bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experiences of Student Nurses Regarding Experiential Learning in Specialized Psychiatric Hospitals in South Africa, a Qualitative Study
Authors: Masutha Thingahangwi Cecilia , Maluleke Mary , Raliphaswa Ndidzulafhi Selina , Rangwaneni Mphedziseni Esther
Published: April 2023

Background: Experiential learning in specialized psychiatric hospitals is as essential as other learning in any discipline in nursing education as it allows student nurses to correlate theory to practice. Experiential learning in the mental health environment has been identified as a significant factor in promoting a more favorable attitude among student nurses toward mental health nursing. Aim: The study explored student nurses’ personal experiences regarding experiential learning in specialized psychiatric hospitals. Methods: A qualitative approach using explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs was used, and 51 student nurses were purposively sampled. Data were collected through six focus group interviews and analyzed using a thematic approach. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were also enhanced. Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study. Results: One theme and four sub-themes on the experiences of student nurses regarding experiential learning in specialized psychiatric hospitals were revealed, namely: theme: personal factors; sub-themes: fear of mental healthcare users, anxiety about clinical assessment, lack of interest in psychiatric nursing science, and stress due to social problems. Conclusions: Based on the findings, student nurses experience many things during experiential learning, including personal factors. A further qualitative study should be conducted on strategies to support student nurses during experiential learning in the specialized psychiatric hospitals of Limpopo Province.
Monitoring the Impacts of Human Activities on Urban Ecosystems Based on the Enhanced UCCLN (EUCCLN) Model
Authors: Abbaszadeh Tehrani Nadia , Farhanj Farinaz , Janalipour Milad
Published: April 2023

To have a sustainable city, human pressures on urban ecosystems should not exceed certain thresholds, which are defined by the urban carrying capacity concept. The main goal of this research was to monitor environmental pressures caused by the impacts of human activities on the ecosystem of Tehran city using spatial indicators. According to the enhanced Urban Carrying Capacity Load Number (EUCCLN) model, first, the most related indicators were collected from the open access databases, including satellite products, air quality monitoring stations, municipality statistical yearbook, and a related article. Then, the indicators were classified into air, traffic, and waste groups. Afterwards, the importance coefficients of all indicators were specified using the analytical hierarchy process. Their degree of carrying capacity tables were determined, and finally, load numbers were calculated. The results showed that 100%, 4.55%, and 40.91% of all districts had very high-to-critical degrees in terms of air, traffic, and waste indicators, respectively. The final human-induced pressure degrees were very high-to-critical in Districts 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 14 (31.82% out of 22 districts) and high-to-very high in the rest of them. Therefore, the overall pressure in all 22 districts of Tehran had reached or exceeded its maximum threshold degree.
Metal-Binding Proteins Cross-Linking with Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Li Kejuan , Li Yongnan , Ding Hong , Chen Jianshu , Zhang Xiaowei
Published: April 2023

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an essential organelle in eukaryotic cells, is widely distributed in myocardial cells. The ER is where secreted protein synthesis, folding, post-translational modification, and transport are all carried out. It is also where calcium homeostasis, lipid synthesis, and other processes that are crucial for normal biological cell functioning are regulated. We are concerned that ER stress (ERS) is widespread in various damaged cells. To protect cells’ function, ERS reduces the accumulation of misfolded proteins by activating the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway in response to numerous stimulating factors, such as ischemia or hypoxia, metabolic disorders, and inflammation. If these stimulatory factors are not eliminated for a long time, resulting in the persistence of the UPR, it will aggravate cell damage through a series of mechanisms. In the cardiovascular system, it will cause related cardiovascular diseases and seriously endanger human health. Furthermore, there has been a growing number of studies on the antioxidative stress role of metal-binding proteins. We observed that a variety of metal-binding proteins can inhibit ERS and, hence, mitigate myocardial damage.
New Insights into Pathophysiology and New Risk Factors for ACS
Authors: Nardin Matteo , Verdoia Monica , Laera Nicola , Cao Davide , De Luca Giuseppe
Published: April 2023

Cardiovascular disease still represents the main cause of mortality worldwide. Despite huge improvements, atherosclerosis persists as the principal pathological condition, both in stable and acute presentation. Specifically, acute coronary syndromes have received substantial research and clinical attention in recent years, contributing to improve overall patients’ outcome. The identification of different evolution patterns of the atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease has suggested the potential need of different treatment approaches, according to the mechanisms and molecular elements involved. In addition to traditional risk factors, the finer portrayal of other metabolic and lipid-related mediators has led to higher and deep knowledge of atherosclerosis, providing potential new targets for clinical management of the patients. Finally, the impressive advances in genetics and non-coding RNAs have opened a wide field of research both on pathophysiology and the therapeutic side that are extensively under investigation.
A No-History Multi-Formula Approach to Improve the IOL Power Calculation after Laser Refractive Surgery: Preliminary Results
Authors: Cione Ferdinando , De Bernardo Maddalena , Gioia Marco , Oliviero Marianunzia , Santoro Andrea Giuseppe , Caputo Alessandro , Capasso Luigi , Pagliarulo Sergio , Rosa Nicola
Published: April 2023

This retrospective comparative study proposes a multi-formula approach by comparing no-history IOL power calculation methods after myopic laser-refractive-surgery (LRS). One-hundred-thirty-two eyes of 132 patients who had myopic-LRS and cataract surgery were examined. ALMA, Barrett True-K (TK), Ferrara, Jin, Kim, Latkany and Shammas methods were evaluated in order to back-calculate refractive prediction error (PE). To eliminate any systematic error, constant optimization through zeroing-out the mean error (ME) was performed for each formula. Median absolute error (MedAE) and percentage of eyes within ±0.50 and ±1.00 diopters (D) of PE were analyzed. PEs were plotted with corresponding mean keratometry (K), axial length (AL), and AL/K ratio; then, different ranges were evaluated. With optimized constants through zeroing-out ME (90 eyes), ALMA was better when K ≤ 38.00 D-AL > 28.00 mm and when 38.00 D < K ≤ 40.00 D-26.50 mm < AL ≤ 29.50 mm; Barrett-TK was better when K ≤ 38.00 D-AL ≤ 26.50 mm and when K > 40.00 D-AL ≤ 28.00 mm or AL > 29.50 mm; and both ALMA and Barrett-TK were better in other ranges. (p < 0.05) Without modified constants (132 eyes), ALMA was better when K > 38.00 D-AL ≤ 29.50 mm and when 36.00 < K ≤ 38.00 D-AL ≤ 26.50 mm; Barrett-TK was better when K ≤ 36.00 D and when K ≤ 38.00 D with AL > 29.50 mm; and both ALMA and Barrett-TK were better in other ranges (p < 0.05). A multi-formula approach, according to different ranges of K and AL, could improve refractive outcomes in post-myopic-LRS eyes.
Severe COVID-19: Drugs and Clinical Trials
Authors: Ceja-Gálvez Hazael Ramiro , Renteria-Flores Francisco Israel , Nicoletti Ferdinando , Hernández-Bello Jorge , Macedo-Ojeda Gabriela , Muñoz-Valle José Francisco
Published: April 2023

By January of 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic had led to a reported total of 6,700,883 deaths and 662,631,114 cases worldwide. To date, there have been no effective therapies or standardized treatment schemes for this disease; therefore, the search for effective prophylactic and therapeutic strategies is a primary goal that must be addressed. This review aims to provide an analysis of the most efficient and promising therapies and drugs for the prevention and treatment of severe COVID-19, comparing their degree of success, scope, and limitations, with the aim of providing support to health professionals in choosing the best pharmacological approach. An investigation of the most promising and effective treatments against COVID-19 that are currently available was carried out by employing search terms including “Convalescent plasma therapy in COVID-19” or “Viral polymerase inhibitors” and “COVID-19” in the Clinicaltrials.gov and PubMed databases. From the current perspective and with the information available from the various clinical trials assessing the efficacy of different therapeutic options, we conclude that it is necessary to standardize certain variables—such as the viral clearance time, biomarkers associated with severity, hospital stay, requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation, and mortality rate—in order to facilitate verification of the efficacy of such treatments and to better assess the repeatability of the most effective and promising results.
Association between Sleep Duration and Incident Diabetes Mellitus in Healthy Subjects: A 14-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Jang Jin ha , Kim Wonjin , Moon Jin Sil , Roh Eun , Kang Jun Goo , Lee Seong Jin , Ihm Sung-Hee , Huh Ji Hye
Published: April 2023

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether sleep duration and/or quality are associated with incident diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: A total of 8816 of 10,030 healthy participants were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Sleep duration and quality questionnaires were completed. Sleep quality was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), which measures excessive daytime sleepiness in individuals. Results: During the 14-year follow-up period, 18% (1630/8816) were diagnosed with DM. A U-shaped relationship was observed between sleep duration and incident DM, with the highest risk observed when sleep duration was ≥10 h/day (hazard ratios (HR) 1.65 [1.25–2.17]). This group exhibited decreased insulin glycogenic index, a marker of insulin secretory function, during the study period. Among study participants who slept less than 10 h/day, the risk of incident DM increased when the ESS score was >10. Conclusions: We found that the association between sleep duration and incident DM was U-shaped; both short (≤5 h) and long (≥10 h) sleep durations were associated with an increased risk for the occurrence of incident DM. When sleep duration was 10 h or longer per day, there was a tendency to develop DM due to decreased insulin secretory function.
Young Nonalcoholic Wernicke Encephalopathy Patient Achieves Remission Following Prolonged Thiamine Treatment and Cognitive Rehabilitation
Authors: Oudman Erik , Wijnia Jan W. , Bidesie Janice , Al-Hassaan Zyneb , Laenen Sascha , Jong-Tjien-Fa Amy V.
Published: April 2023

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE), a neurological emergency commonly associated with alcohol use disorder, results from a severe deficiency of vitamin B1. If left untreated, patients either succumb to the illness or develop chronic Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS). Recently, an increasing number of nonalcoholic WE case studies have been published, highlighting a lack of understanding of malnutrition-related disorders among high-functioning patients. We present the case of a 26 year old female who developed life-threatening WE after COVID-19-complicated obesity surgery. She experienced the full triad of WE symptoms, including eye-movement disorders, delirium, and ataxia, and suffered for over 70 days before receiving her initial WE diagnosis. Late treatment resulted in progression of WE symptoms. Despite the severity, the patient achieved remission of some of the symptoms in the post-acute phase due to prolonged parenteral thiamine injections and intensive specialized rehabilitation designed for young traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The rehabilitation resulted in gradual remission of amnesia symptomatology, mainly increasing her autonomy. The late recognition of this case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and prompt, targeted intervention in the management of nonalcoholic WE, as well as underscores the potential for positive outcomes after delayed treatment through intensive cognitive rehabilitation in specialized treatment centers.
Different Efficacy of Burosumab on Physical Performance and Serum Phosphate in Adult Patients with X-Linked Hyphophosphatemic Rickets during the First Six-Month of Treatment
Authors: Arcidiacono Teresa , Foligno Nadia E. , Brioni Elena , Bologna Arianna , Weber Giovanna , Mora Stefano , Pitea Marco , Vitale Corrado , Vezzoli Giuseppe
Published: April 2023

Burosumab is a monoclonal anti-FGF23 antibody used to treat patients with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH). Its effect on serum phosphate and physical performance was compared in patients during a 6-month treatment with burosumab. Eight adult patients with XHL were treated with burosumab (1 mg/kg s.c. every 28 days). In the first 6 months of treatment, calcium-phosphate metabolism variables were measured, and muscle performance (tested with chair and walking test) and quality of life (tested with fatigue, BPI-pain and BPI-life questionnaires) were estimated. A significant increase in serum phosphate was observed during the treatment. From the 16th week, serum phosphate became significantly lower than its value in the 4th week. No patients had serum phosphate below the normal range at the 10th week, but seven patients were hypophosphatemic in the 20th and 24th week. All patients improved the execution time of the chair test and walking test, which reached a plateau after the 12th week. BPI-pain and BPI-life scores significantly decreased from baseline to the 24th week. In conclusion, a six-month burosumab treatment may significantly improve the general condition and physical performance of adult patients with XLH; this improvement was more stable and more indicative of treatment efficacy than that of serum phosphate.
Are There Maternal Deaths Related to Hemorrhagic Stroke Due to Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy That Could Be Potentially Preventable by Tight Hypertension Management in Antepartum? A Retrospective Study from the Maternal Death Exploratory Committee in Japan
Authors: Tanaka Hiroaki , Hasegawa Junichi , Katsuragi Shinji , Tanaka Kayo , Arakaki Tatsuya , Nakamura Masamitsu , Hayata Eijiro , Nakata Masahiko , Sekizawa Akihiko , Ishiwata Isamu , Ikeda Tomoaki
Published: April 2023

Background: Unlike Europe and the United States, Japan has seen numerous maternal deaths from hemorrhagic strokes related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). This study retrospectively analyzed deaths associated with HDP-related hemorrhagic stroke in Japan to determine the number of deaths that may have been prevented with blood pressure control during pregnancy. Methods: This study included maternal deaths related to hemorrhagic stroke cases. The proportion of patients without proteinuria whose blood pressure exceeded 140/90 mmHg between 14+0 and 33+6 weeks of gestation were determined. Lastly, the application of tight antihypertensive management was evaluated. Results: Among 34 HDP-related maternal deaths, 4 cases involved patients without proteinuria whose blood pressures exceeded 140/90 mmHg between 14+0 and 33+6 weeks of gestation. These included two chronic hypertension and two gestational hypertension cases. None of the patients received antihypertensive agents, and their blood pressures were managed leniently. Conclusion: Among HDP-related hemorrhagic stroke deaths in Japan, only a few cases of maternal death could have been prevented with tight blood pressure management, as described in the CHIPS randomized controlled trial. Therefore, to prevent HDP-related hemorrhagic stroke in Japan, new preventive strategies during pregnancy should be established.
Valvular Cardiomyopathy in Aortic Valve Regurgitation Correlates with Myocardial Fibrosis
Authors: Petersen Johannes , Iqbal Shahria , Gedeon Naomi , Kloth Benjamin , Pecha Simon , Yildirim Yalin , Eschenhagen Thomas , Reichenspurner Hermann , Christ Torsten , Girdauskas Evaldas
Published: April 2023

Objective: At the tissue level, disruption of the extracellular matrix network leads to irreversible cardiac fibrosis, which contributes to myocardial dysfunction. At the myocyte level, downregulation of beta-adrenoceptors (beta-AR) reduces adaptation to increased workload. The aim of our study was to analyse the correlation between myocardial fibrosis and beta-AR sensitivity in patients with aortic valve (AV) disease. Methods: A total of 92 consecutive patients who underwent elective AV surgery between 2017–2019 were included in our study (51 with aortic regurgitation (AR-group); 41 with aortic stenosis (AS-group) and left ventricular (LV) biopsies were obtained intraoperatively. In vitro force contractility testing was performed by measuring beta-AR sensitivity (−log EC50[ISO]). In parallel, a quantitative analysis of myocardial fibrosis burden was performed. Results: Mean age at the time of AV surgery was not statistically different in both groups (AR: 53.3 ± 15.3 years vs. AS: 58.7 ± 17.0 years; p = 0.116). The LV end-diastolic diameter was significantly enlarged in the AR-group when compared to the AS-group (59.4 ± 15.6 vs. 39.7 ± 21.2; p < 0.001). Analysis of beta-AR sensitivity (AR: −6.769 vs. AS: −6.659; p = 0.316) and myocardial fibrosis (AR: 8.9% vs. AS: 11.3%; p = 0.284) showed no significant differences between patients with AS and AR. There was no correlation between myocardial fibrosis and beta-AR sensitivity in the whole study cohort (R = 0.1987; p = 0.100) or in the AS-subgroup (R = 0.009; p = 0.960). However, significant correlation of fibrosis and beta-AR sensitivity was seen in AR-patients (R = 0.363; p = 0.023). Conclusion: More severe myocardial fibrosis was associated with reduced beta-AR sensitivity in patients presenting with AR but not with AS. Therefore, our results suggest that in patients with AR, cellular myocardial dysfunction is present and correlates with the extent of myocardial fibrosis in the myocardium.
Integrated Model for Wave-Induced Oscillatory and Residual Soil Response in a Poro-Elastic Seabed: Partially Dynamic Model
Authors: Wan Zhipeng , Cui Lin , Jeng Dong-Sheng
Published: April 2023

The evaluation of wave-induced residual pore pressure in a porous seabed and associated seabed liquefaction is essential for designing marine infrastructure foundations. The strength and stiffness of the seabed could be weakened due to the build-up of pore pressures under cyclic wave action, further leading to residual liquefaction. Existing models for residual liquefaction are limited to the quasi-static uncoupled approaches, which do not account for the effect of oscillatory pore pressure on the accumulative pore pressure acceleration of solid particles, despite the mutual influence of these two mechanisms. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a new model for residual soil response with u−p approximation (partial dynamic model) that couples oscillatory and residual mechanisms. The proposed model is validated through wave flume tests and centrifuge tests. Based on the coupling model, a new criterion of liquefaction integrating both oscillatory and residual mechanisms is also proposed. Numerical examples demonstrate that the coupling effect significantly affects the wave-induced seabed liquefaction potential. Furthermore, a new parameter (Ω) representing the ratio of oscillatory and residual pore pressure is introduced to clarify which mechanism dominates the pore pressure development.
Numerical Analysis on Water-Exit Process of Submersible Aerial Vehicle under Different Launch Conditions
Authors: Liu Bing , Chen Xiaohan , Li Enyi , Le Guigao
Published: April 2023

To study the influence of launch conditions and wave interference on the stability of submersible aerial vehicles at the water–air interface, a coupling model for water-exit motion of submersible aerial vehicles was established by using the RNG k-ε turbulence model and VOF method. The water-exit processes of submersible aerial vehicles under different initial inclination angles and velocities were numerically simulated and the effects of initial inclination angle and velocity on the water-exit motion of submersible aerial vehicles were obtained. Based on the response surface function theory, a mathematical model for the motion stability of submersible aerial vehicles at the water–air interface was established, so that the submersible aerial vehicle’s pitch angle and velocity at the end of vehicle’s water-exit process, corresponding to any initial inclination angle and velocity, can be solved. The deviation between the simulated calculation result and the established fitting function model result was 2.7%. The minimum water-exit velocity of submarine aerial vehicles should be greater than 10.8 m/s. The research provides technical support for the trans-media motion stability analysis and hydrodynamic performance design of the submersible aerial vehicle.
Comparative Analysis of 3D LiDAR Scan-Matching Methods for State Estimation of Autonomous Surface Vessel
Authors: Wang Haichao , Yin Yong , Jing Qianfeng
Published: April 2023

Accurate positioning and state estimation of surface vessels are prerequisites to achieving autonomous navigation. Recently, the rapid development of 3D LiDARs has promoted the autonomy of both land and aerial vehicles, which has aroused the interest of researchers in the maritime community accordingly. In this paper, the state estimation schemes based on 3D LiDAR scan matching are explored in depth. Firstly, the iterative closest point (ICP) and normal distribution transformation (NDT) algorithms and their variants are introduced in detail. Besides, ten representative registration algorithms are selected from the variants for comparative analysis. Two types of experiments are designed by utilizing the field test data of an ASV equipped with a 3D LiDAR. Both the accuracy and real-time performance of the selected algorithms are systemically analyzed based on the experimental results. It follows that ICP and Levenberg–Marquardt iterative closest point (LMICP) methods perform well on single-frame experiments, while the voxelized generalized iterative closest point (FastVGICP) and multi-threaded optimization generalized iterative closest point (FastGICP) methods have the best performance on continuous-frame experiments. However, all methods have lower accuracy during fast turning. Consequently, the limitations of current methods are discussed in detail, which provides insights for future exploration of accurate state estimation based on 3D LiDAR for ASVs.
Uniparental Inheritance and Recombination as Strategies to Avoid Competition and Combat Muller’s Ratchet among Mitochondria in Natural Populations of the Fungus Amanita phalloides
Authors: Wang Yen-Wen , Elmore Holly , Pringle Anne
Published: April 2023

Uniparental inheritance of mitochondria enables organisms to avoid the costs of intracellular competition among potentially selfish organelles. By preventing recombination, uniparental inheritance may also render a mitochondrial lineage effectively asexual and expose mitochondria to the deleterious effects of Muller’s ratchet. Even among animals and plants, the evolutionary dynamics of mitochondria remain obscure, and less is known about mitochondrial inheritance among fungi. To understand mitochondrial inheritance and test for mitochondrial recombination in one species of filamentous fungus, we took a population genomics approach. We assembled and analyzed 88 mitochondrial genomes from natural populations of the invasive death cap Amanita phalloides, sampling from both California (an invaded range) and Europe (its native range). The mitochondrial genomes clustered into two distinct groups made up of 57 and 31 mushrooms, but both mitochondrial types are geographically widespread. Multiple lines of evidence, including negative correlations between linkage disequilibrium and distances between sites and coalescent analysis, suggest low rates of recombination among the mitochondria (ρ = 3.54 × 10−4). Recombination requires genetically distinct mitochondria to inhabit a cell, and recombination among A. phalloides mitochondria provides evidence for heteroplasmy as a feature of the death cap life cycle. However, no mushroom houses more than one mitochondrial genome, suggesting that heteroplasmy is rare or transient. Uniparental inheritance emerges as the primary mode of mitochondrial inheritance, even as recombination appears as a strategy to alleviate Muller’s ratchet.
Unprotected Left Main Bifurcation Stenting in Acute Coronary Syndromes: Two-Stent Technique versus One-Stent Technique
Authors: Predescu Lucian , Postu Marin , Zarma Lucian , Bucsa Adrian , Platon Pavel , Croitoru Marian , Mereuta Adrian , Licheardopol Leonard , Predescu Alexandra , Dorobantu Dan , Deleanu Dan
Published: April 2023

Aims: There is little evidence guiding the choice between a one-stent and a two-stent approach in unprotected distal left main coronary artery disease (UDLMCAD) presenting as acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aim to compare these two techniques in an unselected ACS group. Methods and results: We conducted a single center retrospective observational study, that included all patients with UDLMCAD and ACS undergoing PCI between 2014 and 2018. Group A underwent PCI with a one-stent technique (n = 41, 58.6%), Group B with a two-stent technique (n = 29, 41.4%). A total of 70 patients were included, with a median age of 63 years, including n = 12 (17.1%) with cardiogenic shock. There were no differences between Group A and B in terms of patient characteristics, including SYNTAX score (median 23). The 30-day mortality was 15.7% overall, and was lower in Group B (3.5% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.02). Mortality rate at 4 years was significantly lower in Group B (21.4% vs. 44%), also when adjusted in a multivariable regression model (HR 0.26, p = 0.01). Conclusions: In our study, patients with UDLMCAD and ACS undergoing PCI using a two-stent technique had lower early and midterm mortality compared to one-stent approach, even after adjusting for patient-related or angiographic factors.
Influence of the Psychological Effect of COVID-19 on Saudi Student Nurses’ Attitudes toward Nursing and Their Future Career Plans
Authors: Alotaibi Khalaf Aied , Balay-odao Ejercito Mangawa , Cruz Jonas Preposi , Alotaibi Jazi Shaydied , Bajet Junel Bryan , Alquwez Nahed , Mesde Jennifer , Almansour Ahmed Mansour , Almoghairi Ahmed , Albougami Abdulrhman Saad
Published: April 2023

Background: The effects of COVID-19 on the attitude of student nurses toward the nursing profession remain unclear because few studies have been conducted on this topic. Thus, this study examines the influence of the psychological effects of COVID-19 on student nurses’ attitudes toward the nursing profession and their desire to become nurses. Method: The study utilised a quantitative, cross-sectional, and observational design. It surveyed a convenience sample of 726 student nurses in Saudi Arabia during the first semester of the 2021–2022 academic year. Results: The students reported low levels of COVID-19 fear, anxiety, stress, phobia, and obsession. The students reported positive attitudes toward the nursing profession and 86.0% highlighted their desire to continue with nursing as their future profession. Gender, knowing someone infected with COVID-19, confidence in the government’s pandemic response, fear, anxiety, and phobia were significant predictors of the nurses’ attitudes. Community, family members in the profession, “COVID-19-related anxiety”, and “preference for the nursing profession” were significant predictors of the student’s desire to continue nursing. Conclusions: Living in a rural community, having family members in the nursing profession, having low levels of COVID-19-related anxiety, and having positive attitudes toward nursing increased the likelihood of nursing students continuing their nursing careers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assessment and Prediction of Landscape Ecological Risk from Land Use Change in Xinjiang, China
Authors: Cheng Yaqi , Song Wei , Yu Hao , Wei Xi , Sheng Shuangqing , Liu Bo , Gao He , Li Junfang , Cao Congjie , Yang Dazhi
Published: April 2023

Land use change has significant impacts on the regional and global environment; thus, in-depth research on the associated ecological risks is necessary for promoting ecological restoration and sustainable development. Xinjiang, China, is characterized by a fragile ecological environment, and this study aimed to predict the land use change in the region in 2030 under different scenarios, including natural development, ecological conservation, and urban development, by using the PLUS model based on land use data from 2000, 2010, and 2020. Based on the landscape structure of regional ecosystems, we developed a comprehensive ecological risk assessment framework by utilizing a combination of landscape disturbance index, vulnerability index, and loss index. This framework allowed us to evaluate the spatiotemporal patterns and variations of landscape ecological risks under different scenarios in 2030. The study results indicate the following: (1) During the period from 2000 to 2020, the primary landscape type in Xinjiang was unused land. However, significant changes were observed in the area of cultivated land, mainly due to the conversion of grassland and construction land. The expansion of construction land during the urbanization process resulted in a decline in ecological landscapes, such as grassland, thereby weakening the ecosystem’s stability. (2) Under different simulation scenarios, the urban development scenario primarily led to the conversion of unused land into construction land, which is beneficial for economic development. On the other hand, the ecological conservation scenario resulted in a modest increase in construction land and a transformation of unused land into forest and grassland, which aligns with the principles of sustainable development. (3) Different scenarios in 2030 result in varying degrees of changes in each landscape type in Xinjiang, with the spatial distribution characteristics of landscape ecological risks remaining similar to those observed in 2020. Notably, under the urban development scenario, the area of lowest and medium risk areas decreases significantly while the area of higher and highest risk areas increases substantially. Conversely, under the ecological conservation scenario, the area of the lowest risk areas experiences a more significant increase. (4) Overall, the spatial differences in the ecological risk of Xinjiang’s landscape are significant, with HH and LL clustering types predominating and presenting a polarization pattern. The distribution pattern is low in the north and high in the central and southern parts of the study area.
The Effect of Hormone Types, Concentrations, and Treatment Times on the Rooting Traits of Morus ‘Yueshenda 10’ Softwood Cuttings
Authors: Sun Jiajia , Li Hongyun , Chen Hanlei , Wang Tiantian , Quan Jin’e , Bi Huitao
Published: April 2023

Enhancing the capacity of fruit trees to propagate via cuttings is an important endeavor for the high-quality development of the fruit industry. Optimizing the conditions for the cutting propagation of mulberry seedlings is an important factor that influences the industrial production of this plant; however, the currently used mulberry breeding technology system is not mature. In this experiment, an orthogonal design was used to intercept semi-woody shoots of Yueshenda 10 as cuttings and set different hormone concentrations (200, 500, 800, and 1000 mg/L), different hormone types (NAA, IBA, IAA, and ABT-1), and different soaking times (10, 30, 60, and 120 min) for cuttings. The effects of the three factors on the rooting of mulberry cuttings were investigated by soaking the cuttings in clean water for 10 min as a control. The results showed that the primary and secondary order of the three factors affecting the rooting rate of cuttings was hormone concentration > hormone type > soaking time, and the concentration of exogenous hormones had a significant impact on all rooting indicators (p < 0.05). In addition, the rooting rate (66.24%), average number of roots (7.54 roots/plant), and rooting effect index (4.23) of Yueshenda 10 cuttings reached the optimal level when soaked with 800 mg/L ABT-1 for 30 min. The longest root length (10.20 cm) and average root length (4.44 cm) of cuttings achieved the best results when soaked with 800 mg/L NAA for 60 min and 500 mg/L NAA for 30 min, respectively. On balance, it is considered that the preferred solution is to soak the cuttings of Yueshenda 10 with 800 mg/L ABT1 solution for 0.5 h.
Evaluation of Different Fault Diagnosis Methods and Their Applications in Vehicle Systems
Authors: Li Shiqing , Frey Michael , Gauterin Frank
Published: April 2023

A high level of automation in vehicles is accompanied by a variety of sensors and actuators, whose malfunctions must be dealt with caution because they might cause serious driving safety hazards. Therefore, a robust and highly accurate fault detection and diagnosis system to monitor the operational states of vehicle systems is an indispensable prerequisite. In the area of fault diagnosis, numerous techniques have been studied, and each one has pros and cons. Selecting the best approach based on the requirements or usage scenarios will save much needless work. In this article, the authors examine some of the most common fault diagnosis methods for their applicability to automated vehicle systems: the traditional binary logic method, the fuzzy logic method, the fuzzy neural method, and two neural network methods (the feedforward neural network and the convolutional neural network). For each approach, the diagnosis algorithms for vehicle systems were modeled differently. The analysis of the detection capabilities and the suitable application scenarios of each fault diagnosis approach for vehicle systems, as well as recommendations for selecting different methods for various diagnosis needs, are also provided. In the future, this can serve as an effective guide for the selection of a suitable fault diagnosis approach based on the application scenarios for vehicle systems.
Opportunities and Limitations in Recycling Fossil Polymers from Textiles
Authors: Bianchi Sabrina , Bartoli Flavia , Bruni Cosimo , Fernandez-Avila Cristina , Rodriguez-Turienzo Laura , Mellado-Carretero Jorge , Spinelli Daniele , Coltelli Maria-Beatrice
Published: April 2023

The recovery and recycling of textile waste is becoming urgent since textiles are generating more and more waste. In one year, about 92 million tons of textile waste are produced and the fashion industry accounts for 58 million tons of plastic waste per year. Several different synthetic fibres are used in textiles, thanks to their excellent processability and mechanical properties, but on the other hand, the difficulties linked to their end of life and the release of microplastics from them during washing is currently a cause of great concern. In this context, policy actions have been aimed at promoting recycling of waste and replacing fossil-based fibres with biobased fibres. The current review, considering both scientific papers published on international journals and web sources, considers the sorting of textiles and the possible recycling of polyesters, polyamides and acrylics. Nevertheless, the contamination and presence of mixed fibres in fabrics is another issue to face for recycling. Methodologies to solve the issue linked to the presence of elastane, present in the stretch fabrics, as well as the possibility of recycling textiles in the non-woven and composite sector are investigated. Moreover, chemical recycling and enzymatic recycling of fossil polymers are also considered. Thanks to the comprehensive scheme of this review, it is possible to deduce that, while the use of biobased materials should rapidly increase in textile applications, the perspective of recycling materials obtained from waste textile into durable and/or high-performance products seems the most promising.
An Exact Approach for Selecting Pickup-Delivery Stations in Urban Areas to Reduce Distribution Emission Costs
Authors: Sciomachen Anna , Truvolo Maria
Published: April 2023

This paper deals with a variant of the multifacility location-routing problem in urban areas. The distribution network is modelled by an undirected graph, in which the nodes are split into a set of pickup-delivery stations, a depot, and a set of customers. The arcs represent the minimum-cost connections between nodes. A customer is assigned to a pickup-delivery station if he or she can reach it at the lowest sustainable cost, i.e., on foot or by bicycle, without exceeding a predefined maximum distance. The goal is to minimise the goods’ total delivery cost, including pollutant emissions. In this perspective, both travel distance and means of transport play a key role. We present an exact novel approach based on partitioning the research space of the solutions of a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model. In the model, Boolean decisional variables, representing the selection of the locations for the pickup-delivery stations, are fixed simultaneously with the solution of the classical Travelling Salesman Problem. A branching constraint allows us to determine the route that serves the selected pickup-delivery stations and the route, if any, that serves customers who do not go to any pickup-delivery station. We conduct extensive experimentation to test the proposed approach’s computational efficiency and analyse the optimal solution’s robustness with respect to the maximum distance of customers from the stations, their activation cost and the pollutant emissions. The effectiveness of the proposed approach in terms of solution quality and computation time is certified by a set of computational tests based on randomly generated instances with up to 150 customers and 30 pickup-delivery stations. The application of the proposed exact method to a case study related to a district of the city of Genoa (Italy) confirms its validity also for sustainably addressing real-size urban delivery problems. An evaluation of incentives for customers using pickup-delivery stations, possibly by implementing discount policies on orders, is also proposed.
An AdaBoost Method with K′K-Means Bayes Classifier for Imbalanced Data
Authors: Zhang Yanfeng , Wang Lichun
Published: April 2023

This article proposes a new AdaBoost method with k′k-means Bayes classifier for imbalanced data. It reduces the imbalance degree of training data through the k′k-means Bayes method and then deals with the imbalanced classification problem using multiple iterations with weight control, achieving a good effect without losing any raw data information or needing to generate more relevant data manually. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by comparing it with other traditional methods based on numerical experiments. In the NSL-KDD data experiment, the F-score values of each minority class are also greater than the other methods.
A Mandarin Tone Recognition Algorithm Based on Random Forest and Feature Fusion †
Authors: Yan Jiameng , Meng Qiang , Tian Lan , Wang Xiaoyu , Liu Junhui , Li Meng , Zeng Ming , Xu Huifang
Published: April 2023

In human–computer interaction (HCI) systems for Mandarin learning, tone recognition is of great importance. A brand-new tone recognition method based on random forest (RF) and feature fusion is proposed in this study. Firstly, three fusion feature sets (FFSs) were created by using different fusion methods on sound source features linked to Mandarin syllable tone. Following the construction of the CART decision trees using the three FFSs, modeling and optimization of the corresponding RF tone classifiers were performed. The method was tested and evaluated on the Syllable Corpus of Standard Chinese (SCSC), which is a speaker-independent Mandarin monosyllable corpus. Additionally, the effects were also assessed on small sample sets. The results show that the tone recognition algorithm can achieve high tone recognition accuracy and has good generalization capability and classification ability with unbalanced data. This indicates that the proposed approach is highly efficient and robust and is appropriate for mobile HCI learning systems.
A Novel Integrated Heuristic Optimizer Using a Water Cycle Algorithm and Gravitational Search Algorithm for Optimization Problems
Authors: Tian Mengnan , Liu Junhua , Yue Wei , Zhou Jie
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a novel composite heuristic algorithm for global optimization by organically integrating the merits of a water cycle algorithm (WCA) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA). To effectively reinforce the exploration and exploitation of algorithms and reasonably achieve their balance, a modified WCA is first put forward to strengthen its search performance by introducing the concept of the basin, where the position of the solution is also considered into the assignment of the sea or river and its streams, and the number of the guider solutions is adaptively reduced during the search process. Furthermore, the enhanced WCA is adaptively cooperated with the gravitational search to search for new solutions based on their historical performance within a certain stage. Moreover, the binomial crossover operation is also incorporated after the water cycle search or the gravitational search to further improve the search capability of the algorithm. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by comparing with six excellent meta-heuristic algorithms on the IEEE CEC2014 test suite, and the numerical results indicate that the proposed algorithm is very competitive.
Optimal Model Averaging Estimation for the Varying-Coefficient Partially Linear Models with Missing Responses
Authors: Zeng Jie , Cheng Weihu , Hu Guozhi
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we propose a model averaging estimation for the varying-coefficient partially linear models with missing responses. Within this context, we construct a HRCp weight choice criterion that exhibits asymptotic optimality under certain assumptions. Our model averaging procedure can simultaneously address the uncertainty on which covariates to include and the uncertainty on whether a covariate should enter the linear or nonlinear component of the model. The simulation results in comparison with some related strategies strongly favor our proposal. A real dataset is analyzed to illustrate the practical application as well.
Editorial for the Special Issue “Advances in Machine Learning and Mathematical Modeling for Optimization Problems”
Authors: Chehri Abdellah , Rivest Francois
Published: April 2023

Machine learning and deep learning have made tremendous progress over the last decade and have become the de facto standard across a wide range of image, video, text, and sound processing domains, from object recognition to image generation [...]
The Cauchy Exponential of Linear Functionals on the Linear Space of Polynomials
Authors: Marcellán Francisco , Sfaxi Ridha
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we introduce the notion of the Cauchy exponential of a linear functional on the linear space of polynomials in one variable with real or complex coefficients using a functional equation by using the so-called moment equation. It seems that this notion hides several properties and results. Our purpose is to explore some of these properties and to compute the Cauchy exponential of some special linear functionals. Finally, a new characterization of the positive-definiteness of a linear functional is given.
A Novel Decomposition-Based Multi-Objective Symbiotic Organism Search Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Ganesh Narayanan , Shankar Rajendran , Kalita Kanak , Jangir Pradeep , Oliva Diego , Pérez-Cisneros Marco
Published: April 2023

In this research, the effectiveness of a novel optimizer dubbed as decomposition-based multi-objective symbiotic organism search (MOSOS/D) for multi-objective problems was explored. The proposed optimizer was based on the symbiotic organisms’ search (SOS), which is a star-rising metaheuristic inspired by the natural phenomenon of symbioses among living organisms. A decomposition framework was incorporated in SOS for stagnation prevention and its deep performance analysis in real-world applications. The investigation included both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the MOSOS/D metaheuristic. For quantitative analysis, the MOSOS/D was statistically examined by using it to solve the unconstrained DTLZ test suite for real-parameter continuous optimizations. Next, two constrained structural benchmarks for real-world optimization scenario were also tackled. The qualitative analysis was performed based on the characteristics of the Pareto fronts, boxplots, and dimension curves. To check the robustness of the proposed optimizer, comparative analysis was carried out with four state-of-the-art optimizers, viz., MOEA/D, NSGA-II, MOMPA and MOEO, grounded on six widely accepted performance measures. The feasibility test and Friedman’s rank test demonstrates the dominance of MOSOS/D over other compared techniques and exhibited its effectiveness in solving large complex multi-objective problems.
Iron Diffusion in Electron Beam Melt (EBM) γ-TiAl Based Alloy from the Building Platform: Interface Characterization
Authors: Kenevisi Mohammad Saleh , Ghibaudo Cristian , Bassini Emilio , Ugues Daniele , Marchese Giulio , Biamino Sara
Published: April 2023

Electron beam melting (EBM) is a promising technique for processing γ-TiAl alloys that are susceptible to cracking. TiAl alloys are usually built on stainless steel platforms to reduce overall costs. The interface between the samples and the platform is generally brittle due to the strong diffusion of elements between the two components, making them easily separable just by applying impulsive bending stress. In this work, Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb samples were processed via EBM and separated from the platform without altering the interface layer. The interface was studied in four different conditions (as-built, hot isostatic pressed, and solution annealed at 1320 °C and 1360 °C) by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and hardness measurement. The results revealed that due to the diffusion of elements such as Fe Cr, and Ni, some hard intermetallics and phases were formed close to the interface of the platform and the first deposited layers, which was confirmed by SEM and XRD. According to the results among all diffusing elements, only Fe could diffuse significantly past the interface. More specifically, the diffusion range in the as-built condition was limited to about 350 μm. However, when the sample was heat treated at 1360 °C, Fe amounts of about 0.7 wt.% was still traced at distances as far as 500 μm. Additionally, annealing at higher temperatures led to more homogeneous and relatively higher hardness values within the matrix. According to the results obtained, removing the samples from the building platform with Electro Discharge Machining (EDM) above the contaminated layer before performing any heat treatment is advised to avoid the removal of thick material layers in order to get back to the nominal alloying composition.