bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volatile Organic Compound Emission Inventory for Pesticide Spraying in an Agricultural City of Northeast China: Real-Time Monitoring and Method Optimization
Authors: Li Ruimin , Xia Zixuan , You Bo , Shi Bowen , Fu Jing
Published: July 2024

Atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as olefins and aromatics, released from synthetic chemical pesticide sprays can increase regional air pollution, public health risks, and food security risks. However, significant uncertainties remain regarding the measurement methods and chemical profiles of VOC emissions. Using an agricultural city, Changchun City in Northeast China, as a case study, we quantified real-time concentration and composition data based on online monitoring instruments for the year 2023. This study optimized data collection methods for emission factors and activity levels and developed a high-precision emission inventory of VOCs in pesticides at the city scale. The emission factors for VOCs from the seven categories of pesticides were estimated as follows: 78 g/kg (nicosulfuron and atrazine, oil-dispersible [OD] and suspension emulsion [SE], respectively), 4 g/kg (chlorpyrifos and indoxair conditioningarb, suspension concentrate [SC]), 5 g/kg (fluopicolide and propamocarb hydrochloride, SC), 217 g/kg (MCPA-dimethylammonium, aqueous solution [AS]), 34 g/kg (glyphosate, AS), 575 g/kg (beta-cypermethrin and malathion, emulsifiable concentrate [EC]), and 122 g/kg (copper abietate, emulsion in water [EW]), depending on the pesticide formulation components and formulation types. The orchard insecticide exhibited the highest emission factors among all pesticides owing to its emulsifiable concentrate formulation and 80% content of inactive ingredients (both factors contribute to the high content of organic solvents in the pesticide). The major components of VOC emissions from pesticide spraying were halocarbons (27–44%), oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) (25–38%), and aromatic hydrocarbons (15–28%). The total VOC emissions from pesticide spraying in the Changchun region accounted for 10.6 t, with Yushu City contributing 28% of the VOC emissions and Gongzhuling City and Dehui City contributing 18.7% and 16.0%, respectively. Herbicides were the main contributors to VOC emissions because of their high emission factors and extensive use in fields (used for spraying maize and rice, the main crops in Changchun City). May and June exhibited the highest VOC emissions from pesticide application, with May accounting for 57.0% of annual pesticide emissions, predominantly from herbicides (95.1%), followed by insecticides (4.9%). June accounted for 30.1% of the annual pesticide emissions, with herbicides being the largest contributor of VOC emissions. An emission inventory of VOC with a monthly scale and spatial grid resolutions of 0.083° and 0.5° in 2023 was developed. These emission factors and inventories of pesticide applications provide valuable information for air quality modeling. This study also provides an important scientific basis for enhancing regional air quality and mitigating the environmental impact of pesticide use in major grain-producing areas.
Trichoderma Production and Encapsulation Methods for Agricultural Applications
Authors: Vindas-Reyes Erick , Chacón-Cerdas Randall , Rivera-Méndez William
Published: July 2024

Trichoderma is one of the most widely used microorganisms in the biological control of plant pathogens. The techniques for its formulation are well known and are commercially distributed in both solid and liquid presentations based on formulations of its reproductive structures. Currently, agricultural systems integrate this type of fungus as an alternative for sustainable production, and even though its traditional formulation still has important limitations, it has a high potential to be combined with new technologies for the development and innovation of products that improve their effectiveness. In response to this, micro- and nanotechnology are presented as alternatives to technify bioagents, promoting greater resistance, viability, and dissemination for both biomass and metabolites through encapsulation and smart delivery techniques. Some works have been developed to achieve this, especially using ionic gelation, with good results for agriculture. In this work, some generalities of the organism are mentioned, including its most common formulations for agricultural applications, information related to encapsulation systems, and the potential for improvement of biologics represented by biomass microencapsulation.
Saccorhiza polyschides Extract as Biostimulant for Reducing Salt Stress Effect in Common Bean Crops
Authors: Nhhala Nada , Latique Salma , Kchikich Anass , Kchikich Amr , Nhiri Mohamed , García-Angulo Penélope
Published: July 2024

Salinity stress emerges as an important menace to global food security, particularly affecting susceptible crops such as common bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The disruption of ion balances caused by salt stress within plant cells reduces water and nutrient absorption and hampers growth and productivity. Sacchorhiza polyschides, a brown macroalga rich in essential elements and macrominerals, has drawn attention as a natural biostimulant, being a potential remedy to bolster crop resilience against salt stress. This study delves into the effect of water extracts of Sacchorhiza polyschides (SPE) across varying concentrations (1%, 2%, and 5%) in common bean plants under salt stress (68.4 mM NaCl) conditions. Two different methods of application were used: by spraying the aerial part of the plant or by irrigation together with the watering solution. The effects of both systems of application were studied on the aerial parts of the plants. SPE exhibited significant enhancements in morphological parameters, chlorophyll content, carbon–nitrogen activities, and antioxidant enzymatic system activities, alongside increasing osmolyte accumulation, compared to salt-stressed plants without biostimulation. Moreover, SPE reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels caused by salt stress, mitigating lipid peroxidation. The concentrations of 2% and 5% SPE applied by spraying showed the most significant results in most of the parameters analyzed. By shedding light on the underlying science behind this biostimulant effect, this research underscores the potential of SPE to enhance crop resilience and augment food production in salt-challenged environments.
Comparison of Three Gas Chromatographic Methods—Identification of Terpenes and Terpenoids in Cannabis sativa L.
Authors: Hanuš Lumír Ondřej
Published: July 2024

Terpenes and terpenoids content in cannabis plant was already studied in the past with three used methods. Since these works did not compare the content of these substances under the same conditions, we tried to make this comparison exactly. Three different gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GS/MS) methods—hexane-based liquid extraction (Lis), static headspace extraction (HS), and headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME)—were compared to identify volatile compounds in four different cannabis chemotypes—Green fields chemotype, Titan chemotype, Black Domina chemotype, and Neptune chemotype. The main compounds focused on were monoterpenes/monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenes/sesquiterpenoids. For a final evaluation of the comparison of the three methods of analysis, hexane extraction gives comparable results (which is advantageous for quantitative analysis), although the other two methods allowed the identification of more substances. This means that the same method should be used everywhere for the quantitative evaluation of constituents in cannabis.
Free Rocking of a Rigid Block on a Flexible Structure with Non-Smooth Contact Dynamics
Authors: Mudrić Teo , Čeh Nina , Hante Stefan , Arnold Martin
Published: July 2024

When structures are subjected to dynamic loading, such as that caused by an earthquake or working machinery, the rocking behavior of objects located on parts of the loaded structure plays an important role in addressing the protection and stability of non-structural components. In this work, the free rocking of a rigid block on a flexible beam and rigid base was investigated using numerical simulations. To this end, a numerical code based on the non-smooth contact dynamics method was developed for this particular problem, and numerical simulations are compared to experimental tests when a rigid base is considered. The purpose of the study was to investigate the predictive capabilities and limitations of the numerical model and address the effect of introducing beam flexibility on the rocking response. The investigated flexibilities were such that the beam deflection under the static weight of the block remains within the common limit of 1/250 of the beam span. For a rigid base, qualitatively good correlation with the experiments was obtained, and good convergence in terms of the time-step is displayed. With the increase in beam base flexibility, it was observed that the simulation results tend to become more sensitive to mesh density and time-step size. Furthermore, we identify a limited flexibility with respect to which unreliable predictions of the overall free rocking are obtained, which corresponds to the stiffness resulting in the beam deflection under the block weight of beam-span/2500. For stiffnesses higher than that, no significant effect of beam flexibility in comparison to the rigid base was noticed in terms of tilt angle and rocking duration, which indicates the adequacy of a rigid base approximation for beams with low flexibility.
Metallurgical Alchemy: Synthesizing Steel Microstructure Images Using DCGANs
Authors: Muñoz-Rodenas Jorge , García-Sevilla Francisco , Miguel-Eguía Valentín , Coello-Sobrino Juana , Martínez-Martínez Alberto
Published: July 2024

Characterizing the microstructures of steel subjected to heat treatments is crucial in the metallurgical industry for understanding and controlling their mechanical properties. In this study, we present a novel approach for generating images of steel microstructures that mimic those obtained with optical microscopy, using the deep learning technique of generative adversarial networks (GAN). The experiments were conducted using different hyperparameter configurations, evaluating the effect of these variations on the quality and fidelity of the generated images. The obtained results show that the images generated by artificial intelligence achieved a resolution of 512 × 512 pixels and closely resemble real microstructures observed through conventional microscopy techniques. A precise visual representation of the main microconstituents, such as pearlite and ferrite in annealed steels, was achieved. However, the performance of GANs in generating images of quenched steels with martensitic microstructures was less satisfactory, with the synthetic images not fully replicating the complex, needle-like features characteristic of martensite. This approach offers a promising tool for generating steel microstructure images, facilitating the visualization and analysis of metallurgical samples with high fidelity and efficiency.
A Consensus-Based Likert–LMBP Model for Evaluating the Earthquake Resistance of Existing Buildings
Authors: Oz Burak , Karalar Memduh
Published: July 2024

Almost every year, earthquakes threaten many lives, so not only do developing countries suffer negative effects from earthquakes on their economies but also developed ones that lose significant economic resources, suffer massive fatalities, and have to suspend businesses and occupancy. Existing buildings in earthquake-prone areas need structural safety assessments or seismic vulnerability assessments. It is crucial to assess earthquake damage before an earthquake to prevent further losses, and to assess building damage after an earthquake to aid emergency responders. Many models do not take into account the surveyor’s subjectivity, which causes observational vagueness and uncertainty. Additionally, a lack of experience or knowledge, engineering errors, and inconspicuous parameters could affect the assessment. Thus, a consensus-based Likert–LMBP (the Levenberg–Marquardt backpropagation algorithm) model was developed to rapidly assess the seismic performance of buildings based on post-earthquake visual images in the devastating Kahramanmaraş earthquake, which occurred on 6 February 2023 and had magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 and severely affected 11 districts in Türkiye. Vulnerability variables for buildings are assessed using linguistic variables on a five-point Likert scale based on expert consensus values derived from post-earthquake visual images. The building vulnerability parameters required for the proposed model are determined as the top hill–slope effect, weak story effect, soft story effect, short column effect, plan irregularity, pounding effect, heavy overhang effect, number of stories, construction year, structural system state, and apparent building quality. Structural analyses categorized buildings as no damage, slight damage, moderate damage, or severe damage/collapse. Training the model resulted in quite good performance (mse = 7.26306 × 10−5). Based on the statistical analysis of the entire data set, the mean and the standard deviation of the errors were 0.00068 and 0.00852, respectively.
Automatic Speech Recognition Advancements for Indigenous Languages of the Americas
Authors: Romero Monica , Gómez-Canaval Sandra , Torre Ivan G.
Published: July 2024

Indigenous languages are a fundamental legacy in the development of human communication, embodying the unique identity and culture of local communities in America. The Second AmericasNLP Competition Track 1 of NeurIPS 2022 proposed the task of training automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems for five Indigenous languages: Quechua, Guarani, Bribri, Kotiria, and Wa’ikhana. In this paper, we describe the fine-tuning of a state-of-the-art ASR model for each target language, using approximately 36.65 h of transcribed speech data from diverse sources enriched with data augmentation methods. We systematically investigate, using a Bayesian search, the impact of the different hyperparameters on the Wav2vec2.0 XLS-R variants of 300 M and 1 B parameters. Our findings indicate that data and detailed hyperparameter tuning significantly affect ASR accuracy, but language complexity determines the final result. The Quechua model achieved the lowest character error rate (CER) (12.14), while the Kotiria model, despite having the most extensive dataset during the fine-tuning phase, showed the highest CER (36.59). Conversely, with the smallest dataset, the Guarani model achieved a CER of 15.59, while Bribri and Wa’ikhana obtained, respectively, CERs of 34.70 and 35.23. Additionally, Sobol’ sensitivity analysis highlighted the crucial roles of freeze fine-tuning updates and dropout rates. We release our best models for each language, marking the first open ASR models for Wa’ikhana and Kotiria. This work opens avenues for future research to advance ASR techniques in preserving minority Indigenous languages.
Development Characteristics and Mechanism of Crack in Expansive Soil under Wet–Dry Cycling
Authors: Zhao Ya , Zhang Hongri , Wang Guiyao , Yang Yanqi , Ouyang Miao
Published: July 2024

Investigating crack evolution characteristics in expansive soil under dry–wet cycle conditions is essential for analyzing the shallow instability of embankments and roadbeds filled with this type of soil. Indoor tests on remolded expansive soil specimens were performed under dry–wet cycle conditions, and digital image processing technology (PCAS) was used to quantitatively analyze the process of crack evolution. The study examined how initial moisture content, compaction degree, thickness, and expansibility affect crack development in expansive soil. Additionally, the study discussed the mechanism of crack evolution, considering the characteristics of crack structures in expansive soil. The findings suggest that crack development in expansive soil specimens is influenced by various factors including initial moisture content, compaction degree, thickness, and expansibility. The crack ratio increases with the initial moisture content, thickness, and expansibility, but decreases with the compaction degree. Furthermore, a significant linear relationship exists between the attenuation rate of soil strength and the crack ratio. The development of cracks is governed by the variance in soil shrinkage, which leads to the formation of distinct shrinkage centers at various locations and is markedly influenced by the soil’s thickness. This research explores the laws governing the evolution of cracks in expansive soils, elucidating the mechanisms by which these cracks evolve under the influence of various factors. It addresses a significant gap in the theoretical understanding of crack evolution in expansive soils under conditions of multiple influences, thereby offering crucial insights into the characteristics of soil evolution.
Looking for Microbial Biosignatures in All the Right Places: Clues for Identifying Extraterrestrial Life in Lava Tubes
Authors: Medley Joseph J. , Hathaway Jennifer J. M. , Spilde Michael N. , Northup Diana E.
Published: July 2024

Lava caves are home to a stunning display of secondary mineral speleothems, such as moonmilk and coralloids, as well as highly visible microbial mats. These features contain diverse and under-characterized groups of bacteria. The role of these bacteria in the formation of secondary mineral speleothems is just beginning to be investigated. The lava caves of the Big Island of Hawai`i and in El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico (USA), share many morphologically similar speleothems. This study focused on investigating the overlap in bacteria across a wide range of speleothems in these two geographically distant sites. Through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 16S rRNA gene analysis, we found that Hawaiian caves have a greater alpha diversity and beta diversity separated by cave and speleothem type. Many Actinobacteriota were in higher abundance in New Mexico caves, while Hawaiian caves contained more bacteria that are unclassified at the genus and species level. Discovering the diversity in bacteria in these secondary speleothems will assist in identifying cave secondary mineral formations that may be good candidates for finding life on extraterrestrial bodies.
Algorithm for Fatigue Crack Initiation Assessment Based on Industrial Photogrammetry
Authors: Gašparović Mateo , Radić Filip , Lukačević Ivan , Fuštar Boris
Published: July 2024

Industrial photogrammetry is a reliable method to achieve submillimeter accuracy when mapping 2D or 3D objects. In the field of fatigue testing of steel welded details, it can be used to find a new method of crack initiation assessment. Fatigue testing is an important method for determining and predicting the durability of structural details in service. The research presented in this paper is based on a computer vision algorithm developed using the open-source code OpenCV library and the Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) method to provide a solution for the assessment of crack initiation. Within this research, a method for determining the crack initiation period using polynomial functions of a certain degree is developed. The developed algorithm fully automatically determines the test specimen displacement for all imagery and assesses the crack initialization period by polynomial interpolation with a percentage threshold. The algorithm shows us the best results based on a 26th-degree polynomial with a deviation from the critical value of 5%. The validation of the algorithm was carried out using completely independently recorded data from the hydraulic press used for fatigue tests. The results of all test specimens show that the percentage accuracy of determination crack initiation period is between −0.04% for test specimens S355-TA-AW-02 and S355-TA-HFMI-03 and −0.82% for test specimen S355-TA-HFMI-03, with the mean of all results being 0.39%.
Can the Functional Physical Fitness of Older People with Overweight or Obesity Be Improved through a Multicomponent Physical Exercise Program? A Chilean Population Study
Authors: Pleticosic-Ramírez Yazmina , Velarde-Sotres Álvaro , Mecías-Calvo Marcos , Navarro-Patón Rubén
Published: July 2024

The aim of the present study was to understand the effect of a multicomponent physical exercise program on the functional physical fitness of older people with overweight or obesity in Chile, and whether these effects were similar in women and men. For this purpose, a quasi-experimental study was designed with a control group to evaluate the functional physical fitness through the Senior Fitness Test battery for older people [SFT; aerobic endurance (AE), lower body strength (LBS), upper body strength (UBS), upper body flexibility (UBF), lower body flexibility (LBF), dynamic balance (DB), and hand pressure strength right (HPSR) and left (HPSL)]. Seventy older people with overweight or obesity aged between 60 and 86 years participated (M = 73.15; SD = 5.94), and were randomized into a control group (CG, n = 35) and an experimental group (EG, n = 35). The results after the intervention between the CG and EG indicated that there were statistically significant differences in the AE (p = 0.036), in the LBS (p = 0.031), and in the LBF (p = 0.017), which did not exist before the intervention (p > 0.050), except in the HPSR (0.029). Regarding the results of the EG (pre vs. post-intervention), statistically significant differences were found in all of the variables studied: AE (p < 0.001), LBS (p < 0.001), UBS (p < 0.001), LBF (p = 0.017), UBF (p < 0.001), DB (p = 0.002), HPSR (p < 0.001), and HPSL (p = 0.012) in both men and women. These improvements did not exist in any of the CG variables (p > 0.05). Based on the results obtained, we can say that a multicomponent physical exercise program applied for 6 months in older people with overweight or obesity produces improvements in functional physical fitness regardless of sex, except in lower body flexibility and left-hand dynamometry.
Motion Response of the Submersible Underwater Towed System as Cable Length Changes
Authors: Wang Zhibo , Kong Peiyun
Published: July 2024

Submersible underwater towed systems usually need to transition from steady-state motion to maneuvering motion during operation while dynamically adjusting the length of the towed cable. The lumped mass approach was employed to convert the dragged cable into a model with a concentrated mass. Analyzed utilizing a computational simulation tool, the motion response of the towed system was examined for both simple and composite maneuvering motions. By comparing the changes in tension at the end of the towed cable and the depth of the towed body motion under different motion states and cable retraction and deployment speeds, the motion response law of the system when the length of the towed cable changes during the submarine maneuver motion is obtained. The maximum tension value occurred at 1.0 m/s during the acceleration maneuver when the velocity change of the submersible ended at the same time as the cable length change. After the deployment maneuver in a circular rotating motion, the range of tension fluctuations decreased by 93%, greatly improving the stability of the towed system. An analysis was conducted to examine the impact of various motion and structural parameters on the motion response. The study revealed that the buoyancy-to-gravity ratio of the towed body, the acceleration time of the accelerated motion, and the rotational speed of the circular rotational motion had a notable influence on the outcomes. When the buoyancy-to-gravity ratio of the towed body is 1.0, the maximum tension value of the towed cable is minimized, and the depth change of the towed body is closer to 0 m.
Chemical Migration from Wine Contact Materials
Authors: Maragou Niki C. , Tzachristas Alexandros , Tsochatzis Emmanouil D. , Thomaidis Nikolaos S.
Published: July 2024

Wine quality and safety is affected by the food contact materials (FCMs) used. These materials are expected to protect the beverage from any chemical, physical, or biological hazard and preserve its composition stable throughout its shelf-life. However, the migration of chemical substances from FCMs is a known phenomenon and requires monitoring. This review distinguishes the migrating chemical substances to those of (i) industrial origin with potential safety effects and those of (ii) natural occurrence, principally in cork (ex. tannins) with organoleptic quality effects. The review focuses on the migration of industrial chemical contaminants. Migration testing has been applied only for cork stoppers and tops, while other materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles with aluminum cups, paperboard cartons, stainless steel vats, and oak casks have been examined for the presence of chemical migrating substances only by wine analysis without migration testing. The dominant analytical techniques applied are gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) for the determination of organic compounds and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and ICP-MS for elemental analysis. Targeted approaches are mostly applied, while limited non-target methodologies are reported. The identified migrating substances include authorized substances like phthalate plasticizers, monomers (bisphenol A), antioxidants (Irganox 1010), known but non-authorized substances (butylparaben), break-down products, oxidation products (nonylphenol), polyurethane adhesive by-products, oligomers, ink photoinitiators, and inorganic elements. A preliminary investigation of microplastics’ migration has also been reported. It is proposed that further research on the development of comprehensive workflows of target, suspect, and non-target analysis is required to shed more light on the chemical world of migration for the implementation of an efficient risk assessment and management of wine contact materials.
Railway Substructure Modeling Approach for Modal Analysis Using Multibody Simulation
Authors: Morais João , Fortunato Eduardo , Ribeiro Diogo , Mendes Joaquim
Published: July 2024

A novel modeling solution (MS) was created that can provide realistically accurate results on the natural frequencies of a railway subgrade layer in the context of a railway infrastructure numerical simulation. This MS was specifically developed for implementation in a multibody simulation (MBS) model, which constitutes a step forward in relation to the state-of-art of this specific topic. The main obstacle was to find a criterion to define the geometry and dimensions of the subgrade elements inside the numerical model, so that the resulting resonance frequencies would be realistically accurate and representative. The proposed MS combines four theoretical models to create a set of equations that enables a deterministic relationship between the height and the diameter of a cylindrically shaped subgrade layer element to be implemented in the MBS model. This MS is dedicated to simulating scenarios involving railway infrastructure and a railway vehicle. However, its background theoretical models are adaptable to simulating other model configurations. This article details the MS and a sensitivity analysis that was performed to assess it. These tests were performed using the MBS software Simpack® (version 2021x). The results obtained from these tests support the selected theoretical equations and the overall validity of the proposed MS.
On a Neumann Problem with an Intrinsic Operator
Authors: Motreanu Dumitru , Sciammetta Angela
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates the existence and location of solutions for a Neumann problem driven by a (p,q) Laplacian operator and with a reaction term that depends not only on the solution and its gradient but also incorporates an intrinsic operator, which is its main novelty. This paper can be seen as the study of a quasilinear Neumann problem involving an elaborated perturbation with a Nemytskij operator. The approach proceeds through a version of the sub/supersolution method, exploiting an invariance property regarding the sub/supersolution ordered interval with respect to the intrinsic operator. An example illustrates the applicability of our result.
Designing Strain-Less Electrode Materials: Computational Analysis of Volume Variations in Li-Ion and Na-Ion Batteries
Authors: Maréchal Maxime , Berthelot Romain , Rozier Patrick , Saubanère Matthieu
Published: July 2024

Mechanical degradation in electrode materials during successive electrochemical cycling is critical for battery lifetime and aging properties. A common strategy to mitigate electrode mechanical degradation is to suppress the volume variation induced by Li/Na intercalation/deintercalation, thereby designing strain-less electrodes. In this study, we investigate the electrochemically-induced volume variation in layered and spinel compounds used in Li-ion and Na-ion battery electrode materials through density functional theory computations. Specifically, we propose to decompose the volume variation into electronic, ionic, and structural contributions. Based on this analysis, we suggest methods to separately influence each contribution through strategies such as chemical substitution, doping, and polymorphism. Altogether, we conclude that volume variations can be controlled by designing either mechanically hard or compact electrode materials.
The rs2046210 Polymorphism Is Associated with Endometriosis Risk and Elevated Estrogen Receptor 1 Expression in the Eutopic Endometrium of Women with the Disease
Authors: Proestling Katharina , Schreiber Martin , Miedl Heidi , Hudson Quanah J. , Husslein Heinrich , Kuessel Lorenz , Gstoettner Manuela , Wenzl Rene , Yotova Iveta
Published: July 2024

In this focused genetic case–control study, we analyzed two functional single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with breast cancer risk (rs2046210, rs9383590) and one risk SNV for an implantation defect and infertility (rs9340799) for their association with endometriosis susceptibility, progression and ESR1 gene regulation in endometriosis patients. The rs2046210, rs9383590 and rs9340799 SNVs were genotyped in 153 endometriosis patients and 87 control subjects with Caucasian ancestry. We analyzed the association of all SNVs with endometriosis susceptibility in all patients and in subgroups and assessed the concordance between the SNVs. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to determine ESR1 gene expression in the eutopic endometrial tissue of the controls and endometriosis patients. The heterozygous rs2046210 GA genotype was associated with significantly increased endometriosis risk, particularly in younger, leaner and infertile women and with an increased ESR1 gene expression in the eutopic endometrium of these patients, compared to controls. The minor AA genotype of rs2046210 was identified as a potential risk factor for endometriosis progression in women with mild endometriosis. The results from this analysis indicate that rs2046210 may be a functional genetic variant associated with endometriosis development and progression.
Exploring Mountain Hikers’ Wildlife Value Orientations and Disturbance of Birds of Prey: A Case Study from Norway
Authors: Zouhar Yosra , Aas Øystein , Hambro Dybsand Hilde Nikoline
Published: July 2024

Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) are useful for gaining knowledge about how humans’ relationship to nature, wildlife, and management differs between groups in society. Our study investigated the level of acceptance for the implementation of measures to avoid the disturbance of golden eagles among hikers with different WVOs. Our results indicated differences between WVO typologies regarding how they assessed the consequences of outdoor recreation on nature and wildlife, as well as measures to manage human traffic. These findings contributed to confirming our hypotheses that peoples’ WVOs have an impact on how people assess wildlife and the natural environment, and that WVOs affect the acceptance of management measures. This study concluded that identifying and studying visitors’ WVOs contributes to understanding the underlying dimensions that influence peoples’ attitudes and behavior. WVOs has not been studied in a Norwegian context previously, and this study contributes new knowledge that is useful for managing human–wildlife relations in more sustainable ways.
Multiple Types of Developmental Dyslexias in a Shallow Orthography: Principles for Diagnostic Screening in Italian
Authors: Traficante Daniela , Luzzatti Claudio , Friedmann Naama
Published: July 2024

A new dyslexia screening test for Italian, Tiltan-IT, is presented. The test was developed based on an integrated dual-route model of reading, which describes in detail specific mechanisms underpinning early visual processes as well as the lexical and the sublexical routes. The principle according to which the test was developed is that each dyslexia type is manifested in different kinds of errors and in different kinds of stimuli, and we therefore included stimuli sensitive to each dyslexia type in the test. Tiltan-IT is a reading aloud test that includes word, nonword, and word pair lists. The test was administered to 618 Italian-speaking children (2nd–8th grade). Each error produced by the children was classified through the coding scheme developed to detect the different types of dyslexias described by the reading model. The Tiltan-IT was able to identify 110 children with dyslexia. The identified dyslexia types included letter position dyslexia, attentional dyslexia, letter identity dyslexia, surface dyslexia, vowel dyslexia, consonant conversion dyslexia, multi-letter phonological dyslexia, voicing dyslexia. The results confirm that the selection of items in the Tiltan-IT enabled the detection of the wide variety of dyslexias in Italian, some of them for the first time, adding evidence for the cross-linguistic validity of multiple types of developmental dyslexias and for the dual-route model of reading.
Gruppo Otologico’s Experience in Managing the So-Called Inoperable Tympanojugular Paraganglioma
Authors: Sanna Mario , Al-Khateeb Mohammed , Yilala Melcol Hailu , Almashhadani Mohanad , Fancello Giuseppe
Published: July 2024

Objective: to identify advanced or “so-called inoperable” cases of tympanojugular paragangliomas (PGLs) and analyze how each case is surgically managed and followed afterward. Study Design: a retrospective case series study. Methods: Out of 262 type C and D TJPs and more than 10 cases of advanced or so-called inoperable cases, files of 6 patients with a diagnosis of advanced tympanojugular PGLs who were referred to an otology and skull-base center between 1996 and 2021 were reviewed to analyze management and surgical outcomes. The criteria for choosing these cases involve having one or more of the following features: (1) a large-sized tumor; (2) a single ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA); (3) involvement of the vertebral artery; (4) a considerable involvement of the ICA; (5) an extension to the clivus, foramen magnum, and cavernous sinus; (6) large intradural involvement (IDE); and (7) bilateral or multiple PGLs. Results: The age range at presentation was 25–43 years old, with a mean of 40.5 years: two females and four males. The presenting symptoms were glossal atrophy, hearing loss, pulsatile tinnitus, dysphonia, shoulder weakness, and diplopia. The modified Infratemporal Fossa Approach (ITFA) with a transcondylar–transtubercular extension is the principal approach in most cases, with additional approaches being used accordingly. Conclusions: The contemporary introduction of carotid artery stenting with the direct and indirect embolization of PGLs has made it possible to operate on many cases, which was otherwise considered impossible to treat surgically. Generally, the key is to stage the removal of the tumor in multiple stages during the management of complex PGLs to decrease surgical morbidities. A crucial aspect is to centralize the treatment of PGLs in referral centers with experienced surgeons who are trained to plan the stages and manage possible surgical complications.
A Meta-Analysis of the Reliability of Second Language Listening Tests (1991–2022)
Authors: Shang Yuxin , Aryadoust Vahid , Hou Zhuohan
Published: July 2024

To investigate the reliability of L2 listening tests and explore potential factors affecting the reliability, a reliability generalization (RG) meta-analysis was conducted in the present study. A total number of 122 alpha coefficients of L2 listening tests from 92 published articles were collected and submitted to a linear mixed effects RG analysis. The papers were coded based on a coding scheme consisting of 16 variables classified into three categories: study features, test features, and statistical results. The results showed an average reliability of 0.818 (95% CI: 0.803 to 0.833), with 40% of reliability estimates falling below the lower bound of CI. The presence of publication bias and heterogeneity was found in the reliability of L2 listening tests, indicating that low reliability coefficients were likely omitted from some published studies. In addition, two factors predicting the reliability of L2 listening tests were the number of items and test type (standardized and researcher- or teacher-designed tests). The study also found that reliability is not a moderator of the relationship between L2 listening scores and theoretically relevant constructs. Reliability induction was identified in reporting the reliability of L2 listening tests, too. Implications for researchers and teachers are discussed.
Exploring the Relationship between Surface Acting, Job Stress, and Emotional Exhaustion in Health Professionals: The Moderating Role of LMX
Authors: Yikilmaz Ibrahim , Surucu Lutfi , Maslakci Ahmet , Dalmis Alper Bahadir , Toros Emete
Published: July 2024

Rapid organizational changes due to technological advancements, high-efficiency expectations, and uncertainties, particularly in healthcare, have led to a global stress epidemic among em-ployees. This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving workplace practices. Surface acting, or the suppression and faking of emotions, significantly contributes to this stress and burnout, impacting not only individual healthcare professionals but also healthcare systems’ overall effectiveness and sustainability. Providing adequate resources in high-demand work environments is, thus, essential to mitigate these negative experiences. Leader–member exchange (LMX) can play a pivotal role in understanding and addressing the needs and expectations of healthcare professionals. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR), Job Demands-Resources (JD-R), Social Exchange theories, and Grandey’s Emotional Regulation Model, this study analyzed data from a convenience sample of 350 healthcare professionals. The results reveal that surface acting intensifies healthcare professionals’ experiences of job stress and emotional exhaustion. Notably, the study empirically demonstrated that high levels of LMX in healthcare professionals’ relationships with their leaders can mitigate the impact of surface acting on job stress and emotional exhaustion. These findings offer valuable insights for managers and policymakers, highlighting the importance of LMX in maintaining sustainable management practices in complex and stressful healthcare organizations.
Insights from the Active Use of Neuroscience Findings in Teaching and Learning
Authors: Daugirdiene Ausra , Cesnaviciene Jurate , Brandisauskiene Agne
Published: July 2024

The aim of this paper is to show how teachers apply teaching and learning strategies related to the principles of the nervous system’s functions. In our view, understanding what constitutes good teaching is about identifying how it engages the underlying cognitive and neurosystemic processes within the human brain in relation to learning. Using a student self-assessment questionnaire, we have investigated several key processes involved in neurodidactics (excitation, perception, memory, and the use, transfer, and adaptation of information and/or actions). The sample consisted of 884 7–10th grade students. The results showed that students’ excitation, understanding, and consolidation of educational material are directly related to the work of the teacher and the teaching strategies they apply to attract and stimulate the student’s attention and to help the student to understand and remember information. The learning strategies used by the students reflect the learner’s learning activity, i.e., the use and application of strategies that allow internal knowledge to emerge. The consolidation of the learning material and the learning strategies used by the students was statistically significantly higher among the female participants. There are significant differences between low- and high-achieving students in terms of the effectiveness of teaching strategies for consolidation and the learning strategies applied by learners. The paper provides practical recommendations for teachers.
Study on the Identification of Opportunistic Behavior of Subway Project Construction Enterprises
Authors: Wen Yanfang , Huang Dinglei , Cao Zhi
Published: July 2024

With the rapid development of urban rail transportation, people’s demand for subways has gradually manifested itself. The inherent complex attributes of subway project construction determine that subway project construction has a relatively high risk, resulting in huge losses. This paper takes the opportunistic behavior of the subway project as the research object, proposes the opportunistic behavior identification process, and constructs the opportunistic behavior identification model based on the BP neural network. Firstly, through the collection and analysis of subway accident cases, the main forms of opportunistic behavior are summarized, and the primary characteristic indicators for opportunistic behavior recognition are extracted using cluster analysis. Secondly, a recognition model based on a BP neural network is designed. The number of neurons in the input layer, hidden layer, and output layer of the model is determined, and the recognition model is subsequently trained and tested to validate its feasibility. Finally, the constructed opportunistic behavior recognition model is applied to an actual subway construction project, revealing that the construction enterprise of the project in question exhibits a high level of opportunistic behavior risk. Overall, the research results of this paper have important theoretical significance and practical value for the management level of subway project construction enterprises under the new situation and the identification and governance of opportunistic behavior of subway project construction enterprises.
Lung Cancer Subtyping: A Short Review
Authors: Siddique Farzana , Shehata Mohamed , Ghazal Mohammed , Contractor Sohail , El-Baz Ayman
Published: July 2024

As of 2022, lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with the highest mortality rate. There are three main histological types of lung cancer, and it is more important than ever to accurately identify the subtypes since the development of personalized, type-specific targeted therapies that have improved mortality rates. Traditionally, the gold standard for the confirmation of histological subtyping is tissue biopsy and histopathology. This, however, comes with its own challenges, which call for newer sampling techniques and adjunctive tools to assist in and improve upon the existing diagnostic workflow. This review aims to list and describe studies from the last decade (n = 47) that investigate three such potential omics techniques—namely (1) transcriptomics, (2) proteomics, and (3) metabolomics, as well as immunohistochemistry, a tool that has already been adopted as a diagnostic adjunct. The novelty of this review compared to similar comprehensive studies lies with its detailed description of each adjunctive technique exclusively in the context of lung cancer subtyping. Similarities between studies evaluating individual techniques and markers are drawn, and any discrepancies are addressed. The findings of this study indicate that there is promising evidence that supports the successful use of omics methods as adjuncts to the subtyping of lung cancer, thereby directing clinician practice in an economical and less invasive manner.
Glioma Type Prediction with Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging—A Standardized Multicenter Study
Authors: Zerweck Leonie , Hauser Till-Karsten , Klose Uwe , Han Tong , Nägele Thomas , Shen Mi , Gohla Georg , Estler Arne , Xie Chuanmiao , Hu Hongjie , Yang Songlin , Cao Zhijian , Erb Gunter , Ernemann Ulrike , Richter Vivien
Published: July 2024

The aim was to explore the performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in differentiating the molecular subtypes of adult-type gliomas. A multicenter MRI study with standardized imaging protocols, including DCE-MRI and DKI data of 81 patients with WHO grade 2–4 gliomas, was performed at six centers. The DCE-MRI and DKI parameter values were quantitatively evaluated in ROIs in tumor tissue and contralateral normal-appearing white matter. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to differentiate between high-grade (HGG) vs. low-grade gliomas (LGG), IDH1/2 wildtype vs. mutated gliomas, and high-grade astrocytic tumors vs. high-grade oligodendrogliomas. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated for each parameter and for the regression models to determine the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. Significant differences between tumor groups were found in the DCE-MRI and DKI parameters. A combination of DCE-MRI and DKI parameters revealed the best prediction of HGG vs. LGG (AUC = 0.954 (0.900–1.000)), IDH1/2 wildtype vs. mutated gliomas (AUC = 0.802 (0.702–0.903)), and astrocytomas/glioblastomas vs. oligodendrogliomas (AUC = 0.806 (0.700–0.912)) with the lowest Akaike information criterion. The combination of DCE-MRI and DKI seems helpful in predicting glioma types according to the 2021 World Health Organization’s (WHO) classification.
MRI Radiomics Data Analysis for Differentiation between Malignant Mixed Müllerian Tumors and Endometrial Carcinoma
Authors: Virarkar Mayur , Daoud Taher , Sun Jia , Montanarella Matthew , Menendez-Santos Manuel , Mahmoud Hagar , Saleh Mohammed , Bhosale Priya
Published: July 2024

The objective of this study was to compare the quantitative radiomics data between malignant mixed Müllerian tumors (MMMTs) and endometrial carcinoma (EC) and identify texture features associated with overall survival (OS). This study included 61 patients (36 with EC and 25 with MMMTs) and analyzed various radiomic features and gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features. These variables and patient clinicopathologic characteristics were compared between EC and MMMTs using the Wilcoxon Rank sum and Fisher’s exact test. The area under the curve of the receiving operating characteristics (AUC ROC) was calculated for univariate analysis in predicting EC status. Logistic regression with elastic net regularization was performed for texture feature selection. This study showed that skewness (p = 0.045) and tumor volume (p = 0.007) significantly differed between EC and MMMTs. The range of cluster shade, the angular variance of cluster shade, and the range of the sum of squares variance were significant predictors of EC status (p ≤ 0.05). The regularized Cox regression analysis identified the “256 Angular Variance of Energy” texture feature as significantly associated with OS independently of the EC/MMMT grouping (p = 0.004). The volume and texture features of the tumor region may help distinguish between EC and MMMTs and predict patient outcomes.