bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dysfunctional Beliefs and Cognitive Performance across Symptom Dimensions in Childhood and Adolescent OCD
Authors: Piras Federica , Banaj Nerisa , Ciullo Valentina , Piras Fabrizio , Ducci Giuseppe , Demaria Francesco , Vicari Stefano , Spalletta Gianfranco
Published: December 2022

Although etiological and maintenance cognitive factors have proved effective in predicting the disease course in youths with OCD, their contribution to symptom severity and specific OCD dimensions has been scarcely examined. In a cohort of children and adolescents with OCD (N = 41; mean age = 14; age range = 10–18 yrs.), we investigated whether certain dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive traits could predict symptom severity, and whether they were differentially associated with specific symptom dimensions. We found that self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism and intolerance to uncertainty were associated with higher obsession severity, which was not uniquely related to any neuropsychological variable. Greater severity of obsessions and compulsions about harm due to aggression/injury/violence/natural disasters was predicted by excessive concerns with the expectations of other people. Severity in this dimension was additionally predicted by decreasing accuracy in performing a problem-solving, non-verbal reasoning task, which was also a significant predictor of severity of obsessions about symmetry and compulsions to count or order/arrange. Apart from corroborating both the belief-based and neuropsychological models of OCD, our findings substantiate for the first time the specificity of certain dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive traits in two definite symptom dimensions in youth. This bears important clinical implications for developing treatment strategies to deal with unique dysfunctional core beliefs, and possibly for preventing illness chronicity.
CT Detection of an Anomalous Left Circumflex Coronary Artery from Pulmonary Artery (ALXCAPA) in 81-Year-Old Female Patient
Authors: Pop Marian , Kakucs Zsófia , Coman Simona
Published: December 2022

Background: The left circumflex coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is a very rare congenital anomaly with few cases described, so far, worldwide. Case report: An 81-year-old female presented complaining of dyspnea. The transthoracic echocardiogram revealed severe degenerative aortic stenosis in addition to a hypertrophied left ventricle with normal function and no wall motion abnormalities. As part of the pre-TAVI planning, she underwent a CT examination, which revealed an anomalous left circumflex artery originating from the right pulmonary artery. The case is currently being managed conservatively. Conclusion: The presented congenital coronary anomaly is, to our knowledge, the first to be described in the literature in this age group (80+).
Skin Vaccination with Ebola Virus Glycoprotein Using a Polyphosphazene-Based Microneedle Patch Protects Mice against Lethal Challenge
Authors: Romanyuk Andrey , Wang Ruixue , Marin Alexander , Janus Benjamin M. , Felner Eric I. , Xia Dengning , Goez-Gazi Yenny , Alfson Kendra J. , Yunus Abdul S. , Toth Eric A. , Ofek Gilad , Carrion Ricardo , Prausnitz Mark R. , Fuerst Thomas R. , Andrianov Alexander K.
Published: December 2022

Ebolavirus (EBOV) infection in humans is a severe and often fatal disease, which demands effective interventional strategies for its prevention and treatment. The available vaccines, which are authorized under exceptional circumstances, use viral vector platforms and have serious disadvantages, such as difficulties in adapting to new virus variants, reliance on cold chain supply networks, and administration by hypodermic injection. Microneedle (MN) patches, which are made of an array of micron-scale, solid needles that painlessly penetrate into the upper layers of the skin and dissolve to deliver vaccines intradermally, simplify vaccination and can thereby increase vaccine access, especially in resource-constrained or emergency settings. The present study describes a novel MN technology, which combines EBOV glycoprotein (GP) antigen with a polyphosphazene-based immunoadjuvant and vaccine delivery system (poly[di(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene], PCPP). The protein-stabilizing effect of PCPP in the microfabrication process enabled preparation of a dissolvable EBOV GP MN patch vaccine with superior antigenicity compared to a non-polyphosphazene polymer-based analog. Intradermal immunization of mice with polyphosphazene-based MN patches induced strong, long-lasting antibody responses against EBOV GP, which was comparable to intramuscular injection. Moreover, mice vaccinated with the MN patches were completely protected against a lethal challenge using mouse-adapted EBOV and had no histologic lesions associated with ebolavirus disease.
Evaluation of the Cytotoxicity of Cationic Polymers on Glioblastoma Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: McCartin Conor , Blumberger Juliette , Dussouillez Candice , Fernandez de Larrinoa Patricia , Dontenwill Monique , Herold-Mende Christel , Lavalle Philippe , Heurtault Béatrice , Bellemin-Laponnaz Stéphane , Fournel Sylvie , Kichler Antoine
Published: December 2022

Cationic polymers such as polyethylenimine (PEI) have found a pervasive place in laboratories across the world as gene delivery agents. However, their applications are not limited to this role, having found a place as delivery agents for drugs, in complexes known as polymer-drug conjugates (PDCs). Yet a potentially underexplored domain of research is in their inherent potential as anti-cancer therapeutic agents, which has been indicated by several studies. Even more interesting is the recent observation that certain polycations may present a significantly greater toxicity towards the clinically important cancer stem cell (CSC) niche than towards more differentiated bulk tumour cells. These cells, which possess the stem-like characteristics of self-renewal and differentiation, are highly implicated in cancer drug resistance, tumour recurrence and poor clinical prognosis. The search for compounds which may target and eliminate these cells is thus of great research interest. As such, the observation in our previous study on a PEI-based PDC which showed a considerably higher toxicity of PEI towards glioblastoma CSCs (GSCs) than on more differentiated glioma (U87) cells led us to investigate other cationic polymers for a similar effect. The evaluation of the toxicity of a range of different types of polycations, and an investigation into the potential source of GSC’s sensitivity to such compounds is thus described.
Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing: Powder Packing in Shell Printing
Authors: Miao Guanxiong , Moghadasi Mohammadamin , Li Ming , Pei Zhijian , Ma Chao
Published: December 2022

Shell printing is an advantageous binder jetting technique that prints only a thin shell of the intended object to enclose the loose powder in the core. In this study, powder packing in the shell and core was investigated for the first time. By examining the density and microstructure of the printed samples, powder packing was found to be different between the shell and core. In addition, the powder particle size and layer thickness were found to affect the powder packing in the shell and core differently. At a 200 µm layer thickness, for the 10 µm and 20 µm powders, the core was less dense than the shell and had a layered microstructure. At a 200 µm layer thickness, for the 70 µm powder, the core was denser and had a homogeneous microstructure. For the 20 µm powder, by reducing the layer thickness from 200 µm to 70 µm, the core became denser than the shell, and the microstructure of the core became homogeneous. The different results could be attributed to the different scenarios of particle rearrangement between the shell and core for powders of different particle sizes and at different layer thicknesses. Considering that the core was denser and more homogeneous than the shell when the proper layer thickness and powder particle size were selected, shell printing could be a promising method to tailor density and reduce anisotropy.
Microhardness Distribution of Long Magnesium Block Processed through Powder Metallurgy
Authors: Wang Jiaying , Li Qizhen
Published: December 2022

Powder metallurgy is a popular method of making raw powders into specific shaped samples. However, the pressure distribution and the microhardness difference within the sample are nonnegligible and unclear when the sample is long or exceeds a specific size. In this study, the long magnesium blocks, with a ratio of about 2.8 between the sample height and the sample side length, are successfully synthesized under three uniaxial and two biaxial conditions. Then, the sample hardness values on the outer surface and the center plane are tested to study the microhardness distribution. The modified analytical expression indicates that the normal pressure exponentially decreases along the compression direction, which is consistent with the hardness distribution trend. Because higher pressure leads to a more compact arrangement of the powders, more metal bonds are formed after sintering. During the first pressing, the sidewall pressure makes the surface hardness higher. The secondary reverse compression mainly improves the bottom and core hardness due to the re-orientation and re-location of the powders. The obtained relationship between the applied pressure and the hardness distribution is instructive in predicting and improving the sample quality.
Tensile Strength and Microstructure of Rotary Friction-Welded Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel Joints
Authors: Firmanto Hudiyo , Candra Susila , Hadiyat Mochammad Arbi , Triastomo Yesa Priscilla , Wirawan Ivan
Published: December 2022

Due to the different properties of the materials, the fusion welding of dissimilar metals may be difficult. Structural irregularities may form as a result of various phase transformations during welding. Solid-state welding, as opposed to fusion welding, occurs below the melting temperature. As a result of the melting and solidification phenomena that happen in fusion welding, solid-state welding is expected to reduce the potential for phase transformation. This paper describes the use of a rotary friction welding technique to join carbon steel and 304 stainless steel. The purpose of this work is to investigate the characteristics of rotary friction welding (RFW) when joining 304 stainless steel to carbon steels with different carbon contents. Experiments were carried out on the RFW of low- and medium-carbon steels with 304 stainless steel. The investigation was carried out using the Taguchi method of experimental design. The joints’ tensile strengths and microstructures were evaluated. The parameters that had the greatest influence on the tensile strengths of the welding results were identified. The combination of parameters resulting in the greatest tensile strength is also suggested. A microstructural examination of the weldment revealed mechanical mixing and interlocking.
Underlying Methodology for a Thermal Process Monitoring System for Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Baier Daniel , Weckenmann Tobias , Wolf Franz , Wimmer Andreas , Zaeh Michael F.
Published: December 2022

The Wire and Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) process has a high potential for industrial applications in aviation. The interlayer temperatures influence the dimensions and geometric deviations of the part. Monitoring the absolute interlayer temperature values is necessary for quantifying these influences. This paper presents an approach for determining the absolute values of the interlayer temperatures during the process using Ti-6Al-4V. The emissivity and transmittance are determined and calibrated, enabling precise thermographic measuring during the WAAM process. The recorded thermographic data are then compared to signals of thermocouples so that the absolute temperature values can be aligned. The methodology is validated by its transfer to measure the interlayer temperature at different regions of interest. The effect of a heat accumulation using Ti-6Al-4V in WAAM was determined. The methodology enables a reproducible and non-tactile measurement of the interlayer temperature during the WAAM process. The results show that with an interlayer temperature of 200 °C, a heat accumulation occurs within a layer. The heat accumulates in the center of the layer because the free ends of the layer cool down faster than the center of the layer.
Ship–Infrastructure Cooperation: Survey on Infrastructure Scheduling for Waterborne Transportation Systems
Authors: Li Xinyi , Mou Junmin , Chen Linying , Huang Yamin , Chen Pengfei
Published: December 2022

Ship–infrastructure cooperation, i.e., infrastructure scheduling, is significant for optimizing the utilization of spatial-temporal resources of infrastructures and improving the efficiency and safety of waterborne transportation systems. This paper carries out a systematic review of the scheduling problems of the infrastructures in waterborne transportation systems, including locks, terminals, berths, and waterway intersections. The infrastructure scheduling problems are linked to the classical optimization problems, and a generalized infrastructure scheduling problem is formulated. For lock scheduling, the ship placement sub-problem aims at minimizing the number of lockages, which is a kind of classic 2D bin packing problem; the lockage scheduling sub-problem deals with chamber assignment and lockage operation planning, which is modeled as a single or parallel machine scheduling problem. For berth and terminal scheduling, the idea of queuing theory (for discrete terminal) and 2D bin packing (for continuous terminal) are usually applied. Most research aims at minimizing the waiting time of ships and focuses on the continuous dynamic terminal scheduling problems. As a special infrastructure, the waterway intersection receives little attention. Most research focuses on traffic conflicts and capacity problems. Future research directions are provided based on the review results and problems of infrastructure scheduling in practice.
Spudcan Deep Penetration in Multi-Layered Soils Incorporating Sand Relative Density
Authors: Zhao Jun , Zhu Qingyun , Huang Wenjing , Zhang Yang , Liu Luyu
Published: December 2022

Installing a spudcan jack-up rig in sediments with an interbedded sand-over-clay soil profile is still challenging in the offshore industry due to possible punch-through failure. The current methods for predicting the punch-through of spudcan usually ignore sand relative density, which is one of the most important parameters for sand soil. For multi-layered soils with interbedded sand commonly met in the field, this paper aims to determine the effects of sand relative density on predicting the punch-through failure of spudcan. Modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) and extended Tresca models characterized by incorporating a variation of mobilized strength parameters were used to describe the mechanical behaviors of sand and clay. Besides four groups of centrifuge tests, one field case in the South China Sea was also numerically simulated to validate the large deformation finite element (LDFE) analyses conducted in this paper. The results showed that neglect of sand relative density may lead to underestimation of the potential for punch-through failure of spudcan.
Numerical Generation of Solitary Wave and Its Propagation Characteristics in a Step-Type Flume
Authors: Song Xuemin , Yao Jianxi , Liu Weiqin , Shu Yaqing , Xu Feng
Published: December 2022

This work concerns the numerical generation of stable solitary waves by using a piston-type wave maker and the propagation characteristics of a solitary wave in a step-type flume. The numerical generation of solitary waves was performed by solving N-S (Navier–Stokes) equations on the open source CFD (computational fluid dynamics) platform OpenFOAM. To this end, a new module of dynamic boundary conditions was programmed and can be applied to prescribe the horizontal linear motion of a paddle. Two kinds of paddle motions, based on both the first-order and ninth-order solutions of solitary waves, were first determined. The time history of paddle motion was restored in a file, which was then used as an input for the virtual wave maker. The solitary wave in water with a constant depth was generated by both numerical simulation and experiment in the wave flume installed with a piston wave maker. The results show that the amplitudes of trailing waves based on the first-order solution are larger than those based on the ninth-order solution and that wave height based on the first-order solution decays more quickly. The numerical wave profiles are in good agreement with the experimental ones. The propagation characteristics of a solitary wave in a step-type flume was numerically investigated as well. It was found that a part of the solitary wave is reflected when the solitary wave passes the step due to blockage effects, and the forward main wave collapses quickly when it enters shallow water. This work presents a very successful numerical study of stable solitary wave generation and reveals the phenomena when a solitary wave propagates in a step-type flume.
Specific Focus on Antifungal Peptides against Azole Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Pimienta Dilan Andrés , Cruz Mosquera Freiser Eceomo , Palacios Velasco Isabella , Giraldo Rodas María , Oñate-Garzón Jose , Liscano Yamil
Published: December 2022

The prevalence of fungal infections is increasing worldwide, especially that of aspergillosis, which previously only affected people with immunosuppression. Aspergillus fumigatus can cause allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and endangers public health due to resistance to azole-type antimycotics such as fluconazole. Antifungal peptides are viable alternatives that combat infection by forming pores in membranes through electrostatic interactions with the phospholipids as well as cell death to peptides that inhibit protein synthesis and inhibit cell replication. Engineering antifungal peptides with nanotechnology can enhance the efficacy of these therapeutics at lower doses and reduce immune responses. This manuscript explains how antifungal peptides combat antifungal-resistant aspergillosis and also how rational peptide design with nanotechnology and artificial intelligence can engineer peptides to be a feasible antifungal alternative.
Comparison of Pigment Production by Filamentous Fungal Strains under Submerged (SmF) and Surface Adhesion Fermentation (SAF)
Authors: Rengifo Liliana R. , Rosas Paola , Méndez Nicolás , Ludeña Yvette , Sirvas Susana , Samolski Ilanit , Villena Gretty K.
Published: December 2022

Although synthetic colorants are widely used in many industries due to their high stability at different conditions in industrial processes, evidence of its negative impact on health and the environment is undeniable. Filamentous fungi are well known for their use as alternative sources to produce natural pigments. However, an adequate comparison of the productivity parameters between the fermentation systems could be limited to their heterogeneous conditions. Even though Solid-State Fermentations (SSF) on natural substrates are widely used for pigments production, complex media, and non-controlled variables (T, pH, medium composition), these systems could not only hamper the finding of accurate productivity parameters, but also mathematical modeling and genomics-based optimization. In this context, the present study screened five pigment-producing fungi by comparing Submerged (SmF) and Surface Adhesion Fermentation [biofilm (BF) and Solid-State (SSF)] with defined media and controlled variables. For this purpose, we used the same defined media with sucrose as the carbon source for pigment production on SmF, BF, and SSF, and BF and SSF were carried out on inert supports. Five molecularly identified Penicillium and Talaromyces strains isolated from the Peruvian rainforest were selected for their ability to produce yellowish-orange colorants. Highest productivities were obtained from T. brunneus LMB-HP43 in SmF (0.18 AU/L/h) and SSF (0.17 AU/L/h), and P. mallochii LMB-HP37 in SSF (0.18 AU/L/h). Both strains also exhibited the highest yields (AU/g biomass) in the three fermentation systems, reaching values greater than 18-folds in SSF compared to the other strains. Conversely, T. wortmannii LMB-HP14 and P. maximae LMB-HP33 showed no ability to produce pigments in the SSF system. The performed experiments accurately compared the effect of the fermentation system on yield and productivity. From this, further genomics approaches can be considered for an extensive analysis of pigment synthesis pathways and a genomics-driven optimization in the best fermentation system.
Treatment of Acute Mesenteric Ischemia: Individual Challenges for Interventional Radiologists and Abdominal Surgeons
Authors: Estler Arne , Estler Eva , Feng You-Shan , Seith Ferdinand , Wießmeier Maximilian , Archid Rami , Nikolaou Konstantin , Grözinger Gerd , Artzner Christoph
Published: December 2022

Background: Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a life-threatening condition resulting from occlusion of the mesenteric arterial vessels. AMI requires immediate treatment with revascularization of the occluded vessels. Purpose: to evaluate the technical success, clinical outcomes and survival of patients receiving endovascular treatment for AMI followed by surgery. Material and Methods: A search of our institution’s database for AMI revealed 149 potential patients between 08/2016 and 08/2021, of which 91 were excluded due to incomplete clinical data, insufficient imaging or missing follow-up laparoscopy. The final cohort included 58 consecutive patients [(median age 73.5 years [range: 43–96 years], 55% female), median BMI 26.2 kg/m2 (range:16.0–39.2 kg/m2)]. Periinterventional imaging regarding the cause of AMI (acute-embolic or acute-on-chronic) was evaluated by two radiologists in consensus. The extent of AMI and the degree of technical success was graded according to a modified TICI (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale) score (TICI-AMI) classification (0: no perfusion; 1: minimal; 2a < 50% filling; 2b > 50%; 2c: near complete or slow; 3: complete). Lab data and clinical data were collected, including the results of follow-up laparoscopy. Non-parametric statistics were used. Results: All interventions were considered technically successful. The most common causes of AMI were emboli (51.7%) and acute-on-chronic thrombotic occlusions (37.9%). Initial imaging showed a TICI-AMI score of 0, 1 or 2a in 87.9% (n = 51) of patients. Post-therapeutic TICI-AMI scores improved significantly with 87.9% of patients grade 2b and better. Median lactate levels reduced from 2.7 (IQR 2.0–3.7) mg/dL (1–18) to 1.45 (IQR 0.99–1.90). Intestinal ischemia was documented in 79.1% of cases with resection of the infarcted intestinal loops. In total, 22/58 (37.9%) patients died during the first 30 days after intervention and surgery. According to CIRSE criteria, we did not observe any SAE scores of grade 2 or higher. Conclusions: AMI is a serious disease with high lethality within the first 30 days despite optimal treatment. However, interventional revascularization before surgery with resection of the infarcted bowel can save two out of three of critically ill patients.
Stenting in Brain Hemodynamic Injury of Carotid Origin Caused by Type A Aortic Dissection: Local Experience and Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Aita Jean-François , Agripnidis Thibault , Testud Benoit , Barral Pierre-Antoine , Jacquier Alexis , Reyre Anthony , Alnuaimi Ammar , Girard Nadine , Tradi Farouk , Habert Paul , Gariboldi Vlad , Collart Frederic , Bartoli Axel , Hak Jean-François
Published: December 2022

In this study, we report our local experience of type A aortic dissections in patients with cerebral malperfusion treated with carotid stenting before or after aortic surgery, and present a systematic literature review on these patients treated either with carotid stenting (CS) before or after aortic surgery (AS) or with aortic and carotid surgery alone (ACS). We report on patients treated in our center with carotid stenting for brain hemodynamic injury of carotid origin caused by type A dissection since 2018, and a systematic review was conducted in PubMed for articles published from 1990 to 2021. Out of 5307 articles, 19 articles could be included with a total of 80 patients analyzed: 9 from our center, 29 patients from case reports, and 51 patients from two retrospective cohorts. In total, 8 patients were treated by stenting first, 72 by surgery first, and 7 by stenting after surgery. The mean age; initial NIHSS score; time from symptom onset to treatment; post-treatment clinical improvement; post-treatment clinical worsening; mortality rate; follow-up duration; and follow-up mRS were, respectively, for each group (local cohort, CS before AS, ACS, CS after AS): 71.2 ± 5.3 yo, 65.5 ± 11.0 yo; 65.3 ± 13.1 yo, 68.7 ± 5.8 yo; 4 ± 8.4, 11.3 ± 8.5, 14.3 ± 8.0, 0; 11.8 ± 14.3 h, 21 ± 39.3 h, 13.6 ± 17.8 h, 13 ± 17.2 h; 56%, 71%, 86%, 57%; 11%, 28%, 0%, 14%; 25%, 12.3%, 14%, 33%; 5.25 ± 2.9 months, 54 months, 6.8 ± 3.8 months, 14 ± 14.4 months; 1 ± 1; 0.25 ± 0.5, 1.3 ± 0.8, 0.68 ± 0.6. Preoperative carotid stenting for hemodynamic cerebral malperfusion by true lumen compression appears to be feasible, and could be effective and safe, although there is still a lack of evidence due to the absence of comparative statistical analysis. The literature, albeit growing, is still limited, and prospective comparative studies are needed.
The Impact of Ownership Characteristics and Gender on Earnings Management: Indonesian Companies
Authors: Widagdo Ari Kuncara , Rahmawati  , Djuminah  , Arifah Siti , Goestjahjanti Francisca Sestri , Kiswanto
Published: December 2022

Earnings management is a behavior performed by management to show good performance to principals. This effort creates information bias in the study of agency theory, which in turn increases information asymmetry. In Indonesia, the average company has a family ownership structure. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of family ownership characteristics and gender on earnings management. This study includes gender diversity in the board of commissioners and board of directors. This research uses the non-financial companies’ data in Indonesian Capital Market. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using multiple regression based on ordinary least squares. Research results show that the proportion of females in both board of commissioners and board of directors, as well as company size contribute significantly to earnings management, whereas, family ownership, ROA, and leverage do not have a significant impact. This research provides a practical contribution to the study of the composition of the board of commissioners and directors regarding earnings management actions for owners, investors and other stakeholders.
A Hierarchical Deep Learning-Based Intrusion Detection Architecture for Clustered Internet of Things
Authors: Elsayed Rania , Hamada Reem , Hammoudeh Mohammad , Abdalla Mahmoud , Elsaid Shaimaa Ahmed
Published: December 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) system’s ever-expanding attack surface calls for a new intrusion detection system (IDS). These systems may include thousands of wireless devices that need to be protected from cyberattacks. Recent research efforts used machine learning to analyze and identify various attacks and abnormal behavior on IoT systems. Most of these techniques are characterized by low accuracy and they do not scale to today’s IoT-enabled smart cities applications. This article proposes a secure automatic two-levels intrusion detection system (SATIDS) which utilizes the minimum redundancy maximum relevance (MRMR) feature selection technique and an enhanced version of long short-term memory (LSTM) based on an artificial recurrent neural network (RNN) to enhance the IDS performance. SATIDS aims at detecting traffic anomalies with greater accuracy while also reducing the time it takes to perform this task. The proposed algorithm was trained and evaluated using two of the most recent datasets based on realistic data: ToN-IoT and InSDN datasets. The performance analysis of the proposed system proves that it can differentiate between attacks and normal traffic, identify the attack category, and finally define the type of sub-attack with high accuracy. Comparing the performance of the proposed system with the existing IDSs reveals that it outperforms its best rivals from the literature in detecting many types of attacks. It improves accuracy, detection rates, F1-score, and precision. Using 500 hidden and two LSTM layers achieves accuracy of 97.5%, precision of 98.4%, detection rate of 97.9%, and F1-score of 98.05% on ToN-IoT dataset, and precision of 99%, detection rate of 99.6%, and F1-score of 99.3% on InSDN dataset. Finally, SATIDS was applied to an IoT network which utilizes the energy harvesting real-time routing protocol (EHRT). EHRT optimizes the low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH) routing technique using a modified artificial fish swarm algorithm. The integration between the optimized LEACH and the proposed IDS enhances the network lifetime, energy consumption, and security.
Coupling Coordination between Park Green Space (PGS) and Socioeconomic Deprivation (SED) in High-Density City Based on Multi-Scale: From Environmental Justice Perspective
Authors: Huang Shuyu , Wang Chunxiao , Deng Mengting , Chen Yuxi
Published: December 2022

Several studies have revealed that park green space (PGS) plays a crucial role in improving residents’ quality of life and promoting sustainable development of the environment. However, rapid urbanization and population growth have led to an inequitable supply and demand for PGS, especially in high-density cities, which has been widely recognized as an important environmental justice issue. However, few studies have evaluated the equity and sustainability of PGS in high-density cities based on multi-scale. This study developed a framework to explore the spatial equity of PGS and its coupling coordination degree (CCD) with socioeconomic deprivation (SED) based on a multi-scale approach (pocket park, community park, and comprehensive park), then analyzed the spatial correlation between PGS and CCD. The results showed that: (1) The overall supply of 3-scale PGS does not meet residents’ demand for PGS resources in the study area and the urban center has the highest demand for PGS. (2) Among the three-scale PGS, the comprehensive PGS has the strongest supply capacity, but it also has the most severe supply–demand mismatch. (3) Although the service radius of pocket PGS is smaller than that of community PGS, the supply of pocket PGS is higher. (4) More than 95% of the studied area lacks coordination between PGS and SED development. (5) The subsystem that has the greatest spatial correlation with CCD in pocket PGS and comprehensive PGS was the number of configurations, while that in community PGS was the spatial arrangement. This study not only provides a theoretical reference for conducting research on PGS equity in high-density cities, but also provides a novel perspective on the sustainable, coordinated development and planning of urban PGS system.
Bibliometric Analysis of Black Soil Protection from the Perspective of Land-Use Monitoring
Authors: Wang Lei , Jia Jia , Zhai Yalin , Wang Jiaxuan , Sheng Chunlei , Jing Zhongwei , Yan Hailong , Fang Jiyuan , Yao Yunlong
Published: December 2022

Land use affects ecosystem stability and agricultural ecological security in black soil regions. Additional attention is required regarding the impact of different land-use patterns on black soil. However, the construction of sustainable agricultural ecological security in black soil environments is a dynamic process that depends on the reviews of experts and statistical analyses of literature data. This study quantitatively reviewed the past 20 years of the literature regarding black soil. Using the superposition of the expert knowledge map and machine clustering, knowledge regarding land use in black soil fields was classified structurally. Further, studies directly related to the spatiotemporal pattern of land use were identified, and frequently cited works of the literature were screened to build a dynamic knowledge network of black soil research. The results show that (1) the cooperative relationship among China, the United States, and Canada is the strongest, but the density of cooperation networks between other countries is low; (2) land-use research regarding black soil is divided into four research areas: soil microbial community and activity, soil erosion and ecological processes, ecological management of land use, soil organic matter, and element cycling; (3) the monitoring and management mode of land use in black soil areas should be established to include information management that incorporates knowledge of the cultivated land factor potential, grain production capacity assessment, soil erosion evaluation and prediction, and farmland landscape planning.
Land Use Multifunctions in Metropolis Fringe: Spatiotemporal Identification and Trade-Off Analysis
Authors: Wang Linlin , Hu Qiyuan , Liu Liming , Yuan Chengcheng
Published: December 2022

As the transition zone between urban and rural, the metropolis fringe is an area where various functions permeate and compete fiercely with each other. Understanding land use functions (LUFs) and their relationships are crucial for both urban and rural sustainable development. In this study, we established a conceptual framework of land use multifunctions in the urban fringe and proposed an improved evaluation method to quantify LUFs at the grid scale. The bivariate spatial autocorrelation method was used to explore the trade-offs among LUFs. Taking Qingpu District in Shanghai as a case study, we found that LUFs displayed pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The economic- and social-dominated functional trade-off mainly occurred in the east part of Qingpu, whereas the ecological function dominated in the west. Human preference and corresponding policies were the key factors leading to these trade-offs. Additionally, land use function zoning was proposed to resolve existing conflicts. These findings can provide scientific information for efficient land use management in the metropolis fringe.
Alnus glutinosa Riparian Woodlands of Italy and Corsica: Phytosociological Classification and Floristic Diversity
Authors: Sciandrello Saverio , Angiolini Claudia , Bacchetta Gianluigi , Cutini Maurizio , Dumoulin Jeremy , Fois Mauro , Gabellini Antonio , Gennai Matilde , Gianguzzi Lorenzo , Landi Marco , Minissale Pietro , Panaïotis Christophe , Puglisi Marta , Spampinato Giovanni , Tavilla Gianmarco , Tomaselli Valeria , Viciani Daniele , Giusso del Galdo Gianpietro
Published: December 2022

A comparative analysis of the riparian vegetation dominated by Alnus glutinosa in Italy and Tyrrhenian islands, based on literature data and unpublished relevés, is presented. A total of 456 phytosociological relevés were processed. For the definition of plant communities and alliances, hierarchical clustering was performed by using Bray-Curtis coefficient and Detrended Correspondence Analysis ordination methods. Identification of diagnostic species of the vegetation units was performed by means of the phi fidelity index. Quantum GIS software version 3.6 was used for the interpolation of the bioclimatic variables and A. glutinosa communities. Overall, a total of 18 A. glutinosa-riparian wood communities were distinguished for Italy and Tyrrhenian islands, of which two new associations and one new subassassociation are described. The classification of the relevés showed two main vegetation groups: the first one including the plant communities of the Osmundo-Alnion alliance, and the other including the vegetation of the Ligustro vulgaris-Alnion glutinosae alliance. This latest includes the riparian meso-thermophilous communities of central and northern Italy. Within the Osmundo-Alnion alliance, two subgroups can be recognized: the first one includes the thermophilous communities of the Hyperico hircini-Alnenion glutinosae sub-alliance, mainly spread in the Tyrrhenian islands, while the second group includes the mesophilous communities attributed to the new suballiance Struthioptero-Alnenion glutinosae, widespread in central Italy and the Corsican mountains. The present paper provides the first comprehensive and exhaustive scheme of the A. glutinosa riparian woodlands diversity in Italy and Corsica.
Unclear Land Rights and Deforestation: Pieces of Evidence from Brazilian Reality
Authors: Reydon Bastiaan , Siqueira Gabriel Pansani , Passos Delaide Silva , Honer Stephan
Published: December 2022

The change from forests to pasture or agricultural land is still the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil today. Although Brazil was previously able to reduce its level of deforestation from 27,000 km2 (2004) to 5000 km2 (2012), since 2014 deforestation has increased once more, reaching more than 10,000 km2 in 2021, and is expected to reach record peaks in 2022. There is enough evidence that deforestation occurs mostly on undesignated and unregistered land, as it is used as a speculative asset and/or in a productive way, but the appetite for more land grabbing is still worrisome. The literature shows that the availability of this kind of land in Brazil is between 50 and 100 million hectares, so the risk of perpetuating this pattern and destroying the remaining forests is rather large. This article’s main aim is to show how the Amazon’s deforestation reached its lowest levels mainly due to a combination of strong command-and-control policies and an institutional setting that was able to enforce them. However, most important were the policies designed for the protection of the forest and its communities, which played an important role by clarifying property rights and setting responsibilities for the forest’s preservation, but also creating the legal and institutional conditions to enforce the existing legislation. From this perspective, we analyzed how these different settings affected the decisions of players with respect to deforestation. The first section shows the Amazon’s deforestation patterns and the links to its causes—mainly the existing policies. The next section shows the legal and institutional instruments that enabled the reduction in deforestation at the beginning of the 21st century. The third section shows how the nation clarified the legal rights to land and how it diminished deforestation. The fourth provides evidence as to how those instruments were dismantled, provoking an increase in deforestation. Finally, a synthesis is presented with proposals for recovering the previous results.
How Much Farmland Are Farmers Willing to Lease? The Construction and Evaluation of a Farmland Transfer Supply Function with Application to a Case Study in China
Authors: Wu Yinhao , Ma Hengyun
Published: December 2022

China is going to vigorously develop a new type of agricultural business that is characterized by large-scale planting, and its farmland transfer market is expected to shift from a “buyer’s market” to a “seller’s market”. In the literature, the optimal scale of farmland management is mainly discussed from the perspective of farmland lessees. The development of a healthy farmland transfer market should also consider the needs of farmland lessors. In this paper, we construct a farmland transfer supply function from the perspective of farmers, based on the theory of land market pricing, and apply it to assess the price–volume relationship using surveyed farmland transfer data on wheat farmers in Henan Province, China. The major findings of the present study are as follows: (i) farmers can optimize the allocation of production factors through the farmland transfer market to maximize their profits, and (ii) the quantity of farmland transferred to the market is significantly positively correlated with the price of farmland transferred, demonstrating a power function relation. Currently, the average price of farmland transferred in China’s main grain-producing areas exceeds CNY 800 per mu. There is a difference between the actual quantity of farmland transferred and the supply function estimated in this paper, indicating that the market is currently in a crucial period of vigorously promoting farmland transfer. We suggest that government departments follow the laws of farmland transfer, refer to the farmland transfer supply function, and implement policies that support and benefit grain production to provide rapid and consistent guidance to the farmland transfer market.
Trees on Buildings: A Tree Selection Framework Based on Industry Best Practice
Authors: Abuseif Majed , Dupre Karine , Michael Ruby N.
Published: December 2022

Trees on buildings have received increased interest, and installations have multiplied over recent years, yet there is limited literature and policies guiding the successful implementation of projects relating to trees on buildings. This study investigates the tree selection process for implementation on buildings, using a survey and follow-up interviews with experienced experts to reveal current worldwide industry best practice, and provides a systematic framework for selecting the most appropriate tree species. A tree selection framework is proposed that consists of four stages: identifying the purpose of the tree; analysing the site context and its conditions; evaluating the risk of implementation; and investigating the characteristics of the candidate trees. Decision-makers can use the developed framework to inform design, implementation, and policy development of trees on buildings to reduce implementation risks. In addition, this paper provides useful insights to inform future research about trees on buildings.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Tremor in Parkinson’s Disease Using Mechanical Devices
Authors: Fujikawa Joji , Morigaki Ryoma , Yamamoto Nobuaki , Nakanishi Hiroshi , Oda Teruo , Izumi Yuishin , Takagi Yasushi
Published: December 2022

Background: Parkinsonian tremors are sometimes confused with essential tremors or other conditions. Recently, researchers conducted several studies on tremor evaluation using wearable sensors and devices, which may support accurate diagnosis. Mechanical devices are also commonly used to treat tremors and have been actively researched and developed. Here, we aimed to review recent progress and the efficacy of the devices related to Parkinsonian tremors. Methods: The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for articles. We searched for “Parkinson disease” and “tremor” and “device”. Results: Eighty-six articles were selected by our systematic approach. Many studies demonstrated that the diagnosis and evaluation of tremors in patients with PD can be done accurately by machine learning algorithms. Mechanical devices for tremor suppression include deep brain stimulation (DBS), electrical muscle stimulation, and orthosis. In recent years, adaptive DBS and optimization of stimulation parameters have been studied to further improve treatment efficacy. Conclusions: Due to developments using state-of-the-art techniques, effectiveness in diagnosing and evaluating tremor and suppressing it using these devices is satisfactorily high in many studies. However, other than DBS, no devices are in practical use. To acquire high-level evidence, large-scale studies and randomized controlled trials are needed for these devices.
Disease Activity Is More Associated with IL-1 Than with IL-6 in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Almeida-Santiago Cristina , Quevedo-Abeledo Juan Carlos , Hernández-Hernández María Vanesa , de Vera-González Antonia , González-Delgado Alejandra , González-Gay Miguel Ángel , Ferraz-Amaro Iván
Published: December 2022

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) concentration reflects and is proportional to IL-1 production. Both IL-1 and IL-6 are involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the relationship of serum levels of these two cytokines to each other in RA patients is not well-understood. In this study, our objective was to analyze the possible linear correlation between IL-1ra and IL-6 in patients with RA, and how both are related to the inflammatory activity of the disease. IL-6 and IL-1ra levels were measured in 407 patients with RA. Linear regression and partial correlations were conducted to analyze the relationship between both cytokines, and their association with RA characteristics. No correlation was found between serum levels of IL-6 and IL-1ra (Pearson’s r 0.031, p = 0.61). However, disease activity and acute phase reactants were positively and significantly associated with both cytokines. Nevertheless, after controlling for covariates, disease activity scores were more strongly associated with IL-1ra compared to IL-6. Circulating IL-6 and IL-1ra do not correlate with each other in RA patients. Although both are associated with disease activity and acute phase reactants, the relationship of disease activity to IL-1ra is greater than that to IL-6.
Commercial Seaweed Liquid Extract as Strawberry Biostimulants and Bioethanol Production
Authors: Ashour Mohamed , Al-Souti Ahmed Said , Hassan Shimaa M. , Ammar Gamal A. G. , Goda Ashraf M. A.-S. , El-Shenody Rania , Abomohra Abd El-Fatah , El-Haroun Ehab , Elshobary Mostafa E.
Published: December 2022

Seaweeds are increasingly intriguing as a sustainable source of bioactive compounds. They have applications in agriculture, fuels, feed, and food products. To become a cost-competitive product with zero waste, a biorefinery approach is applied, where several products are valorized at the same time. True-Algae-Max (TAM®) has been investigated for its ability to improve the yield and nutritional facts of a strawberry plant. Three concentrations of TAM (0, 50, and 100%) were examined by foliar spray in 2017 with 50% NPK chemical fertilizer. Results indicated that growth, yield, chlorophyll, and potassium content were significantly improved by TAM treatments. TAM50 % resulted in maximum root length, leaf area, plant fresh weight, fruit weight, and yield with an increase ranging from 10 to 110% compared to control. Compared to the NPK control, strawberries grown with TAM50% improved total soluble solids (TSS) from 7.58 to 10.12% and anthocyanin from 23.08 to 29.42 mg CGE 100 g−1. Noteworthily, this reduced total sugar, and total phenolics were boosted by TAM applications, while non-reducing sugar was reduced compared to control. On the other hand, whole seaweed biomass and TAM residuals were used for bioethanol production by acid scarification. The maximum bioethanol yield was observed in residual biomass (0.34 g g−1 dw), while the whole seaweed biomass showed only 0.20 g g−1 dw. These results proved the biorefinery concept of using seaweed extract as a biostimulator and bioethanol production.
Using the Fourier Methods for Cycle Counting of Bimodal Stress Histories with Variable in Time Amplitudes of Components
Authors: Kozień Marek S.
Published: December 2022

The application of the Fourier methods to perform cycle identification and description for different cases of bimodal stress histories are presented and discussed in the paper. The direct spectral method and the modified direct spectral method, previously co-proposed by the author, together with the aspects of the use of Fourier methods discussed in this article, offer a unique alternative to the methods known in the literature for identifying and counting various types of bimodal stress variations in time (with constant or variable amplitudes; completely reversed, reversal, or pulsed type). The application of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) is discussed. The method is useful, especially in cases when it is known that due to the form of work of the mechanical system the two existing components of vibrations with various frequencies can be identified, of which the one with higher frequency has a vibration amplitude lower than a component with a lower frequency and, above all, a variable in time.