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Due to the frequent impact of external risks, scientific tourism risk assessment has become the primary task to be implemented in the process of tourism development. Especially with the development of self-driving travel, cross-regional tourism corridors have become an important tourism carrier. However,
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Due to the frequent impact of external risks, scientific tourism risk assessment has become the primary task to be implemented in the process of tourism development. Especially with the development of self-driving travel, cross-regional tourism corridors have become an important tourism carrier. However, compared to traditional fixed-location tourism, cross-regional tourism introduces a more intricate landscape of risks. Therefore, there is a pressing need to assess the tourism risks inherent in these corridors. There are many cross-regional tourism corridors in the Tibetan Plateau, but the natural environment of the Tibetan Plateau brings great risks to these tourism corridors. That is why this study focuses on the Tibetan Plateau’s tourism corridors, employing methodologies such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process, entropy weight method, geographic information systems (GIS) spatial analysis, and others to delve into their tourism risk profiles and the influencing factors. Our findings reveal elevated tourism risks across the Tibetan Plateau’s corridors, notably concentrated along the Yunnan–Tibet Line, north Sichuan–Tibet Line, Xinjiang–Tibet Line, Tangfan Ancient Road, Qinghai–Tibet Line, and south Sichuan–Tibet Line. Furthermore, Geodetector was employed to scrutinize the factors influencing tourism risk within the Tibetan Plateau’s corridors, identifying tourism resource endowment, geographical location, precipitation patterns, and economic foundations as primary influencers. Notably, the interaction between these factors exacerbates the overall tourism risk. These insights significantly contribute to the field of tourism risk research and provide a scientific basis for formulating robust tourism safety management strategies within the Tibetan Plateau region.
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Perilla frutescens var. acuta (Lamiaceae) is widely used not only as an oil or a spice, but also as a traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, fever, and indigestion. As an ongoing effort, luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide (1), apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide (
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Perilla frutescens var. acuta (Lamiaceae) is widely used not only as an oil or a spice, but also as a traditional medicine to treat colds, coughs, fever, and indigestion. As an ongoing effort, luteolin-7-O-diglucuronide (1), apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide (2), and rosmarinic acid (3) isolated from P. frutescens var. acuta were investigated for their anti-adipogenic and thermogenic activities in 3T3-L1 cells. Compound 1 exhibited a strong inhibition against adipocyte differentiation by suppressing the expression of Pparg and Cebpa over 52.0% and 45.0%, respectively. Moreover, 2 inhibited the expression of those genes in a dose-dependent manner [Pparg: 41.7% (5 µM), 62.0% (10 µM), and 81.6% (50 µM); Cebpa: 13.8% (5 µM), 18.4% (10 µM), and 37.2% (50 µM)]. On the other hand, the P. frutescens var. acuta water extract showed moderate thermogenic activities. Compounds 1 and 3 also induced thermogenesis in a dose-dependent manner by stimulating the mRNA expressions of Ucp1, Pgc1a, and Prdm16. Moreover, an LC-MS/MS chromatogram of the extract was acquired using UHPLC-MS2 and it was analyzed by feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) and the Progenesis QI software (version 3.0). The chemical profiling of the extract demonstrated that flavonoids and their glycoside derivatives, including those isolated earlier as well as rosmarinic acid, are present in P. frutescens var. acuta.
Full article
The gut microbiota constitutes a complex ecosystem that has an important impact on host health. In this study, genetically engineered zebrafish with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS or NOS2) knockout were used as a model to investigate the effects of nos2a/nos2b [...] Read more.
The gut microbiota constitutes a complex ecosystem that has an important impact on host health. In this study, genetically engineered zebrafish with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS or NOS2) knockout were used as a model to investigate the effects of nos2a/nos2b gene single knockout and nos2 gene double knockout on intestinal microbiome composition and function. Extensive 16S rRNA sequencing revealed substantial changes in microbial diversity and specific taxonomic abundances, yet it did not affect the functional structure of the intestinal tissues. Notably, iNOS-deficient zebrafish demonstrated a decrease in Vibrio species and an increase in Aeromonas species, with more pronounced effects observed in double knockouts. Further transcriptomic analysis of the gut in double iNOS knockout zebrafish indicated significant alterations in immune-related and metabolic pathways, including the complement and PPAR signaling pathways. These findings underscore the crucial interplay between host genetics and gut microbiota, indicating that iNOS plays a key role in modulating the gut microbial ecology, host immune system, and metabolic responses.
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Recently, as global climate change and local disturbances such as wildfires continue, long- and short-term changes in the high-latitude vegetation systems have been observed in various studies. Although remote sensing technology using optical satellites has been widely used in understanding vegetation dynamics in
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Recently, as global climate change and local disturbances such as wildfires continue, long- and short-term changes in the high-latitude vegetation systems have been observed in various studies. Although remote sensing technology using optical satellites has been widely used in understanding vegetation dynamics in high-latitude areas, there has been limited understanding of various landscape changes at different spatiotemporal scales, their mutual relationships, and overall long-term landscape changes. The objective of this study is to devise a change monitoring strategy that can effectively observe landscape changes at different spatiotemporal scales in the boreal ecosystems from temporally sparse time series remote sensing data. We presented a new post-classification-based change analysis scheme and applied it to time series Landsat data for the central Yakutian study area. Spectral variability between time series data has been a major problem in the analysis of changes that make it difficult to distinguish long- and short-term land cover changes from seasonal growth activities. To address this issue effectively, two ideas in the time series classification, such as the stepwise classification and the lateral stacking strategies were implemented in the classification process. The proposed classification results showed consistently higher overall accuracies of more than 90% obtained in all classes throughout the study period. The temporal classification results revealed the distinct spatial and temporal patterns of the land cover changes in central Yakutia. The spatiotemporal distribution of the short-term class illustrated that the ecosystem disturbance caused by fire could be affected by local thermal and hydrological conditions of the active layer as well as climatic conditions. On the other hand, the long-term class changes revealed land cover trajectories that could not be explained by monotonic increase or decrease. To characterize the long-term land cover change patterns, we applied a piecewise linear model with two line segments to areal class changes. During the former half of the study period, which corresponds to the 2000s, the areal expansion of lakes on the eastern Lena River terrace was the dominant feature of the land cover change. On the other hand, the land cover changes in the latter half of the study period, which corresponds to the 2010s, exhibited that lake area decreased, particularly in the thermokarst lowlands close to the Lena and Aldan rivers. In this area, significant forest decline can also be identified during the 2010s.
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by
Carmine Fusaro, Valentina Miranda-Madera, Nancy Serrano-Silva, Jaime E. Bernal, Karina Ríos-Montes, Francisco Erik González-Jiménez, Dennys Ojeda-Juárez and Yohanna Sarria-Guzmán
Antibiotics2024, 13(6), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13060481 (registering DOI) - 23 May 2024
Street food may be a vehicle of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to humans. Foods contaminated with ARB entail serious problems or challenges in the fields of medical care, animal husbandry, food industry, and public health worldwide. The objectives of
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Street food may be a vehicle of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to humans. Foods contaminated with ARB entail serious problems or challenges in the fields of medical care, animal husbandry, food industry, and public health worldwide. The objectives of this systematic review were to identify and evaluate scientific reports associated with ARB isolated from various street foods. “Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis” (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The bibliographic material covers a period from January 2015 to April 2024. Six electronic scientific databases were searched individually for full-text articles; only those papers that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. Seventeen papers were included in this systematic review. This study highlighted the wide distribution of ARB resistant to β-lactams and other antibiotics, posing significant health risks to consumers. High resistance levels were observed for antibiotics such as ampicillin, ceftriaxone, and tetracycline, while some antibiotics, such as ceftazidime, clavulanic acid, cefoperazone, cotrimoxazole, doxycycline, doripenem, fosfomycin, vancomycin, and piperacillin-tazobactam, demonstrated 100% susceptibility. The prevalence of ARB in street foods varied between 5.2% and 70.8% among different countries. The multiple resistance of various bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Klebsiella, to multiple classes of antibiotics, as well as environmental factors contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance (AR), emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive approaches and coordinated efforts to confront antimicrobial resistance (AMR) under the “One Health” paradigm.
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This study addresses the challenges of the expanding global online retail market by developing an innovative inventory management strategy that promotes sustainable development. We propose an integrated planning model that utilizes a newly enhanced Parallel Chicken Swarm Optimization (PCSO) algorithm alongside the established
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This study addresses the challenges of the expanding global online retail market by developing an innovative inventory management strategy that promotes sustainable development. We propose an integrated planning model that utilizes a newly enhanced Parallel Chicken Swarm Optimization (PCSO) algorithm alongside the established Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model and the (s, S) inventory policy. Our model demonstrates its effectiveness through simulation experiments, showcasing its ability to dynamically adjust inventory thresholds based on daily forecasted demand, which significantly optimizes replenishment strategies. Notably, our model achieves a total cost reduction while maintaining a high service level of 0.761467 and reduces computational time to 82.32 s, highlighting its efficiency and adaptability. The innovation of this research lies in the application of the PCSO algorithm to dynamically manage inventory in real-time, aligning with sustainable inventory management practices. This study significantly contributes to the field by enhancing the economic and environmental sustainability of supply chain operations.
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Abstract: Existing studies need to pay more attention to the policy mechanisms of how to promote the development of cultural and creative industries through coordinating multi-stakeholder participation. Based on evolutionary game theory, this study constructs a three-party evolutionary game model to analyze the
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Abstract: Existing studies need to pay more attention to the policy mechanisms of how to promote the development of cultural and creative industries through coordinating multi-stakeholder participation. Based on evolutionary game theory, this study constructs a three-party evolutionary game model to analyze the behavioral patterns of the government, cultural and creative enterprises, and consumers under different support policies. In addition, it takes the Chinese intangible cultural heritage of “Huaihe willow weaving” as a typical case for simulation. The results show that the probability of the system converging to the expected equilibrium point is low after implementing the certification policy, but the probability of the system converging to the expected equilibrium is significantly increased after implementing the incentive policy. Producer subsidies have significant advantages over consumer subsidies. At this stage, the government should consider jointly implementing the “certification + incentives” policy in phases to promote the development of cultural and creative industries.
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Physiological disorders impact the yield and quality of marketable fruit in tomato. Puffy fruit caused by cavities inside the locule can be problematic for processing and fresh market quality. In this paper, we used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) and three derived processing
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Physiological disorders impact the yield and quality of marketable fruit in tomato. Puffy fruit caused by cavities inside the locule can be problematic for processing and fresh market quality. In this paper, we used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) and three derived processing tomato populations to map and validate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for fruit puffiness across environments. Binary interval mapping was used for mapping the incidence of fruit puffiness, and non-parametric interval mapping and parametric composite interval mapping were used for mapping severity. Marker–trait regressions were carried out to validate putative QTLs in subsequent crosses. QTLs were detected on chromosome (Chr) 1, 2, and 4. Only the QTL on Chr 1 was validated in progeny from subsequent crosses. This QTL explained up to 22.5% of the variance in the percentage of puffy fruit, with a significant interaction between loci on Chr 2 and 4, increasing the percentage of puffy fruit by an additional 15%. The allele responsible for puffy fruit on Chr 1 was inherited from parent FG02-188 and was dominant towards increased incidence and severity. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) for the QTL on Chr 1 was as efficient as genomic selection (GS) in reducing the incidence and severity of puffy fruit, despite the potential contribution of other loci.
Full article
Agricultural irrigation requires significant consumption of freshwater resources and energy. The integration of photovoltaic power generation into irrigation systems has been extensively investigated in order to save the cost of energy. However, current research often neglects the coupling relationship between photovoltaic power generation
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Agricultural irrigation requires significant consumption of freshwater resources and energy. The integration of photovoltaic power generation into irrigation systems has been extensively investigated in order to save the cost of energy. However, current research often neglects the coupling relationship between photovoltaic power generation and irrigation schemes. This study presented a novel smart integrated photovoltaic pump station system to effectively address the issue associated with water and energy consumption in irrigation. An optimization model was proposed to synchronize the energy consumption of irrigation pump stations with photovoltaic power generation, accurately meeting the irrigation water demand while maximizing solar energy utilization. The optimization model incorporates power balance, grid-connected power, and total water demand as constraints while considering pump speed as the decision variable and aiming to minimize daily operational costs. Finally, a high-standard farmland was used as a case study to validate the efficacy of the optimization strategy through two photovoltaic grid-connected policies—one allowing for the sale of surplus power and the other prohibiting it. An improved dynamic programming method was employed to solve for optimal energy consumption schemes under different water demand conditions; the results were compared against traditional methods, revealing potential cost savings ranging from 6.2% to 30.5%. The optimization model and method propose a new operational concept for the irrigation system with photovoltaic generation, effectively utilizing the distinctive features of both irrigation and photovoltaics to optimize water and energy resources.
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The use of validated tools to evaluate the nutritional status of the cancer patient provides guaranteed precision and reliability in their nutritional evaluation, ensuring that the information is accurate and reflects the patient's situation. The aim of this study was to identify the
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The use of validated tools to evaluate the nutritional status of the cancer patient provides guaranteed precision and reliability in their nutritional evaluation, ensuring that the information is accurate and reflects the patient's situation. The aim of this study was to identify the valid and reliable instruments in the evaluation of the nutritional status of cancer patients with a diagnosis of solid tumor undergoing antineoplastic treatment (chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy). A scoping review was conducted to search for original articles published in scientific journals in English, Spanish, or Portuguese in the past five years. In order to identify potentially relevant documents, searches were performed in the following databases: SCOPUS, WOS, CINAHL, MEDLINE, BVS, and PUBMED. DECS-MeSH descriptors and Boolean operators were used. In addition, the Arksey and O’Malley protocol, the Joanne Briggs Institute (JBI) method, and the flow chart of the Preferred Information Elements for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, known as PRISMA, were followed. The initial search strategy identified a total of 164 references, which were examined successively, leaving a final selection of ten studies. It was found that the most used instrument for nutritional evaluation was the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Other questionnaires also stood out such as the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS 2002), and the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT). The variation in the tools used ranges from subjective assessments to objective measurements, thus underlining the need for a comprehensive and individualized approach.
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Encephalitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) are often caused or triggered by viruses—but the specific pathogen commonly remains unidentified in routine care. We explored the use of viral metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in addition to PCR testing of non-invasive stool samples to see
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Encephalitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) are often caused or triggered by viruses—but the specific pathogen commonly remains unidentified in routine care. We explored the use of viral metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in addition to PCR testing of non-invasive stool samples to see if unbiased testing could potentially increase diagnostic yield. To identify specific clinical cases at the point of care, we took advantage of a previously published digital app allowing instant clinical case classification based on consensus case criteria, the VACC-Tool. This hospital-based prospective digital surveillance program assessed 100 pediatric patients (mean age: 11 years, range: 0.15–17.85; 49% male) with case-confirmed encephalitis and/or ADEM. Analysis of case classification at the point of care revealed that in routine care, 96% of confirmed encephalitis/ADEM cases had been missed. Overall agreement of routine care diagnoses with digital encephalitis/ADEM case classification was <50%. Also in routine care, only 13% of cases held a virus-related diagnosis, i.e., herpesvirus (n = 8) and enterovirus infection (n = 5). Use of mNGS increased the yield of virus detection by 77% (n = 23 virus hits). Specifically, mNGS identified 10 additional virus species beyond herpes- and enteroviruses. Of the additional 23 virus hits detected with mNGS, PCR confirmation was possible post hoc in 14 cases (61%). Linking digital case classification, mNGS, and PCR testing may not be feasible in routine care at this point but may help to provide hints to the pathogenesis of encephalitis/ADEM in childhood, warranting further research and exploration.
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(1) The study aims to utilize a reported approach for culturing mesophilic bacteria from a plastic waste environment; (2) The work revived mesophilic microbial population from an aged PET recycling site using a culture-based approach, and determined the purified isolates in genus level
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(1) The study aims to utilize a reported approach for culturing mesophilic bacteria from a plastic waste environment; (2) The work revived mesophilic microbial population from an aged PET recycling site using a culture-based approach, and determined the purified isolates in genus level in 16S identification; (3) A total of 59 bacterial isolates were obtained, in which microbial species, including Pseudomonas spp, Rhodococcus spp, and Burkholderia spp were identified as abundance. It was observed that the surviving microbes favoured sodium propionate as a short-chain carbon source for growth, rather than the intended plastic substrate, PET. The preference of sodium propionate utilization by several bacterial isolates, including 5601W (detected as Rhodococcus spp.), 5601Y, 7801, and 7802 (detected as Burkholderia spp.), was confirmed through growth curve analysis and cell enumeration conducted in a medium where sodium propionate served as the sole carbon source.; (4) The microbial demonstration revealed the metabolic complex of microbial communities in the environment and indicated the challenges associated with bacterial isolation from environments with accumulated plastic waste.
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One of the most pressing challenges associated with SARS treatment is the emergence of new variants that may be transmissible, causing more severe disease or being resistant to the current standard of treatment. This study aimed to identify potential drug candidates from novel
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One of the most pressing challenges associated with SARS treatment is the emergence of new variants that may be transmissible, causing more severe disease or being resistant to the current standard of treatment. This study aimed to identify potential drug candidates from novel imidazole derivatives against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), a crucial drug target for treating viral infection, using a computational approach that integrated molecular docking and dynamics simulation. In this study, we utilized AutoDock Vina within the PyRx workspace for molecular docking analysis to explore the inhibitory effects of the compounds on the Mpro, a drug target for SARS-CoV-2. The ADMET properties of these compounds, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity, were evaluated using the SwissADME and ADMETLab servers. Each of the 18 compounds that were tested demonstrated strong binding affinities towards Mpro, with imidazolyl–methanone C10 showing the most significant binding affinity. Moreover, pyridyl–imidazole C5, thiophenyl–imidazole C1, and quinoline–imidazole C14 displayed binding affinities of −8.3, −8.2, and −7.7 Kcal/mol, respectively. These compounds interacted with specific amino acid residues (HIS A:41—CYS A:145) within the Mpro protein. To assess the stability of the ligand with the best binding affinity, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted using Schrodinger software, which revealed its stability over the simulation period. The study provides valuable insights into the potential of imidazole derivatives as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. All compounds including C10 display promising characteristics and hold potential as drug candidates for SARS-CoV-2. However, further optimization and experimental validation of these compounds are necessary to advance their development as effective therapeutics against viral infections.
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The objective of this qualitative investigation is to identify the assistive technology recognized by students with disabilities and to determine the assistive technology (software apps and devices) they require both at university and at home. A total of forty-two students, comprising 20 males
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The objective of this qualitative investigation is to identify the assistive technology recognized by students with disabilities and to determine the assistive technology (software apps and devices) they require both at university and at home. A total of forty-two students, comprising 20 males and 22 females, were recruited from four different countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain) for participation in this study. The sample encompassed 10 students with visual impairments, 11 with hearing impairments, 11 with mobility impairments, and 10 with specific learning disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the students either online or in person. Content analysis was employed to scrutinize the data obtained from these interviews. The outcomes of this analysis shed light on the assistive technology acknowledged, utilized, or desired by students with disabilities in both academic and domestic settings. The findings from this study carry practical implications for fostering inclusive and accessible education within higher education institutions, benefiting accessibility units/offices staff as well as teaching personnel.
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Babesiosis, caused by Babesiaovis, is a major seasonal issue in sheep, particularly in countries like Türkiye with high Rhipicephalusbursa tick populations. Previous studies employing various methods such as microscopy, serology, or molecular techniques have reported different epidemiological data
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Babesiosis, caused by Babesiaovis, is a major seasonal issue in sheep, particularly in countries like Türkiye with high Rhipicephalusbursa tick populations. Previous studies employing various methods such as microscopy, serology, or molecular techniques have reported different epidemiological data concerning ovine babesiosis. Addressing this knowledge gap, our study employed a combined nested PCR (nPCR)/indirect ELISA (iELISA) approach, analyzing blood samples collected from 414 sheep between April and July 2023 using both techniques. nPCR amplified the 18S ribosomal RNA gene of B. ovis and determined a molecular prevalence of 1.9%. Conversely, serological testing using iELISA targeted the BoSA1 antigen and revealed a significantly higher positivity rate of 59.9% for anti-B. ovis antibodies. The temporary presence of Babesia after recovery reduces nPCR sensitivity, resulting in lower molecular prevalence. However, even if Babesia is not present in the host, anti-B. ovis antibodies remain in the serum for a long time and can be detected serologically. Our study underscores the necessity of concurrently employing molecular and serological methods for an accurate assessment of B. ovis prevalence. It highlights the importance of comprehensive epidemiological approaches for effective disease management in sheep populations.
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The four-wheel steering distributed drive vehicle is a novel type of vehicle with independent control over the four-wheel angle and wheel torque. A method for jointly controlling the distribution of the wheel angle and torque is proposed based on this characteristic. Firstly, the
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The four-wheel steering distributed drive vehicle is a novel type of vehicle with independent control over the four-wheel angle and wheel torque. A method for jointly controlling the distribution of the wheel angle and torque is proposed based on this characteristic. Firstly, the two-degrees-of-freedom model and ideal reference model of four-wheel steering vehicle are established; then, the four-wheel steering controller and torque distribution controller are designed. The rear wheel angle is controlled by the feedforward controller and the feedback controller. The feedforward controller takes the side slip angle of the center of mass as the control target, and the feedback controller takes the yaw angle as the control target. Torque is controlled by two control layers, the additional yaw moment of the upper layer is calculated by the vehicle motion state and fuzzy control theory, and the lower layer distributes wheel torque through the road adhesion coefficient and wheel load. Finally, a simulation platform is established to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.
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This study explores the interrelationship between community attachment in AlUla Heritage City (located in Saudi Arabia) and tourists’ green consumption practices, testing support for green tourism development as a mediator. The old historical city of AlUla, a significant city experiencing ongoing preservation and
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This study explores the interrelationship between community attachment in AlUla Heritage City (located in Saudi Arabia) and tourists’ green consumption practices, testing support for green tourism development as a mediator. The old historical city of AlUla, a significant city experiencing ongoing preservation and tourism development, represents an adequate context for exploring the link between community attachment and green tourism practices. This study employs a quantitative approach, including surveys with 328 local residents of AlUla. A structural equation modeling partial least square (PLS-SEM) analysis is conducted to explore the indirect influence of community attachment on tourists’ green consumption through the mediating role of support for green tourism development. The findings indicated a positive path from community attachment in AlUla to tourists’ tendencies toward green consumption behavior. Moreover, the mediating effects of support for green tourism development suggested that a deep sense of community attachment improves tourists’ support for green practices in the tourism sector. This study adds to the extended body of the literature on place attachment and green tourism by emphasizing the significance of community place attachment in stimulating tourists’ green consumption practices. Several practical implications for policymakers seeking to promote green tourism practices in heritage cities like AlUla are explored from the study results.
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The burgeoning significance of antiferroelectric (AFE) materials, particularly as viable candidates for electrostatic energy storage capacitors in power electronics, has sparked substantial interest. Among these, lead-free sodium niobate (NaNbO3) AFE materials are emerging as eco-friendly and promising alternatives to lead-based materials,
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The burgeoning significance of antiferroelectric (AFE) materials, particularly as viable candidates for electrostatic energy storage capacitors in power electronics, has sparked substantial interest. Among these, lead-free sodium niobate (NaNbO3) AFE materials are emerging as eco-friendly and promising alternatives to lead-based materials, which pose risks to human health and the environment, attributed to their superior recoverable energy density and dielectric breakdown strength. This review offers an insightful overview of the fundamental principles underlying antiferroelectricity and the applications of AFE materials. It underscores the recent advancements in lead-free NaNbO3-based materials, focusing on their crystal structures, phase transitions, and innovative strategies devised to tailor their electrostatic energy storage performance. Finally, this review delineates the prevailing challenges and envisages future directions in the realm of NaNbO3-based electrostatic energy storage capacitors, with the goal of fostering further advancements in this pivotal field.
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This work presents a numerical study on atmospheric sound propagation over rough water surfaces with the aim of improving predictions of sound propagation over long distances. A method for generating pseudorandom sea profiles consistent with sea wave spectra is presented. The proposed method
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This work presents a numerical study on atmospheric sound propagation over rough water surfaces with the aim of improving predictions of sound propagation over long distances. A method for generating pseudorandom sea profiles consistent with sea wave spectra is presented. The proposed method is suited for capturing the logarithmic nature of the energy distribution of the waves. Sea profiles representing fully developed seas for sea states 2, 3, 4, and 5 are generated from the Elfouhaily et al. (ECKV) sea wave spectra. Excess attenuation caused by refraction and surface roughness is predicted with a parabolic equation (PE) solver. A novel method for estimating equivalent effective impedance based on PE predictions at different sea states is presented. Parametric expressions using acoustic frequency and significant wave height are developed for effective surface impedances. In this work, sea surface roughness is on a scale comparable with the acoustic wavelength. Under this condition, the acoustic scattering is primarily incoherent. This work shows the limitations of using an equivalent surface impedance in such incoherent scattering cases.
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In this paper, we study the existence of multiple normalized solutions for a Choquard equation involving fractional p-Laplacian in . With the help of variational methods, minimization techniques, and the Lusternik–Schnirelmann category, the existence of multiple normalized solutions is obtained
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In this paper, we study the existence of multiple normalized solutions for a Choquard equation involving fractional p-Laplacian in . With the help of variational methods, minimization techniques, and the Lusternik–Schnirelmann category, the existence of multiple normalized solutions is obtained for the above problem.
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The rootstock ‘Rootpac R’ is not used for apricots. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of ‘Rootpac R’ in comparison to the widely used ‘Myrobalan 29C’ rootstock. The evaluation of the rootstocks was conducted in combination with 16 scion
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The rootstock ‘Rootpac R’ is not used for apricots. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of ‘Rootpac R’ in comparison to the widely used ‘Myrobalan 29C’ rootstock. The evaluation of the rootstocks was conducted in combination with 16 scion cultivars to assess their effects on vegetative traits and mortality. The total height of the trees on ‘Rootpac R’ initially surpassed the ‘Myrobalan 29C’ trees. By the end of the fourth year, both rootstocks showed comparable heights with ‘Rootpac R’ standing at 317 cm and ‘Myrobalan 29C’ standing at 307 cm. Both rootstocks exhibited comparable TCSA values of 5 cm2 initially; ‘Rootpac R’ surpassed 35% compared to ‘Myrobalan 29C’. Canopy space occupancy assessments revealed that ‘Rootpac R’ initially demonstrated superior space utilization, occupying 8% of the designated volume compared to 4% for ‘Myrobalan 29C’. By the fourth year, ‘Rootpac R’ exhibited a higher occupancy rate of 65% compared to 50% for ‘Myrobalan 29C’. For apricot cultivars, such as ‘Bergeron’, ‘C. óriás’, ‘Gönci magyarkajszi’, ‘Lady Cot’, ‘Tardif de Valance’, and ‘Tom Cot’, ‘Rootpac R’ exhibited survival rates beyond the fourth season, highlighting its effectiveness for these varieties. Based on these results, ‘Rootpac R’ rootstock could be useful in apricot growing.
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Sport Vision is a speciality of multidisciplinary interest aimed at improving the performance of the visual system to achieve benefits in practiced sports, as well as in daily life and in preventive care. The type of training practiced by the athlete, his or
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Sport Vision is a speciality of multidisciplinary interest aimed at improving the performance of the visual system to achieve benefits in practiced sports, as well as in daily life and in preventive care. The type of training practiced by the athlete, his or her physical condition, cognitive level, and level of fatigue condition affects the speed of the reaction time and, consequently, the speed of motor response. Specific orthoptic exercises, the use of technological devices, the recovery of static and dynamic postural stability by using unstable platforms and the dual-task paradigm can help to achieve the expected results. The aim of this systematic review of Sport Vision was to assess the overall existing literature on Sport Vision, paying particular attention to the effects of visual training and its application in different sports and in rehabilitation and preventive settings. We analysed published English language studies about the role of sport vision in athletic performance from 1950 to 2023. We searched through the Medline database. The PRISMA 2020 checklist was used to assess the transparency and reproducibility of this review. The enrolled papers were evaluated with the Jadad Scale, Amstar 2 Scale and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. 25 (16 studies, 5 reviews, 2 comments, 1 editorial, 1 descriptive paper) out of 476 studies met the inclusion criteria. Due to the variability in the age of the samples, the different techniques, the treatments among the participants in the studies and the finding of non-evaluable articles, a meta-analysis was not conducted. The limitations of this review are the single database research, the studies analyzed contain a non-statistically representative sample size and the lack of a control group. There is no standardized test to measure performance. It was shown that the development of visual skills can benefit athletes in injury prevention, and can lead to improved sports performance and motor function at any age, acquiring adaptive motor behaviour even when the visual system is impaired, due to task repetition and familiarity of the gesture. We intended to identify a multidisciplinary approach and a manual treatment scheme to optimize the circuitry involved in sport vision in order to increase the results that are achieved, but further studies will be needed to this end.
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There are many works associating the presence of nitrate in water and the occurrence of cancer in humans. The most common method for quantifying nitrate in water is based on the use of toxic cadmium as a reductant. In this work, a new
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There are many works associating the presence of nitrate in water and the occurrence of cancer in humans. The most common method for quantifying nitrate in water is based on the use of toxic cadmium as a reductant. In this work, a new approach was developed for the quantification of nitrate in bottled water with indirect spectrophotometry using Zn0 as a reductant. Nitrate is reduced to nitrite using Zn0 in a buffered medium (acetate/acetic acid) and quantified with visible spectrophotometry using the Griess reaction between sulfanilamide and N-(1-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine. The influence of pH, buffer solution (constitution and concentration), Zn0 (mass and granulometry), and agitation time on the efficiency of nitrite generation was evaluated. The optimal conditions were an acetate–acetic acid buffer solution with a concentration and pH of 0.75 mol L−1 and 6.00, respectively, and a Zn0 particle size of 20 MESH and Zn0 mass of 300 mg. The limits of detection and quantification (LoD and LoQ) were 0.024 and 0.08 mg L−1, respectively. The method’s accuracy and precision were evaluated using the analysis of commercial bottled water. In conclusion, the use of Zn0 instead of cadmium provided a green method with excellent LoD/LoQ. Further, the method proved to be simple and easy to apply during outdoor analysis.
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