bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A SARS-CoV-2: Companion Animal Transmission and Variants Classification
Authors: Pandit Rachana , Matthews Qiana L.
Published: May 2023

The continuous emergence of novel viruses and their diseases are a threat to global public health as there have been three outbreaks of coronaviruses that are highly pathogenic to humans in the span of the last two decades, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV in 2002, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV in 2012, and novel SARS-CoV-2 which emerged in 2019. The unprecedented spread of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide has given rise to multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants that have either altered transmissibility, infectivity, or immune escaping ability, causing diseases in a broad range of animals including human and non-human hosts such as companion, farm, zoo, or wild animals. In this review, we have discussed the recent SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, potential animal reservoirs, and natural infections in companion and farm animals, with a particular focus on SARS-CoV-2 variants. The expeditious development of COVID-19 vaccines and the advancements in antiviral therapeutics have contained the COVID-19 pandemic to some extent; however, extensive research and surveillance concerning viral epidemiology, animal transmission, variants, or seroprevalence in diverse hosts are essential for the future eradication of COVID-19.
The Antibacterial and Wound Healing Properties of Natural Products: A Review on Plant Species with Therapeutic Potential against Staphylococcus aureus Wound Infections
Authors: Morguette Ana Elisa Belotto , Bartolomeu-Gonçalves Guilherme , Andriani Gabriella Maria , Bertoncini Giovana Elika Silveira , de Castro Isabela Madeira , de Almeida Spoladori Laís Fernanda , Bertão Ariane Mayumi Saito , Tavares Eliandro Reis , Yamauchi Lucy Megumi , Yamada-Ogatta Sueli Fumie
Published: May 2023

Wounds of an acute or chronic etiology affect millions of people worldwide, with increasing prevalence every year. Microbial infections are one of the main causes that impair the wound healing process, and Staphylococcus aureus, a commensal member of the skin microbiota, is one of the main causative agents of wound infections. Crucially, a high proportion of these infections are caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which, in addition to β-lactams, has acquired resistance to almost all the antibacterial agents used to treat it, limiting therapeutic options. Studies on the antimicrobial and healing activities of extracts, essential oils, or metabolites obtained from native plants have been reported in many countries that have a diverse flora and traditions with the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of wound infections. Due to their great chemical diversity, plants have proven to be promising sources of bioactive molecules for the discovery and development of new drugs or strategies for the treatment of wounds. This review highlights the main herbal preparations that have antimicrobial and healing activities with potential for the treatment of wound infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.
Tomato and Pepper Leaf Parts Contribute Differently to the Absorption of Foliar-Applied Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate
Authors: Henningsen Jon Niklas , Bahamonde Héctor Alejandro , Mühling Karl Hermann , Fernández Victoria
Published: May 2023

Foliar fertilisation is an application technique that is increasingly being used in agriculture and offers the possibility of providing nutrients directly to the site of highest demand. Especially for phosphorus (P), foliar application is an interesting alternative to soil fertilisation, but foliar uptake mechanisms are poorly understood. To gain a better understanding of the importance of leaf surface features for foliar P uptake, we conducted a study with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants, which have different leaf surface traits. For this purpose, drops of 200 mM KH2PO4 without surfactant were applied onto the adaxial or abaxial leaf side or to the leaf veins and the rate of foliar P absorption was evaluated after one day. Additionally, leaf surfaces were characterised in detail by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), estimating also leaf surface wettability and free energy, among other parameters. While the leaves of pepper hardly contained any trichomes, the abaxial side and the leaf veins of tomato leaves were densely covered with trichomes. The cuticle of tomato leaves was thin (approximately 50 nm), while that of pepper was thick (approximately 150–200 nm) and impregnated with lignin. Due to the fact that trichomes were most abundant in the leaf veins of tomato, dry foliar fertiliser drop residues were observed to be anchored there, and the highest P uptake occurred via tomato leaf veins, resulting in 62% increased P concentration. However, in pepper, the highest rate of P absorption was recorded after abaxial-side P treatment (+66% P). Our results provide evidence that different leaf parts contribute unequally to the absorption of foliar-applied agrochemicals, which could potentially be useful for optimising foliar spray treatments in different crops.
The Effect of Dwarfing Interstocks on Vegetative Growth, Fruit Quality and Ionome Nutrition of ‘Fuji’ Apple Cultivar ‘Tianhong 2’—A One-Year Study
Authors: Li Shuang , Zhang Yanghong , Chen Haowei , Li Boyang , Liang Bowen , Xu Jizhong
Published: May 2023

Dwarfing interstocks play an essential role in determining the performance of fruit trees. SH40, Jizhen 1, and Jizhen 2 are widely used dwarfing interstocks in Hebei Province, China. This study examined the influence of these three dwarfing interstocks on vegetative growth, fruit quality and yield, and leaf and fruit macro- (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) and micro- (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and B) element contents for ‘Tianhong 2’. Five-year-old ‘Fuji’ apple cultivar, ‘Tianhong 2’, on ‘Malus. Robusta’ rootstock, was cultivated with SH40, Jizhen 1, or Jizhen2 dwarfing rootstock as an interstock bridge. Jizhen 1 and 2 had more branches and a higher proportion of short branches than SH40. Jizhen 2 had a higher yield, good fruit quality, and higher leaf macro- (N, P, K, and Ca) and micro-element (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and B) contents; Jizhen 1 had the highest leaf Mg content in the growing period. The fruit N, P, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and B contents were higher in Jizhen 2. SH40 had the highest fruit Ca content. There were significant correlations in nutrient elements between leaves and fruit in June and July. Comprehensive analysis showed that Tianhong 2 had moderate tree vigor, high yield, good fruit quality, and high mineral element content in leaves and fruits when Jizhen 2 was used as an interstock.
The Role of Chromatin Modifications in the Evolution of Giant Plant Genomes
Authors: Leitch Andrew R. , Ma Lu , Dodsworth Steven , Fuchs Jörg , Houben Andreas , Leitch Ilia J.
Published: May 2023

Angiosperm genome sizes (GS) range ~2400-fold and comprise genes and their regulatory regions, repeats, semi-degraded repeats, and ‘dark matter’. The latter represents repeats so degraded that they can no longer be recognised as repetitive. In exploring whether the histone modifications associated with chromatin packaging of these contrasting genomic components are conserved across the diversity of GS in angiosperms, we compared immunocytochemistry data for two species whose GS differ ~286-fold. We compared published data for Arabidopsis thaliana with a small genome (GS = 157 Mbp/1C) with newly generated data from Fritillaria imperialis, which has a giant genome (GS = 45,000 Mbp/1C). We compared the distributions of the following histone marks: H3K4me1, H3K4me2, H3K9me1, H3K9me2, H3K9me3, H3K27me1, H3K27me2, and H3K27me3. Assuming these histone marks are associated with the same genomic features across all species, irrespective of GS, our comparative analysis enables us to suggest that while H3K4me1 and H3K4me2 methylation identifies genic DNA, H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 marks are associated with ‘dark matter’, H3K9me1 and H3K27me1 mark highly homogeneous repeats, and H3K9me2 and H3K27me2 mark semi-degraded repeats. The results have implications for our understanding of epigenetic profiles, chromatin packaging and the divergence of genomes, and highlight contrasting organizations of the chromatin within the nucleus depending on GS itself.
Synthesis of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Poly(methyl Methacrylate) via the Polymerization of MMA Initiated by the Combination of Palladium Carboxylates with Thiols
Authors: Zhang Panpan , Xu Qiongqiong , Mao Wenyu , Lv Jiaxing , Tang Haodong , Tang Huadong
Published: May 2023

A novel synthesis of ultrahigh molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using organosulfur compounds combined with a catalytical amount of transition metal carboxylates as an initiator has been developed. The combination of 1-octanethiol with palladium trifluoroacetate (Pd(CF3COO)2) was found to be a very efficient initiator for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). An ultrahigh molecular weight PMMA with a number-average molecular weight of 1.68 × 106 Da and a weight-average molecular weight of 5.38 × 106 Da has been synthesized at the optimal formulation of [MMA]:[Pd(CF3COO)2]:[1-octanethiol] = 94,300:8:23 at 70 °C. A kinetic study showed that the reaction orders with respect to Pd(CF3COO)2, 1-octanethiol, and MMA are 0.64, 1.26, and 1.46, respectively. A variety of techniques such as proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) were employed to characterize the produced PMMA and palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs). The results revealed that Pd(CF3COO)2 was firstly reduced by the excess of 1-octanethiol to form Pd NPs at the early stage of the polymerization, followed by the adsorption of 1-octanethiol on the surface of nanoparticles and subsequent generation of corresponding thiyl radicals to initiate the polymerization of MMA.
Surface Modification of Li3VO4 with PEDOT:PSS Conductive Polymer as an Anode Material for Li-Ion Capacitors
Authors: Hsu Shih-Chieh , Wang Kuan-Syun , Lin Yan-Ting , Huang Jen-Hsien , Wu Nian-Jheng , Kang Jia-Lin , Weng Huei-Chu , Liu Ting-Yu
Published: May 2023

Li3VO4 (LVO) is a highly promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries, owing to its high capacity and stable discharge plateau. However, LVO faces a significant challenge due to its poor rate capability, which is mainly attributed to its low electronic conductivity. To enhance the kinetics of lithium ion insertion and extraction in LVO anode materials, a conductive polymer called poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is applied to coat the surface of LVO. This uniform coating of PEDOT:PSS improves the electronic conductivity of LVO, thereby enhancing the corresponding electrochemical properties of the resulting PEDOT:PSS-decorated LVO (P-LVO) half-cell. The charge/discharge curves between 0.2 and 3.0 V (vs. Li+/Li) indicate that the P-LVO electrode displays a capacity of 191.9 mAh/g at 8 C, while the LVO only delivers a capacity of 111.3 mAh/g at the same current density. To evaluate the practical application of P-LVO, lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are constructed with P-LVO composite as the negative electrode and active carbon (AC) as the positive electrode. The P-LVO//AC LIC demonstrates an energy density of 107.0 Wh/kg at a power density of 125 W/kg, along with superior cycling stability and 97.4% retention after 2000 cycles. These results highlight the great potential of P-LVO for energy storage applications.
Preparation and Properties of Natural Polysaccharide-Based Drug Delivery Nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Xuelian , Liu Lijia , Shen Chen , Liu Fangyan , Xu Enyu , Chen Yin , Jie Wang
Published: May 2023

In recent years, natural polysaccharides have been widely used in the preparation of drug delivery systems. In this paper, novel polysaccharide-based nanoparticles were prepared by layer-by-layer assembly technology using silica as a template. The layers of nanoparticles were constructed based on the electrostatic interaction between a new pectin named NPGP and chitosan (CS). The targeting ability of nanoparticles was formed by grafting the RGD peptide, a tri-peptide motif containing arginine, glycine, and aspartic acid with high affinity to integrin receptors. The layer-by-layer assembly nanoparticles (RGD-(NPGP/CS)3NPGP) exhibited a high encapsulation efficiency (83.23 ± 6.12%), loading capacity (76.51 ± 1.24%), and pH-sensitive release property for doxorubicin. The RGD-(NPGP/CS)3NPGP nanoparticles showed better targeting to HCT-116 cells, the integrin αvβ3 high expression human colonic epithelial tumor cell line with higher uptake efficiency than MCF7 cells, the human breast carcinoma cell line with normal integrin expression. In vitro antitumor activity tests showed that the doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles could effectively inhibit the proliferation of the HCT-116 cells. In conclusion, RGD-(NPGP/CS)3NPGP nanoparticles have potential as novel anticancer drug carriers because of their good targeting and drug-carrying activity.
Neutralization of the Surface Charge of an Insulated Target under the Interaction of High-Energy Metal Ion Beams
Authors: Savkin Konstantin P. , Oks Efim M. , Nikolaev Alexey G. , Yushkov Georgy Yu.
Published: May 2023

The interaction of ion beams with dielectric materials is an urgent problem, both from the point of view of practical application in ion implantation processes and for understanding the fundamental processes of charge compensation and the effective interaction of beam ions with a target surface. This paper presents the results of studies of the processes of compensation of the surface charge of an insulated collector upon interaction with a beam of metal ions with energies up to 50–150 keV. At low pressure (about 10−6 torr), removing the collector from the region of extraction and beam formation makes it possible to reduce the floating potential to a value of 5–10% of the total accelerating voltage. This phenomenon allows for the efficient implantation of metal ions onto the surface of alumina ceramics. We have shown that the sheet resistance of dielectric targets depends on the material of the implanted metal ions and decreases with an increase in the implantation dose by 3–4 orders of magnitude compared with the initial value at the level of 1012 Ω per square.
Exploring Influences of Leaves on Urban Species Identification Using Handheld Laser Scanning Point Cloud: A Case Study in Hong Kong
Authors: Wang Meilian , Wong Man Sing
Published: May 2023

Urban tree species identification performs a significant role in tree management and the sustainable development of cities. Conventionally, multispectral or hyperspectral remote sensing images are applied to identify species. However, spectral profiles of trees on images are easily affected by surroundings and illuminations, resulting in urban trees of different species possibly having similar spectral features. The handheld laser scanning (HLS) technique can capture 3D structural information of trees and be confirmed to be effective in reducing the problem of spectral similarity through tree structural properties (TSP). TSP usually varies in different leaf conditions, especially TSP of tropical tree species. In this study, we investigated the effects of leaves on urban tropical tree species identification using HLS. A total of 89 metrics that characterized the TSP were evaluated, including 19 branches, 12 stems, 45 crowns, and 13 entire tree metrics. All metrics were derived under different leaf conditions. The correlation and importance of these metrics were further evaluated. Our results demonstrated that crown metrics perform the most important role in urban species identification in leaf-on and leaf-off conditions and that the combination of metrics derived in different leaf conditions can improve the identification accuracy. Furthermore, we discovered 9 robust metrics that perform well in all leaf conditions, including 3 crowns, 2 branches, 2 stems, and 2 entire tree metrics. These metrics give a deep understanding of numerous structural properties and provide a significant reference for the relevant structure-based classification of other tropical species. This study also illustrated that HLS could help to overcome the spectrum-related limitations and improve the efficiency of species identification and sustainable forest management.
Gradient Structure Information-Guided Attention Generative Adversarial Networks for Remote Sensing Image Generation
Authors: Zhu Baoyu , Lv Qunbo , Yang Yuanbo , Zhang Kai , Sui Xuefu , Tang Yinhui , Tan Zheng
Published: May 2023

A rich and effective dataset is an important foundation for the development of AI algorithms, and the quantity and quality of the dataset determine the upper limit level of the algorithms. For aerospace remote sensing datasets, due to the high cost of data collection and susceptibility to meteorological and airway conditions, the existing datasets have two problems: firstly, the number of datasets is obviously insufficient, and, secondly, there is large unevenness between different categories in datasets. One of the effective solutions is to use neural networks to generate fake data by learning from real data, but existing methods still find difficulty in generating remote sensing sample images with good texture detail and geometric distortion. To address the shortcomings of existing image generation algorithms, this paper proposes a gradient structure information-guided attention generative adversarial network (SGA-GAN) for remote sensing image generation, which contains two innovative initiatives: on the one hand, a learnable gradient structure information extraction branch network can be added to the generator network to obtain complex structural information in the sample image, thus alleviating the distortion of the sample geometric structure in remote sensing image generation; on the other hand, a multidimensional self-attention feature selection module is proposed to further improve the quality of the generated remote sensing images by connecting cross-attentive modules as well as spatial and channel attention modules in series to guide the generator to better utilize global information. The algorithm proposed in this paper outperformed other methods, such as StyleGAN-XL and FastGAN, in both the qualitative and quantitative evaluation, whereby the FID on the DOTA dataset decreased by 23.927 and the IS was improved by 2.351. The comparison experiments show that the method proposed in this paper can generate more realistic sample images, and images generated by this method can improve object detection metrics by increasing the number of single-category datasets and the number of targets in fewer categories in multi-category datasets, which means it can be effectively used in the field of intelligent processing of remote sensing images.
Denoising and Accuracy Evaluation of ICESat-2/ATLAS Photon Data for Nearshore Waters Based on Improved Local Distance Statistics
Authors: Xie Junfeng , Zhong Jincheng , Mo Fan , Liu Ren , Li Xiang , Yang Xiaomeng , Zeng Junze
Published: May 2023

The second-generation spaceborne LiDAR-Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) carries the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS), which can penetrate a certain depth of water, and is one of the important means to obtain the water depth information of nearshore water. However, due to the influence of the atmospheric environment, water quality and color, the system itself and other factors, the photon point cloud introduces survey noise, which restricts the survey accuracy and reliability of nearshore water depth. Therefore, in this study, we presented a photon denoising algorithm for layered processing of submarine surface. Firstly, rough denoising of the original photon data was completed by smoothing filtering. Then, elevation histogram statistics were carried out on the photon data, two peaks of the histogram were fitted by a double Gaussian function, and the intersection of two curves was then taken to separate the water surface and underwater photons. The surface photons were denoised by the DBSCAN clustering algorithm. Then according to the distribution characteristics of underwater signal photons, a single-photon point cloud filtering bathymetric method was proposed based on improved local distance statistics (LDSBM), which was used for fine denoising of underwater point cloud data. Finally, the Gaussian function was used to fit the frequency histogram, and the signal photons were screened to extract the water depth information. In this study, 13 groups of the ATL03 dataset from the Xisha Islands, the St. Thomas and the Acklins Island were used for denoising. The denoising results were compared with the signal photons manually marked and the signal photons extracted by the official built-in method (OM). The experimental results showed that, compared with the official method results of ATL03, the LDSBM had a higher F value (comprehensive evaluation index), with an average of more than 96.70%. In conclusion, the proposed underwater single-photon point cloud filtering bathymetric method was superior to the traditional algorithm and could recover terrain information accurately.
Forest Vertical Structure Mapping Using Multi-Seasonal UAV Images and Lidar Data via Modified U-Net Approaches
Authors: Yu Jin-Woo , Jung Hyung-Sup
Published: May 2023

With the acceleration of global warming, research on forests has become important. Vertical forest structure is an indicator of forest vitality and diversity. Therefore, further studies are essential. The investigation of forest structures has traditionally been conducted through in situ surveys, which require substantial time and money. To overcome these drawbacks, in our previous study, vertical forest structure was mapped through machine learning techniques and multi-seasonal remote sensing data, and the classification performance was improved to a 0.92 F1-score. However, the use of multi-seasonal images includes tree location errors owing to changes in the timing and location of acquisition between images. This error can be reduced by using a modified U-Net model that generates a low-resolution output map from high-resolution input data. Therefore, we mapped vertical forest structures from a multi-seasonal unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) optic and LiDAR data using three modified U-Net models to improve mapping performance. Spectral index maps related to forests were calculated as optic images, and canopy height maps were produced using the LiDAR-derived digital surface model (DSM) and digital terrain model (DTM). Spectral index maps and filtered canopy height maps were then used as input data and applied to the following three models: (1) a model that modified only the structure of the decoder, (2) a model that modified both the structure of the encoder and decoder, and (3) a model that modified the encoder, decoder, and the part that concatenated the encoder and decoder. Model 1 had the best performance with an F1-score of 0.97. The F1-score value was higher than 0.9 for both Model 2 and Model 3. Model 1 improved the performance by 5%, compared to our previous research. This implies that the model performance is enhanced by reducing the influence of position error.
Multivariate Simultaneous Determination of Some PAHs in Persian Gulf Oil-Contaminated Algae and Water Samples Using Miniaturized Triton X-100-Mediated Fe3O4 Nanoadsorbent and UV-Vis Detection
Authors: Tarighat Maryam Abbasi , Behroozi Ameneh , Abdi Gholamreza , Proestos Charalampos
Published: May 2023

This research shows the development of a miniaturized solid-phase extraction method with UV-Vis detection for simultaneous determination of dibenzofuran, fluoranthene and phenanthrene using chemometrics approaches. After synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs), the surface of the nanoparticles was modified by Triton X100 coating. The influence of extraction solvent and volume, concentration of Triton X100, extraction time, and sample pH were studied and optimized. Due to high spectral overlapping, resolving ternary mixtures for simultaneous determination of targets with classical analytical methods is impossible. Therefore, the recorded UV-Vis spectra were transformed using continuous wavelet transform and then subjected to artificial neural networks (ANNs). The Db4 mother wavelet was used as the better mother wavelet. For simultaneous detection of analytes, a comparison of feed-forward back-propagation and radial basis function networks was accomplished. The calibration graphs showed linearity in the ranges of 2.4–250 ng mL−1, 50–3750 ng mL−1, and 48–5000 ng mL−1 with a limit of detection of 0.58, 9.5 ng mL−1, and 12.5 ng mL−1 under optimal conditions for phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and dibenzofuran, respectively. The limit of quantitation was achieved at 3.52 ng mL−1, 16.35 ng mL−1, and 31.3 ng mL−1 for phenanthrene, fluoranthene and dibenzofuran, respectively. The method involving TX-100-coated Fe3O4 NPs in a liquid sample phase for analyte extraction, followed by ethanol desorption and UV-Vis detection, was successfully applied for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in oil-field water and algae samples.
Exploration of Large-Scale Application of Efficient and Clean Utilization of Low-Grade Bauxite
Authors: Chen Yang , Long Fei , Cao Xuejiao , Li Yibing , Zhang Weiguang , Zhang Tingan , Lv Guozhi
Published: May 2023

In recent years, the rapid development of the domestic alumina industry has greatly accelerated the consumption of high-alumina–silica-ratio bauxite resources in China. The development of an efficient and clean utilization technology applicable to low-grade bauxite in China is not only a requirement for resource and environmental protection, but also a powerful guarantee to maintain the sustainable development of China’s aluminum industry. Based on this, the authors’ team proposed a new process for the treatment of low-grade bauxite ore via a calcification–carbonization method from the perspective of equilibrium solid-phase reconstruction and achieved the first industrial-scale trial run on the basis of existing laboratory research. The results show that the mass fraction of Na2O in bauxite residue can be reduced to 0.95% in the treatment of typical diaspore bauxite, the A/S in the bauxite residue can be reduced to 0.85 after two-time carbonization–alumina dissolution, and the actual alumina dissolution rate can reach 81.32%. The relevant results verified the feasibility and advantages of the calcification–carbonization method in industrial production.
Innovations in Shared Mobility—Review of Scientific Works
Authors: Turoń Katarzyna , Tóth János
Published: May 2023

Shared mobility is developing at a very fast pace around the world, becoming an alternative to classic forms of travel and, according to the public, providing innovative services. In recent years, these innovative services have also gained wide interest among scientists from a multicriteria point of view. However, among the topics and reviews in the literature, no review paper considering shared mobility in terms of innovation was identified. This article’s research objective was to indicate the perception of innovation in shared mobility in scientific works. The results indicate that innovations in shared mobility are a niche topic considered in few scientific works. What is more, in most cases, shared mobility services are perceived as innovative in themselves without detailed service analysis. Moreover, the issues of open innovation, which are closely related to the concept of accessible Mobility as a Service system and smart cities, are often overlooked. In addition, there was no work identified that fully referred to all areas of innovative service. The article supports researchers in the determination of further research directions in the field of shared mobility and fills the research gap in the field of knowledge about open innovation, especially in the context of the development of shared mobility services in smart cities.
Service Quality Methods and Practices to Improve Library Administration: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ho Chao-Chung , Lai Yi-Horng , Chen Ming-Shu
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study is to identify the differentiated services university libraries are able to offer students by prioritizing service quality factors using the various dimensions and factors of service quality. The paper proposes a study that adopts the Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (PZB) service quality model to construct a model for measuring the service quality of a university library. The study conducts analysis using an expert questionnaire and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify students’ needs with respect to the library’s service quality. This study covered 44 different graduate institutes, but it is aimed at postgraduate student-oriented university libraries, which may not reveal the real status of different types of libraries. The five dimensions of service quality identified in this study by order of importance are responsiveness, tangibility, reliability, assurance, and empathy. The first three criteria of the twenty-two assessment criteria are “The staff is unwilling to help students”, “The library’s facilities match up with the type of services” and “Students are unable to receive fast services from staff”. This article seeks to provide innovative methods for previous library management in the university library and the research results could also provide useful references with social implications and novel value to the university library’s management team to improve the library’s service quality.
How Much Are Consumers Willing to Pay for a Greener Hotel Industry? A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Damigos Dimitris
Published: May 2023

This work uses the systematic literature review (SLR) method to explore the premium that consumers would be willing to pay to stay at a green hotel. To the best of the author’s knowledge, it is the first review on this topic and, thus, fills a gap in the existing literature. The search process identified 22 articles from 13 countries which were analyzed to explore three principal research questions regarding the valuation methods used to estimate the premium, the size of the premium, and the factors affecting the premium. From a policy perspective, the analysis shows that the lack of studies on the topic is a serious obstacle to the hotel sector’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint. From a managerial perspective, it is argued that consumers who are willing to pay to stay at green hotels would accept a premium of around 5%. Finally, from an estimation perspective, the analysis highlights specific gaps in and limitations of current studies that should be considered in future research efforts relating to the geographical coverage, accommodation type, factors affecting the premium that hotel customers would pay for green initiatives, and certain methodological issues, among others.
Fiscal Decentralization and the Human Development Index: A Cross-Border Empirical Study
Authors: Jin Hui , Jakovljevic Mihajlo
Published: May 2023

Many countries have implemented fiscal decentralization reform in recent decades, which has had a profound impact on their national development. The aim of this paper is to study the relationship between fiscal decentralization and national development. To achieve this goal, we validated our proposition with panel data of 50 countries covering the period of 1991–2020 and used IV estimation to correct any potential endogeneity, with the Geographic Fragmentation Index as an instrumental variable. We used the Human Development Index (HDI) to measure the level of national development, as it is a composite index that includes the three dimensions of economy, education, and health. The results show that there is a significant hump-shaped relationship between fiscal decentralization and the HDI. This result was robust when it was tested on an alternative sample covering the period of 2010–2021. The policy implication determined here is that governments should choose a moderate degree of fiscal decentralization in order to promote national development. We also discuss how to determine such a moderate degree of fiscal decentralization.
Thermal Transport and Physical Characteristics of Silver-Reinforced Biodegradable Nanolubricant
Authors: Taha-Tijerina Jose Jaime , Aviña Karla , Ulloa-Castillo Nicolás Antonio , Melo-Maximo Dulce Viridiana
Published: May 2023

In this investigation, the thermal transport behavior of biodegradable lubricant reinforced with silver nanostructures (AgNs) at various filler fractions of 0.01, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 weight percent was evaluated over a temperature scan analysis, ranging from room temperature up to 60 °C. The experimental results revealed significant gradual enhancements in thermal conductivity as AgNs concentration and evaluating temperatures were increased. These improvements showed the important role of nanostructures’ interaction within the biodegradable lubricant. The thermal conductivity performance improved for nanolubricants ranging from 6.5% at 30 °C and 0.20 wt.% AgNs content up to a maximum 32.2%, which was obtained at 60 °C with 0.20 wt.% AgNs concentration. On the other hand, the thermal stability of reinforced lubricants was assessed through thermogravimetric kinetics analyses. The predictive curves resulting from the analyses indicated that there is an enhancement in both the onset temperature for decomposition and the percentage conversion under isothermal conditions for lubricants reinforced with AgNs. Specifically, the results show that the required temperature to achieve a 5% conversion is 100 °C higher than that calculated for bare lubricant. Moreover, the predictive analyses indicate that there is a delay in the decomposition time at isothermal conditions.
Adsorption Characteristics of Cetirizine on Graphene Oxide
Authors: Bhattacharjee Tuhin , Bhattacharjee Arnab , Deka Deepmoni , Purkait Mihir Kumar , Chowdhury Devasish , Majumdar Gitanjali
Published: May 2023

Water pollution caused by emerging contaminants such as pharmaceutical compounds is a growing problem worldwide. In this reported work, graphene oxide (GO) was directly used to remove an antihistamine drug, cetirizine. GO was prepared from graphite using a modified Hummer’s method and was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), field scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), etc. GO was demonstrated to be a highly efficient adsorbent for removing cetirizine from an aqueous solution. The adsorption of cetirizine on GO at various pH levels showed that in acidic pH with the adsorption shows faster kinetics and complete removal of cetirizine within 10 min, followed by neutral pH, which showed relatively slower kinetics but complete removal of cetirizine. However, at basic pH, GO could not completely remove cetirizine after 24 h. At a neutral pH, GO showed maximum adsorption of 81.30 mg g−1 of cetirizine. The adsorption isotherm results showed good agreement with the Langmuir isotherm. The BET surface area analysis showed the presence of mesoporosity in GO. In addition, the BET analysis further revealed a type IV isotherm curve being followed. A plausible mechanism is also discussed in the paper. The recyclability experiment demonstrates an adsorption efficiency of 85% after four cycles. The thermodynamic study reveals that adsorption is thermodynamically less favorable at higher temperatures. Hence, the current study successfully demonstrates the use of GO as an efficient adsorbent in removing cetirizine. It also studies the various factors and interactions affecting adsorption. Thus, this study sheds light on the adsorption characteristics of cetirizine on graphene oxide.
Neutron Stars in the Context of f(T,T) Gravity
Authors: Mota Clésio E. , Santos Luis C. N. , da Silva Franciele M. , Flores César V. , Lobo Iarley P. , Bezerra Valdir B.
Published: May 2023

In this work, we investigate the existence of neutron stars (NS) in the framework of f(T,T) gravity, where T is the torsion tensor and T is the trace of the energy–momentum tensor. The hydrostatic equilibrium equations are obtained, however, with p and ρ quantities passed on by effective quantities p¯ and ρ¯, whose mass–radius diagrams are obtained using modern equations of state (EoS) of nuclear matter derived from relativistic mean field models and compared with the ones computed by the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff (TOV) equations. Substantial changes in the mass–radius profiles of NS are obtained even for small changes in the free parameter of this modified theory. The results indicate that the use of f(T,T) gravity in the study of NS provides good results for the masses and radii of some important astrophysical objects, as, for example, the NS of low-mass X-ray binary in NGC 6397, the millisecond pulsar PSR J0740+6620 and the GW170817 event. In addition, radii results inferred from the Lead Radius Experiment (PREX-2) can also be described for certain parameter values.
Diagnostics of Flare Loop Parameters in Shrinkage and Ascent Stages Using Radio, X-ray, and UV Emission
Authors: Zaitsev Valery , Stepanov Alexander
Published: May 2023

We propose the diagnostics of plasma parameters in flare loops using the data of multi-wavelength observations in both shrinkage and expansion phases of the loops. The approach of a flare loop as an equivalent electric circuit is applied. We show that depending on plasma loop parameters, the shrinkage may be accompanied by an increase in the electric current in the loop rather than a decrease. The number density, temperature, electric current, radius, loop-top altitude, and loop volume are determined for the flare events on 16 April 2002 and 24 August 2002.
Patterns of Feline Coronavirus Shedding and Associated Factors in Cats from Breeding Catteries
Authors: Felten Sandra , Klein-Richers Ute , Unterer Stefan , Bergmann Michèle , Zablotski Yury , Hofmann-Lehmann Regina , Hartmann Katrin
Published: May 2023

(1) Background: In households in which feline coronavirus (FCoV) is present, three patterns of FCoV shedding are described: non-shedders, intermittent (low-intensity) shedders, or persistent (high-intensity) shedders. It was the aim of this study to describe FCoV shedding patterns in cats from catteries in which FCoV infection is endemic. Additionally, risk factors for high-intensity FCoV shedding or non-shedding were analyzed. (2) Methods: Four fecal samples of 222 purebred cats from 37 breeding catteries were examined for FCoV RNA by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). High-intensity shedders were defined as cats positive for FCoV RNA in at least 3/4 fecal samples; non-shedding cats were defined as cats negative in all four fecal samples. Risk factor analysis was performed using information obtained by questionnaire. (3) Results: Of the 222 cats, 125 (56.3%) were considered high-intensity shedders, while 54/222 cats (24.3%) were FCoV non-shedders. The Persian breed was associated with a higher risk of high-intensity shedding in multivariable analysis, while Birman and Norwegian Forest Cats were more likely to be FCoV non-shedders. Cats living together with other cats were more likely to be FCoV shedders. (4) Conclusions: The proportion of both high-intensity shedders and non-shedding cats was higher than previously reported, which possibly can be explained by housing conditions, different genetic susceptibility, or differences in the study period. The risk of high-intensity shedding is higher in certain breeds. However, it cannot be excluded that the individual hygiene procedure of each breeder influenced FCoV-shedding frequency. A smaller group size is a protective factor against FCoV shedding.
Immunogenic Cell Death in Electroporation-Based Therapies Depends on Pulse Waveform Characteristics
Authors: Polajžer Tamara , Miklavčič Damijan
Published: May 2023

Traditionally, electroporation-based therapies such as electrochemotherapy (ECT), gene electrotransfer (GET) and irreversible electroporation (IRE) are performed with different but typical pulse durations—100 microseconds and 1–50 milliseconds. However, recent in vitro studies have shown that ECT, GET and IRE can be achieved with virtually any pulse duration (millisecond, microsecond, nanosecond) and pulse type (monopolar, bipolar-HFIRE), although with different efficiency. In electroporation-based therapies, immune response activation can affect treatment outcome, and the possibility of controlling and predicting immune response could improve the treatment. In this study, we investigated if different pulse durations and pulse types cause different or similar activations of the immune system by assessing DAMP release (ATP, HMGB1, calreticulin). Results show that DAMP release can be different when different pulse durations and pulse types are used. Nanosecond pulses seems to be the most immunogenic, as they can induce the release of all three main DAMP molecules—ATP, HMGB1 and calreticulin. The least immunogenic seem to be millisecond pulses, as only ATP release was detected and even that assumingly occurs due to increased permeability of the cell membrane. Overall, it seems that DAMP release and immune response in electroporation-based therapies can be controlled though pulse duration.
Appraisal of the Temporospatial Migration and Potential Ecotoxicity of Phthalic Acid Esters in Municipal Effluents, Rivers and Dam—A Catchment-Wide Assessment
Authors: Baloyi Ntsako Dellas , Tekere Memory , Maphangwa Khumbudzo Walter , Masindi Vhahangwele
Published: May 2023

Herein, the catchment-wide temporal dynamics and potential ecotoxicological risk of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in aquatic ecosystems were assessed. Specifically, water samples were collected for a period of six consecutive months from seven selected sites, i.e., covering both dry and wet seasons for seasonal variabilities. The appraised PAEs comprised dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP), diphenyl phthalate (DPP), di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP), diisodecyl phthalate (DiDP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP)) in municipal wastewater effluents, rivers and dam. Their concentrations were quantified using a gas chromatography–flame ionisation detector (GC–FID) via the liquid–liquid extraction mode. The appraised PAEs were ubiquitous in the selected sampling points, with DBP being the most abundant PAE homologue throughout the assessed localities. In particular, quantifiable concentrations were 18.9, 37.9 and 11.5 μg/L for DBP in wastewater effluents, rivers and the dam catchment, respectively, and for overall Σ10PAEs of minimum, mean and maximum of 0.492, 3.6 ± 9.82 and 63.2 μg/L, respectively. In addition, PAE concentrations in the effluents, rivers, and dam samples showed no significant differences with p < 0.05. The overall prominent sequence for ∑PAEs registered: 53.3 > 10.1 > 10.0 > 9.8 > 4.3 > 2.5 > 1.8 > 1.7 > 1.1 > 0.9% for DBP > DEHP > DiDP > DOP > DHP > DPP > BBP > DMP > DEP > DiNP, respectively. The ecotoxicological risk assessment (risk quotient method) showed that DBP and DiDP posed high risk (RQ ≥ 1), and DOP, DEHP, DHP, DiNP and BBP posed median risk to aquatic organisms (0.1 ≤ RQ < 1), while the risk from DMP and DEP was minimal (RQ < 0.1). Additionally, DBP, DEHP, DOP, DPP and DiDP were higher than the water criterion (3 μg/L) of PAEs recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for the protection of aquatic life. Findings from this study should go a long way in guiding regulators, custodians and catchment management forums, along with interested and affected parties, regarding the status and potential ecotoxicological effects of PAEs in the receiving environment.
Hydrogeology of Karst and Metapelitic Domains of the Semi-Arid Vieira River Watershed (Brazil)—A Contribution to Groundwater Resource Management
Authors: Bhering Apolo Pedrosa , Antunes Isabel Margarida Horta Ribeiro , Marques Eduardo Antonio Gomes , de Paula Rodrigo Sergio , Silva Antônio Roberto Nunes
Published: May 2023

Water scarcity is a problem in Brazil’s northern semi-arid domain. Montes Claros is the most populated Minas Gerais city in this context, and its socio-economic problems are related to water consumption and management. Aiming to help assess these problems, this study presents a new hydrogeological characterization. The 3D geological model was developed using drilling data from 125 public wells, field campaigns and satellite images for hydrogeological interpretation. The area has two main different aquifer systems underlying the Vieira River Watershed. The first is a karstic fissured aquifer, located in the Lagoa do Jacaré limestone Formation. The second is fissured aquifer systems in metapelites from the Serra da Santa Helena and Serra da Saudade Formations, which are characterized by low hydraulic transmissivity and locally higher specific capacity zones related to their structural features or carbonate intercalations. Monitoring data from new manual and automatic methods carried out in 16 selected points highlight that variations are related to (1) hydrogeological domains, (2) oscillations related to interference from neighboring wells, and (3) seasonal variation and irregular pluviometry in the region. This is important information that can help update our hydrogeological knowledge, provide information on surface and groundwater flow dynamics, and improve water resource management, with the aim of ensuring sustainability in exploitation.
Using guided breathing exercises to prevent mental health complications in the post-COVID period
Authors: Mikulyak N. I. ,   Medical Institute, Penza State University, Penza, Russia, Ilyina N. L. , Nemova A. A. , Sorokin I. A. ,   Medical Institute, Penza State University, Penza, Russia,   Medical Institute, Penza State University, Penza, Russia,   Medical Institute, Penza State University, Penza, Russia
Published: May 2023

The novel coronavirus infection has been one of the major public health issues of the past few years. Most COVID-19 patients report loss of energy, difficulty concentrating, memory loss and difficulty remembering, decreased motivation and mood. The purpose of our work was to determine the differences between general performance and brain rhythms in COVID-19 patients and those who had not been infected, and to assess the effects of breathing exercises (BE) on changes in these parameters in order to recommend the proposed therapy. The parameters of bioelectrical activity of the brain in patients after the novel coronavirus infection and those who had not been infected were studied by means of hardware-software complex «Omega-M». Statistical processing was performed using Microsoft Office.During the study, the following significant changes were observed: decreased efficiency in COVID-19 sufferers, reduced alpha and beta rhythms and negligible changes after BE compared to those who had not had COVID-19, and higher delta and theta waves and lack of their normalization after BE in COVID-19 sufferers. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the use of guided breathing exercises can be recommended after COVID-19.