bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatio-Temporal Evolution of the Ecological Environment in a Typical Semi-Arid Region of Northeast China
Authors: Yawe Achivir Stella , Xiao Changlai , Adeyeye Oluwafemi Adewole , Liu Mingjun , Feng Xiaoya , Liang Xiujuan
Published: December 2022

Increasing trends of groundwater and soil salinization, as well as desertification, is characteristic of many arid and semi-arid regions under climatic and anthropogenic influences. This has led to the implementation of management strategies to protect the ecological environment. Changling County in Northeast China is a typical semi-arid area that has experienced these changes. Thus, management strategies such as the “Three North Shelterbelt Project” which involves planting trees to reduce wind speed and halt desertification, and the Changling local alkaline land restoration project, from the year 2000, involving fencing of grasslands have been implemented in the area. Premised on the dynamic nature of the ecological environmental problems, this study was undertaken to assess the spatio-temporal evolution of the ecological environment using hydro-geochemical, spatial, remote sensing, and statistical techniques from the year 2001 to 2019. It was found that groundwater salinity was stable within the period due to groundwater exploitation that declined depth to groundwater table (DWT) thus reducing the impact of evaporation concentration of salts in groundwater. Salinized land area increased by about 6706 ha at a rate of 0.06%/year as a result of the reduction in the size of water bodies and swampland as the declining water table exposed shallow water to more evaporation. The effect of the conversion of water bodies and swamplands to salinized land is believed to overshadow the climatic influence of decreased evaporation-precipitation ratio that normally decreases soil salinization. Most of the study area was stable in terms of desertification (98.22%, 56,3497 ha) as significantly degraded lands covered only 0.03% (148 ha) of the area while 1.67% (9556 ha) had significantly increased vegetation, respectively. Precipitation had an insignificant relationship with desertification with irrigation believed to be the main driver of significant vegetation improvement. Water-saving irrigation practices and the growing of salt-tolerant or semi-tolerant crop species are recommended to maximize food production while stemming the environmental degradation trend due to declining DWT.
Non-Financial Communication in Health Care Companies: A Framework for Social and Gender Reporting
Authors: Cassano Raffaella , Fornasari Tommaso
Published: December 2022

Social and gender reporting in the public sector has a double purpose: analyzing the social impact produced by the bodies of the public administration (PA), highlighting the reflection of their activity on women and men (gender auditing), and developing a series of policies aimed at achieving gender balance (gender budgeting), in order to provide useful indications of evolution, with respect to SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. In the field of public enterprises, a very peculiar subcategory is represented by health care companies as they carry out activities in the field of care and health in all of its direct or indirect meanings. Among the stakeholders of health care companies, the most relevant are employees and patients; social and gender reporting that focuses on them allows for the calculation of the distribution of income and expenditure between the genders and the empowerment of spending policies to eliminate discrimination. To understand the spread of non-financial reporting tools among national health facilities, an exploratory survey was conducted in the period August–September 2022. Processing the data available on the website of the Italian Ministry of Health, a database was built containing a list of 1064 health facilities spread throughout the country including public hospitals, research institutes, and accredited private clinics. Data showed that only 10% of the structures had conducted some form of social or/and gender reporting, highlighting the need to improve the spread of these kind of tools. In order to overcome the gap identified between scientific studies and corporate practices on gender and social reporting, we propose a framework for the construction of social and gender reporting in the health care sector. Based on the Italian standards, envisaged for the realization of social reporting and based on the regulatory provisions for public bodies on the reclassification of revenue and expenditure by gender, we propose a process of development for social and gender reporting that focuses on reporting the areas of intervention of health activity in which the gender dimension is equally represented.
Recent Development in Physical, Chemical, Biological and Hybrid Biogas Upgradation Techniques
Authors: Upadhyay Apoorva , Kovalev Andrey A. , Zhuravleva Elena A. , Kovalev Dmitriy A. , Litti Yuriy V. , Masakapalli Shyam Kumar , Pareek Nidhi , Vivekanand Vivekanand
Published: December 2022

Energy driven technologies and enhanced per-capita waste production have led to the establishment of novel technologies to simultaneously produce fuels as well as treat the wastes. Anaerobic digestion is cost-effective and sustainable process to produce biogas. Biogas is a mixture of CO2, CH4, H2S, is an eco-friendly and inexpensive renewable biofuel. This mixture of gases restricts biogas utilization in vehicular fuel, CHPs, therefore, biogas upgradation becomes a necessary step. Conventional upgradation technologies for example water scrubbing, physical adsorption, chemical adsorption, amine scrubbing, etc. are cost intensive and require high maintenance. Novel technologies like biological methods of biogas upgradation are being investigated and new improvements are made in the conventional methods. This review aims to give a close insight about various technologies of upgradation including, pressure swing, amine scrubbing, membrane separation, cryogenic separation, biological methods, etc., along with the major challenges and limitations. The study also intends to provide an overview about the future perspective and scope of these technologies.
The Impacts of COVID-19 on Returned Migrants’ Livelihood Vulnerability in the Central Coastal Region of Vietnam
Authors: Sen Le Thi Hoa , Bond Jennifer , Ty Pham Huu , Phuong Le Thi Hong
Published: December 2022

This study investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods of households with migration workers, who returned home to the central coastal region during the peak disease outbreak in Vietnam. Five hundred and twenty-nine households with returned migration workers aged eighteen and above in the coastal areas of Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, and Thừa Thiên Huế provinces participated in this study. Results showed that the livelihoods of all studied households were highly vulnerable due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost 90% at moderate or high risk according to the vulnerability index. All livelihood assets were negatively affected, and financial, psychological, and social assets were the most affected, with Common Vulnerability Score System scores of 3.65, 3.39, and 3.17, respectively. Male, younger workers, or those with a lower education level and fewer social networks were found to be more vulnerable than others. This study suggests that young laborers could aim to attain a higher level of education and/or practical skills to be able to obtain stable employment with benefits such as social insurance if they desire to out-migrate. Further, social programs which allow for migration workers at the destination to meet each other may have positive impacts on their vulnerability.
Personality Trait Changes in Athletic Training Students during Their University Career: Effects of Academic Stress or COVID-19 Pandemic?
Authors: Hernández-Peña Keb , Gea-García Gemma María , García-Fuentes Juan Pedro , Martínez-Aranda Luis Manuel , Menayo Antúnez Ruperto
Published: December 2022

Studies about personality traits have shown a link between emotional stability and coaches’ success. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of university education period on the big five personality traits in sports training students according to gender and the type of sports practice chosen for their vocational training process as sport coaches. Method: A total of 146 Sports Training students completed the adapted NEO-FFI reduced version assessment twice: first semester in August 2018 and at the beginning of the eighth semester in February 2022 (COVID-19 pandemic appeared during this period). Results: Comparing the scores obtained for the different personality traits, it was observed that the level of neuroticism increased in the last semester (Mpost = 8.12 vs. Mpre = 5.77), while the level of extroversion (Mpost = 14.40 vs. Mpre = 15.97) and consciousness (Mpost = 18.14 vs. Mpre = 19.18) decreased. On the other hand, female students showed higher scores in kindness (15.90 ± 0.87) than men (13.58 ± 0.56) (p = 0.029) at the end of their academic semester. Finally, analysing sport discipline chosen by students, team sports showed a higher score in trait neuroticism (post = 10.47 ± 1.43 vs. pre = 7.73 ± 1.11, p = 0.047) and lower scores in extroversion (post = 13.33 ± 1.01 vs. pre = 16.27 ± 1.17, p = 0.009) than individual sports at the end of the academic semester. Conclusions: Academic stress during the last semester of their bachelor’s degree, as well as the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic could be factors that influenced students’ personality traits concerning neuroticism, extroversion, and consciousness or responsibility.
Soil Properties and Bacterial Communities Associated with the Rhizosphere of the Common Bean after Using Brachiaria brizantha as a Service Crop: A 10-Year Field Experiment
Authors: Abán Carla L. , Larama Giovanni , Ducci Antonella , Huidobro Jorgelina , Abanto Michel , Vargas-Gil Silvina , Pérez-Brandan Carolina
Published: December 2022

Intensive agricultural farming practices, such as monoculture, require long bare fallow periods and the overuse of agrochemicals, which compromise soil health over time. Increasing plant diversity in agroecosystems with service crops represents a promising alternative to achieving sustainability goals. However, how specific cover crop species influence the abundance and structure of soil bacterial communities remains to be solved. In this study, we assessed the effects of B. brizantha in two different agricultural cycles for 10 years in a common bean monoculture system in the northwestern region of Argentina (NWA) by measuring chemical, physical, and microbiological parameters in the rhizosphere, as well as by screening the rhizobiome using 16S rRNA sequencing. The ten-year inclusion of B. brizantha had a positive impact on properties in the rhizosphere compared to the common bean monoculture. The bacterial beta-diversity was different among treatments, but not the alpha-diversity. The most abundant phyla were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi and Myxococcota. The predicted functions related to chemoheterotrophy and aerobic chemoheterotrophy were increased under B. brizantha treatments compared to the bean monoculture. The inclusion of the pasture B. brizantha contributed to restoring soil health and minimizing soil degradation.
Innovative Resource Recovery from Industrial Sites: A Critical Review
Authors: Huntington Victoria E. , Coulon Frédéric , Wagland Stuart T.
Published: December 2022

Global net-zero pledges are instigating a societal shift from a fossil-fuel-based economy to renewables. This change facilitates the use of batteries, solar photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines, etc., all of which are underpinned by critical metals. Raw metal extraction is not renewable and environmental pledges made by the government will not be met if this continues. Historic industrial sites contain vast waste stocks. These sites already have an established infrastructure for resource extraction. Applying green solvents and deep eutectic solvents (DES) to such sites for resource recovery alleviates pressure on existing raw extraction processes whilst generating more immediate stores of critical metal along with relatively insignificant environmental impacts. Existing remediation/recovery options have varying metal recovery efficiencies usually combined with high operating costs. Using novel green solvents, such as DES, on historic sites provides an opportunity to recover metals from waste that ordinarily would be looked over. Increased extraction of critical metals from waste material within the UK will reduce reliance on imported metals and improve critical metals security of supply to UK markets and the wider economy The use of these solvents provides an environmentally friendly alternative but also regenerates the legacy of waste from historic industrial sites and consequently implements a circular economy. Adopting the use of green solvents will meet EU environmental pledges, and boost the economy, by recovering metals from legacy sites to meet exponentially growing metal demand.
Influence of Traffic Parameters on the Spatial Distribution of Crashes on a Freeway to Increase Safety
Authors: Zandi Kamran , Tavakoli Kashani Ali , Okabe Atsuyuki
Published: December 2022

Significant research has been conducted in recent years to determine crash hotspots. This study focused on the effects of various traffic parameters, including average traffic speed and traffic volume, on the spatial distributions of freeway crashes. Specifically, this study analyzed the spatial distributions of crashes on the Qazvin–Abyek freeway in Iran using four-year crash records. Spatial crash clustering analysis was performed to identify hotspots and high cluster segments using global Moran’s I, local Moran’s I, and Getis-Ord Gi*. The global Moran’s I indicated that clusters were formed under the low range of hourly traffic volume (less than 1107 veh/h) and the high range of traffic speed (more than 97 km/h), which increased the number of heavy vehicle crashes in the early morning (time 03–06) around the 52 km segment. The results obtained from kernel density estimation (KDE), local Moran’s I, and Getis-Ord Gi* revealed similar crash hotspots. The results further showed different spatial distributions of crashes for different traffic hourly volumes, traffic speed, and crash times, and there was hotspot migration by applying different traffic conditions. These findings can be used to identify high-risk crash conditions for traffic managers and help them to make the best decisions to enhance road safety.
Construction of Learning during the Inevitable Distance Learning Period: A Critical Perspective of the Experiences of Young People in Estonia
Authors: Teidla-Kunitsõn Gertha , Põlda Halliki , Sisask Merike
Published: December 2022

Background: As a result of the global school closures in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distance learning, educational technology and learning by oneself has gained the attention of both teachers and parents, as well as schools worldwide. So far, knowledge regarding distance learning has been contradictory and gathered mostly in a quantitative manner. Aim: The aim of the following article is to examine the distance-learning experiences of four youngsters aged 16 from the DigiGen project exploratory pilot study in Estonia—a country known for its digital development. The study focuses on how learning was construed during distance learning in the experiences of young people. Method: These experiences, gathered in four semi-structured in-depth interviews, are placed in the framework of the theory of transactional distance and critical discourse analysis. Results: As the results indicate, the distance-learning experiences are derived from the structure and organisation of the distance learning—the more rigid the structure, the more difficult it was for the students. Five main discourses emerged regarding how youngsters construed learning during distance learning: (1) school building is for learning; (2) teachers teach instead of self-learning; (3) learning as a forced activity; (4) avoiding asking for help; and dominant in all the discourses was (5) avoiding responsibility. Discussion and conclusion: According to the results, distance learning is multifaceted and young people have ambivalent experiences from a distance learning.
Growth Performance, Gut Health, Welfare and Qualitative Behavior Characteristics of Broilers Fed Diets Supplemented with Dried Common (Olea europaea) Olive Pulp
Authors: Dedousi Anna , Kotzamanidis Charalampos , Kritsa Maria-Zoi , Tsoureki Antiopi , Andreadelli Aggeliki , Patsios Sotiris I. , Sossidou Evangelia
Published: December 2022

The present study investigated the dietary impact of dried olive pulp (OP) on growth performance, gut health and some welfare and behavior characteristics of broilers. It was conducted in a commercial poultry farm using 108 13 day-old Ross male broilers. Chickens were equally and randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments, CON, OP3 and OP6, based on the incorporation rate of OP in the ration (0%, 3%, and 6%, respectively). A beneficial impact on foot pad dermatitis (FPD) and feather cleanliness of OP-fed broilers was recorded. No adverse effects on qualitative behavior characteristics evaluated and on the overall growth performance of chickens were observed. No significant differences in the fecal microbiota population were observed among the groups. Changes of β-diversity in an age-dependent way were only observed. The feces of chickens across all age and dietary groups were mainly dominated by the phylum Firmicutes (62.3 to 95.1%), mainly represented by the genus Lactobacillus (32.9 to 78.2%), Proteobacteria (2.0 to 35.6%), and Actinobacteria (1.5 to 11.4%). Supplementing broilers’ diets with 3% and 6% OP beneficially affected chickens’ health and welfare without compromising their growth performance and gut health.
A Scenario-Based Simulation Model for Earthwork Cost Management Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technology
Authors: Rachmawati Titi Sari Nurul , Park Hyung Cheol , Kim Sunkuk
Published: December 2022

Risks are involved in every aspect of earthwork projects. This paper specifically discusses the cost risk associated with the volume calculation of such projects. In the design phase, it is not possible to accurately predict the quantity per soil type underground of the site. As a result, there are uncertainties in the excavation cost that may cause cost overrun. There is a need for an innovative method to forecast, control, monitor, and manage excavation cost from design phase to completion. There is, however, an innovative method for calculating volume accurately using a digital surface model method. The digital surface model can be acquired using GPS and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). This paper proposes a simulation model which is able to analyze, control, and monitor the cost based on excavation volume so stakeholders are able to gain the actual volume quickly and accurately. Monte Carlo simulation is applied to the excavation volume per soil type, resulting in a range of possible outcomes for excavation cost. The developed model was verified by applying it to an actual case project. Throughout the project, the cost was successfully monitored and maintained below the maximum expected cost. However, the final actual cost in the last simulation almost reached the maximum expected cost, indicating the need for cost monitoring. By periodically comparing the simulation result to the actual excavated volume obtained from the UAV, the proposed model can assist stakeholders in controlling the cost overrun risk and developing strategies during the earthwork life cycle.
Identifying Market Segment for the Assessment of a Price Premium for Green Certified Housing: A Cluster Analysis Approach
Authors: Kim Dong Hyun , Irakoze Amina
Published: December 2022

While the literature confirms the existence of a green premium, various researchers have acknowledged the importance of homogeneity in the dataset used for premium assessment. This study developed a systematic approach to extract a sales subsample containing transactions from green-certified apartments and their most similar counterparts based on cluster analysis. The study applied k-means and PAM clustering algorithms to split an extensive sales sample of 81,605 transactions into sales subsamples. A sales subsample containing transactions from green-certified apartments and their peers was extracted and used for green premium estimation. The results indicate that through cluster analysis, a market segment containing above 80% of the total housing transactions from green-certified apartments could be identified. Through the hedonic model, a green premium of 26.2% was identified from the entire sales sample (no market segmentation). However, this value was reduced to 12.2 and 17.8% when estimated from a sales subsample extracted through k-means and PAM clustering, respectively. These findings have implications for the close assessment of green certification impact on the sale prices. In addition, they can also serve as an indicator of housing categories that need extra effort to promote green practices in that particular market segment.
An Accurate Model for Bifacial Photovoltaic Panels
Authors: Ahmed Emad M. , Aly Mokhtar , Mostafa Manar , Rezk Hegazy , Alnuman Hammad , Alhosaini Waleed
Published: December 2022

Recently, there has been increasing concerns over bifacial PV (BPV) modules over the conventional monofacial PV (MPV) modules owing to their potential to add extra electrical energy from their rear-side irradiance. However, adding the rear-side irradiance to the front-side irradiance results in the increased nonlinearity of the BPV modules compared to MPV modules. Such nonlinearity makes the conventional methods unable to accurately extract the BPV module parameters. In this context, the precise determination of the BPV module parameters is a crucial issue for establishing energy yield estimations and for the proper planning of BPV installations as well. This paper proposes a new model for the BPV modules based on the MPV modeling, in which a new parameter is added to the MPV model to adjust the value of the model series resistance in order to provide a generic model for BPV modules in both monofacial and bifacial operating regions. Moreover, a new determination method for optimizing BPV model parameters using the recently developed enhanced version of the success-history-based adaptive differential evolution (SHADE) algorithm with linear population size reduction, known as the LSHADE method, is applied. The determination process of the model parameters is adapted using a two-stage optimization scheme to model the full operating range of BPV modules. The accuracy of the obtained parameters using the proposed model is compared with the conventional single-diode and double-diode models of the BPV. The obtained results using the proposed model of the BPV module show the performance superiority and accuracy of the LSHADE method over the existing methods in the literature. Furthermore, the LSHADE method provides the successful and accurate extraction of the global optimized parameters to model MPV and BPV modules. Therefore, the proposed method can provide an accurate model for the whole operating range of BPV that would be beneficial for further studies of their economic and technical feasibility for wide installation plans.
Developing a Model for Building Farmers’ Beliefs in the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy to Accommodate Sustainable Agricultural Practices in the Highlands of Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Authors: Jeerat Papob , Kruekum Phutthisun , Sakkatat Phahol , Rungkawat Nakarate , Fongmul Saisakul
Published: December 2022

The sufficiency economy philosophy (SEP) has been proven to be the best practical concept for helping a country survive poverty and sustain economic growth. However, establishing a sustainable and practical agriculture strategy based on the sufficiency economy philosophy in the highland region of Thailand is not so simple because of various traditional beliefs among the ethnic groups. The theory of panned behavior (TPB) is a generic fact concerning human behavior and belief, regardless of ethnics. This study adapted this theory to capture and develop a belief model for farmers in the highland region. Data from 375 sampled farmers in the highland communities of the Chiang Mai Province were collected by using a multi-stage sampling technique with a questionnaire and analyzed by applying the method of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). It was found that having a belief in the goal of the sufficiency economy philosophy was the most influential factor for applying this philosophy to sustainable agriculture. The second and third most influential factors were having a belief in the opinions from a group of respectful or trustworthy persons as well as federal organizations, and a belief in self-efficacy, respectively. These three factors of belief were assessed by 10 key information indicators. The results of the assessment and analysis could help local federal agencies make a strategic plan for enhancing farmers’ beliefs in and realization of the usefulness of the sufficiency economy philosophy in highland agriculture.
Driving Factors for Black-Odor-Related Microorganisms and Potential Self-Remediation Strategies
Authors: Zhang Xun , Ren Yufeng , Zhu Xianbin , Pan Hongzhong , Yao Huaming , Wang Jiaming , Liu Mingliang , He Minghuang
Published: December 2022

The black-odor phenomenon has been widely reported worldwide and recognized as a global ecological risk for aquatic environments. However, driving factors for black-odor-related microorganisms and potential self-remediation strategies are still poorly understood. This study collected eight water samples (sites A–H) disturbed by different factors from the Jishan River located in Jinmen, Hubei Province, China. Black-odor-related environmental factors and functional bacterial structure were further measured based on the basic physicochemical parameters. The results indicated that different types of disturbed conditions shape the distribution of water quality and microbial community structures. Site B, which was disturbed by dams, had the worst water quality, the lowest abundance of functional microbes for Mn, Fe, and S biotransformation, and the highest abundance of functional microbes for fermentation. The natural wetlands surrounding the terminus of the river (site H) were keys to eliminating the black-odor phenomenon. Potential black-odor-forming microorganisms include Lactococcus, Veillonella, Clostridium sensu stricto, Trichococcus, Rhodoferax, Sulfurospirillum, Desulfobulbus, and Anaeromusa-Anaeroarcus. Potential black-odor-repairing microbes include Acinetobacter, Mycobacterium, and Acidovorax. pH and COD were paramount physiochemical factors contributing to blackening-odor-related microorganisms. This study deepens our understanding of driving factors for black-odor-related microorganisms and provides a theoretical basis for eradicating the black-odor phenomenon.
Machine Learning for Water Quality Assessment Based on Macrophyte Presence
Authors: Krtolica Ivana , Savić Dragan , Bajić Bojana , Radulović Snežana
Published: December 2022

The ecological state of the Danube River, as the world’s most international river basin, will always be the focus of scientists in the field of ecology and environmental engineering. The concentration of orthophosphate anions in the river is one of the main indicators of the ecological state, i.e., water quality and level of eutrophication. The sedentary nature and ability to survive in river sections, combined with the presence of high levels of orthophosphate anions, make macrophytes an appropriate biological parameter for in situ prediction of in-river monitoring processes. However, a preliminary literature review identified a lack of comprehensive analysis that can enable the prediction of the ecological state of rivers using biological parameters as the input to machine learning (ML) techniques. This work focuses on comparing eight state-of-the-art ML classification models developed for this task. The data were collected at 68 sampling sites on both river sides. The predictive models use macrophyte presence scores as input variables, and classes of the ecological state of the Danube River based on orthophosphate anions, converted into a binary scale, as outputs. The results of the predictive model comparisons show that support vector machines and tree-based models provided the best prediction capabilities. They are also a low-cost and sustainable solution to assess the ecological state of the rivers.
From Basic Science to Clinical Perfection: What Defines the Orthopedic Biocompatible Implant?
Authors: Feier Andrei Marian , Pop Tudor Sorin , Borodi Paul-Gabriel , Zuh Sándor-György , Oprișan Andrei , Russu Octav , Bațagă Tiberiu
Published: December 2022

The general improvement in life expectancy and standard of living makes it easier for patients to get access to routine medical exams and is anticipated to increase the prevalence of several degenerative joint illnesses. In addition, it is anticipated that their incidence will increase both nationally and internationally, which will raise the demand for novel and long-lasting implantable devices in the field of orthopedics. The current review’s goals are to define what constitutes a biocompatible orthopedic implant in terms of in vitro biocompatibility testing and to clarify important concepts and definitions that are already in use. The demand for materials and implants made of various tissues is now increasing, and the ongoing advancement of in vitro cell culture studies is a reliable practical tool for examining the biocompatibility of potential implantable materials. In vitro biocompatibility research has been reduced and, in most cases, diminished to laboratory studies that no longer or drastically reduce animal sacrifice as a response to the well-known three “Rs” (“reduction”, “refinement”, and “replacement”) introduced to literature by English academics in the 1960s. As technology advances at an astounding rate, a new generation of gene-activating biomaterials tailored for specific people and disease conditions might emerge in the near future.
Symmetry in Many-Body Physics
Authors: Bagnato Vanderlei S. , Nazmitdinov Rashid G. , Yukalov Vyacheslav I.
Published: December 2022

The harmony of nature is expressed through the implementation of symmetry providing optimal structures for complex systems from snowflakes to graphene lattices [...]
Correction: Ning et al. Deep Vision Servo Hand-Eye Coordination Planning Study for Sorting Robots. Symmetry 2022, 14, 152
Authors: Ning Tao , Wang Chengguo , Han Yumeng , Jin Yuchen , Gao Yan , Liu Jizhen , Hu Chunhua , Zhou Yangyang , Li PinPin
Published: December 2022

In the original publication [...]
A Mechanical Equipment Fault Diagnosis Model Based on TSK Fuzzy Broad Learning System
Authors: Wang Xiaojia , Wang Cunjia , Zhu Keyu , Zhao Xibin
Published: December 2022

In an intelligent manufacturing context, the smooth operations of mechanical equipment in the production process of enterprises and timely fault diagnosis during operations have become increasingly important. However, the effect of traditional fault diagnosis depends on the feature extraction quality and experts’ empirical knowledge, which is inefficient and costly, and cannot match the needs of mechanical equipment fault diagnosis in intelligent manufacturing. The TSK fuzzy system has a strong approximation capability and the ability to interpret expert knowledge. The broad learning system (BLS) has strong feature extraction and fast computation capabilities. In this paper, we present a new model—the TSK fuzzy broad learning system (TSK-BLS). The model integrates the advantages of the BLS and the fuzzy system at the same time, which can be calculated quickly and accurately by pseudo-inverse and symmetry methods. On the other hand, the model is an embedded model-building mechanism, which extends the application scope of BLS theory. The model was tested on a bearing fault data set, provided by Case Western Reserve University, and the model’s fault diagnosis accuracy was as high as 0.9967. The results were compared with those of the convolutional neural network (CNN) and the BLS models, whose fault diagnosis accuracies are 0.6833 and 0.9133, respectively. Comparison showed that the proposed fault diagnosis model—TSK-BLS, achieved significant improvements.
Prediction of Performance and Geometrical Parameters of Single-Phase Ejectors Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Bencharif Mehdi , Croquer Sergio , Fang Yu , Poncet Sébastien , Nesreddine Hakim , Zid Said
Published: December 2022

Ejectors have gained renewed interest in the last decades, especially in heat-driven refrigeration systems, to reduce the load of the compressor. Their performance is usually influenced by many factors, including the working fluid, operating conditions and basic geometrical parameters. Determining the relationships between these factors and accurately predicting ejector performance over a wide range of conditions remain challenging. The objective of this study is to develop fast and efficient models for the design and operation of ejectors using artificial neural networks. To this end, two models are built. The first one predicts the entrainment and limiting compression ratio given 12 input parameters, including the operating conditions and geometry. The second model predicts the optimal geometry given the desired performance and operating conditions. An experimental database of ejectors using five working fluids (R134a, R245fa, R141b, and R1234ze(E), R1233zd(E)) has been built for training and validation. The accuracy of the ANN models is assessed in terms of the linear coefficient of correlation (R) and the mean squared error (MSE). The obtained results after training for both cases show a maximum MSE of less than 10% and a regression coefficient (R) of, respectively, 0.99 and 0.96 when tested on new data. The two models have then a good generalization capacity and can be used for design purposes of future refrigeration systems.
Dark Matter Searches with Top Quarks
Authors: Behr J. Katharina , Grohsjean Alexander
Published: December 2022

Collider signatures with top quarks provide sensitive probes of dark matter (DM) production at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In this article, we review the results of DM searches in final states with top quarks conducted by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations at the LHC, including the most recent results on the full LHC Run 2 dataset. We highlight the complementarity of DM searches in final states with top quarks with searches in other final states in the framework of various simplified models of DM. A reinterpretation of a DM search with top quarks in the context of an effective field theory description of scalar dark energy is also discussed. Finally, we give an outlook on the potential of DM searches with top quarks in LHC Run 3, at the high-luminosity LHC, and possible future colliders. In this context, we highlight new benchmark models that could be probed by existing and future searches as well as those that predict still-uncovered signatures of anomalous top-quark production and decays at the LHC.
Performance of the RF Detectors of the Astroneu Array
Authors: Nonis Stavros , Leisos Antonios , Tsirigotis Apostolos , Gkialas Ioannis , Papageorgiou Kostas , Tzamarias Spyros
Published: December 2022

Since 2014, the university campus of Hellenic Open University (HOU) has hosted the Astroneu array, which is dedicated to the detection of extensive air showers (EAS) induced by high-energy cosmic rays (CR). The Astroneu array incorporates 9 large particle scintillation detectors and 6 antennas sensitive to the radio frequency (RF) range 1–200 MHz. The detectors are adjusted in three autonomous stations operating in an environment with a strong electromagnetic background. As shown by previous studies, EAS radio detection in such environments is possible using innovative noise rejection methods, as well as advanced analysis techniques. In this work, we present the analysis of the collected radio data corresponding to an operational period of approximately four years. We present the performance of the Astroneu radio array in reconstructing the EAS axis direction using different RF detector geometrical layouts and a technique for the estimation of the shower core by comparing simulation and experimental data. Moreover, we measure the relative amplitudes of the two mechanisms that give rise to RF emission (the Askaryan effect and geomagnetic emission) and show that they are in good agreement with previous studies as well as with the simulation predictions.
Phage-Host Prediction Using a Computational Tool Coupled with 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Sequencing
Authors: Andrianjakarivony Harilanto Felana , Bettarel Yvan , Armougom Fabrice , Desnues Christelle
Published: December 2022

Metagenomics studies have revealed tremendous viral diversity in aquatic environments. Yet, while the genomic data they have provided is extensive, it is unannotated. For example, most phage sequences lack accurate information about their bacterial host, which prevents reliable phage identification and the investigation of phage–host interactions. This study aimed to take this knowledge further, using a viral metagenomic framework to decipher the composition and diversity of phage communities and to predict their bacterial hosts. To this end, we used water and sediment samples collected from seven sites with varying contamination levels in the Ebrié Lagoon in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The bacterial communities were characterized using the 16S rRNA metabarcoding approach, and a framework was developed to investigate the virome datasets that: (1) identified phage contigs with VirSorter and VIBRANT; (2) classified these contigs with MetaPhinder using the phage database (taxonomic annotation); and (3) predicted the phages’ bacterial hosts with a machine learning-based tool: the Prokaryotic Virus-Host Predictor. The findings showed that the taxonomic profiles of phages and bacteria were specific to sediment or water samples. Phage sequences assigned to the Microviridae family were widespread in sediment samples, whereas phage sequences assigned to the Siphoviridae, Myoviridae and Podoviridae families were predominant in water samples. In terms of bacterial communities, the phyla Latescibacteria, Zixibacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Calditrichaeota, Gemmatimonadetes, Cyanobacteria and Patescibacteria were most widespread in sediment samples, while the phyla Epsilonbacteraeota, Tenericutes, Margulisbacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes and Marinimicrobia were most prevalent in water samples. Significantly, the relative abundance of bacterial communities (at major phylum level) estimated by 16S rRNA metabarcoding and phage-host prediction were significantly similar. These results demonstrate the reliability of this novel approach for predicting the bacterial hosts of phages from shotgun metagenomic sequencing data.
Prevalence of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) in Feral and Farmed Wild Boars in Xinjiang, Northwest China
Authors: Wu Jian-Yong , Meng Xiao-Xiao , Wei Yu-Rong , Bolati Hongduzi , Lau Eric H. Y. , Yang Xue-Yun
Published: December 2022

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes infections in humans and a wide range of animal hosts. Wild boar is an important natural reservoir of HEV genotypes 3–6 (HEV-3–HEV-6), but comparative analysis of HEV infections in both feral and farmed wild boars remains limited. In this study, samples from 599 wild boars were collected during 2017–2020, including 121 feral wild boars (collected 121 fecal, 121 serum, and 89 liver samples) and 478 farmed wild boars (collected 478 fecal and 478 serum samples). The presence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies were detected by the HEV-IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. HEV RNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), targeting the partial ORF1 genes from fecal and liver samples, and the obtained genes were further genotyped by phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that 76.2% (95% CI 72.1–79.9) of farmed wild boars tested anti-HEV IgG seropositive, higher than that in feral wild boars (42.1%, 95% CI 33.2–51.5, p < 0.001). HEV seropositivity increased with age. Wild boar HEV infection presented a significant geographical difference (p < 0.001), but not between sex (p = 0.656) and age (p = 0.347). HEV RNA in fecal samples was detected in 13 (2.2%, 95% CI 1.2–3.7) out of 599 wild boars: 0.8% (95% CI 0.0–4.5, 1/121) of feral wild boars and 2.5% (95% CI 1.3–4.3, 12/478) of farmed wild boars. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all these viruses belonged to genotype HEV-4, and further grouped into sub-genotypes HEV-4a, HEV-4d, and HEV-4h, of which HEV-4a was first discovered in the wild boar populations in China. Our results suggested that farms could be a setting for amplification of HEV. The risk of HEV zoonotic transmission via rearing and consumption of farmed wild boars should be further assessed.
Seroprevalence of Binding and Neutralizing Antibodies against 39 Human Adenovirus Types in Patients with Neuromuscular Disorders
Authors: Klann Patrick Julian , Wang Xiaoyan , Elfert Anna , Zhang Wenli , Köhler Cornelia , Güttsches Anne-Katrin , Jacobsen Frank , Weyen Ute , Roos Andreas , Ehrke-Schulz Eric , Ehrhardt Anja , Vorgerd Matthias , Bayer Wibke
Published: December 2022

High pre-existing antibodies against viral vectors reduce their functionality and may lead to adverse complications. To circumvent this problem in future gene therapy approaches, we tested the seroprevalence of a large range of human adenovirus types in patients with neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) to find appropriate viral vector candidates for gene replacement therapy for NMDs. Binding and neutralizing antibodies against 39 human adenovirus types were tested in the sera of 133 patients with NMDs and 76 healthy controls aged 17–92 years. The influence of age, sex, and NMDs on antibody levels was analyzed. The seroprevalence of different adenoviruses in the cohort varied widely. The highest levels of binding antibodies were detected against HAdV-D27, -C1, -D24, -D70, -B14, -C6, -D13, -B34, and -E4, whereas the lowest reactivity was detected against HAdV-F41, -A31, -B11, -D75, -D8, -D65, -D26, -D80, and -D17. The highest neutralizing reactivity was observed against HAdV-B3, -C2, -E4, -C1, -G52, -C5, and -F41, whereas the lowest neutralizing reactivity was observed against HAdV-D74, -B34, -D73, -B37, -D48, -D13, -D75, -D8, -B35, and -B16. We detected no influence of sex and only minor differences between different age groups. Importantly, there were no significant differences between healthy controls and patients with NMDs. Our data show that patients with NMDs have very similar levels of binding and neutralizing antibodies against HAdV compared to healthy individuals, and we identified HAdV-A31, -B16, -B34, -B35, -D8, -D37, -D48, -D73, -D74, -D75, and -D80 as promising candidates for future vector development due to their low binding and neutralizing antibody prevalence.
Genomic Characterization of the Historical Smallpox Vaccine Strain Wyeth Isolated from a 1971 Seed Vial
Authors: Cruz Nádia Vaez G. , Luques Matheus Nobrega , Castiñeiras Terezinha Marta Pereira P. , Costa Ferreira Jr Orlando , Peralta Regina Helena S. , Costa Luciana J. da , Damaso Clarissa R.
Published: December 2022

The Wyeth strain of vaccinia virus (VACV) produced by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals was supposedly used to manufacture the old freeze-dried American smallpox vaccine, Dryvax, until its discontinuation in 2008. Although the genomic sequences of numerous Dryvax clones have been reported, data on VACV-Wyeth genomes are still lacking. Genomic analysis of old VACV strains is relevant to understand the evolutionary relationships of smallpox vaccines, particularly with the recent resumption of smallpox vaccination in certain population groups as an attempt to control the worldwide monkeypox outbreak. Here we analyzed the complete genome sequences of three VACV-Wyeth clonal isolates obtained from a single seed vial donated to the Brazilian eradication program in the 1970s. Wyeth clones show >99.3% similarity to each other and >95.3% similarity with Dryvax clones, mapping together in clade I of the vaccinia group. Although the patterns of SNPs and INDELs comparing Dryvax and Wyeth clones are overall uniform, important differences were detected particularly at the ends of the genome. In addition, we detected recombinant events of clone Wyeth A111 and the Dryvax clone Acam2000, suggesting that other regions of the genomes may have similar patchy patterns of recombination. A small-scale serological survey using VACV-Wyeth as antigen in ELISA assays revealed that 63 of the 65 individuals born before the end of smallpox vaccination in Brazil still have anti-VACV IgG antibodies, demonstrating the usefulness of the VACV-Wyeth strain in future extended serological studies of the Brazilian population.
COVID-19-Related Burnout and Intention of Fully Vaccinated Individuals to Get a Booster Dose: The Mediating Role of Resilience
Authors: Galanis Petros , Katsiroumpa Aglaia , Sourtzi Panayota , Siskou Olga , Konstantakopoulou Olympia , Katsoulas Theodoros , Kaitelidou Daphne
Published: December 2022

Because an annual COVID-19 booster vaccine appears to be required to control the pandemic, identifying the factors that influence individuals’ decision to receive a booster dose is critical. Thus, our goal was to quantify the influence of COVID-19-related burnout on vaccination intention and to investigate the role of resilience in mediating the link between burnout and intention. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample during October 2022. We used the COVID-19 burnout scale and the Brief Resilience Scale. The study sample included 1256 people who had received their primary COVID-19 vaccination. Among the participants, 34.1% reported being very likely to be vaccinated with a booster dose. COVID-19-related burnout was found to be inversely connected with vaccination intention. Moreover, our results suggested that resilience not only had a positive direct effect on vaccination intention but also mediated the relationship between burnout and vaccination intention. Although our study had limitations, such as a convenience sample and information bias, we demonstrate the critical role of resilience in reducing the impact of COVID-19-related burnout on the vaccination intention. Policymakers should develop and implement initiatives to address the issues of COVID-19-related burnout and enhance booster adoption by strengthening psychosocial resources such as resilience.
First Case of Paraphimosis as a Severe Complication of Monkeypox
Authors: Milano Eugenio , Belati Alessandra , De Santis Laura , Tanese Flavio , Vavallo Antonio , Dachille Giuseppe , Loconsole Daniela , Bavaro Davide Fiore , Di Gennaro Francesco , Chironna Maria , Ditonno Pasquale , Saracino Annalisa
Published: December 2022

Since May 2022, the monkeypox (MPX) virus has represented an emerging issue due to outbreaks in non-endemic areas. This report presents the first case of paraphimosis caused by an MPX infection during the outbreak. The patient accessed the emergency department for a sudden onset of swelling of the penis and paraphimosis caused by MPX lesions that brought about stenosis of the foreskin. He therefore underwent a dorsal slit procedure with resolution. No antiviral therapy was required. A multidisciplinary approach should be preferred for the management of MPX, due to the possibility of uncommon and disseminated presentations.