bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pandemic play moderates the relation between caregiver stress and child emotional distress in contexts of economic adversity
Authors: Rueda-Posada María Fernanda , Thibodeau-Nielsen Rachel B. , Dier Shannon E. , Wilson-Dooley Alaina , Palermo Francisco , White Rachel E. , Chung Christina
Published: June 2023

It is well-established that caregiver stress is linked to increased emotional distress among children, and recent evidence highlights similar associations between caregiver and child emotional well-being during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Examining protective factors and coping mechanisms that are associated with resiliency in the face of pandemic-related stress can highlight potential strategies that may help children adapt to other unexpected hardships outside of a global pandemic. Previous research found that playing about the pandemic moderated an association between caregiver stress and children’s emotional distress. However, few studies have explored “pandemic play” among children from low-income households, where pandemic-related stressors were often exacerbated. In the present study, 72 caregivers of Head Start preschoolers between 3 and 6  years of age were surveyed between late 2020 and early 2021. Results revealed that 32% of children engaged in pandemic play frequently. Caregiver stress was positively associated with child emotional distress, but only among children who did not engage in pandemic play frequently. These findings support the idea that child-directed play may be a developmentally appropriate and accessible coping mechanism to reduce the emotional burden of stressful events on children, regardless of economic context.
Virtual team-cooperation from home-office: a quantitative diary study of the impact of daily transformational- and passive-avoidant leadership – and the moderating role of task interdependence
Authors: Olsen Olav Kjellevold , Ågotnes Kari Wik , Hetland Jørn , Espevik Roar , Ravnanger Conrad Alexander
Published: June 2023

During the Covid-19 pandemic, most of the workforce moved from office setting to home-office and virtual teamwork. Whereas the relationship between leadership and team cooperation in physical settings is well documented – less is known about how daily virtual team cooperation is influenced by daily constructive as well as destructive leadership, and how intervening mechanisms influence this relationship. In the present study, we test the direct effect of daily transformational- and passive avoidant leadership, respectively, on the daily quality of virtual team cooperation – and the moderating effect of task interdependence. Using virtual team cooperation as outcome, we hypothesized that (a) transformational leadership relates positively to virtual team cooperation, (b) passive-avoidant leadership relates negatively, and (c) moderated by task interdependence. Our hypotheses were tested in a 5-day quantitative diary study with 58 convenience sampled employees working from home in virtual teams. The results show that virtual team cooperation is a partially malleable process – with 28% variation in daily virtual team cooperation resulting from within team variation from day to day. Surprisingly, the results of multilevel modeling lend support only to the first hypothesis (a). Taken together, our findings suggest that in virtual settings, inspirational and development-oriented transformational leadership plays a key role in daily team cooperation, while passive-avoidance has little impact – independently of task interdependence. Hence, in virtual team settings, the study shows that “good is stronger than bad” – when comparing the negative effects of destructive leadership to the positive effect of constructive and inspirational leadership. We discuss the implications of these findings for further research and practice.
Exploring female students' perceptions of the use of digital technologies in managing academic stress
Authors: Lukenga Maria-Pascale , Billonnet Laurent , Gaugue Justine , Denis Jennifer
Published: June 2023

Objective

The purpose of this research is to explore the perceptions of female students regarding the implementation of digital technologies for academic stress management. We aim to determine if the contribution of these technologies could offer to female students a better management of the stress related to their studies and thus, a better deployment of strategies to cope with academic difficulties.

Method

A qualitative study using the focus group methodology was conducted. Our inductive and exploratory approach allowed us to focus on the experience and perception of eleven female students from the University of Mons. The cohort was divided into two groups according to their score on the Perceived Stress Scale-10.

Results

The data collected was analyzed using the thematic analysis of which allowed us to identify fourteen sub-themes divided into three axes: coping strategies used to manage academic stress, students' needs to improve their management of academic stress, and the implementation of technology for managing academic stress.

Conclusion

Our results show that the issues present in the academic context lead students to use various coping strategies, some of which are harmful to their physical and mental health. The implementation of digital technologies and biofeedback seems to be an approach that could help students adopt more functional coping strategies and alleviate their daily difficulties in managing academic stress.
Effectiveness of multilevel interventions based on socio-ecological model to decrease sedentary time in children: a systematic review of controlled studies
Authors: Cholley-Gomez Marie , Laujac Steven , Delpierre Cyrille , Carayol Marion
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Preventive actions of sedentary behavior (SB) based on the socio-ecological model are needed among children and young adolescents. The aim of this systematic review is to ascertain the effectiveness of multilevel interventions (i.e., involving consideration of at least two interventional levels) in reducing sedentary time (ST) in children aged 5–12 years.

Methods

Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted in three databases (PsyInfo, PubMed and ERIC) until July 2021.

Results

30 trials met the eligibility criteria and were included. They showed acceptable (< 8, n = 18) and high (≥ 8, n = 12) methodological quality. Among studies targeting 2 (n = 2), 3 (n = 19) and 4 levels (n = 9), 1 (50%), 9 (47%) and 7 (78%) were effective and reported significant reduction of ST, respectively.

Conclusion

Interventions tend to be more effective when they involve 4 levels, using both agentic and structural strategies (targeting intrinsic determinants, in the organizational environment of the child). Findings underline the relevance of multilevel strategies to reduce ST in children, but also raise issues about operationalization of the socio-ecological perspective.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42020209653.
Scaling-up integrated type-2 diabetes and hypertension care in Cambodia: what are the barriers to health system performance?
Authors: Chham Savina , Van Olmen Josefien , Van Damme Wim , Chhim Srean , Buffel Veerle , Wouters Edwin , Ir Por
Published: June 2023

Background

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type-2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension (HTN) pose a massive burden on health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Cambodia, to tackle this issue, the government and partners have introduced several limited interventions to ensure service availability. However, scaling-up these health system interventions is needed to ensure universal supply and access to NCDs care for Cambodians. This study aims to explore the macro-level barriers of the health system that have impeded the scaling-up of integrated T2D and HTN care in Cambodia.

Methods

Using qualitative research design comprised an articulation between (i) semi-structured interviews (33 key informant interviews and 14 focus group discussions), (ii) a review of the National Strategic Plan and policy documents related to NCD/T2D/HTN care using qualitative document analysis, and (iii) direct field observation to gain an overview into health system factors. We used a health system dynamic framework to map macro-level barriers to the health system elements in thematic content analysis.

Results

Scaling-up the T2D and HTN care was impeded by the major macro-level barriers of the health system including weak leadership and governance, resource constraints (dominantly financial resources), and poor arrangement of the current health service delivery. These were the result of the complex interaction of the health system elements including the absence of a roadmap as a strategic plan for the NCD approach in health service delivery, limited government investment in NCDs, lack of collaboration between key actors, limited competency of healthcare workers due to insufficient training and lack of supporting resources, mis-match the demand and supply of medicine, and absence of local data to generate evidence-based for the decision-making.

Conclusion

The health system plays a vital role in responding to the disease burden through the implementation and scale-up of health system interventions. To respond to barriers across the entire health system and the inter-relatedness of each element, and to gear toward the outcome and goals of the health system for a (cost-)effective scale-up of integrated T2D and HTN care, key strategic priorities are: (1) Cultivating leadership and governance, (2) Revitalizing the health service delivery, (3) Addressing resource constraints, and (4) Renovating the social protection schemes.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the general population of Pakistan regarding typhoid conjugate vaccine: findings of a cross-sectional study
Authors: Tahir Muhammad Junaid , Zaman Musharaf , Saffi Junaid , Asghar Muhammad Sohaib , Tariq Waleed , Ahmed Faizan , Islam Rabia , Farooqui Usman Shakeel , Ullah Irfan , Saqlain Muhammad , Ullah Kaleem , Ahmed Ali
Published: June 2023

Typhoid fever, a common enteric disease in Pakistan, caused by Salmonella typhi, is becoming an extended drug-resistant organism and is preventable through the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV). Public adherence to preventive measures is influenced by knowledge and attitude toward the vaccine. This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the general population of Pakistan toward TCV. The differences in mean scores and factors associated with typhoid conjugate vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and practices were investigated. A total of 918 responses were received with a mean age of 25.9 ± 9.6, 51% were women, and 59.6% had graduation-level education. The majority of them responded that vaccines prevent illness (85.3%) and decrease mortality and disability (92.6%), and typhoid could be prevented by vaccination (86.7%). In total, 77.7 and 80.8% considered TCV safe and effective, respectively. Of 389 participants with children, 53.47% had vaccinated children, according to the extended program on immunization (EPI). Higher family income has a higher odds ratio (OR) for willingness toward booster dose of TCV [crude odds ratio (COR) = 4.920, p–value <0.01; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.853, value of p <0.001], and negative attitude regarding the protective effect of TCV has less willingness toward the booster dose with statistical significance (COR = 0.388, value of p = 0.017; aOR = 0.198, value of p = 0.011). The general population of Pakistan had a good level of knowledge about the benefits of TCV, and attitude and practices are in favor of the usage of TCV. However, a few religious misconceptions are prevalent in public requiring the efforts to overcome them to promote the usage of vaccines to prevent the disease and antibiotic resistance.
The impact of pension insurance types on the health of older adults in China: a study based on the 2018 CHARLS data
Authors: Yang Dongliang , Ren Zhichao , Zheng Ge
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Pension insurance is an essential safeguard for the quality of life and health of older adults because it provides a stable and dependable source of income after retirement. China has constructed a multi-level social security system to accommodate the diverse needs of older adults, and offers various levels of pension insurance to maximize their interests.

Methods

This study uses propensity score matching and ordinary least squares techniques to analyze 7,359 data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in order to explore the relationship between different pension insurance categories and the health of older individuals.

Results

The research findings reveal that advanced insurances greatly benefit the health of older adults more than basic pension insurances, and the findings pass the robustness test. In addition, the effect was found to be heterogeneous, depending on the location of retirement and the marital status of older adults.Our findings suggest that both material and non-material consumption may be potential mechanisms by which pension insurance affects the health of older adults, providing new evidence for the causal mechanism between pension insurance and the health of older adults.

Discussion

This study expands the scope of research on the health effects of pension insurance by covering a large representative sample across the country. The results show the important impact of the level of pension insurance on the health of older adults and can contribute to the development of social policies to promote the physical and mental health of older adults.
Conservation agriculture based crop management practices impact diversity and population dynamics of the insect-pests and their natural enemies in agroecosystems
Authors: Jasrotia Poonam , Kumari Pritam , Malik Kapil , Kashyap Prem Lal , Kumar Sudheer , Bhardwaj Ajay Kumar , Singh Gyanendra Pratap
Published: June 2023

Human efforts to grow abundant food through the persistent use of resource-intensive farming practices have resulted in declining soil health, and deterioration of ecosystem functions and services. Conservation agriculture (CA) has emerged as a practice to minimize the impacts of conventional resource-exhaustive and energy-intensive agriculture. Minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diversification are the key components of CA. Tillage through conventional practices on the other hand has detrimental effects on the soil and environment as it requires deep inversion of soil with instruments such as mouldboard plow, disc plow etc. leaving very less organic matter in soil after establishment of crop. Even though, CA advocates many benefits over conventional agriculture in terms of soil and water conservation, the consequent changes in moisture and temperature regimes due to reduced tillage and surface cover would likely going to influence the biological activity, including insect pests and their natural enemies which dwell within these agroecosystems. The changed crop conditions under CA may favor particular insect communities and their ecological niches. The adoption of such practices may lead to decrease in insect pests with major activity on the crop canopy. However, the activity of the insect pests that spend their maximum life span at the soil surface or beneath the soil surface may increase. Recent insect-pest outbreaks in North-Western India and imbalances reported in Indo-Gangetic Plains point to the need for a better understanding of the inter-relationships between tillage intensity, residue retention, and insect pest population dynamics. The current review analyzes the existing state of knowledge of these dynamics and presents the scenarios that may emerge as CA get more acceptance. This review will help to develop countermeasures to improve performance and ecosystem services of Conservation agriculture (CA) based cropping systems.
Steroid Sparing Maintenance Immunosuppression in Highly Sensitised Patients Receiving Alemtuzumab Induction
Authors: Santos Eva , Spensley Katrina , Gunby Nicola , Clarke Candice , Anand Arthi , Roufosse Candice , Willicombe Michelle
Published: June 2023

This analysis reports on the outcomes of two different steroid sparing immunosuppression protocols used in the management of 120 highly sensitised patients (HSPs) with cRF>85% receiving Alemtuzumab induction, 53 maintained on tacrolimus (FK) monotherapy and 67 tacrolimus plus mycophenolate mofetil (FK + MMF). There was no difference in the median cRF or mode of sensitisation between the two groups, although the FK + MMF cohort received more poorly matched grafts. There was no difference in one-year patient or allograft survival, however rejection free survival was inferior with FK monotherapy compared with FK + MMF at 65.4% and 91.4% respectively, p < 0.01. DSA-free survival was comparable. Whilst there was no difference in rates of BK between the cohorts, CMV-free survival was inferior in the FK + MMF group at 86.0% compared with 98.1% in the FK group, p = 0.026. One-year post-transplant diabetes free survival was 89.6% and 100.0% in the FK and FK + MMF group respectively, p = 0.027, the difference attributed to the use of prednisolone to treat rejection in the FK cohort, p = 0.006. We report good outcomes in HSPs utilising a steroid sparing protocol with Alemtuzumab induction and FK + MMF maintenance and provide granular data on immunological and infectious complications to inform steroid avoidance in these patient groups.
Multiple Subject Behavior in Pest and Disease Control Outsourcing from the Perspective of Government Intervention: Based on Evolutionary Game and Simulation Analysis
Authors: Wang Yubin , Li Jie , Cheng Pengfei
Published: June 2023

Pest and disease control outsourcing has become an effective means to restore damaged arable land and guarantee agroecological benefits. However, it is adopted at a relatively low rate in China. The purpose of this study is to explore, from the perspective of government intervention, behavioral logic, and the game relationship among farmers, service organizations and the government in the pest and disease control outsourcing system as well as the endogenous motivation of each subject. The results indicate that when the degree of policy implementation is low, the government’s policy is ineffective, but, after reaching a certain level, the higher the degree of policy implementation is, the stronger the farmers’ willingness to choose outsourcing control and the service organizations’ willingness to provide positive control services are, and the faster the stable state of tripartite joint pest and disease control is formed. In the case of implementing a single policy tool, the convergence rate of each party that implements the regulatory policy alone is fast but may be unstable, while the rate is slow but more stable when a guidance- or incentive-based policy is solely applied. The effect of a combination of policy tools being applied is much better than that of a single policy tool being applied. The simultaneous implementation of the three types of policy tools can form a policy system with both positive and negative mechanisms, which can maximize the complementary and superposition effects.
Analysis of the Available Straw Nutrient Resources and Substitution of Chemical Fertilizers with Straw Returned Directly to the Field in China
Authors: Shao Jingmiao , Gao Chunyu , Afi Seglah Patience , Xie Jie , Zhao Li , Bi Yuyun , Wang Yajing
Published: June 2023

Returning straw to the field is the most significant straw utilization technique for China’s green development. It can provide nutrients for crop growth and improve soil organic matter content. However, there are no standard parameters for measuring the nutrient content of straw directly returned to the field. In addition, the nutrient content of straw in the field is disregarded and the least researched. Therefore, to address these issues, the current research examines the main nutrient composition of straw returned directly to fields and the potential substitution of straw for chemical fertilizers. This study used the latest data on the crop straw-to-grain ratio and straw’s direct return to the field from the Database of Agricultural Crops Straws Resources in China (DACSRC) as the basis for a detailed estimation of the amount of crop straw nutrient resources and straw’s direct return to the field. The straw nutrient resources were measured based on straw yield and the nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) contents. The results reveal that the maximum amount of straw returned directly to the fields in China was 517 teragram (Tg), while 128 Tg (25%) of the total was not collected but left on the field. The North China region had an enormous amount of direct straw return at 176 Tg (34%), while South China had the least amount at 26 Tg (5%). The amounts of seasonally available N, P2O5, and K2O from straw directly returned to fields are 2 Tg, 1 Tg, and 7 Tg, respectively. In addition, the amount of available straw nutrient resources returned to the field per hectare (ha) was 78 kg. The quantity of straw-originating seasonally available nutrients corresponds to 23% of the chemical fertilizers applied, which can substitute 10% N, 9% P2O5, and 58% K2O. The study provides critical insights on effective ways to improve straw fertilization through an increased rate of straw returned directly to fields and releasing seasonal nutrients.
Development of an Optical System with an Orientation Module to Detect Surface Damage to Potato Tubers
Authors: Dorokhov Alexey , Aksenov Alexander , Sibirev Alexey , Hort Dmitry , Mosyakov Maxim , Sazonov Nikolay , Godyaeva Maria
Published: June 2023

This method is a variant of non-destructive multiparametric surface analysis and includes the implementation of hyperspectral and RGB image processing approaches from different angles. This work is based on a fundamental hyperspectral survey system for obtaining data on scanned biological objects in many spectral ranges and with several possible variants of assembling a system with different types of surface illumination with point light and diffuse illumination. The implementation of the technology through the use of a diffused light source provides the diffuse illumination of a biological object with pronounced symptoms of rarefaction on the surface of a biological object—in this case, potato tubers, due to the presence of signs of disease on the potato peel, as well as their deformation. Using broadband lamps, a short-pass filter is located between the source and the object (λ ≤ 400 nm, λ may vary depending on the excitation length), and a long-pass filter (λ ≥ 400 nm) between the root or onion and the chamber. The use of a vision system with a created database containing models of real defects in potato tubers showed a high sorting efficiency, providing an accuracy of sorting by size of 95.4%, and an accuracy by the presence of defects of 93.1%.
Interplay between OXA-10 β-Lactamase Production and Low Outer-Membrane Permeability in Carbapenem Resistance in Enterobacterales
Authors: Alonso-García Isaac , Vázquez-Ucha Juan Carlos , Martínez-Guitián Marta , Lasarte-Monterrubio Cristina , Rodríguez-Pallares Salud , Camacho-Zamora Pablo , Rumbo-Feal Soraya , Aja-Macaya Pablo , González-Pinto Lucía , Outeda-García Michelle , Maceiras Romina , Guijarro-Sánchez Paula , Muíño-Andrade María José , Fernández-González Ana , Oviaño Marina , González-Bello Concepción , Arca-Suárez Jorge , Beceiro Alejandro , Bou Germán
Published: June 2023

The OXA-10 class D β-lactamase has been reported to contribute to carbapenem resistance in non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli; however, its contribution to carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales is unknown. In this work, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), whole genome sequencing (WGS), cloning experiments, kinetic assays, molecular modelling studies, and biochemical assays for carbapenemase detection were performed to determine the impact of OXA-10 production on carbapenem resistance in two XDR clinical isolates of Escherichia coli with the carbapenem resistance phenotype (ertapenem resistance). WGS identified the two clinical isolates as belonging to ST57 in close genomic proximity to each other. Additionally, the presence of the blaOXA-10 gene was identified in both isolates, as well as relevant mutations in the genes coding for the OmpC and OmpF porins. Cloning of blaOXA-10 in an E. coli HB4 (OmpC and OmpF-deficient) demonstrated the important contribution of OXA-10 to increased carbapenem MICs when associated with porin deficiency. Kinetic analysis showed that OXA-10 has low carbapenem-hydrolysing activity, but molecular models revealed interactions of this β-lactamase with the carbapenems. OXA-10 was not detected with biochemical tests used in clinical laboratories. In conclusion, the β-lactamase OXA-10 limits the activity of carbapenems in Enterobacterales when combined with low permeability and should be monitored in the future.
Poly-D,L-Lactic Acid Filler Increases Extracellular Matrix by Modulating Macrophages and Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Aged Animal Skin
Authors: Oh Seyeon , Seo Suk Bae , Kim Gunpoong , Batsukh Sosorburam , Park Chul-Hyun , Son Kuk Hui , Byun Kyunghee
Published: June 2023

Poly-D,L-lactic acid (PDLLA) filler corrects soft tissue volume loss by increasing collagen synthesis in the dermis; however, the mechanism is not fully understood. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are known to attenuate the decrease in fibroblast collagen synthesis that occurs during aging, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like-2 factor (NRF2) increases ASCs survival by inducing M2 macrophage polarization and IL-10 expression. We evaluated the ability of PDLLA to induce collagen synthesis in fibroblasts by modulating macrophages and ASCs in a H2O2-induced cellular senescence model and aged animal skin. PDLLA increased M2 polarization and NRF2 and IL-10 expression in senescence-induced macrophages. Conditioned media from senescent macrophages treated with PDLLA (PDLLA-CMMΦ) reduced senescence and increased proliferation and expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 2 in senescence-induced ASCs. Conditioned media from senescent ASCs treated with PDLLA-CMMΦ (PDLLA-CMASCs) increased the expression of collagen 1a1 and collagen 3a1 and reduced the expression of NF-κB and MMP2/3/9 in senescence-induced fibroblasts. Injection of PDLLA in aged animal skin resulted in increased expression of NRF2, IL-10, collagen 1a1, and collagen 3a1 and increased ASCs proliferation in aged animal skin. These results suggest that PDLLA increases collagen synthesis by modulating macrophages to increase NRF2 expression, which stimulates ASCs proliferation and secretion of TGF-β and FGF2. This leads to increased collagen synthesis, which can attenuate aging-induced soft tissue volume loss.
Different Effects of SSRIs, Bupropion, and Trazodone on Mitochondrial Functions and Monoamine Oxidase Isoform Activity
Authors: Ľupták Matej , Fišar Zdeněk , Hroudová Jana
Published: June 2023

Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathophysiology of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and can be used as a modulator and/or predictor of treatment responsiveness. Understanding the mitochondrial effects of antidepressants is important to connect mitochondria with their therapeutic and/or adverse effects. Pig brain-isolated mitochondria were used to evaluate antidepressant-induced changes in the activity of electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, monoamine oxidase (MAO), mitochondrial respiratory rate, and ATP. Bupropion, escitalopram, fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine, and trazodone were tested. All tested antidepressants showed significant inhibition of complex I and IV activities at high concentrations (50 and 100 µmol/L); complex II + III activity was reduced by all antidepressants except bupropion. Complex I-linked respiration was reduced by escitalopram >> trazodone >> sertraline. Complex II-linked respiration was reduced only by bupropion. Significant positive correlations were confirmed between complex I-linked respiration and the activities of individual ETC complexes. MAO activity was inhibited by all tested antidepressants, with SSRIs causing a greater effect than trazodone and bupropion. The results indicate a probable association between the adverse effects of high doses of antidepressants and drug-induced changes in the activity of ETC complexes and the respiratory rate of mitochondria. In contrast, MAO inhibition could be linked to the antidepressant, procognitive, and neuroprotective effects of the tested antidepressants.
A UAV Wind Field Perception System Inspired by Biological Perception
Authors: Liu Liu , Song Bifeng , An Weigang , Yang Xiaojun , Xuan Jianlin
Published: June 2023

People have raised their expectations for UAV performance due to the widespread use of UAVs in both military and non-military settings. One of the most significant fields of research right now is how to enhance UAVs’ endurance capabilities. Many birds in the wild have the ability to fly for extended periods of time or great distances using the wind, which is called energy harvesting. A seabird called an albatross can use the wind’s horizontal gradient on the water’s surface to generate energy. By gliding, they may fly for a very long time without flapping their wings, thus lowering their own energy consumption. Due to the albatrosses’ nostrils sensitive sensory nerves and sensitivity to environmental information, such as airflow, the albatrosses can modify its flight attitude. Similar to this, real-time dynamic planning of the trajectory can only be done for UAVs in order to realize energy-capturing flying if correct and real-time wind field information is obtained. As a result, developing wind field sensing technology is crucial to the realization of energy-capturing gliding. In this study, we built a 3D wind field sensing system with wind vane sensor and pitot tube. Wind tunnel tests were used to calibrate and alter it. The system’s operation is initially validated by real flight, which may give environmental information, enabling UAVs to utilize the wind field as a reference for planning their flight paths.
A Study on Establishing Thermal Output Conditions of Radiant Ceiling Heating Panels for Improving Thermal Comfort of Perimeter Zone in Buildings
Authors: Joe Goosang , Park Sanghoon
Published: June 2023

Amid concerns over airflow-induced transmission of the COVID-19 virus in buildings frequented by large numbers of people, such as offices, the necessity for radiant ceiling heating panels has increased. This is due to the concern that the airflows emitted from the convection heating systems installed near the ceiling or windows for winter heating may be a major cause of COVID-19 transmission. In this study, we aim to evaluate thermal comfort under various indoor and outdoor environmental conditions of a building and present the thermal output conditions of the radiant ceiling heating panel that can replace the convection heating system while ensuring comfort in the perimeter zone and handling the heating load. As a result, we were able to present, in a chart format, the thermal output conditions that can secure thermal comfort by analyzing the indoor airflow distribution depending on the surface temperature of the radiant ceiling heating panel, the interior surface temperature of the window, and the influence of internal heat generation. Moreover, through derived empirical formulas, we were able to determine the heating conditions of the panel that can secure the necessary heat dissipation while minimizing discomfort, such as downdrafts, even for indoor and outdoor conditions that were not evaluated in this study.
Thermal Properties of Ultrasound-Extracted Okra Mucilage
Authors: Öncü Glaue Şelale , Akcan Tolga , Tavman Şebnem
Published: June 2023

Utilizing chemical and physicochemical techniques, the mucilage part of okra was extracted with the use of ultrasound, and the polysaccharide extract’s structural and thermal characteristics were assessed. Analysis of the extraction yield revealed that there was no discernible impact of time and that the yield increased with a decreasing okra to distilled water ratio (mean 8%). Differential scanning calorimetry was employed to determine the phase change enthalpy by examining the glass transition temperature and enthalpy. The glass transition temperatures of the samples were found to be about 50 °C and the melting temperatures were in the range of 166–170 °C for varied solid/solvent ratios (1:10, 1:25, 1:30, and 1:50) and extraction durations of 5 and 30 min. Using thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG) techniques, it was discovered that the okra polysaccharides were thermally stable with considerable weight loss above 240 °C. For the purpose of illuminating the bonds of the polysaccharides, FTIR analysis was used to characterize the polysaccharides obtained by the varying extraction times and rates of solid/solvent. This analysis provides detailed information about the composition of the extracts. It was found that the molecular structure of the mucilage from okra was unaffected by the varying ratios and times. The study’s findings indicated that the use of ultrasound could be a promising approach for extracting polysaccharides that possess strong thermal stability, making them suitable for use in various industrial applications. The study noted that variations in ultrasound application time and solid/solvent ratios did not appear to impact the thermal stability of the extracted polysaccharides. The important parameters for the extraction conditions such as the time and low amount of sample used are preferred for applications. The findings obtained indicate that ultrasonic extraction application at a 1/50 solid/solvent ratio for 5 min is statistically significant in terms of thermal properties and yield. These findings could have important implications for the energy costs associated with the industrial use of ultrasound extraction.
A Bus Signal Priority Control Method Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Shen Wenchao , Zou Liang , Deng Ruisheng , Wu Hongyu , Wu Jiabin
Published: June 2023

To investigate the issue of multi-entry bus priority at intersections, an intelligent priority control method based on deep reinforcement learning was constructed in the bus network environment. Firstly, a dimension reduction method for the state vector based on the key lane was proposed, which contains characteristic parameters such as the bus states, the flow states, and the signal timing. Secondly, a control action method that can adjust phase sequence and phase green time at the same time was proposed under the constraints of maximum green and minimum green. Furthermore, a reward function, which can be uniformly converted into the number of standard cars, was established focusing on the indexes such as the busload and maximum waiting time. Finally, through building an experimental environment based on SUMO simulation, a real-time bus signal priority control method based on deep reinforcement learning was constructed. The results show that the algorithm can effectively reduce the waiting time of buses without affecting overall traffic efficiency. The findings can provide a theoretical basis for the signal control method considering bus priority and improve the operation efficiency of public transport.
Study on Traffic Accident Forecast of Urban Excess Tunnel Considering Missing Data Filling
Authors: Shen Yang , Zheng Changjiang , Wu Fei
Published: June 2023

Urban highway tunnels are frequent accident locations, and predicting and analyzing road conditions after accidents to avoid traffic congestion is a key measure for tunnel traffic operation management. In this paper, 200 traffic accident data from the YingTian Street Tunnel in Nanjing city were analyzed and encoded to extract the main factors affecting tunnel traffic conditions from three aspects: time, traffic flow, and tunnel environment. Next, graph convolution long short-term memory networks were used to predict and fill in missing traffic flow data. Finally, seven independent variables selected by Pearson correlation analysis were input into the constructed BP neural network and random forest model to predict tunnel traffic conditions during accidents and accident duration. Experimental results show that the accuracy of random forest and BP neural networks in predicting traffic flow is 83.39% and 82.94%, respectively, and that the absolute error of the two models in predicting accident duration is 75% and 60% within 25 min, respectively. Both models perform well in predicting traffic conditions, and the random forest models perform better in terms of robustness and generalization in predicting crash duration. The experimental results have important implications for tunnel operation management during accidents.
Applied Research of the UAV Illumination Measurement System in Sports Stadiums
Authors: Jia Shengwei , Zou Nianyu , Xu Songhai , Cheng Min
Published: June 2023

In this paper, an illumination measurement system is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The system consists of two parts, including the illumination acquisition module mounted on the UAV and the real-time display interface of the cloud platform with control functions. The illuminance acquisition module consists of a light sensor, a distance sensor, a wireless communication module, and a power-supply component. For the other part, the OneNET cloud platform developed by China Mobile is chosen as the display interface for the system’s real-time data. In addition, the local-outlier factor (LOF) algorithm is used for outlier rejection to further improve the stability and accuracy of the system. The illuminance acquisition system designed and implemented was then applied to the illuminance measurement experiments in the stadium. In experiments, the illuminance data acquired by the system was used to investigate the illuminance distribution at different height levels in the stadium. It was learned that the root mean square error (RMSE) of the data acquired is calculated to be 2.45 compared to the illuminance standard values through experimentation, with an error range of −2.77% to −0.53% for dynamic measurements.
Automatic Essay Scoring Method Based on Multi-Scale Features
Authors: Li Feng , Xi Xuefeng , Cui Zhiming , Li Dongyang , Zeng Wanting
Published: June 2023

Essays are a pivotal component of conventional exams; accurately, efficiently, and effectively grading them is a significant challenge for educators. Automated essay scoring (AES) is a complex task that utilizes computer technology to assist teachers in scoring. Traditional AES techniques only focus on shallow linguistic features based on the grading criteria, ignoring the influence of deep semantic features. The AES model based on deep neural networks (DNN) can eliminate the need for feature engineering and achieve better accuracy. In addition, the DNN-AES model combining different scales of essays has recently achieved excellent results. However, it has the following problems: (1) It mainly extracts sentence-scale features manually and cannot be fine-tuned for specific tasks. (2) It does not consider the shallow linguistic features that the DNN-AES cannot extract. (3) It does not contain the relevance between the essay and the corresponding prompt. To solve these problems, we propose an AES method based on multi-scale features. Specifically, we utilize Sentence-BERT (SBERT) to vectorize sentences and connect them to the DNN-AES model. Furthermore, the typical shallow linguistic features and prompt-related features are integrated into the distributed features of the essay. The experimental results show that the Quadratic Weighted Kappa of our proposed method on the Kaggle ASAP competition dataset reaches 79.3%, verifying the efficacy of the extended method in the AES task.
The Analysis of Social and Situational Systems as Components of Human Errors Resulting in Navigational Accidents
Authors: Kasyk Lech , Wolnowska Anna Eliza , Pleskacz Krzysztof , Kapuściński Tomasz
Published: June 2023

As in any industry exposed to risk, human and organizational factors are the main stakes of maritime safety. Understanding the causes and risks of maritime accidents is integral to the sustainability of shipping. The investigation of marine accidents is a crucial tool for their identification in areas related to operations and ships, including social and situational systems, their design, and technical systems. The authors conducted a cause–effect analysis of marine incidents. For this purpose, case-by-case analysis and an Ishikawa diagram were used, which is a tool that helps identify actual or potential causes of accidents. The study showed that by far the most significant cross-section of causes of accidents were elements of social and situational systems that affect the safety of the ship, crew, and environment. The least significant contribution came from the machinery area. Through the detailed descriptions, a picture emerges not so much of a lack of knowledge of the regulations as of a failure to comply with existing procedures or best practices. In the authors’ opinion, more emphasis is needed on preventive measures, including safety culture, training, competence assessment, and increased awareness of the need for sustainability.
ExoFIA: Deep Exogenous Assistance in the Prediction of the Influence of Fake News with Social Media Explainability
Authors: Li Pei-Xuan , Huang Yu-Yun , Shei Chris , Hsieh Hsun-Ping
Published: June 2023

The growth of social platforms has lowered the barrier of entry into the media sector, allowing for the spread of false information and putting democratic politics and social security at peril. Preliminary analysis shows that posts sharing real news and fake news are disseminated on social media. Moreover, posts pointing to fake news spread faster, so this paper aims to predict the impact of posts citing fake news on social platforms. In this study, we take into account that exogenous factors, in addition to endogenous factors, can potentially determine how influential a post is. For example, the occurrence of social events can generate public resonance and discussion, thereby increasing the impact of relevant posts. Given that Google Trends can obtain search trends that reflect social popularity, this work aims to use Google Trends as the source of our exogenous factors. We propose a deep learning model called the deep exogenous aid in fake news (ExoFIA) model, which combines multi-modal features and utilizes an attention mechanism to provide model interpretability and analyze the influencing factors. Applying the model to real-world data from Twitter demonstrates that our model outperforms existing diffusion models. Furthermore, further examination of the relevant aspects of true and fake news reveals that the two are influenced by distinct variables.
Vanishing Property of BRST Cohomology for Modified Highest Weight Modules
Authors: Kwon Namhee
Published: June 2023

We construct certain modified highest weight modules which are called quasi highest weight modules in this paper. Using the quasi highest weight modules, we introduce a new category of modules over an affine Lie superalgebra which contains projective covers. We also prove that both these projective covers and the quasi highest weight modules satisfy the vanishing property of BRST cohomology.
Use and Effectiveness of Electrosuit in Neurological Disorders: A Systematic Review with Clinical Implications
Authors: Perpetuini David , Russo Emanuele Francesco , Cardone Daniela , Palmieri Roberta , De Giacomo Andrea , Pellegrino Raffaello , Merla Arcangelo , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore , Filoni Serena
Published: June 2023

Electrical stimulation through surface electrodes is a non-invasive therapeutic technique used to improve voluntary motor control and reduce pain and spasticity in patients with central nervous system injuries. The Exopulse Mollii Suit (EMS) is a non-invasive full-body suit with integrated electrodes designed for self-administered electrical stimulation to reduce spasticity and promote flexibility. The EMS has been evaluated in several clinical trials with positive findings, indicating its potential in rehabilitation. This review investigates the effectiveness of the EMS for rehabilitation and its acceptability by patients. The literature was collected through several databases following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Positive effects of the garment on improving motor functions and reducing spasticity have been shown to be related to the duration of the administration period and to the dosage of the treatment, which, in turn, depend on the individual’s condition and the treatment goals. Moreover, patients reported wellbeing during stimulation and a muscle-relaxing effect on the affected limb. Although additional research is required to determine the efficacy of this device, the reviewed literature highlights the EMS potential to improve the motor capabilities of neurological patients in clinical practice.
Neurobiology of Behavior—Influences of Neuropsychiatric Disorders on Neurobiology and Behavior
Authors: Fakhoury Marc , Fritz Michael
Published: June 2023

The field of neuroscience continues to unravel the mysteries of the human brain and its association with neuropsychiatric disorders [...]
RNA Sequencing of Pooled Samples Effectively Identifies Differentially Expressed Genes
Authors: Ko Bokang , Van Raamsdonk Jeremy M.
Published: June 2023

Analysis of gene expression changes across the genome provides a powerful, unbiased tool for gaining insight into molecular mechanisms. We have effectively used RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes in long-lived genetic mutants in C. elegans to advance our understanding of the genetic pathways that control longevity. Although RNA sequencing costs have come down, cost remains a barrier to examining multiple strains and time points with a sufficient number of biological replicates. To circumvent this, we have examined the efficacy of identifying differentially expressed genes by sequencing a pooled RNA sample from long-lived isp-1 mitochondrial mutant worms. We found that sequencing a pooled RNA sample could effectively identify genes that were found to be significantly upregulated in the two individually sequenced RNA-seq experiments. Finally, we compared the genes significantly upregulated in the two individually sequenced RNA-seq experiments to two previous microarray experiments to come up with a high-confidence list of modulated genes in long-lived isp-1 mutant worms. Overall, this work demonstrates that RNA sequencing of pooled RNA samples can be used to identify differentially expressed genes.
Volatile Characterization of Lychee Plant Tissues (Litchi chinensis) and the Effect of Key Compounds on the Behavior of the Lychee Erinose Mite (Aceria litchii)
Authors: Ataide Livia M. S. , Tabanca Nurhayat , Canon Maria A. , Schnell Elena Q. , Narvaez Teresa I. , Cloonan Kevin R. , Kendra Paul E. , Carrillo Daniel , Revynthi Alexandra M.
Published: June 2023

Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles (HIPVs) are volatile signals emitted by plants to deter herbivores and attract their natural enemies. To date, it is unknown how lychee plants, Litchi chinensis, respond to the induction of leaf galls (erinea) caused by the lychee erinose mite (LEM), Aceria litchii. Aiming to reveal the role of HIPVs in this plant-mite interaction, we investigated changes in the volatile profile of lychee plants infested by LEM and their role on LEM preferences. The volatile profile of uninfested (flower buds, fruit, leaves and new leaf shoots) and infested plant tissue were characterized under different levels of LEM infestation. Volatiles were collected using head-space-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. Fifty-eight volatiles, including terpenoids, alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, esters, and ketones classes were identified. Using dual-choice bioassays, we investigated the preference of LEM to uninfested plant tissues and to the six most abundant plant volatiles identified. Uninfested new leaf shoots were the most attractive plant tissues to LEM and LEM attraction or repellence to volatiles were mostly influenced by compound concentration. We discuss possible applications of our findings in agricultural settings.