bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functionalized Bentonite Clay Composite with NiAl-Layered Double Hydroxide for the Effective Removal of Cd(II) from Contaminated Water
Authors: Shafiq Muhammad , Alazba Abdulrahman Ali , Amin Muhammad Tahir
Published: November 2022

In this study, the efficiency of functionalized bentonite (F-bentonite) and NiAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH), as well as their nanocomposites, was explored regarding the adsorption of cadmium ions (Cd2+) in batch tests. Surface characterization using SEM, EDX, and FTIR analyses confirmed the successful loading of LDH (NiAl) onto the F-bentonite and the adsorption of Cd2+ onto the F-bentonite, LDH (NiAl), and LDH/F-bentonite composite adsorbent, suggesting ion exchange and surface precipitation as the main controlling mechanisms of the formation of adsorbent. An equilibrium contact period of 60 min was suggested, with the LDH/F-bentonite composite presenting the highest adsorption capacity and removal effectiveness as compared to the other adsorbents. The LDH/F-bentonite composite also presented the highest removal efficiency and maximum adsorption capacity at an optimum pH value of 7.0. A steady increase in the uptake capacity of Cd2+ was observed by increasing the dosage of the adsorbents, with the LDH/F-bentonite composite having the best adsorption capacity. The fitting of the pseudo second-order kinetic model to the adsorption data of Cd2+ suggested chemisorption on the adsorbents’ surfaces as the controlling mechanism. The Langmuir isotherm with a near-perfect fitting revealed a monolayer adsorption, while physical adsorption of Cd2+ onto all the adsorbents is proposed using the D–R isotherm. Finally, both homogeneous and heterogeneous adsorption systems are proposed for all the adsorbents due to the satisfactory fitting of the Sips and R–P isotherm models.
Soil Management in Indigenous Agroforestry Systems of Guarana (Paullinia cupana Kunth) of the Sateré-Mawé Ethnic Group, in the Lower Amazon River Region
Authors: Vignoli Clara Peres , Leeuwen Johannes , Miller Robert Pritchard , Ticona-Benavente César Augusto , da Silva Bárbara Vieira , Striffler Bruno , Fernandes Neto José Guedes , Alfaia Sonia Sena
Published: November 2022

The Sateré-Mawé Brazilian indigenous people cultivate the guarana liana in biodiverse agroforests that incorporate many species, mainly trees, and produce food, medicines, fuel and income. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil fertility in nineteen indigenous guarana agroforestry systems (AFSs) compared with areas of adjacent forests in the Andirá–Marau Indigenous Land—an ancestral territory of the Sateré-Mawé people. Soils in both locations showed low natural fertility, with levels of most macronutrients below the minimum agronomic reference levels. Higher C and soil organic matter (SOM) content was observed in the forest soils and may be related to greater vegetation cover and higher litter production. However, the maintenance of the average levels of most nutrients in the soil of the AFSs, at the same level as under the forests, suggests that efficient nutrient cycling is taking place. In these conditions, the management of organic matter seems to be essential to maintain the productivity of guarana AFSs since levels of C, SOM and organic N were not considered as low as those of most of the other soil attributes that were evaluated. The high tree diversity in the guarana agroforests, including N-fixing species, may also contribute to efficient nutrient cycling and maintenance of the soil food web. The results suggest that the addition of limestone, green manure practices and the reincorporation of organic residues from guarana processing, among other sources, can be a low-cost alternative to improve soil fertility and increase guarana production in the AFS under study.
Effects of Air Anions on Growth and Economic Feasibility of Lettuce: A Plant Factory Experiment Approach
Authors: Lee Sora , Song Min-Jeong , Oh Myung-Min
Published: November 2022

Anions are molecules that have gained one or more extra electrons, and oxygen anions are the anions most commonly present in the atmosphere. Several studies have reported an improvement in plant respiration and growth through the application of air anions in several plants. In this study, the effect of air anions on the growth of lettuce was explored, and further, the economic feasibility of this technique was analyzed in a plant factory. Two cultivars of lettuce were cultivated for 4 weeks with the application of negatively ionized air in a commercial plant factory. The exposure to air anions improved the growth of the lettuce plants in the plant factory. A profitability analysis of applying air anions revealed that the annual net profit per 1500 m2 cultivation area was about USD 60,000 and USD 70,000 for red leaf lettuce and Lollo bionda lettuce, respectively. Therefore, the application of air anions to lettuce in plant factories or greenhouses could increase crop production and has high economic feasibility.
Evaluation and Technical Requirements of the Initial Anti-Wear Performance of an Emulsified Asphalt Cold Recycled Mixture: A Case Study in Northern China
Authors: Duan Weidang , Liu Tao , Li Qiuping , Xu Jian , Zhang Jialin , Qin Yongchun , Wang Jie , Chang Rong
Published: November 2022

Considering the initial strength evaluation method of a cold recycled asphalt emulsified mixture, the abrasion test was selected as the evaluation method. The comparison test was designed to determine the key parameters of the test, including the molding method, the curing temperature, the curing relative humidity, and the curing time. The influence of different emulsifiers, the emulsifier dosage, the asphalt dosage, the cement dosage, and the mineral aggregate gradation on the initial anti-wear performance of the mixture was analyzed. The technical requirements for the emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture were put forward. We analyzed the significance of different influencing factors using analysis of variance. The results shows that the abrasion test is simple and reliable. It can be used to evaluate the initial abrasion resistance of the emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture. The curing conditions had a great impact on the abrasion loss. With the increase in temperature or the extension of the curing time, the abrasion loss gradually decreased. With the increase in relative humidity, the abrasion loss gradually increased. The testing protocols, namely 25 °C with a relative humidity of 70%, the curing time was 4 h, followed an active Chinese standard (JTG/T 5521). The results indicate that the factors that affect the initial performance of the cold reclaimed mixture of emulsified asphalt are in the following order: cement dosage, cement strength grade, emulsifier type, mineral aggregate gradation, emulsified asphalt dosage, mixture moisture content, and emulsifier dosage. The cement dosage, emulsifier type, and mineral aggregate gradation had significant effects on the initial strength of the cold recycled mixture. An abrasion loss of less than 3.5% was selected as the basis for optimizing the design of the emulsified asphalt cold recycled mixture.
Econometric and Machine Learning Methods to Identify Pedestrian Crash Patterns
Authors: Rella Riccardi Maria , Galante Francesco , Scarano Antonella , Montella Alfonso
Published: November 2022

Walking plays an important role in overcoming many challenges nowadays, and governments and local authorities are encouraging healthy and environmentally sustainable lifestyles. Nevertheless, pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users and crashes with pedestrian involvement are a serious concern. Thus, the identification of pedestrian crash patterns is crucial to identify appropriate safety countermeasures. The aims of the study are (1) to identify the road infrastructure, environmental, vehicle, and driver-related patterns that are associated with an overrepresentation of pedestrian crashes, and (2) to identify safety countermeasures to mitigate the detected pedestrian crash patterns. The analysis carried out an econometric model, namely the mixed logit model, and the association rules and the classification tree algorithm, as machine learning tools, to analyse the patterns contributing to the overrepresentation of pedestrian crashes in Italy. The dataset consists of 874,847 crashes—including 101,032 pedestrian crashes—that occurred in Italy from 2014 to 2018. The methodological approach adopted in the study was effective in uncovering relations among road infrastructure, environmental, vehicle, and driver-related patterns, and the overrepresentation of pedestrian crashes. The mixed logit provided a clue on the impact of each pattern on the pedestrian crash occurrence, whereas the association rules and the classification tree detected the associations among the patterns with insights on how the co-occurrence of more factors could be detrimental to pedestrian safety. Drivers’ behaviour and psychophysical state turned out to be crucial patterns related to pedestrian crashes’ overrepresentation. Based on the identified crash patterns, safety countermeasures have been proposed.
Approach to Regional Tourism Potential Assessment in View of Cross-Sectoral Ecosystem Development
Authors: Gamidullaeva Leyla , Vasin Sergey , Tolstykh Tatyana , Zinchenko Svetlana
Published: November 2022

The regional tourism industry along with its various components and stakeholders involved in the development of regional tourism products (TP) and the value chain can be interpreted as ecosystems. A concept of creating a regional cross-sectoral ecosystem is presented and described. It brings together all interested parties (actors), including government authorities and various business representatives. The approaches to determining the level of attractiveness of a region for the formation of a tourism ecosystem based on the assessment of its tourism potential (TP) are the research subject. The research methodology presents an algorithm for assessing the tourism ecosystem formation attractiveness through assessment of key performance indicators assessing territorial TP. The purpose of the study is to develop strategic guidelines for increasing the efficiency of using tourism potential to form a regional ecosystem (a case study of the Penza Region). The conducted analysis has highlighted strategies (institutional; business image; cultural and educational; innovation and technology) that determine the key vectors for the development of tourism potential of the Penza Region.
Application of Probiotics for Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Aquaculture: A Review
Authors: Hancz Csaba
Published: November 2022

Aquaculture plays an important role in food production for the world population and at the same time for the livelihood of the most needed globally. The concerns about sustainability and ecological health are growing in this extremely diversified sector just like in the whole agriculture industry. The use of probiotics in aquaculture already has a long history and has served from the beginning the goals of more sustainable production; however, the expansion of intensive systems along with global climate change produces new challenges. The present work aims to provide an overview of the most relevant literature. Firstly, the microbiome of aquatic animals and its functioning is surveyed followed by the aims and methods of probiotic application. The screening and testing of novel probiotics are also assessed as well as the scientific and technical novelties in probiotics research. The mainstream development in probiotic research aims to serve the sustainability of aquaculture in all respects including traditional animal health, feed efficiency, and environmental issues. New state-of-the-art techniques may lead to a future paradigm change in aquaculture under the aegis of the Blue Revolution.
A Study on the Factors Influencing the Intention and Behavior Deviation of Rural Residents in Waste Separation—Based on LOGIT-ISM-MICMAC Combination Model
Authors: Li Xue-Yuan , Huang Sen-Wei , Lin Qian , Lu Qiu-Jia , Zhang Ya-Shan
Published: November 2022

Accurate identification of the influencing factors and the mechanisms of the willingness-behavior paradox in rural residents in waste separation is conducive to stimulating rural residents to participate in rural environmental governance, which is important for solving the willingness-behavior paradox problem. By using CLES data, we analyzed the factors influencing rural residents’ willingness to separate garbage and behavioral paradoxes using the combined LOGIT-ISM-MICMAC model. The results of the study showed that (1) the regression results showed that eight factors, including publicity means, reward and punishment means, policy effect perception, villagers’ environmental protection behavior perception, gender, age, socio-economic status, and ecological livability status, affect the paradox of villagers’ willingness to separate garbage and behavior; (2) the results of the ISM model show that there are four main transmission paths, and the commonality lies in the common transmission paths of “policy publicity effect factor, villagers’ perception of environmental protection behavior, village ecological habitability, and deviation of willingness and behavior”; (3) the results of MICMAC model show that we should focus on strengthening the ecological habitat of villages, ensuring the effectiveness of policy promotion, and encouraging villagers’ environmental protection behavior to reduce the deviation of rural residents’ behavior and intention.
Measuring Customers’ Satisfaction and Preferences for Ride-Hailing Services in a Developing Country
Authors: Ali Nazam , Javid Muhammad Ashraf , Campisi Tiziana , Chaiyasarn Krisada , Saingam Panumas
Published: November 2022

Ride-hailing services play an important role in developing countries where conventional transport systems are not enough to meet the needs of commuters because of increased populations. This form of transport has gained much popularity in developing regions because of the inclusion of motorcycles and rikshaws in ride-hailing services. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has been little research on passengers’ behavior towards these ride-hailing services that focuses on social protection and the fare system in developing regions. Therefore, this research study is aimed at investigating the behavior of commuters towards these ride-hailing services in Lahore, which is the second largest city in Pakistan and can be considered as a case study of a developing country. A total of 531 useable valid responses were collected through face-to-face interactions, including the sociodemographics (SEDs) and behavior of commuters towards these services. The results of an explanatory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that some of the significant latent variables of these ride-hailing services are comfort, convenience, privacy and security, the fare system, social protection, and safety. The commuters’ overall evaluation of these services is positive and affects their present and future preferences. The structural coefficient between convenience and the variable of present preference is significant and negative, which shows that there are respondents who infrequently use ride-hailing services despite having high satisfaction. The riders’ satisfaction with privacy, security, social protection, safety, and comfort has a positive and direct impact on their present preferences as the structural estimates are positive, which means that the higher their views on privacy, security, and comfort, the more frequently they intend to use ride-hailing services for commuting. Increased social protection, safety, privacy, and security will improve the evaluations of the commuters and influence their present preferences for these ride-hailing services. Even though there are regulations on these ride-hailing services, some concrete policy interventions are needed for improvements in commuters’ overall evaluations of these services in order to influence their future preferences. The findings of this research study, if applied in the real world, can improve the overall evaluation of the commuters and positively influence their present and future preferences for these ride-hailing services.
Effect of PdNiBi Metal Content: Cost Reduction in Alkaline Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells
Authors: Roschger Michaela , Wolf Sigrid , Genorio Boštjan , Hacker Viktor
Published: November 2022

In this work, the metal content of Pd85Ni10Bi5/C catalysts for the alkaline ethanol-oxidation reaction was reduced from 40 wt.% (PdNiBi/C (40/60)) to 30 wt.% (PdNiBi/C (30/70)), 20 wt.% (PdNiBi/C (20/80)) and 10 wt.% (PdNiBi/C (10/90)), while increasing performance. The synthesized catalysts were examined using physicochemical measurements and electrochemical measurements. The best performing catalysts were used to fabricate membrane electrode assemblies for carrying out single-cell tests and to determine the influence of the metal/carbon ratio of the electrode. The electrochemical surface area (695 cm2 mg−1) and activity were increased, resulting in high peak-current densities for the ethanol oxidation reaction (3.72 A mg−1) by the resulting more accessible metal particles. The electrode produced with the PdNiBi/C (30/70) catalyst reached a maximum power density of 34.8 mW mg−1 at 50 °C. This successfully demonstrated a doubling of the power density compared with the performance of the PdNiBi/C (40/60) electrode, while simultaneously reducing the costs.
Thermal and Thermal-Oxidative Molecular Degradation of Polystyrene and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene during 3D Printing Starting from Filaments and Pellets
Authors: Ceretti Daniel V. A. , Marien Yoshi W. , Edeleva Mariya , La Gala Andrea , Cardon Ludwig , D’hooge Dagmar R.
Published: November 2022

An important polymer processing technique is additive manufacturing (AM), which enables shape-free design of complex final parts with limited waste during the development change, at least if the impact of molecular degradation reactions is minimized. In the present work, polystyrene (PS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer have been processed via: (i) fused filament fabrication (FFF), separately accounting for the prior single screw extrusion (SSE) filament production; and (ii) pellet-based additive manufacturing (PBAM), which are two important AM techniques. The influence of printing temperature, layer thickness, printing velocity, and printing technique on the degradation of both polymeric materials is studied by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), small amplitude oscillatory shearing tests (SAOS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and yellowness index (YI) measurements. For ABS, SSE-FF leads to more fission (higher mechanical loading) whereas PBAM results in more cross-linking (more thermal loading). For PS, fission is always dominant and this more evident under FFF conditions. ABS also exhibits yellowing upon processing, indicating thermo-oxidative degradation although below the FTIR sensitivity limit. The selected PBAM conditions with PS are already delivering printed specimens with good mechanical properties and lower degradation. For ABS, a further PBAM optimization is still desired compared to the FFF countercase, taking into account layer-by-layer adhesion.
Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Goals: Toward Pro-SEL Pedagogy
Authors: Qadan Enas , Chaleila Wisam A.
Published: November 2022

The switch to online teaching that the global COVID-19 crisis necessitated has been discussed in many studies. Few papers, however, have investigated teachers’ perceptions and the self-initiated changes they made due to such a transition. This study adopted a mixed methods design to determine the perceptions of teachers and the changes they made during the crisis. For this undertaking, a purposive snowball sampling of thirty in-service teachers in Israel was used. The study revealed that considerable changes were made in the participants’ pedagogical practices, and there was a significant correlation between these changes and teachers’ perceptions of their teaching profession. The changes essentially applied to two main categories: teaching goals and teaching strategies. In addition, the findings showed that the revised teaching goals and strategies were executed to the teachers’ own volition and were consistent with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) pedagogy. To enhance the social-emotional competence and well-being of teachers and students, the researchers recommend elevating and enhancing the teaching profession by establishing SEL pedagogy in all schools, not only in times of crisis but as a policy empowered by advocacy.
Complexities and Opportunities of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: A Case Study of Water Resource Management in Afghanistan
Authors: Pathak Santosh R. , Shrestha Pradhan Neera , Guragai Sadiksha , Baksi Bulbul , Azizi Fayezurahman , Shrestha Arun Bhakta
Published: November 2022

Water governance is a sensitive and contentious issue that requires multi-stakeholder participation and judicious use of technology. The new water law in Afghanistan focuses on the participation of stakeholders in water management, equitable water allocation, task division, and decision-making at the sub-basin, basin, and national levels. This paper looks at a multi-stakeholder partnership approach aligned with technological solutions designed by ICIMOD to facilitate collaboration for the purpose of addressing the key challenges and exploring opportunities for river basin management in Afghanistan. ICIMOD helped to broker a context-specific partnering approach to strengthen collaboration for water resource management by embedding the principles and frameworks of collaborating in cooperation and strategic partnership with the Partnership Brokers Association, which entails a shift from commitments to engage with stakeholders to codesigning and implementing activities based on partnering principles to achieve the goal of water resource management in Afghanistan. The paper highlights and discusses the various cases of the project that offer reflections on the participatory approach adopted and the value addition that each partner, on the basis of their strengths, brings to the partnership. The paper highlights the positive impacts that multi-stakeholder partnerships can have on overcoming the complex challenges faced in strengthening water resource management in Afghanistan.
Mass Concrete with EAF Steel Slag Aggregate: Workability, Strength, Temperature Rise, and Environmental Performance
Authors: Kvočka Davor , Šušteršič Jakob , Mauko Pranjić Alenka , Mladenović Ana
Published: November 2022

Temperature control is the primary concern during the design and construction process of mass concrete structures. As the concrete production has an enormous negative environmental impact, the development of green mass concretes will eventually become as important as the thermal characteristics. Therefore, this paper investigates the use of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steel slag aggregate for the partial replacement of the natural aggregate in the production of mass concrete. The impact of EAF steel aggregate on mass concrete workability, strength, and thermal behaviour was analysed. In addition, a cradle-to-gate LCA study was conducted to evaluate the environmental footprint and sustainability potential of the tested mass concrete mixtures. The study results suggest that the use of EAF steel slag aggregate in combination with a low-heat cement with a high content of blast furnace slag can significantly lower the temperature, reduce the environmental impact, and increase the sustainability potential of mass concrete, while at the same time providing sufficient workability and compressive strength. The study results indicate that EAF steel slag can be upcycled into an aggregate for the production of green mass concrete mixtures.
Can Chlorophyll a Fluorescence and Photobleaching Be a Stress Signal under Abiotic Stress in Vigna unguiculata L.?
Authors: Pompelli Marcelo F. , Arrieta Daniela Vegliante , Rodríguez Yirlis Yadeth Pineda , Ramírez Ana Melisa Jiménez , Bettin Ana Milena Vasquez , Avilez María Angélica Quiñones , Cárcamo Jesús Adolfo Ayala , Garcia-Castaño Samuel Giovanny , González Lina María Mestra , Cordero Elias David Florez , Montaño Marvin José Perneth , Mendoza Cristian Camilo Pacheco , González Anthony Ricardo Ariza , Coley Alberto José Tello , Jarma-Orozco Alfredo , Rodriguez Paez Luis Alfonso
Published: November 2022

Greenhouse gas emissions continue raising the planet’s temperature by 1.5 °C since the industrial age, while the world population growth rate is 1.1%. So, studies aimed at food security and better land use are welcomed. In this paradigm, we choose Vigna unguiculata to test how it would behave in the face of severe abiotic stresses, such as drought and salt stress. This study shows that under abiotic stresses V. unguiculata tries to overcome the stress by emitting chlorophyll a fluorescence and promoting photobleaching. Thus, fewer photons are directed to photosystem I, to generate lethal reactive oxygen species. The antioxidant system showed a high activity in plants submitted to drought stress but fell in salt-stressed plants. Thus, the reductor power not dissipated by fluorescence or heat was captured and converted into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which was 2.2-fold higher in salt-stressed V. unguiculata plants. Consequently, the malondialdehyde (MDA) increased in all treatment. Compiling all data, we can argue that the rapid extinguishing of chlorophyll a fluorescence, mainly in non-photochemical quenching and heat can be an indicator of stress as a first defense system, while the H2O2 and MDA accumulation would be considered biochemical signals for plant defenses or plant injuries.
Evolution Law of Micro-Pore Structure of Cement-Emulsified Asphalt Mortar Based on NMR
Authors: Jin Shanshan , Zhan Weinan , Zhang Yang
Published: November 2022

Cement emulsified asphalt mortar (CA) is widely used as the cushion of two types of ballastless track (CRTS I and CRTS II) in high-speed railways. Nowadays, the lack of durability of CA mortar has severely affected the quality of high-speed railways, failing to meet the requirements of sustainability. Since CA mortar is a kind of porous material, its performance can be significantly affected by its microstructures, which means that revealing the evolution law of its microstructures can provide the basis for improving its durability. Therefore, CA mortar species with different asphalt-cement ratio under different curing ages were prepared based on the requirements of CRTS II in this research and the pore structures were determined based on SEM and NMR methods. Then, a fractal model of CA mortar pore volume was proposed based on the concept of box fractal dimension, and the fractal dimension of pore volume was calculated. The relationship between fractal dimensions and mechanical property was analyzed based on Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis. The results suggested that the overall microstructure of CA mortar shows a loose porous space structure with cement hydration products being the continuous phase and asphalt being the dispersed phase. With the increase in A/C ratio, the hydration products produced by cement hydration decrease, and the total porosity and average porosity of CA mortar gradually increase due to the increase of asphalt hindering the hydration process of the cement. With the increase in curing age, the pore structure of CA mortar becomes more compact. However, the evolution law of CA mortar pore structure with age is not consistent under different A/C ratios due to the influence of asphalt. The pore structure of CA mortar was proved to have obvious fractal characteristics based on the concept of box fractal dimension and the experimental data of NMR. In addition, the correlation analysis proves that the fractal dimension of pore structure has an obvious positive correlation with the compressive and flexural strength, which suggests that the fractal dimension of pore volume can be a bridge for connecting the macro-property and micro-structures of CA mortar.
Stress, Depression and/or Anxiety According to the Death by COVID-19 of a Family Member or Friend in Health Sciences Students in Latin America during the First Wave
Authors: Mejia Christian R. , Alvarez-Risco Aldo , Mejía Yaniré M. , Quispe Susan C. , Del-Aguila-Arcentales Shyla , Serna-Alarcón Victor , Vilela-Estrada Martín A. , Armada Jose , Yáñez Jaime A.
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic generated high mortality in various countries, which may have had an impact on the mental health of young people. The objective of the study was to evaluate whether the death of a family member or close friend due to COVID-19 generated a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, or moderate/severe stress in university health sciences students in Latin America. This is an analytical cross-sectional study, with secondary data; depression, anxiety, and stress were measured with a validated survey. In addition, data were obtained on the deaths by COVID-19 of family members or close friends, illness and other socio-economic variables. Descriptive and analytical statistics were obtained. It was found that, of the 3304 students, 5.9% (190) had a close relative who had died, 11.2% (363) a distant relative, and 19.8% (641) a friend. According to the multivariate analysis, those students who had a close family member who had died had greater depression (RPa: 1.48; CI 95%: 1.20–1.84; value p < 0.001) and stress (RPa: 1.41; CI 95%: 1.11–1.79; p value = 0.005), in addition, those who had a friend who died had higher levels of anxiety (RPa: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.06–1.36; p value =0.005); also, the respondents who suffered from COVID-19 had greater depression (RPa: 1.49; CI 95%: 1.05–2.11; value p = 0.024) and stress (RPa: 1.55; CI 95%: 1.05–2.28, p-value = 0.028). An association was found between suffering from depression, anxiety, or stress, and having suffered the death of a family member or close friend from COVID-19. This finding is an important one for places of education to consider, suggesting a need to generate psychological support programs for students who have lost a loved one during the pandemic, since this could have academic and social repercussions. An association was found between the three mental illnesses studied and the death of a family member or close friend from COVID-19.
Experimental Study on Deformation Characteristics of Gangue Backfill Zone under the Condition of Natural Water in Deep Mines
Authors: Lu Yao , Jiang Ning , Lu Wei , Zhang Meng , Kong Dezhi , Xu Mengtang , Wang Changxiang
Published: November 2022

To address the problem of surface subsidence caused by the compression of filling gangue in deep mines, a layered compaction test was designed based on the zonation of the failure of the overburden in the goaf and layered property of the filling gangue. The deformation characteristics of filling gangue in natural and water-bearing states were obtained. The deformation of filling gangue during the 0~100 kN loading stage was an approximately positive S-type, which reflects the relative “advancement” in terms of deformation. The filling gangue deformation in the 100~500 kN loading stage was an approximately inverted S-type, which reflects the relative “lag” in terms of deformation. In a natural state, the load-time curves of the dead load stage were consistent. Under a water-bearing condition, the load-time curve for the dead load stage had apparent “step” characteristics and presented a special phenomenon of displacement rebound. Under gradient loading, the strain showed an exponential growth model, and energy dissipation showed a logarithmic growth model. Under a natural state, the energy dissipation showed consistently increasing distribution patterns, while the energy dissipation showed a normal distribution model under the water-bearing state.
Atmospheric Temperature Prediction Based on a BiLSTM-Attention Model
Authors: Hao Xueli , Liu Ying , Pei Lili , Li Wei , Du Yaohui
Published: November 2022

To address the problem that traditional models are not effective in predicting atmospheric temperature, this paper proposes an atmospheric temperature prediction model based on symmetric BiLSTM (bidirectional long short-term memory)-Attention model. Firstly, the meteorological data from five major stations in Beijing were integrated, cleaned, and normalized to build an atmospheric temperature prediction dataset containing multiple feature dimensions; then, a BiLSTM memory network was used to construct with forward and backward information in the time dimension. And the limitations of the traditional LSTM method in long-term time series analysis were solved by introducing the attention mechanism to achieve the prediction analysis of atmospheric temperature. Finally, by comparing the prediction results with those of BiLSTM, LSTM-Attention, and LSTM, it is revealed that the proposed model has the best prediction effect, with a MAE value of 0.013, which is 0.72%, 0.41%, and 1.24% lower than those of BiLSTM, LSTM-Attention, and LSTM, respectively; the R2 value reaches 0.9618, which is 2.73%, 1.23%, and 4.98% higher than BiLSTM, LSTM-Attention, and LSTM, respectively. The results show that the symmetrical BiLSTM-Attention atmospheric temperature prediction model can effectively improve the prediction accuracy of temperature data, and the model can also be used to predict other time series data.
Structural Shocks, Business Condition Expectations, and Expected Stock Market Returns
Authors: Chen Weizhong , Liu Mingming
Published: November 2022

Through the interaction terms of business condition expectations and structural shocks, the non-linear effects of business condition expectations on expected stock market returns were studied. We found that the recession expectation enlarges the positive effects of a permanent shock on the expected stock market return, and also increases the negative impacts of the temporary shock. Over the long-horizon forecast, these effects increase over time. Moreover, the impacts under the recession expectation are greater than those under the expansion expectation. The results are robust and have economic significance. We also provide evidence for the existence of a negative relationship between business condition expectations and expected stock market returns.
Infrared Thermal Imaging and Artificial Neural Networks to Screen for Wrist Fractures in Pediatrics
Authors: Shobayo Olamilekan , Saatchi Reza , Ramlakhan Shammi
Published: November 2022

Paediatric wrist fractures are commonly seen injuries at emergency departments. Around 50% of the X-rays taken to identify these injuries indicate no fracture. The aim of this study was to develop a model using infrared thermal imaging (IRTI) data and multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks as a screening tool to assist clinicians in deciding which patients require X-ray imaging to diagnose a fracture. Forty participants with wrist injury (19 with a fracture, 21 without, X-ray confirmed), mean age 10.50 years, were included. IRTI of both wrists was performed with the contralateral as reference. The injured wrist region of interest (ROI) was segmented and represented by the means of cells of 10 × 10 pixels. The fifty largest means were selected, the mean temperature of the contralateral ROI was subtracted, and they were expressed by their standard deviation, kurtosis, and interquartile range for MLP processing. Training and test files were created, consisting of randomly split 2/3 and 1/3 of the participants, respectively. To avoid bias of participant inclusion in the two files, the experiments were repeated 100 times, and the MLP outputs were averaged. The model’s sensitivity and specificity were 84.2% and 71.4%, respectively. Further work involves a larger sample size, adults, and other bone fractures.
Alpha-Thalassemia: Diversity of Clinical Phenotypes and Update on the Treatment
Authors: Songdej Duantida , Fucharoen Suthat
Published: November 2022

One of the more common single-gene disorders worldwide is α-thalassemia, carriers of which are found at variable frequencies (>1%) across all tropical and subtropical countries. Two linked α-globin genes on each allele of chromosome 16 regulate α-globin chain production. Deletion of one or more α-globin genes is the most frequent molecular defect found in α-thalassemia, whereas non-deletional mutations also occur, leading to unstable α-globin chains. HbH is the most common clinically important α-thalassemia disease and occurs when three α-globin genes are deleted/mutated, leaving only one copy of the gene intact. HbH can be divided into deletional (--/-α) and non-deletional genotypes (--/αTα). Whereas clinical phenotypes of the former are usually homogenously mild to moderate, those of the latter can be diverse. As HbH disease is particularly prevalent in Southeast Asia and some parts of the Mediterranean region, where β-thalassemia is also prevalent, affected patients are sometimes left undertreated. Therefore, hematologists and general physicians need to be educated to provide optimal disease monitoring and early identification of those with more severe phenotypes. Some issues regarding transfusion and iron chelation management differ from those of β-thalassemia, and these need to be recognized. Hb Bart’s hydrops fetalis syndrome (BHFS) is the most severe form of α-thalassemia; affected patients lack production of α-globin chains. Recent advances in fetal medicine and neonatal intensive care have made it possible for BHFS to no longer constitute a universally fatal disorder. Transfusion and chelation strategies for rare survivors are distinct and require updating.
Function Prediction of Peptide Toxins with Sequence-Based Multi-Tasking PU Learning Method
Authors: Chu Yanyan , Zhang Huanhuan , Zhang Lei
Published: November 2022

Peptide toxins generally have extreme pharmacological activities and provide a rich source for the discovery of drug leads. However, determining the optimal activity of a new peptide can be a long and expensive process. In this study, peptide toxins were retrieved from Uniprot; three positive-unlabeled (PU) learning schemes, adaptive basis classifier, two-step method, and PU bagging were adopted to develop models for predicting the biological function of new peptide toxins. All three schemes were embedded with 14 machine learning classifiers. The prediction results of the adaptive base classifier and the two-step method were highly consistent. The models with top comprehensive performances were further optimized by feature selection and hyperparameter tuning, and the models were validated by making predictions for 61 three-finger toxins or the external HemoPI dataset. Biological functions that can be identified by these models include cardiotoxicity, vasoactivity, lipid binding, hemolysis, neurotoxicity, postsynaptic neurotoxicity, hypotension, and cytolysis, with relatively weak predictions for hemostasis and presynaptic neurotoxicity. These models are discovery-prediction tools for active peptide toxins and are expected to accelerate the development of peptide toxins as drugs.
Measurement of Microcystin Activity in Human Plasma Using Immunocapture and Protein Phosphatase Inhibition Assay
Authors: Cunningham Brady R. , Wharton Rebekah E. , Lee Christine , Mojica Mike A. , Krajewski Logan C. , Gordon Shirley C. , Schaefer Adam M. , Johnson Rudolph C. , Hamelin Elizabeth I.
Published: November 2022

Microcystins are toxic chemicals generated by certain freshwater cyanobacteria. These chemicals can accumulate to dangerous levels during harmful algal blooms. When exposed to microcystins, humans are at risk of hepatic injury, including liver failure. Here, we describe a method to detect microcystins in human plasma by using immunocapture followed by a protein phosphatase inhibition assay. At least 279 microcystins have been identified, and most of these compounds share a common amino acid, the Adda side chain. We targeted this Adda side chain using a commercial antibody and extracted microcystins from human samples for screening and analysis. To quantitate the extracted microcystins, we fortified plasma with microcystin-LR, one of the most well-studied, commonly detected, and toxic microcystin congeners. The quantitation range for the detection of microcystin in human plasma using this method is 0.030–0.50 ng/mL microcystin-LR equivalents. This method detects unconjugated and conjugated forms (cysteine and glutathione) of microcystins. Quality control sample accuracies varied between 98.9% and 114%, with a precision of 7.18–15.8%. Finally, we evaluated plasma samples from a community health surveillance project of Florida residents living or working near harmful algae blooms.
Biodegradation of Free Gossypol by Helicoverpa armigera Carboxylesterase Expressed in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Zhang Li , Yang Xiaolong , Huang Rongzheng , Nie Cunxi , Niu Junli , Chen Cheng , Zhang Wenju
Published: November 2022

Gossypol is a polyphenolic toxic secondary metabolite derived from cotton. Free gossypol in cotton meal is remarkably harmful to animals. Furthermore, microbial degradation of gossypol produces metabolites that reduce feed quality. We adopted an enzymatic method to degrade free gossypol safely and effectively. We cloned the gene cce001a encoding carboxylesterase (CarE) into pPICZαA and transformed it into Pichia pastoris GS115. The target protein was successfully obtained, and CarE CCE001a could effectively degrade free gossypol with a degradation rate of 89%. When esterase was added, the exposed toxic groups of gossypol reacted with different amino acids and amines to form bound gossypol, generating substances with (M + H) m/z ratios of 560.15, 600.25, and 713.46. The molecular formula was C27H28O13, C34H36N2O6, and C47H59N3O3. The observed instability of the hydroxyl groups caused the substitution and shedding of the group, forming a substance with m/z of 488.26 and molecular formula C31H36O5. These properties render the CarE CCE001a a valid candidate for the detoxification of cotton meal. Furthermore, the findings help elucidate the degradation process of gossypol in vitro.
A Retrospective Study of Viral Molecular Prevalences in Cats in Southern Italy (Campania Region)
Authors: Amoroso Maria Grazia , Serra Francesco , Miletti Gianluca , Cardillo Lorena , de Martinis Claudio , Marati Luisa , Alfano Flora , Ferrara Gianmarco , Pagnini Ugo , De Carlo Esterina , Fusco Giovanna , Montagnaro Serena
Published: November 2022

From 2019 to 2021, a retrospective molecular study was conducted in the Campania region (southern Italy) to determine the prevalence of viral diseases in domestic cats. A total of 328 dead animals were analyzed by Real-Time PCR for the presence of feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline enteric coronavirus (FCoV), rotavirus (RVA), feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1), and feline calicivirus (FCV). The possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 was also investigated by Real-Time PCR. The cats included in this study were specifically sourced and referred by local veterinarians and local authorities to the Zooprofilactic Experimental Institute of Southern Italy (IZSM) for pathological evaluation. The samples consisted of owners, catteries, and stray cats. Results revealed: 73.5% positive cats for FPV (189/257), 23.6% for FeLV (21/89), 21.5% for FCoV (56/266), 11.4% for RVA (16/140), 9.05% for FeHV-1 (21/232), and 7.04 for FCV (15/213). In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 was never detected. FPV was more prevalent in winter (p = 0.0027). FCoV FHV-1, FCV, and RVA predominated in autumn, whereas FeLV predominated in summer. As expected, viral infections were found more frequently in outdoor and shelter cats than in indoor ones, although no statistical association was found between animal lifestyle and viral presence. The study showed a high prevalence of FPV, FeLV, and FCoV and a moderate prevalence of RVA, FHV-1, and FCV. Moreover, the prevalence of these pathogens varied among the cat populations investigated.
Heterologous RNA Recombination in the Cystoviruses φ6 and φ8: A Mechanism of Viral Variation and Genome Repair
Authors: Gottlieb Paul , Alimova Aleksandra
Published: November 2022

Recombination and mutation of viral genomes represent major mechanisms for viral evolution and, in many cases, moderate pathogenicity. Segmented genome viruses frequently undergo reassortment of the genome via multiple infection of host organisms, with influenza and reoviruses being well-known examples. Specifically, major genomic shifts mediated by reassortment are responsible for radical changes in the influenza antigenic determinants that can result in pandemics requiring rapid preventative responses by vaccine modifications. In contrast, smaller mutational changes brought about by the error-prone viral RNA polymerases that, for the most part, lack a replication base mispairing editing function produce small mutational changes in the RNA genome during replication. Referring again to the influenza example, the accumulated mutations—known as drift—require yearly vaccine updating and rapid worldwide distribution of each new formulation. Coronaviruses with a large positive-sense RNA genome have long been known to undergo intramolecular recombination likely mediated by copy choice of the RNA template by the viral RNA polymerase in addition to the polymerase-based mutations. The current SARS-CoV-2 origin debate underscores the importance of understanding the plasticity of viral genomes, particularly the mechanisms responsible for intramolecular recombination. This review describes the use of the cystovirus bacteriophage as an experimental model for recombination studies in a controlled manner, resulting in the development of a model for intramolecular RNA genome alterations. The review relates the sequence of experimental studies from the laboratory of Leonard Mindich, PhD at the Public Health Research Institute—then in New York City—and covers a period of approximately 12 years. Hence, this is a historical scientific review of research that has the greatest relevance to current studies of emerging RNA virus pathogens.
Stakeholder Perspectives of Australia’s National HPV Vaccination Program
Authors: Swift Caitlin , Dey Aditi , Rashid Harunor , Clark Katrina , Manocha Ramesh , Brotherton Julia , Beard Frank
Published: November 2022

Australia has been a world leader in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and was the first country to implement a fully funded national HPV vaccination program, from 2007 for girls and 2013 for boys. In 2018 the program changed from a 4-valent to 9-valent HPV vaccine and a 3-dose to 2-dose standard schedule. We assessed stakeholder perspectives on factors influencing program outcomes and impact as part of a comprehensive program evaluation. In late 2019 and early 2020, we conducted 26 interviews with 42 key stakeholder participants and received 1513 survey responses from stakeholders including general practice staff and school-based nurse immunisers. Findings included that the 2-dose schedule is better accepted by schools and students and has reduced program cost and resource requirements. However, course completion rates have not increased as much as anticipated due to the 6–12 month dosing interval and reduced opportunities for school-based catch-up vaccination. Major reported barriers to increased vaccine coverage were absenteeism and consent form return. Vaccine hesitancy is not currently a major issue but remains a potential threat to the program. While Australia’s HPV vaccination program is perceived as highly successful, measures to further enhance the program’s impact and mitigate potential threats are important.