bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive Current Control of Sensorless Linear Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Authors: Wang He , Wu Tao , Guo Youguang , Lei Gang , Wang Xinmei
Published: January 2023

In the vector control system of a tubular oscillating permanent magnet synchronous linear motor, it is difficult to obtain accurate feedback information from the conventional mechanical sensors under bad and complex working conditions. This paper presents a new predictive current control designed to estimate the speed of the tubular oscillation permanent magnet synchronous linear motor. It implements two control techniques: The first technique is using the sliding-mode observer’s speed observer for speed estimation. The second is to design a deadbeat predictive current control to replace the PI regulator in the conventional current loop; it solves the difficulties of global optimization and PI parameter setting. The simulation and experimental results show that this method gives a good dynamic performance.
The Anti-Impact Characteristics of Cables under Impact Load
Authors: Lian Xiaoyong , Li Jun , Jia Housheng , Ding Peng
Published: January 2023

The cable plays a vital role in roadway support. As the last barrier to prevent roof collapse and impact disaster accidents, it is of great significance to study stress characteristics of cables under impact dynamic load to guide the rock burst roadway support. With high-strength cables of Φ21.6 and Φ21.8 mm and low-resistance high-extension cables of Φ21.5 mm as examples, this paper studied the instantaneous mechanical state and energy dissipation characteristics of different types of cables under impact loads by using impact testing machines and high-frequency data acquisition system. The results show that the impact process can strengthen the strength of the cable. The strength and elongation of anchor cables are a pair of characteristic indexes with an inverse relationship. Simply increasing one index cannot improve the overall impact resistance of the cable. To quantitatively characterize the impact resistance and energy absorption effect of cables, the impact resistance index k was introduced. The smaller the index, the better the energy absorption effect of cables. In the process of dynamic load impact of high-strength cable, about 43.7% of the total energy is dissipated disordered in the form of mechanical energy. The dynamic load impact process of low-resistance and high-extension cables is similar to the viscoelastic impact. In the collision compaction stage, the force of the cable is basically constant. Most of the impact energy is absorbed or transformed by the cable, about 17.7% of which is mostly dissipated in the form of mechanical energy. The disordered dissipated mechanical energy is less, so the impact resistance and energy absorption effect of this cable are better. The cable plays an important role in the process of bearing the dynamic load of surrounding rock. The anti-impact performance index of cables should be considered in dynamic load impact roadway support design.
Understanding the Impact of Reservoir Low-Permeability Subdomains in the Steam Injection Process
Authors: Santana Beatriz dos Santos , Batista Lorena Cardoso , Araújo Edson de Andrade , Lucas Cláudio Regis dos Santos , da Silva Daniel Nobre Nunes , Aum Pedro Tupã Pandava
Published: January 2023

Optimizing production in the mature fields of heavy oil reservoirs is still challenging. In most cases, conventional recovery techniques are not effective, although they are suitable for applying thermal recovery methods. Steam injection involves injecting steam into the reservoir where the heat exchange with the oil occurs. This promotes a reduction in oil viscosity and thus increases its mobility. One of the challenges of the EOR project is understanding how the presence of regions with contrasting properties, such as fractures, caves, and barriers, could affect the steam flow. This work investigates the impact of low-permeability barriers in the steam injection process. The barriers were created on a semi-synthetic reservoir characteristic of Brazilian onshore mature fields. We used the three-phase pseudo-compositional reservoir simulation STARS (Steam Thermal Advanced Processes Reservoir Simulation) for simulations. Our results show that the shape, number, and arrangement of barriers in a porous medium can affect the amount of oil recovered. They may also be able to anticipate or delay oil production.
Probabilistic Intraday PV Power Forecast Using Ensembles of Deep Gaussian Mixture Density Networks
Authors: Doelle Oliver , Klinkenberg Nico , Amthor Arvid , Ament Christoph
Published: January 2023

There is a growing interest of estimating the inherent uncertainty of photovoltaic (PV) power forecasts with probability forecasting methods to mitigate accompanying risks for system operators. This study aims to advance the field of probabilistic PV power forecast by introducing and extending deep Gaussian mixture density networks (MDNs). Using the sum of the weighted negative log likelihood of multiple Gaussian distributions as a minimizing objective, MDNs can estimate flexible uncertainty distributions with nearly all neural network structures. Thus, the advantages of advances in machine learning, in this case deep neural networks, can be exploited. To account for the epistemic (e.g., model) uncertainty as well, this study applies two ensemble approaches to MDNs. This is particularly relevant for industrial applications, as there is often no extensive (manual) adjustment of the forecast model structure for each site, and only a limited amount of training data are available during commissioning. The results of this study suggest that already seven days of training data are sufficient to generate significant improvements of 23.9% in forecasting quality measured by normalized continuous ranked probability score (NCRPS) compared to the reference case. Furthermore, the use of multiple Gaussian distributions and ensembles increases the forecast quality relatively by up to 20.5% and 19.5%, respectively.
An Improved Hydraulic Energy Storage Wave Power-Generation System Based on QPR Control
Authors: Liu Zhigang , Huang Wei , Liu Shi , Wu Xiaomei , Lai Chun Sing , Yang Yi
Published: January 2023

According to the inherent characteristics of the hydraulic power take-off (PTO) system, the output power of a generator tends to be intermittent when the wave is random. Therefore, this paper aims to improve the effective utilization of wave energy and reduce power intermittency by constructing a topology with two branches to transmit electrical energy. Firstly, the wave-to-wire (W2W) model of the system is constructed. Secondly, the W2W model is simulated by using synovial and quasi-proportional resonance (QPR) control with regular and irregular incident waves, and the results of PI control are compared. Then, the control strategy in simulation is verified by experiments. The simulation and experimental results show that the control strategy has better performance, and the stability of the system output power is greatly improved.
Adapting Recommendations on Environmental Education Programs
Authors: Kabassi Katerina , Papadaki Anastasia , Botonis Athanasios
Published: January 2023

Stakeholders in Environmental Education (EE) often face difficulties identifying and selecting programs that best suit their needs. This is due, in part, to the lack of expertise in evaluation knowledge and practice, as well as to the absence of a unified database of Environmental Education Programs (EEPs) with a defined structure. This article presents the design and development of a web application for evaluating and selecting EEPs. The certified users of the application can insert, view, and evaluate the registered EEPs. At the same time, the application creates and maintains for each user an individual and dynamic user model reflecting their personal preferences. Finally, using all the above information and applying a combination of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods (MCDM), the application provides a comparative and adaptive evaluation in order to help each user to select the EEPs that best suit his/her needs. The personalized recommendations are based on the information about the user stored in the user model and the results of the EEPs evaluations by the users that have applied them. As a case study, we used the EEPs from the Greek Educational System.
Feasibility of Brewer’s Spent Yeast Microcapsules as Targeted Oral Carriers
Authors: Reis Sofia F. , Martins Vitor J. , Bastos Rita , Lima Tânia , Correia Viviana G. , Pinheiro Benedita A. , Silva Lisete M. , Palma Angelina S. , Ferreira Paula , Vilanova Manuel , Coimbra Manuel A. , Coelho Elisabete
Published: January 2023

Brewer’s spent yeast (BSY) microcapsules have a complex network of cell-wall polysaccharides that are induced by brewing when compared to the baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) microcapsules. These are rich in (β1→3)-glucans and covalently linked to (α1→4)- and (β1→4)-glucans in addition to residual mannoproteins. S. cerevisiae is often used as a drug delivery system due to its immunostimulatory potential conferred by the presence of (β1→3)-glucans. Similarly, BSY microcapsules could also be used in the encapsulation of compounds or drug delivery systems with the advantage of resisting digestion conferred by (β1→4)-glucans and promoting a broader immunomodulatory response. This work aims to study the feasibility of BSY microcapsules that are the result of alkali and subcritical water extraction processes, as oral carriers for food and biomedical applications by (1) evaluating the resistance of BSY microcapsules to in vitro digestion (IVD), (2) their recognition by the human Dectin-1 immune receptor after IVD, and (3) the recognition of IVD-solubilized material by different mammalian immune receptors. IVD digested 44–63% of the material, depending on the extraction process. The non-digested material, despite some visible agglutination and deformation of the microcapsules, preserved their spherical shape and was enriched in (β1→3)-glucans. These microcapsules were all recognized by the human Dectin-1 immune receptor. The digested material was differentially recognized by a variety of lectins of the immune system related to (β1→3)-glucans, glycogen, and mannans. These results show the potential of BSY microcapsules to be used as oral carriers for food and biomedical applications.
Research on the Properties of Polysaccharides, Starch, Protein, Pectin, and Fibre in Food Processing
Authors: Qi Xin , Zhang Yanjun , Yu Hansong , Xie Jianhua
Published: January 2023

As food components, polysaccharides, starch, protein, pectin, and fibre are often used in the food industry due to their particular functional properties, as well as their efficient, safe, and green characteristics [...]
Methylidyne Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy in a Microwave Plasma Discharge
Authors: Nemes László , Parigger Christian G.
Published: January 2023

This work communicates cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) of methylidyne (CH) in a chemiluminescent plasma that is produced in a microwave cavity. Of interest are the rotational lines of the 0-0 vibrational transition for the A–X band and the 1-0 vibrational transition for the B–X band. The reported investigations originate from research on the CH radical in 1996, which constituted the first case of applying CRDS to the CH radical. The report also includes a recent analysis that shows excellent agreement of the measured and computed data, and it communicates CH line strength data. The CH radical is an important diatomic molecule in hydrocarbon combustion diagnosis and the analysis of stellar plasma emissions, to name just two examples of analytical plasma chemistry.
Report of Hermansky–Pudlak Syndrome in Two Families with Novel Variants in HPS3 and HPS4 Genes
Authors: Zaman Qaiser , Sadeeda  , Anas Muhammad , Rehman Gauhar , Khan Qadeem , Iftikhar Aiman , Ahmad Mashal , Owais Muhammad , Ahmad Ilyas , Muthaffar Osama , Abdulkareem Angham , Bibi Fehmida , Jelani Musharraf , Naseer Muhammad
Published: January 2023

Background: Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome (HSP) was first reported in 1959 as oculocutaneous albinism with bleeding abnormalities, and now consists of 11 distinct heterogenic genetic disorders that are caused by mutations in four protein complexes: AP-3, BLOC1, BLOC2, and BLOC3. Most of the patients show albinism and a bleeding diathesis; additional features may present depending on the nature of a defective protein complex. The subtypes 3 and 4 have been known for mutations in HSP3 and HSP4 genes, respectively. Methods: In this study, two Pakhtun consanguineous families, ALB-09 and ALB-10, were enrolled for clinical and molecular diagnoses. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) of the index patient in each family followed by Sanger sequencing of all available samples was performed using 3Billion. Inc South Korea rare disease diagnostics services. Results: The affected individuals of families ALB-09 and ALB-10 showed typical phenotypes of HPS such as oculocutaneous albinism, poor vision, nystagmus, nystagmus-induced involuntary head nodding, bleeding diathesis, and enterocolitis; however, immune system weakness was not recorded. WES analyses of one index patient revealed a novel nonsense variant (NM_032383.4: HSP3; c.2766T > G) in family ALB-09 and a five bp deletion (NM_001349900.2: HSP4; c.1180_1184delGTTCC) variant in family ALB-10. Sanger sequencing confirmed homozygous segregation of the disease alleles in all affected individuals of the respective family. Conclusions: The substitution c.2766T > G creates a premature protein termination at codon 922 in HPS3, replacing tyrosine amino acid with a stop codon (p.Tyr922Ter), while the deletion mutation c.1180_1184delGTTCC leads to a reading frameshift and a premature termination codon adding 23 abnormal amino acids to HSP4 protein (p:Val394Pro395fsTer23). To the best of our knowledge, the two novel variants identified in HPS3 and HPS4 genes causing Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome are the first report from the Pakhtun Pakistani population. Our work expands the pathogenic spectrum of HPS3 and HPS4 genes, provides successful molecular diagnostics, and helps the families in genetic counselling and reducing the disease burden in their future generations.
ADGR: Admixture-Informed Differential Gene Regulation
Authors: Lee In-Hee , Kong Sek Won
Published: January 2023

The regulatory elements in proximal and distal regions of genes are involved in the regulation of gene expression. Risk alleles in intronic and intergenic regions may alter gene expression by modifying the binding affinity and stability of diverse DNA-binding proteins implicated in gene expression regulation. By focusing on the local ancestral structure of coding and regulatory regions using the paired whole-genome sequence and tissue-wide transcriptome datasets from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project, we investigated the impact of genetic variants, in aggregate, on tissue-specific gene expression regulation. Local ancestral origins of the coding region, immediate and distant upstream regions, and distal regulatory region were determined using RFMix with the reference panel from the 1000 Genomes Project. For each tissue, inter-individual variation of gene expression levels explained by concordant or discordant local ancestry between coding and regulatory regions was estimated. Compared to European, African descent showed more frequent change in local ancestral structure, with shorter haplotype blocks. The expression level of the Adenosine Deaminase Like (ADAL) gene was significantly associated with admixed ancestral structure in the regulatory region across multiple tissue types. Further validations are required to understand the impact of the local ancestral structure of regulatory regions on gene expression regulation in humans and other species.
Efficacy of Aromatherapy at Relieving the Work-Related Stress of Nursing Staff from Various Hospital Departments during COVID-19
Authors: Hung Chi-Lun , Lin Yun-Ling , Chou Chin-Mei , Wang Ching-Ju
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of aromatherapy in relieving the stress of nursing staff working in different departments during COVID-19. A total of 26 nursing staff from Taiwan were recruited for this study. Bergamot essential oil was diffused for over a four-week period in four different hospital departments. We assessed heart rate variability indicators, Nurse Stress Checklist, and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory before and after the intervention. The results of the analysis showed that during a high workload period, aromatherapy had no significant effect on regulating physical stress. Subjective measurements showed a significant impact on work concern and personal fatigue. Moreover, there were large differences among the four departments; the aromatherapy treatment had a weak effect on those with a heavy workload, whereas those with a lighter workload showed a stronger effect. Finally, this study provides practical results about aromatherapy stress reduction applied during the pandemic on first-line medical staff.
18 Years of Changing Trends: Swiss Data on the Clinical Characteristics and Game Types Associated with Problem Gambling
Authors: Jeannot Emilien , Dickson Cheryl , Zumwald Coralie , Simon Olivier
Published: January 2023

Recent changes in the Swiss gambling context include the introduction of a new gambling policy (Swiss Federal Act on Gambling; GA), and the associated opening of the online gambling market. Within this context it is important to observe evolving trends in gambling behavior. This study therefore aims to identify the gambling behavior and clinical characteristics of a treatment-seeking population over an 18-year period (2001 to 2018). Specifically, the proportion of referrals relating to the three most popular game-types; VLT play, slot machines and online gambling, and associated socio-demographic characteristics, gambling-related spending and clinical features. The results indicate the high addictive potential for VLT and slot-machine use, over the 18-year period with an increasing use of online gambling from 2012 to 2018 (even before the official opening of the market). Problem-gambling vulnerability factors such as low income, unemployment and debts as well as self-reported suicidal ideation, were also over-represented in the sample. This longitudinal overview provides a detailed picture of treatment-seeking referrals, for future comparisons and can be used to tailor clinical interventions.
Hedypnois cretica L. and Urospermum picroides L. Plant Growth, Nutrient Status and Quality Characteristics under Salinity Stress
Authors: Alexopoulos Alexios A. , Assimakopoulou Anna , Panagopoulos Panagiotis , Bakea Maria , Vidalis Nikolina , Karapanos Ioannis C. , Rouphael Youssef , Petropoulos Spyridon A.
Published: January 2023

The cultivation of tolerant species with low-quality irrigation water is one of the main strategies to address the lack of availability of irrigation water. In this work, the effect of salinity on plant growth, nutritional composition, and quality features of Hedypnois cretica and Urospermum picroides was tested. Fresh yield of leaves and roots of both species were severely decreased under high salinity, while the mineral profile of leaves and roots also showed a decrease in most minerals. The recorded values of K/Na and Ca/Na ratios indicate that H. cretica has a higher susceptibility to salt stress due to a higher decrease in the values of the respective ratios compared to U. picroides. Leaf pigments and total phenolic compounds content were not significantly affected by salinity, while total soluble solids and titratable acidity increased under increasing salinity in most cases. Moreover, free proline content increased with increasing salinity, while the opposite trend was recorded for nitrates’ content. In conclusion, our findings indicate that tailor-made nutrient solutions could allow the use of irrigation water of a low quality for the commercial cultivation of H. cretica and U. picroides, thus allowing their domestication and integration in cropping systems where the cultivation of conventional crops is compromised.
Tomato Chlorosis Virus (ToCV) Infection Induced the Resistance of Bemisia tabaci to Two Insecticides: Pyrethroids and Flupyradifurone
Authors: Zhang Jisong , Huang Liping , Zhang Zhuo , Zhang Zhanhong , Zhang Deyong , Zhang Youjun , Shi Xiaobin , Liu Yong
Published: January 2023

Insect vectors and insect-borne plant viruses seriously endanger the safety of agricultural production. An insecticide is one of the main methods to prevent insect-borne virus transmission. However, the curious relationship between the resistance of insect vectors and arboviruses has been less studied. In this study, the effect of Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) on the insecticide resistance of Bemisia tabaci MED was studied. It was found that the detoxification cytochrome P450, glutathione S-transferase, and carboxylesterase-related genes in ToCV-infected B. tabaci were upregulated. The activity of the three detoxification enzymes all increased at the same time, after 48 h of virus acquisition, with the activity of carboxylesterase being the most pronounced. It was found that cytochrome P450 and glutathione S-transferase activity was the least. ToCV led to the reduced sensitivity of B. tabaci MED to pyrethroids and flupyradifurone. Therefore, it was proven that the insect-borne plant virus ToCV shows the possibility of enhancing insect-borne insecticide resistance.
Perception of Social and Educational Quality of Life of Minors Diagnosed with Rare Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Coca Juan R. , Gómez-Redondo Susana , Soto-Sánchez Alberto , Lozano-Blasco Raquel , Romero-Gonzalez Borja
Published: January 2023

This study explores the perception of social and educational quality of life in minors with rare diseases (RDs). Two meta-analyses were performed, applying the random effects model. Results: Regarding the social Quality of Life, the meta-sample consisted of k = 40 samples, with a total population of 1943 children (mean age = 9.42 years), of whom 687 (35.3%) were girls, 615 (31.4%) were boys and 641 (33%) did not report their sex. The effect size was large (mean size = 7.68; p < 0.000; 99% Confidence Interval; lower limit = 7.22; upper limit = 8.14). The results of the meta-regression and model analysis showed the importance of the measurement instrument (Paediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory and Prototypes of the Quality of life) and the dissimilarity of perception among caregivers. The nationality and the type of RD were not relevant. With respect to the educational Quality of Life, the meta-sample consisted of k = 19 samples, with 699 minors (mean age = 10.3 years), of whom 266 (38%) were girls, 242 (34.6%) were boys and 191 (27.4%) did not report their sex. The effect size was large (mean size = 7.15; p < 0.000; 99% CI; lower limit = 6.35; upper limit = 7.94). The meta-regression and comparison of models showed that the type of RD was essential. The measurement instrument was a moderating variable, especially the Parent version Paediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory. This study reveals the need for further research on RDs and their social–educational effects.
Comprehensive Study of a Diabetes Mellitus Mathematical Model Using Numerical Methods with Stability and Parametric Analysis
Authors: AlShurbaji Mohammad , Kader Lamis Abdul , Hannan Hadia , Mortula Maruf , Husseini Ghaleb A.
Published: January 2023

Diabetes is sweeping the world as a silent epidemic, posing a growing threat to public health. Modeling diabetes is an effective method to monitor the increasing prevalence of diabetes and develop cost-effective strategies that control the incidence of diabetes and its complications. This paper focuses on a mathematical model known as the diabetes complication (DC) model. The DC model is analyzed using different numerical methods to monitor the diabetic population over time. This is by analyzing the model using five different numerical methods. Furthermore, the effect of the time step size and the various parameters affecting the diabetic situation is examined. The DC model is dependent on some parameters whose values play a vital role in the convergence of the model. Thus, parametric analysis was implemented and later discussed in this paper. Essentially, the Runge–Kutta (RK) method provides the highest accuracy. Moreover, Adam–Moulton’s method also provides good results. Ultimately, a comprehensive understanding of the development of diabetes complications after diagnosis is provided in this paper. The results can be used to understand how to improve the overall public health of a country, as governments ought to develop effective strategic initiatives for the screening and treatment of diabetes.
Polish Patients’ Needs and Opinions about the Implementation of Pharmaceutical Care in Diabetes
Authors: Waszyk-Nowaczyk Magdalena , Guzenda Weronika , Kamasa Karolina , Zielińska-Tomczak Łucja , Cerbin-Koczorowska Magdalena , Michalak Michał , Przymuszała Piotr , Plewka Beata
Published: January 2023

The study aimed to get to know patients’ opinions on implementing pharmaceutical care for diabetic patients in a community pharmacy to prevent and effectively and holistically approach the treatment of people with diabetes. It was based on an authorial survey form and conducted from August to October 2021 in a community pharmacy in Poznan, Poland. A total of 131 pharmacy patients over 18 years were included in the study. Results showed that the vast majority of patients confirmed their interest in pharmaceutical care in diabetes conducted by pharmacists. Moreover, 79.4% of respondents would like to benefit from medicines use review, while 87.0% confirmed an interest in the ‘New Drug’ service, with diabetic patients being particularly interested in this (p = 0.2447). Most respondents were also interested in education on how to use a glucose meter, administer insulin and use a lancing device. In addition, the study showed patients’ insufficient knowledge about risk factors and prevention of diabetes with the need for patient education. As the source of funding, 91.7% of diabetic patients indicated the National Health Fund. Given that such a service has not been implemented in Poland yet, this study may support established teams at the Supreme Pharmaceutical Chamber or the Ministry of Health in introducing such new services.
Analyzing the Disaster Preparedness Capability of Local Government Using AHP: Zhengzhou 7.20 Rainstorm Disaster
Authors: Zhai Linpei , Lee Jae Eun
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to identify factors influencing disaster preparedness capability, measure and compare the relative importance of evaluation indicators of preparedness capability in a rainstorm disaster, and analyze the impact of these factors on disaster preparedness so as to improve disaster preparedness capability. The evaluation model was proposed by constructing the target level (the first level) as an indicator system; this was divided into four indicators (the second level): planning, organization, equipment, and education and exercise, and 14 tertiary evaluation indicators (the third level). The validity of the evaluation index system was demonstrated, and the weight of each level was calculated using the Analytic Hierarchical Process and expert survey methods, taking the example of the Zhengzhou “7.20” rainstorm to conduct an empirical analysis of the proposed model. The weak points of disaster preparedness capability were identified. The empirical analysis revealed that organization scored the highest, followed by planning, equipment, and education and exercise, indicating the lack of disaster management equipment and resources, disaster management training, and exercise and public emergency safety education. These results will help in future decision-making, as they provide a clear understanding of what needs to be done to improve disaster preparedness capability.
Food Safety Behaviours among Food Handlers in Different Food Service Establishments in Montenegro
Authors: Labović Snežana Barjaktarović , Joksimović Ivana , Galić Igor , Knežević Miro , Mimović Marijana
Published: January 2023

Foodborne diseases in food facilities are a major public health problem, due mostly to the limited surveillance and educational level of food-handling workers. This study was conducted in 220 food service locations in Montenegro. Participants’ behaviour was assessed by a survey using the specifically designed structured questionnaire, administered before and after the training. To determine the effect of the training on the performance of food handlers, a microbiological analysis of food contact surfaces and food handlers’ hands was also performed. The behaviour of food handlers, viewed as a whole, is unacceptable. There was a statistically significant difference (<0.05) among participants who completed catering school compared with those who did not, regarding hand washing. The type of facility in which participants worked (restaurant, bakery, or pastry shop) revealed statistically significant differences (<0.05) in relation to hand washing, that is, restaurant employees had better habits than those from bakeries and pastry shops. Before the training, participants showed acceptable behaviour regarding hand hygiene, but it was much better after the training. Results of microbiological analyses of food contact surfaces and food handlers’ hands indicated better results after the education, especially with regard to hand swabs. The results of this study indicate the importance of education to improve food handling practices among food handlers, which might also decrease the possibilities for contamination of food.
Sustainability Initiatives, Knowledge-Intensive Innovators, and Firms’ Performance: An Empirical Examination
Authors: Bhaskaran Rajesh Kumar
Published: January 2023

This paper examines the role of sustainability as a major driver of innovation, and assesses its affect on firms’ performance. This study was based on companies listed in the Forbes list of 100 most innovative companies and BCG’s 50 most innovative companies. The innovative sample firms had higher ESG and component scores than the matched control firms, with statistical significance. In terms of distinctiveness of governance, the innovative firms had larger boards, independent board members, higher diversity, and longer board tenure. Innovative firms had superior financial performance in comparison with the matched control firms. A logit regression model was employed to predict whether firms that adopt sustainability initiatives tend also to be innovative companies. Firms with high intensity of investment in social and governance initiatives tended to be innovative. Innovative firms had greater focus on social initiatives related to employee satisfaction, promotion of a healthy and safe workplace, and diversity. However, innovative firms tended to score lower in terms of human rights initiatives. Innovative firms provided superior governance practices for shareholders and effective usage of antitakeover defense mechanisms. Debt-intensive firms tended to be innovative.
Improving Chitosan Hydrogels Printability: A Comprehensive Study on Printing Scaffolds for Customized Drug Delivery
Authors: Cardoso Sara , Narciso Francisco , Monge Nuno , Bettencourt Ana , Ribeiro Isabel A. C.
Published: January 2023

Chitosan is an interesting polymer to produce hydrogels suitable for the 3D printing of customized drug delivery systems. This study aimed at the achievement of chitosan-based scaffolds suitable for the incorporation of active components in the matrix or loaded into the pores. Several scaffolds were printed using different chitosan-based hydrogels. To understand which parameters would have a greater impact on printability, an optimization study was conducted. The scaffolds with the highest printability were obtained with a chitosan hydrogel at 2.5 wt%, a flow speed of 0.15 mm/s and a layer height of 0.41 mm. To improve the chitosan hydrogel printability, starch was added, and a design of experiments with three factors and two responses was carried out to find out the optimal starch supplementation. It was possible to conclude that the addition of starch (13 wt%) to the chitosan hydrogel improved the structural characteristics of the chitosan-based scaffolds. These scaffolds showed potential to be tested in the future as drug-delivery systems.
Multiscale Analysis and Validation of Effective Drug Combinations Targeting Driver KRAS Mutations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Bruggemann Liana , Falls Zackary , Mangione William , Schwartz Stanley A. , Battaglia Sebastiano , Aalinkeel Ravikumar , Mahajan Supriya D. , Samudrala Ram
Published: January 2023

Pharmacogenomics is a rapidly growing field with the goal of providing personalized care to every patient. Previously, we developed the Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) platform for multiscale therapeutic discovery to screen optimal compounds for any indication/disease by performing analytics on their interactions using large protein libraries. We implemented a comprehensive precision medicine drug discovery pipeline within the CANDO platform to determine which drugs are most likely to be effective against mutant phenotypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on the supposition that drugs with similar interaction profiles (or signatures) will have similar behavior and therefore show synergistic effects. CANDO predicted that osimertinib, an EGFR inhibitor, is most likely to synergize with four KRAS inhibitors.Validation studies with cellular toxicity assays confirmed that osimertinib in combination with ARS-1620, a KRAS G12C inhibitor, and BAY-293, a pan-KRAS inhibitor, showed a synergistic effect on decreasing cellular proliferation by acting on mutant KRAS. Gene expression studies revealed that MAPK expression is strongly correlated with decreased cellular proliferation following treatment with KRAS inhibitor BAY-293, but not treatment with ARS-1620 or osimertinib. These results indicate that our precision medicine pipeline may be used to identify compounds capable of synergizing with inhibitors of KRAS G12C, and to assess their likelihood of becoming drugs by understanding their behavior at the proteomic/interactomic scales.
Biofilms in Chronic Wound Infections: Innovative Antimicrobial Approaches Using the In Vitro Lubbock Chronic Wound Biofilm Model
Authors: Diban Firas , Di Lodovico Silvia , Di Fermo Paola , D’Ercole Simonetta , D’Arcangelo Sara , Di Giulio Mara , Cellini Luigina
Published: January 2023

Chronic wounds have harmful effects on both patients and healthcare systems. Wound chronicity is attributed to an impaired healing process due to several host and local factors that affect healing pathways. The resulting ulcers contain a wide variety of microorganisms that are mostly resistant to antimicrobials and possess the ability to form mono/poly-microbial biofilms. The search for new, effective and safe compounds to handle chronic wounds has come a long way throughout the history of medicine, which has included several studies and trials of conventional treatments. Treatments focus on fighting the microbial colonization that develops in the wound by multidrug resistant pathogens. The development of molecular medicine, especially in antibacterial agents, needs an in vitro model similar to the in vivo chronic wound environment to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial agents. The Lubbock chronic wound biofilm (LCWB) model is an in vitro model developed to mimic the pathogen colonization and the biofilm formation of a real chronic wound, and it is suitable to screen the antibacterial activity of innovative compounds. In this review, we focused on the characteristics of chronic wound biofilms and the contribution of the LCWB model both to the study of wound poly-microbial biofilms and as a model for novel treatment strategies.
Genome-Wide Identification of MADS-Box Family Genes in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and Functional Analysis of CtMADS24 during Flowering
Authors: Wang Yifei , Ge Hengshuo , Ahmad Naveed , Li Jia , Wang Yijin , Liu Xinyi , Liu Weican , Li Xiaowei , Wang Nan , Wang Fawei , Dong Yuanyuan
Published: January 2023

Safflower is an important economic crop with a plethora of industrial and medicinal applications around the world. The bioactive components of safflower petals are known to have pharmacological activity that promotes blood circulation and reduces blood stasis. However, fine-tuning the genetic mechanism of flower development in safflower is still required. In this study, we report the genome-wide identification of MADS-box transcription factors in safflower and the functional characterization of a putative CtMADS24 during vegetative and reproductive growth. In total, 77 members of MADS-box-encoding genes were identified from the safflower genome. The phylogenetic analysis divided CtMADS genes into two types and 15 subfamilies. Similarly, bioinformatic analysis, such as of conserved protein motifs, gene structures, and cis-regulatory elements, also revealed structural conservation of MADS-box genes in safflower. Furthermore, the differential expression pattern of CtMADS genes by RNA-seq data indicated that type II genes might play important regulatory roles in floral development. Similarly, the qRT-PCR analysis also revealed the transcript abundance of 12 CtMADS genes exhibiting tissue-specific expression in different flower organs. The nucleus-localized CtMADS24 of the AP1 subfamily was validated by transient transformation in tobacco using GFP translational fusion. Moreover, CtMADS24-overexpressed transgenic Arabidopsis exhibited early flowering and an abnormal phenotype, suggesting that CtMADS24 mediated the expression of genes involved in floral organ development. Taken together, these findings provide valuable information on the regulatory role of CtMADS24 during flower development in safflower and for the selection of important genes for future molecular breeding programs.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency (Un-)Detected Using Newborn Screening in Norway
Authors: Tangeraas Trine , Ljungblad Ulf W. , Lutvica Elma , Kristensen Erle , Rowe Alex D. , Bjørke-Monsen Anne-Lise , Rootwelt-Revheim Terje , Sæves Ingjerd , Pettersen Rolf D.
Published: January 2023

Untreated vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency may cause delayed development in infants. Several newborn screening (NBS) programs have reported an increased detection rate of B12 deficiency when second-tier dried blood spot (DBS) analyses of total homocysteine (tHcy) and methylmalonic acid (MMA) are included. This is a retrospective study of newborns reported from NBS during 2012–2021 with confirmed B12 deficiency. DBSs were retrieved from the NBS biobank for second-tier MMA and tHcy analysis. Thirty-one newborns were diagnosed with B12 deficiency out of 552970 screened. Twenty-five were ascertained from sixty-one false positive (FP) cases of methylmalonic acidemia and propionic acidemia (PA), and six infants screened positive for other NBS metabolic diseases with propionylcarnitine (C3) in the normal range. In the original DBS, 7/23 (30%) and 12/23 (52%) of B12-deficient newborns with FP methylmalonic acidemia/PA had MMA and tHcy > 99th percentile. B12 deficiency was a common differential diagnosis of screening positive for methylmalonic and PA. C3 failed to identify a subset of newborns with B12 deficiency. Second-tier MMA and tHcy analyses in the DBS showed suboptimal sensitivity for identifying infants with B12 deficiency. The shortcomings of NBS should be acknowledged when considering B12 deficiency as a primary target of NBS panels.
Smart Platform for Data Blood Bank Management: Forecasting Demand in Blood Supply Chain Using Machine Learning
Authors: Ben Elmir Walid , Hemmak Allaoua , Senouci Benaoumeur
Published: January 2023

Despite the efforts of the World Health Organization, blood transfusions and delivery are still the crucial challenges in blood supply chain management, especially when there is a high demand and not enough blood inventory. Consequently, reducing uncertainty in blood demand, waste, and shortages has become a primary goal. In this paper, we propose a smart platform-oriented approach that will create a robust blood demand and supply chain able to achieve the goals of reducing uncertainty in blood demand by forecasting blood collection/demand, and reducing blood wastage and shortage by balancing blood collection and distribution based on an effective blood inventory management. We use machine learning and time series forecasting models to develop an AI/ML decision support system. It is an effective tool with three main modules that directly and indirectly impact all phases of the blood supply chain: (i) the blood demand forecasting module is designed to forecast blood demand; (ii) blood donor classification helps predict daily unbooked donors thereby enhancing the ability to control the volume of blood collected based on the results of blood demand forecasting; and (iii) scheduling blood donation appointments according to the expected number and type of blood donations, thus improving the quantity of blood by reducing the number of canceled appointments, and indirectly improving the quality and quantity of blood supply by decreasing the number of unqualified donors, thereby reducing the amount of invalid blood after and before preparation. As a result of the system’s improvements, blood shortages and waste can be reduced. The proposed solution provides robust and accurate predictions and identifies important clinical predictors for blood demand forecasting. Compared with the past year’s historical data, our integrated proposed system increased collected blood volume by 11%, decreased inventory wastage by 20%, and had a low incidence of shortages.
Evaluating the Cognitive Effects of Video-Induced Negative Affect in College Students: A Comparative Study between Acute Exercise and Music Listening
Authors: Ji Chaoxin , Yang Jun , Lin Lin , Chen Song
Published: January 2023

Background: Video-induced negative affect may have an impact on cognition. In this study, acute exercise and music listening are used to explore their impact on individual cognition with video-induced negative affect. Method: All the participants were randomly divided into six groups. Group 1 (n = 19, average age = 20.15) was not given any form of acute exercise or music listening; Group 2 (n = 20, average age = 21.33) was given music listening; Group 3 (n = 20, average age = 20.89) was given acute exercise; Group 4 (n = 20, average age = 21.03) only watched a video without being given any acute exercise or music listening; Group 5 (n = 19, average age = 20.68) was given music listening after watching a video; Group 6 (n = 18, average age = 21.32) was given acute exercise after watching a video. Results: In the pre-test, we found that there was no significant difference in negative affect, positive affect, and cognitive performance among the groups (p > .05). The post-test indicated that the negative affect of college students who watched the video (20.16 ± 8.34) was higher than that of college students who did not watch the video (11.12 ± 3.29). Acute exercise and music listening improved the cognitive performance of college students with video-induced negative affect. Acute exercise improved the cognitive performance of college students with non-video-induced negative affect, while music listening did not. Conclusion: The acute decline in the cognitive performance of college students caused by video-induced negative affect can be ameliorated by means of acute exercise and music listening.
Environmental Impact of Cadmium in a Volcanic Archipelago: Research Challenges Related to a Natural Pollution Source
Authors: Torres Paulo , Llopis Ander Larrea , Melo Carlos Sousa , Rodrigues Armindo
Published: January 2023

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal particularly susceptible to mobilization by anthropogenic and natural processes. The volcanic nature of oceanic islands in the Macaronesia geographical region such as the Azores archipelago, located near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is reflected in deep-sea and shallow-water hydrothermal activities that release heavy metals such as Cd to seawater, affecting marine organisms and integrating food webs. In this paper, a thorough systematic review of all studies performed on coastal marine species in Macaronesia focusing on Cd was conducted, specifically considering the Azorean geological setting and socioeconomic context. Present results are compared and discussed with data from the Mediterranean, a region with apparent strong anthropogenic pollution. The Azorean marine species seem to be particularly strong Cd accumulators, displaying high levels that should be closely monitored, reflecting an important local natural source that should not be underestimated; especially considering the high consumption rates of some of these organisms, which may lead to a potential seafood safety issue. In light of these findings, the potential effects, impacts, and future research challenges are discussed, from an ecological and public health perspective.
Long-Strip Target Detection and Tracking with Autonomous Surface Vehicle
Authors: Zhang Meiyan , Zhao Dongyang , Sheng Cailiang , Liu Ziqiang , Cai Wenyu
Published: January 2023

As we all know, target detection and tracking are of great significance for marine exploration and protection. In this paper, we propose one Convolutional-Neural-Network-based target detection method named YOLO-Softer NMS for long-strip target detection on the water, which combines You Only Look Once (YOLO) and Softer NMS algorithms to improve detection accuracy. The traditional YOLO network structure is improved, the prediction scale is increased from threeto four, and a softer NMS strategy is used to select the original output of the original YOLO method. The performance improvement is compared totheFaster-RCNN algorithm and traditional YOLO methodin both mAP and speed, and the proposed YOLO–Softer NMS’s mAP reaches 97.09%while still maintaining the same speed as YOLOv3. In addition, the camera imaging model is used to obtain accurate target coordinate information for target tracking. Finally, using the dicyclic loop PID control diagram, the Autonomous Surface Vehicle is controlled to approach the long-strip target with near-optimal path design. The actual test results verify that our long-strip target detection and tracking method can achieve gratifying long-strip target detection and tracking results.