterized by its gradient nature and the multiplicity of factors that can be involved in its resolution. On the one hand, rival affixes can be regarded as more or less competing depending on their semantic similarity and on the proportion of semantic functions they have in common. On the other hand, the distinction between rival affixes can rely on different linguistic properties, including not only semantic, but also phonological, morphological, syntactic, stylistic, and sociolinguistic properties. Differences are observed as tendencies and have a variable influence on affix selection. Quantitative methods can be used to precisely assess degrees of rivalry and multifactorial resolution of competition. Based on the statistical analysis of large sets of derivatives, they can provide an accurate description of affix rivalry and help us better understand the mechanisms of competition in word formation.
Three ways of looking at morphological rivalry
Authors: Aronoff Mark
Published: April 2023

Blocking and elsewhere distribution have been at the forefront of morphological theory for half a century. Each involves the preemption of one word by another. Neither is fundamental. A combination of Gause’s Principle of Competitive Exclusion and Yang’s Tolerance Principle, both devised for other reasons and both formalized mathematically, provides an explanatory basis for both blocking and elsewhere distribution.
A distributional assessment of rivalry in word formation
Authors: Naranjo Matías Guzmán , Bonami Olivier
Published: April 2023

We contrast two views of rivalry in word formation. Under the classical, categorical view, two processes are rivals if they are semantically equivalent. Under the more nuanced, gradient view, two processes can be rivals at different degrees, depending on how frequently they are amenable to be deployed as alternatives to one another. We propose to use methods from distributional semantics to explore the usefulness of both views. Building on data from French, we first show that distributional differences between average difference vectors capture semantic similarity across derivational processes in a manner comparable to the expectations of expert morphologists. We then propose an operational implementation of the classical view of rivalry based on computational classifiers: processes are rivals if and only if a classifier is unable to discriminate between them. Experimentation with French data shows that this operationalization correctly captures the broad brushes of rivalry, but also reveals finer, gradient aspects of competition in the spirit of gradient rivalry.
THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL OUTCOMES OF HAPPINESS AT WORK WHEN THERE IS NO EXPLICIT STRATEGY: THE VIEWS OF B2C EMPLOYEES
Authors: Belem Barbosa  , Ivete Marques  , Claudia Amaral Santos
Published: April 2023

Happiness at work has been increasingly attracting the attention of academics and human resources managers. Literature on the topic provides clear evidence of the benefits for companies resulting from the adoption of strategies that promote happiness among employees. Despite its growing popularity, companies that define and implement a happiness strategy within their internal marketing are still scarce, particularly small and medium companies (SMEs). This paper illustrates the impact of happiness at work perceived by employees of SMEs at three levels: in themselves, in customers, and in the business’s success, in the particular case of companies that do not implement such strategies. The research question was: what is the perception of employees on happiness at work outcomes when the company has no explicit strategy to promote it? This article includes a qualitative study comprising twelve semi-structured interviews with employees who directly deal with customers while working in various B2C companies that do not have a defined strategy to stimulate happiness at work. The study shows employees’ acknowledgment of the multidimensional impacts of happiness at work, which makes them more motivated, productive, and more able to influence their relationships with customers positively. Based on these findings, even when lacking clear corporate strategies to improve happiness at work, the company is still expected to benefit in terms of customer loyalty and overall profitability, as well as in terms of employees’ affective commitment.
THE EFFECT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS ON INTEGRATED REPORTING: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING (SEM) APPROACH
Authors: ROSHIMA SAID  , CORINA JOSEPH  , ROHAIL HASSAN  , Ita Safriza Ahmad Safri
Published: April 2023

This study investigates the level of integrated reporting of Malaysian listed companies and explores the potential effects of corporate governance mechanisms on integrated reporting. The annual reports of 150 companies listed on the main market, Bursa Malaysia, for the year ended 2014 were examined to analyze the companies' integrated reporting practices using content analysis. An integrated reporting index was constructed following the key elements of the integrated reporting framework established by the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC). The study considered four corporate governance mechanisms: board composition, board size, board diversity, and ownership structure. The study used Multiple regressions to measure the impact of corporate governance mechanisms on the companies' integrated reporting initiatives. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to measure the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on the level of the companies' integrated reporting. The results showed that Malaysian companies' reporting of financial and non-financial information has not yet been integrated. Based on SEM analysis, the results indicated that only one variable, namely, the board size, was associated with the extent of integrated reporting. Board size was the most significant variable that influenced the level of integrated reporting of Malaysian public listed companies in 2014. The study contributes to the integrated reporting literature. It presents empirical evidence that corporate governance mechanisms influence companies' disclosure of integrated reporting information and, thus, providing additional data or information that will be significantly helpful for other researchers. The study will also stimulate the interest of academics in research activities concerning the characteristics of corporate governance mechanisms on integrated reporting activities. The findings are limited to the context of the study. It only looks at corporate governance mechanisms as a critical driver of integrated reporting and uses only the annual report disclosures from a single year.
QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AND EMPLOYEE WORK OUTCOMES: A HIERARCHICAL MODEL WITH MEDIATION ANALYSIS
Authors: Mohammad Rabiul Basher Rubel  , Daisy Mui Hung Kee  , Nadia Newaz Rimi
Published: April 2023

The paper investigates how the quality of work life (QWL), presented in a hierarchical model, influences employee work outcomes (job performance and retention intention). The paper also examines if job satisfaction mediates the above relationship. Drawing on the social exchange theory, the paper examines these two research questions using 365 employees from Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) industry. The findings show that QWL is positively associated with job satisfaction, retention intention, and in-role performance. Job satisfaction has a significant positive effect on the outcome variables as well. Furthermore, job satisfaction mediates QWL and employee work outcomes relationship. The hierarchical model of QWL and its impact on employee outcomes through the mediating role of job satisfaction continues to lag. As such, the paper provides practical insights for organizations looking to improve employee satisfaction, performance, and retention through QWL. These findings have implications for research on positive relationships at work. The study has a few limitations that may provide opportunities for future research.
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM AND PUBLICATION OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MINUTES ONLINE: EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIAN LISTED COMPANIES
Authors: Mohd Shazwan Mohd Ariffin  , Siti Seri Delima Abdul Malak  , Wan Nordin Wan-Hussin
Published: April 2023

This study primarily examined the role of Minority Shareholder Watch Group (MSWG), regarded as an advocate for shareholder activism in Malaysia, in encouraging management to take actions in shareholders’ interests by making minutes of annual general meeting (AGM) available electronically. Shareholder activism was assessed through companies monitored by the MSWG and through shareholder participation based on percentage of issued shares that voted at the AGM. The paper utilised secondary and proprietary data. Based on a sample of 261 firms that conducted their AGM in 2017, we found that 43% firms disclosed comprehensive AGM minutes, 24% firms only disclosed summary of key matters discussed and for the rest, no AGM minutes were uploaded on their corporate websites. From the sample, 34% of firms were under the radar of the MSWG. We found that firms targeted by MSWG were significantly associated with detailed disclosure of AGM minutes. However, shareholder participation through ownership voted at the AGM did not yield a significant association. The prevalence of controlling blocks in Malaysian firms may contribute to this result. Overall, the result supports the notion that institutionalised shareholder activism is an effective way to reduce agency problems and information asymmetry between controlling shareholders, management and minority shareholders. Finally, the study limitations and direction for future research are briefly discussed.
DETERMINANTS OF BEHAVIOR INTENTION TO ADOPT PEER-TO-PEER LENDING SERVICES AMONG INDONESIA MSMES
Authors: Ferdinand Murni Hamundu  , Iis Solihat  , Hendrian  , Milde Wahyu
Published: April 2023

An alternative for Micro Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) against the barriers of financial inclusion is peer-to-peer (P2P) lending services. Despite its effectiveness in advancing financial inclusion, the factors that influence its adoption among MSMEs are unique. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors influencing the intention of Indonesia MSMEs to adopt P2P lending services using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) 2 model. The results of this study show that five variables significantly affect MSMEs including performance expectancy, social influence, price value hedonic motivation, and effort expectancy. Meanwhile, the result shows that the factors of facilitating conditions and habits were not significant. This study contributes a reflective insight on the determinants of the P2P lending adoption among MSMEs in a developing country.
The youth's interpersonal communication with friends and family: The impacts of social media
Authors: Astuti Maharsi Widya , Jefri Riny , Novia Lely
Published: April 2023

This study aims to determine whether or not the use of social media by youth reduces their interaction with family. For the sample in this study, a simple random sampling method was used as part of a quantitative method. Students from the Business English Communication classes in the 2019–2020 and 2021 batches served as the study's subjects. In this study, there are two variables: social media (X) and interaction with family (Y). Two different types of questionnaires, open-ended and closed-ended, were used as the instruments and data collection techniques. The normality test, linearity test, and t-test for hypothesis testing were used in this study for data analysis. Data analysis was done based on the questionnaire results, and the outcomes for the two variables fell into the high category. The results of the study show that social media reduces adolescents' social interaction with family. The t-test results demonstrated that H0 is rejected when the value of t-count exceeds t-table (11.385> 2.002). Therefore, it can be concluded that the results support the Alternative hypothesis, which states that youth use of social media reduces the social interaction with family.
pyHeart4Fish: Chamber-specific heart phenotype quantification of zebrafish in high-content screens
Authors: Vedder Viviana L. , Reinberger Tobias , Haider Syed M. I. , Eichelmann Luis , Odenthal Nadine , Abdelilah-Seyfried Salim , Aherrahrou Zouhair , Breuer Maximilian , Erdmann Jeanette
Published: April 2023

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death. Of CVDs, congenital heart diseases are the most common congenital defects, with a prevalence of 1 in 100 live births. Despite the widespread knowledge that prenatal and postnatal drug exposure can lead to congenital abnormalities, the developmental toxicity of many FDA-approved drugs is rarely investigated. Therefore, to improve our understanding of drug side effects, we performed a high-content drug screen of 1,280 compounds using zebrafish as a model for cardiovascular analyses. Zebrafish are a well-established model for CVDs and developmental toxicity. However, flexible open-access tools to quantify cardiac phenotypes are lacking. Here, we provide pyHeart4Fish, a novel Python-based, platform-independent tool with a graphical user interface for automated quantification of cardiac chamber-specific parameters, such as heart rate (HR), contractility, arrhythmia score, and conduction score. In our study, about 10.5% of the tested drugs significantly affected HR at a concentration of 20 µM in zebrafish embryos at 2 days post-fertilization. Further, we provide insights into the effects of 13 compounds on the developing embryo, including the teratogenic effects of the steroid pregnenolone. In addition, analysis with pyHeart4Fish revealed multiple contractility defects induced by seven compounds. We also found implications for arrhythmias, such as atrioventricular block caused by chloropyramine HCl, as well as (R)-duloxetine HCl-induced atrial flutter. Taken together, our study presents a novel open-access tool for heart analysis and new data on potentially cardiotoxic compounds.
The prospect of direct air capture for energy security and climate stability
Authors: Shayegh Soheil
Published: April 2023

Energy policies aim at securing energy supply through domestic production or imports have significant consequences for climate change and its long-term impacts on the economy. Recent European energy crisis as a result of extensive reliance on imported Russian natural gas has highlighted the European Union (EU) energy vulnerability and has challenged its climate change commitments. While switching to alternative domestic fossil fuel sources such as coal in some member states has put the EU climate ambitions in jeopardy, it has also provided new opportunities for up-scaling renewable technologies as well as climate stability measures such as direct air capture (DAC). This paper examines the interaction between energy policy and climate stability by considering imported natural gas, domestic coal production, and possible DAC deployment in the EU under two scenarios of full cooperation and full competition among the EU member states. The results suggest that while cooperation induces higher reliance on imported energy, it also provides a strong incentive for DAC uptake. Competition on the other hand, may result in more reliance on domestic coal production and worse climate change outcomes despite the availability of DAC. Therefore, as the EU is striving for a more perfect union, it should consider better alignment of its short-term energy security policies with long-term climate stability ambitions.
Effect of Pyrolysis on iron-metal organic frameworks (MOFs) to Fe3C @ Fe5C2 for diesel production in Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
Authors: Munir Saleem , Amin Muhammad , Iqbal Naseem , Iqbal Amjad , Ghfar Ayman A.
Published: April 2023

The Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) is a significant catalytic chemical reaction that produces ultra-clean fuels or chemicals with added value from a syngas mixture of CO and H2 obtained from biomass, coal, or natural gas. The presence of sulfur is not considered good for producing liquid fuels for(FTS). In this study, we reveal that the presence of sulfur in ferric sulfate Fe2(SO4)3 MOF provides the high amount, 52.50% of light hydrocarbons in the carbon chain distribution. The calcined ferric nitrate Fe(NO₃)₃ MOF reveals the highest 93.27% diesel production. Calcination is regarded as an essential factor in enhancing liquid fuel production. Here, we probed the calcination effect of Metal Organic Framework (MOF) on downstream application syngas to liquid fuels. The XRD results of MOF. N and P. MOF.N shows the formation of the active phase of iron carbide (Fe5C2), considered the most active phase of FTS. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of iron sulfate MOF catalyst (P.MOF.S) reveals that the existence of sulfur creates pores inside the particles due to the reaction of free water molecules with the sulfur derivate. The surface functional groups of prepared MOFs and tested MOFS were analyzed by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The thermal stability of prepared MOFS was analyzed by Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The surface areas and structural properties of the catalysts were measured by N2-Physiosorption technique.
Interaction between alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells during Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
Authors: Xue Yazhi , Wang Mengyao , Han Hongbing
Published: April 2023

Mycoplasma pneumoniae, as one of the most common pathogens, usually causes upper respiratory tract infections and pneumonia in humans and animals. It accounts for 10% to 40% of community-acquired pneumonia in children. The alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) are the first barrier against pathogen infections, triggering innate immune responses by recruiting and activating immune cells when pathogens invade into the lung. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are the most plentiful innate immune cells in the lung, and are the first to initiate immune responses with pathogens invasion. The cross-talk between the alveolar epithelium and macrophages is necessary to maintain physiological homeostasis and to eradicate invaded pathogen by regulating immune responses during Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections. This review summarizes the communications between alveolar macrophages and epithelial cells during Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, including cytokines-medicated communications, signal transduction by extracellular vesicles, surfactant associated proteins-medicated signal transmission and establishment of intercellular gap junction channels.
Identifying key genes related to inflammasome in severe COVID-19 patients based on a joint model with random forest and artificial neural network
Authors: Ou Haiya , Fan Yaohua , Guo Xiaoxuan , Lao Zizhao , Zhu Meiling , Li Geng , Zhao Lijun
Published: April 2023

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been spreading astonishingly and caused catastrophic losses worldwide. The high mortality of severe COVID-19 patients is an serious problem that needs to be solved urgently. However, the biomarkers and fundamental pathological mechanisms of severe COVID-19 are poorly understood. The aims of this study was to explore key genes related to inflammasome in severe COVID-19 and their potential molecular mechanisms using random forest and artificial neural network modeling.

Methods

Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in severe COVID-19 were screened from GSE151764 and GSE183533 via comprehensive transcriptome Meta-analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and functional analyses were conducted to identify molecular mechanisms related to DEGs or DEGs associated with inflammasome (IADEGs), respectively. Five the most important IADEGs in severe COVID-19 were explored using random forest. Then, we put these five IADEGs into an artificial neural network to construct a novel diagnostic model for severe COVID-19 and verified its diagnostic efficacy in GSE205099.

Results

Using combining P value < 0.05, we obtained 192 DEGs, 40 of which are IADEGs. The GO enrichment analysis results indicated that 192 DEGs were mainly involved in T cell activation, MHC protein complex and immune receptor activity. The KEGG enrichment analysis results indicated that 192 GEGs were mainly involved in Th17 cell differentiation, IL-17 signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. In addition, the top GO terms of 40 IADEGs were involved in T cell activation, immune response-activating signal transduction, external side of plasma membrane and phosphatase binding. The KEGG enrichment analysis results indicated that IADEGs were mainly involved in FoxO signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor, JAK-STAT signaling pathway and Apoptosis. Then, five important IADEGs (AXL, MKI67, CDKN3, BCL2 and PTGS2) for severe COVID-19 were screened by random forest analysis. By building an artificial neural network model, we found that the AUC values of 5 important IADEGs were 0.972 and 0.844 in the train group (GSE151764 and GSE183533) and test group (GSE205099), respectively.

Conclusion

The five genes related to inflammasome, including AXL, MKI67, CDKN3, BCL2 and PTGS2, are important for severe COVID-19 patients, and these molecules are related to the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, AXL, MKI67, CDKN3, BCL2 and PTGS2 as a marker combination could be used as potential markers to identify severe COVID-19 patients.
Culture in English Language Teaching: A curricular evaluation of English textbooks for foreign language learners
Authors: Banaruee Hassan , Farsani Danyal , Khatin-Zadeh Omid
Published: April 2023

A critical assessment of the current systematical planning and an in-depth review of the teaching materials efficiently improve fine educational materials to the benefit of developed learning and teaching contexts. In some countries, such as Iran, that belong to the expanding circle, local book writers provide English teaching materials that may ignore sociopragmatic language components, particularly culture. There is a blind spot and massive gap in the related literature regarding the inclusion and organization of cultural knowledge in these textbooks. This study investigated culture in Iranian schools by conducting a nationwide survey to fill the gap. The investigation was based on the components of the curriculum administered and used in Iran, namely Vision Series. The evaluation was aimed at two prospects; firstly, to interpret whether the English textbooks taught at high schools in Iran have standardized principles and elements regarding Communication and Culture. Secondly, to investigate the extent to which cultural knowledge and technology as the curricular components are implemented in the Vision Series. In this respect, the 5 Cs checklist developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages was employed. The evaluation done by 120 English language teachers reveals that the textbook Vision 3 is more preferable and desirable than Vision 1 and 2, yet not significantly. The evaluation based on the seven curricular components indicates that Vision textbooks have standards at a low level and are not designed and developed to enhance language learners’ cultural competence in the target language. This study highlights the role of enhancing language learners’ cultural awareness in the expanding circle of World Englishes.
Epidemiological trends for functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A study combining multiple imputation with age adjustment
Authors: Luo Shuaiwu , Wang Jiakun , Wu Linquan , Wang Cong , Yang Jun , Li Min , Zhang Ligan , Ge Jin , Sun Chi , Li Enliang , Lei Jun , Liao Yuting , Zhou Fan , Liao Wenjun
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine trends in the incidence and incidence-based (IB) mortality of functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors(F-PNETs), and to identify factors associated with survival times.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2000 to 2017. Trends in the age-adjusted incidence of F-PNETs and IB mortality were examined using the Joinpoint Regression Program. Statistical analyses were run using chi-square tests, Kaplan–Meier curves, and the Cox proportional hazards model. Multiple imputation was used to deal with missing data.

Results

A total of 142 patients with F-PNETs met the study inclusion criteria. It was found that the incidence of F-PNETs decreased over the study period, with an annual percent change (APC) of -2. 5% (95% CI [-4. 3, -0. 5], P<0. 05). This decrease was found to be significant for women, and also when limited to cases with distant disease or rare F-PNETs, with APCs of -4. 2% (95% CI [-7. 4, -0. 9], P<0. 05), -6. 7% (95% CI [-10. 4, -2. 8], P<0. 05), and -9. 1% (95% CI [-13. 5, -4. 4], P<0. 05), respectively. The Cox regression analysis revealed that the tumor size, tumor stage, tumor type, and surgical resection were associated with F-PNETs mortality.

Conclusions

This was the first population-based epidemiological study of F-PNETs and we found a continual decrease in the incidence of F-PNETs from 2000 to 2017. The prognosis and survival times were closely related to the calendar year at diagnosis, tumor stage, and tumor size.
Detectable depth of unexposed parathyroid glands using near-infrared autofluorescence imaging in thyroid surgery
Authors: Han Young Seok , Kim Yikeun , Lee Hyoung Shin , Kim Yeongjoon , Ahn Yeh-Chan , Lee Kang Dae
Published: April 2023

Background

Near-infrared light can penetrate the fat or connective tissues overlying the parathyroid gland (PG), enabling early localization of the PG by near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) imaging. However, the depth at which the PG can be detected has not been reported. In this study, we investigated the detectable depth of unexposed PGs using NIRAF during thyroidectomy.

Materials and methods

Fifty-one unexposed PGs from 30 consecutive thyroidectomy patients, mapped by an experienced surgeon (K.D. Lee) with the use of NIRAF imaging, were included. For NIRAF detection of PGs, a lab-built camera imaging system was used. Detectable depths of the unexposed PGs were measured using a Vernier caliper. The NIRAF images were classified as faint or bright depending on whether a novice could successfully interpret the image as showing the PG. Data on variables that may affect detectable depth and NIRAF intensity were collected.

Results

Detectable depth ranged between 0.35 and 3.05 mm, with a mean of 1.23 ± 0.73 mm. The average NIRAF intensity of unexposed PGs was 3.13 au. After dissection of the overlying tissue, the intensity of the exposed PG increased to 4.88 au (p < 0.001). No difference in NIRAF intensity between fat-covered (3.27 ± 0.90 au) and connective tissue-covered PGs (3.00 ± 1.23 au) was observed (p = 0.369). PGs covered by fat tissue (depth: 1.77 ± 0.67 mm) were found at deeper locations than those covered by connective tissue (depth: 0.70 ± 0.21 mm) (p < 0.001). The brightness of images of the faint group (2.14 ± 0.48 au) was on average 1.24 au lower than that of the bright group (3.38 ± 1.04 au) (p = 0.001). A novice successfully localized 80.4% of the unexposed PGs. Other variables did not significantly affect detectable depth.

Conclusion

Unexposed PGs could be mapped using NIRAF imaging at a maximum depth of 3.05 mm and an average depth of 1.23 mm. A novice was able to localize the PGs before they were visible to the naked eye at a high rate. These results can be used as reference data for localization of unexposed PGs in thyroid surgery.
1D modelling and preliminary analysis of the coupled DYNASTY–eDYNASTY natural circulation loop
Authors: Benzoni Gabriele , Introini Carolina , Lorenzi Stefano , Loi Lorenzo , Cammi Antonio
Published: April 2023

In the continuous strive to improve the safety of current-generation and next-generation nuclear power plants, natural circulation can be used to design passive safety systems to remove the decay heat during the shutdown. The Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR) is a peculiar type of Gen-IV nuclear facility, where the fluid fuel is homogeneously mixed with the coolant. This design leads to natural circulation in the presence of an internally distributed heat source during the shutdown. Furthermore, to shield the environment from the highly radioactive fuel, an intermediate loop between the primary and the secondary loops, able to operate in natural circulation, is required. To analyze the natural circulation with a distributed heat source and to study the natural circulation of coupled systems and the influence of the intermediate loop on the behaviour of the primary, Politecnico di Milano designed and built the DYNASTY-eDYNASTY facility. The two facilities are coupled with a double-pipe heat exchanger, which siphons heat from DYNASTY and delivers it to the eDYNASTY loop. This work focuses on modelling the coupled DYNASTY-eDYNASTY natural circulation loops using DYMOLA2023®, an integrated development environment based on the Modelica Object-Oriented a-causal simulation language. The 1D Modelica approach allows for building highly reusable and flexible models easing the design effort on a complex system such as the DYNASTY-eDYNASTY case without the need to rewrite the whole model from scratch. The coupled models were developed starting from the already-validated single DYNASTY model and the double-pipe heat exchanger coupling. The models were tested during the whole development process, studying the influence of the numerical integration algorithm on the simulation behaviour. A preliminary analysis of both the adiabatic and the heat loss models analyzed the effect of the secondary natural circulation loop on the behaviour of the DYNASTY loop. The simulation results showed that the eDYNASTY loop dampens the behaviour of the primary DYNASTY loop. Furthermore, a parametric analysis of the DYNASTY and the eDYNASTY coolers highlighted the influence of the cooling configuration on the facility’s behaviour. Finally, the simulation results identified the most critical aspects of the models in preparation for an experimental comparison.
Wildfire risks under a changing climate: Synthesized assessments of wildfire risks over southwestern China
Authors: Xu Yuanxin , Guo Haiyan , Liu Jia , Sun Rui , Li Xiaolan
Published: April 2023

Wildfire events in southwestern China resulted in catastrophic loss of property and human life, and the localized wildfire risks show differentiated trends under global warming scenarios. In the case of quantitating climate impacts and localizing wildfire risks, synthesized assessments of wildfire risks of high-incident areas in southwestern China are established and mapped in this article, constituted by three essential elements: hazard, vulnerability, and disaster prevention/mitigation capacity. The hazard group includes vegetation ignitability and fire spreading related to climate and topography factors. Public and economic characteristic elements belong to the vulnerability and disaster prevention/mitigation capacity group based on their functions and influences on wildfire events. Each aspect and group are rated by the historical wildfire site records and weighted by the entropy weight method and analytic hierarchy process. Assessments indicate that most very high wildfire risk girds are distributed in the west of 103°E and the north of 28°N, covering an area of over 26,500 km2, mainly in low-altitude suburban regions in basins and valleys with high climate hazards. The highly localized wildfire risk maps specified both stresses of fire prevention/mitigation in each grid cell and general spatial patterns of wildfire risks, thereby enhancing the understanding of both current and future patterns of wildfire risks and thus helping improve suppression and prevention policies.
Unleashing environmental performance: The impact of green entrepreneurial motivation on small enterprises
Authors: Al Shammre Abdullah Sultan , Alshebami Ali Saleh , Ali Seraj Abdullah Hamoud , Elshaer Ibrahim A. , Al Marri Salem Handhal
Published: April 2023

Background: Environmental degradation has been annoying, pressuring enterprises to look for innovative ways to improve their operations, methods and products.

Aim: This research identifies the key factors contributing to developing innovative behaviour among small enterprises in Saudi Arabia and their effect on environmental performance (EP).

Method: The study collected a sample of 284 from different types of small enterprises operating in Saudi Arabia. The data collected were analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Results: The study revealed interesting results. It was found that green entrepreneurial motivation (GEM) can positively and significantly influence green innovation (GI) as well as environmental performance. It was also found that green innovation can positively and significantly affect environmental performance. Finally, green innovation could mediate the relationship between green entrepreneurial motivation and environmental performance. Also, Knowledge sharing (KS) could moderate the relationship between green entrepreneurial motivation and green innovation.

Conclusion: The study concluded by providing several recommendations for the policymakers in Saudi Arabia.
Reconstructing the ecological restoration pattern from the perspective of ecosystem health assessment in a typical black soil region of Northeast China
Authors: Feng Duo , Zhou Panpan , Wang Dongyan , Shi Pu
Published: April 2023

Assessments on the spatial pattern of ecological restoration potential provide insights into the current status of ecosystem health, facilitate the identification of hotspots of ecosystem degradation, and further serves as a link that bridges regional ecological planning with specific restoration efforts. The goal of this study was to reconstruct the ecological restoration pattern, through establishing an ecosystem health assessment model encompassing four elements of vigor, organization, resilience and service of an ecosystem. Siping City, a typical black soil region located in central Jilin Province of Northeast China, was selected as the study area, and ecological protection and restoration units were identified based on temporal changes in ecosystem health levels from 2000 to 2020. Getis-Ord Gi* analysis was adopted to classify the restoration zones and depict the spatial pattern of ecological restoration. From 2000 to 2020, the ecosystem health index of Siping City generally increased from 0.49 to 0.51 due to increases in forestland area and precipitation, but a fraction of suburban areas also experienced decreases. Four different restoration zones were delineated, including the windbreak and sand-fixing zone in the western part, the black soil protection and reclamation zone in the middle part, the Daheishan ecological shelter zone in the central and eastern part, and the water restoration zone in the eastern part, which account for 28.12%, 37.05%, 16.53% and 18.29% of the total area. The protection units covered an area of 1,189.83 km2 and the restoration units covered an area of 2009.83 km2, which could be further classified into 10 types and accounted for 31.24% of the total area. It was suggested that the restoration methods applied to different units should be tailored towards specific restoration objectives. This proposed methodological framework serves as a basis for reconstructing ecological restoration in the black soil region, and a reference for making restoration plans elsewhere.
Demographic responses of Arctic seabirds to spring sea-ice variations
Authors: Sauser C. , Angelier F. , Blévin P. , Chastel O. , Gabrielsen G.W. , Jouanneau W. , Kato A. , Moe B. , Ramírez F. , Tartu S. , Descamps S.
Published: April 2023

The Arctic experiences a rapid retreat of sea-ice, particularly in spring and summer, which may dramatically affect pagophilic species. In recent years, the decline of many Arctic seabird populations has raised concerns about the potential role of sea-ice habitats on their demography. Spring sea-ice drives the dynamics of phytoplankton blooms, the basis of Arctic food webs, and changes in spring sea-ice have the potential to affect the demographic parameters of seabirds through bottom-up processes. To better understand the effects of spring sea-ice on Arctic seabirds, we investigated the influence of spring sea-ice concentration on the survival and breeding success of three seabird species with contrasted foraging strategies in two Svalbard fjords in the high Arctic. We examined these relationships using long-term demographic data (2005–2021) from black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), Brünnich guillemots (Uria lomvia), and little auks (Alle alle). Spring sea-ice concentration was positively related to both the survival and breeding success of little auks, suggesting a higher sensitivity of this species to spring sea-ice. By contrast, the two other species were not particularly sensitive to changes in spring sea-ice, even though a potentially spurious negative effect on the breeding success of black-legged kittiwakes was observed. Overall, the study suggests that spring sea-ice may be involved in the demography of Arctic seabirds, but probably does not play a major role.
The influence of digital economy development on urban carbon emission intensity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: Mediating mechanism and spatial effect
Authors: Ma Lindong , Hong Yuanxiao , He Shouchao , Luo Haibei , Liu Guangming , Zheng Jinhui , Xia Yuntian , Xiao Deheng
Published: April 2023

The iterative upgrading of digital technology and the implementation of “carbon-peaking and carbon neutrality” national strategy provide an opportunity for the synergistic integration of digital economy and green economy in China, thus, whether the development of digital economy can curb urban carbon emission intensity (CEI) remains to be answered. Based on the panel data of 110 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) region from 2011 to 2020, this paper investigated the impact of digital economy on CEI by using the dual fixed-effect model, the mediating mechanism model and the spatial Durbin model. The main results are as follows: (1) The development of digital economy in the YREB region can lower down CEI, promote the rationalization and upgrading of industrial structure, and improve cities’ green innovation capacity; (2) CEI was reduced through the intermediary effect of industrial structure optimization and upgrading and green technology innovation; (3) Digital economy shows a significant positive spatial correlation, and exerts a spatial spillover effect of reducing CEI in surrounding cities with obvious spatial heterogeneity; (4) Digital economy has a stronger inhibitory impact on CEI in the downstream cities and cities within the urban agglomerations; (5) In addition to digital infrastructure, the remaining components of digital economy, directly and indirectly, diminish CEI. At last, according to the research findings, suggestions for digital economy development in the YREB region are put forward.
Community vertical stratification drives temporal taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity in a mixed broadleaf-conifer forest
Authors: Chai Pengtao , Xie Jiajie , Yang Lisheng , Zheng Rong , Bian Yuxuan , Fu Jiaqin , Wang Yunquan , Chen Jianhua
Published: April 2023

Temporal change of beta diversity provides a better understanding of the extent and consequences of species composition in forest communities with the ongoing global climate change. However, relatively little is known about temporal beta diversity changes across vertical stratification in the forest. In this study, we divided more than 5,000 tree individuals from a mixed broadleaf-conifer forest into four vertical strata (i.e., shrub, subcanopy, lower canopy, and upper canopy) to quantify how vertical stratification drives the temporal change of taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity. We found that taxonomic beta diversity significantly decreased while phylogenetic beta diversity showed an insignificant increase after 5 years. When considering vertical stratification, taxonomic beta diversity in the subcanopy, lower canopy, and upper canopy significantly changed with inconsistent directions, but phylogenetic beta diversity in the shrub significantly increased. Moreover, the significant decrease in taxonomic beta diversity is mainly driven by changes in species composition in shrub and subcanopy stratification (with 85.89% contributions). The changes in phylogenetic beta diversity are driven by shifts in the shrub and upper canopy (with 96.02% contributions). Our study suggests that taking community vertical stratification into consideration contributes to a better understanding of temporal beta diversity in forest communities.
Natural regeneration potential and dynamics in boreal lichen woodlands of eastern Canada following soil scarification
Authors: Marty Charles , Fradette Olivier , Duchesne Louis , Faubert Patrick , Ouimet Rock , Villeneuve Claude
Published: April 2023

Boreal lichen woodlands (LWs) are stable low tree-density zones of the Canadian boreal forest whose afforestation has been proposed as a way to create new C sinks and thus mitigate climate change. Planting operations in these remote areas are however costly and time-consuming, and may not be necessary when soil scarification is followed by dense natural regeneration. In the present study, we assessed the natural regeneration potential and dynamics in six boreal LWs of Québec, Canada, 11 years after soil scarification. The number, size (height and stem diameter) and age of seedlings were measured in 2-4 sampling plots per site (18 plots in total). Our data show that scarification operations produced on average 1,400 m2 ha–1 of exposed mineral soil (scarification intensity of 14%) with, however, a large within-site variability. The natural regeneration was mainly composed of black spruce seedlings (> 95%), averaged ∼12,000 seedlings ha–1 across the six sites and significantly varied among sites, mostly due to the variation in scarification intensity. Seedling density averaged ∼9 seedlings m–2 of exposed mineral soil and increased with seed tree mean diameter at breast height (DBH) (R2 = 0.51; P < 0.05) but not with the density of seed trees, revealing the importance of old and large seed trees in natural regeneration success. Together, scarification intensity and the DBH of remaining seed trees explained ∼60% of the variation in natural regeneration density across the 18 sampled plots. The rate of establishment of seedlings was generally high – with on average 60% of the carrying capacity of the substrate being reached within three years following scarification – and increased with seed tree mean DBH (R2 = 0.77; P < 0.05). However, the growth rate of seedlings was very low. Eleven years after scarification, 60% of the seedlings were < 15 cm and the height of 10-yr-old seedlings averaged 27.5 cm. Thus, even though seedling establishment was successful, the biomass accumulated by the natural regeneration was negligible in the span of a decade. Therefore, the implementation of afforestation following scarification appears to be necessary to create significant C sinks in the midterm.