bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preventing occupational respiratory disease from exposures in office building : case study COVID-19
Authors:   , Phapant Panupant 
Published: September 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic has affected human life in every possible way, and, alongside this, the need has been felt that office buildings and workplaces must have protective and preventive layers against COVID‐19 transmission so that a smooth transition from ‘work from home’ to work from office’ is possible. The present study reviews international agency regulations, country regulations, updated journal articles, etc., to critically understand lessons learned from COVID‐19 and evaluate the expected changes in sustainability requirements of office buildings and workplaces. The built environment, control environment, and regulatory environment around office buildings and workplaces have been put under test on safety grounds during the pandemic. Country regulation, agency regulations, and operational guidelines need to bring behavioral changes required to protect workers from the COVID‐19 pandemic.

This study also investigates the ability of COVID-19’s measures by comparing certified (LEED, TREES, and WELL) and non-certified office buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. Certified building in this study mainly implemented COVID-19 prevention measures. For non-certified buildings, two buildings mostly implemented COVID-19 strategies (>90%), and others are less implemented (< 90%). Providing negative pressure, installing infiltration, using touchless technology, and implementing mental health policy are the most difficult to apply. However, alternative strategies were implemented until no clusters were found in all case studies.

Additionally, an in-depth interview and the Rating scale have been used to explore building satisfaction. The study shows that building satisfaction in all building types increased during this period. The certified building is the most satisfied before COVID-19, while the non-certified building with the good measure is the most pleased during this time because many strategies have been implemented. Moreover, health and comfort criteria have been examined for building occupants, including temperature & humidity, indoor air quality, spatial, visual, and acoustic. Visual is the most satisfying characteristic before COVID-19 while distancing during this period, and it is the most significant aspect that has increased significantly.

The gaps and barriers of the execution are used to explore the challenge and propose additional solutions for fighting the crisis and other respiratory diseases such as flu and influenza. By actor-network analysis, lack of law and regulation for healthy building, lack of expenditure, and lack of knowledge are the significant barriers. So, additional building assessments have been proposed, including healthy building concept design, engineering measures, and supporting and educational strategies have to be implemented to develop sustainable and better-living conditions.
Football as a tactical innovation for mobilization: a study of FC Barcelona and the Catalan independence movement
Authors:   , Seangkumchoo Phawin 
Published: September 2023

The Catalan Independence Movement is the movement in the Northern region of Spain which aims to be independent from Spain cause of problems in politics and economic. The Catalan mobilization not only marches on the street but also plays their role through the Spanish political procedure. In Catalan, the referendum on independence was issued in 2009-2011, 2014, and 2017. This study focuses on the Catalan mobilization tactical innovation which uses football as a tool against Spain. In this case, football which was used mean ‘FC Barcelona,’ one of the famous football club in the world.

This study aims to identify how football play role in the Catalan struggle. With the theory of tactical Innovation, social movement will disrupt normal situation to attract interest of group’s opponent and the society (McAdam and Snow, 2010). This study explores through sources such as analyzing mainly research articles, interviews, reports, and other media outlets.

FC Barcelona has an impact on the Catalan Independence Movement in 3 three dimensions. First, Barça as representation of the Catalan values. Second, Barça as a save space for Catalan mobilization. And third, Barça as an instrument to foster Catalan identity. The club promoted the Catalan struggle issue to the world. One of the important keys to achieving aims is the creativity of the new tactical forms; therefore, Catalan mobilization use ‘football’ as creativity to create the new tactical innovation to protest.
EU-Vietnam FTA: Implications for Thailand
Authors:   , Promkhatkaew Uthaipan 
Published: September 2023

In 2007, the EU launched a region-to-region Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the ASEAN; however, negotiations were suspended in 2009, and the EU subsequently decided to negotiate bilateral FTAs with individual ASEAN member states. Thailand, a parliamentary democratic country, launched the first round of trade negotiations with the EU in 2013, but they were put on hold due to the military coup in 2014. On the other hand, the EU still continued to negotiate and ultimately concluded the FTA with Vietnam in 2020 despite the fact that Vietnam is one of the world’s five remaining communist states. This has raised skepticism among academics and cast doubt on the EU’s values and its pragmatism. This study aims to find the reason why the EU preferred to negotiate an FTA with Vietnam. The study analyzes the data from historical, geopolitical, and economic perspectives, covering EU’s trade and investment policy after 2012 and assess their implications for Thailand in any future FTA negotiation with the EU.

The findings of the study offer insight into how historical, geopolitical, and economic factors have all influenced the EU’s decision-making processes in negotiating the FTA with Vietnam. From the historical standpoint, history shapes the relationship between EU and Vietnam, in particular the relations between Vietnam and France which acts as the bridge between Vietnam and the EU and vice versa. This also applies to ASEAN as a whole. From geopolitical standpoint, Vietnam’s strategic location in the Southeast Asia and the engagement with Vietnam is an interesting policy option for the EU that wants to play a more proactive role in the region. This engagement would allow the EU to project its influence in the Southeast Asia region and balance against growing Chinese power. From political standpoint, the EU’s adoption of “Principled Pragmatism” as a new guiding principle for its foreign policy and using trade as one of its foreign policy tools, coupled with historical and geopolitical contexts, have underpinned EU’s efforts to conclude trade negotiations with Vietnam. As far as economy is concerned, the study reveals that Vietnam and Thailand share similar attributes to a certain extent as both countries mostly import and export the same type of products to the EU with only some slight differences. It can thus be concluded that the EU’s decision to conclude trade negotiations with trading partners such as Vietnam and Thailand are largely attributed to political reasons as opposed to economic interests. In assessing the implications for Thailand, the study indicates Vietnam’s efforts in negotiating FTA with the EU in various areas. Internal trade promotion policies, politics and international relations play an important role in determining trade negotiations with the EU. Rapidly changing global trends such as Green Deal and Friend-Shoring have amplified the complexity of conditions and factors that determine the pace of FTA negotiations with the EU, which could present a challenge for Thailand.
Effective traffic signal timing for intersections in Bangkok
Authors:   , Tantipanichaphan Kasidech 
Published: September 2023

The increasing number of on-road vehicles in Bangkok, as well as the traffic flow conditions, are causing many problems for the citizens. To alleviate the problem, effective traffic signal management by optimizing traffic signal timing can be used. As a result, the goal of this research is to improve Bangkok's traffic signal system and management by establishing an effective green light time at intersections in order to increase the vehicle flow rate. The mathematical model is designed to maximize the number of vehicles leaving intersections. Six Bangkok intersections are selected for the experiments. According to the experimental results, the optimization model outperforms current practice by increasing the number of vehicles leaving the intersection. The overall vehicle flow rate improves by 23.04%. Furthermore, combining the intersections together will allow the synchronization of vehicle flow from one intersection to another.
GIS mapping evaluation of stroke service areas in Bangkok using emergency medical services
Authors:   , Sreemongkol Kiatirat 
Published: September 2023

Nowadays, stroke is the leading cause of death in Thailand. Patients must be treated within 4.5 hours from symptom onset to increase recovery rate. Time is therefore a critical factor of the success or failure of the treatments. The objective of this research is to investigate the service coverage of various healthcare centers through current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Bangkok. To get service coverages for Stroke in Bangkok, the updated speed of the traffic and the amount of time it takes for each mode of transport for the pre-hospital stroke process are collected and examined using GIS mapping. The findings compare service coverages for different healthcare groupings, namely, non-network and network stroke healthcare centers. The result of this research shows that the service coverages of each hospital depend on the availability of rt-PA facility. Current total stroke service area covers approximately 90.4% of Bangkok but with different service density in each sub-district level. This study recommends guidelines for building new networks and adding healthcare centers to supplement existing networks in order to increase service coverage.
Effectiveness of the new ambulance air exhaust system in reducing aerosol particle concentration
Authors:   , Petrangsan Vasutorn 
Published: September 2023

The objective of this work is to assess the effectiveness in reducing airborne particles of the Camfil® CC410-concealed air exhaust system, that is installed in the ER-1 ambulance (a King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital ambulance). This is done by diffusing aerosols into the cabin at the patient’s face position for an injection period (IP) of 1 minute and measuring the aerosol concentration inside the cabin over time. The experiment is conducted for 2 ventilation conditions, when the exhaust system is off (Minimal Ventilation: MV) and at maximum speed (High Ventilation: HV). Density of the aerosol is interpreted in terms of its volume concentration. Time period is counted at the end of the IP.

Aerosol is found to disperse toward the cabin’s frontal part and then throughout the entire cabin shortly after IP. Its spatial distribution is non-uniform with multiple local peaks, differs between the two cases. Particles of different size range is removed from the cabin with different rates. Without an aid from the exhaust system (MV case), larger particles tend to decay relatively faster. To recover aerosol concentration to that ‘comparable’ to the initial (or background) state for the MV case, it takes 16 minutes for 0.5-1 microns, 12 minutes for 1-2.5 microns, and 9 minutes for 2.5-5 microns particles. The background state is reached after 18 minutes for all size ranges. With the aid in the HV case, the decaying period is shortened to about 5 minutes for all aerosol size ranges. During the passive decay (MV), small aerosols tend to aggregate in the rear cabin and larger aerosols in the front (close to the diffusion nozzle), reflecting their “native" dispersion ability (or inability) with respect to their sizes. Aerosol of medium-to-large 1-5 microns range is relatively large at the cabin frontal part (seat 1) but 0.5-1 microns range is large at the cabin rear (seat 5). During the active decay (HV), on the other hand, larger particle is advected toward the middle and rear parts. Small-to-medium-size aerosols at 0.5-2.5 microns is concentrated at the cabin frontal part (seat 2) while that of 2.5-5 microns concentration is peaked in the middle (seat 3) and on average in the rear (seat 5). The air exhaust system is proven satisfactory effective in reducing aerosol concentration in the ambulance cabin. Considering among seats and particle size in this experiment, the system is able to reduce peak aerosol concentrations by 25% and temporal-averaged concentration by 70%.
Impact of bacterial DNA in severity of sepsis
Authors:   , Kaewduangduen Warerat 
Published: September 2023

Bacterial sepsis can be caused by intestinal damage, leading to the passage of viable bacteria and their components into the circulatory system. Bacterial-free DNA in the blood during sepsis can be derived from bacterial death and intestinal translocation of free DNA in the gut contents. The presence of bacterial DNA in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can lead to more serious outcomes of sepsis. To explore the impact of bacterial-free DNA in sepsis, animal and macrophage experiments were performed. Firstly, the appearance of bacterial-free DNA and bacteriome in the blood was presented in mice with cecal ligation and puncture sepsis. Secondly, injection of LPS with bacterial-free DNA in mice was more severe than LPS injection alone. Finally, the increased TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 cytokine, and several pro-inflammatory genes (iNOS and IL-1β) in macrophages support the synergy between bacterial DNA and LPS. In conclusion, the presence of bacterial-free DNA in sepsis was partly due to the degradation of viable bacteria in blood and the translocation of free DNA from the gut contents resulted in the profound inflammation. These data support the importance of free DNA in the blood during sepsis.
Effect of dielectric barrier discharge plasma hydrogenation on oxidation stability of biodiesel derived from vegetable oils
Authors:   , Kongprawes Grittima 
Published: September 2023

A parallel-plate type dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma was utilized to produce partially hydrogenated fatty acids methyl ester (PH-FAME) derived from soybean and palm FAME. PH-FAME exhibits improved oxidation resistance, resulting in a longer storage time and a delay in changing fuel properties. The DBD plasma reaction occurred at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature without a catalyst. The best condition for 35 mL of soybean FAME hydrogenation was using 25% H2 at ambient temperature for 5.5 h. An increase in saturated and monounsaturated FAMEs corresponded to a reduction of iodine value from 128 to 67.4. This condition created trans fatty acids of about 3.67%. The oxidation stability increased from 2.13 to 10 h and the cloud point increased from -1 to 11°C. As for 300 mL PH-palm FAME production, the optimal condition was 100 W input power, 1 mm gas gap size, and 80% H2 at ambient temperature for 5 h. The iodine value decreased from 50.2 to 43.5 without trans fatty acid formation. The oxidation stability was enhanced to 20 from 12.8 h, while the cloud point rose from 13.5 to 16˚C. The production costs of PH-FAME based on soybean and palm FAME were 36.96 and 8.39 baht per liter, respectively. The DBD plasma is one of the alternative methods that can be employed in the hydrogenation process, but it is necessary to be improved to obtain a reasonable production cost.
Investigation of pm2.5 dispersion in Din Daeng district, Bangkok using computational fluid dynamics modeling
Authors:   , Tancharoen Amintra 
Published: September 2023

Din Daeng is a small and densely populated district of Bangkok with two major expressways in the area. PM2.5 concentrations in Din Daeng district often exceed both daily and annual standards of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was applied to investigate the effects of the metropolitan characteristics and traffic volumes on the dispersion of PM2.5 in Din Daeng district. The turbulent flow was analyzed using the Standard k-ε model. There are two scenarios in this simulation study. One is to investigate the consequences of having the expressways and their resulting PM2.5 emissions. The other is to examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the city lockdown which affected the traffic volumes. The presence of the expressways in Din Daeng district was demonstrated to enhance PM2.5 concentrations. The presence of the expressway increased the concentration of PM2.5 by approximately 3.4 times compared to the case of no expressways. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to have an impact on the concentration of PM2.5 during the city lockdown. During the city lockdown, the concentration of PM2.5 was reduced by approximately 63% compared to the normal period.
Effects of low degree of high ambient temperature on neural pathways from median preoptic nucleus to arcuate nucleus in related to food intake.
Authors:   , Suwannapaporn Pornsiri 
Published: September 2023

High ambient temperature (HTa) is one important environmental factor that decreases food intake (FI). It is well accepted that high degree HTa induced heat stress decreased FI by the activation of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) via hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. However, short-term low-degree HTa exposure has been demonstrated to decrease FI earlier than activated physiological and stress responses. This effect was related to the neuronal connection between the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) and arcuate nucleus (Arc). Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of short-term low-degree HTa exposure on the activity of hypothalamic Arc in regarding to FI, and the involvement of neuronal connection between the MnPO and Arc. It was firstly hypothesized that proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the Arc can mediate the reduction of FI under the effect of short-term low-degree HTa exposure. Second, the neuronal pathway from MnPO to Arc may related with this effect. In order to test the hypothesis, the present study refined the condition of short-term low-degree HTa. This study demonstrated that the short-term low-degree HTa exposure (90 min) based on the control ambient temperature at 23˚C (CTa = 23˚C) and the HTa at 30˚C. The bout of CTa and HTa conditions is 7°C temperature difference (ΔT = 7 ˚C). The results showed that rats exposed to this condition decreased FI without changing in rectal temperature and hematocrit. The effect of short-term low-degree HTa exposure on the Arc could enhanced the number of c-Fos expression, POMC positive neurons and POMC neurons containing c-Fos positive nuclei in the Arc under feeding condition. Moreover, the injection with POMC receptor antagonist (SHU9119) into the lateral ventricle in the rat brain could reverse the effect of short-term low-degree HTa exposure on FI. Finally, to prove the neuronal connection of MnPO-Arc in related with the effect of short-term low-degree HTa exposure. The fluorogold (FG) retrograde tracer was injected to the Arc. Seven days after FG injection found FG-retrograde labeled neurons in the MnPO. The present of FG-labeled neurons in the MnPO imply that the Arc can receive the afferent signal from the MnPO. In conclusion, this study concludes that the Arc POMC neurons are a crucial hypothalamic nucleus on FI under the effect of low-degree HTa exposure. The effect of low degree HTa exposure in reduction on FI is mediated in part by activation of Arc POMC neurons and may relate with the MnPO-Arc pathway.
Association between physical activity and mental health among university students in Bangladesh : a cross sectional study
Authors:   , Sultana Sanjida 
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Mental health is considered one of the most significant topics of public health as it makes up an integral part of a person’s ability to lead a fulfilling life. University students are one of the most vulnerable groups to be affected by mental health disorders due to a change in their life and societal pressure. Lifestyle modifications like physical activity can be one way to combat these Mental Health problems. Although a lot of research has been carried out to analyze the health impact of Physical exercise, impact of it on Mental Health still lags, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has caused people to live a sedentary lifestyle which could be a risk factor for Poor Mental Health among the population during this time. Objective: This study aimed 1) to identify the prevalence of Mental Health (Depression, Anxiety and Stress) and Physical activity during the pandemic time and 2) to assess the association between mental health (Depression, Stress, and Anxiety) and physical activity among Bangladeshi University Students. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 23rd May to 15 June at BRAC University, Bangladesh. The questionnaire was in google form which was shared to several social media groups. Participants were selected through convenience sampling, totaling 413 students Results: The prevalence of Depression was 67.1%, Anxiety was 68.0%and stress was 59.8%. It was found that Gender, Sleep, Relationship with family, Having toxic friends and family members, loneliness and resilience were associated with Mental Health (Depression, Stress and Anxiety). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the sedentary behavior was significantly associated with depression (OR 1.97, 95%CI 1.08 - 3.58). It was also found that vigorous PA and sedentary behavior were associated with stress (OR 1.89, 95%CI 1.25 - 2.86 and OR 1.85, 95%CI 1.15 – 2.99), respectively. Discussion: The findings of the survey illustrated that a significantly high number of University students have symptoms related to Mental Health Disorders such as Depression, Anxiety and Stress. Additionally, a significant proportion of the population is also not involved in recommended Physical Activity by WHO. Psychosocial support and counseling sessions should be provided by the University to help the status of these students. Additionally, the university should introduce compulsory Physical Activity to boost students PA status and lower Sedentary behavior.
Depolymerization of kraft lignin to phenolic compounds by electrochemical advanced oxidation in microreactor
Authors:   , Rittirong Chawakorn 
Published: September 2023

This research focuses on the depolymerization of kraft lignin to phenolic compounds that are valuable and useful in various industries. Depolymerization is performed using an electrochemical advanced oxidation process with the hydroxyl radicals. In this process, microreactors are used. It consists of a graphite anode and a stainless steel cathode. The results of the variables studied were current density (3.7 and 5.55 A/m2), residence time (100-400 s), base pH (9), the base difference (sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide). The experiment found that the major product is octadecamide and the minor product propyl guaiacol is increased when the current increases. On the other hand, some of the minor products increased when the decrease in current. However, residence time increases, both major and minor products decrease. In the base condition, The resulting octadecamide increased from increasing current and residence time. Give the major product is 1,3 dioxane and found the new minor products have been increased. In other words, increasing the current and residence time enhances the formation of hydroxyl radicals, resulting in a decrease of phenolic compounds. On the other hand, the base conditions can decrease the hydroxyl radicals, Especially potassium hydroxide. In addition, the study of dimer products for describing the pathway mechanism of phenolic compounds in microreactors.