bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioaccessibility and Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus sp. to Enhance Nham Protein Hydrolysates in Thai Fermented Sausage
Authors: Phupaboon Srisan , Kontongdee Papatchaya , Hashim Farah J. , Kanpipit Nattawadee , Matra Maharach , Totakul Pajaree , Prommachart Ronnachai , Phesatcha Burarat , Wanapat Metha
Published: November 2022

The development of functional food products is increasingly gaining lots of interest and popularity among stakeholders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioaccessibility of three Lactobacillus sp. starter cultures, including Lacticaseibacillus casei KKU-KK1, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus KKU-KK2, and Lactobacillus acidophilus KKU-KK3, in order to enhance the performance of the probiotic potential of Nham protein hydrolysates in Thai fermented sausage using microencapsulation technology. Probiotic microcapsules were created from a novel wall material made up of a combination of glutinous rice flour and inulin through a freeze-drying process. Accordingly, the results of three formulations of Nham probiotic and spontaneous fermentation (control) characterized by their physicochemical and microbiological characteristics displayed a correlation between an increase in the amount of total acidity, the population of lactic acid bacteria, and the generated TCA-soluble peptides, while the pH and total soluble protein gradually decreased under proteolysis during the fermentation time. The fractionation of Nham protein hydrolysates (NPHs) was prepared using a microwave extraction process: NPH-nham1, NPH-nham2, and NPH-nham3 (10 mg/mL with fermentation time 114 h), exhibited the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity and FRAP-reducing power capacity as well, compared to NPH-nhamcontrol at p < 0.05. Moreover, those NPHs peptides showed dose-dependent inhibiting of selected pathogenic bacteria (E. coli TISTR 073, S. aureus TISTR 029, and Ent. aerogenes TISTR 1540). Anti-microbial properties of NPHs peptides against gram-negative bacteria were higher than against gram-positive bacteria. In conclusion, the bioaccessibility of NPHs peptides was significantly enhanced by micro-encapsulation and showed a potential bioactive characteristic for developing into a probiotic agent.
The Usage of GIS Tools on Vintage Aerogeophysical Data for Simple and Fast Processing with a Focus on Fault Interpretation: An Austrian Case Study
Authors: Schattauer Ingrid , Hintersberger Esther , Ullrich Christian , Supper Robert , Motschka Klaus
Published: November 2022

The reuse of vintage datasets which were acquired in the 20th century can pose challenges for modern geophysical modeling due to missing detailed preprocessing information, significant uncertainties, or lack of precise tracking, etc. Nevertheless, they are often the only available datasets in a target region. We explore here the potential of such vintage airborne geophysical datasets (magnetics, AEM, radiometrics) to detect the location and dip direction of geological faults, using a non-modeling interpretation approach based on multiple GIS tools. We apply our approach in a geologically well-known region where four different types of faults are mapped. The applicability of the tools used in this study depend on the geological setting of each fault and is evaluated based on the comparison with geological and—where available—with modeling data. In general, the GIS tools, especially used on a combination of datasets, show reliable results concerning the location and strike of faults, and even seem to be able to predict the dip direction of a fault.
Deep Electrical Resistivity Tomography for Geophysical Investigations: The State of the Art and Future Directions
Authors: Balasco Marianna , Lapenna Vincenzo , Rizzo Enzo , Telesca Luciano
Published: November 2022

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is a robust and well-consolidated method largely applied in near-surface geophysics. Nevertheless, the mapping of the spatial resistivity patterns of the subsurface at a depth greater than 1 km was performed in just a few cases by the ERT method, called deep ERT (DERT). Since, in many cases, the term DERT was adopted with ambiguity for geoelectrical explorations varying in depth within a range of 0–500 m, the main goal of this review is to clearly define the DERT method, identifying a threshold value in the investigation depth. The study focuses both on the purely methodological aspects (e.g., geoelectrical data processing in low noise-to-signal ratio conditions; tomographic algorithms for data inversion) and on the technological features (e.g., sensor layouts, multi-array systems), envisaging the future directions of the research activity, especially that based on machine learning, for improving the geoelectrical data processing and interpretation. The results of the more significant papers published on this topic in the last 20 years are analyzed and discussed.
Medusa’s Gaze and Geijerstam’s Gay Science in the Swedish fin de siècle
Authors: Marcus Gustaf
Published: November 2022

Gustaf af Geijerstam’s Medusas hufvud (Medusa’s Head, 1895) is one of the “account-settling novels” of the late nineteenth century. These novels reflect on the aesthetic reorientation after the breakdown of the “Eighties movement” in Sweden. One important dimension of this transformation was the growing emphasis on gendered visions of authorship. I argue that Geijerstam’s novel is an attempt to create a male author role and a male intellectual sphere. The establishment of a male literary sphere requires homosocial desire, an artistic passion that Geijerstam understands as similar and different from sexual desire. This terminology is employed, after Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, to insist on a productive continuum between the repositioning on the literary field that the novel represents and the thinly disguised homosexual tensions between its three male characters. However, the homosexual tensions are also related to secrecy, disgust, and terror (most clearly visible in the important Medusa motif). I finally argue that Geijerstam employs the erotic triangle, where the woman functions as a “mediator” for a relationship between the men, as a plot device that lets him simultaneously explore and dissimulate this homosocial desire.
How Psychological Variables Maybe Correlated with Willingness to Get COVID-19 Vaccine: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study of Polish Novice Nurses
Authors: Gotlib Joanna , Jaworski Mariusz , Cieślak Ilona , Sobierajski Tomasz , Wawrzuta Dominik , Małkowski Piotr , Dobrowolska Beata , Dyk Danuta , Gaworska-Krzemińska Aleksandra , Grochans Elżbieta , Kózka Maria , Lewko Jolanta , Uchmanowicz Izabella , Panczyk Mariusz
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Nurses became the largest medical group exposed to direct contact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this study, we aimed to assess the readiness and motivation for vaccination, as well as the use of sources of information and attitudes toward vaccination depending on the psychological profile. Material and methods: A cross-sectional online survey study was conducted. The study included 145 novice nurses from 8 medical universities who completed 3-year undergraduate studies. Women constituted 97.2% of the respondents (N = 141). The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Brief Resilient Coping Scale, and an original questionnaire were used. Variables were analyzed with descriptive statistics methods. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among the participants, 73.1% had already been vaccinated against COVID-19 (N = 106). The participants were divided into two groups: G1 (N = 98), characterized by a lower level of anxiety with higher self-efficacy and resilient coping, and G2 (N = 47), with a higher level of anxiety with poorer self-efficacy and resilient coping. The analysis of the potential correlation of psychological pattern with the decision to vaccinate was not statistically significant (p = 0.166). Conclusion: Psychological variables may be correlating with motivation, attitudes toward vaccination, and the choice of reliable sources of information about vaccination. Our study demonstrates the key role of two psychological variables, self-efficacy and resilient coping, in this context.
Uncertainty in Determination of Meteorological Drought Zones Based on Standardized Precipitation Index in the Territory of Poland
Authors: Wicher-Dysarz Joanna , Dysarz Tomasz , Jaskuła Joanna
Published: November 2022

The primary aim of this work is to assess the accuracy of the methods for spatial interpolation applied for the reconstruction of the spatial distribution of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). The one-month version called SPI-1 is chosen for this purpose due to the known greatest variability of this index in comparison with its other versions. The analysis has been made for the territory of the entire country of Poland. At the same time the uncertainty related to the application of such computational procedures is determined based on qualitative and quantitative measures. The public data of two kinds are applied: (1) measurements of precipitation and (2) the locations of the meteorological stations in Poland. The analysis has been made for the period 1990–2020. However, all available observations since 1950 have been implemented. The number of available meteorological stations has decreased over the analyzed period. In January 1990 there were over one thousand stations making observations. In the end of the period of the study, the number of stations was below six hundred. Obviously, the temporal scarcity of data had an impact on the obtained results. The main tools applied were ArcGIS supported with Python scripting, including generally used modules and procedures dedicated to geoprocessing. Such an approach appeared crucial for the effective processing of the large number of data available. It also guaranteed the accuracy of the produced results and brought about drought maps based on SPI-1. The methods tested included: Inverse Distance Weighted, Natural Neighbor, Linear, Kriging, and Spline. The presented results prove that all the procedures are inaccurate and uncertain, but some of them provide satisfactory results. The worst method seems to be the interpolation based on Spline functions. The practical aspects related to the implementation of the methods led to removal of the Linear and Kriging interpolations from further use. Hence, Inverse Distance Weighted, as well as Natural Neighbor, seem to be well suited for this problem.
Characteristics of Diagnosed and Death Cases of Pneumoconiosis in Hubei Province, China, 1949–2019
Authors: Yao Yuxin , Wei Tingting , Zhang Hai , Xie Yujia , Gu Pei , Yao Yongxiang , Xiong Xin , Peng Zhe , Zhen Zhong , Liu Sheng , Cui Xiuqing , Mei Liangying , Ma Jixuan
Published: November 2022

Objective: This study aims to summarize the characteristics of diagnosed pneumoconiosis and pneumoconiosis death in the Hubei Province of China, between the years 1949 and 2019, and provide clues for the scientific prevention of pneumoconiosis. Methods: We recruited 23,069 pneumoconiosis cases in Hubei Province, China, from 1949 to 2019. Basic information and occupational surveillance information were obtained from the Hubei Occupational Diseases and Health Risk Factors Information Surveillance System. Results: The annually diagnosed pneumoconiosis cases showed an overall increasing trend from 1949 to 2019 in Hubei Province. The major types of pneumoconiosis were coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP, 49.91%) and silicosis (43.39%). Pneumoconiosis cases were mainly engaged in mining (75.32%) and manufacturing (12.72%), and were distributed in Huangshi (35.48%), Yichang (16.16%), and Jingzhou (7.97%). CWP (47.50%) and silicosis (44.65%) accounted for most of the deaths. Conclusions: The number of pneumoconiosis cases and deaths in Hubei increased in the period of 1949 to 2019. Silicosis and CWP contributed to the predominant types of pneumoconiosis. Prevention and control measures should continue to be taken to reduce the morbidity and mortality of pneumoconiosis.
Health Promotion on Instagram: Descriptive–Correlational Study and Predictive Factors of Influencers’ Content
Authors: Picazo-Sánchez Laura , Domínguez-Martín Rosa , García-Marín David
Published: November 2022

The pandemic has accentuated the power that influencers have to influence their followers. Various scientific approaches highlight the lack of moral and ethical responsibility of these creators when disseminating content under highly sensitive tags such as health. This article presents a correlational statistical study of 443 Instagram accounts with more than one million followers belonging to health-related categories. This study aims to describe the content of these profiles and their authors and to determine whether they promote health as accounts that disseminate health-related content, identifying predictive factors of their content topics. In addition, it aims to portray their followers and establish correlations between the gender of the self-described health influencers, the characteristics of their audience and the messages that these prescribers share. Health promotion is not the predominant narrative among these influencers, who tend to promote beauty and normative bodies over health matters. A correlation is observed between posting health content, the gender of the influencers and the average age of their audiences. The study concludes with a discussion on the role of public media education and the improvement of ethical protocols on social networks to limit the impact of misleading and false content on sensitive topics, increasing the influence of real health prescribers.
English Learning Stress, Self-Efficacy, and Burnout among Undergraduate Students: The Moderating Effect of Mindfulness and Gender
Authors: Xu Liling , Wang Huahua , Chen Jiaxin , Zhang Yiwen , Huang Zhiqi , Yu Chengfu
Published: November 2022

Research has indicated that English learning stress contributes significantly to English learning burnout among undergraduate students. However, knowledge of the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship is limited. To bridge this gap, a moderated mediation model was constructed to examine whether English learning self-efficacy mediated the relationship between English learning stress and English learning burnout. Furthermore, this study analyzed whether the mediated relationship was moderated by mindfulness and gender. A total of 1130 Chinese undergraduate students (mean age = 20.84 years, SD = 1.57 years) reported their experiences regarding English learning stress, English learning self-efficacy, English learning burnout, and mindfulness. After controlling for covariates, the results revealed that English learning self-efficacy mediated the positive link between English learning stress and English learning burnout among both men and women. Moreover, the findings demonstrated that the indirect link was moderated by mindfulness among male undergraduate students. However, the moderating effect of mindfulness was not significant among the women in this study. The implications of these findings for future research, and the development of intervention and prevention of English learning burnout are discussed.
Comparison of the External Load in Training Sessions and Official Matches in Female Football: A Case Report
Authors: Olaizola Aratz , Errekagorri Ibai , Lopez-de-Ipina Karmele , María Calvo Pilar , Castellano Julen
Published: November 2022

The objective of this study was to compare the external load of training sessions using as a reference an official competition match in women’s football in order to find if the training sessions replicate the competition demands. Twenty-two semi-professional football players were analyzed during 17 weeks in the first phase of the competitive period of the 2020–2021 season of Spanish women’s football. In addition to the competition (Official Matches, OM), four types of sessions were distinguished: strength or intensity (INT), endurance or extensity (EXT), velocity (VEL), and activation or pre-competitive (PREOM). The external load variables recorded were total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR), sprint (Sprint), accelerations (ACC2), decelerations (DEC2), player load (PL), distance covered per minute (TDmin), high metabolic load distance (HMLD), and total impacts. The main results were that the external load demanded was different according to the type of session, being, in all cases, much lower than OM. The variables referring to the neuromuscular demands (ACC2 and DEC2) were higher in the INT sessions, the TD variable in the EXT sessions and the velocity variables (HSR and Sprint) in the VEL sessions. We can conclude that there was an alternating horizontal distribution of training loads within the competitive micro-cycle in women’s football, although the order was not the usual one for tactical periodization.
Characteristics, Possible Origins, and Health Risk Assessment of Trace Elements in Surface Waters of the Han River Watershed, South Korea
Authors: Im Jong Kwon , Cho Yong Chul , Kim Young Seuk , Lee Soyoung , Kang Taegu , Kim Sang Hun
Published: November 2022

To safeguard aquatic environments in and around the Han River watershed in South Korea, a multivariate statistical evaluation of trace elements, a trace element concentration analysis and source determination, and a human health risk assessment were conducted on 10 trace elements at 25 sites. The results demonstrated that the Han River watershed was mainly affected by anthropogenic activities (traffic/industrial activity). The range of concentrations was arranged in descending order: Fe (217.13 ± 301.03 µg/L) > Mn (102.36 ± 153.04 µg/L) > Zn (23.33 ± 79.63 µg/L) > Ba (29.05 ± 12.37 µg/L) > Ni (5.14 ± 11.57 µg/L) > Cu (3.80 ± 3.56 µg/L) > Pb (0.46 ± 0.52 µg/L) > Se (0.06 ± 0.04 µg/L) > Cd (0.01 ± 0.01 µg/L) > Ag (0.004 ± 0.013 µg/L). The hazard index values of trace elements in surface water for combined pathways (ingestion and dermal contact) were < 1.0 for both adults and children, indicating no possible human health hazards. The estimated total cancer risk did not exceed the acceptable limit (1 × 10−4) for adults and children. The findings of this study provide data-driven guidelines for water environment policy decisions in the study area.
Characterization of Planktochlorella nurekis Extracts and Virucidal Activity against a Coronavirus Model, the Murine Coronavirus 3
Authors: Graff Reis Jacqueline , Dai Prá Isabella , Michelon William , Viancelli Aline , Piedrahita Marquez David Guillermo , Schmitz Caroline , Maraschin Marcelo , Moura Sidnei , Thaís Silva Izabella , de Oliveira Costa Geovanna , Tizziani Tiago , Sandjo Louis P. , Rodríguez-Lázaro David , Fongaro Gislaine
Published: November 2022

Certain members of the Coronaviridae family have emerged as zoonotic agents and have recently caused severe respiratory diseases in humans and animals, such as SARS, MERS, and, more recently, COVID-19. Antivirals (drugs and antiseptics) capable of controlling viruses at the site of infection are scarce. Microalgae from the Chlorellaceae family are sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, antiviral, and antitumor activity. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate various extracts from Planktochlorella nurekis in vitro against murine coronavirus-3 (MHV-3), which is an essential human coronavirus surrogate for laboratory assays. Methanol, hexane, and dichloromethane extracts of P. nurekis were tested in cells infected with MHV-3, and characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), and the application of chemometrics through principal component analysis (PCA). All the extracts were highly efficient against MHV-3 (more than a 6 Log unit reduction), regardless of the solvent used or the concentration of the extract, but the dichloromethane extract was the most effective. Chemical characterization by spectrophotometry and NMR, with the aid of statistical analysis, showed that polyphenols, carbohydrates, and isoprene derivatives, such as terpenes and carotenoids have a more significant impact on the virucidal potential. Compounds identified by UPLC-MS were mainly lipids and only found in the dichloromethane extract. These results open new biotechnological possibilities to explore the biomass of P. nurekis; it is a natural extract and shows low cytotoxicity and an excellent antiviral effect, with low production costs, highlighting a promising potential for development and implementation of therapies against coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2.
Hydrogeochemical Response of Cave Drips to Precipitation during Rainfall in a Karst Desertification Region: A Case Study of Shijiangjun Cave, South China
Authors: Lyu Xiaoxi , Li Yuan , Xiong Kangning
Published: November 2022

Exploring the hydrogeochemistry of cave drip water and its response to precipitation events in karst rocky desertification regions is of great significance to the paleoenvironment reconstruction of the karst desertification process using speleothem. We selected three perennial drip sites in the Shijiangjun Cave, located in Guizhou Province, Southwest China, and carried out high-frequency monitoring and sampling during two rainfalls from 22 to 25 May 2016. The major hydrogeochemical parameters of drip water and their relationships with karst desertification were analyzed. The results show that the hydrogeochemistry of the drip water in the Shijiangjun Cave, characterized by HCO3-Ca·Mg, was dominated by the dissolution of calcareous dolomite. The three drip sites were classified into the delayed response type (W1) and the rapid response type (W2 and W3) based on the response speed of the drip water indicators to precipitation, which were highly influenced by the piston effect and precipitation dilution, respectively. Furthermore, the response sensitivity of the drip water indicators to precipitation was constrained by the desertification degree in the rainy season, specifically, the faster response appeared in the higher desertification degree area. It is essential to select appropriate drip sites and establish an applicable indicator system for the evolutional history reconstruction of karst desertification using speleothems.
Friendly Residential Environments and Subjective Well-Being in Older People with and without Help Needs
Authors: Molina-Martínez María Ángeles , Marsillas Sara , Sánchez-Román María , del Barrio Elena
Published: November 2022

Previous studies have shown that friendly environments are associated with well-being and higher quality of life in older people. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between friendly environments and subjective well-being by segmenting the population according to the need for help in performing activities of daily living (ADLs) in a representative sample of people over 55 years of age in the Basque Country (Spain) (n = 2760). To determine the predictive power of friendliness on subjective well-being, two separate linear regression models were obtained according to the need for help in ADLs. The results obtained show a greater explanatory power of the model in the case of people who required help. However, in the case of people who do not need help, subjective health had a greater weight in the predictions. This paper’s findings support the greater importance of the characteristics of the physical and social environment, as people’s functional status worsens, with friendliness being an explanatory factor for people’s well-being as they age and their dependency increases.
Uptake and Transport of Different Concentrations of PPCPs by Vegetables
Authors: Zeng Yongfu , Zhang Yiming , Zhang Haichao , Wang Jing , Lian Kaoqi , Ai Lianfeng
Published: November 2022

In many parts of the world, water resources are scarce or even extremely scarce, and the reuse of water resources has become mainstream in today’s world. Many regions use treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation, aquaculture, and other activities. However, in recent years, wastewater has been found to contain large amounts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Therefore, there is a potential risk of PPCPs being transported in the environment and affecting human health. In this study, we compared the uptake, transport, and accumulation of 27 PPCPs in three types of sprouts (radish, buckwheat, and okra).The bioaccumulation of amantadine, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine maleate, sibutramine, hemosibutramine, chlorosibutramine, N-monomethyl sibutramine, N, N-desmethyl sibutramine, and carbamazepine was found to be significantly higher in plants grown for 12 days in media containing 0.5, 5.0, and 50.0 ng/mL PPCPs. With increasing concentration of PPCPs in the culture solution, the amount of PPCPs absorbed by plants and the degree of accumulation also showed an increasing trend. At the same time, it was demonstrated that there was an obvious uptake transfer phenomenon of PPCPs by plants, and the trend of uptake transfer became more and more obvious as the concentration of external environmental pollutants increased. In addition, amantadine, chlorpheniramine maleate, carbamazepine, N, N-desmethyl sibutramine, hemosibutramine, and chlorosibutramine showed more active translocation in some plants (TF > 1.0).
Self-Esteem, Meaningful Experiences and the Rocky Road—Contexts of Physical Activity That Impact Mental Health in Adolescents
Authors: Murphy John , McGrane Bronagh , White Rhiannon Lee , Sweeney Mary Rose
Published: November 2022

Abundant evidence shows that physical activity benefits adolescents’ mental health and wellbeing. Quantitative evidence has shown that adolescents engaging in leisure time physical activity, a number of sports, and team sport, display better mental health outcomes than their peers. The specific contextual factors that contribute to increased mental health and wellbeing through physical activity are, as yet, unconfirmed. The purpose of this study was to identify the contexts of physical activity and sport that positively impact mental health and wellbeing as perceived by adolescents. A sample of 58 adolescents participated in 13 focus groups discussing various factors related to physical activity, sport and mental health. Participants brought an object that represented physical activity and an image that represented wellbeing to each focus group to aid in the discussion and representation of both. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted on transcripts of the focus groups using a six-phase approach. Five key themes were identified: (1) achievements and improvements leading to increased self-esteem; (2) the importance of meaningful experiences, a sense of belonging and contributions to identity; (3) development of resilience and responding to setbacks; (4) social connectedness and relatedness, and (5) an opportunity to experience mindfulness, distraction and flow-states. In order to enhance and support wellbeing through physical activity, adolescents should be encouraged and provided with opportunities to engage in enjoyable activities with people with whom they experience a sense of belonging, where there is an opportunity to experience mastery and improvement and that includes an element of autonomy or choice.
A Global Survey of Ethnic Indian Women Living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Co-Morbidities, Concerns, Diagnosis Experiences, Quality of Life, and Use of Treatment Methods
Authors: Rao Vibhuti , Cowan Stephanie , Armour Mike , Smith Caroline , Cheema Birinder , Moran Lisa , Lim Siew , Gupta Sabrina , Manincor Michael , Sreedhar Vikram , Ee Carolyn
Published: November 2022

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy that is highly prevalent in women of Indian ethnicity. Clinical practice guidelines do not adequately consider ethnic–cultural differences in the diagnosing and care of women with PCOS. This study aimed to understand co-morbidities, key concerns, quality of life (QoL), and diagnosis experiences of ethnic Indian women living with PCOS. Methods: Global online survey of ethnic Indian women of reproductive age living with PCOS. Results: Respondents (n = 4409) had a mean age of 26.8 (SD 5.5) years and reported having a family history of type 2 diabetes (43%) and PCOS (18%). Most of them (64%) were diagnosed with one or more co-morbidities (anxiety/depression being the most common). Irregular periods, cysts on the ovaries, and excess unwanted facial hair growth were their three top concerns. On average, women experienced symptoms of PCOS at the age of 19.0 (SD 5.0) and were diagnosed at the age of 20.8 years (SD 4.8). We report a one-year delay in seeking medical help and a seven-month diagnostic delay, which were associated with poor satisfaction with the information provided related to PCOS and its treatment options (p < 0.01). Women living outside India reported difficulty losing weight as their most key concern; however, they had lesser satisfaction with the information provided on diet (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.8; p = 0.002), exercise (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.9; p = 0.002) and behavioural advice (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.9; p = 0.004) than women living in India. Most women reported poor QoL in weight and emotion domains. Conclusions: Ethnic Indian women experience early onset of PCOS symptoms and delay in seeking professional help. Timely diagnosis, providing cultural-specific education related to lifestyle and weight management, and improving psycho-emotional support are key areas that should be addressed in clinical practice and future research.
The Limits of GIS Implementation in Education: A Systematic Review
Authors: Bernhäuserová Veronika , Havelková Lenka , Hátlová Kateřina , Hanus Martin
Published: November 2022

Despite the extensive discussion on the educational potential of GIS and the changes made in the curricula in many countries, the implementation of GIS in classrooms has still been relatively slow. This is because of variables limiting the process of GIS implementation in lessons. Although research into the limits of GIS implementation has been carried out quite extensively, there is a need for knowledge systematisation in the field. Therefore, the presented systematic review of 34 empirical studies addresses this need and pays attention to the methodological approaches used to research the limits, the identified limits of GIS implementation, their categorisation, and any temporal trends in their occurrence. Altogether, the analysed studies identified 68 limits of GIS implementation in education using mainly quantitative methodology (especially the questionnaire), with utmost attention paid to teachers as participants. These limits then formed complex categorisation that distinguishes elementarily between the limits related to humans and resources. The most frequent and variable category of limits was teachers followed by technology, while both kept their positions in all periods. The systematisation of the research enables the formulation of implications for educational and geoinformatics practice and recommendations for future research.
A Study on the Emergency Shelter Spatial Accessibility Based on the Adaptive Catchment Size 2SFCA Method
Authors: Ding Zilin , Dong Hongjun , Yang Liang , Xue Na , He Lanping , Yao Xinqiang
Published: November 2022

In order to access the spatial accessibility of emergency shelters, the relationship between the supply and demand of emergency shelters in the two dimensions of space and non-space must be comprehensively considered. Meanwhile, it is vital to understand the competitive relationship among emergency shelters. However, there are disadvantages when using the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method and the improved 2SFCA method when addressing these issues. This study proposes the adaptive catchment size 2SFCA (A-2SFCA) method to calculate spatial accessibility values, which can work alongside the two relationships mentioned above. The analysis procedure of the A-2SFCA method has two stages. Firstly, this method adjusts the catchment size of the shelters by observing how crowded they are and repeatedly using this statistic in a service subset. At the end of this stage, every catchment area is determined. Secondly, the catchment areas are used to calculate the spatial accessibility values. The method was used to study a region in the Tianjin urban area in China. The proposed A-2SFCA and fixed-coverage-based two-step floating catchment area (FC2SFCA) methods are employed to measure and compare the spatial accessibility values. The result shows that the spatial accessibility in Tianjin urban area is unstable. The spatial accessibility result obtained from the A-2SFCA method is more reasonable than the FC2SFCA method when analyzing the reasonable catchment areas of emergency shelters. The A-2SFCA method provides a method for determining the catchment size of public service providers, which can be used for the accessibility analysis of various other public facilities.
Landscape Visual Impact Evaluation for Onshore Wind Farm: A Case Study
Authors: Guan Jinjin
Published: November 2022

Wind energy is an effective solution for achieving the carbon-neutrality target and mitigating climate change. The expansion of onshore wind energy evokes extensive attention to environmental impact in the locality. The landscape visual impact has become the critical reason for the local protest. This paper proposed a landscape visual impact evaluation (LVIE) model that combines the theoretical framework and practical solutions and optimizes the onshore wind farm planning procedures. Based on the theoretical research on landscape connotation, the evaluation principles, criteria, and a quantitative indicator set is constructed for LVIE model with three dimensions: landscape sensitivity, the visual impact of WTs, and viewer exposure. The practicality of this evaluation model is conducted through multi-criteria GIS analysis by the case study of Friedrich-Wilhelm Raiffeisen Wind Farm in Germany. The evaluation results illustrate detailed, visualized outcomes of landscape visual impact that are deeply combined with planning procedures. The innovation of this paper is to refine the form of evaluation results, optimize the procedures of wind farm planning, and enable cooperation between different planning departments and stakeholders with definite, visible, user-friendly evaluation results. This research provides precise comparison opportunities for different projects or the same project at different periods to obtain quantitative conclusions and feedback information. This paper enhances the accurate processing of multiple information and standardization process in wind energy visual impact evaluation.
A GtoG Direct Coding Mapping Method for Multi-Type Global Discrete Grids Based on Space Filling Curves
Authors: Li Yalu , Zhao Xuesheng , Sun Wenbin , Wang Guangsong , Luo Fuli , Wang Zheng , Duan Yuanzheng
Published: November 2022

DGGS (Discrete Global Grid System) has many subdivision models and coding methods. Due to the lack of underlying consistency of different DGGS codes, most of them are converted through longitude–latitude, which greatly reduces the interoperability efficiency of different DGGS data and has become one of the bottlenecks in efficient integration of multi-source DGGS data. Therefore, a direct mapping method from one grid code to another (Grid to Grid, GtoG) for multi-type DGGSs is proposed based on three classical DGGSs (triangular, diamond and hexagonal grids) and two commonly used filling curves (Hilbert curve and Z-curve). The mutual conversion rules of different grids expressing spatial point, line and surface data are constructed. Then, the above method is extended to the spherical icosahedral grid framework, and three different region coding mapping rule tables of the basic inside cells, boundary cells and vertex cells are designed. Finally, the experimental results show that, compared with the longitude–latitude conversion method, the average conversion efficiency of spatial point, line and surface data is increased by 2–4 orders of magnitude. This new method greatly improves the interoperability efficiency and provides a feasible solution for the efficient integration of multi-source DGGS data.
Low-Cost System for Automatic Recognition of Driving Pattern in Assessing Interurban Mobility using Geo-Information
Authors: Romero Oscar , Miura Aika Silveira , Parra Lorena , Lloret Jaime
Published: November 2022

Mobility in urban and interurban areas, mainly by cars, is a day-to-day activity of many people. However, some of its main drawbacks are traffic jams and accidents. Newly made vehicles have pre-installed driving evaluation systems, which can prevent accidents. However, most cars on our roads do not have driver assessment systems. In this paper, we propose an approach for recognising driving styles and enabling drivers to reach safer and more efficient driving. The system consists of two physical sensors connected to a device node with a display and a speaker. An artificial neural network (ANN) is included in the node, which analyses the data from the sensors, and then recognises the driving style. When an abnormal driving pattern is detected, the speaker will play a warning message. The prototype was assembled and tested using an interurban road, in particular on a conventional road with three driving styles. The gathered data were used to train and validate the ANN. Results, in terms of accuracy, indicate that better accuracy is obtained when the velocity, position (latitude and longitude), time, and turning speed for the 3-axis are used, offering an average accuracy of 83%. If the classification is performed considering just two driving styles, normal and aggressive, then the accuracy reaches 92%. When the geo-information and time data are included, the main novelty of this paper, the classification accuracy is improved by 13%.
Geographic Named Entity Recognition by Employing Natural Language Processing and an Improved BERT Model
Authors: Tao Liufeng , Xie Zhong , Xu Dexin , Ma Kai , Qiu Qinjun , Pan Shengyong , Huang Bo
Published: November 2022

Toponym recognition, or the challenge of detecting place names that have a similar referent, is involved in a number of activities connected to geographical information retrieval and geographical information sciences. This research focuses on recognizing Chinese toponyms from social media communications. While broad named entity recognition methods are frequently used to locate places, their accuracy is hampered by the many linguistic abnormalities seen in social media posts, such as informal sentence constructions, name abbreviations, and misspellings. In this study, we describe a Chinese toponym identification model based on a hybrid neural network that was created with these linguistic inconsistencies in mind. Our method adds a number of improvements to a standard bidirectional recurrent neural network model to help with location detection in social media messages. We demonstrate the results of a wide-ranging evaluation of the performance of different supervised machine learning methods, which have the natural advantage of avoiding human design features. A set of controlled experiments with four test datasets (one constructed and three public datasets) demonstrates the performance of supervised machine learning that can achieve good results on the task, significantly outperforming seven baseline models.
Solid Solutions of Lindbergite–Glushinskite Series: Synthesis, Ionic Substitutions, Phase Transformation and Crystal Morphology
Authors: Korneev Anatolii V. , Izatulina Alina R. , Kuz’mina Mariya A. , Frank-Kamenetskaya Olga V.
Published: November 2022

To clarify the crystal chemical features of natural and synthetic oxalates Me2+(C2O4)∙2H2O (Me2+ = Fe, Mn, Mg, Zn), including minerals of the humboldtine group, solid solutions of lindbergite Mn(C2O4)∙2H2O–glushinskite Mg(C2O4)∙2H2O were precipitated under various conditions, close to those characteristic of mineralization in biofilms: at the stoichiometric ratios ((Mn + Mg)/C2O4 = 1) and non-stochiometric ratios ((Mn + Mg)/C2O4 < 1), in the presence and absence of citrate ions. Investigation of precipitates was carried out by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Thermodynamic modelling was performed in order to evaluate the lindbergite–glushinskite equilibrium. It was shown that glushinskite belongs to the orthorhombic β-modification (sp. Gr. Fddd), while lindbergite has a monoclinic α-modification (sp. gr. C2/c). Mg ions incorporate lindbergite in much higher quantities than Mn ions incorporate glushinskite; moreover, Mn glushinskites are characterized by violations of long-range order in their crystal structure. Lindbergite–glushinskite transition occurs abruptly and can be classified as a first-order isodimorphic transition. The Me2+/C2O4 ratio and the presence of citric acid in the solution affect the isomorphic capacity of lindbergite and glushinskite, the width of the transition and the equilibrium Mg/Mn ratio. The transition is accompanied by continuous morphological changes in crystals and crystal intergrowths. Given the obtained results, it is necessary to take into account in biotechnologies aimed at the bioremediation/bioleaching of metals from media containing mixtures of cations (Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn).
The Role of Exogenous Gibberellic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate against White-Backed Planthopper (Sogatella furcifera) Stress in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Asif Saleem , Jang Yoon-Hee , Kim Eun-Gyeong , Jan Rahmatullah , Asaf Sajjad , Aaqil Khan Muhammad , Farooq Muhammad , Lubna  , Kim Nari , Lee In-Jung , Kim Kyung-Min
Published: November 2022

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the essential staple foods for more than half of the world’s population, and its production is affected by different environmental abiotic and biotic stress conditions. The white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera) causes significant damage to rice plants, leading to substantial economic losses due to reduced production. In this experiment, we applied exogenous hormones (gibberellic acid and methyl jasmonate) to WBPH-infested rice plants and examined the relative expression of related genes, antioxidant accumulation, the recovery rate of affected plants, endogenous hormones, the accumulation of H2O2, and the rate of cell death using DAB and trypan staining, respectively. The expression of the transcriptional regulator (OsGAI) and gibberellic-acid-mediated signaling regulator (OsGID2) was upregulated significantly in GA 50 µM + WBPH after 36 h. OsGAI was upregulated in the control, GA 50 µM + WBPH, GA 100 µM + WBPH, and MeJA 100 µM + WBPH. However, after 48 h, the OsGID2 was significantly highly expressed in all groups of plants. The glutathione (GSH) values were significantly enhanced by GA 100 µM and MeJA 50 µM treatment. Unlike glutathione (GSH), the catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) values were significantly reduced in control + WBPH plants. However, a slight increase in CAT and POD values was observed in GA 50 + WBPH plants and a reduction in the POD value was observed in GA 100 µM + WBPH and MeJA 50 µM + WBPH plants. GA highly recovered the WBPH-affected rice plants, while no recovery was seen in MeJA-treated plants. MeJA was highly accumulated in control + WBPH, MeJA 50 µM + WBPH, and GA 100 µM + WBPH plants. The H2O2 accumulation was highly decreased in GA-treated plants, while extensive cell death was observed in MeJA-treated plants compared with GA-treated plants. From this study, we can conclude that the exogenous application of GA can overcome the effects of the WBPH and enhance resistance in rice.
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Supplementation Improves Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Rescues Cellular Senescence by NAD+/Sirt3 Pathway in Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Wang Huan , Sun Yanan , Pi Chenchen , Yu Xiao , Gao Xingyu , Zhang Chang , Sun Hui , Zhang Haiying , Shi Yingai , He Xu
Published: November 2022

In vitro expansion-mediated replicative senescence has severely limited the clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Accumulating studies manifested that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) depletion is closely related to stem cell senescence and mitochondrial metabolism disorder. Promoting NAD+ level is considered as an effective way to delay aging. Previously, we have confirmed that nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor of NAD+, can alleviate NAD+ deficiency-induced MSC senescence. However, whether NMN can attenuate MSC senescence and its underlying mechanisms are still incompletely clear. The present study herein showed that late passage (LP) MSCs displayed lower NAD+ content, reduced Sirt3 expression and mitochondrial dysfunction. NMN supplementation leads to significant increase in intracellular NAD+ level, NAD+/ NADH ratio, Sirt3 expression, as well as ameliorated mitochondrial function and rescued senescent MSCs. Additionally, Sirt3 over-expression relieved mitochondrial dysfunction, and retrieved senescence-associated phenotypic features in LP MSCs. Conversely, inhibition of Sirt3 activity via a selective Sirt3 inhibitor 3-TYP in early passage (EP) MSCs resulted in aggravated cellular senescence and abnormal mitochondrial function. Furthermore, NMN administration also improves 3-TYP-induced disordered mitochondrial function and cellular senescence in EP MSCs. Collectively, NMN replenishment alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction and rescues MSC senescence through mediating NAD+/Sirt3 pathway, possibly providing a novel mechanism for MSC senescence and a promising strategy for anti-aging pharmaceuticals.
Efficient Production of Fc Fusion Proteins in the Cytoplasm of Escherichia coli: Dissecting and Mitigating Redox Heterogeneity
Authors: Tungekar Aatir A. , Ruddock Lloyd W.
Published: November 2022

Cost-effective production of therapeutic proteins in microbial hosts is an indispensable tool towards accessible healthcare. Many of these heterologously expressed proteins, including all antibody formats, require disulfide bond formation to attain their native and functional state. A system for catalyzed disulfide bond formation (CyDisCo) has been developed allowing efficient production of recombinant proteins in the cytoplasm of one of the most used microbial expression systems, Escherichia coli. Here, we report high-yield production (up to 230 mg/L from 3 mL cultures) of in-demand therapeutics such as IgG1-based Fc fusion proteins in the E. coli cytoplasm. However, the production of this drug class using the CyDisCo system faces bottlenecks related to redox heterogeneity during oxidative folding. Our investigations identified and addressed one of the major causes of redox heterogeneity during CyDisCo-based production of Fc fusion proteins, i.e., disulfide bond formation in the IgG1 CH3 domain. Here, we communicate that mutating the cysteines in the CH3 domain of target Fc fusion proteins allows their production in a homogeneous redox state in the cytoplasm of E. coli without compromising on yields and thermal stability.