bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Performance-Shaping Factors of Air Traffic Controllers Using Fuzzy DEMATEL and Fuzzy BWM Approach
Authors: Bongo Miriam F. , Seva Rosemary R.
Published: March 2023

In the air traffic management domain, a set of performance-shaping factors are defined to characterize how such factors influence the overall performance of air traffic controllers. While it is worth understanding the nature of these factors, including their priority for policymaking and strategy implementation, no research in the extant literature has conducted an in-depth investigation of this matter. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the performance-shaping factors of air traffic controllers by using fuzzy DEMATEL and fuzzy BWM—such methodologies in the classification of factors as well as their corresponding priority vector. As an illustration, a case study in the Mactan Control Tower of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is conducted. The key results of the hybrid methodology showed that causal factors are ‘situation awareness,’ ‘communication,’ ‘teamwork,’ ‘vigilance,’ ‘and ‘attention.’ Effect factors are ‘workload,’ ‘trust,’ ‘fatigue,’ and ‘stress.’ Furthermore, ‘communication’ is found to be of the highest priority among other factors. The results can provide relevant insights to the decision-makers of air traffic management in formulating programs and strategies related to the improvement of air traffic controllers’ performance. Note, however, that the study is limited to identifying the inherent characteristics of the factors and their priority ranking; specific plans of action for improving the performance of air traffic controllers are not provided. As a future research direction, the inputs obtained in this paper can pave the way to a more in-depth analysis of improving the performance of air traffic controllers.
The Border Effects of Dry Matter, Photosynthetic Characteristics, and Yield Components of Wheat under Hole Sowing Condition
Authors: Sun Yitao , Yang Chao , Liang Huajun , Yang Yuyan , Bu Kangmin , Dong Yongli , Hai Jiangbo
Published: March 2023

Wheat can be cultivated by hole sowing, but its border effect has not yet been studied. Therefore, we carried out a field experiment from 2021 to 2022 at the Doukou Crop Experimental Demonstration Station (108°52′ E, 34°37′ N) of Northwest A&F University in Jingyang County, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province, China. The response of dry matter, photosynthetic characteristics, and yield components of wheat to the border effects under the hole sowing method was studied. The results showed specific border effects on each index of five wheat varieties (XN136, XN175, XN527, XN536, and XN765), among which the border effects of XN175 and XN765 were the most significant, with the highest yield. Subsequent correlation analysis revealed that only grain per spike and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration responded negatively to the border effects, and the rest were positively correlated. Finally, we conducted a random forest model analysis of different indicators of wheat varieties with significant border effects. We found that net photosynthetic rate and aboveground dry matter per plant had the most significant impact and contribution to the border effects. In contrast, grain per spike had the most negligible impact on the border effects. Our results fill a gap in the study of the border effects of wheat under hole sowing cultivation for future researchers.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Promote the Degradation of the Fore-Rotating Crop (Brassica napus L.) Straw, Improve the Growth of and Reduce the Cadmium and Lead Content in the Subsequent Maize
Authors: Guo Jianfang , Chen Jiaxin , Li Chengxue , Wang Lei , Liang Xinran , Shi Junjie , Zhan Fangdong
Published: March 2023

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely present in heavy metal-polluted soils, but their effects on straw degradation and plant growth of rotated crops are poorly understood. In this study, a pot experiment was used to simulate the return of fore-rotating crop (Brassica napus L.) straw to farmland with a subsequent planting of maize in a lead–zinc mining area on the Yunnan Plateau, Southwest China, which included four treatments: control (CK), addition of rape straw (SR), inoculation of AMF (AMF), and both AMF inoculation and straw addition (AMF + SR). The effects of AMF on the degradation and nutrient release of the fore-rotating rape straw and the growth, mineral nutrition and the cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contents of the subsequent maize were investigated. Compared with the CK treatment, AMF significantly promoted the degradation of rape straw and the release of mineral nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) as well as the Cd and Pb, increased the content of available nutrients in soil, and improved the mineral nutrient contents in the maize. AMF + SR significantly increased the maize height and biomass by 32–35% and decreased the available Cd and Pb contents in soil and the Cd and Pb contents in the maize by 20–30% and 18–25%, respectively. Moreover, the available Cd and Pb contents in the soil presented significant positive correlations with their contents in the maize but negative correlations with the height and biomass of the maize. Thus, AMF played an important regulatory role in the nutrient cycling and heavy metal accumulation of the crop rotation.
The Evolution of Coral Reef under Changing Climate: A Scientometric Review
Authors: Thirukanthan Chandra Segaran , Azra Mohamad Nor , Lananan Fathurrahman , Sara’ Gianluca , Grinfelde Inga , Rudovica Vite , Vincevica-Gaile Zane , Burlakovs Juris
Published: March 2023

In this scientometric review, we employ the Web of Science Core Collection to assess current publications and research trends regarding coral reefs in relation to climate change. Thirty-seven keywords for climate change and seven keywords for coral reefs were used in the analysis of 7743 articles on coral reefs and climate change. The field entered an accelerated uptrend phase in 2016, and it is anticipated that this phase will last for the next 5 to 10 years of research publication and citation. The United States and Australia have produced the greatest number of publications in this field. A cluster (i.e., focused issue) analysis showed that coral bleaching dominated the literature from 2000 to 2010, ocean acidification from 2010 to 2020, and sea-level rise, as well as the central Red Sea (Africa/Asia), in 2021. Three different types of keywords appear in the analysis based on which are the (i) most recent (2021), (ii) most influential (highly cited), and (iii) mostly used (frequently used keywords in the article) in the field. The Great Barrier Reef, which is found in the waters of Australia, is thought to be the subject of current coral reef and climate change research. Interestingly, climate-induced temperature changes in “ocean warming” and “sea surface temperature” are the most recent significant and dominant keywords in the coral reef and climate change area.
Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Serum HSP70 Concentrations in Relation to Insulin Resistance and Lipid Profile in Lean and Overweight Young Men
Authors: Lubkowska Anna , Dudzińska Wioleta , Pluta Waldemar
Published: March 2023

Oxidants are generated by all cells during normal oxidative respiration, and as long as they are under the control of appropriate mechanisms, they act as intracellular signaling molecules participating in complex functions. Oxidative stress can also affect insulin levels in the body. The production of reactive oxygen species by-products can lead to insulin resistance. Heat shock proteins (70 kDa) protect cells from the damaging effects of heat shock but also oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to investigate the serum concentration of HSP70 in young, non-obese but overweight men (BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2) and to assess its association with the insulin resistance, lipid profile and antioxidant system of red blood cells. Fifty-seven young men were examined and divided into two groups: lean men (n = 30) and men overweight (n = 27). A statistically significant difference was observed in the BMI (p < 0.007), HSP70 concentration (p < 0.000), serum insulin concentration (p < 0.000), HOMA-IR (p < 0.0001), superoxide dismutase (p < 0.02) and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.05) between the studied groups. There was a negative correlation between the concentration of HSP70 with the insulin level (r = −0.50; p < 0.0004) and with the HOMA-IR (r = −0.50; p < 0.0004). These changes were associated with an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Our findings suggest that measuring the extracellular concentration of HSP70 can be an important indicator in disorders of glucose homeostasis.
Structural Design of Aerostatic Bearing Based on Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Ye Biqing , Yu Guixin , Zhang Yidong , Li Gang
Published: March 2023

Aerostatic bearings are considered crucial components that can improve the measurement accuracy of ground simulation tests of space equipment. A structural optimization design method is proposed to enhance the static performance of aerostatic bearings. A mathematical model which can quickly calculate the aerostatic bearing capacity and gas consumption is established, and the influence of structural parameters on bearing performance is analyzed using simulation software. By comparing the convergence time and convergence results of the algorithm using different initialization methods, the Latin hypercube initialization method is selected instead of the random initialization method. The multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to obtain the optimal solution set distributed in the objective space. It is found that the optimized structural parameters meet the requirements of improving the capacity and reducing gas consumption, which verifies the method’s effectiveness in designing the structural parameters of aerostatic bearings.
A Survey of Handover Management in Mobile HetNets: Current Challenges and Future Directions
Authors: Rehman Aziz Ur , Roslee Mardeni Bin , Jun Jiat Tiang
Published: March 2023

With the rapid growth of data traffic and mobile devices, it is imperative to provide reliable and stable services during mobility. Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets) and dense networks have been identified as potential solutions to address the upcoming capacity crunch, but they also pose significant challenges related to handover optimization. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent handover decision algorithms in HetNets, categorizing them based on their decision techniques and summarizing their input parameters, techniques, and performance evaluations. Our study highlights the technical challenges and opportunities related to handovers in HetNets and dense cellular networks and provides key findings from recent studies. The significance of this survey is to provide a comprehensive overview of handover decision algorithms in HetNets and dense cellular networks, which can aid in the development of more advanced handover optimization approaches.
Production and Characterization of Cu/CNT Nanocomposites
Authors: Carneiro Íris , Monteiro Beatriz , Ribeiro Bernardo , Fernandes José V. , Simões Sónia
Published: March 2023

In this research, copper nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were produced by ultrasonication and conventional sintering, followed by cold rolling. These nanocomposites may be good candidates due to their excellent properties for components in the electrical, electronics, or aerospace industries with highly demanding requirements. The main objectives of this work were to produce and characterize the Cu/CNT nanocomposites, identify the strengthening mechanisms, and study the deformation behavior of the nanocomposites during cold rolling. The nanocomposites exhibited an improvement in hardness and tensile strength of 17 and 67%, respectively, attesting to the strengthening effect of the reinforced material. The yield strength of the nanocomposites was determined considering different mechanisms: (1) load transfer, (2) grain refinement or texture, (3) dislocation, and (4) Orowan strengthening mechanisms. The microstructural and calculated results show that the mechanism that contributes the most to the increase in the properties of the nanocomposite is the load transfer. The nanocomposites show a different texture evolution of the Cu matrix during cold rolling. This can be due to differences in the active slip planes between the matrix and the nanocomposite, which affects the lattice rotation.
Enhancing GNSS-R Soil Moisture Accuracy with Vegetation and Roughness Correction
Authors: Dong Zhounan , Jin Shuanggen , Chen Guodong , Wang Peng
Published: March 2023

Spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has been proven to be a cost-effective and efficient tool for monitoring the Earth’s surface soil moisture (SSM) with unparalleled spatial and temporal resolution. However, the accuracy and reliability of GNSS-R SSM estimation are affected by surface vegetation and roughness. In this study, the sensitivity of delay Doppler map (DDM)-derived effective reflectivity to SSM is analyzed and validated. The individual effective reflectivity is projected onto the 36 km × 36 km Equal-Area Scalable Earth-Grid 2.0 (EASE-Grid2) to form the observation image, which is used to construct a global GNSS-R SSM retrieval model with the SMAP SSM serving as the reference value. In order to improve the accuracy of retrieved SSM from CYGNSS, the effective reflectivity is corrected using vegetation opacity and roughness coefficient parameters from SMAP products. Additionally, the impacts of vegetation and roughness on the estimated SSM were comprehensively evaluated. The results demonstrate that the accuracy of SSM retrieved by GNSS-R is improved with correcting vegetation over different types of vegetation-covered areas. The retrieval algorithm achieves an accuracy of 0.046 cm3cm−3, resulting in a mean improvement of 4.4%. Validation of the retrieval algorithm through in situ measurements confirms its stable.
Climate Change, Land Use, and Vegetation Evolution in the Upper Huai River Basin
Authors: Girma Abel , Yan Denghua , Wang Kun , Birara Hailu , Gedefaw Mohammed , Batsuren Dorjsuren , Abiyu Asaminew , Qin Tianlin , Mekonen Temesgen , Abate Amanuel
Published: March 2023

Land-use/land-cover change and climate change have changed the spatial–temporal distribution of water resources. The Huai River Basin shows the spatial and temporal changes of climate from 1960 to 2016 and land-use/land-cover changes from 1995 to 2014. Thus, this study aims to investigate climate change, land use, and vegetation evolution in the Upper Huai River Basin. The Mann–Kendall test (MK), Innovative Trend Analysis Method (ITAM), and Sen’s slope estimator test were used to detect climate change trends. The land-use/land-cover change was also examined using a transformation matrix and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The results of this study revealed that precipitation has shown a slightly decreasing trend during the past 56 years. However, the air temperature has increased by 1.2 °C. The artificial and natural vegetation and wetland were decreased by 12,097 km2, 3207 km2, and 641 km2, respectively. On the other hand, resident construction land and artificial water bodies increased by 2277 km2 and 3691 km2, respectively. This indicates that the land cover has significantly changed during the past 30 years. The findings of this study will have implications for predicting the water resources safety and eco-environment of The Huai River Basin. The spatial distribution showed an uneven change in the Huai River Basin. Together, we suggested that the variability of water resources availability in the Huai River Basin was mainly attributed to climate variability, while land use change plays a key role in the sub-basins, which experienced dramatic changes in land use.
Pruritus Is Associated with an Increased Risk for the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Skin Blistering Diseases: A Propensity-Matched Global Study
Authors: Raap Ulrike , Limberg Maren M. , Kridin Khalaf , Ludwig Ralf J.
Published: March 2023

Autoimmune bullous skin diseases (AIBDs), such as bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigus, are characterized and caused by autoantibodies targeting structural proteins. In BP, clinical experience and recent systematic evaluation identified pruritus to be common and an important cause of impaired quality of life. Furthermore, chronic pruritus may be the sole clinical symptom of BP. In pemphigus, a retrospective study recently documented a high prevalence of pruritus. The temporal relation between pruritus and BP/pemphigus are, however, unknown. Likewise, the presence of pruritus in AIBDs other than BP and pemphigus is unknown. To address this, we performed propensity-matched retrospective cohort studies using TriNetX, providing real-world patient data to (i) assess the risk to develop AIBDs following the diagnosis of pruritus and (ii) vice versa. We assessed this in eight AIBDs: BP, mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, dermatitis herpetiformis, lichen planus pemphigoides (LPP), pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceous, and paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP). For all AIBDs, pruritus was associated with an increased risk for the subsequent diagnosis of each of the eight investigated AIBDs in 1,717,744 cases (pruritus) compared with 1,717,744 controls. The observed hazard ratios ranged from 4.2 (CI 3.2–5.5; p < 0.0001) in MMP to 28.7 (CI 3.9–211.3; p < 0.0001) in LPP. Results were confirmed in two subgroup analyses. When restricting the observation time to 6 months after pruritus onset, most HRs noticeably increased, e.g., from 6.9 (CI 6.2–7.9; p < 0.0001) to 23.3 (CI 17.0–31.8; p < 0.0001) in BP. Moreover, pruritus frequently developed following the diagnosis of any of the eight AIBDs, except for PNP. Thus, all AIBDs should be considered as differential diagnosis in patients with chronic pruritus.
Low-Intensity Physical Exercise Decreases Inflammation and Joint Damage in the Preclinical Phase of a Rheumatoid Arthritis Murine Model
Authors: González-Chávez Susana Aideé , López-Loeza Salma Marcela , Acosta-Jiménez Samara , Cuevas-Martínez Rubén , Pacheco-Silva César , Chaparro-Barrera Eduardo , Pacheco-Tena César
Published: March 2023

Lifestyle modifications in preclinical Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) could delay the ongoing pathogenic immune processes and potentially prevent its onset. Physical exercise (PE) benefits RA patients; however, its impact in reducing the risk of developing RA has scarcely been studied. The objective was to describe the effects of low-intensity PE applied at the disease’s preclinical phase on the joints of DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Twelve mice with CIA were randomly distributed into two groups: the CIA-Ex group, which undertook treadmill PE, and the CIA-NoEx, which was not exercised. The effects of PE were evaluated through clinical, histological, transcriptomics, and immunodetection analyses in the mice’s hind paws. The CIA-Ex group showed lower joint inflammation and damage and a decreased expression of RA-related genes (Tnf Il2, Il10, Il12a, IL23a, and Tgfb1) and signaling pathways (Cytokines, Chemokines, JAK-STAT, MAPK, NF-kappa B, TNF, and TGF-beta). TNF-α expression was decreased by PE in the inflamed joints. Low-intensity PE in pre-arthritic CIA reduced the severity through joint down-expression of proinflammatory genes and proteins. Knowledge on the underlying mechanisms of PE in preclinical arthritis and its impact on reducing the risk of developing RA is still needed.
Tissue Engineering and Targeted Drug Delivery in Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Polymer Nanocarrier for Statin Therapy
Authors: Montelione Nunzio , Loreni Francesco , Nenna Antonio , Catanese Vincenzo , Scurto Lucia , Ferrisi Chiara , Jawabra Mohamad , Gabellini Teresa , Codispoti Francesco Alberto , Spinelli Francesco , Chello Massimo , Stilo Francesco
Published: March 2023

Atherosclerosis-related coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. This requires effective primary and secondary prevention in reducing the complications related to CAD; the regression or stabilization of the pathology remains the mainstay of treatment. Statins have proved to be the most effective treatment in reducing adverse effects, but there are limitations related to the administration and achievement of effective doses as well as side effects due to the lack of target-related molecular specificity. The implemented technological steps are polymers and nanoparticles for the administration of statins, as it has been seen how the conjugation of drug delivery systems (DDSs) with statins increases bioavailability by circumventing the hepatic–renal filter and increases the related target specificity, enhancing their action and decreasing side effects. Reduction of endothelial dysfunction, reduced intimal hyperplasia, reduced ischemia–reperfusion injury, cardiac regeneration, positive remodeling in the extracellular matrix, reduced neointimal growth, and increased reendothelialization are all drug-related effects of statins enhanced by binding with DDSs. Recent preclinical studies demonstrate how the effect of statins stimulates the differentiation of endogenous cardiac stem cells. Poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) seems to be the most promising DDS as it succeeds more than the others in enhancing the effect of the bound drug. This review intends to summarize the current evidence on polymers and nanoparticles for statin delivery in the field of cardiovascular disease, trying to shed light on this topic and identify new avenues for future studies.
Hirsutidin Prevents Cisplatin-Evoked Renal Toxicity by Reducing Oxidative Stress/Inflammation and Restoring the Endogenous Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Level
Authors: Imam Faisal , Kothiyal Preeti , Alshehri Samiyah , Afzal Muhammad , Iqbal Muzaffar , Khan Mohammad Rashid , Alanazi Abdulrazaq Ahmed Hattab , Anwer Md. Khalid
Published: March 2023

Recent research has shown that phytocomponents may be useful in the treatment of renal toxicity. This study was conducted to evaluate the renal disease hirsutidin in the paradigm of renal toxicity induced by cisplatin. Male Wistar rats were given cisplatin (3 mg/kg body weight/day, for 25 days, i.p.) to induce renal toxicity. Experimental rats were randomly allocated to four different groups: group I received saline, group II received cisplatin, group III received cisplatin + hirsutidin (10 mg/kg) and group IV (per se) received hirsutidin (10 m/kg) for 25 days. Various biochemical parameters were assessed, oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione transferase (GSH), malonaldehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT)), blood-chemistry parameters (blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and cholesterol), non-protein-nitrogenous components (uric acid, urea, and creatinine), and anti-inflammatory-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β). IL-6 and nuclear factor-kB (NFκB) were evaluated and histopathology was conducted. Hirsutidin alleviated renal injury which was manifested by significantly diminished uric acid, urea, urine volume, creatinine, and BUN, compared to the cisplatin group. Hirsutidin restored the activities of several antioxidant enzyme parameters—MDA, CAT, GSH, and SOD. Additionally, there was a decline in the levels of inflammatory markers—TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NFκB—compared to the cisplatin group. The current research study shows that hirsutidin may act as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin.
Severity of Fatigue and Its Relationship with TSH before and after Levothyroxine Replacement Therapy in Patients with Primary Hypothyroidism
Authors: Ruíz-Pacheco María Guadalupe , Hernández Irma , Hernández-Estrella Guadalupe , Basurto Lourdes , Vargas-Ortega Guadalupe , González-Virla Baldomero , Molina-Ayala Mario , Hernández-Martínez Alex Francisco , Luengas-Mondragón Rosamaría , Hernández-Allende Angel Alejandro , Mendoza-Zubieta Victoria , Balcázar-Hernández Lourdes
Published: March 2023

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom in hypothyroidism; however, the effect of levothyroxine on fatigue has been little studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of levothyroxine on fatigue in Latino patients with primary hypothyroidism, as well as the association of TSH and free T4 (FT4) with the severity and persistence of fatigue. Methods: A prospective study was performed in 92 patients with primary hypothyroidism. Fatigue severity scale (FSS) scores and clinical and biochemical characteristics before and at 6 months of levothyroxine were evaluated. Results: After 6 months of levothyroxine, a reduction in FSS (53 (47–57) vs. 36 (16–38); p = 0.001) and fatigue frequency (45.7% vs. 26.1%; p = 0.008) was evident. Both before and after 6 months of levothyroxine, there was a positive correlation of the FSS score with TSH and a negative correlation with FT4. Persistent fatigue was associated with a pretreatment FSS score (r = 0.75; p = 0.001) and diabetes (r = 0.40; p = 0.001). An FSS > 34 (RR 3.9 (95% CI 1.43–10.73; p = 0.008)), an FSS > 36 (RR 3.23 (95% CI 1.21–8.6; p = 0.019)), and diabetes (RR 5.7 (95% CI 1.25–9.6; p = 0.024)) before treatment were risk factors for persistent fatigue. Conclusions: Levothyroxine improved fatigue in most patients. Diabetes and an FSS score >34 or >36 before treatment were risk factors for persistent fatigue.
Investigating the Role of Response Codes in Masked Priming Lexical Decision Tasks: The Case of Repeated Presentations
Authors: Fernández-López Maria , Marcet Ana , Perea Manuel
Published: March 2023

The masked priming technique is considered a gold standard among experimental psychologists who specialize in the field of visual word recognition. Typically, this method entails a comparison between two or more critical conditions (e.g., the target word MOUSE being preceded by either the identity prime mouse or the unrelated prime fence). It is noteworthy that, unlike other masked priming tasks, prior experiments examining the properties of unrelated primes (e.g., their frequency as words [high or low] or their legality as nonwords [orthographically legal or illegal]) do not have an impact on the processing of the target item. However, two lexical decision studies reported faster responses to target words when the unrelated prime is a word rather than a nonword (i.e., a response congruency effect). One possible explanation for this discrepancy is a difference in methodology, as these two studies are the only ones to have used repeated presentation of stimuli, which could lead to the creation of an episodic memory trace that amplifies response congruency effects. To examine this hypothesis, we used a set of materials that did not show any congruency effect in a previous experiment with unique presentations, except that here we included repeated presentations. Results showed a response congruency effect, with participants responding faster to word targets when they were preceded by an unrelated word prime as opposed to an unrelated nonword prime. These findings suggest that the activation of response codes in masked priming is contingent upon the nature of cognitive resources required for processing the target stimuli.
Positive Verbal Rewards, Creative Self-Efficacy, and Creative Behavior: A Perspective of Cognitive Appraisal Theory
Authors: Liang Zhenglin , Suntrayuth Sid , Sun Xiaohong , Su Jiafu
Published: March 2023

The creative behavior of cultural innovation team members is the key to driving the team forward. Previous studies have relatively neglected the dynamic mechanism of positive verbal rewards on the creative behavior of cultural innovation team members. This paper, drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, focuses on the dynamic mechanism of positive verbal rewards on the creative behavior of cultural innovation team members and the moderating effect of positive affectivity. Based on the survey of 211 cultural innovation team members in Guangdong, China, this paper constructs a relationship model between positive verbal reward, creative self-efficacy, positive affectivity, and members’ creative behaviors and empirically tests the model. The results of statistical data analysis show that positive verbal reward has a significant positive impact on members’ creative behavior. Creative self-efficacy partially mediates between positive verbal rewards and members’ creative behavior; positive affectivity moderates the positive influence of creative self-efficacy on members’ creative behavior. The higher the level of positive affectivity, the stronger the positive impact of positive verbal rewards on members’ creative behavior, and vice versa. The above research findings help clarify the mechanism of positive verbal rewards on the cultural innovation team members’ creative behaviors in the context of Chinese organizations and provide theoretical support for cultural innovation team management practices.
Perceived Stress Is Directly Associated with Major Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages among Public University Students
Authors: Campos-Ramírez Cesar , Palacios-Delgado Jorge , Caamaño-Perez Maria del Carmen , Camacho-Calderon Nicolas , Villagrán-Herrera María Elena , Aguilar-Galarza Adriana , García-Gasca Teresa , Anaya-Loyola Miriam Aracely
Published: March 2023

Stress is a condition that has been related to the development of risk behaviors for health such as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption. The aim of this study was to examine the link between SSBs consumption and perceived stress level in university students. This was an observational, cross-sectional and single-time-point study where the subjects were recruited as a non-probabilistic sample of first-year university students. The students reported their SSBs consumption through a validated questionnaire, as well as their perceived stress level, evaluated through the Cohen scale. Comparisons were made between the means of all variables. Factorial analysis of variance was conducted to explore the effect of the variables’ interaction on the stress level. One-way analysis of variance was performed to assess differences between the sexes. Men consumed more SSBs (6101.17 ± 3772.50 mL/week) compared to women (4294.06 ± 3093.8 mL/week). However, women had higher scores of perceived stress and showed a strong association of stress with the SSBs consumption pattern (r and p-value). This study shows for the first time the association that exists between stress and SSBs consumption and indicates that it is related to sex in the young population.
Airtightness of a Critical Joint in a Timber-Based Building Affected by the Seasonal Climate Change
Authors: Kysela Peter , Ponechal Radoslav , Michálková Daniela
Published: March 2023

The airtightness of buildings is an essential topic regarding energy preservation. The development of new and more sophisticated materials and technology approaches is inevitable. Uncontrolled infiltration is undesirable in buildings with lower energy demands with regulated ventilation. Envelope structure, building method, quality, and others are the main factors influencing the airtightness of the building. However, the correlation between airtightness and climatic factors is less known and researched. This paper comprises measurements of a critical timber-house corner in climatic chambers. It captures the correlation between airtightness and gradual temperature and relative humidity adjustments, simulated from the exterior side. The initial timber moisture content was 12%, and during the experiment it increased with the exterior conditions to 18%. Afterward, we simulated conditions causing a humidity decrease while measuring airtightness. The drying process caused a decrement in airtightness by 18%. In addition to this experiment, this paper also analyses two methods of an airtight membrane connection—constricting or taping the contact. The discrepancy between those two methods was more than 21% in favor of tape.
Detection and Damage Evaluation of Hinge Joints in Hollow Slab Bridges Based on a Light-Load Field Test
Authors: Guo Aiping , Zhu Haiqing , Jiang Ajuan
Published: March 2023

The hollow slab bridge is a widely used bridge type for urban bridges. The slabs are prefabricated in a factory and are assembled on site, and then the hinge joints are poured on site. Shallow hinge joints have been used in most existing hollow slab bridges, which commonly bring inadequate connection to the adjacent slabs and probably result in bridge damage. Traditional detection and test methods for hinge joints interrupt traffic, which is inconvenient for local commuters. In the present study, a light-load field test method for hinge joints was proposed. The principles and procedures of the light-load test were concluded and provided based on the test results of 96 spans. The theoretical and measured lateral load distribution ratios were calculated and compared based on hinge joint plate theory. The damage evaluation method and damage classification for hinge joints were defined based on the test results of 1100 hinge joints. Furthermore, the accuracy of the proposed method was verified by a destructive experiment. The research results indicate that the light-load field test and the damage evaluation method for hinge joints are indeed convenient, reliable, and economical, and deserve practical spread and repetition in this area.
DNA Repair Deficiency Regulates Immunity Response in Cancers: Molecular Mechanism and Approaches for Combining Immunotherapy
Authors: Xu Yi , Nowsheen Somaira , Deng Min
Published: March 2023

Defects in DNA repair pathways can lead to genomic instability in multiple tumor types, which contributes to tumor immunogenicity. Inhibition of DNA damage response (DDR) has been reported to increase tumor susceptibility to anticancer immunotherapy. However, the interplay between DDR and the immune signaling pathways remains unclear. In this review, we will discuss how a deficiency in DDR affects anti-tumor immunity, highlighting the cGAS-STING axis as an important link. We will also review the clinical trials that combine DDR inhibition and immune-oncology treatments. A better understanding of these pathways will help exploit cancer immunotherapy and DDR pathways to improve treatment outcomes for various cancers.
Non-Coding RNAs Modulating Estrogen Signaling and Response to Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer
Authors: Treeck Oliver , Haerteis Silke , Ortmann Olaf
Published: March 2023

The largest part of human DNA is transcribed into RNA that does not code for proteins. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are key regulators of protein-coding gene expression and have been shown to play important roles in health, disease and therapy response. Today, endocrine therapy of ERα-positive breast cancer (BC) is a successful treatment approach, but resistance to this therapy is a major clinical problem. Therefore, a deeper understanding of resistance mechanisms is important to overcome this resistance. An increasing amount of evidence demonstrate that ncRNAs affect the response to endocrine therapy. Thus, ncRNAs are considered versatile biomarkers to predict or monitor therapy response. In this review article, we intend to give a summary and update on the effects of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) on estrogen signaling in BC cells, this pathway being the target of endocrine therapy, and their role in therapy resistance. For this purpose, we reviewed articles on these topics listed in the PubMed database. Finally, we provide an assessment regarding the clinical use of these ncRNA types, particularly their circulating forms, as predictive BC biomarkers and their potential role as therapy targets to overcome endocrine resistance.
Increased Radiation Sensitivity in Patients with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome
Authors: Jesse Sarah , Kuhlmann Lukas , Hildebrand Laura S. , Magelssen Henriette , Schmaus Martina , Timmermann Beate , Andres Stephanie , Fietkau Rainer , Distel Luitpold V.
Published: March 2023

Phelan-McDermid syndrome is an inherited global developmental disorder commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder. Due to a significantly increased radiosensitivity, measured before the start of radiotherapy of a rhabdoid tumor in a child with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, the question arose whether other patients with this syndrome also have increased radiosensitivity. For this purpose, the radiation sensitivity of blood lymphocytes after irradiation with 2Gray was examined using the G0 three-color fluorescence in situ hybridization assay in a cohort of 20 patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome from blood samples. The results were compared to healthy volunteers, breast cancer patients and rectal cancer patients. Independent of age and gender, all but two patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome showed significantly increased radiosensitivity, with an average of 0.653 breaks per metaphase. These results correlated neither with the individual genetic findings nor with the individual clinical course, nor with the respective clinical severity of the disease. In our pilot study, we saw a significantly increased radiosensitivity in lymphocytes from patients with Phelan-McDermid syndrome, so pronounced that a dose reduction would be recommended if radiotherapy had to be performed. Ultimately, the question arises as to the interpretation of these data. There does not appear to be an increased risk of tumors in these patients, since tumors are rare overall. The question, therefore, arose as to whether our results could possibly be the basis for processes, such as aging/preaging, or, in this context, neurodegeneration. There are no data on this so far, but this issue should be pursued in further fundamentally based studies in order to better understand the pathophysiology of the syndrome.
Understanding the Combined Effects of High Glucose Induced Hyper-Osmotic Stress and Oxygen Tension in the Progression of Tumourigenesis: From Mechanism to Anti-Cancer Therapeutics
Authors: G. Gayathri K. , Shinde Puja Laxmanrao , John Sebastian , C. Sivakumar K. , Mishra Rashmi
Published: March 2023

High glucose (HG), a hallmark of the tumour microenvironment, is also a biomechanical stressor, as it exerts hyper-osmotic stress (HG-HO), but not much is known regarding how tumour cells mechanoadapt to HG-HO. Therefore, this study aimed to delineate the novel molecular mechanisms by which tumour cells mechanoadapt to HG/HG-HO and whether phytochemical-based interference in these mechanisms can generate tumour-cell-selective vulnerability to cell death. Mannitol and L-glucose were used as hyper-osmotic equivalents of high glucose. The results revealed that the tumour cells can efficiently mechanoadapt to HG-HO only in the normoxic microenvironment. Under normoxic HG/HG-HO stress, tumour cells polySUMOylate a higher pool of mitotic driver pH3(Ser10), which translocates to the nucleus and promotes faster cell divisions. On the contrary, acute hypoxia dampens HG/HG-HO-associated excessive proliferation by upregulating sentrin protease SENP7. SENP7 promotes abnormal SUMOylation of pH3(Ser10), thereby restricting its nuclear entry and promoting the M-phase arrest and cell loss. However, the hypoxia-arrested cells that managed to survive showed relapse upon reversal to normoxia as well as upregulation of pro-survival-associated SENP1, and players in tumour growth signalling, autophagy, glycolytic pathways etc. Depletion of SENP1 in both normoxia and hypoxia caused significant loss of tumour cells vs undepleted controls. SENP1 was ascertained to restrict the abnormal SUMOylation of pH3(Ser10) in both normoxia and hypoxia, although not so efficiently in hypoxia, due to the opposing activity of SENP7. Co-treatment with Momordin Ic (MC), a natural SENP1 inhibitor, and Gallic Acid (GA), an inhibitor of identified major pro-tumourigenic signalling (both enriched in Momordica charantia), eliminated surviving tumour cells in normal glucose, HG and HG-HO normoxic and hypoxic microenvironments, suggesting that appropriate and enhanced polySUMOylation of pH3(Ser10) in response to HG/HG-HO stress was attenuated by this treatment along with further dampening of other key tumourigenic signalling, due to which tumour cells could no longer proliferate and grow.
Kinetic and Spectroscopic Studies of Methyl Ester Promoted Methanol Dehydration to Dimethyl Ether on ZSM-5 Zeolite
Authors: Yang Zhiqiang , Dennis-Smither Benjamin J. , Xu Zhuoran , Zhao Zhenchao , Guo Meiling , Sainty Neil , Hou Guangjin , Liu Xuebin , Sunley Glenn J.
Published: March 2023

Methyl carboxylate esters have been shown to be potent promoters of low-temperature methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME) using various zeolite catalysts. In the present work, catalytic kinetic studies, in-situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) techniques were used to elucidate the promotional mechanism of methyl carboxylate esters on methanol dehydration to DME, using the medium pore zeolite H-ZSM-5 (MFI) as the catalyst. Kinetic studies were performed using the very potent methyl n-hexanoate promoter. The DME yield was dependent on both the methanol and methyl n-hexanoate partial pressures across the temperature ranges used in this study (110 to 130 °C). This is consistent with the promoted reaction being a bimolecular reaction between methanol and ester species adsorbed at the catalyst active sites, via an SN2 type reaction, as previously postulated. The in-situ FT-IR studies reveal that the Brønsted acid (BA) sites on H-ZSM-5 were very rapidly titrated by ester carbonyl group adsorption and bonded more strongly with esters than with methanol. Upon methanol addition, an even lower DME formation temperature (30 °C) was observed with methyl n-hexanoate pretreated H-ZSM-5 samples in the in-situ NMR studies, further confirming the strong promotion of this methyl ester on methanol dehydration to DME. The adsorption and reactivity of different methyl esters on H-ZSM-5 indicates that while methyl formate more easily dissociates into a surface methoxy species, [Si(OMe)Al], and carboxylic acid, it is a less potent promoter than alkyl-chain-containing methyl esters in methanol dehydration to DME, which in turn did not show this dissociative behavior in the low-temperature NMR studies. This indicates that methyl alkyl carboxylates do not need to be dissociated to a surface methoxy species to promote the methanol dehydration reaction and that a bimolecular associative mechanism plays an important role in promoting DME formation.
Overshoot of the Respiratory Exchange Ratio during Recovery from Maximal Exercise Testing in Young Patients with Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Vecchiato Marco , Ermolao Andrea , Zanardo Emanuele , Battista Francesca , Ruvoletto Giacomo , Palermi Stefano , Quinto Giulia , Degano Gino , Gasperetti Andrea , Padalino Massimo A. , Di Salvo Giovanni , Neunhaeuserer Daniel
Published: March 2023

Introduction: The overshoot of the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) after exercise is reduced in patients with heart failure. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the presence of this phenomenon in young patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), who generally present reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with CHD underwent a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) assessing the RER recovery parameters: the RER at peak exercise, the maximum RER value reached during recovery, the magnitude of the RER overshoot and the linear slope of the RER increase after the end of the exercise. Results: In total, 117 patients were included in this study. Of these, there were 24 healthy age-matched control subjects and 93 young patients with CHD (transposition of great arteries, Fontan procedure, aortic coarctation and tetralogy of Fallot). All patients presented a RER overshoot during recovery. Patients with CHD showed reduced aerobic capacity and cardiorespiratory efficiency during exercise, as well as a lower RER overshoot when compared to controls. RER magnitude was higher in the controls and patients with aortic coarctation when compared to those with transposition of great arteries, previous Fontan procedure, and tetralogy of Fallot. The RER magnitude was found to be correlated with the most relevant cardiorespiratory fitness and efficiency indices. Conclusions: The present study proposes new recovery indices for functional evaluation in patients with CHD. Thus, the RER recovery overshoots analysis should be part of routine CPET evaluation to further improve prognostic risk stratifications in patients with CHD.
Molecules at Play in Cancer
Authors: Iacobas Dumitru Andrei
Published: March 2023

Despite its wide range of incidence, cancer can spontaneously occur in any part of the body and invade regions other than the originally affected tissue [...]
Arsenic Removal by Adsorbents from Water for Small Communities’ Decentralized Systems: Performance, Characterization, and Effective Parameters
Authors: Neisan Roya Sadat , Saady Noori M. Cata , Bazan Carlos , Zendehboudi Sohrab , Al-nayili Abbas , Abbassi Bassim , Chatterjee Pritha
Published: March 2023

Arsenic (As), a poisonous and carcinogenic heavy metal, affects human health and the environment. Numerous technologies can remove As from drinking water. Adsorption is the most appealing option for decentralized water treatment systems (DWTS) for small communities and household applications because it is reliable, affordable, and environmentally acceptable. Sustainable low-cost adsorbents make adsorption more appealing for DWTS to address some of the small communities’ water-related issues. This review contains in-depth information on the classification and toxicity of As species and different treatment options, including ion exchange, membrane technologies, coagulation-flocculation, oxidation, and adsorption, and their effectiveness under various process parameters. Specifically, different kinetic and isotherm models were compared for As adsorption. The characterization techniques that determine various adsorbents’ chemical and physical characteristics were investigated. This review discusses the parameters that impact adsorption, such as solution pH, temperature, initial As concentration, adsorbent dosage, and contact time. Finally, low-cost adsorbents application for the removal of As was discussed. Adsorption was found to be a suitable, cost-effective, and reliable technology for DWTS for small and isolated communities. New locally developed and low-cost adsorbents are promising and could support sustainable adsorption applications.