bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Groundwater Depression Cone on the Hydrochemical Evolution Process in the People’s Victory Canal Irrigation Area, China
Authors: Feng Shaoyi , Liu Zhongpei , Han Yuping , Wang Lu , Hu Zhipeng , Qi Mingkun
Published: December 2022

The over-exploitation of shallow groundwater in the People’s Victory Canal irrigation area has led to the continuous decline in the groundwater level. The formation of a groundwater drawdown cone has changed the original runoff conditions and hydrochemical environment. Based on the groundwater data in the irrigated area from 1996 to 2022, multivariate statistical analysis, traditional hydrochemical methods, and inverse geochemical modeling were used to reveal the impact of the formation of the groundwater depression cone on hydrochemical evolution. The results show that the formation of the groundwater depression cone near the central area in 2003 changed the direction of the canal head flowing to the northwest area, making the groundwater flow from the canal head and the northwest area to the central area. The change in the hydrodynamic fields also caused the groundwater with high salinity in the northwest region to flow to the funnel area, and the ion concentration of groundwater along the pathway area to increase. The groundwater type in the runoff area changes, gradually evolving from Group 1 to Group 2 groundwater. Analysis of the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in the runoff area for many years shows that after the formation of the central funnel area in 2003, the groundwater with high SO42− ion in the northwest area flows to the funnel area, and the correlation between total dissolved solids and SO42− ions in the groundwater along the way is significantly enhanced. The inverse geochemical modeling shows that the main water–rock action along the runoff direction is the dissolution of halite and gypsum. In addition, the study area has a strong cation exchange reaction.
Optimization of the Biotreatment of GTL Process Water Using Pseudomonas aeruginosa Immobilized in PVA Hydrogel
Authors: Ahmed Somaya A. , Surkatti Riham , Ba-Abbad Muneer M. , El-Naas Muftah H.
Published: December 2022

The COD reduction in gas to liquid (GTL) process water was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The biodegradation process was carried out in a spouted bed bioreactor (SBBR) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel. Different factors affecting the biological treatment of GTL process water (PW) were investigated. Three variables including PVA volume fraction, initial COD, and pH were investigated in the batch experiments. The biodegradation experiments were carried out by varying the initial COD values from 1000 to 3000 mg/L, pH from 5 to 8, and PVA v% from 20 to 30%. The maximum COD reduction was estimated to occur at an initial COD of 2595 mg/L, PVA v% of 27%, and pH of 7.3. At optimum conditions, the bioreactor system was able to achieve a maximum COD reduction of 89%, which is quite close to the RSM prediction value of 90%. The optimum operating conditions were used to carry out continuous biodegradation, and the results indicated that the COD reduction increased from 60% to 62% with an increase in the air flow rate from 2 to 3.3 La/Lr.min. However, by increasing the liquid flow rate from 2.1 to 4.2 mL/min and back to 2.1 mL/min, the COD reduction decreased from 66% to 39%. The system responded quickly to the change in liquid flow rate and returned to the initial COD level. This indicates that the system is highly stable and can easily recover.
Investigation on the Influence of Flow Passage Structure on the Performance of Bionic Pumps
Authors: Hua Ertian , Luo Haitao , Xie Rongsheng , Chen Wanqian , Tang Shouwei , Jin Dongyang
Published: December 2022

The flapping hydrofoil bionic pump drives the hydrofoil to make simple harmonic motion and completes one-way water pumping in the flow passage. As a new pump device that can realize ultra-low head water delivery, the flapping hydrofoil device can effectively enrich the drainage methods of plain rivers and improve water delivery efficiency, and the passage structure is the key factor of ultra-low head devices. In this paper, the two-dimensional flow passage models are established, and the flapping of the airfoil is realized by using the dynamic grid technology. Based on the continuity equation, k-ε turbulence model, and Reynolds time-averaged equation, the flapping hydrofoil device is simulated by transient calculation. The hydraulic performance characteristics of various passages with different widths, such as square passages, micro-arc passages, and convergent–divergent passages, are calculated and simulated. The results show that, under the fixed motion parameters, the narrower the passage width, the higher the outlet velocity, lift, and efficiency of the device, the lower the flow rate. The contraction–expansion pipe can effectively improve the efficiency and flow rate of the device, and, before the wake is stable, the longer the contraction section the better the lifting effect. However, the micro-arc pipeline will affect the formation of a double-row anti-Karman vortex street, resulting in greater energy loss and in its hydraulic performance being inferior to that of the square passage.
Religion and Cinema as Subversive Memories: A Possible Relationship in the Brazilian Context
Authors: Adam Júlio Cézar
Published: December 2022

Brazil has been defined as a country without memory. On the other hand, Brazilian cinematography is rich in dealing with the theme of memory. In this scenario, Brazilians gather weekly in religious services to celebrate the memory of the Easter of Christ in the Eucharist, to remember the deeds of God in time and space, and to celebrate the memory of the Gospel embodied in the culture and memory of the Brazilian people. This article intends, therefore, to establish a relation between the lack of critical and political memories and the memory present in the narratives of Brazilian films as spaces of resistance, and the religious and subversive memory in the Christian liturgy. The methodology adopted will be, firstly, descriptive and analytical, focusing on the facts of the Brazilian reality. Secondly, memory and liturgical memory will be treated in the liturgy, ascertaining the role of this paschal memory not only as an exercise of memory, but also as a subverting and political memory in the past, present, and future. Here, relations between liturgy and Brazilian cinema will be established.
A Method of Fusing Probability-Form Knowledge into Object Detection in Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Zheng Kunlong , Dong Yifan , Xu Wei , Su Yun , Huang Pingping
Published: December 2022

In recent years, dramatic progress in object detection in remote sensing images has been made due to the rapid development of convolutional neural networks (CNNs). However, most existing methods solely pay attention to training a suitable network model to extract more powerful features in order to solve the problem of false detections and missed detections caused by background complexity, various scales, and the appearance of the object. To open up new paths, we consider embedding knowledge into geospatial object detection. As a result, we put forward a method of digitizing knowledge and embedding knowledge into detection. Specifically, we first analyze the training set and then transform the probability into a knowledge factor according to an analysis using an improved version of the method used in existing work. With a knowledge matrix consisting of knowledge factors, the Knowledge Inference Module (KIM) optimizes the classification in which the residual structure is introduced to avoid performance degradation. Extensive experiments are conducted on two public remote sensing image data sets, namely DOTA and DIOR. The experimental results prove that the proposed method is able to reduce some false detections and missed detections and obtains a higher mean average precision (mAP) performance than the baseline method.
Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Tools to Support Wetland Monitoring: A Meta-Analysis of Three Decades of Research
Authors: Jafarzadeh Hamid , Mahdianpari Masoud , Gill Eric W. , Brisco Brian , Mohammadimanesh Fariba
Published: December 2022

Despite their importance to ecosystem services, wetlands are threatened by pollution and development. Over the last few decades, a growing number of wetland studies employed remote sensing (RS) to scientifically monitor the status of wetlands and support their sustainability. Considering the rapid evolution of wetland studies and significant progress that has been made in the field, this paper constitutes an overview of studies utilizing RS methods in wetland monitoring. It investigates publications from 1990 up to the middle of 2022, providing a systematic survey on RS data type, machine learning (ML) tools, publication details (e.g., authors, affiliations, citations, and publications date), case studies, accuracy metrics, and other parameters of interest for RS-based wetland studies by covering 344 papers. The RS data and ML combination is deemed helpful for wetland monitoring and multi-proxy studies, and it may open up new perspectives for research studies. In a rapidly changing wetlands landscape, integrating multiple RS data types and ML algorithms is an opportunity to advance science support for management decisions. This paper provides insight into the selection of suitable ML and RS data types for the detailed monitoring of wetland-associated systems. The synthesized findings of this paper are essential to determining best practices for environmental management, restoration, and conservation of wetlands. This meta-analysis establishes avenues for future research and outlines a baseline framework to facilitate further scientific research using the latest state-of-art ML tools for processing RS data. Overall, the present work recommends that wetland sustainability requires a special land-use policy and relevant protocols, regulation, and/or legislation.
The Potential of UAV Imagery for the Detection of Rapid Permafrost Degradation: Assessing the Impacts on Critical Arctic Infrastructure
Authors: Kaiser Soraya , Boike Julia , Grosse Guido , Langer Moritz
Published: December 2022

Ground subsidence and erosion processes caused by permafrost thaw pose a high risk to infrastructure in the Arctic. Climate warming is increasingly accelerating the thawing of permafrost, emphasizing the need for thorough monitoring to detect damages and hazards at an early stage. The use of unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) allows a fast and uncomplicated analysis of sub-meter changes across larger areas compared to manual surveys in the field. In our study, we investigated the potential of photogrammetry products derived from imagery acquired with off-the-shelf UAVs in order to provide a low-cost assessment of the risks of permafrost degradation along critical infrastructure. We tested a minimal drone setup without ground control points to derive high-resolution 3D point clouds via structure from motion (SfM) at a site affected by thermal erosion along the Dalton Highway on the North Slope of Alaska. For the sub-meter change analysis, we used a multiscale point cloud comparison which we improved by applying (i) denoising filters and (ii) alignment procedures to correct for horizontal and vertical offsets. Our results show a successful reduction in outliers and a thorough correction of the horizontal and vertical point cloud offset by a factor of 6 and 10, respectively. In a defined point cloud subset of an erosion feature, we derive a median land surface displacement of −0.35 m from 2018 to 2019. Projecting the development of the erosion feature, we observe an expansion to NNE, following the ice-wedge polygon network. With a land surface displacement of −0.35 m and an alignment root mean square error of 0.99 m, we find our workflow is best suitable for detecting and quantifying rapid land surface changes. For a future improvement of the workflow, we recommend using alternate flight patterns and an enhancement of the point cloud comparison algorithm.
GPS Spoofing Detection Method for Small UAVs Using 1D Convolution Neural Network
Authors: Sung Young-Hwa , Park Soo-Jae , Kim Dong-Yeon , Kim Sungho
Published: December 2022

The navigation of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as quadcopters, significantly relies on the global positioning system (GPS); however, UAVs are vulnerable to GPS spoofing attacks. GPS spoofing is an attempt to manipulate a GPS receiver by broadcasting manipulated signals. A commercial GPS simulator can cause a GPS-guided drone to deviate from its intended course by transmitting counterfeit GPS signals. Therefore, an anti-spoofing technique is essential to ensure the operational safety of UAVs. Various methods have been introduced to detect GPS spoofing; however, most methods require additional hardware. This may not be appropriate for small UAVs with limited capacity. This study proposes a deep learning-based anti-spoofing method equipped with 1D convolutional neural network. The proposed method is lightweight and power-efficient, enabling real-time detection on mobile platforms. Furthermore, the performance of our approach can be enhanced by increasing training data and adjusting the network architecture. We evaluated our algorithm on the embedded board of a drone in terms of power consumption and inference time. Compared to the support vector machine, the proposed method showed better performance in terms of precision, recall, and F-1 score. Flight test demonstrated our algorithm could successfully detect GPS spoofing attacks.
Family and Youth Development: Some Concepts and Findings Linked to The Ecocultural and Acculturation Models
Authors: Berry John W.
Published: December 2022

Much research on migrants has focused on single individuals; however, the large-scale movement of people from one society to another often includes families made up of parents, their children and other relatives. Over time, these families and their members settle into their new society; they experience the process of acculturation and eventually adapt to their new circumstances. The processes of acculturation and adaptation are highly variable across cultural groups, societies of settlement, families and individuals. Sometimes this process is challenging, and may engender disagreements and conflicts among members of a family about how to acculturate. Variations in these patterns allow for the examination of which acculturation experiences and strategies lead to better adaptations. This paper reviews some of the core concepts and frameworks for examining them, and presents some findings on how families and youth acculturate and adapt. It concludes with some suggestions for how to acculturate using the integration strategy to improve family and individual adaptations.
Framing Food Transition: The Debate on Meat Production and Climate Change in Three European Countries
Authors: Palau-Sampio Dolors , Rivas-de-Roca Rubén , Fernández-Peña Emilio
Published: December 2022

The link between meat production and climate change has fostered increasing social debate in recent years. Livestock is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, among other global problems attached to the meat industry. However, this debate is often presented as one-dimensional, without a comprehensive approach. As the media plays a key role in shaping public perceptions of nutrition, this study aims to examine how the matter of food transition and climate change is addressed by three centre-left media outlets from Germany (Der Tagesspiegel), the United Kingdom (The Guardian) and Spain (El País). A search including the words *meat* and *climate change* in different languages, performed over one year (2021), resulted in a sample of available news items (N = 273). Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we analysed the coverage in terms of scope and use of frames. The results showed a scant number of news items combining climate change and meat consumption, though there were some differences indicating a greater awareness in the United Kingdom. Most of the news items from the three countries applied frames based on solutions from an environmental perspective. Media attention was discontinuous and sometimes determined by political debates, which made it difficult to reflect upon the underlying issues.
Consumers’ Intentions to Buy Cosmetics and Detergents with Ingredients Made from Recycled CO2
Authors: Delistavrou Antonia , Tilikidou Irene
Published: December 2022

This paper aims to examine Greek consumers’ intentions to purchase innovative green cosmetics and detergents. The new products, not yet delivered to the market, will contain green chemicals produced by recycled CO2, sun, and water. A model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour extended by scepticism was conceptualised, and the relevant measures were originally developed for this study. A survey was conducted through electronic interviews with 306 respondents. Stratified sampling was implemented according to the population distributions of gender and age in Greece. The results revealed that perceived behavioural control was the stronger influencer of intentions, followed by subjective norms, while the impact of attitudes was found to be surprisingly weak. Scepticism was found able to moderate the relationship between subjective norms and consumption intentions, indicating that the influence of important persons on intentions towards green buying is stronger in those consumers who obtained a higher level of scepticism.
Nursing Students’ Perceived Satisfaction with Flipped Learning Experiences: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Sáiz-Manzanares María Consuelo , Carrillo Celia , Llamazares María del Camino Escolar , Arribas Sandra Rodríguez , Gómez Diego Serrano
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, technological teaching tools, such as virtual labs, have become essential, especially in nursing degrees. These resources help implement practical learning based on self-regulation and it is important to know how satisfied students are with them. This means it is important to study students’ perceived satisfaction with virtual labs in flipped learning experiences, which was the general objective of the present study. The aims of the study were: (1) to determine whether there were significant differences in nursing students’ perceived levels of satisfaction according to the type of subject or gender; (2) to ascertain what strengths and weaknesses nursing students perceived about using virtual labs; and (3) to determine the kinds of feelings (positive, negative or neutral) nursing students had using virtual labs. A mixed research methodology was applied, with a sample of 222 undergraduate nursing students at Burgos University (Spain). There were significant differences in the satisfaction perceived by students depending on the subject. Students reported medium-high satisfaction with virtual labs, although they did note that digital skills are needed to use them and suggested incorporating intelligent assistants. Virtual labs seem to be effective, although further studies are needed.
Energy Management System for the Optimal Operation of PV Generators in Distribution Systems Using the Antlion Optimizer: A Colombian Urban and Rural Case Study
Authors: Cortés-Caicedo Brandon , Grisales-Noreña Luis Fernando , Montoya Oscar Danilo , Rodriguez-Cabal Miguel Angel , Rosero Javier Alveiro
Published: December 2022

This paper presents an Energy Management System (EMS) for solving the problem regarding the optimal daily operation of Photovoltaic (PV) distributed generators in Alternate Current (AC) distribution grids. To this effect, a nonlinear programming problem (NLP) was formulated which considered the improvement of economic (investment and maintenance costs), technical (energy losses), and environmental (CO2 emission) grid indices as objective functions, considering all technical and operating constraints for the operation of AC networks with the presence of PV sources. To solve this mathematical formulation, a master–slave methodology was implemented, whose master stage employed the antlion optimizer to find the power dispatch of PV sources in each period of time considered (24 h). In the slave stage, an hourly power flow based on the successive approximations method was used in order to obtain the values of the objective functions and constraints associated with each possible PV power configuration proposed by the master stage. To evaluate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed methodology, two test scenarios were used, which included three installed PV sources in an urban and a rural network, considering the PV power generation and demand located reported for Medellín and Capurganá, respectively. These systems correspond to connected and standalone grids located in two different regions of Colombia. Furthermore, the proposed methodology was compared with three optimization methodologies reported in the literature: the Chu and Beasley genetic algorithm, the particle swarm optimization algorithm, and the vortex search optimization algorithm. Simulation results were obtained via the MATLAB software for both test scenarios with all the optimization methodologies. It was demonstrated that the proposed methodology yields the best results in terms of solution quality and repeatability, with shorter processing times.
Measuring CO2 Emissions in E-Commerce Deliveries: From Empirical Studies to a New Calculation Approach
Authors: Dubisz Damian , Golinska-Dawson Paulina , Zawodny Przemysław
Published: December 2022

The rapid development of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the demand for urban deliveries. In this study, we conduct an exploratory analysis to identify factors that influence the fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of vans and trucks used for e-commerce delivery. The novelty of this research results from the proposal of a new actionable approach to calculate CO2 emissions from heterogeneous fleets in e-commerce deliveries. Through a literature review, a survey of transport managers, and a case study on e-commerce deliveries, we have found that the heterogeneous fleet structure impacts direct emissions from urban deliveries. We have taken into account the parameters of a heterogeneous fleet structure, such as gross weight, mass, fuel type, engine size, fuel consumption (liters/100 km), and the age of a vehicle. Through numerical experiments, we have identified that the age of a vehicle results in increased fuel consumption of 1.31% year-to-year for vans and 1.01% year-to-year for 18-t trucks. For that reason, we proposed a novel formula to calculate the direct CO2 emissions from heterogeneous fleets in e-commerce deliveries, which takes into consideration the age-related fuel consumption factor and the structure of a fleet.
Compensation of Distributed Generations Outage Using Controlled Switched Capacitors
Authors: Badr Ahmed O. , Aloukili Abdulsalam A. , El-Sharkawy Metwally A. , Sameh Mariam A. , Attia Mahmoud A.
Published: December 2022

Researchers recently came up with innovative ways to generate enough electricity to meet the rising demand through establishing an electricity distribution system and enhancing power quality on the customer side. One of these innovative ways is the installation of distributed generation (DG). DG is widely used in modern networks due to its great benefits of improving the voltage profile and the system’s power quality. Additionally, DGs are ideally placed near the end user in distribution systems to improve the system’s performance while minimizing power losses and enhancing voltage profile in the grid. DG recently grew in importance, and its penetration increased in most distribution systems. Due to the spreading of DG in the power system, the dynamic performance of the system is affected. This paper studies the system’s performance and behavior under condition of DG outage from the system. The model of DGs in this study assumes two cases of the power provided to the network; the first case considered DG units injecting active power only to the grid (unity power factor). In the second case, DG injects both active and reactive power to the system. After that, outage of DG units is fixed by injecting a reactive power source using a capacitor with a controlled switch to compensate the outage of DGs from the distribution system and to reduce the outage’s negative effect on the network. The sizing of capacitors is optimized using a harmony search algorithm (HSA) in the same location of the DG units.
Does Smart City Construction Decrease Urban Carbon Emission Intensity? Evidence from a Difference-in-Difference Estimation in China
Authors: Zhang Eryu , He Xiaoyu , Xiao Peng
Published: December 2022

Climatic changes and environmental pollution caused by traditional urban development models have increased due to accelerated urbanisation and industrialisation. As a new model of urban development, smart city construction relies on digital technology reform to achieve intelligent urban governance, which is crucial for reducing carbon emission intensity and achieving regional green development. This paper constructs a multi-period DID model based on panel data from 283 cities from 2007 to 2019 to explore the impact of smart city construction on urban carbon emission intensity. This study found that smart city construction decreased urban carbon emissions intensity significantly and decreased carbon emissions per unit GDP in pilot areas by 0.1987 tonnes/10,000 CNY compared to that in non-pilot areas. According to a heterogeneity analysis, the integration of smart city developments could decrease carbon emission intensity in northern China’s cities and resource-based cities significantly but had an insignificant influence on carbon emission intensity in southern China’s cities and non-resource-based cities. The reason for this finding is that northern cities and resource-based cities have a higher carbon emission intensity and enjoy more marginal benefits from smart city construction. Based on an analysis of the influencing mechanisms, smart city construction can decrease urban carbon emission intensity by stimulating green innovation vitality, upgrading industrial structures, and decreasing energy consumption. These research conclusions can provide directions for urban transformation and low-carbon development, as well as a case study and experience for countries that have not yet established smart city construction.
What Affects the Acceptance and Use of Hotel Service Robots by Elderly Customers?
Authors: Huang Tianyang
Published: December 2022

Against the realistic backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and an aging population, emerging robot technology provides a new path for the development of high-quality hotel service. However, little is known about elderly customers’ acceptance and use of hotel service robots. This study explores factors that affect elderly customers’ acceptance and use of hotel service robots. From the perspective of perception and emotion, based on the technology acceptance model and quality service theory, a hotel service robot acceptance model was constructed for this study, and a structural equation model was used to analyze the data from 218 interviews. The results show that empathy, perceived value, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use directly affected the elderly customers’ intention to use robots. Perceived trust indirectly affected the use intention through perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. This study provided a theoretical basis for user behaviors regarding hotel service robots and provided guidance for the research and development of hotel service robots and the marketing promotion of hotel managers, which would promote the healthy development of service robots and related industries, such as the hotel service industry.
Recommend or Not: Is Generation the Key? A Perspective from the SOR Paradigm for Online Stores in Colombia
Authors: Peña-García Nathalie , van der Woude David , Rodríguez-Orejuela Augusto
Published: December 2022

Word-of-mouth behavior is one of the most effective marketing communications. Despite not being able to be controlled by the company, it can be influenced. Its importance lies in its effectiveness in repeat sales and attracting new customers. However, in the study of consumer behavior, it has been shown that the differences between subgroups can be relevant for the business sector, allowing it to generate specific strategies for each segment. In that respect, this research aims to find the determinants of WOM in generations X and Y to know the meanings these consumers give to the elements proposed within the SOR paradigm. A quantitative study was conducted using a sample of 537 e-commerce customers surveyed with a structured questionnaire to test the proposed relationships. Results are analyzed with structural equations, and a multigroup analysis is presented to find the differences between generation X and generation Y. The results indicate that, for millennials, the ease of use of electronic stores is essential to enjoying the shopping experience. Implications are discussed in the paper.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based Occupant-Centric Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Control System for Multi-Zone Commercial Buildings
Authors: Yayla Alperen , Świerczewska Kübra , Kaya Mahmut , Karaca Bahadır , Arayici Yusuf , Ayözen Yunus , Tokdemir Onur
Published: December 2022

Buildings are responsible for almost half of the world’s energy consumption, and approximately 40% of total building energy is consumed by the heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The inability of traditional HVAC controllers to respond to sudden changes in occupancy and environmental conditions makes them energy inefficient. Despite the oversimplified building thermal response models and inexact occupancy sensors of traditional building automation systems, investigations into a more efficient and effective sensor-free control mechanism have remained entirely inadequate. This study aims to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based occupant-centric HVAC control mechanism for cooling that continually improves its knowledge to increase energy efficiency in a multi-zone commercial building. The study is carried out using two-year occupancy and environmental conditions data of a shopping mall in Istanbul, Turkey. The research model consists of three steps: prediction of hourly occupancy, development of a new HVAC control mechanism, and comparison of the traditional and AI-based control systems via simulation. After determining the attributions for occupancy in the mall, hourly occupancy prediction is made using real data and an artificial neural network (ANN). A sensor-free HVAC control algorithm is developed with the help of occupancy data obtained from the previous stage, building characteristics, and real-time weather forecast information. Finally, a comparison of traditional and AI-based HVAC control mechanisms is performed using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (ICE) simulation software. The results show that applying AI for HVAC operation achieves savings of a minimum of 10% energy consumption while providing a better thermal comfort level to occupants. The findings of this study demonstrate that the proposed approach can be a very advantageous tool for sustainable development and also used as a standalone control mechanism as it improves.
Maladaptive Cognitions in Adolescents and Young Adults When They Play: The Dysfunctional Cognitions in Gaming Scale (DCG)
Authors: Sánchez-Iglesias Iván , Bernaldo-de-Quirós Mónica , Estupiñá Francisco J. , Fernández-Arias Ignacio , Labrador Marta , Vallejo-Achón Marina , Saiz Jesús , Labrador Francisco J.
Published: December 2022

Gaming is increasingly prevalent among young people, and Gaming Disorders are a growing concern. Maladaptive cognitions related to gaming may affect the psychological development of young people. We examined psychometric properties of the Dysfunctional Cognitions Gaming (DCG) Scale in Spanish adolescents and young adults. We applied 16 items of the DCG Scale in a sample of 2173 video gamers (age from 12 to 22; 28.8% female), extracted from random sampling in educational institutions. Three factors emerged from exploratory analysis (EFA): Preoccupation, Self-esteem, and Compulsion, accounting for 51.92% of the scale’s total variance. Confirmatory analysis (CFA) yielded a good fit, RMSEA = 0.040, 90% CI [0.034, 0.046]. However, several results (factor cross-loadings in EFA, a high eigenvalue for the first factor in parallel analysis, high correlation between latent factors in CFA, and high hierarchical omega and explained common variance—ECV—in a bifactor model) suggested the convenience of using the total score for evaluation and other applied purposes. The scale showed adequate reliability, ω = 0.908, 95% CI [0.900, 0.914], Rxx = 0.91. No gender or age invariance was found. The scale converged with the severity of internet gaming disorder scores, r = 0.697, p < 0.05; higher frequency of video gaming, F(1, 2165) = 474.9, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.176; poorer mental health, r = 0.20, p < 0.05. We provided percentile ranks separated by gender and age. The DCG Scale seems to be a reliable and valid instrument to identify maladaptive cognitions about gaming in Spanish youth. These cognitions are a health-related problem; identifying and addressing them would be desirable to promote positive youth development.
Applying the SMED Methodology to Tire Calibration Procedures
Authors: Santos Vitor , Sousa Vitor F. C. , Silva Francisco J. G. , Matias João C. O. , Costa Rúben D. , Pinto Arnaldo G. , Campilho Raul D. S. G.
Published: December 2022

Due to the automotive industry’s strict demands, customers submit constant production pressure, leading to the adoption of new methodologies, techniques, and management ideas. The goal is always to minimise losses and waste. These demands also affect the maintenance department, which has to keep the balance between machines’ availability for production and ensuring that the machines’ proper running conditions translate into excellent-quality products. Thus, continuous improvement and correct management of maintenance activities are crucial for a company to maintain effective production, without defects, breakdowns, and accidents. Nevertheless, some maintenance activities should also prevent the degradation of equipment conditions in order to produce high-quality products. This paper presents an improvement of maintenance activities conducted on equipment that produces large tires. The main problems and technical difficulties of Machine Tolerance Check (MTC) activities are explored by analysing existing documents, internal knowledge, and changes to working methods. We discuss the implementation of the SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) methodology in calibration procedures, as this method is commonly applied to machines’ setups to reduce downtime. At the end of the study, a 31% decrease in the duration of machine tolerance check activities was achieved, which led to a significant increase in the equipment’s availability.
Organ-Specific Endothelial Dysfunction Following Total Body Irradiation Exposure
Authors: Sharma Guru Prasad , Himburg Heather A.
Published: December 2022

As the single cell lining of the heart and all blood vessels, the vascular endothelium serves a critical role in maintaining homeostasis via control of vascular tone, immune cell recruitment, and macromolecular transit. For victims of acute high-dose radiation exposure, damage to the vascular endothelium may exacerbate the pathogenesis of acute and delayed multi-organ radiation toxicities. While commonalities exist between radiation-induced endothelial dysfunction in radiosensitive organs, the vascular endothelium is known to be highly heterogeneous as it is required to serve tissue and organ specific roles. In keeping with its organ and tissue specific functionality, the molecular and cellular response of the endothelium to radiation injury varies by organ. Therefore, in the development of medical countermeasures for multi-organ injury, it is necessary to consider organ and tissue-specific endothelial responses to both injury and candidate mitigators. The purpose of this review is to summarize the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction following total or near total body irradiation exposure at the level of individual radiosensitive organs.
Environmental Assessment of Friable Asbestos from Soil to Air Using the Releasable Asbestos Sampler (RAS)
Authors: Maulida Puteri Tiara , Kim Jeong Wook , Jung Myung Chae
Published: December 2022

The objectives of this study are to examine the feasibility of the releasable asbestos sampler (RAS) equipment for laboratory tests as an alternative to activity-based sampling (ABS), and to apply the equipment controlled by wind velocity and water contents in the field to asbestos-contaminated soils. Two asbestos-contaminated mines (the Jecheon mine and the Jongmin-ri mine) were selected. At each mine, 21 surface soils (0~15 cm) were sampled, the asbestos concentrations were analyzed, and then three representative sites, containing 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% of asbestos in soils, were chosen to evaluate the amount of releasable asbestos by the modified RAS with wind velocity and water contents. The results showed that the levels of releasable asbestos from soil to air increased with higher wind velocities and lower water content. In addition, the application of risk assessment of releasable asbestos in the soils as an alternative to the activity-based sampling (ABS) method was established at each site, and an estimation of the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) was also calculated. According to the calculation, the estimated ELCR values did not exceed the threshold value (1 × 10−4) in the Jecheon mine for all the soils, while some samples from the Jongmin-ri mine exceeded the threshold value. Therefore, proper remediation work is needed to control friable asbestos from soils to air in the vicinity of the mines.
Effects of Daily Peat Smoke Exposure on Present and Next Generations
Authors: Vokina Vera A. , Sosedova Larisa M. , Novikov Mikhail A. , Titov Evgeniy A. , Andreeva Elizaveta S. , Rukavishnikov Viktor S.
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to follow the neurotoxic effect of peat smoke on adult outbred rats and its influence on central nervous system (CNS) parameters in first-generation offspring. Under experimental conditions, exposure to peat smoke was carried out on adult male Wistar rats for 24 h. After the end of the exposure, an open field test (OFT), electroencephalography (EEG), and histological analysis of the testes and brains of smoke-exposed males were performed, after which they were mated with intact females to obtain F1 offspring. Stillbirth, neonatal mortality, and body weight at 4, 7, 14, and 21 postnatal days, as well as behavior in the OFT and EEG parameters during puberty (3 months), were assessed. The results of the examination of F0 males showed a significant increase in motor activity and anxiety in the open field test and a violation of EEG parameters. Histopathologically, peat smoke caused a sharp increase in shadow cells (homogeneous cells with pale-stained cytoplasm, in which the cell and nuclear membranes are not visualized) and degeneratively altered neurons in the brain; we found no changes in the testicles. Peat smoke exposure during preconception did not affect neonatal mortality and weight gain in F1 offspring. Adult females born to peat-smoke-exposed males showed an increase in locomotor activity, and the behavior of adult F1 males did not differ from the control. In F1 males, a statistically significant increase in slow-wave activity indices in the delta band was observed.
Bioactivity Profiling of In Silico Predicted Linear Toxins from the Ants Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis
Authors: Hurka Sabine , Lüddecke Tim , Paas Anne , Dersch Ludwig , Schulte Lennart , Eichberg Johanna , Hardes Kornelia , Brinkrolf Karina , Vilcinskas Andreas
Published: December 2022

The venoms of ants (Formicidae) are a promising source of novel bioactive molecules with potential for clinical and agricultural applications. However, despite the rich diversity of ant species, only a fraction of this vast resource has been thoroughly examined in bioprospecting programs. Previous studies focusing on the venom of Central European ants (subfamily Myrmicinae) identified a number of short linear decapeptides and nonapeptides resembling antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Here, we describe the in silico approach and bioactivity profiling of 10 novel AMP-like peptides from the fellow Central European myrmicine ants Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis. Using the sequences of known ant venom peptides as queries, we screened the venom gland transcriptomes of both species. We found transcripts of nine novel decapeptides and one novel nonapeptide. The corresponding peptides were synthesized for bioactivity profiling in a broad panel of assays consisting of tests for cytotoxicity as well as antiviral, insecticidal, and antimicrobial activity. U-MYRTX-Mrug5a showed moderately potent antimicrobial effects against several bacteria, including clinically relevant pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, but high concentrations showed negligible cytotoxicity. U-MYRTX-Mrug5a is, therefore, a probable lead for the development of novel peptide-based antibiotics.
Identification of Bacterial Communities and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. Collected from Shanghai, China
Authors: Zeng Wenbo , Li Zhongqiu , Jiang Tiange , Cheng Donghui , Yang Limin , Hang Tian , Duan Lei , Zhu Dan , Fang Yuan , Zhang Yi
Published: December 2022

Ticks can carry and transmit a large number of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and protozoa, posing a huge threat to human health and animal husbandry. Previous investigations have shown that the dominant species of ticks in Shanghai are Haemaphysalis flava and Haemaphysalis longicornis. However, no relevant investigations and research have been carried out in recent decades. Therefore, we investigated the bacterial communities and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China. Ixodid ticks were collected from 18 sites in Shanghai, China, and identified using morphological and molecular methods. The V3–V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene were amplified from the pooled tick DNA samples and subject to metagenomic analysis. The microbial diversity in the tick samples was estimated using the alpha diversity that includes the observed species index and Shannon index. The Unifrac distance matrix as determined using the QIIME software was used for unweighted Unifrac Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). Individual tick DNA samples were screened with genus-specific or group-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for these TBPs and combined with a sequencing assay to confirm the results of the V3–V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. We found H. flava and H. longicornis to be the dominant species of ticks in Shanghai in this study. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria are the main bacterial communities of Haemaphysalis spp. The total species abundances of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, are 48.8%, 20.8% and 18.1%, respectively. At the level of genus analysis, H. longicornis and H. flava carried at least 946 genera of bacteria. The bacteria with high abundance include Lactobacillus, Coxiella, Rickettsia and Muribaculaceae. Additionally, Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia japonica, Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis, Anaplasma bovis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Coxiella spp. and Coxiella-like endosymbiont were detected in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China. This study is the first report of bacterial communities and the prevalence of some main pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. from Shanghai, China, and may provide insights and evidence for bacterial communities and the prevalence of the main pathogen in ticks. This study also indicates that people and other animals in Shanghai, China, are exposed to several TBPs.
Pulsar Glitches: A Review
Authors: Zhou Shiqi , Gügercinoğlu Erbil , Yuan Jianping , Ge Mingyu , Yu Cong
Published: December 2022

∼6% of all known pulsars have been observed to exhibit sudden spin-up events, known as glitches. For more than fifty years, these phenomena have played an important role in helping to understand pulsar (astro)physics. Based on the review of pulsar glitches search method, the progress made in observations in recent years is summarized, including the achievements obtained by Chinese telescopes. Glitching pulsars demonstrate great diversity of behaviours, which can be broadly classified into four categories: normal glitches, slow glitches, glitches with delayed spin-ups, and anti-glitches. The main models of glitches that have been proposed are reviewed and their implications for neutron star structure are critically examined regarding our current understanding. Furthermore, the correlations between glitches and emission changes, which suggest that magnetospheric state-change is linked to the pulsar-intrinsic processes, are also described and discussed in some detail.
Relationship between Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Abdominal Adipose Tissue
Authors: Greco Federico , Tafuri Alessandro , Panunzio Andrea , Beomonte Zobel Bruno , Mallio Carlo
Published: December 2022

The role of androgens in body composition is well known. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has shown beneficial effects in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Given that androgens are important for the homeostasis of different organs, the effects of ADT can affect body composition and therefore adipose tissue. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are non-invasive methods that allow for quantification of the different fat compartments. In this review we describe the effects of ADT on abdominal adipose tissue in PCa patients.
Longitudinal Characterization of a Neutralizing and Total Antibody Response in Patients with Severe COVID-19 and Fatal Outcomes
Authors: Serna-Muñoz Ricardo , Hernández-Terán Alejandra , Soto-Nava Maribel , Tapia-Trejo Daniela , Ávila-Ríos Santiago , Mejía-Nepomuceno Fidencio , García Emma , Castillejos-López Manuel , Higuera-Iglesias Anjarath Lorena , Aquino-Gálvez Arnoldo , Thirion-Romero Ireri , Pérez-Padilla Rogelio , Aguilar-Faisal José Leopoldo , Vázquez-Pérez Joel Armando
Published: December 2022

The host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 appears to play a critical role in disease pathogenesis and clinical manifestations in severe COVID-19 cases. Until now, the importance of developing a neutralizing antibody response in the acute phase and its relationship with progression to severe disease or fatal outcome among hospitalized patients remains unclear. In this study, we aim to characterize and compare longitudinally the primary humoral immune host response in the early stages of the disease, looking for an association between neutralization, antibody titers, infective viral lineage, and the clinical outcome in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. A total of 111 patients admitted at INER from November 2021 to June 2022 were included. We found that patients with negative or low neutralization showed a significant reduction in survival probability compared to patients with medium or high neutralization. We observed a significant decrease in the median of neutralization in patients infected with viral variants with changes in RBD of the spike protein. Our results suggest that developing an early and robust neutralizing response against SARS-CoV-2 may increase survival probability in critical patients.