bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence and Inequality: Worker Identities and Assessments of Influence over Workplace Decisions
Authors: Dalessandro Cristen , Lovell Alexander
Published: March 2023

Though research shows that diversity and equity in the workplace lead to more innovation and other positive outcomes for organizations, businesses often struggle to accomplish their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Promoting employee voice is one strategy to support equity; however, employee perceptions of who has a voice at work may be increasingly unbalanced in the post-2020 workplace. Thus, drawing from an original survey dataset of workers across 20 countries and regions (n = 9197), we use logistic regression to explore how sociodemographic characteristics and perceptions of inclusion at work predict whether participants believe they help influence important decisions at work (our measure of employee voice). Across our global sample, we found that although feelings of inclusion predict the perception that one has more voice, workers who belong to groups historically marginalized in the workplace due to gender, education level, compensation type, leadership status, and self-identified “minority” status report lower levels of agreement with the statement of voice. We conclude that while promoting feelings of inclusion is one strategy for achieving a greater diversity of employee voices at work, organizations should also take concrete steps (such as diversifying leadership) to reach equity more fully regarding voice.
A Systematic Review of Flywheel Training Effectiveness and Application on Sport Specific Performances
Authors: Buonsenso Andrea , Centorbi Marco , Iuliano Enzo , Di Martino Giulia , Della Valle Carlo , Fiorilli Giovanni , Calcagno Giuseppe , di Cagno Alessandra
Published: March 2023

The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness of flywheel training, which allows for the replication of specific sports movements, overloading both the concentric and eccentric phases. Inclusion criteria were injury prevention outcomes; ability in terms of strength, power, sprinting, jumping and change of direction; competitive athletes; and RCTs. Exclusion criteria were a lack of a control group and lack of baseline and/or follow-up data. The databases used were Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Sage. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess the quality of the selected RCTs. The Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 Levels of Evidence was used. A PICOS (participants, intervention, comparators, study outcomes, and study design) approach was used to evaluate eligibility. A total of 21 RCTs with 8 to 54 participants in each study analyzed flywheel technology and its application in nine sports. The results showed that flywheel training is a good strategy to improve sports performance, providing variation in training methodologies and athletes’ adherence. Further studies are needed to define guidelines on training modality, weekly frequency, volume, and inertia load. Only a few studies have applied the flywheel device directly to overload specific multidirectional movements at different joint angles. This method is not exempt from criticalities, such as the cost and the ability to carry out only individual training.
Ability of Countermovement Jumps to Detect Bilateral Asymmetry in Hip and Knee Strength in Elite Youth Soccer Players
Authors: Wrona Hailey L. , Zerega Ryan , King Victoria G. , Reiter Charles R. , Odum Susan , Manifold Devon , Latorre Karyn , Sell Timothy C.
Published: March 2023

Clinicians frequently assess asymmetry in strength, flexibility, and performance characteristics as a method of screening for potential musculoskeletal injury. The identification of asymmetry in countermovement jumps may be an ideal method to reveal asymmetry in other lower extremity characteristics such as strength that otherwise may require additional testing, potentially reducing the time and burden on both the athlete and clinicians. The present study aims to examine the ability of asymmetry in both the single-leg and two-leg countermovement jump tests to accurately detect hip abduction, hip adduction, and eccentric hamstring strength asymmetry. Fifty-eight young male elite soccer players from the same professional academy performed a full battery of functional performance tests which included an assessment of hip adductor and abductor strength profiles, eccentric hamstring strength profiles, and neuromuscular performance and asymmetries during countermovement jumps. Bilateral variables attained from both the single-leg and two-leg countermovement jump tests included concentric impulse (Ns), eccentric mean force (N), and concentric mean force (N) computed by the VALD ForceDecks software. Average maximal force (N) was calculated bilaterally for the strength assessments. Asymmetry was calculated for each variable using 100 × |(right leg − left leg)/(right leg)| and grouped into three categories: 0 to <10%, 10% to <20%, and 20% or greater. Analyses were performed for the two higher asymmetry groups. The accuracy to detect strength asymmetry was assessed as the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for positive and negative tests. The outcomes from the accuracy assessments suggest that the single-leg countermovement jump concentric impulse variable at the 20% threshold is indicative of a youth male soccer player having hip adduction strength asymmetry while also demonstrating more accuracy and applicability than the two-leg countermovement jump concentric impulse variable.
How Do Bank Customers’ Perceptions of CSR Influence Marketing Outcomes: Their Trust, Identification, and Commitment?
Authors: Fatma Mobin , Khan Imran
Published: March 2023

The authors of this study aimed to evaluate the links between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, trust, identification, and commitment to measure the impact of consumer perceptions of CSR initiatives on these three marketing outcomes (trust, identification, and commitment). A structured questionnaire was administered to 341 bank clients as part of an empirical study to examine the hypotheses. The study’s proposed model was tested in the Indian banking industry and examined the use of the structural equation modeling (SEM) method in the AMOS program. According to the findings, consumers believe that CSR initiatives significantly affect two marketing outcomes (trust and identification). The findings of this study are useful in helping policymakers at various banking institutions comprehend the major impact that CSR initiatives have on influencing consumer behavior. This study provides a greater knowledge of how consumers view CSR and how that impression may affect marketing outcomes.
Design and Development of a Symbiotic Agrivoltaic System for the Coexistence of Sustainable Solar Electricity Generation and Agriculture
Authors: Kuo Chung-Feng Jeffrey , Su Te-Li , Huang Chao-Yang , Liu Han-Chang , Barman Jagadish , Kar Indira
Published: March 2023

The symbiotic photovoltaic (PV) electrofarming system introduced in this study is developed for the PV setup in an agriculture farming land. The study discusses the effect of different PV system design conditions influenced by annual sunhours on agricultural farm land. The aim is to increase the sunhours on the PV panel for optimized electricity generation. Therefore, this study combines the Taguchi method with Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) to optimize the two quality characteristics of the symbiotic electrofarming PV system with the best design parameter combination. The selected multiple quality characteristics are PV power generation and sunhours on farm land. The control factors include location, upright column height, module tilt angle, and PV panel width. First, the Taguchi method is used to populate a L9(34) orthogonal array with the settings of the experimental plan. After the experimental results are obtained, signal-to-noise ratios are calculated, factor response tables and response graphs are drawn up, and analysis of variance is performed to obtain those significant factors which have great impact on the quality characteristics. The experiments show that the parameters which effects power generation are: location, upright column height, module tilt angle, and PV panel width. The ranking of the degree of influence of the control factors on the quality characteristics is location > PV panel width > module tilt angle > upright column height. By controlling these factors, the quality characteristics of the system can be effectively estimated. The results for PV power generation and sunhours on farm land both fall within the 95% CI (confidence interval), which shows that they are reliable and reproducible. The optimal design parameter realized in this research obtains a power generation of 26,497 kWh and a sunshine time of 1963 h. The finding showed that it can help to build a sustainable PV system combined with agriculture cultivation.
Analyzing Sustainable Practices in Engineering Projects: A Systemic Approach
Authors: Acero Andrés , Ramírez Cajiao María Catalina
Published: March 2023

The work of an engineer involves the conceptualization, design, and implementation of new and improved artifacts. However, what sets engineering apart from other professions is the direct responsibility of engineers to think critically and design innovative solutions to solve complex problems in social systems. Unfortunately, the solutions often do not consider the dynamics of the environment or the cultures that will receive them, leading to obsolescence due to the lack of technical knowledge of maintenance and repair. This exacerbates the disruptive power of technology in culture and society, leading to a gap in engineering education that needs to be addressed. Critical theories attempt to reformulate the teaching and practice of engineering in social-environmental contexts of vulnerability, utilizing systemic models to anticipate solutions based on possible scenarios. However, these theories do not consider the mental models of professional engineers, relying mostly on educational studies. To address this gap, this article explores a novel approach to the problem of sustainability mindset in engineering by understanding the characteristics and structures of engineering systems of practice and conveying it through causal loop diagrams. The results identify causal loops that reinforce or affect the application of sustainable practices, which can be used as leverage points within the systems of practice structure to improve the performance and interest of engineering students in sustainable development endeavors and promote more professionals working with a sustainable mindset.
Features of Industrial Green Technology Innovation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China Based on Spatial Correlation Network
Authors: Yao Mengchao , Li Ziqi , Wang Yunfei
Published: March 2023

A generic phrase for technical and managerial innovation geared toward environmental conservation is “green-technology innovation.” It is essential to attain ecologically friendly development that promotes economic progress. Promoting the combined growth of the economy, society, and environment is extremely important. The industrial-green-technology innovation efficiency of 110 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is calculated using the Sup-SBM model from 2011 to 2021 while considering undesirable output. The modified gravity model is then used to convert the attribute data of industrial-green-technology innovation efficiency into relational data. The Yangtze River Economic Belt uses the social-network-analysis (SNA) approach to investigate the geographical correlation-network properties of industrial-green-technology innovation efficiency. The findings demonstrate the following: (1) There is a rising trend in the degree of industrial-green-technology innovation efficiency between different cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and this pattern is known as “three plates.” (2) The examination of network characteristics reveals an indigenous core–edge structure in space, with the network density of the Yangtze River Economic Belt displaying an increasing trend over the research period. (3) Individual characteristic analysis reveals that although the innovation-efficiency network tends to be flat, the degree centrality and closeness centrality of industrial-green-technology innovation efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt indicate an upward trend over the research period. In addition, Chengdu in the upstream region, Wuhan in the center, and Shanghai in the downstream area serve as bridge and intermediary nodes in the spatial correlation network. (4) Block-model analysis reveals a close spatial link between blocks. A more complex and durable spatial link is now possible because of the spatial relationship of green-innovation efficiency in cities, which has shattered the boundaries imposed by traditional geographic space. The Yangtze River Economic Belt will be jointly promoted by several of the policy recommendations in this paper, aligning with that.
Research on Welfare Changes of Farmers with Different Livelihood Assets after Rural Residential Land Exit in the Context of “Tripartite Entitlement System”: A Case Study of Fuhong Town in Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu, China
Authors: Hong Buting , Ren Ping , Huang Runtao , Xiao Jiangtao , Yuan Quanzhi
Published: March 2023

By referring to the sustainable livelihood analysis and capability approach and taking Fuhong town in Qingbaijiang district, China, as an example, this paper classifies the livelihood assets of farm households before their residential land exit using the livelihood asset quantification method, and then analyzes the changes in their welfare after exit from residential land by adopting fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. The research results indicate that (1) the sample farm households are classified into three types, i.e., richness type, balance type, and shortage type, according to the configuration of livelihood assets, including human capital, natural capital, physical capital, financial capital, and social capital, before the exit from residential land; (2) after the exit from the residential land, the welfare of farm households has generally been improved, but the extent of such improvements varies from type to type; (3) there is a certain relationship between the configuration of livelihood assets before the exit from residential land and the welfare level after such an exit. It is suggested that importance should be attached to the heterogeneity or level of differentiation of farm households, and furthermore, measures should be taken so as to ensure that the welfare level will not be downgraded after farm households exit from their residential land.
Digital Distractions from the Point of View of Higher Education Students
Authors: Pérez-Juárez María Ángeles , González-Ortega David , Aguiar-Pérez Javier Manuel
Published: March 2023

Technology enables a more sustainable and universally accessible educational model. However, technology has brought a paradox into students’ lives: it helps them engage in learning activities, but it is also a source of distraction. During the academic year 2021–2022, the authors conducted a study focusing on classroom distractions. One of the objectives was to identify the main digital distractions from the point of view of students. The study was carried out at an engineering school, where technology is fully integrated in the classroom and in the academic routines of teachers and students. Discussions and surveys, complemented by a statistical study based on bivariate correlations, were used with participating students (n = 105). Students considered digital distractions to have a significant impact on their performance in lab sessions. This performance was mainly self-assessed as improvable. Contrary to other contemporary research, the results were not influenced by the year of study of the subject, as the issue is important regardless of the students’ backgrounds. Professors should implement strategies to raise students’ awareness of the significant negative effects of digital distractions on their performance, as well as to develop students’ self-control skills. This is of vital importance for the use of technology to be sustainable in the long-term.
Risk Assessment in Practice: A Case Analysis of the Pohang Steel Mill in Korea
Authors: Cho MinKyung , Yun HongSik
Published: March 2023

In this study, the case of Pohang Steelworks, a national infrastructure leading the Korean steel industry, was analyzed. Pohang Works, which is a national infrastructure and a national core technology, requires continuous operation, so a risk assessment is required. The survey involved the participation of 30 safety experts from Pohang Works, and additional interviews were conducted to improve the understanding of the survey results. As a result of the qualitative evaluation, the value of the identified risk was obtained, and the value was variable in probability and damage impact. In addition to being prioritized in order of highest risk, they are also placed according to the size of the risk. As a result, the necessary structural and non-structural treatments were proposed for a total of four hazards. Due to the nature of the qualitative evaluation conducted by internal experts, we were able to confirm that internal experts tend to be very aware of and respond to the risks they often face. It is expected that the objectivity of risk assessment results can be increased by adding quantitative methods in future studies. In addition, it is meaningful in that it practically suggests a treatment that focuses on risk management.
Overall Resilient Evaluation of Surrounding Rock of In-Service High-Speed Railway Tunnel Based on Information Fusion-Improved Fuzzy Matter-Element
Authors: Dong Sihui , Li Shiqun , Yu Lu , Zhang Xinyu , Zhao Jianbo
Published: March 2023

Once the high-speed railway tunnel is put into use, its resilience will determine the possibility of permanent safety of the tunnel due to the closure of the structural space of the high-speed railway tunnel in service. Resilience theory is introduced into a risk analysis of operating high-speed rail tunnels to improve the ability to respond to risks in operating high-speed rail tunnels and to relieve the aging phenomenon caused by changes in the tunnel with time. First, an evaluation framework for the safety resilience of existing high-speed railway tunnels is constructed. Starting from the attributes of resilience such as resistance, adaptability, and resilience, and considering the characteristics of high-speed railway tunnels, protective measures, emergency management measures, and other factors, we fit the risk factors and probability of accident type of the high-speed railway tunnel and establish a tunnel safety resilience evaluation index system with 10 indexes. Secondly, the method of information fusion is used to combine subjective weighting and objective weighting. Then, the comprehensive weight of the evaluation index is obtained based on the principle of minimum discriminant information. Thirdly, the system resilience evaluation model based on the TOPSIS improved fuzzy matter-element is constructed to determine the classification criteria of resilience. On this basis, based on the temporal and spatial variability of the ductile tunnel, the concepts of ductile transition and ductile attenuation are introduced and the tunnel toughness optimization model is established to suppress the attenuation situation, enhance the transition ability, and then improve the system resilience level. On this basis, an optimal lifting scheme is obtained. Finally, taking Ai-Min tunnel of Ha-Mu high-speed railway as the engineering background, the flexibility of the resilience system is calculated, and the resilience grade (3) of the rock system surrounding the tunnel is obtained. Combined with the numerical model, improvement measures for specific tunnel facilities are proposed. The results show that the Ai-Min tunnel system has a general ability to resist external intrusion and prevent disasters, and the resilience level is general. It should focus on improving the resilience level of the transition index. The resilience evaluation results of the evaluation model are consistent with the actual situation of the project.
Using the OKR Method and Fuzzy Logic to Determine the Level of Sustainability in Restaurants
Authors: Costa Thiago José Loçurdo , Fidelis Reginaldo , Munck Luciano , Horst Diogo José , De Andrade Junior Pedro Paulo
Published: March 2023

Restaurants are one of the main sources of wealth in the tourism sector and have significant potential in the fight against poverty reduction and the lack of development of local communities. However, in relation to the emission of greenhouse gases and the generation of waste, they are seen as two of the less sustainable sectors of the world. This study has the objective of providing a method to determine the level of sustainability in restaurants by means of modeling the OKR method and fuzzy logic. For this, 100 key results from the environmental, social, and economic dimensions were selected, using the fuzzy direct rating method to validate and weight the key results. The method is shown in advance, noting how and at what intensity the key results are inserted in the restaurant, indicating the strong and weak points of each restaurant in regard to sustainability. The results of this study contribute by providing a method that measures the level of sustainability in restaurants, identifies the current panorama and existing challenges, and allows for a complete mapping for the elaboration of strategies for improvements in organizational sustainability.
Are Countries Ready for REDD+ Payments? REDD+ Readiness in Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal
Authors: Bhattarai Nabin , Karky Bhaskar Singh , Avtar Ram , Thapa Rajesh Bahadur , Watanabe Teiji
Published: March 2023

The Paris Agreement recognized the significant role of forests in climate change mitigating and adapting. It also emphasized the importance of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism as a vital tool for achieving the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. This study aims to assess the REDD+ readiness of Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal in preparation for effectively implementing REDD+ at the national level. A total of 57 indicators across five categories were used to evaluate readiness: overall readiness, technical readiness, institutional readiness, financing readiness, and strategy and safeguard readiness. The indicator-based questionnaire was administered to government officials, NGOs, private sectors, and academics. The results showed that Nepal was slightly more advanced in overall readiness, owing in part to the longer readiness period of the World Bank-supported Terai Arc ER-P. India scored highly in technical readiness and has several sub-national programmes for REDD+ implementation. Bhutan had strong ratings for strategy and safeguard readiness but lower scores for institutional and financing readiness. Myanmar had consistent ratings across readiness areas, but a lower score for technical readiness. However, political and governance situations pose significant challenges to the effective implementation of REDD+ in Myanmar.
The Possibility of Achieving Zero CO2 Emission in the Indonesian Cement Industry by 2050: A Stakeholder System Dynamic Perspective
Authors: Junianto Iman , Sunardi  , Sumiarsa Dadan
Published: March 2023

According to the SDG on climate change, Indonesia is expected to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060 or sooner, as outlined in the long-term low-carbon and climate resilience strategies implemented by the country’s president. Therefore, this research aims to apply the system dynamic model to simulate sustainable targets for CO2 emission reductions until 2050. The simulation was limited to factors influencing the cement industry’s CO2, as described in the IEA’s recommendations, and the scenarios were based on the AHP (analytical hierarchy process) results from the stakeholders. The simulation results showed that the realistic target for sustainable CO2 emission reduction in Indonesia by 2050 was the scenario from the combined stakeholders with 450 kgCO2eq/ton cement, corresponding to a 27% decrease in emissions from the 2020 baseline. This serves as input for interested parties to showcase the efforts of reducing CO2 emissions, and provides recommendations for the achievements by (1) determining carbon taxes and revising cement product standards to further increase the clinker substitution rate; (2) developing an RDF (refused derived fuel) waste-processing plant independently to increase alternative fuel use; (3) ensuring the efficiency of electrical energy by increasing renewable energy sources; (4) integrating carbon capture and storage technology in cement plants.
Optimization-Driven Machine Learning Approach for the Prediction of Hydrochar Properties from Municipal Solid Waste
Authors: Velusamy Parthasarathy , Srinivasan Jagadeesan , Subramanian Nithyaselvakumari , Mahendran Rakesh Kumar , Saleem Muhammad Qaiser , Ahmad Maqbool , Shafiq Muhammad , Choi Jin-Ghoo
Published: March 2023

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is an essential element of present-day society. The proper storage and disposal of solid waste is critical to public health, safety, and environmental performance. The direct recovery of MSW into useful energy is a critical task. In addition, the demand for conventional power supplies is high. As a strategy to solve these two problems, the technology to directly convert municipal solid waste into conventional energy to replace fossil fuels has been obtained. The hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process is a thermochemical conversion process that utilizes heat to convert wet biomass feedstocks into hydrochar. Hydrochar with premium gasoline properties is used for fuel combustion for strength. The properties of fuel hydrochar, including C char (carbon content), HHV (higher heating value), and yield, are mainly based on the properties of the MSW. This study aimed to predict the properties of fuel hydrochar using a machine learning (ML) model. We employed an ensemble support vector machine (E-SVM) as the classifier, which was combined with the slime mode algorithm (SMA) for optimization and developed based on 281 data points. The model was primarily trained and tested on a fusion of three datasets: sewage sludge, leftovers, and cow dung. The proposed ESVM_SMA model achieved an excellent overall performance with an average R2 of 0.94 and RMSE of 2.62.
Promoting Responsible Sustainable Consumer Behavior through Sustainability Marketing: The Boundary Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Image
Authors: Jia Tong , Iqbal Shahid , Ayub Arslan , Fatima Tehreem , Rasool Zeeshan
Published: March 2023

Responsible sustainable consumer behavior might serve as a complex pattern of social and environmental issues, consistent with the perspective of sustainability as a construct with both social and environmental pillars. Anchored on signaling theory and attribution theory, this study seeks to unearth a hitherto unexplored mechanism that might translate sustainability marketing into elevated responsible sustainable consumer behavior through the mediating role of brand image. Besides, this study aims to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility, as an intervening variable, to underpin the association between sustainability marketing and brand image. This study analyzes data from five-star and four-star hotel customers using SmartPLS SEM (v 4.0). The findings support our hypotheses that a hotel’s brand image mediates the relationship between sustainability marketing and responsible sustainable consumer behavior. In addition, hotels’ engagement in corporate social responsibility activities moderates the link between sustainability marketing and brand image, such that the association is stronger (weaker) at higher (lower) levels of corporate social responsibility. This study explores the boundary conditions of the sustainability marketing–responsible sustainable consumer behavior link. Hotels can foster responsible sustainable consumer behavior by executing sustainability marketing and engaging in corporate social responsibility activities.
Local Cluster-Aware Attention for Non-Euclidean Structure Data
Authors: Zhuo Ming , Liu Yunzhuo , Liu Leyuan , Zhou Shijie
Published: March 2023

Meaningful representation of large-scale non-Euclidean structured data, especially in complex domains like network security and IoT system, is one of the critical problems of contemporary machine learning and deep learning. Many successful cases of graph-based models and algorithms deal with non-Euclidean structured data. However, It is often undesirable to derive node representations by walking through the complete topology of a system or network (graph) when it has a very big or complicated structure. An important issue is using neighborhood knowledge to deduce the symmetric network’s topology or graph. The traditional approach to solving the graph representation learning issue is surveyed from machine learning and deep learning perspectives. Second, include local neighborhood data encoded to the attention mechanism to define node solidarity and enhance node capture and interactions. The performance of the proposed model is then assessed for transduction and induction tasks that include downstream node categorization. The attention model taking clustering into account has successfully equaled or reached the state-of-the-art performance of several well-established node classification benchmarks and does not depend on previous knowledge of the complete network structure, according to experiments. Following a summary of the research, we discuss problems and difficulties that must be addressed for developing future graph signal processing algorithms and graph deep learning models, such as graph embeddings’ interpretability and adversarial resilience. At the same time, it has a very positive impact on network security and artificial intelligence security.
Relationship between Risk Perception, Emotion, and Coping Behavior during Public Health Emergencies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhao Yuxia , Jiang Yicen , Zhang Wei , Zhu Yanchun
Published: March 2023

Complex mechanisms exist between public risk perception, emotions, and coping behaviors during health emergencies. To unravel the relationship between these three phenomena, a meta-analytic approach was employed in this study. Using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0, 81 papers were analyzed after selection. The results of the meta-analysis showed that (1) risk perception (perceived severity, perceived susceptibility) and negative emotions (especially fear) are both correlated with coping behaviors; (2) risk perception is strongly correlated with fear and moderately correlated with anxiety; and (3) anxiety predicts the adoption of coping behaviors. The existing research provided an empirical basis for implementing effective coping behavior interventions and implied that management decisionmakers need to consider reasonable interventions through multiple channels to maintain the public’s risk perception and emotions within appropriate levels. Finally, future research directions are suggested.
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Constraints on the Ecobiochemical Status of Cultivated Soils along Transportation Routes
Authors: Zawierucha Elżbieta , Zawierucha Marcin , Futa Barbara , Mocek-Płóciniak Agnieszka
Published: March 2023

There is a lack of studies on the impact of COVID-19-related population mobility and freight transport restrictions on the soil environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of automotive pollution on selected parameters describing the quality and healthiness of crop soils based on results obtained before the pandemic (2017–2019) in relation to data from the pandemic period (2020–2021). The study included soils from six cultivated fields located in eastern Poland along national roads (DK No. 74 and 82) and provincial roads (DW No. 761 and 835). Soil samples were taken from distances of 5, 20, 50, and 100 m from the edge of the roadway. The following soil characteristics were determined: pHKCl, content of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and activity of the three enzymes dehydrogenases (ADh), neutral phosphatase (APh), and urease (AU). The degree of traffic-generated soil pollution was assessed by determining the samples’ total cadmium and lead levels (Cd and Pb) and total content of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Σ14PAHs). The monitoring of cultivated soils showed that the parameters of cultivated soils varied primarily according to the distance from the edge of the roadway. There was an increase in soil acidity and TOC and TN content and a decrease in Cd, Pb, and Σ14PAHs as one moved away from the edge of the roadway. The highest ADh and APh values were found in soils located 100 m from the edge of the road. AU at 5 m and 20 m from the edge of the pavement was significantly higher than at 100 m away. The reduction in vehicular traffic associated with the pandemic did not affect the changes in the reaction of the studied soils and their TOC, TN, and Pb contents. The lowest content of Σ14PAHs was found in 2020. In the case of the amount of Cd in soils, a downward effect was also observed in 2020. However, no significant differences were noted, except for the soils in Skorzeszyce and Łuszczów Kolonia. The reduced influx of xenobiotics into the soil environment stimulated ADh and APh. In the following year (2021), the amounts of tested xenobiotics and enzyme activities in the soils were at a similar level to those in 2019. The results indicate a positive but short-term effect of the pandemic on reducing the contamination of soils located along transportation routes.
Lack of Known Target-Site Mutations in Field Populations of Ostrinia furnacalis in China from 2019 to 2021
Authors: Gong Youhui , Li Ting , Xiu Xiaojian , Desneux Nicolas , Hou Maolin
Published: March 2023

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae), is one of the most destructive insect pests of corn, for which chemical insecticides have been the primary method of control, especially during outbreaks. Little information is currently available on the status of insecticide resistance and associated mechanisms in O. furnacalis field populations. Invasions and outbreaks of Spodoptera frugiperda in China in recent years have increased chemical application in corn fields, which adds to the selection pressure on O. furnacalis. This study was conducted to estimate the risk of insecticide resistance by investigating the frequency of insecticide resistant alleles associated with target site insensitivity in field populations of O. furnacalis. Using the individual-PCR genotype sequencing analysis, none of the six target-site insecticide resistant mutations were detected in O. furnacalis field populations collected from 2019 to 2021 in China. These investigated insecticide resistance alleles are common in resistant Lepidoptra pests and are responsible for resistance to pyrethroids, organophosphorus, carbamates, diamide, and Cry1Ab. Our results support the low insecticide resistance status in field O. furnacalis populations and betokens the unlikely development of high resistance mediated by the common target-site resistance alleles. Additionally, the findings would serve as references for further efforts toward the sustainable management of O. furnacalis.
Pesticides and Parabens Contaminating Aquatic Environment: Acute and Sub-Chronic Toxicity towards Early-Life Stages of Freshwater Fish and Amphibians
Authors: Medkova Denisa , Hollerova Aneta , Riesova Barbora , Blahova Jana , Hodkovicova Nikola , Marsalek Petr , Doubkova Veronika , Weiserova Zuzana , Mares Jan , Faldyna Martin , Tichy Frantisek , Svobodova Zdenka , Lakdawala Pavla
Published: March 2023

Pesticides and personal care products are two very important groups of contaminants posing a threat to the aquatic environment and the organisms living in it.. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the effects of widely used pesticides and parabens on aquatic non-target biota such as fish (using model organisms Danio rerio and Cyprinus carpio) and amphibians (using model organism Xenopus laevis) using a wide range of endpoints. The first part of the experiment was focused on the embryonal toxicity of three widely used pesticides (metazachlor, prochloraz, and 4-chloro-2-methyl phenoxy acetic acid) and three parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben) with D. rerio, C. carpio, and X. laevis embryos. An emphasis was placed on using mostly sub-lethal concentrations that are partially relevant to the environmental concentrations of the substances studied. In the second part of the study, an embryo-larval toxicity test with C. carpio was carried out with prochloraz using concentrations 0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 µg/L. The results of both parts of the study show that even the low, environmentally relevant concentrations of the chemicals tested are often able to affect the expression of genes that play either a prominent role in detoxification and sex hormone production or indicate cell stress or, in case of prochloraz, to induce genotoxicity.
Sources, Fate, and Detection of Dust-Associated Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): A Review
Authors: Ismail Usman M. , Elnakar Haitham , Khan Muhammad Faizan
Published: March 2023

The occurrence of sand and dust storms (SDSs) is essential for the geochemical cycling of nutrients; however, it is considered a meteorological hazard common to arid regions because of the adverse impacts that SDSs brings with them. One common implication of SDSs is the transport and disposition of aerosols coated with anthropogenic contaminants. Studies have reported the presence of such contaminants in desert dust; however, similar findings related to ubiquitous emerging contaminants, such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), have been relatively scarce in the literature. This article reviews and identifies the potential sources of dust-associated PFAS that can accumulate and spread across SDS-prone regions. Furthermore, PFAS exposure routes and their toxicity through bioaccumulation in rodents and mammals are discussed. The major challenge when dealing with emerging contaminants is their quantification and analysis from different environmental media, and these PFAS include known and unknown precursors that need to be quantified. Consequently, a review of various analytical methods capable of detecting different PFAS compounds embedded in various matrices is provided. This review will provide researchers with valuable information relevant to the presence, toxicity, and quantification of dust-associated PFAS to develop appropriate mitigation measures.
Metabolomics Reveals Strain-Specific Cyanopeptide Profiles and Their Production Dynamics in Microcystis aeruginosa and M. flos-aquae
Authors: McDonald Kimberlynn , DesRochers Natasha , Renaud Justin B. , Sumarah Mark W. , McMullin David R.
Published: March 2023

Cyanobacterial blooms that release biologically active metabolites into the environment are increasing in frequency as a result of the degradation of freshwater ecosystems globally. The microcystins are one group of cyanopeptides that are extensively studied and included in water quality risk management frameworks. Common bloom-forming cyanobacteria produce incredibly diverse mixtures of other cyanopeptides; however, data on the abundance, distribution, and biological activities of non-microcystin cyanopeptides are limited. We used non-targeted LC-MS/MS metabolomics to study the cyanopeptide profiles of five Microcystis strains: four M. aeruginosa and one M. flos-aquae. Multivariate analysis and GNPS molecular networking demonstrated that each Microcystis strain produced a unique mixture of cyanopeptides. In total, 82 cyanopeptides from the cyanopeptolin (n = 23), microviridin (n = 18), microginin (n = 12), cyanobactin (n = 14), anabaenopeptin (n = 6), aeruginosin (n = 5), and microcystin (n = 4) classes were detected. Microcystin diversity was low compared with the other detected cyanopeptide classes. Based on surveys of the literature and spectral databases, most cyanopeptides represented new structures. To identify growth conditions yielding high amounts of multiple cyanopeptide groups, we next examined strain-specific cyanopeptide co-production dynamics for four of the studied Microcystis strains. When strains were cultivated in two common Microcystis growth media (BG-11 and MA), the qualitative cyanopeptides profiles remained unchanged throughout the growth cycle. For each of the cyanopeptide groups considered, the highest relative cyanopeptide amounts were observed in the mid-exponential growth phase. The outcomes of this study will guide the cultivation of strains producing common and abundant cyanopeptides contaminating freshwater ecosystems. The synchronous production of each cyanopeptide group by Microcystis highlights the need to make more cyanopeptide reference materials available to investigate their distributions and biological functions.
Prevalence of Human and Animal Fasciolosis in Butajira and Gilgel Gibe Health Demographic Surveillance System Sites in Ethiopia
Authors: Abaya Samson Wakuma , Mereta Seid Tiku , Tulu Fikirte Demissie , Mekonnen Zeleke , Ayana Mio , Girma Musse , Vineer Hannah Rose , Mor Siobhan M. , Caminade Cyril , Graham-Brown John
Published: March 2023

Fasciolosis is regarded as a major challenge to livestock productivity worldwide, but the burden of disease in humans has only started to receive some attention in the past three decades. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of human and animal fasciolosis and its determinant factors in the Gilgel Gibe and Butajira Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites in Ethiopia. A study was undertaken among 389 households across the two sites. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of households with regard to fasciolosis. Stools from 377 children aged 7–15 years, and 775 animals (cattle, goats and sheep) were analyzed using a proprietary Fasciola hepatica (F. hepatica) coproantigen ELISA kit. The prevalence of fasciolosis in children was 0.5% and 1% in Butajira and Gilgel Gibe HDSS sites, respectively. The overall prevalence of animal fasciolosis was 29%, 29.2%, and 6% among cattle, sheep, and goats, respectively. More than half of the respondents from Gilgel Gibe (59%, n = 115) did not know that humans can be infected with F. hepatica. The majority of respondents in Gilgel Gibe (n = 124, 64%) and Butajira (n = 95, 50%) did not know the transmission route for fasciolosis. Grazing animals were 7 times more likely to be infected with fasciolosis than animals in cut-and-carry production systems (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.91–13.17). The findings indicated a lack of knowledge amongst local populations about fasciolosis. Thus, there is a need for public health awareness campaigns about fasciolosis in the study areas.
Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Field Isolates from the Thai–Myanmar Border during the Period of 2006–2016
Authors: Jalei Abdifatah Abdullahi , Chaijaroenkul Wanna , Na-Bangchang Kesara
Published: March 2023

High levels of genetic variants of Plasmodium vivax have previously been reported in Thailand. Circumsporozoite surface protein (CSP), merozoite surface protein (MSP), and microsatellite markers were used to determine the genetic polymorphisms of P. vivax. This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology of P. vivax populations at the Thai–Myanmar border by genotyping the PvCSP, PvMSP-3α, and PvMSP-3β genes. Four hundred and forty P. vivax clinical isolates were collected from the Mae Sot and Sai Yok districts from 2006–2007 and 2014–2016. Polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of the target genes. Based on PCR band size variations, 14 different PvCSP alleles were identified: eight for VK210 and six for VK247. The VK210 genotype was the dominant variant during both sample collection periods. Based on PCR genotyping, three distinct types (A, B, and C) for both PvMSP-3α and PvMSP-3β were observed. Following RFLP, 28 and 14 allelic variants of PvMSP-3α and 36 and 20 allelic variants of PvMSP-3β with varying frequencies were identified during the first and second periods, respectively. High genetic variants of PvMSP-3 and PvCSP were found in the study area. PvMSP-3β exhibited a higher level of genetic diversity and multiple-genotype infection versus PvMSP-3α.
Study of the Inflationary Spectrum in the Presence of Quantum Gravity Corrections
Authors: Maniccia Giulia , Montani Giovanni , Torcellini Leonardo
Published: March 2023

After a brief review of the different approaches to predicting the possible quantum gravity corrections to quantum field theory, we discuss in some detail the formulation based on a Gaussian reference frame fixing. Then, we utilize this scenario in the determination of the inflationary spectrum of primordial perturbations. We consider the quantization of an inhomogeneous, free, massless scalar field in a quasi-classical isotropic Universe by developing a WKB expansion of the dynamics of the next order in the Planckian parameter, with respect to the one at which standard QFT emerges. The quantum gravity corrections to the scale-invariant spectrum are discussed in a specific primordial cosmological setting and then in a general minisuperspace formalism, showing that there is no mode-dependent effect, and thus the scale invariant inflationary spectrum is preserved. This result is discussed in connection to the absence of a matter backreaction on the gravitational background in the considered paradigm.
Study of Isothermal Compressibility and Speed of Sound in the Hadronic Matter Formed in Heavy-Ion Collision Using Unified Formalism
Authors: Jain Shubhangi , Gupta Rohit , Jena Satyajit
Published: March 2023

The thermodynamical quantities and response functions are useful to describe the particle production in heavy-ion collisions as they reveal crucial information about the produced system. While the study of isothermal compressibility provides an inference about the viscosity of the medium, speed of sound helps in understanding the equation of state. With an aim towards understanding the system produced in the heavy-ion collision, we have made an attempt to study isothermal compressibility and speed of sound as function of charged particle multiplicity in heavy-ion collisions at sNN = 2.76 TeV, 5.02 TeV, and 5.44 TeV using unified formalism.
Investigating the Role of Urban Vehicle Access Regulations as a Policy Tool for Promoting Electric Mobility in Budapest
Authors: Ogunkunbi Gabriel Ayobami , Meszaros Ferenc
Published: March 2023

To promote sustainable urban mobility and reduce environmental pollution, transportation policies worldwide aim to decrease reliance on fossil fuels. This requires reducing private car use through policy instruments such as urban vehicle access regulations (UVARs) and promoting alternative sustainable transport technologies such as electromobility. Considering that the deployment of such regulations and the market penetration of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is still low in Hungary, this study aimed to examine the willingness of urban dwellers in Budapest, Hungary, to adopt battery electric vehicles (BEVs) upon implementation of an UVAR measure. The study analysed the BEV adoption intention of 409 urban residents who participated in an UVAR study in 2022. The results show that age is a significant factor, with individuals aged 35–44 most likely to adopt BEVs. However, other socio-demographic characteristics did not significantly affect willingness to adopt BEVs. Additionally, pro-environmental behaviour or attitude did not significantly predict BEV adoption. Based on these findings, this study highlights the importance of considering multiple interrelated factors and provides policy insights for promoting sustainable transportation technology adoption.