bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Good Scientific Practice and Ethics in Sports and Exercise Science: A Brief and Comprehensive Hands-on Appraisal for Sports Research
Authors: Arora Nitin Kumar , Roehrken Golo , Crumbach Sarah , Phatak Ashwin , Labott Berit K. , Nicklas André , Wicker Pamela , Donath Lars
Published: February 2023

Sports and exercise training research is constantly evolving to maintain, improve, or regain psychophysical, social, and emotional performance. Exercise training research requires a balance between the benefits and the potential risks. There is an inherent risk of scientific misconduct and adverse events in most sports; however, there is a need to minimize it. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical and ethical challenges in sports and exercise research. We also enlist solutions to improve method design in clinical trials and provide checklists to minimize the chances of scientific misconduct. At the outset, historical milestones of exercise science literature are summarized. It is followed by details about the currently available regulations that help to reduce the risk of violating good scientific practices. We also outline the unique characteristics of sports-related research with a narrative of the major differences between sports and drug-based trials. An emphasis is then placed on the importance of well-designed studies to improve the interpretability of results and generalizability of the findings. This review finally suggests that sports researchers should comply with the available guidelines to improve the planning and conduct of future research thereby reducing the risk of harm to research participants. The authors suggest creating an oath to prevent malpractice, thereby improving the knowledge standards in sports research. This will also aid in deriving more meaningful implications for future research based on high-quality, ethically sound evidence.
Food Waste: The Good, the Bad, and (Maybe) the Ugly
Authors: Carlsen Lars
Published: February 2023

Approximately one-third of the food produced globally—close to 1 billion tons—ends up as waste, and, at the same time, more than 800 million people are undernourished, which makes Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, to halve food waste by 2020, rather ambitious if not illusory. In the present study, data on food waste in households, the food service sector, and the retail sector are used as indicators for 78 countries that are analyzed by applying a partial order methodology—allowing all indicators to be taken into account simultaneously—to disclose the “good” (below average) and the “bad” (above average) among the countries on an average scale. Countries such as Belgium, Japan, and Slovenia should be labeled as “good” in this context, whereas the “bad” includes countries such as Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania, countries that must cope simultaneously with severe malnutrition and hunger. This study further includes a search for so-called peculiar countries. Here, the USA and Ireland pop up, as they have very high amounts of waste in their food service sectors due to their eating profiles. Finally, the possible influence of assigning a higher weight to household waste is discussed. The overall objective of this study is to contribute to the necessary decisions that need to be made in order to fight the food waste problem and, thus, fulfill Sustainable Development Goal No. 2—zero hunger. As the world produces enough food for everyone, it is unacceptable that more than 800 million people are undernourished and that 14 million children suffer from stunting; perhaps all countries call for the label “ugly”. The present study contributes to highlighting the food waste problem and suggests specific action points for the studied countries.
Sustainable and Safe Treatment of Wastewater of Paint Industry Using Azadarachta indica Leaf Extract Combined with Silver Nitrate Solution
Authors: Irshad Muhammad Atif , Ali Basharat , Irfan Ali , Al-Hussain Sami A. , Nawaz Rab , Nasim Iqra , Latif Maria , Zaki Magdi E. A.
Published: February 2023

This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of a combined green and synthetic solution for the sustainable treatment of wastewater from the paint industry. Effluent was treated with a natural plant extract (Azadarachta indica) and a silver nitrate solution (AgNO3). Three composite samples of wastewater were collected from the paint industry, transferred to the laboratory for analysis, and three case studies were applied for treatment. The parameters of the treated water were compared with the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS). Case 1 was a control treatment in which discharged industrial effluent was collected and analyzed for various pollutants (pH, COD, TDS, TSS, and BOD). All the target parameters were higher than the limits in the PEQS. In Case 2, the wastewater was treated by reaction with an A. indica solution for a 4 to 72 h retention time. Some pollutants were remediated as a result of the reaction, while the majority of pollutants required a longer retention time and a higher concentration of A. indica extract, making this case applicable for the treatment of wastewater. In Case 3, the discharged industrial effluent was reacted with A. indica solution combined with AgNO3 solution for wastewater treatment with a 4 to 72 h retention time; after reaction, all the pollutants were remediated at high pH of 12 at a retention time of 24 h. However, a longer retention time and a better solution are required for the treatment of priority pollutants. However, Case 3 treated more pollutants, so was far superior to Cases 1 and 2. As a result, this instance is suitable for the treatment of wastewater from the paint industry.
Logistics Distribution Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Window under Pallet 3D Loading Constraint
Authors: Liu Yong , Yue Zhicheng , Wang Yong , Wang Haizhong
Published: February 2023

As an important support of the e-commerce industry, the express delivery industry is particularly important in national development. Low loading rates caused by numerous types of containers and cost increases caused by low loading and unloading efficiency are still remaining issues in the process of goods delivery and packing. This study introduced the pallet with telescopic support height as the middle to address these issues and proposed a distribution scheme based on the constraints of three-dimensional pallet loading with a time window. First, combining the path optimization of the time window and cargo loading, a solution model was established to solve the existing express delivery problem with the lowest total delivery cost and the highest average vehicle loading rate. In addition, the multi-objective problem was transformed through the multi-objective linear weighting method. Second, we cluster the customer nodes. In order to solve the large number of gaps generated by the hierarchy theory, we adopt the descending order of cargo volume as the initial sequence and design the coding and decoding for path optimization and pallet loading, solving the problem through the simulated anneal-genetic algorithm. Finally, the effectiveness of the algorithm is obtained through the comparison with other algorithms and the simple three-dimensional loading and distribution scheme by using examples. It is proved that the optimization of three-dimensional packing for express delivery using pallets as carriers can not only meet the high loading rate but also improve the loading and unloading speed, reduce the time penalty cost, and improve the operability of loading. This paper provides decision reference and method support for path optimization under three-dimensional loading constraints.
Grit and Career Construction among Chinese High School Students: The Serial Mediating Effect of Hope and Career Adaptability
Authors: Zhai Chengxi , Chai Xiaoyun , Shrestha Silu , Zhong Nian
Published: February 2023

Career construction is a crucial developmental task of adolescence. Previous research widely examined predictors of career construction resources but rarely explored the antecedents of career construction behaviors. Based on the career construction model of adaptation, this study explored how adolescents’ grit affects career construction behaviors. Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey. Participants were 573 students (Mage = 15.34, SD = 0.51; 51% boys) drawn from two public high schools. The results showed that grit positively predicted students’ career construction. Meanwhile, hope and career adaptability mediated the association between grit and career construction. The serial mediation analysis indicated that students with high grit tended to report a high level of hope, which increased career adaptability and consequently promoted career construction. This study contributes significant knowledge of how precise interventions can be developed for high school students to assist them to cope with career challenges.
Live Music in the Time of Corona: On the Resilience and Impact of a Philharmonic Orchestra on the Urban Economy
Authors: Glückler Johannes , Panitz Robert
Published: February 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments enforced epidemic policies of social distancing, restrictions of professional practice, and the prohibition of cultural live performances. Because such policies dried up important sources of income in the cultural and tourism industries, this paper examines how cultural institutions coped with this crisis. Drawing on the case of the Mannheim Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany, we collected original data and employed a regional economic impact analysis to determine both the financial resilience of the Orchestra and its impact on the urban economy. Because the Orchestra could not reduce costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, public subsidies were crucial to fill the income gap of missed live concerts. In turn, the regional impact analysis suggests that the Orchestra maintained its positive effect on the economic demand for goods and services in the urban economy. When balancing the city’s subsidies with the rental (city concert halls) and tax incomes generated by the Orchestra’s local impact, the Orchestra managed to induce surplus revenue for the city’s treasury.
The Synergic Effect of Erythrosine and Gold Nanoparticles in Photodynamic Inactivation
Authors: Shi Shih-Chen , Yang Shu-Wen , Xu Yu-Chen , Lu Fu-I
Published: February 2023

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a process that uses photosensitizing substances to produce reactive oxygen species. This is achieved by exposing photosensitizers to specific wavelengths of light and causing oxidative damage in cells. This sterilization technique is commonly utilized and has been extensively investigated owing to its environmentally friendly and inert characteristics. In this study, erythrosine was selected as the photosensitizer and a green light-emitting diode was used as the light source. Due to their excellent biocompatibility, gold nanoparticles were added; these acted as a carrier for erythrosine, linking it to Escherichia coli (E. coli) cells. Colony-forming unit plate counting and LIVE/DEAD bacterial viability tests were performed. A synergic PDI effect of the photosensitizer, light, and gold nanoparticles was demonstrated. After irradiation for 9 min, a bacterial death rate higher than 97% was achieved. Finally, to study the mechanism of E. coli death, we conducted reactive oxygen species tests by adding different scavengers, and concluded that the bacterial death was due to the production of singlet oxygen (Type II reaction).
TecSB: An Open Web Tool of Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Integration in Mexican Buildings
Authors: Godoy-Rangel Caribay , Rivera-Solorio Carlos. I. , Gijón-Rivera Miguel
Published: February 2023

There is a need for stakeholders in the construction sector to evaluate energy efficiency and renewable energy generation alternatives appliable to buildings at early design stages. In this regard, public and private organizations have developed tools to compare different options. It was observed that when the objective was to create nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB), the number of tools was still scarce. With this aim, this work presents a new, free digital tool that can predict, among others, energy consumption, energy generation, emissions savings, and payback time. For this purpose, different alternatives applicable to the roof, such as phase change material (PCM), insulation, and reflective paint, as well as to window-to-wall ratios (WWR), with four different glass technologies, can be evaluated. Furthermore, four renewable energy systems were available for comparison: the solar thermal collector (ST), photovoltaic (PV), flat hybrid solar collector (PVT), and low-concentration parabolic solar collector (LCPVT). Our tool was developed based on the results of transient dynamic building simulations of both residential and non-residential building models located in the hot semi-arid conditions of Monterrey, Mexico. Among the results, the small impact of using only reflective paint, the need to combine PCM with insulating material to obtain the best energy savings, and the large impact on emissions savings when using an LCPVT stand out.
Temporal–Spatial Variations in the Economic Value Produced by Environmental Flows in a Water Shortage Area in Northwest China
Authors: Yue Siyu , Li Huaien , Song Fengmin
Published: February 2023

Scientific and accurate assessments of the economic value produced by environmental flows are an important basis for the protection of environmental flows by means of economics. Because of the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of environmental flows, it is more appropriate to study the economic value produced by environmental flows using a temporal–spatial scale rather than static calculations. In the present study, we combine the major influencing factors to establish the temporal–spatial calculation methods of the economic value produced by environmental flows using the assessment techniques of resources and environmental economics. The results obtained for the Wei River show that the annual variation range of the total economic value is CNY 0.30–0.42 billion, and the unit economic value is 0.86–6.40 CNY/m3 during the non-flood season ranging from the years 1980 to 2017. In general, the monthly variation in the total economic value ranges from CNY 0.04 to 0.08 billion, and the unit economic value is 0.94–14.34 CNY/m3. Based on this result, the variation tendency of the total economic value is consistent with the changing trend of the environmental flows occurring in the river; however, the unit economic value presents a reverse pattern. Furthermore, the deficiency of environmental flows can lead to a significant increase in its unit economic value. This method presents a dynamic, small temporal–spatial scale assessment of the economic value produced by environmental flows. It can also provide theoretical support for the ecological compensation of environmental flow protection in rivers present in water shortage areas.
Spatial Correlation Network of Energy Consumption and Its Influencing Factors in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Wang Huiping , Liu Peiling
Published: February 2023

Accurately understanding the correlation characteristics of energy consumption between regions is an important basis for scientifically formulating energy policies and an important entry point for realizing carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. Based on the energy consumption data of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) from 2004 to 2017, the social network analysis method is applied to investigate the spatial correlation characteristics of the energy consumption of 26 cities and its influencing factors in the YRDUA. The energy consumption presents an obvious spatial correlation network structure. The network density fluctuates by approximately 0.3, and the network structure is relatively stable. Hangzhou, Suzhou and other cities are at the center of the network, playing the role of intermediaries. In the network, 10 cities, such as Shanghai and Shaoxing, have the characteristics of bidirectional spillover effects and act as “guides”, while Nanjing, Yangzhou and Chuzhou have the characteristics of brokers and act as “bridges”. The regional differences in geographical adjacency, FDI, industrial agglomeration and environmental regulation intensity are positively correlated with the network, and the impact coefficients are 0.486, 0.093, 0.072 and 0.068, respectively. Infrastructure differences are negatively correlated with the network, with an impact coefficient of −0.087.
Physiochemical Properties and Microflora of the Rhizosphere Soil of Tobacco Plants with and without Bacterial Wilt
Authors: Zheng Cong , Li Wei , Zhou Yang , Zhu Zhiwen , Wu Xiaozong
Published: February 2023

Bacterial wilt is a destructive soilborne disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, posing a severe threat to plants in the Solanaceae family. It impacts on tobacco productivity worldwide. This study was conducted to analyze the changes in the soil’s physical and chemical properties, the number of microbes, and the bacterial diversity of the rhizosphere soil before and after the wilt disease. The rhizosphere soil of healthy and diseased tobacco plants was collected from Pucheng, Nanping, Fujian Province, Southern China. The results revealed significant differences in the trends of physical and chemical properties of the soil of healthy and diseased plants. The soil pH, available potassium (K), available phosphorous (P), and organic matter contents (SOM) were lower in the rhizosphere soil for healthy plants than for pre-diseased plants (HW). Only the available P, among all physical and chemical properties in the rhizosphere of diseased plants (HS), was significantly lower than those for pre-diseased plants (HW), changing from 149.59 mg/kg to 59.19 mg/kg. The order of numbers of the three main microbes in the rhizosphere soil for healthy plants (HC) and pre-diseased plants was the following: bacteria > actinomycetes > fungi. The number of actinomycetes in the soil of the diseased tobacco plants increased significantly. A comparison of the rhizosphere soil of diseased and healthy tobacco plants showed that the relative abundance of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere soil of the pathogenic tobacco plants changed significantly. The community diversity was increased, and the Pseudomonadaceae, to which the bacterial pathogen of bacterial wilt belonged, rose to a certain extent. Both pre-diseased and healthy plants showed changes in the physical and chemical properties, microbial quantity, and microbial diversity, thus proving that tobacco disease was closely related to the soil’s ecological environment.
Study on Temporal and Spatial Variation in Soil Temperature in Artificial Ground Freezing of Subway Cross Passage
Authors: Zou Baoping , Hu Bo , Xia Jianzhong , Li Xiaoquan , Chen Qizhi , Kong Bowen , Ma Jingyuan
Published: February 2023

Temperature is the fundamental variable used in artificial ground freezing (AGF) design to assess the frozen curtain’s state and carry out an analysis of its mechanical behavior. Therefore, it is important to appropriately understand the temperature variation in the soil during freezing and thawing throughout the construction process of AGF. In this paper, a soil physical state analysis model was established to obtain the one-dimensional distribution curve of the soil temperature field and the temperature variation curve of the soil with temporal, which can be used to explore the soil temperature characteristics during the construction of AGF, so as to scientifically evaluate the physical state of frozen soil and reduce the construction risk. The soil can be divided into three zones during the construction process of AGF, namely the frozen zone, the frozen fringe, and the unfrozen zone. Additionally, Hangzhou muddy silty clay was selected for the indoor model test to verify the correctness of the analytical model. The results show the following: (1) Due to the influence of the latent heat of the phase change, the physical state and temperature of the soil on both sides of the frozen fringe are not the same. It is not appropriate to use the same temperature index to judge whether the soil is frozen or thawed in the project. (2) For Hangzhou muddy silty clay, the freezing index is −1 °C, and the thawing index is 0.9 °C. The research results can provide some guidance for the judgment of the soil state during the AGF of subway cross passages.
Factors Determining Consumer Acceptance of NFC Mobile Payment: An Extended Mobile Technology Acceptance Model
Authors: Zhang Qingyu , Khan Salman , Cao Mei , Khan Safeer Ullah
Published: February 2023

The demand for mobile payments using smartphones to substitute the need for cash, credit cards, or checks is swiftly increasing in Pakistan. This study investigates the factors determining consumers’ behavioral intention to adopt near-field communication mobile payment from a developing country’s viewpoint. A conceptual framework was adopted based on the mobile technology acceptance model (MTAM), integrating self-efficacy theory, critical mass theory, flow theory, and system and service quality to elucidate the behavioral intention. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire applied to 310 nonusers of near-field communication mobile payment in Pakistan. The analysis was performed using SmartPLS3.0. The results demonstrated that other independent variables are the main predictors of the intention to adopt mobile payment besides technology self-efficacy, perceived critical mass, and mobile ease of use. The study concludes with key implications and future work directions concerning the limitation of this study.
Technical and Economic Analysis of Solar PV/Diesel Generator Smart Hybrid Power Plant Using Different Battery Storage Technologies for SRM IST, Delhi-NCR Campus
Authors: Sambhi Shilpa , Sharma Himanshu , Bhadoria Vikas , Kumar Pankaj , Chaurasia Ravi , Fotis Georgios , Vita Vasiliki
Published: February 2023

This paper presents atechnical and economic analysis of the proposed solar PV/diesel generator smart hybrid power plant for a part of SRM IST, Delhi-NCR campus. The analysis was performed using five battery storage technologies: lead-acid, lithium-ion, vanadium flow, zinc bromide and nickel-iron. The analysis also used the HOMER Pro software. The analysis was conducted to assess performance parameters such as initial cost, simple payback period, return on investment, energy produced, renewable penetration and emission of air pollutants. The optimal solution was obtained as SPP(200 kW)/DG(82 kW)/ZB(2000 kWh), with cycle charging dispatch strategy. The initial cost of this configuration is estimated to be USD163,445, and the operating cost is USD534 per year. The net present cost is estimated to be USD170,348, and the estimated cost of energy with this configuration has been obtained as USD0.090 per kWh. It is estimated that with this optimal solution, the diesel generator may consume only 110 L/year of diesel, which is the minimum of all configurations. Sensitivity analysis was performed between the size of the solar PV array and the size of the battery, along with variations in the battery’s nominal capacity and renewable fraction.
The Existence Theorems of Fractional Differential Equation and Fractional Differential Inclusion with Affine Periodic Boundary Value Conditions
Authors: Wang Yan , Wu Rui , Gao Shanshan
Published: February 2023

This paper is devoted to investigating the existence of solutions for the fractional differential equation and fractional differential inclusion of order α∈(2,3] with affine periodic boundary value conditions. Applying the Leray–Schauder fixed point theorem, the existence of the solutions for the fractional differential equation is established. Furthermore, for the fractional differential inclusion, we consider two cases: (i) the set-valued function has convex value and (ii) the set-valued function has nonconvex value. The main tools of our research are the Leray–Schauder alternative theorem, Covita and Nadler’s fixed point theorem and some set-valued analysis theories.
Computational Modeling of Thermodynamical Pulsatile Flow with Uncertain Pressure in Hydrocephalus
Authors: Balasundaram Hemalatha , Alessa Nazek , Loganathan Karuppusamy , Vijayalakshmi V. , Goud Nayani Uday Ranjan
Published: February 2023

The watery cerebrospinal fluid that flows in the subarachnoid space (SAS) surrounds the entire central nervous system via symmetrical thermo-solute flow. The significance of this study was to present a flexible simulation based on theoretical vivo inputs onto a mathematical framework to describe the interaction of cerebrospinal fluid circulation restricted to a pathological disorder. The pathophysiology disorder hydrocephalus is caused by an enormous excess of asymmetric fluid flow in the ventricular region. This fluid imposition increases the void space of its boundary wall (Pia mater). As a result, the dumping effect affects an inertial force in brain tissues. A mathematical model was developed to impose the thermal dynamics of hydrocephalus, in which solute transport constitutes the excess watery CSF fluid caused by hydrocephalus, in order to demonstrate perspective changes in ventricular spaces. This paper investigated brain porous spaces in order to strengthen the acceleration and thermal requirements in the CNS mechanism. To characterize neurological activities, a unique mathematical model that includes hydrodynamics and nutrient transport diffusivity was used. We present the analytical results based on physical experiments that use the novel Laplace method to determine the nutrients transported through permeable pia (brain) parenchyma with suitable pulsatile boundary conditions. This causes high CSF pressure and brain damage due to heat flux over the SAS boundary wall. As a result of the increased Schmidt number, the analysis of the hydrocephalus problem revealed an increase in permeability and drop in solute transport. A high-velocity profile caused a rise in thermal buoyancy (Grashof number). When the CSF velocity reached an extreme level, it indicated a higher Womersley number. Additionally, the present study compared a number of clinical studies for CSF amplitude and pressure. We validated the results by providing a decent justification with the clinical studies by appropriate field references.
Tactile Perception of Woven Fabrics by a Sliding Index Finger with Emphasis on Individual Differences
Authors: Romao Santos Raphael , Nakanishi Masumi , Sukigara Sachiko
Published: February 2023

Haptic sensing by sliding fingers over a fabric is a common behavior in consumers when wearing garments. Prior studies have found important characteristics that shape the evaluation criteria and influence the preference of consumers regarding fabrics. This study analyzed the tactile perception of selected woven fabrics, with an emphasis on the participants’ individual differences. Individual differences generally are discarded in sensory experiments by averaging them. Small differences among consumers can be important for understanding the factors driving consumer preferences. For this study, 28 participants assessed fabrics with very distinct surface, compression, and heat transferring properties by sliding their index fingers along the surface of the fabric. The participants also engaged in a descriptive sensory analysis. The physical properties of the fabric were measured using the Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics (KES-F) system. Moreover, parameters at the finger–fabric interface, such as the contact force, finger speed, and skin vibration, were measured during the assessment. This study used analysis of variance to eliminate nonsignificant attributes. Consonance analysis was performed using principal component analysis (PCA) on the unfolded sensory and interface data matrices. Finally, the physical and interface data were regressed onto sensory data. The results showed that the contact force and finger speed were nonsignificant, while skin vibration was a possible replacement for surface physical properties measured by the Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics (KES-F) system with an equal or slightly improved explainability.
Metabolome-Based Classification of Snake Venoms by Bioinformatic Tools
Authors: Alonso Luis L. , Slagboom Julien , Casewell Nicholas R. , Samanipour Saer , Kool Jeroen
Published: February 2023

Snakebite is considered a neglected tropical disease, and it is one of the most intricate ones. The variability found in snake venom is what makes it immensely complex to study. These variations are present both in the big and the small molecules found in snake venom. This study focused on examining the variability found in the venom’s small molecules (i.e., mass range of 100–1000 Da) between two main families of venomous snakes—Elapidae and Viperidae—managing to create a model able to classify unknown samples by means of specific features, which can be extracted from their LC–MS data and output in a comprehensive list. The developed model also allowed further insight into the composition of snake venom by highlighting the most relevant metabolites of each group by clustering similarly composed venoms. The model was created by means of support vector machines and used 20 features, which were merged into 10 principal components. All samples from the first and second validation data subsets were correctly classified. Biological hypotheses relevant to the variation regarding the metabolites that were identified are also given.
Reconstructing Torsion Cosmology from Interacting Holographic Dark Energy Model
Authors: Li Song , Chen Yun
Published: February 2023

We consider a cosmological model in the framework of Einstein–Cartan theory with a single scalar torsion ϕ=ϕ(t) and reconstruct the torsion model corresponding to the holographic dark energy (HDE) density. By studying the corresponding relation between the effective energy density of torsion field ρϕ and holographic dark energy density ρHDE, we naturally obtain a kind of torsion field from the interacting holographic dark energy with interaction term Q=−2ϕρm and ρm is the energy density of matter. We analyze the reconstructed torsion model and find that the torsion field behaves like the quintessence (w>−1) or quintom (exhibiting a transition from w>−1 to w<−1) dark energy, depending on the value of the model parameter c. We then perform a stability analysis according to the squared sound speed. It is shown that the model is classically stable in the current epoch for the case of c<1. We also investigate the model from the viewpoint of statefinder parameters and it turns out that the statefinder trajectories in the r−s plane behave differently for the three cases of c and also quite distinct from those of other cosmological models. From the trajectories of the statefinder pair {q,r}, we find that, for all the three cases of c, the universe has a phase transition from deceleration to acceleration, consistently with cosmological observations. In addition, we fit the reconstructed torsion model with the recent Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) samples, i.e., the Pantheon sample containing 1048 SNe Ia with the redshift in the range 0.01<z<2.3 and the Pantheon+ sample with 1701 light curves of 1550 distinct SNe Ia in the range 0.001<z<2.26. The analysis results show that the limits on the present fractional energy density of matter Ωm0 are completely compatible with those of the ΛCDM model obtained from the latest Planck mission observations at 68% confidence level. The mean value of c constrained from the Pantheon sample corresponds to the quintom-like scenario (i.e., c<1) and its mean value from the Pantheon+ sample corresponds to the quintessence-like scenario (i.e., c≥1). However, both of the Pantheon and Pantheon+ samples cannot distinguish the quintom-like and quintessence-like scenarios at 68% confidence level.
Automated SSHHPS Analysis Predicts a Potential Host Protein Target Common to Several Neuroinvasive (+)ssRNA Viruses
Authors: Doctor Katarina Z. , Gilmour Elizabeth , Recarte Marilyn , Beatty Trinity R. , Shifa Intisar , Stangel Michaela , Schwisow Jacob , Leary Dagmar H. , Legler Patricia M.
Published: February 2023

Within the viral genome, short stretches of homologous host pathogen sequences (SSHHPS) span the protease cleavage sites. To identify host proteins that may be cleaved during infection, we searched the human proteome for viral protease cleavage sites (~20 amino acids). We developed a sequence-to-symptom tool, automating the search and pairing process. We used the viral protein sequence, PHI-BLAST, and UniProt database for gene ontologies and disease relationships. We applied the tool to nine neuroinvasive viruses: Venezuelan and Eastern Equine encephalitis virus (VEEV, EEEV); severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS, SARS-CoV-2); Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS); EV-71; Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV); West Nile (WNV); and Zika (ZIKV). A comparison of the hits identified a protein common to all nine viruses called ADGRA2 (GPR124). ADGRA2 was a predicted hit of the 3CL main protease and papain-like protease (PLpro) of SARS-CoV-2. ADGRA2 is an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor and a key endothelial regulator of brain-specific angiogenesis. It is a Wnt7A/Wnt7B specific coactivator of beta-catenin signaling and is essential for blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity in central nervous system (CNS) diseases. We show the cleavage of the predicted sequences in MYOM1, VWF by the SARS-CoV-2 PLpro; DNAH8 (dynein) by the MERS PLpro; ADGRA2 by the alphaviral VEEV nsP2 protease; and POT1 by the SARS-CoV-2 and MERS PLpro.
Real-World Effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Booster in Hemodialysis Patients with COVID-19 Receiving Molnupiravir
Authors: Chen Po-Chun , Huang Chiang-Chi , Fu Chung-Ming , Chang Yi-Chin , Wu Po-Jung , Lee Wen-Chin , Lee Chien-Te , Tsai Kai-Fan
Published: February 2023

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine booster is one of the most essential strategies against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the era of emerging variants. However, the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine boosters has not much been investigated in hemodialysis (HD) patients receiving oral antiviral agents. In this retrospective study involving 258 HD patients with COVID-19 receiving molnupiravir, we stratified the study cohort according to vaccination status and compared the baseline characteristics and risks of 30-day composite events (COVID-19-related acute care visits, hospitalization, or mortality) among groups. Our analysis demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine boosters markedly decreased the risk of composite events in HD patients (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval), 0.163 (0.063–0.423) for three vs. ≤ two doses of vaccination, p < 0.001; 0.309 (0.115–0.830) for four vs. ≤ two doses of vaccination, p = 0.020). The benefits of vaccine boosters were similar between patients receiving mRNA-based and protein-based boosters and between those with post-booster intervals of ≤ 120 and > 120 days. In conclusion, for HD patients with initially mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 receiving molnupiravir, the benefits of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine boosters are prominent, irrespective of booster vaccine types.
Synthesis of 4′-Substituted Carbocyclic Uracil Derivatives and Their Monophosphate Prodrugs as Potential Antiviral Agents
Authors: Biteau Nicolas , Amichai Sarah , Azadi Niloufar , De Ramyani , Downs-Bowen Jessica , Lecher Julia , MacBrayer Tamara , Schinazi Raymond , Amblard Franck
Published: February 2023

Over the past decades, both 4′-modified nucleoside and carbocyclic nucleoside analogs have been under the spotlight as several compounds from either family showed anti-HIV, HCV, RSV or SARS-CoV-2 activity. Herein, we designed compounds combining these two features and report the synthesis of a series of novel 4′-substituted carbocyclic uracil derivatives along with their corresponding monophosphate prodrugs. These compounds were successfully prepared in 19 to 22 steps from the commercially available (-)-Vince lactam and were evaluated against a panel of RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B viruses and norovirus.
InSAR Displacement with High-Resolution Optical Remote Sensing for the Early Detection and Deformation Analysis of Active Landslides in the Upper Yellow River
Authors: Tu Kuan , Ye Shirong , Zou Jingui , Hua Chen , Guo Jiming
Published: February 2023

Frequent landslides and other geological disasters pose a serious threat to human life and infrastructure in the Upper Yellow River. Detecting active landslides and ascertaining their impact necessitate the determination of deformation characteristics. In this study, we developed an integrated method combining interferometric synthetic aperture radar and high-resolution optical satellite remote sensing to detect active landslides in the Upper Yellow River region from Longyang Gorge to Lijia Gorge. Sentinel-1 satellite data from January 2019 to April 2021 with ascending and descending orbits were adopted to obtain deformation using the STACKING and interferometric point target analysis techniques. A 97.08% overlap rate in the detected results from the two InSAR technologies confirmed the suitability of both approaches. The missing detection rates (6.79% & 8.73%) from single line-of-sight (LOS) InSAR results indicate the necessity of different orbit direction data. Slight deformation rate changes (<4 mm/month) before and after rainy seasons of the Lijia Gorge landslide group indicate that precipitation exerted little impact on slope activity. This study supports the feasibility of integrated methods for the detection and analysis of active landslides in the Upper Yellow River and other regions.
Evaluation of Soil-Water Characteristic Curves for Different Textural Soils Using Fractal Analysis
Authors: Yang Chunliu , Wu Jianhua , Li Peiyue , Wang Yuanhang , Yang Ningning
Published: February 2023

The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) is an essential tool to determine hydraulic and mechanical properties of unsaturated soils. As an inherent influencing factor, soil texture controls the characteristics of SWCCs. Fractal theory can quantitatively describe the physical characteristics of soil. This study used particle size distribution data and water content data contained in the UNSODA2.0 database to explore the fractal characteristics of 12 soil types with different textures under different matrix suctions. The SWCC fractal model was adopted to characterize the hydraulic properties of soil with various soil textures. The findings revealed that the mass fractal dimensions of particles from these 12 different soil types significantly differed and were closely related to the clay content. Fractal dimension increased with increasing clay content. The fractal dimension established a good relationship between soil structure and hydraulic properties. Fractal analysis can be used to determine the connection between physical properties and soil hydraulic parameters. The estimated results of the SWCC fractal model indicated that it had a good performance regarding the description of SWCCs for the 12 soil textures. The soil structure could be described through fractal dimensions, which can effectively indicate soil hydraulic characteristics. The estimated fractal dimension of this model could be obtained by particle size distribution. Furthermore, using the SWCC fractal model, we found that the SWCC of coarse textured soil changed sharply in the low suction stage and its residual water content was small, and the SWCC of fine textured soil changed gently with a large residual water content. The water retention capacity followed the order clay > silty clay > sandy clay > clay loam > silty clay loam > sandy clay loam > loam > silt loam > sandy loam > silt > loamy sand > sand.
Next-Generation DNA Barcoding for Fish Identification Using High-Throughput Sequencing in Tai Lake, China
Authors: Mu Yawen , Song Chao , Yang Jianghua , Zhang Yong , Zhang Xiaowei
Published: February 2023

Tai Lake, an important biodiversity hotspot of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, possesses its characteristic fish fauna. Barcoding on native species is important for species identification and biodiversity assessment with molecular-based methods, such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. Here, DNA-barcoding coupled with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and traditional Sanger sequencing was introduced to barcoding 180 specimens belonging to 33 prior morphological species, including the most majority of fish fauna in Tai Lake. HTS technology, on the one hand, significantly enhances the capture of barcode sequences of fish. The successful rate of fish barcoding was 74% and 91% in Sanger and HTS, respectively. On the other hand, the HTS output has a large number (64%) of insertions and deletions, which require strict bioinformatics processing to ensure that the ‘‘true’’ barcode sequence is captured. Cross-contamination and parasites were the primary error sources that compromised attempts at the DNA barcoding of fish species. The barcode gap analysis was 100% successful at delimiting species in all specimens. The automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD) method grouped barcode sequences into 34 OTUs, and some deep divergence and closed species failed to obtain corresponding OTUs. Overall, the local species barcode library established by HTS barcoding here is anticipated to shed new light on conserving fish diversity in Tai Lake.
Treating with Te Tiriti in Mind
Authors:   , Whautere Huhana
Published: February 2023

Background: Statistics have shown inequity in health outcomes for Māori. Māori are overrepresented with higher rates of hospitalisation and lower life expectancy than non-Māori (Brewer & Andrews, 2016), have higher rates of drug and alcohol abuse (Zambas & Wright, 2016) and psychological distress (Maclennan, Wyeth, Wilson, & Derrett 2014). Māori people are more likely to come from low socio-economic backgrounds leading to inequity in employment, total household income, education, and access to healthcare (Zambas & Wright, 2016). As a profession kaiwhakaora ngangahau occupational therapists are well placed to be catalysts for change, to better the health outcomes for Māori. Aim: This study aimed to investigate and understand how kaiwhakaora ngangahau occupational therapists are working with Māori post-injury within Aotearoa and share this understanding with others to encourage discussion within the profession to inform practice with Māori. Methods: A qualitative interpretive description approach (Thorne, 2016) was used, and ethical approval was gained from the Otago Polytechnic ethics committee. Through purposive sampling, a sample was selected from the population of kaiwhakaora ngangahau occupational therapists within a private health and rehabilitation company. Semi-structured interviews were completed with five therapists. Questions explored the thought processes of the participants when working with Māori and how the culture of the client informed the occupational therapy process. The interviews were then analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Three main themes were identified with associated subthemes. These were rapport building, therapist experience and reducing barriers. There was evidence of Māori principles being utilised, these were Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga, Wairuatanga, Whanaungatanga, Kotahitanga and Rangatiratanga. Conclusion: This study identified that kaiwhakaora ngangahau occupational therapists are actively adapting their practice when working with Māori. Implications for the funder included needing to reconsider the service and funding model to allow a more culturally responsive practice for providers. Implications for the therapists included ideas for actions to implement in practice such as involving family/whānau.
¿Furta Sacra? La disputa por las reliquias corporales del santo cura Brochero
Authors: Puglisi Rodolfo
Published: February 2023

En mayo de 2019 comenzó una disputa entre dos localidades cordobesas por los restos corporales (reliquias) del cura Brochero (1840-1914), declarado santo en octubre de 2016. La municipalidad de Villa Santa Rosa, su lugar de nacimiento, aprobó una resolución solicitando el traslado allí de sus reliquias, situadas en Villa Cura Brochero. En este trabajo veremos que en tanto “objetos poderosos” las reliquias de los santos han sido a lo largo de la historia motivo de interés de las comunidades por poseerlas. Asimismo, luego de mencionar la importancia simbólica y afectiva que las reliquias tienen dentro del movimiento brocheriano, daremos cuenta de esta querella recuperando diferentes voces. Finalizamos señalando que este conflicto pone de manifiesto la importancia que las reliquias poseen en lo que respecta a la legitimidad simbólica que aportan, los lazos comunales que articulan y la relevancia económica que tienen para las comunidades que las poseen.
Reconfigurable Vortex-like Paramagnetic Nanoparticle Swarm with Upstream Motility and High Body-length Ratio Velocity
Authors: Wang Luyao , Gao Han , Sun Hongyan , Ji Yiming , Song Li , Jia Lina , Wang Chutian , Li Chan , Zhang Deyuan , Xu Ye , Chen Huawei , Feng Lin
Published: February 2023

Drug delivery systems with high-targeted doses can minimize excipients, reduce side effects, and improve efficacy. Human blood circulation is a complex circulatory system, and the motion control of microrobots in the static flow field in vitro is completely different from in vivo. How to achieve precise counterflow motion for targeted drug delivery without vascular blockage and immune rejection is the biggest challenge for micro-nano robots. Here, we propose a control method that enables vortex-like paramagnetic nanoparticle swarm (VPNS) to move upstream against the flow. By mimicking the clustering motion of wild herring schools and the rolling of leukocytes, VPNS are incredibly stable even when subjected to high-intensity jet impacts in the blood environment, can travel upstream, anchor at the target location, and dissipate when the magnetic field is withdrawn, which greatly reduces the risk of thrombosis. VPNS can also upstream along the vessel wall without an additional energy source and has a marked targeted therapeutic effect on subcutaneous tumors.
Píldoras formativas geográficas. Paisajes agrarios: rasgos básicos de su carácter e instrumentos para su protección, ordenación y gestión.
Authors: Silva Pérez María Rocío
Published: February 2023

Se aportan algunas ideas sobre la consideración de la agricultura como paisaje y se esbozan los marcos normativos que les afectan
Se plantea un análisis crítico de las efectividades y limitaciones de esos marcos para la gestión y legado de estos paisajes … Este polimedia forma parte de la segunda edición de la serie “Píldoras formativas geográficas”.

El concepto de carácter, aplicado a los paisajes agrarios.
Sistematización de las bases normativas que les afectan: programas patrimoniales, ordenación del territorio y política agraria Común de la Unión Europea (PAC).
Píldoras formativas geográficas. Movimientos migratorios
Authors: Lara García Ángela
Published: February 2023

Síntesis sobre aspectos básicos de los movimientos migratorios, incluyendo la definición de conceptos fundamentales, una clasificación de estos, así como las principales fuentes de información, acompañado con ejemplos y análisis de su evolución reciente a escala nacional e internacional. Este polimedia forma parte de la segunda edición de la serie “Píldoras formativas geográficas”.

El recurso constituye un acercamiento básico a los aspectos fundamentales de la dinámica de la población, centrándose especialmente en las dinámicas migratorias, es decir, cambios producidos en la población de un área en un periodo determinado como consecuencia de procesos migratorios. De este modo, se profundiza en conceptos como saldo migratorio, tasa neta de migraciones, migrantes internacionales, desplazados o refugiados, incluyendo una breve perspectiva de su evolución reciente en España y en el Mundo.