bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Large †Pachycormiform (Teleosteomorpha: †Pachycormiformes) from the Lower Jurassic of Germany, with Affinities to the Suspension-Feeding Clade, and Comments on the Gastrointestinal Anatomy of Pachycormid Fishes
Authors: Cooper Samuel L. A. , Giles Sam , Young Holly , Maxwell Erin E.
Published: November 2022

Pachycormiformes is a diverse clade of stem-teleost actinopterygian fishes with a stratigraphic range from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) to Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). The Toarcian Posidonienschiefer Formation in SW Germany records the earliest occurrence of †Pachycormiformes in the fossil record, offering unique and crucial insight into the clade’s origins and early adaptive radiation in the Early Jurassic. However, Early Jurassic taxa remain poorly studied with the taxonomic diversity and stratigraphic/geographic distributions insufficiently defined, thus masking the early part of this evolutionary radiation. Here, we report a new genus and species of pachycormid fish from the Posidonienschiefer Formation identified by phylogenetic analysis as falling in an intermediate position between Saurostomus and Ohmdenia at the base of the suspension-feeding clade. The new taxon shows a unique suite of cranial and postcranial characters. Several synapomorphies of the suspension-feeding clade, notably, the morphology of the hyomandibula, elongation of the skull, and reduced squamation are shared with the new taxon. The intestinal tract is exceptionally preserved, providing one of the most complete examples of pachycormid gastric anatomy. A comparison of the gastrointestinal anatomy of the new genus with other pachycormiforms indicates extensive taxonomic variation within the clade, in the configuration of both the midgut and spiral valve, potentially related to trophic divergence. The results highlight an underestimated high diversity and the rapid acquisition of trophic specializations in Pachycormiformes much earlier in the clade’s evolution than previously considered.
The Real Characters of Heptagenia ngi Hsu (1936) from China Representing a New Genus (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae)
Authors: Gong Dewen , Zhang Wei , Zhou Changfa
Published: November 2022

A very common and early named mayfly species from China, Heptagenia ngi Hsu, 1936, has no exact descriptions of its imago nor nymph, so its generic status is not clear. Based on detailed re-descriptions and pictures of all its stages from fresh materials, it is transferred into a new genus Maculogenia Zhou, gen. nov. Its nymph has conspicuous pale-dark colored body, slightly concave posterior margin of head, scattered simple setae on ventral maxillae, spines and very fine hair-like setae on caudal filaments. Similarly, its imago also has remarkable dark stripes and dots on the pale body, small median titillators and short first segment of foretarsi, apically expanded penes without any spines. It is similar to the genera Electrogena, Thamnodontus, and Parafronurus but they can be differentiated easily by above selected key structures.
Strong Decline in Breeding-Bird Community Abundance Throughout Habitats in the Azov Region (Southeastern Ukraine) Linked to Land-Use Intensification and Climate
Authors: Zymaroieva Anastasiia , Zhukov Oleksandr , Fedoniuk Tetiana , Svenning Jens-Christian
Published: November 2022

In recent decades, bird communities associated with agricultural systems have declined in Western and Central Europe and in North America, but how widely these dynamics extend to other regions is poorly known. In this study, we assessed the dynamics and the main drivers of the changes in the abundance, richness, and composition of breeding bird communities over a 30-year period in the various types of habitats of southeastern Ukraine (Azov region), a region that has undergone agricultural intensification for several decades. This study was conducted in the valley of the Molochna River during the 1988 to 2018 nesting seasons. The area studied hosted 81 bird species. Species richness varied from three species in salt marshes to thirty-three in reed beds but did not show a general trend over time. However, we identified a decline in bird communities’ total abundance over time in all habitats except shelterbelts and meadows. Similarly, species composition changed over time, reflecting the way in which species varied in their abundance changes. Climatic variables contributed to bird community turnover, but with decreasing importance over time. Overall, our results indicate that the recent declines in bird populations in farmland regions also extend to eastern Europe, with land-use effects interacting with climate to shape temporal dynamics of bird communities.
Fisher Information Perspective of Pauli’s Electron
Authors: Yahalom Asher
Published: November 2022

An electron moving at velocities much lower that the speed of light with a spin, is described by a wave function which is a solution of Pauli’s equation. It has been demonstrated that this system can be viewed as a vortical fluid which has remarkable similarities but also differences with classical ideal flows. In this respect, it was shown that the internal energy of the Pauli fluid can be interpreted, to some degree, as Fisher Information. In previous work on this subject, electromagnetic fields which are represented by a vector potential were ignored, here we remove this limitation and study the system under general electromagnetic interaction.
Joint Deep Reinforcement Learning and Unsupervised Learning for Channel Selection and Power Control in D2D Networks
Authors: Sun Ming , Jin Yanhui , Wang Shumei , Mei Erzhuang
Published: November 2022

Device-to-device (D2D) technology enables direct communication between devices, which can effectively solve the problem of insufficient spectrum resources in 5G communication technology. Since the channels are shared among multiple D2D user pairs, it may lead to serious interference between D2D user pairs. In order to reduce interference, effectively increase network capacity, and improve wireless spectrum utilization, this paper proposed a distributed resource allocation algorithm with the joint of a deep Q network (DQN) and an unsupervised learning network. Firstly, a DQN algorithm was constructed to solve the channel allocation in the dynamic and unknown environment in a distributed manner. Then, a deep power control neural network with the unsupervised learning strategy was constructed to output an optimized channel power control scheme to maximize the spectrum transmit sum-rate through the corresponding constraint processing. As opposed to traditional centralized approaches that require the collection of instantaneous global network information, the algorithm proposed in this paper used each transmitter as a learning agent to make channel selection and power control through a small amount of state information collected locally. The simulation results showed that the proposed algorithm was more effective in increasing the convergence speed and maximizing the transmit sum-rate than other traditional centralized and distributed algorithms.
Digital Predistortion Combined with Iterative Method for MIMO Transmitters
Authors: Yang Moushu , Wu Yongle , Hu Xin , Wang Weimin
Published: November 2022

In this article, an auxiliary module is proposed to mitigate the crosstalk effect in multiple input–multiple output (MIMO) transmitters. Other branches do not need considering when linearizing the local branch, which reduces the complexity of the auxiliary module, and some branches can be linearized selectively to make the module application more flexible. In the end, the feasibility of the proposed algorithm is verified through the experimental platform. Experimental results demonstrate that for a 2 × 2 MIMO transmitter with −20 dB nonlinear crosstalk, the proposed DPD improves the adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) more than 16 dB, and normalized mean square error (NMSE) more than 12.8 dB, which has similar performance to the PH model. The predistorter can be implemented with fewer coefficients by separating the crosstalk from the nonlinearity, enabling the technique to be used in 5G massive MIMO scenarios.
Linear-Matrix-Inequality-Based Controller and Observer Design for Induction Machine
Authors: Németh Zoltán , Kuczmann Miklós
Published: November 2022

The modeling and drive control of electric machines are still actively researched scientific topics. Most of the existing models contain parameters that have no physical content or cannot be measured at all. For this reason, the use of observers in modern drive control algorithms is necessary. The main goal of this paper is to present the mathematical formalism of a linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based controller-observer design for a tensor product (TP) transformation-based model, including its implementation in a simulation environment. Based solely upon simulation results, the designed observer can provide a stable and accurate state space variable, regardless of the highly nonlinear induction machine model.
Detent Force Reduction in Linear Interior Permanent Magnet Generator for Direct-Drive Wave Power Conversion
Authors: Xia Tao , Li Hang , Xia Yongming , Zhang Yangfei , Hu Pengfei
Published: November 2022

The permanent magnet linear generator is widely applied in the direct-drive wave energy converter (DD-WEC) because of its high power density. In this paper, a novel tubular permanent magnet linear generator, which consists of multilayer and interior permanent magnets (MI-TLPMGs), is presented for DD-WEC, which improves the output power and back electromotive force (back EMF) through the flux concentrating effect. However, MI-TLPMGs with multilayer embedded permanent magnets have severe problems regarding force ripples and detent force, which affect the DD-WEC’s dynamics. Therefore, a DD-WEC system with MI-TLPMGs is proposed, and the effect of the detent force on the dynamic performance of the DD-WEC is analyzed theoretically. Then, the L-type auxiliary teeth and magnetic barriers, which are optimized by the Taguchi method, are introduced to minimize the detent force of the MI-TLPMGs. After optimization using the Taguchi method, the amplitude of the detent force is reduced from the initial 21.7 N to 5.2 N, which means it has weakened by nearly 76.1%. Finally, a prototype has been manufactured and measured in the wave tank to verify the optimization results.
Semantic-Similarity-Based Schema Matching for Management of Building Energy Data
Authors: Pan Zhiyu , Pan Guanchen , Monti Antonello
Published: November 2022

The increase in heterogeneous data in the building energy domain creates a difficult challenge for data integration. Schema matching, which maps the raw data from the building energy domain to a generic data model, is the necessary step in data integration and provides a unique representation. Only a small amount of labeled data for schema matching exists and it is time-consuming and labor-intensive to manually label data. This paper applies semantic-similarity methods to the automatic schema-mapping process by combining knowledge from natural language processing, which reduces the manual effort in heterogeneous data integration. The active-learning method is applied to solve the lack-of-labeled-data problem in schema matching. The results of the schema matching with building-energy-domain data show the pre-trained language model provides a massive improvement in the accuracy of schema matching and the active-learning method greatly reduces the amount of labeled data required.
Techno-Economic and Environmental Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Energetic Valorization
Authors: Machin Einara Blanco , Pedroso Daniel Travieso , Acosta Daviel Gómez , Silva dos Santos Maria Isabel , de Carvalho Felipe Solferini , Machín Adrian Blanco , Neira Ortíz Matías Abner , Arriagada Reinaldo Sánchez , Travieso Fernández Daniel Ignacio , Braga Maciel Lúcia Bollini , Arcos Daniel Cuevas , Reyes Yanet Guerra , de Carvalho Júnior Joao Andrade
Published: November 2022

In 2019, Chile generated 20 million tons of waste, 79% of which was not properly disposed of, thereby providing an attractive opportunity for energy generation in advanced thermochemical conversion processes. This study presents a techno-economic and environmental assessment of the implementation of Waste-Integrated Gasifier-Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (WIG-GTCC) technology as an alternative for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) treatment. The studied case assesses the conversion of 14.61 t·h−1 of MSW, which produces a combustible gas with a flow rate of 34.2 t·h−1 and LHV of 5900 kJ·kg−1, which, in turn, is used in a combined cycle to generate 19.58 MW of electrical power. The proposed economic assessment of the technology uses the energy generation processes as a reference, followed by a model for an overall economic evaluation. The results have shown that the profit could be up to USD 24.1 million, and the recovery of investment between 12 and 17 years would improve the environmental impacts of the current disposal technology. The WIG-GTCC has the most efficient conversion route, emitting 0.285 kg CO2eq/kWh, which represents 48.21% of the potential yield of global warming over 100 years (GWP100) of incineration and 58.51% of the GWP100 of the standard gasification method. The WIG-GTCC would enable the energetic valorization of MSW in Chile, eliminate problems associated with landfill disposal, and increase opportunities for decentralized electricity generation.
Selection of an Electric Scooter for Shared Mobility Services Using Multicriteria Decision Support Methods
Authors: Kubik Andrzej
Published: November 2022

In recent years, the electromobility market has been growing faster and faster. Electric scooters and scooter-sharing services offered for them, available in many cities around the world, have a special impact on its intensification. The constantly growing number of scooters and service operators brings many problems related to the proper functioning of services. In the literature, one can find attempts to solve the problems of scooters with references to the issues of transport, modeling and optimization, as well as legislative and social aspects. Technical issues, however, are overlooked. Among them, however, there is a problem with the appropriate selection of scooter models that can be used in scooter-sharing systems. Solving this type of problem may allow systems to be better matched to urban transport systems, increase the development of electromobility and encourage societies to transition from current means of transport (e.g., cars) to scooters. Paying attention to this research niche, the article is devoted to the selection of electric scooters for scooter sharing. This paper presents the author’s own research for the Polish market of scooter-sharing services. As part of the work, the author’s own list of factors from the point of view of which scooters can be assessed was developed; social research was conducted, considering the opinions of experts in the field of scooter sharing; and it was proposed to treat the problem of selecting scooters as a complex multicriteria decision-making problem. Moreover, the ELECTRE III method was used to solve this research problem in an innovative way. The research results indicate that when choosing a scooter, you should be guided primarily by such factors as the greatest range, equipping the vehicles with safety systems and the most powerful engine. Interestingly, the price of vehicles does not have to be the lowest possible. The article presents guidelines that support operators when upgrading or equipping systems with scooters and support individual users at the stage of deciding to buy a scooter.
Risk Related to AGV Systems—Open-Access Literature Review
Authors: Tubis Agnieszka A. , Poturaj Honorata
Published: November 2022

AGV systems are considered a necessary element of the recently created cyber-physical systems whose task is to support material flows in intelligent factories. The implementation of AGV systems in cyber-physical systems generates new types of threats, and the level of risk of adverse events related to the operation of these systems is changing. This article aims to present the results of an open-access literature review, the purpose of which was to identify issues addressed in studies of the analysis and risk management of AGV systems, to group publications according to the proposed topical framework, and to identify gaps in the current research. We used the PRISMA concept to review the literature. After completing all stages of the procedure, 153 publications on risk in AGV systems were selected for analysis. To ensure the high quality of the analysis, access to the full texts of the selected documents was necessary. For this reason, we have limited the collection to open-access publications. The results of the analysis allowed us to distinguish 12 primary categories and 26 additional subcategories within the literature. These categories are characterized by different numbers of publications and cover different AGV systems operation areas. The simultaneous assignment of documents to several subcategories indicates the need for a holistic view of issues related to the risk of AGV operation in operating environments with varying degrees of automation. An essential scientific contribution of our analysis is the identification of a research gap. The analyzed publications lacked studies on methods of risk identification and assessment that take into account the specificity of AGV operation, especially in the cyber-physical systems of Logistics 4.0.
Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy to Optimize Throughput and Costs of Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Estimates: An Assessment in Grassland Soils
Authors: Ramírez Paulina B. , Mosier Samantha , Calderón Francisco , Cotrufo M. Francesca
Published: November 2022

Low-cost techniques, such as mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy, are increasingly necessary to detect soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) changes in rangelands following improved grazing management. Specifically, Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing is being implemented to restore grassland ecosystems and sequester SOC often for commercialization in C markets. To determine how the accuracy of SOC and N predictions using MIR spectroscopy is affected by the number of calibration samples and by different predictive models, we analyzed 1000 samples from grassland soils. We tested the effect of calibration sample size from 100 to 1000 samples, as well as the predictive ability of the partial least squares (PLS), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms on SOC and N predictions. The samples were obtained from five different farm pairs corresponding to AMP and Conventional Grazing (CG), covering a 0–50 cm soil depth profile along a latitudinal gradient in the Southeast USA. Overall, the sample size had only a moderate influence on these predictions. The predictive accuracy of all three models was less affected by variation in sample size when >400 samples were used. The predictive ability of non-linear models SVM and RF was similar to classical PLS. Additionally, all three models performed better for the deeper soil samples, i.e., from below the A horizon to the –50 cm depth. For topsoil samples, the particulate organic matter (POM) content also influenced the model accuracy. The selection of representative calibration samples efficiently reduces analysis costs without affecting the quality of results. Our study is an effort to improve the efficiency of SOC and N monitoring techniques.
Analysis of the Influence of Microbial Community Structure on Flavor Composition of Jiang-Flavor Liquor in Different Batches of Pre-Pit Fermented Grains
Authors: Shen Shiming , Liu Jinlong , Luo Ruiqi , Zhang Jiaojiao , Zhao Dong , Xue Xinxin , Zheng Jia , Qiao Zongwei , Zhang Qiang , Feng Zheng , Han Xinglin
Published: November 2022

To explore the effects of microbial community changes on the key flavor substances in base Baijiu, this study analyzed the microbiome of the pre-pit fermentation grains using high-throughput sequencing technology and determined the flavor substances of the base Baijiu by GC-FID. The results showed the microbial community changed dynamically between the different rounds, as well as bacteria and fungi displayed different succession patterns. Next, the variations of skeletal flavor substances in the base Baijiu were analyzed by multiomics, and it was found that alcohols, acids, and esters were the most abundant, accounting for 88.16–98.87% of the total flavor substances, and decreased with the increase of the rounds. By calculating the Spearman coefficient, it was found that microorganisms such as Acinetobacter, Oceanobacillus, Saccharomyces, and Byssochlamys were significantly correlated with the n-Propano and 2,3-Butanediol and other components in the base Baijiu. Finally, 15 flavor substances such as Acetaldehyde, Propionaldehyde, and Isobutyraldehyde were identified as key substances by OAV analysis. This study is the first to reveal the potential association between the microbial community of pre-pit fermentation grains and flavor of base Baijiu and has the benefit of improving the quality of base Baijiu.
Probiotics as a Friendly Antibiotic Alternative: Assessment of Their Effects on the Health and Productive Performance of Poultry
Authors: Ahmad Rafiq , Yu Yu-Hsiang , Hsiao Felix Shih-Hsiang , Dybus Andrzej , Ali Ilyas , Hsu Hui-Chen , Cheng Yeong-Hsiang
Published: November 2022

Antibiotics have been used to maintain the overall health of poultry by increasing production efficiency, promoting growth, and improving intestinal function for more than 50 years. However, they have a number of side effects, such as antibiotic resistance, gut dysbiosis, destruction of beneficial bacteria, and the potential to spread diseases to humans. In order to address the aforementioned issues, a lot of effort is put into the development of antibiotic alternatives. One of them is the use of probiotics that can be added to the feed in order to increase poultry performance and avoid the aforementioned problems. Probiotics are live microorganisms consumed as feed additives or supplements. They function in the poultry gastrointestinal tract to benefit the host. Probiotics improve growth performance, bone health, meat and eggshell quality. The addition of probiotics to the diet also positively affects the immune response, intestinal microflora, and disease resistance. Careful selection of probiotic strains is of utmost importance. This review focuses on the significance of probiotics as a potential antibiotic-free alternative and the way in which they can be used as supplements in poultry feed for boosting production and safeguarding health.
Methylation, Hydroxylation, Glycosylation and Acylation Affect the Transport of Wine Anthocyanins in Caco-2 Cells
Authors: Liu Yang , Lin Jiali , Cheng Tiantian , Liu Yangjie , Han Fuliang
Published: November 2022

Anthocyanins are substances with multiple physiological activities widely present in red wine, but the influence of structure (methylation, hydroxylation, acylation, glycosylation) on the transport remains ill-defined. In the present study, Caco-2 monolayers were used as an in vitro model of the absorptive intestinal epithelium to transport different types of anthocyanin samples. Results showed that both methylation and acetylation promote the level of transport. Monoglycoside standard exhibited higher transport amount and rate compared to diglycoside standard while the transport level of the monoglycoside mixture was unexpectedly lower than that of the diglycoside mixture. Caco-2 monolayers appeared to be more capable of transporting the single standard than the mixed standard. Meanwhile, the transport of anthocyanins in Caco-2 cell model showed time- and concentration-dependent trends. Anthocyanin treatment had a greater effect on sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) mRNA expression than glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), and significantly down-regulated the protein expression of SGLT1. Although the low bioavailability of anthocyanins requires much more research, further evidence of the role of structure is provided.
Domestic Cooking Affects the Prebiotic Performances of Chinese Yam
Authors: Gong Lingxiao , Hu Linlin , Liu Feiyue , Chi Jingwen , Chen Rui , Wang Jing
Published: November 2022

The appropriate domestic cooking methods can retain and protect the biological properties of foods well. Thus, the objective of this study was to unravel the effect of different cooking methods on the microbiota modulatory properties of yam and their non-starch polysaccharides by an in vitro simulated digestion and fermentation model. The results showed that different cooking processes led to different changes in polysaccharide content. The polysaccharide content of yam increased by 21.3~108.2% or decreased by 12.0% compared with that of raw yam. Additionally, the soluble polysaccharides contents in all cooked yam samples significantly increased by 16.85~119.97% after in vitro digestion. The regulation of whole-yam digesta on gut microbiota was partly related with yam polysaccharides. Both yam and yam polysaccharide fermentation appeared to promote beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides spp. and Megasphaera and suppressed bacterial pathogens such as Ruminococcusforques and Escherichia-Shigella. Household cooking significantly influenced the prebiotic performances of yam and yam polysaccharides by changing the heat-sensitive microbial substrates and their physiology properties. According to our results, normal-pressure steaming and normal-pressure boiling processes can retain the microbiota modulatory effects of Chinese yam.
Thermal and Dielectric Properties of Wolfberries as Affected by Moisture Content and Temperature Associated with Radio Frequency and Microwave Dehydrations
Authors: Bai Shunqin , Liu Li , Yu Haibo , Guan Xiangyu , Li Rui , Hou Lixia , Ling Bo , Wang Shaojin
Published: November 2022

Knowledge of the thermal and dielectric properties of wolfberries is essential for understanding the heat transfer and the interaction between the electromagnetic field (10–3000 MHz) and the sample during radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) drying. The thermal and dielectric properties of wolfberries were determined as influenced by moisture content from 15.1% to 75.2%, w.b.) and temperature from 25 to 85 °C. The results showed that as the moisture content increased from 15.1% to 75.2% (w.b.), the true density of wolfberries decreased, but the specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity increased with increasing temperature and moisture content. The dielectric properties (DPs) of wolfberries decreased with increasing frequency from 10 to 3000 MHz. The dielectric constant increased with increasing temperature at lower a moisture content (below 45% w.b.) but decreased with increasing temperature at a high moisture content (above 60% w.b.). The cubic and quadratic polynomial models (R2 = 0.977 − 0.997) were best for fitting the dielectric constant and loss factor at four representative frequencies of 27, 40, 915, and 2450 MHz, respectively. The penetration depth increased with the decreased frequency, temperature, and moisture content, and was greater at RF frequencies than MW range, making the RF heating more effective for drying bulk wolfberries. These findings offered essential data before optimizing RF or MW dehydration protocols for wolfberries via computer simulation.
Sensitive Demonstration of the Twin-Core Couplers including Kerr Law Non-Linearity via Beta Derivative Evolution
Authors: Asad Adeel , Riaz Muhammad Bilal , Geng Yanfeng
Published: November 2022

To obtain new solitary wave solutions for non-linear directional couplers using optical meta-materials, a new extended direct algebraic technique (EDAT) is used. This model investigates solitary wave propagation inside a fiber. As a result, twin couplers are the subject of this study. Kerr law is the sort of non-linearity addressed there. Because it offers solutions to problems with large tails or infinite fluctuations, the resulting solution set is more generalized than the current solution because it is turned into a fractional-order derivative. Furthermore, the found solutions are fractional solitons with spatial–temporal fractional beta derivative evolution. In intensity-dependent switches, these nonlinear directional couplers also serve as limiters. Non-linearity alters the transmission constants of a system’s modes. The significance of the beta derivative parameter and mathematical approach is demonstrated graphically, with a few of the extracted solutions. A parametric analysis revealed that the fractional beta derivative parameter has a significant impact on the soliton amplitudes. With the aid of the advanced software tools for numerical computations, the categories of semi-dark solitons, singular dark-pitch solitons, single solitons of Type-1 along with 2, intermingled hyperbolically, trigonometric, and rational solitons were established and evaluated. We also discussed sensitivity analysis, which is an inquiry that determines how sensitive our system is. A comparative investigation via different fractional derivatives was also studied in this paper so that one can easily understand the correlation with other fractional derivatives. The findings demonstrate that the approach is simple and efficient and that it yields generalized analytical results. The findings will be extremely beneficial in examining and comprehending physical issues in nonlinear optics, specifically in twin-core couplers with optical metamaterials.
Preparation of Protein Aerogel Particles for the Development of Innovative Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Lovskaya Daria , Bezchasnyuk Anna , Mochalova Maria , Tsygankov Pavel , Lebedev Artem , Zorkina Yana , Zubkov Eugene , Ochneva Aleksandra , Gurina Olga , Silantyev Artemiy , Majouga Alexander , Menshutina Natalia
Published: November 2022

The research was oriented towards the preparation of aerogel particles based on egg white and whey protein isolate using various dispersion methods: dripping, spraying, and homogenization. Based on the results of analytical studies, the most appropriate samples were selected to obtain aerogels loaded with the drug. The results of the experimental research were used to study methods for obtaining nasal drug delivery systems based on aerogels. Protein aerogels were obtained by thermal gelation followed by supercritical drying. The obtained particles of protein aerogels have a specific surface area of up to 350 m2/g with a pore volume of up to 2.9 cm3/g, as well as a porosity of up to 95%. The results of experimental studies have shown that changing the dispersion method makes it possible to control the structural characteristics of protein aerogel particles. The results of the studies were applied to obtain innovative nasal drug delivery systems for the treatment of socially significant diseases. Analytical studies were conducted to determine the amount and state of adsorbed drugs in protein aerogel particles, as well as in vivo experiments on the distribution of clomipramine in blood plasma and brain tissue of rats to study the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the resulting drug-loaded protein aerogel.
Gout, Urate, and Crystal Deposition Disease: Launch of the First Journal Dedicated to a Rapidly Growing Field
Authors: Pascart Tristan , Merriman Tony R. , Choi Hyon K. , Terkeltaub Robert
Published: November 2022

Gout and crystal deposition-associated disorders are among the leading causes of inflammation and arthritis throughout the world [...]
Adolescents with Neuropsychiatric Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Focus on Emotional Well-Being and Parental Stress
Authors: Operto Francesca Felicia , Scaffidi Abbate Costanza , Piscitelli Francesco Tommaso , Olivieri Miriam , Rizzo Luigi , Sica Gianpiero , Labate Angelo , Roccella Michele , Carotenuto Marco , Pastorino Grazia Maria Giovanna
Published: November 2022

(1) Introduction: The aim of our research was to explore emotional/behavioral changes in adolescents with neuropsychiatric conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and parental stress levels through a standardized assessment, comparing the data collected before and during the first months of lockdown. Moreover, an additional goal was to detect a possible relationship between emotional/behavioural symptoms of adolescents and the stress levels of their parents. (2) Methods: We enrolled 178 Italian adolescents aged between 12–18 that were referred to the Child Neuropsychiatry Unit of the University Hospital of Salerno with different neuropsychiatric diagnoses. Two standardized questionnaires were provided to all parents for the assessment of parental stress (PSI-Parenting Stress Index-Short Form) and the emotional/behavioral problems of their children (Child Behaviour Check List). The data collected from questionnaires administered during the six months preceding the pandemic, as is our usual clinical practice, were compared to those recorded during the pandemic. (3) Results: The statistical comparison of PSI and CBCL scores before/during the pandemic showed a statistically significant increase in all subscales in the total sample. The correlation analysis highlighted a significant positive relationship between Parental Stress and Internalizing/Externalizing symptoms of adolescent patients. Age and gender did not significantly affect CBCL and PSI scores, while the type of diagnosis could affect behavioral symptoms and parental stress. (4) Conclusions: our study suggests that the lockdown and the containment measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic could have aggravated the emotional/behavioral symptoms of adolescents with neuropsychiatric disorders and the stress of their parents. Further studies should be conducted in order to monitor the evolution of these aspects over time.
Predicting Groundwater Indicator Concentration Based on Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network: A Case Study
Authors: Liu Chao , Xu Mingshuang , Liu Yufeng , Li Xuefei , Pang Zonglin , Miao Sheng
Published: November 2022

Prediction of groundwater quality is an essential step for sustainable utilization of water resources. Most of the related research in the study area focuses on water distribution and rational utilization of resources but lacks results on groundwater quality prediction. Therefore, this paper introduces a prediction model of groundwater quality based on a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network. Based on groundwater monitoring data from October 2000 to October 2014, five indicators were screened as research objects: TDS, fluoride, nitrate, phosphate, and metasilicate. Considering the seasonality of water quality time series data, the LSTM neural network model was used to predict the groundwater index concentrations in the dry and rainy periods. The results suggest the model has high accuracy and can be used to predict groundwater quality. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) of these parameters are, respectively, 0.21, 0.20, 0.17, 0.17, and 0.20. The root mean square errors (RMSEs) are 0.31, 0.29, 0.28, 0.27, and 0.31, respectively. People can be given early warnings and take measures according to the forecast situation. It provides a reference for groundwater management and sustainable utilization in the study area in the future and also provides a new idea for coastal cities with similar hydrogeological conditions.
COVID-19 Vehicle Based on an Efficient Mutual Authentication Scheme for 5G-Enabled Vehicular Fog Computing
Authors: Al-Shareeda Mahmood A. , Manickam Selvakumar
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently having disastrous effects on every part of human life everywhere in the world. There have been terrible losses for the entire human race in all nations and areas. It is crucial to take good precautions and prevent COVID-19 because of its high infectiousness and fatality rate. One of the key spreading routes has been identified to be transportation systems. Therefore, improving infection tracking and healthcare monitoring for high-mobility transportation systems is impractical for pandemic control. In order to enhance driving enjoyment and road safety, 5G-enabled vehicular fog computing may gather and interpret pertinent vehicle data, which open the door to non-contact autonomous healthcare monitoring. Due to the urgent need to contain the automotive pandemic, this paper proposes a COVID-19 vehicle based on an efficient mutual authentication scheme for 5G-enabled vehicular fog computing. The proposed scheme consists of two different aspects of the special flag, SF = 0 and SF = 1, denoting normal and COVID-19 vehicles, respectively. The proposed scheme satisfies privacy and security requirements as well as achieves COVID-19 and healthcare solutions. Finally, the performance evaluation section shows that the proposed scheme is more efficient in terms of communication and computation costs as compared to most recent related works.
An Examination of US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York
Authors: Moss Ethan , Patterson Natasha A. , Seals Brenda F.
Published: November 2022

COVID-19 quickly spread across the United States (US) while communications and policies at all government levels suffered from inconsistency, misinformation, and lack of coordination. In order to explain the discrepancy between availability and population uptake, a case study was conducted analyzing vaccine rollout plans, social media, and Health Officer/Other Key Informant interviews in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Key research questions included, “What were the barriers and facilitators of early COVID vaccine distribution?” and “What mechanisms in the community emerged to alleviate strains in early vaccination?” Findings from this study revealed that pre-existing emergency preparedness infrastructures and plans developed since the 9/11 tragedy were seemingly abandoned. This caused health departments at all levels of government to make impromptu, non-uniform decisions leading to confusion, vaccine hesitancy, and ultimately low uptake. The results indicate that future vaccine rollout best practices must include evidence-based decision-making, coordinated communications, and outreach to high-priority and vulnerable communities.
Ti/PbO2 Electrode Efficiency in Catalytic Chloramphenicol Degradation and Its Effect on Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Authors: Liu Hao , Zhai Luwei , Wang Pengqi , Li Yanfeng , Gu Yawei
Published: November 2022

Livestock farming has led to the rapid accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment. Chloramphenicol (CAP) was chosen as a model compound to investigate its degradation during electrochemical treatment. Ti/PbO2 electrodes were prepared using electrodeposition. The prepared Ti/PbO2-La electrodes had a denser surface and a more complete PbO2 crystal structure. Ti/PbO2-Co electrodes exhibited improved electrochemical catalytic activity and lifetime in practice. The impact of different conditions on the effectiveness of CAP electrochemical degradation was investigated, and the most favorable conditions were identified (current density: I = 15.0 mA/cm, electrolyte concentration: c = 0.125 mol/L, solution pH = 5). Most importantly, we investigated the effects of the different stages of treatment with CAP solutions on the abundance of resistance genes in natural river substrates (intI1, cmlA, cmle3, and cata2). When CAP was completely degraded (100% TOC removal), no effect on resistance gene abundance was observed in the river substrate; incomplete CAP degradation significantly increased the absolute abundance of resistance genes. This suggests that when treating solutions with antibiotics, they must be completely degraded (100% TOC removal) before discharge into the environment to reduce secondary pollution. This study provides insights into the deep treatment of wastewater containing antibiotics and assesses the environmental impact of the resulting treated wastewater.
Functioning Problems Associated with Health Conditions with Greatest Disease Burden in South Africa: A Scoping Review
Authors: Charumbira Maria Y. , Berner Karina , Louw Quinette A.
Published: November 2022

A notable rise in health-related disability for which evidence-based rehabilitation is beneficial is evident in low-to-middle income countries. This scoping review aimed to systematically identify and map the most common functioning problems associated with health conditions that contribute most to disability in South Africa using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Peer-reviewed evidence published from January 2006 to December 2021 was systematically searched from five databases. Some 268 studies reporting on functioning problems (impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions) in South African adults (>18 years) related to 10 health conditions were included. A total of 130 different functioning problems were mapped to the ICF. The most prevalent problems (top 20) were related to mobility, pain, and mental health but spanned across several ICF domains and were mostly in patients at primary care. The high prevalence and wide range of functioning problems may be particularly burdensome on an already strained primary health care (PHC) system. This points towards targeted planning of innovative strategies towards strengthening rehabilitation service delivery at primary care to address these complexities where there is an inadequate rehabilitation workforce.
Ecological Sustainability and Households’ Wellbeing: Linking Households’ Non-Traditional Fuel Choices with Reduced Depression in Rural China
Authors: Zhang Xiaoheng , Yan Guiquan , Feng Qipei , Razzaq Amar , Abbas Azhar
Published: November 2022

A sustainable and pleasant environment is deemed to offer various positive externalities such as scenic, visual and behavioral archetypes and patterns exhibiting in various forms. Such a scenario can significantly relieve households from many psychological and personal complications such as depression. Depression has aroused great concerns in recent years due to its personal and social burdens and unforeseeable damage. Many studies have explored the effects of air pollution caused by traditional fuel consumption on depression. However, limited evidence is available on how household non-traditional fuel choices affect depression. Based on a nationally representative dataset collected from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2012, this paper employs an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model and an endogenous switching probit (ESP) model to address the endogenous issue and to estimate the treatment effects of non-traditional fuel choices on depression in rural China. The empirical results show that non-traditional fuel users have significantly lower Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores, indicating non-traditional fuel users face a lower risk of depression. Compared to solid fuels, employing non-traditional fuels will lead to a 3.659 reduction in depression score or decrease the probability of depression by 8.2%. In addition, the results of the mechanism analysis show that household non-traditional fuel choices affect depression by reducing the probability of physical discomfort and chronic disease. This study provides new insight into understanding the impact of air pollution in the house on depression and how to avoid the risk of depression in rural China effectively.
Urinary Incontinence and Sleep Quality in Older Women with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Li Chia-Hui , Chung Min-Huey , Liao Chun-Hou , Su Ching-Chieh , Lin Yen-Kuang , Liao Yuan-Mei
Published: November 2022

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) and poor sleep negatively affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study explored the UI-related factors and the relationships between UI, sleep quality, and HRQoL. Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from 237 women with type 2 diabetes. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify the factors associated with UI. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the mean sleep quality and HRQoL scores of women without UI and those who experienced UI of varying severities. Correlation coefficients were estimated, and multivariate linear regression was conducted to examine the relationships between UI severity, sleep quality, and HRQoL. Results: Of the 237 women, 115 (48.52%) experienced UI and 139 (58.65%) were poor sleepers. The three factors associated with UI were advanced age, a higher body mass index, and a history of vaginal delivery. Significant associations between UI severity and sleep quality and between sleep quality and HRQoL were revealed. UI severity and night-time voiding frequency were both associated with sleep quality. Conclusions: One factor associated with UI (body mass index) is modifiable. UI severity is associated with sleep quality as the possible influence of night-time voiding frequency on sleep quality has been considered.
What Determines the Acceptance and Use of eHealth by Older Adults in Poland?
Authors: Rój Justyna
Published: November 2022

An aging population is considered a major challenge for governments and healthcare planners. eHealth is perceived as a tool with the potential to ensure efficient healthcare. Moreover, eHealth services may help older adults to maintain longer life in good health. However, there are still several challenges to the large-scale implementation of these solutions among older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore determinants of the acceptance and use of eHealth by older adults in Poland. Data was collected by the questionnaire, and the UTAUT model was employed. This research covered older adults aged 60 to 69. The analysis of the results using nested regression analysis showed that performance expectancy has a strong significance on the older adults’ acceptance and use of eHealth, followed by effort expectancy and social influence. In contrast, facilitating conditions do not have a significant influence on the acceptance and use of eHealth. These findings may also be beneficial for the government to provide relative policies to support the development and usage of eHealth services as well as for the healthcare devices industry to design more older adult-oriented products.
The Potential of Exerkines in Women’s COVID-19: A New Idea for a Better and More Accurate Understanding of the Mechanisms behind Physical Exercise
Authors: Suzuki Katsuhiko , Hekmatikar Amir Hossein Ahmadi , Jalalian Shadi , Abbasi Shaghayegh , Ahmadi Elmira , Kazemi Abdolreza , Ruhee Ruheea Taskin , Khoramipour Kayvan
Published: November 2022

The benefits of physical exercise are well-known, but there are still many questions regarding COVID-19. Chow et al.’s 2022 study, titled Exerkines and Disease, showed that a special focus on exerkines can help to better understand the underlying mechanisms of physical exercise and disease. Exerkines are a group of promising molecules that may underlie the beneficial effects of physical exercise in diseases. The idea of exerkines is to understand the effects of physical exercise on diseases better. Exerkines have a high potential for the treatment of diseases and, considering that, there is still no study of the importance of exerkines on the most dangerous disease in the world in recent years, COVID-19. This raises the fundamental question of whether exerkines have the potential to manage COVID-19. Most of the studies focused on the general changes in physical exercise in patients with COVID-19, both during the illness and after discharge from the hospital, and did not investigate the basic differences. A unique look at the management of COVID-19 by exerkines, especially in obese and overweight women who experience high severity of COVID-19 and whose recovery period is long after discharge from the hospital, can help to understand the basic mechanisms. In this review, we explore the potential of exerkines in COVID-19 by practicing physical exercise to provide compelling practice recommendations with new insights.