bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do Wildlife Crossings Mitigate the Roadkill Mortality of Tropical Mammals? A Case Study from Costa Rica
Authors: Villalobos-Hoffman Ronald , Ewing Jack E. , Mooring Michael S.
Published: August 2022

Although Central America is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world, booming road construction is driving roadkill mortality that threatens to alter the demography, genetic diversity, and viability of wild mammalian populations. Costa Rica has the highest road density in Central America, but the effectiveness of wildlife crossings in mitigating roadkill mortality has not been assessed with controlled experimental studies. Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge is located along a critical biological corridor bisected by one of the busiest highways in the country. The first wildlife underpasses in Costa Rica were built here in 2010 as part of the expansion of Route 34 and subsequently documented by camera-trap and roadkill surveys. Using a control-impact design, we demonstrate a considerable reduction in wildlife mortality in the presence of the crossing structures compared with controls, with the underpasses and overpasses eventually used by 21 mammalian species. Some species made use of the structures right away, while others took over a year to learn to use them. This is the first controlled study in Central America to document the effectiveness of wildlife crossings and provides evidence that well-designed mitigation structures can contribute to wildlife-friendly roadways.
Climate Dataset for South Africa by the Agricultural Research Council
Authors: Moeletsi Mokhele Edmond , Myeni Lindumusa , Kaempffer Ludwig Christian , Vermaak Derick , de Nysschen Gert , Henningse Chrisna , Nel Irene , Rowswell Dudley
Published: August 2022

Long-term, reliable, continuous and real-time weather and climatic data are essential for efficient management and sustainable use of natural resources. This paper describes the weather station network (WSN) of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South Africa, including information on instrumentation, data retrieval and processing protocols, calibration and maintenance protocols, as well as applications of the collected data. To this end, the WSN of the ARC consists of over 600 automatic weather stations that are distributed across the country to cover a wide range of agro-climatic zones. At each weather station, air temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, solar irradiance, wind speed and direction are monitored and archived on an hourly basis. The main objective of this WSN is to archive climate information for South Africa as well as supply the agricultural community with weather data to support decision-making.
Impedimetric Detection Based on Label-Free Immunoassay Developed for Targeting Spike S1 Protein of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Erdem Arzum , Senturk Huseyin , Yildiz Esma , Maral Meltem
Published: August 2022

After the COVID-19 pandemic started all over the world, great importance was placed on the development of sensitive and selective bioanalytical assays for the rapid detection of the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 disease. In this present work, an impedimetric immunosensor was developed and applied for rapid, reliable, sensitive and selective detection of the SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein. To detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, targeting of the spike S1 protein was achieved herein by using S1 protein-specific capture antibody (Cab-S1) immobilized screen-printed electrode (SPE) in combination with the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. With the impedimetric immunosensor, the detection limit for S1 protein in buffer medium was found to be 0.23 ng/mL (equal to 23.92 amol in 8 µL sample) in the linear concentration range of S1 protein from 0.5 to 10 ng/mL. In the artificial saliva medium, it was found to be 0.09 ng/mL (equals to 9.36 amol in 8 µL sample) in the linear concentration range of S1 protein between 0.1 and 1 ng/mL. The selectivity of the impedimetric immunosensor toward S1 protein was tested against influenza hemagglutinin antigen (HA) in the buffer medium as well as in artificial saliva.
Combine Harvester Bearing Fault-Diagnosis Method Based on SDAE-RCmvMSE
Authors: Yang Guangyou , Cheng Yuan , Xi Chenbo , Liu Lang , Gan Xiong
Published: August 2022

In the fault monitoring of rolling bearings, there is always loud noise, leading to poor signal stationariness. How to accurately and efficiently identify the fault type of rolling bearings is a challenge. Based on multivariate multiscale sample entropy (mvMSE), this paper introduces the refined composite mvMSE (RCmvMSE) into the fault extraction of the rolling bearing. A rolling bearing fault-diagnosis method based on stacked auto encoder and RCmvMSE (SDAE-RCmvMSE) is proposed. In the actual environment, the fault-diagnosis method use the multichannel vibration signals of the bearing as the input of stacked denoising autoencoders (SDAEs) to filter the noise of the vibration signals. The features of denoise signals are extracted by RCmvMSE and the rolling bearing operation-state diagnosis is completed with a support-vector machine (SVM) model. The results show that in the original test data, the accuracy rates of SDAE-RCmvMSE, RCmvMSE, and commonplace features of vibration signals combined with SVM (CFVS-SVM) methods are 99.5%, 100%, and 96% respectively. In the data with noise, the accuracy rates of RCmvMSE and CFVS-SVM are 97.75% and 93.08%, respectively, but the accuracy of SDAE-RCmvMSE is still 100%.
Contrarian Voter Model under the Influence of an Oscillating Propaganda: Consensus, Bimodal Behavior and Stochastic Resonance
Authors: Gimenez Maria Cecilia , Reinaudi Luis , Vazquez Federico
Published: August 2022

We study the contrarian voter model for opinion formation in a society under the influence of an external oscillating propaganda and stochastic noise. Each agent of the population can hold one of two possible opinions on a given issue—against or in favor—and interacts with its neighbors following either an imitation dynamics (voter behavior) or an anti-alignment dynamics (contrarian behavior): each agent adopts the opinion of a random neighbor with a time-dependent probability p(t), or takes the opposite opinion with probability 1−p(t). The imitation probability p(t) is controlled by the social temperature T, and varies in time according to a periodic field that mimics the influence of an external propaganda, so that a voter is more prone to adopt an opinion aligned with the field. We simulate the model in complete graph and in lattices, and find that the system exhibits a rich variety of behaviors as T is varied: opinion consensus for T=0, a bimodal behavior for TTc, and full disorder for T≫1. The transition temperature Tc vanishes with the population size N as Tc≃2/lnN in complete graph. In addition, the distribution of residence times tr in the bimodal phase decays approximately as tr−3/2. Within the oscillatory regime, we find a stochastic resonance-like phenomenon at a given temperature T*. Furthermore, mean-field analytical results show that the opinion oscillations reach a maximum amplitude at an intermediate temperature, and that exhibit a lag with respect to the field that decreases with T.
Community Detection in Semantic Networks: A Multi-View Approach
Authors: Yang Hailu , Liu Qian , Zhang Jin , Ding Xiaoyu , Chen Chen , Wang Lili
Published: August 2022

The semantic social network is a complex system composed of nodes, links, and documents. Traditional semantic social network community detection algorithms only analyze network data from a single view, and there is no effective representation of semantic features at diverse levels of granularity. This paper proposes a multi-view integration method for community detection in semantic social network. We develop a data feature matrix based on node similarity and extract semantic features from the views of word frequency, keyword, and topic, respectively. To maximize the mutual information of each view, we use the robustness of L21-norm and F-norm to construct an adaptive loss function. On this foundation, we construct an optimization expression to generate the unified graph matrix and output the community structure with multiple views. Experiments on real social networks and benchmark datasets reveal that in semantic information analysis, multi-view is considerably better than single-view, and the performance of multi-view community detection outperforms traditional methods and multi-view clustering algorithms.
Classical, Quantum and Event-by-Event Simulation of a Stern–Gerlach Experiment with Neutrons
Authors: De Raedt Hans , Jin Fengping , Michielsen Kristel
Published: August 2022

We present a comprehensive simulation study of the Newtonian and quantum model of a Stern–Gerlach experiment with cold neutrons. By solving Newton’s equation of motion and the time-dependent Pauli equation for a wide range of uniform magnetic field strengths, we scrutinize the role of the latter for drawing the conclusion that the magnetic moment of the neutron is quantized. We then demonstrate that a marginal modification of the Newtonian model suffices to construct, without invoking any concept of quantum theory, an event-based subquantum model that eliminates the shortcomings of the classical model and yields results that are in qualitative agreement with experiment and quantum theory. In this event-by-event model, the intrinsic angular momentum can take any value on the sphere, yet, for a sufficiently strong uniform magnetic field, the particle beam splits in two, exactly as in experiment and in concert with quantum theory.
An Integrated Approach to Study Cement-to-Formation Bonding
Authors: Bathija Arpita P. , Boul Peter J.
Published: August 2022

It is crucial to assess the bond strength of the cement–formation interface while developing novel cements for efficient zonal isolation. An integrated method is presented to investigate the failure mechanism in cement and formation rock under downhole reservoir temperature and pressure conditions using a triaxial experimental setup. The acoustic emission count, strain, and velocity data aid in inferring the fracture process that led to the failure of a specimen. Although most specimens investigated exhibit the three dominant events of compaction, multi-cracking, and sliding, there are variations in the basic structure of each specimen. Furthermore, the insight obtained about the internal structure of the specimen points to its strength and damage tolerance, both of which are vital requirements for bonding. This method can distinguish between a standard cement and modified cement very effectively and help in pairing the appropriate cement formulation for a formation rock.
Estimation of Priming Mixture Force
Authors: Trębiński Radosław , Woźniak Ryszard , Szupieńko Damian , Fikus Bartosz
Published: August 2022

This paper presents the results of the estimation of the priming mixture force for primers used in 12.7 mm ammunition. The method of estimation is based on the results of pressure measurements in a closed chamber into which the products of the combustion of the priming mixture flowed. The capacity of the chamber was changed by inserting sleeves of various volumes. Another estimation of the force value was performed using the results of earlier investigations in which the chamber was filled with glass balls. The determined values of the force were compared with the values estimated based on the accessible literature data. The obtained estimations of the force value are of the same order of magnitude as the force value of black powder. This justifies the use of black powder characteristics for the assessment of the thermodynamic properties of priming mixture combustion products in interior ballistics calculations. The time of action of the investigated primer was determined using the optical recording of the outflow of the priming mixture combustion products into an open space. To facilitate the interpretation of the results of the experiments, a theoretical model was used.
Analysis of the Dynamic Relationships among Renewable Energy Consumption, Economic Growth, Financial Development, and Carbon Dioxide Emission in Five Sub-Saharan African Countries
Authors: Qudrat-Ullah Hassan , Nevo Chinedu Miracle
Published: August 2022

This research investigates the relationships among renewable energy consumption, economic growth, and financial development in five sub-Saharan African nations utilizing panel data from 2000 to 2020. Econometric methods are used to ascertain the existence or absence of cross-sectional dependence and the short-run and long-run connections between the following factors: Pesaran cross-sectional dependence (CD) and cross-sectionally augmented IPS (CIPS) unit root tests, pooled mean group (PMG), and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) estimations. The presence of cross-sectional dependence is found and represented with the CIPS unit root test. No significant short-run relationship is found between the variables of the study, yet a significant long-run relationship is present among them. A positive relationship exists between CO2 emissions and financial development, while financial development and renewable energy consumption are found to have negative relationships with CO2 emissions. The study also supports the scale effect of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis. Additionally, no causality is found among the variables, and impulse response and variance decomposition estimation are carried out to recommend future effects. Policy implications of findings are discussed, with accompanying suggestions.
Research on Energy Structure Optimization and Carbon Emission Reduction Path in Beijing under the Dual Carbon Target
Authors: Hu Yu , Chi Yuanying , Zhou Wenbing , Wang Zhengzao , Yuan Yongke , Li Ruoyang
Published: August 2022

In the context of China’s dual carbon target, Beijing, as the capital of China, should play an exemplary role in carbon emission reduction. On the premise of optimizing high-emission sectors such as coal and industry, Beijing is still a certain distance from the goal of carbon neutrality. Therefore, on the basis of Beijing’s energy resource endowment, considering Beijing’s economic development and carbon neutrality goals and scientifically and reasonably planning Beijing’s carbon emission reduction path are important tasks. We construct an energy structure optimization model to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The model analysis concludes that the residents and transportation sectors will account for a large proportion of Beijing’s total carbon emissions in the future. To achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, the electricity substitution of fossil energy and the high proportion of external power are two necessary measures, and the optimal path of carbon emission reduction is proposed.
Contributions of Solar Photovoltaic Systems to Environmental and Socioeconomic Aspects of National Development—A Review
Authors: Apeh Oliver O. , Meyer Edson L. , Overen Ochuko K.
Published: August 2022

Presently, the world is undergoing exciting haste to install photovoltaic (PV) systems in industry, residential/commercial buildings, transportation, deserts, street lights, and many other applications. Solar photovoltaic energy systems are clean and reliable energy sources that are unlimited, unlike their fossil fuel counterparts. The energy market is rapidly growing globally with newly and cumulative installed capacities of about 37.6 GW and 139.6 GW, accounting for 53% and 55%, respectively, in 2017, making it one of the fastest-growing industries. The cumulative photovoltaic installations are projected to have reached 600 GW worldwide and are projected to reach 4500 GW by 2050 because of the strategies and policies of many countries. In 2021, more than three-quarters of the developed countries are now home to one solar installation. This article evaluates a critical and extensive review of the contributions of solar photovoltaic systems to national development. The approach follows all steps, starting with capturing photovoltaics on the Earth’s surface, then price reduction, load management, and socioeconomic impact of solar photovoltaic systems. From the study, it is found that the policies and strategies adopted by the leading countries, such as tax credits, capital subsidies, net-metering, VAT reduction, feed-in tariffs (FiTs), and renewable portfolio standards (RPS), have significantly helped in more installations. Additionally, the significant drop in photovoltaic module prices from 4731 $/W in 2010 to 883 $/W in 2020 has boosted the move for more installations. Based on the findings, approximately 10 million permanent employments would be put in place by advancing solar power across the globe annually.
The Impact of Forest Certification on the Ternary Margins of China’s Forest Product Export
Authors: Zhang Jinzhu , Zhao Ziyue , Zhao Wenqi , Tao Chenlu , Cheng Baodong
Published: August 2022

Forest certification as a typical green trade measure has been gradually adopted by developed countries. Although it can promote the upgrading of forest products’ trade structure, it also threatens the stability of export growth. However, most studies have focused on the impact of forest certification on the total volume of forest product exports, but less on the impact on the growth structure. This study used the cross-country panel data and an extended gravity model to empirically analyze the impact of forest certification on the ternary margins of China’s forest products export to 39 countries that have introduced green trade measures from 2006 to 2019. The results show that the growth of China’s export of forest products is primarily driven by the quantitative margin, followed by the price margin. Forest certification in the trading partner countries has a significant positive impact on the price margin and a significant negative effect on the quantitative margin of China’s forest products. Furthermore, the effect on the quantitative margin is greater than that on the price margin, while the impact on the extensive margin is not significant. The study provides a scientific basis for responding to the forest certification measures, deepening cooperation with trading countries on forest products, and strengthening the mutual recognition and coordination of forest certification systems.
The Climate-Growth Relationship between Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss. and Abies pindrow (Royle ex D.Don) Royle along the Latitudinal Gradient in Northern Pakistan
Authors: Ullah Habib , Wang Xiaochun , Hussain Quaid , Khan Abdullah , Ahmad Naveed , Ali Nizar , Riaz Muhammad Waheed , Hussain Izhar
Published: August 2022

A changing climate and global warming have adversely affected Pakistan’s moist and dry temperate vegetation. Abies pindrow (fir) (Royle ex D.Don) Royle and Picea smithiana (spruce) Wall.) Boiss are the two major representative species of the moist and dry temperate forests in Northern Pakistan. The dendroclimatic study of both species is crucial for the assessment of climate variability at various spatial and temporal scales. This study examined the dendroclimatology of fir and spruce, and analyzed the growth–climate relationship along the latitudinal gradient. Two hundred and nineteen samples (ring cores) of the two species were collected from five different sites (Shogran (SHG), Upper Dir (UDS), Bahrain Swat (BSG), Astore Gilgit (NPKA), and Sharan Kaghan (SHA)) in Northern Pakistan. The cores were cross-dated, and chronologies were generated for the species and climatic data (precipitation, temperature, and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI)) correlated with radial growth. The interspecies correlations for fir were calculated as 0.54, 0.49, 0.52, 0.60, and 0.48 for SHG, UDS, BSG, NPKA, and SHA, respectively, whereas in the case of spruce, the interspecies correlations were 0.44 for SHG, 0.55 for UDS, and 0.49 for BSG. Climate variability was observed in the samples of both species, which showed significant drought and humid years at specific intervals. With respect to the correlation between tree-ring width and climatic factors, a positive correlation was observed between fir growth and summer season precipitation, mean temperature, and PDSI in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. Similarly, the growth of spruce was positively correlated with precipitation (in February, September, and May) and PDSI (in the summer and autumn seasons); however, no correlation was observed between monthly temperature and spruce growth. The relationship of fir and spruce growth with seasonal precipitation and PDSI showed a change from a negative to a positive correlation after 1980, following rapid warming. During the winter and spring, the correlation coefficient between fir radial growth and seasonal temperature showed an initial upward trend followed by a progressive decrease along with increasing latitude. Seasonal variations were observed regarding the correlation coefficient between spruce radial growth and increasing latitude (increasing in winter; a decreasing trend in spring and summer; an initial increase and then a decrease in autumn). In the same way, the correlation of seasonal temperature and PDSI with the radial growth of both species showed increasing trends with increasing latitude, except in the autumn season.
Longevity, Aging and Cancer: Thermodynamics and Complexity
Authors: Nieto-Villar J. M. , Mansilla R.
Published: August 2022

From the perspectives of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes and the theory of complex systems, a characterization of longevity and aging and their relationships with the emergence and evolution of cancer was carried out. It was found that: (1) the rate of entropy production could be used as an index of the robustness, plasticity, and aggressiveness of cancer, as well as a measure of biological age; (2) the aging process, as well as the evolution of cancer, goes through what we call a “biological phase transition”; (3) the process of metastasis, which occurs during the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), appears to be a phase transition that is far from thermodynamic equilibrium and exhibits Shilnikov chaos-like dynamic behavior, which guarantees the robustness of the process and, in turn, its unpredictability; (4) as the ferroptosis process progresses, the complexity of the dynamics that are associated with the emergence and evolution of cancer decreases. The theoretical framework that was developed in this study could contribute to a better understanding of the biophysical and chemical phenomena of longevity and aging and their relationships with cancer.
Determination, Separation and Application of 137Cs: A Review
Authors: Cao Yiyao , Zhou Lei , Ren Hong , Zou Hua
Published: August 2022

In the context of the rapid development of the world’s nuclear power industry, it is necessary to establish background data on radionuclides of different samples from different regions, and the premise of obtaining such basic data is to have a series of good sample processing and detection methods. The radiochemical analysis methods of low-level radionuclides 137Cs (Cesium) in environmental and biological samples are introduced and reviewed in detail. The latest research progress is reviewed from the five aspects of sample pretreatment, determination, separation, calculation, application of radioactive cesium and the future is proposed.
Virtual Classrooms and Their Challenge of Interaction—An Evaluation of Chat Activities and Logs in an Online Course about Digital Medicine with Heterogeneous Participants
Authors: Nitsche Julia , Busse Theresa Sophie , Kernebeck Sven , Ehlers Jan P.
Published: August 2022

Learning digital competencies can be successful if the information is also tried out immediately using interactive elements. However, interactive teaching poses a particular challenge, especially in large group formats. Various strategies are used to promote interaction, but there is little known about the results. This article shows different strategies and evaluates their influence on the interaction rate in a large group course over two terms that teaches digital medicine. Log files and participation in surveys as well as participation in chat were quantitatively evaluated. In addition, the chat messages themselves were evaluated qualitatively. For the evaluation, relation to the total number of participants was particularly relevant in order to be able to determine an interaction rate in the individual course sessions. A maximum average interaction rate of 90.97% could be determined over the entire term while the participants wrote an average of 3.96 comments during a session in the chat. In summary, this research could show that interactive elements should be well planned and used at regular intervals in order to reap the benefits.
The Relationship between the Unmet Needs of Chinese Family Caregivers and the Quality of Life of Childhood Cancer Patients Undergoing Inpatient Treatment: A Mediation Model through Caregiver Depression
Authors: Wang Jiamin , Coyte Peter C. , Shao Di , Zhen Xuemei , Zhao Ni , Sun Chen , Sun Xiaojie
Published: August 2022

A large proportion of the global burden of childhood cancer arises in China. These patients have a poor quality of life (QoL) and their family caregivers have high unmet needs. This paper examined the association between the unmet needs of family caregivers and the care recipient’s QoL. A total of 286 childhood cancer caregivers were included in this cross-sectional study. Unmet needs and depression among caregivers were assessed by the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer Caregivers (CNAT-C) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), respectively. The patient’s QoL was proxy-reported by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Measurement Models (PedsQL 3.0 scale Cancer Module). Descriptive analyses, independent Student’s t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and mediation analyses were performed. The mean scores (standard deviations) for unmet needs, depression, and QoL were 65.47 (26.24), 9.87 (7.26), and 60.13 (22.12), respectively. A caregiver’s unmet needs (r = −0.272, p < 0.001) and depression (r = −0.279, p < 0.001) were negatively related to a care recipient’s QoL. Depression among caregivers played a mediating role in the relationship between a caregiver’s unmet needs and a care recipient’s QoL. As nursing interventions address depression among caregivers, it is important to standardize the programs that offer psychological support to caregivers.
Cough Test Results during Screening for Silent Aspiration Are Affected by Risk Factors for Silent Cerebral Infarct in Older Adults with Chronic Disease
Authors: Nakane Ayako , Nakagawa Kazuharu , Yamaguchi Kohei , Yoshimi Kanako , Hara Yoshiko , Tohara Haruka
Published: August 2022

The cough reflex does not change with age. However, older adults with chronic diseases often have a reduced cough reflex. The effects of several risk factors on reduced cough sensitivity in older adults remain unclear. This study aims to clarify the risk factors for reduced cough sensitivity in older adults with chronic diseases. This cross-sectional study included participants aged <65 years (young group; n = 21), those aged ≥65 years (older adults with chronic disease group; n = 18), and those with dysphagia (dysphagia group; n = 16). A cough test was performed on all participants using an ultrasonic nebulizer with a mist of 1% w/v citric acid physiologic saline. Cough response was observed in the young (21/21), older adult (9/18), and dysphagia (13/16) groups. The difference between the young and older adult groups was significant (p < 0.01). The older adult and dysphagia groups had decreased cough sensitivity compared to the younger group. Cough sensitivity was affected by risk factors for silent cerebral infarct and age. Our findings show that cough test results might be affected by risk factors for silent cerebral infarction in older adults with chronic diseases.
HPV Vaccination Intentions of Female Students in Chinese Universities: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Bai Yiming , Ip Patrick , Chan Karen , Ngan Hextan , Yip Paul
Published: August 2022

Objective: To systematically evaluate the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intentions among female university students in China and establish a basis for improving HPV vaccination coverage. Methods: We searched CNKI, EBSCO, JSTOR, MESH or Emtree, Weipu Information Chinese Journal Service Platform, Wanfang Data, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Embase, Web for the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to identify peer-reviewed published research on intentions by female college students in China to receive the HPV vaccination. Results: A preliminary search of 408 papers resulted in the inclusion of 12 studies, all cross-sectional, of moderate or high quality, with a sample size of 12,600. The HPV vaccination intention rate among Chinese female university students was 16.67% (95% CI: 12.38% to 21.24%). The vaccination intention rates of medical students, non-medical students, and Tibetan students were 30.37% (95% CI: 28.80–34.12%), 15.53% (95% CI: 11.2–20.22%), and 14.12% (95 % CI: 10.59–18.04%), respectively. The vaccination intention rates of the participants with parental education of junior high school and below, high school, and bachelor’s degree and above were 15.36% (95 % CI: 11.59 to 17.54%), 17.18% (95 % CI: 12.33% to 19.61%), and 19.81% (95 % CI: 15.61% to 22.25%), respectively. The intention rates of vaccination among residents of first-tier, second-tier, and third-tier cities were 17.64% (95% CI: 12.76–21.63%), 15.39% (95% CI: 11.74–19.82%), and 13.87% (95% CI: 9.36–15.65%), respectively. The results of the meta-analysis were relatively stable with little publication bias. Conclusion: The intention rate of HPV vaccination among female university students in China is low and varies among different populations. There is a need to increase HPV vaccination promotion efforts to improve the intention of female university students to receive the vaccine.
Release of VOCs, Gasses, and Bacteria from Contaminated Landings and Creeks of Ogeechee River Basin
Authors: Clower Victoria , Sparrow Melanie , Adhikari Atin
Published: August 2022

River landings are common public grounds, visited by many people every day. The aftermath of visiting these places may be unsettling since much trash is left behind and scattered throughout. The litter collects and with each rain or high wind, it has a better chance of ending up in our streams, rivers, creeks, and eventually our oceans. The main purpose of this study was to measure both air and water quality throughout the Ogeechee River basin in South Georgia to determine how each was impacted by trash. Ammonia, methane, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) along with temperature and humidity were also measured for air quality. Water quality parameters for this study were derived from the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream method. Conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, and Escherichia coli counts were taken every two weeks at three locations: Rocky Ford Landing along the Ogeechee River, Rocks River Landing on the Canoochee River, and Little Lotts Creek located in the center of Statesboro, Georgia. Each Monday, from 17 January 2022 to 17 May 2022, selected air pollutants were sampled ten times at each location. The data show higher trends in air and water pollution where trash is found—the highest with Rocks River Landing and Little Lotts Creek showing trends supporting the hypothesis that trash may impact air and water quality in these areas. The potential contamination of river landings and creeks may contribute to increased levels of airborne and waterborne gas levels and microbial loads near the river water surfaces.
A Path Analysis Model of Self- vs. Educational-Context- Regulation as Combined Predictors of Well-Being in Spanish College Students
Authors: López-Madrigal Claudia , García-Manglano Javier , de la Fuente Arias Jesús
Published: August 2022

Previous literature has established the importance of personal and contextual factors in college students’ trajectories. Following the Self- vs. External-Regulation Behavior Theory (2021) and the 3P Biggs Model, the present study aimed at analyzing a structural linear model that validates the joint effect of self-regulation, educational context, age, and gender (as personal and contextual presage variables) with other meta-abilities, such as coping strategies, resilience, and positivity (process variables), and specific well-being outcomes, such as flourishing and health (product variables). A sample of 1310 Spanish college students was analyzed, aged 17 to 25, and a cross-sectional study with an ex post facto design was performed. Association and structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using SPSS software (v.26) and AMOS (v.23). Results show that individual and contextual factors have an important role in the acquisition of psychological competencies in young adults. Self-regulation was proven to be an important meta-ability that predicts personal well-being and behavioral health outcomes. Complementarily, educational context was shown to be an external predictor of other skills, such as problem-focused strategies, and positive outcomes such as flourishing and behavioral health. Practical implications and limitations are discussed.
The Impact of Air Pollution on the Protection of World Cultural Heritage in China
Authors: Xiao Bo , Ning Lanyu , Lin Zixiang , Wang Shiyi , Zang Hua
Published: August 2022

The damage of air pollution to cultural heritage is widely known. However, the quantitative effects still need to be explored at a holistic level. Different from existing research which focuses on the “model calculation” methods, this paper uses an econometric approach to assess the overall impact of air pollution on the sustainable protection of world cultural heritage in China. Based on the data of the annual monitoring report from 2014 to 2020 released by the China World Cultural Heritage Monitoring Platform, this paper uses the thermal inversion as an instrument variable of air pollution to estimate the overall effects of air pollution on all world cultural heritage sites in China. The results indicate that almost all the air pollutants (except for CO) have significantly negative effects on heritage. The damaging effects of gaseous pollutants including SO2, NO2 and O3 is greater than that of particulate pollutants such as PM2.5 and PM10. Rainfall can exacerbate the worsening effects of gaseous pollutants, but will mitigate the negative effects of particulate pollutants; the windy weather may weaken the negative impact. In addition, environmental regulations from the local government can also alleviate the negative influence of air pollution on heritage protection. This research can provide a more comprehensive environmental prevention policy reference for the protection of world cultural heritage.
From Monastic Benevolence to Medical Beneficence: The Inception of Medical Ethics in Wallachia and Moldavia before the Second Half of the 19th Century
Authors: Hostiuc Sorin , Isailă Oana-Maria , Buda Octavian , Drima Eduard
Published: August 2022

In Middle Ages, in Moldavia and Wallachia, the healthcare system was almost non-existent, medical practice being the attribute of old women, midwives, charmers, and later monastic personnel. The first elements of medical ethics are identifiable in written texts from the 17th century, associated with a process of laicization of medicine and the appearance of the first combined civil and penal codes (Vasile Lupu’s Law from 1646 and Matei Basarab’s Law from 1652). In the next 150 years, elements of medical ethics were rarely identified, usually in legal regulations, personal letters, or literary works. Starting with the end of the 18th century, associated with the emergence of the position of public physician, detailed regulations regarding the healthcare system associated with an increased number of ethical norms began to emerge. The purpose of this article is to increase awareness to an international audience about the history of Romanian medical deontology and the roots of concepts appertaining to medical ethics in the territories of Moldavia and Wallachia.
Going beyond “With a Partner” and “Intercourse”: Does Anything Else Influence Sexual Satisfaction among Women? The Sexual Satisfaction Comprehensive Index
Authors: Ogallar-Blanco Adelaida I. , Lara-Moreno Raquel , Godoy-Izquierdo Débora
Published: August 2022

The validated tools for measuring sexual satisfaction (SS) assess in fact other phenomena such as sexual functioning, assess SS within the context of a romantic heterosexual relationship and intercourse-type activity or were designed to be applied only in therapeutic or rehabilitation contexts. Consequently, they offer an incomplete understanding of SS, particularly among women. We thus developed an alternative measure of SS, the Sexual Satisfaction Comprehensive Index (SSCI), considering both the individual and with-a-partner dimensions, as well as the actual and desired experiences of satisfaction, along with other dimensions affecting SS, and explored its psychometric properties. A total of 1080 young to mid-aged women with different sociodemographic, relationship and sexual identity backgrounds voluntarily completed several measures of SS, including the SSCI. Results showed that the SSCI is a reliable measure for assessing SS. An exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the latent multidimensional structure of the SSCI, supporting its factorial validity. In addition, the SSCI showed appropriate convergent validity with other measures commonly used to assess SS. In sum, the SSCI was revealed to be a useful multidimensional index of SS for research and practice contexts which allows the practitioner or the researcher to make decisions on which dimension(s) are to be evaluated. This study focused on women’s SS, and future research with other gender, sexual and cultural identities is necessary to support its utility in multi-identity and multi-sexuality scenarios.
Correction: Prado, L.G.; Barbosa, A.S. Understanding the Renal Fibrotic Process in Leptospirosis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 10779
Authors: Prado Luan Gavião , Barbosa Angela Silva
Published: August 2022

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDC)-Loaded H-Ferritin-Nanocages Mediate the Regulation of Inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients
Authors: Gagliardi Stella , Truffi Marta , Tinelli Veronica , Garofalo Maria , Pandini Cecilia , Cotta Ramusino Matteo , Perini Giulia , Costa Alfredo , Negri Sara , Mazzucchelli Serena , Bonizzi Arianna , Sitia Leopoldo , Busacca Maria , Sevieri Marta , Mocchi Michela , Ricciardi Alessandra , Prosperi Davide , Corsi Fabio , Cereda Cristina , Morasso Carlo
Published: August 2022

Background: Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDC) might be an inflammation inhibitor in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). However, BDC is almost insoluble in water, poorly absorbed by the organism, and degrades rapidly. We thus developed a new nanoformulation of BDC based on H-Ferritin nanocages (BDC-HFn). Methods: We tested the BDC-HFn solubility, stability, and ability to cross a blood–brain barrier (BBB) model. We tested the effect of BDC-HFn on AD and control (CTR) PBMCs to evaluate the transcriptomic profile by RNA-seq. Results: We developed a nanoformulation with a diameter of 12 nm to improve the solubility and stability. The comparison of the transcriptomics analyses between AD patients before and after BDC-HFn treatment showed a major number of DEG (2517). The pathway analysis showed that chemokines and macrophages activation differed between AD patients and controls after BDC-HFn treatment. BDC-HFn binds endothelial cells from the cerebral cortex and crosses through a BBB in vitro model. Conclusions: Our data showed how BDC-Hfn could improve the stability of BDC. Significant differences in genes associated with inflammation between the same patients before and after BDC-Hfn treatment have been found. Inflammatory genes that are upregulated between AD and CTR after BDC-HFn treatment are converted and downregulated, suggesting a possible therapeutic approach.
Determination of the Bioactive Effect of Custard Apple By-Products by In Vitro Assays
Authors: Rojas-García Alejandro , Rodríguez Lyanne , Cádiz-Gurrea María de la Luz , García-Villegas Abigail , Fuentes Eduardo , Villegas-Aguilar María del Carmen , Palomo Iván , Arráez-Román David , Segura-Carretero Antonio
Published: August 2022

Annona cherimola fruit, known as cherimoya or custard apple, is an exotic fruit from South America but is strongly produced in Andalusia, Spain. Its by-products (seeds and peel) are recognised as important sources of antioxidants, including phenolic acids, flavonoids and procyanidins. Therefore, the aim of this study was to carry out the characterization of its phenolic composition and to in vitro evaluate the bioactivity of custard apple seed and peel. Therefore, high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS) was performed in order to tentatively identify their phenolic composition. In the end, 19 compounds were identified and quantified, some of them for the first time in the custard apple matrix. Then, seed and peel total phenolic content, as well as antioxidant properties, radical scavenging capacity (O2, NO, HOCl) and inhibition of enzymes involved in different pathologies (hyaluronidase, elastase, collagenase, tyrosinase, acetylcholinesterase and xanthine oxidase), were evaluated. Although both extracts showed almost similar antioxidant capacities, custard apple seed stood out slightly more than peel (171 ± 2 vs. 130.0 ± 0.4 μmol TE/g DE, resp.), especially as ·NO scavenger (IC50 1.5 ± 0.2 vs. 11.8 ± 0.3 mg/L, resp.) and hyaluronidase inhibitor (IC50 170 ± 10 vs. 460 ± 20mg/L, resp.). Finally, the application of extracts on a real human model of platelet aggregation was performed, reporting antiaggregatory effects in agonist-promoted platelet thrombus formation. All these results show that custard apple by-products are stated as interesting sources of bioactive compounds with multiple industrial applications for the development of high-added-value products, such as functional foods, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals, promoting the circular bioeconomy of these by-products.
Cyclophilin A Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation by Regulating Runx2
Authors: Piao Meiyu , Lee Sung Ho , Kim Myeong Ji , Choi Joong-Kook , Yeo Chang-Yeol , Lee Kwang Youl
Published: August 2022

Cyclophilin A (CypA) is a ubiquitously expressed and highly conserved protein with peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity that is involved in various biological activities by regulating protein folding and trafficking. Although CypA has been reported to positively regulate osteoblast differentiation, the mechanistic details remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism of CypA-mediated regulation of osteoblast differentiation. Overexpression of CypA promoted osteoblast differentiation in bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4)-treated C2C12 cells, while knockdown of CypA inhibited osteoblast differentiation in BMP4-treated C2C12. CypA and Runx2 were shown to interact based on immunoprecipitation experiments and CypA increased Runx2 transcriptional activity in a dose-dependent manner. Our results indicate that this may be because CypA can increase the DNA binding affinity of Runx2 to Runx2 binding sites such as osteoblast-specific cis-acting element 2. Furthermore, to identify factors upstream of CypA in the regulation of osteoblast differentiation, various kinase inhibitors known to affect osteoblast differentiation were applied during osteogenesis. Akt inhibition resulted in the most significant suppression of osteogenesis in BMP4-induced C2C12 cells overexpressing CypA. Taken together, our results show that CypA positively regulates osteoblast differentiation by increasing the DNA binding affinity of Runx2, and Akt signaling is upstream of CypA.
Disclosing an In-Frame Deletion of the Titin Gene as the Possible Predisposing Factor of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report
Authors: Chang Yu-Wei , Weng Hui-Ying , Tsai Shih-Feng , Fan Frank Sheng
Published: August 2022

Anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy has been noted as a non-neglectable issue in the field of clinical oncology. Remarkable progress has been achieved in searching for inherited susceptible genetic deficits underlying anthracycline cardiotoxicity in the past several years. In this case report, we present the preliminary results of a genetic study in a young male patient who was treated with standard dose anthracycline-based chemotherapy for his acute myeloid leukemia and attacked by acute congestive heart failure after just two courses of therapy. After a survey of 76 target genes, an in-frame deletion of the titin gene was recognized as the most possible genetic defect responsible for his cardiomyopathy caused by anthracycline. This defect proved to pass down from the patient′s mother and did not exist in seven unrelated chemotherapy-treated cancer patients without chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy and four other healthy volunteer DNA donors.
Dietary Cholic Acid Exacerbates Liver Fibrosis in NASH Model of Sprague–Dawley Rats Fed a High-Fat and High-Cholesterol Diet
Authors: Ichimura-Shimizu Mayuko , Watanabe Shiro , Kashirajima Yuka , Nagatomo Ami , Wada Hitomi , Tsuneyama Koichi , Omagari Katsuhisa
Published: August 2022

Background: Recently, we established a novel rodent model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with advanced fibrosis induced by a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFC) diet containing cholic acid (CA), which is known to cause hepatotoxicity. The present study aimed to elucidate the direct impact of dietary CA on the progression of NASH induced by feeding the HFC diet. Methods: Nine-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive a normal, HFC, or CA-supplemented (0.1%, 0.5% or 2.0%, w/w) HFC diet for 9 weeks. Results: Histopathological assessment revealed that the supplementation of CA dose-dependently aggravated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, reaching stage 4 cirrhosis in the 2.0% CA diet group. In contrast, the rats that were fed the HFC diet without any added CA developed mild steatosis and inflammation without fibrosis. The hepatic cholesterol content and mRNA expression involved in inflammatory response and fibrogenesis was higher in a CA dose-dependent manner. The hepatic chenodeoxycholic acid levels were higher in 2.0% CA diet group than in the control, although hepatic levels of total bile acid and CA did not increase dose-dependently with CA intake. Conclusion: Adding CA to the HFC diet altered bile acid metabolism and inflammatory response and triggered the development of fibrosis in the rat liver.