bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intercropping of wheat alleviates the adverse effects of phenolic acids on faba bean
Authors: Zheng Yiran , Guo Yuting , Li Yu , Yang Wenhao , Dong Yan
Published: October 2022

After years of continuous cultivation of faba beans (Vicia faba L.), autotoxic substances accumulate in the soil, leading to a high incidence of Fusarium oxysporum (FOF) wilt. Faba bean–wheat intercropping is often used to alleviate these problems. The goal of this research was to explore the role of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid in promoting the occurrence of faba bean Fusarium wilt and the potential mechanism of faba bean–wheat intercropping to control the occurrence of this disease. We established a field experiment and a hydroponic experiment that involved the inoculation of FOF and the exploration of exogenous addition of cinnamic acid and benzoic acid at different concentrations, the effects on the degree of peroxidation, resistance system, and ultrastructure of faba bean roots. In addition, the antioxidative response of faba bean–wheat intercropping against the autotoxicity of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid was examined. In the field experiment, compared with monoculture, faba bean–wheat intercropping effectively controlled the occurrence of Fusarium wilt, significantly reduced the contents of H2O2 and O2− in faba bean roots, increased the expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), maintained cell stability, and significantly reduced the contents of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid in faba bean rhizosphere. In the pot experiment, it was found that compared with the control, different concentrations of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid (50, 100, and 200 mg·L−1) significantly increased the content of H2O2 and O2− in faba bean, decreased the activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT, and damaged cell membrane structure. Furthermore, it promoted the occurrence of Fusarium wilt of faba bean. The faba bean–wheat intercropping alleviated the stress. Benzoic acid and cinnamic acid can increase the content of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions in faba bean plants, reduce the enzymatic activity and expression of antioxidant enzyme genes, damage the cell membrane structure, and promote the occurrence of faba bean Fusarium wilt. The faba bean–wheat intercropping can effectively alleviate the autotoxicity of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid and reduce the occurrence of faba bean Fusarium wilt.
Does platform type matter? A semantic analysis of user attitude formation on online platforms
Authors: Zhang Liangbo , Zhan Ge , Li Qijing , Ren Jifan
Published: October 2022

An online platform is a setting where users may express their attitude in text or visual content. The doctrine thinking in consumer psychology is that greater perceived product value (e.g., more product features or lower price) gives more positive consumer attitude. Because of different types of platforms, however, online users might form their product/brand attitudes in different ways. We gathered 7,264 lines of online reviews about two famous brands on two types of social media platforms: online text-based forums and live-streaming platforms. The data were collected through a web crawler, and semantic analysis was employed to process the data before hypothesis testing. The findings of this study indicate that users’ perception of product features, price levels and brand culture significantly influence user attitude. The more product characteristics communicated on online platforms, the more difficult to formulate a positive user attitude, and users tend to have more positive attitude with higher perceived price. Compared with traditional text-based platforms, contents in live-streaming platforms (e.g., Tik Tok) with less product features, wider culture distance and lower perceived price are favored among users.
Introducing a multimodal perspective to emotional variables in second language acquisition education: Systemic functional multimodal discourse analysis
Authors: Liu Zhengyuan
Published: October 2022

A systemic functional theory applied to multimodal discourse analysis (SF-MDA) is related to the theoretical and practical meaning extraction from the data showing how multiple semiotic resources are used in different modes of discourse ranging from textual, printed, and electronic texts to visual language and those existing alive as embedded in reality. In the present paper, we provide an introduction to the SF-MDA approach and then justify how it can benefit the second language acquisition (SLA) domain and more specifically the exploration of L2 affective variables. We will show how the SF-MDA approach fits in with the complexity and dynamic systems theory (CDST), and is capable of revealing the nuances of the developmental nature of the affective variables involved in language learning. The exemplary works of research in the SLA domain using the SF-MDA approach are reviewed here as well as those exploring L2 affective variables. The further benefits of this approach will be emphasized at the end along with the implications it can have for the CDST-led line of research in applied linguistics.
The influence of empowering team leadership on employees' innovation passion in high-tech enterprises
Authors: Jing Jing , Wang Shujun , Yang Jiaoping , Ding Tianwei
Published: October 2022

How to stimulate the innovation passion of employees and then improve the innovation performance of enterprises is an important proposition faced by high-tech enterprises. Whether and how to stimulate the innovation passion of employees is of great research value. Based on the social information processing theory, this study takes innovation self-efficiency and innovation climate based on advantages as the path variable and obtains the following conclusions through cross-level analysis with the data of 93 high-tech enterprises as the sample: The empowering team leadership has cross-level direct positive influence and indirect positive influence on innovation passion, and the innovation self-efficiency and innovation climate based on advantages positively adjust the relationship between innovation self-efficiency and innovation passion. At the same time, an innovation climate based on advantages positively moderates the relationship between innovation self-efficacy and innovation passion. This study has some innovations in exploring the function mechanism of empowering team leadership on employees' innovation passion, and the relevant conclusions can guide the innovation management of high-tech enterprises.
Somatosensory processing in deaf and deafblind individuals: How does the brain adapt as a function of sensory and linguistic experience? A critical review
Authors: Villwock Agnes , Grin Konstantin
Published: October 2022

How do deaf and deafblind individuals process touch? This question offers a unique model to understand the prospects and constraints of neural plasticity. Our brain constantly receives and processes signals from the environment and combines them into the most reliable information content. The nervous system adapts its functional and structural organization according to the input, and perceptual processing develops as a function of individual experience. However, there are still many unresolved questions regarding the deciding factors for these changes in deaf and deafblind individuals, and so far, findings are not consistent. To date, most studies have not taken the sensory and linguistic experiences of the included participants into account. As a result, the impact of sensory deprivation vs. language experience on somatosensory processing remains inconclusive. Even less is known about the impact of deafblindness on brain development. The resulting neural adaptations could be even more substantial, but no clear patterns have yet been identified. How do deafblind individuals process sensory input? Studies on deafblindness have mostly focused on single cases or groups of late-blind individuals. Importantly, the language backgrounds of deafblind communities are highly variable and include the usage of tactile languages. So far, this kind of linguistic experience and its consequences have not been considered in studies on basic perceptual functions. Here, we will provide a critical review of the literature, aiming at identifying determinants for neuroplasticity and gaps in our current knowledge of somatosensory processing in deaf and deafblind individuals.
The COVID-19 outbreak and corporate cash-holding levels: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Donghua , Zhou Hua , Bai Min , Qin Yafeng
Published: October 2022

By employing data from Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share markets for the period of 2019–2020, this paper examines the relationship between the degree of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on firms’ cash-holdings levels in China. We find that firms that are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have higher current cash holdings levels, suggesting that the more positive (negative) the management tone in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic impact, the lower (higher) the firm’s current cash holdings. However, future corporate cash holdings decrease considerably irrespective of the corporate sentiment towards COVID-19. The positive sentiment of each firm’s management team towards the supply chain and the government policies results in a relative reduction of current cash holdings, whereas the severe impact on operating performance, especially the impact of the outbreak on the supply chain, demand, production and operations, and government policies, reduces the firm’ s future cash holdings. In addition, the impact of the pandemic has increased the current cash holdings of state-owned enterprises and reduced the future cash holdings of non-state-owned enterprises. Meanwhile, companies located in a city with a higher density of population or companies that experience relatively higher competition in the industry tend to undergo a severer impact on their current and future cash holdings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, this study sheds the light on stimulating the vitality of enterprise investment and promoting the domestic economic cycle.
The impact of strain, constraints, and morality on different cyberbullying roles: A partial test of Agnew’s general strain theory
Authors: Li Wanqi , Peng Huaxin
Published: October 2022

The strain has been well studied in traditional bullying, and recent research has begun to explore it in cyberbullying behavior. Drawing from General Strain Theory, the current study empirically examined the relationship between strain and the cyberbullying behavior of perpetrators and bully-victims, respectively. Meanwhile, this study also considered the influences of the protective variables (e.g., constraints and morality) on the strain, which may potentially reduce the risks of participating in cyberbullying. The sample comprised 928 Chinese internet users (Male = 490, Female = 438) aged between 16 to 50. We identified the prevalence of cyberbullying in China, in which the percentages of cyberbullying perpetrators, cyberbullying victims, and cyber bully–victims were 23.40, 23.20, and 37.40%, respectively. This study mentioned a noteworthy phenomenon: cyberbullying victims quickly became cyberbullying perpetrators when they were cyberbullied. Secondly, according to the binary logistic regression, we hold that the strain was significantly related to cyberbullying behaviors, as individuals with low levels of self-control showed a higher tendency to participate in cyberbullying. As for protective factors, the results showed that constraints and morality can reduce the negative consequences of strain and then against cyberbullying, exploring the possibilities of using constraints and morality as variables to decrease strain and prevent cyberbullying. Thus, the unique values of this study are using the GST theory to investigate the empirical link between strain and cyberbullying between different roles in a new cultural and social background, demonstrating that negative emotion and low self-control had influences on strain and cyberbullying behaviors. Meanwhile, this study also contributes by discussing the implications for future research and practicing efforts targeting how to decrease the risks of cyberbullying engagement, for example, we suggest that the prevention and intervention of cyberbullying should adopt a cross-sectoral response to help individuals to view cyberbullying, vent dissatisfaction and relieve strain in the right way.
Genetic variations related to inflammation in suicidal ideation and behavior: A systematic review
Authors: Tamimou Rabah , Lumbroso Serge , Mouzat Kevin , Lopez-Castroman Jorge
Published: October 2022

Background/objectives

Immune-inflammatory changes have been found in all types of suicidal ideation and behavior (SIB), independently of associated mental disorders. Since several Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) affect the function of inflammation-related genes, we searched the literature for genetic variations potentially altering inflammatory processes in SIB.

Methods

We included studies that looked for associations between SIB and SNPs in genes related to inflammatory processes. Case reports, literature reviews, and animal studies were excluded. Articles were retrieved from PubMed and PsycINFO databases, Google Scholar and GreySource Index until September 17th, 2022. Quality was assessed using Q-Genie.

Results

We analyzed 32 studies. SIB has been associated with eighteen SNPs located in genes encoding for interleukin-8 (rs4073), C-reactive protein (rs1130864), tumor necrosis factor α (rs1800629, rs361525, and rs1099724), tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (rs1061622), transforming growth factor β-1 (rs1982073), acid phosphatase 1 (rs7419262, rs300774), interleukin-10 (rs1800896), interferon γ (rs2430561), amino-carboxy muconate semialdehyde decarboxylase (rs2121337), interleukin 7 (rs10448044, rs10448042), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (rs755622), interleukin 1-α (rs1800587), and interleukin 1-β (rs1143634 and rs16944. A genome-wide association study reported one association at the threshold of significance with the rs300774 SNP, located in the 2p25 region containingACP1gene.

Discussion

The studies included were methodologically and clinically diverse and of moderate quality. Their findings suggest that some inflammation-related SNPs could increase the likelihood of SIB but the evidence to date is insufficient. Further research using gene-gene (GxG) and gene-environment (GxE) approaches is warranted.

Systematic review registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk], identifier [CRD42022296310].
Screening of potential biomarkers in peripheral blood of patients with depression based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis and machine learning algorithms
Authors: Wang Zhe , Meng Zhe , Chen Che
Published: October 2022

Background

The prevalence of depression has been increasing worldwide in recent years, posing a heavy burden on patients and society. However, the diagnostic and therapeutic tools available for this disease are inadequate. Therefore, this research focused on the identification of potential biomarkers in the peripheral blood of patients with depression.

Methods

The expression dataset GSE98793 of depression was provided by the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gds). Initially, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in GSE98793. Subsequently, the most relevant modules for depression were screened according to weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Finally, the identified DEGs were mapped to the WGCNA module genes to obtain the intersection genes. In addition, Gene Ontology (GO), Disease Ontology (DO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses were conducted on these genes. Moreover, biomarker screening was carried out by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction of intersection genes on the basis of various machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immune function analysis, transcription factor (TF) analysis, and the prediction of the regulatory mechanism were collectively performed on the identified biomarkers. In addition, we also estimated the clinical diagnostic ability of the obtained biomarkers, and performed Mfuzz expression pattern clustering and functional enrichment of the most potential biomarkers to explore their regulatory mechanisms. Finally, we also perform biomarker-related drug prediction.

Results

Differential analysis was used for obtaining a total of 550 DEGs and WGCNA for obtaining 1,194 significant genes. Intersection analysis of the two yielded 140 intersection genes. Biological functional analysis indicated that these genes had a major role in inflammation-related bacterial infection pathways and cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Subsequently, the genes S100A12, SERPINB2, TIGIT, GRB10, and LHFPL2 in peripheral serum were identified as depression biomarkers by using machine learning algorithms. Among them, S100A12 is the most valuable biomarker for clinical diagnosis. Finally, antidepressants, including disodium selenite and eplerenone, were predicted.

Conclusion

The genes S100A12, TIGIT, SERPINB2, GRB10, and LHFPL2 in peripheral serum are viable diagnostic biomarkers for depression. and contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of depression in clinical practice.
Gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease: A voxel-based morphometry study
Authors: Nyatega Charles Okanda , Qiang Li , Adamu Mohammed Jajere , Kawuwa Halima Bello
Published: October 2022

Background

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity among other symptoms. With a 70% cumulative prevalence of dementia in PD, cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric symptoms are frequent.

Materials and methods

In this study, we looked at anatomical brain differences between groups of patients and controls. A total of 138 people with PD were compared to 64 age-matched healthy people using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). VBM is a fully automated technique that allows for the identification of regional differences in gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) allowing for an objective comparison of brains of different groups of people. We used statistical parametric mapping for image processing and statistical analysis.

Results

In comparison to controls, PD patients had lower GM volumes in the left middle cingulate, left lingual gyrus, right calcarine and left fusiform gyrus, also PD patients indicated lower WM volumes in the right middle cingulate, left lingual gyrus, right calcarine, and left inferior occipital gyrus. Moreover, PD patients group demonstrated higher CSF in the left caudate compared to the controls.

Conclusion

Physical fragility and cognitive impairments in PD may be detected more easily if anatomical abnormalities to the cingulate gyrus, occipital lobe and the level of CSF in the caudate are identified. Thus, our findings shed light on the role of the brain in PD and may aid in a better understanding of the events that occur in PD patients.
Tiredness, depression, and sleep disorders in frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam: A field hospital study
Authors: Duong-Quy Sy , Tran-Duc Si , Hoang-Chau-Bao Dinh , Bui-Diem Khue , Vu-Tran-Thien Quan , Nguyen-Nhu Vinh
Published: October 2022

Background

The COVID-19 outbreak witnessed in the autumn of 2021 led to unprecedented changes in healthcare systems in some emerging countries. Many field-hospitals, temporary sites of care for COVID-19 patients, were built around the country and followed by the healthcare workers who were mobilized. This study aimed to measure sleep disorders, depression, and fatigue in volunteers working at field hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study. The self-report questionnaire was used for each study subject. Sleep characters, including STOP's elements were questioned. Healthcare workers' burnout was detected by using Pichot's questionnaire.

Results

One hundred front-line healthcare workers (FHWs), predominantly last year and graduated medical students, were included in the study (86% female subjects). The mean sleep-time of FHWs before, while working, and during the isolation period after working at COVID-19 field hospitals were: 7.78 ± 1.48, 5.71 ± 1.40, and 8.78 ± 2.31 h per day, respectively. Burnout was not a crucial issue for these volunteer subjects. The mean scores of Pichot's Fatigue Scale and Pichot's Depression Scale, measured after 4 weeks working at field hospitals, were 4.18 ± 5.42 and 2.54 ± 3.36, respectively. Thirteen participants were suspected of depression. The fatigue scores decreased significantly in the group who claimed short sleep latency. The factor that increased the depression score was “anxious feeling” (p = 0.001). Other significant factors were “short sleep latency,” “observed sleep apnea,” “tiredness, daily sleepiness” and “snoring.”

Conclusion

Appropriate work schedule, better sleep conditions, and mental health support could be helpful for FHWs. The mandatory 2 weeks of isolation after working in field hospitals provided opportunity for FHWs' recovery.
Couple-level determinants of syphilis infection among heterosexual married couples of reproductive age in Guangdong Province, China: A population-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Han Lu , Xiong Wenxue , Li Mingzhen , Li Rui , Wu Jiabao , Tang Xijia , Ling Li , Liu Xiaohua
Published: October 2022

Background

Syphilis remains a major public health problem worldwide, and its prevention requires knowledge of factors that go beyond the individual-level. However, most syphilis-related studies have focused on individual-level and regional-level factors, neglecting couple-level factors. Thus, this study aimed to explore couple-level determinants of syphilis infection among heterosexual married couples.

Methods

This population-based cross-sectional study used data from heterosexual married couples who participated in the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project in Guangdong Province, China during 2014–2019. The syphilis infection was tested by the rapid plasma reagin test. Couple-level data were obtained by combining information provided by the man and woman living in the same household. Multivariate logistic models were employed to explore the couple-level determinants of syphilis infection by gender after adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

A total of 1,755,156 couples were recruited in this analysis. The seroprevalence was 0.25% (95%CI: 0.24–0.25%) and 0.26% (95%CI: 0.25–0.27%) among men and women, respectively. The median age was 28.0 (interquartile range, IQR: 25.0–31.0) years, and the median duration of marriage was 0.2 (IQR: 0.0–2.5) years. After adjusting for individual and regional-level variables, duration of marriage was a protective factor for syphilis infection in men (adjusted odds ratios, AOR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96–0.98) and women (AOR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.94–0.96). The age gap and the difference in education level between the husband and wife were associated with syphilis infection, but these associations were somewhat different between men and women. Condom use was negatively associated with syphilis infection in men (AOR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.70–0.84) and women (AOR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.71–0.84). Our results also showed that couple mobility and the number of children were not statistically significant determinants of syphilis infection among heterosexual married couples.

Conclusion

This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of syphilis outcomes in individuals in the context of marriage in China. Several couple-level factors are indeed associated with syphilis infection, but these associations differ between men and women. Couple-based strategies that engage both women and men and efforts to promote condom use among heterosexual married couples need to be developed and further evaluated for syphilis prevention.
Household air pollution and childhood stunting in China: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Yao Min , Li Lingou , Yang Mei , Wu Yuanyuan , Cheng Feifei
Published: October 2022

Background

Exposure to air pollution, especially indoor air pollution, was associated with an increased risk of childhood stunting. However, few longitudinal studies have explored the long-term impacts of indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use on child growth. We aimed to investigate the association between household air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel use and childhood stunting in Chinese children.

Method

The longitudinal data from the Chinese Family Panel Study over 2010–2018 were included in this study with a total of 6,013 children aged 0–15 years enrolled at baseline. Exposure to HAP was measured as solid fuel use for cooking, while solid fuel was defined as coal and firewood/straw according to the questionnaire survey. Stunting was defined as−2SD below the height-for-age z-score (HAZ) of the reference children. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying exposures were employed to estimate the association between childhood stunting and HAP exposure.

Results

At baseline, children with exposure to HAP from combusting solid fuels had a relatively higher risk of stunting [OR (95%CI): 1.42 (1.24–1.63)]. Among children without stunning at baseline, those living in households with solid fuel use had a higher stunting risk over an 8-year follow-up [HR (95%CI): 2.05 (1.64–2.57)]. The risk of childhood stunting was increased for those with HAP exposure from firewood/straw combustion or with longer exposure duration [HR (95%CI): 2.21 (1.74–2.79) and 3.01 (2.23–4.08), respectively]. Meanwhile, this risk was significantly decreased among children from households switching from solid fuels to clean fuels [HR (95%CI): 0.53 (0.39–0.70)]. Solid fuel use was suggested to be a mediator of the relationship between poor socioeconomic factors (i.e., household income and parental education level) and childhood stunning, with a mediation effect ranging from 11.25 to 14.26%.

Conclusions

HAP exposure from solid fuel use was associated with childhood stunting. Poor parental education and low household income might be socioeconomic factors contributing to solid fuel use. Therefore, household energy policies to facilitate access to clean fuels are urgently needed, especially for low-income and low-educated households.
Autonomous robotic exploration with simultaneous environment and traversability models learning
Authors: Prágr Miloš , Bayer Jan , Faigl Jan
Published: October 2022

In this study, we address generalized autonomous mobile robot exploration of unknown environments where a robotic agent learns a traversability model and builds a spatial model of the environment. The agent can benefit from the model learned online in distinguishing what terrains are easy to traverse and which should be avoided. The proposed solution enables the learning of multiple traversability models, each associated with a particular locomotion gait, a walking pattern of a multi-legged walking robot. We propose to address the simultaneous learning of the environment and traversability models by a decoupled approach. Thus, navigation waypoints are generated using the current spatial and traversability models to gain the information necessary to improve the particular model during the robot’s motion in the environment. From the set of possible waypoints, the decision on where to navigate next is made based on the solution of the generalized traveling salesman problem that allows taking into account a planning horizon longer than a single myopic decision. The proposed approach has been verified in simulated scenarios and experimental deployments with a real hexapod walking robot with two locomotion gaits, suitable for different terrains. Based on the achieved results, the proposed method exploits the online learned traversability models and further supports the selection of the most appropriate locomotion gait for the particular terrain types.
Interplanetary mesoscale observatory (InterMeso): A mission to untangle dynamic mesoscale structures throughout the heliosphere
Authors: Allen Robert C. , Smith Evan J. , Anderson Brian J. , Borovsky Joseph E. , Ho George C. , Jian Lan , Krucker Sämuel , Lepri Susan , Li Gang , Livi Stefano , Lugaz Noé , Malaspina David M. , Maruca Bennett A. , Mostafavi Parisa , Raines Jim M. , Verscharen Daniel , Vievering Juliana , Vines Sarah K. , Whittlesey Phyllis , Wilson III Lynn B. , Wimmer-Schweingruber Robert F.
Published: October 2022

Mesoscale dynamics are a fundamental process in space physics, but fall within an observational gap of current and planned missions. Particularly in the solar wind, measurements at the mesoscales (100s RE to a few degrees heliographic longitude at 1 au) are crucial for understanding the connection between the corona and an observer anywhere within the heliosphere. Mesoscale dynamics may also be key to revealing the currently unresolved physics regulating particle acceleration and transport, magnetic field topology, and the causes of variability in the composition and acceleration of solar wind plasma. Studies using single-point observations do not allow for investigations into mesoscale solar wind dynamics and plasma variability, nor do they allow for the exploration of the sub-structuring of large-scale solar wind structures like coronal mass ejections (CMEs), co-rotating/stream interaction regions (CIR/SIRs), and the heliospheric plasma sheet. To address this fundamental gap in our knowledge of the heliosphere at these scales, the Interplanetary Mesoscale Observatory (InterMeso) concept employs a multi-point approach using four identical spacecraft in Earth-trailing orbits near 1 au. Varying drift speeds of the InterMeso spacecraft enable the mission to span a range of mesoscale separations in the solar wind, achieving significant and innovative science return. Simultaneous, longitudinally-separated measurements of structures co-rotating over the spacecraft also allow for disambiguation of spatiotemporal variability, tracking of the evolution of solar wind structures, and determination of how the transport of energetic particles is impacted by these variabilities.
Clinical effect of channel assisted cervical key hole technology combined with ultrasonic bone osteotome in the treatment of single segment cervical spondylotic radiculopathy
Authors: Liu Junlin , Kong Qingquan , Feng Pin , Zhang Bin , Hu Yuan , Ma Junsong
Published: October 2022

Objective

To explore the clinical effect and operating skills of channel assisted Cervical Key Hole technology combined with Ultrasonic Bone Osteotome (CKH-UBO) in the treatment of single segment cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR).

Methods

From June 2018 to June 2020, 14 patients diagnosed with CSR and treated with channel assisted CKH-UBO were collected. The duration of the disease, the length of the incision, the operation time, the amount of bleeding during the operation, the length of hospitalization and the complications were recorded. The Range Of Motion (ROM) and the stability of the surgical segment were recorded before and after the operation. Visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI) and modified macnab efficacy evaluation criteria were used to evaluate the surgical efficacy.

Results

The operative segments of the enrolled patients were all lower cervical vertebrae. The average incision length was 2.0 ± 0.1 cm, the operation time was 42.2 ± 5.7 min, the intraoperative bleeding volume was 32.7 ± 4.1 ml, and the hospital stay was 5.6 ± 1.2 days. There was no difference in ROM between preoperative and 3 months and 1 year after operation (P > 0.05), and all patients did not have segmental instability. The VAS scores of neck pain before surgery, 3 days after surgery, 3 months after surgery, and 1 year after surgery were 5.6 ± 1.2, 1.6 ± 0.6, 1.1 ± 0.7, 0.6 ± 0.5, and the VAS scores of upper limb pain were 6.2 ± 1.2, 1.7 ± 0.7, 1.1 ± 0.6, 0.6 ± 0.5. The NDI scores of upper limb pain before surgery, 3 days after surgery, 3 months after surgery, and 1 year after surgery were 36.7 ± 3.5, 9.8 ± 2.4, and 3.9 ± 1.5, 1.8 ± 1.0, The VAS and NDI scores at all follow-up time points after operation were significantly lower than those before operation (P < 0.001). One year after operation, the curative effect was evaluated according to the modified macnab evaluation standard, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. The complication rate was 6.25%.

Conclusion

Channel assisted CKH-UBO for single segment CSR has the advantages of short operation time, reliable clinical effect, high safety and low complication rate, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
Sex and gender determinants following spinal fusion surgery: A systematic review of clinical data
Authors: Salamanna Francesca , Contartese Deyanira , Tschon Matilde , Borsari Veronica , Griffoni Cristiana , Gasbarrini Alessandro , Fini Milena
Published: October 2022

In the last decade, numerous studies analyzed and described the surgical outcomes in male and female patients submitted to orthopedic surgery. Although this, the impact of sex/gender on spinal fusion surgery clinical outcomes is still poorly defined. This review systematically maps and synthesizes the scientific literature on sex/gender differences in postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery. The search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science in the last 22 years. Clinical studies evaluating potential sex/gender differences in postoperative outcomes and/or complications, as primary or secondary aim, were included and analyzed. Out of the 1,885 records screened, 47 studies were included. These studies comprised a total of 1,158,555 patients (51.31% female; 48.69% male). About 77% of the analyzed studies reported sex/gender-related differences in postoperative outcomes. Most studies treated patients for lumbar degenerative diseases and more than 55% of them reported a worse postoperative outcome in female patients in terms of pain, disability, health-related quality of life questionnaires, and complications. Differently, a significant heterogeneity across studies on patients treated for cervical and sacral degenerative diseases as well as for spinal deformity and traumatic spinal fracture prevented the understanding of specific sex/gender differences after spinal fusion surgery. Despite this, the present review highlighted those female patients treated for lumbar degenerative spine diseases could require more clinical awareness during postoperative care. The understanding of how sex/gender differences can really affect clinical outcomes after spinal fusion surgeries is mandatory for all spinal pathological conditions to drive clinical research toward oriented and personalized protocols.
Blocking Cyclic Job-Shop Scheduling Problems
Authors: Elmi Atabak , Thiruvady Dhananjay R. , Ernst Andreas T.
Published: October 2022

Cyclic scheduling is of vital importance in a repetitive discrete manufacturing environment. We investigate scheduling in the context of general cyclic job shops with blocking where there are no intermediate buffers between the machines. We also consider sequence-dependent setups (anticipatory and nonanticipatory), which commonly appear in different manufacturing environments. The choice of blocking condition, that is whether the sequence-dependent setups are anticipatory or not, significantly impacts the optimal schedules. We provide a novel mixed-integer programming (MIP) model for the above problem, namely blocking cyclic job-shop scheduling. Furthermore, we study the impact of sequence-dependent setups in this research. The problem is analysed in detail with respect to anticipatory and nonanticipatory setups and the efficiency of the proposed model is investigated via a computational study that is conducted on a set of randomly generated problem instances. The proposed MIP models are capable of solving small-to-medium-sized problems. Moreover, the analysis presented demonstrates that anticipatory setups directly affect blocking conditions, since intermediate buffers between the machines are not present. Hence, in systems with anticipatory setups, cycle times increase to a greater extent compared to systems with nonanticipatory setups.
Listening to the City, Attentively: A Spatio-Temporal Attention-Boosted Autoencoder for the Short-Term Flow Prediction Problem
Authors: Fiorini Stefano , Ciavotta Michele , Maurino Andrea
Published: October 2022

In recent years, studying and predicting mobility patterns in urban environments has become increasingly important as accurate and timely information on current and future vehicle flows can successfully increase the quality and availability of transportation services (e.g., sharing services). However, predicting the number of incoming and outgoing vehicles for different city areas is challenging due to the nonlinear spatial and temporal dependencies typical of urban mobility patterns. In this work, we propose STREED-Net, a novel autoencoder architecture featuring time-distributed convolutions, cascade hierarchical units and two distinct attention mechanisms (one spatial and one temporal) that effectively captures and exploits complex spatial and temporal patterns in mobility data for short-term flow prediction problem. The results of a thorough experimental analysis using real-life data are reported, indicating that the proposed model improves the state-of-the-art for this task.
Development and Evaluation of Single Pilot Operations with the Human-Centered Design Approach
Authors: Li Min , Wang Miao , Ding Dongjin , Wang Guoqing
Published: October 2022

The high costs of pilot training and remuneration have placed a heavy financial burden on airlines, prompting people to actively study Single Pilot Operations (SPO). Achieving SPO undoubtedly requires the development of the new conceptual framework, and how to reallocate system functions among new agents to obtain optimal system design has become the primary problem in the early stages of the system lifecycle. To solve this problem, this paper applied the Human-centered Design (HCD) approach for the first time to the development and evaluation of SPO in the typical approach and landing scenario. Firstly, the combination of Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) and Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) was used to identify five function requirements and six function assumptions for the transition from the current Two-crew Operations (TCO) to the future SPO to develop the SPO model. Subsequently, the TCO and SPO models were transformed into two network models to evaluate the result of system function reallocation from the network level and node level using Social Network Analysis (SNA). The network parameters of both levels show that the future SPO developed in this paper has the advantages of better stability, less pilot workload and higher safety than the current TCO.
Rye as an Energy Cover Crop: Management, Forage Quality, and Revenue Opportunities for Feed and Bioenergy
Authors: Herbstritt Steph , Richard Tom L. , Lence Sergio H. , Wu Huaiqing , O’Brien Peter L. , Emmett Bryan D. , Kaspar Tom C. , Karlen Douglas L. , Kohler Keith , Malone Robert W.
Published: October 2022

Harvesting a winter rye energy cover crop (Secale cereale L.) could help sustain growing food and energy demand, provide new revenue streams, and enhance ecosystem services without inducing land-use change. A two-year field experiment with three planting methods and three N fertilization rates (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha−1) that produced >5.0 Mg ha−1 yr−1 of biomass was evaluated for (1) fresh and anaerobically digested rye forage quality; (2) revenue potential from renewable bioenergy, carbon markets, and digestate feed protein; and (3) potential greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets. We showed that rye can be harvested as forage for animals or anaerobically digested to produce renewable natural gas (RNG), with the residue after digestion (digestate) still available as a feed protein concentrate. Anaerobically digesting rye improved forage quality indicators. Digestion significantly decreased acid- and neutral-detergent fiber (ADF and NDF) by 5.2% and 17.8%, respectively, while significantly increasing crude protein (CP) (33.6%), total digestible nutrients (TDN) (2.0%), relative feed value (RFV) (23.6%), net energy for lactation (8.3%), maintenance (7.5%), and gain (20.0%). Using market prices for RNG, high protein feed, and GHG mitigation, potential on-farm revenue ranged from USD 307 Mg−1 and USD 502 Mg−1 dry matter with an average of USD 402 Mg−1. However, there are substantial costs associated with RNG and the revenue potential does not represent the profitability of this system. Evaluation of the integrated system showed GHG emissions associated with rye fertilization were more than offset by the benefits of increasing yield in the 60 kg N ha−1 treatment. The overall carbon footprint of the integrated system was strongly carbon negative, confirming the potential of this strategy to sustainably intensify land use in the Midwestern United States.
Optimization Design and Test of Spike-Toothed Crop Divider
Authors: Ding Zhengliang , Ma Shaochun , Bai Jing , Liang Wenpeng , Zhang Xiadong
Published: October 2022

The crop divider is a crucial component of the sugarcane chopper harvester that has an important effect on the lifting performance of lodged sugarcanes. However, tropical weather and climate result in severe sugarcane lodging, which seriously hinders the sugarcane lifting process. To improve the lifting performance of crop dividers, a variable-spiral spike-toothed crop divider was designed. Some structural parameters of the bench test were designed. In this study, the forward speed, the rotational speed of the scrolls, and the installation angle of the scrolls were selected as test factors and the lifting angle of the sugarcane was selected as the test index. Based on a single-factor test, we found the optimum range of these test factors: a forward speed of 0.4~0.8 m/s, a rotational speed of the inside scrolls of 100~140 r/min, and an installation angle of the inside scrolls of 55°~65°. An orthogonal test was conducted to identify the relationships of test index and test factors. The regression model was obtained by fitting the test data and the response surface was established to analysis the interaction of test factors. According to Design Expert 8.0.6, the optimal factor combination of parameters was: a forward speed was 0.74 m/s, a rotational speed of the inside scrolls of 134 r/min, and an installation angle of the inside scrolls of 63.5°. Finally, the regression model was verified by the bench test. The relative error of the regression model of the lifting angle was 4.94%, which showed that the regression model was reliable. This study is expected to provide valuable references for the design and improvement of crop dividers.
Research on Environmental Governance, Local Government Competition, and Agricultural Carbon Emissions under the Goal of Carbon Peak
Authors: Yang Yingya , Tian Yun , Peng Xuhui , Yin Minhao , Wang Wei , Yang Haiwen
Published: October 2022

By introducing network game theory, this paper analyzes the internal relationship and interaction mechanism among environmental governance, local government competition, and agricultural carbon peak level. On the basis of theoretical analysis, a spatial panel model is constructed using panel data from 30 provincial-level regions in China for empirical analysis. The research finds that local governments have positive competition with respect to the agricultural carbon peak, they adopt complementary carbon peak competition strategies, and they are more inclined to take geographical distance to adjacent regions as the yardstick in the competition with respect to the agricultural carbon peak strategy. That is, when the carbon peak level of surrounding provinces increases, the carbon peak level of the region will also increase. Thus, there is a phenomenon of mutual imitation and convergence between neighboring provinces. Environmental governance has a significant positive direct effect and a positive spatial spillover effect. From the perspective of coefficient, its direct effect is significantly greater than the spatial spillover effect. Therefore, more attention should be paid to local environmental governance to promote the improvement of the agricultural carbon peak level. Furthermore, the agricultural industrial structure, fiscal decentralization, agricultural public investment, regional industrial structure, and the proportion of the rural population have significant spatial spillover effects. The agricultural industrial structure and fiscal decentralization are significantly positively correlated with the peak level of agricultural carbon while the proportion of the rural population is significantly negatively correlated with the peak level of agricultural carbon. The research results have important theoretical value for expanding the research in the field of agricultural carbon emissions and provide important practical reference for China to successfully achieve the goal of agricultural carbon peak and promote the high-quality development of agriculture
Impacts of Biochar-Based Controlled-Release Nitrogen Fertilizers on Soil Prokaryotic and Fungal Communities
Authors: Das Bikram K. , Rubel Robiul Islam , Gupta Surbhi , Wu Yajun , Wei Lin , Brözel Volker S.
Published: October 2022

Controlled-release Nitrogen Fertilizers (CRNFs) are an effective fertilization technique by minimizing nutrient loss and making Nitrogen (N) available to plants as they grow. Biochar-based CRNF (BCRNF) technologies have been demonstrated very promising in increase of corn yield. Despite the beneficial effects of BCRNFs, their impacts on prokaryotic and fungal soil communities are not well evaluated. Different formulations of BCRNF were developed to investigate their effects on corn productivity. We analyzed the soil microbes and their functional potential under different BCRNF regimes using amplified V3–V4 region of 16s rRNA for determining prokaryotic, and ITS genes for fungal communities. The soil prokaryotic diversity was similar across the treatments, with differences in prokaryotic genera with relative abundance of 0.1% or less in the soil (p < 0.05). In contrast, the fungal community diversity was different only for unfertilized soil. It had a high relative abundance for Aspergillus. Genus level comparison showed that Pseudofabraea was higher in Bioasphalt-based BCRNF compared to other treatments. Moreover, the N-fixing communities in soil were also similar across the treatments. At genus level, Microvirga, Azospirillum, and Methyloprofundus were highest in no-fertilizer control. The functional potential predictions using PICRUSt2 portrayed a consistent N-cycling functions across the treatments. However, the predicted gene functions related to nitrous-oxide reductase (nosZ) and hydroxylamine reductase (hcp) were significantly lower in soil receiving BCRNF containing biosolid. Overall, BCRNF treatments previously identified to increase corn yield displayed minimal shifts in the soil microbial communities. Thus, such novel fertilization would enable increased crop yield without affecting soil communities leading to sustainable crop production.