PCA-Based Identification of Built Environment Factors Reducing PM2.5 Pollution in Neighborhoods of Five Chinese Megacities

Air pollution, especially PM2.5 pollution, still seriously endangers the health of urban residents in China. The built environment is an important factor affecting PM2.5; however, the key factors remain unclear. Based on 37 neighborhoods located in five Chinese megacities, three relative indicators (the range, duration, and rate of change in PM2.5 concentration) at four pollution levels were calculated as dependent variables to exclude the background levels of PM2.5 in different cities. Nineteen built environment factors extracted from green space and gray space and three meteorological factors were used as independent variables. Principal component analysis was adopted to reveal the relationship between built environment factors, meteorological factors, and PM2.5. Accordingly, 24 models were built using 32 training neighborhood samples. The results showed that the adj_R2 of most models was between 0.6 and 0.8, and the highest adj_R2 was 0.813. Four principal factors were the most important factors that significantly affected the growth and reduction of PM2.5, reflecting the differences in green and gray spaces, building height and its differences, relative humidity, openness, and other characteristics of the neighborhood. Furthermore, the relative error was used to test the error of the predicted values of five verification neighborhood samples, finding that these models had a high fitting degree and can better predict the growth and reduction of PM2.5 based on these built environment factors.

HUMAN FACTORS IN SHIP DESIGN AND OPERATION: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF THE THEORETICAL CONSTRUCT

This technical note presents an analysis of the underlying factors of human factors in ship design based on questionnaires distributed on two offshore supply vessels operating in the Norwegian Sea. The concept of human factors in ship design is still evolving. The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary model of the human factors construct by using a factor analysis method. The results confirm the existence of controllability, workability and habitability as the principal factors of human factors in ship design. Three other factors that emerged are cargo facilities, reliability, automation and maintainability (RAM) and interfacing complexity. Bridging variables found between these factors include elements such as safety, manoeuvring, engine room and bridge design. A preliminary model of how the components or parts relate to human factors in ship design and operation is developed. The model also indicates the parties who are responsible for the various aspects of ship design from a human factors perspective.

A Knowledge Based Analysis on Big Data Analytics in Optimizing Electronic Medical Records in Private Hospitals

The current examination is to break down the information dependent on the Big Data Analytics in enhancing electronic medical records in clinics and wellbeing focuses. Numerous emergency clinics and medical services habitats are experiencing incapable utilization of enormous information investigation in streamlining electronic medical records (EMRs) to create great bits of knowledge for their clinical practices. Hierarchical conduct and the exercises associated with the medical field are the principal factors in improving the utilization of Big Data Analytics in EMRs. The examination centres around exploring the how the models and methods of information can accomplish enormous information life cycle in EMRs. The examination likewise uncovers the information put together investigation with respect to EMRs use and capacity that assists with improving the significant usage of huge information rehearses. The investigation contributes on advanced wellbeing rehearses by investigating the appropriate adaption of scientific instruments to EMRs to shape the significant utilization of large information examination with EMRs.

College Students’ Willingness to Separate Municipal Waste and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study in Chongqing, China

College students are the engine of the sustainability of the future, and their awareness of environmental protection and waste classification is very important for the sustainable implementation of urban solid waste separation projects. Chongqing is one of the first 46 waste separation pilot cities in China. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the municipal waste separation behavior of college students and its influencing factors. Data from a total of 814 questionnaires among college students from sixteen universities in Chongqing were collected. Results showed that most college students think it is necessary to separate waste, and they have executed it in their daily life. Students have a high accuracy in classifying perishable waste, but they are not familiar with the classification of waste lamps, bulbs (14.00%), expired drugs (30.71%), toilet paper (11.3%), peel (18.80%) and brick kilns (27.76%). Special attention should be paid to distinguishing recyclables and other wastes. The principal factors that affect students’ willingness to classify waste are attitude, situational factors and publicity and education, which are embodied in students’ attitude towards waste separation, the surrounding environmental hygiene, the convenience of waste separation, the ease of understanding of waste separation marks and the degree of publicity and education of the school. Four measures are recommended for improving students’ willingness to separate municipal waste based on this investigation.

Unsupervised Clustering in Epidemiological Factor Analysis

Background: The analysis of epidemiological data at an early phase of an epidemiological situation, when the confident correlation of contributing factors to the outcome has not yet been established, may present a challenge for conventional methods of data analysis. Objective: This study aimed to develop approaches for the early analysis of epidemiological data that can be effective in the areas with less labeled data. Methods: An analysis of a combined dataset of epidemiological statistics of national and subnational jurisdictions, aligned at approximately two months after the first local exposure to COVID-19 with unsupervised machine learning methods, including principal component analysis and deep neural network dimensionality reduction, to identify the principal factors of influence was performed. Results: The approach and methods utilized in the study allow to clearly separate milder background cases from those with the most rapid and aggressive onset of the epidemics. Conclusion: The findings can be used in the evaluation of possible epidemiological scenarios and as an effective modeling approach to identify possible negative epidemiological scenarios and design corrective and preventative measures to avoid the development of epidemiological situations with potentially severe impacts.

Fresh haskap berry postharvest quality characteristics and storage life

Haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.) is a relatively new berry crop in North America, and little research exists regarding its postharvest storage characteristics or storage life. Postharvest changes in berry quality, and principal factors limiting storage life at 1.1 °C and 95% relative humidity, were evaluated up to 14 days for three cultivars in 2019 and up to 28 days for six cultivars in 2020. Containerized berries were periodically assessed for soluble solids content (SSC), skin rupture force (SRF) (both 2019 and 2020) and flesh firmness, titratable acidity (TA), and Brix/acid ratio (B/A) (2020 only). External appearance was also evaluated both years, revealing berry shrivel as the primary factor negatively impacting visual appeal, followed distantly by low incidence of spoilage later in storage. All cultivars exhibited relatively constant postharvest SSC and decreasing SRF, flesh firmness, and TA (resulting in increasing B/A ratio). Postharvest quality differed slightly between years; relative SRF was consistent among cultivars while SSC was not. Some cultivars had a portion of shriveled berries at harvest, pointing to a need for cultivar-specific harvest indices. Mean days to slight shrivel for individual berries varied among cultivars evaluated, ranging from 7.5–21.9 d postharvest, with mean weight loss ranging from 1.2%–1.6% at this stage. Combined with group marketability estimates — set at a threshold of 10% severely shriveled berries — we estimate a storage life of 7–10 d for fresh haskaps. Additional research is needed to delineate maturation physiology and optimize harvest timing.

Diagenesis and reservoir space types of alkaline lake-type shale in Fengcheng Formation of Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin, China

Using observations and descriptions of drilling cores, image logging, microscopic section, argon ion polishing field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and whole-rock trace element analysis, the study of shale reservoir diagenesis and space types in the Fengcheng Formation of the Mahu Sag was conducted. Considering the trace element contents and their ratios (Sr/Ba, V/Ni, Th/U, V/(V + Ni), U/Mo, and Sr/Cu), the Fengcheng Formation is formed in a dry and hot continental lacustrine basin with a paleoenvironment of saltwater and anoxic/lean oxygen conditions. The shale reservoirs of the Fengcheng Formation with the characteristic of multisource mixed sedimentation include terrigenous clastic, volcaniclastics, and carbonate rocks. Currently, the Fengcheng reservoir of the Mahu Sag is in the middle of diagenetic-stage B. The principal factors for reservoir densification are compaction, dissolution, carbonate mineral cementation, and clay mineral cementation. The Fengcheng Formation develops multiple reservoir storage space types, such as rock fractures, stylolites, and micro–nanoscale pore-throat systems. The macroreservoir space types include tectonic, induced, bedding, and dissolution–expansion fracture types. The microreservoir space types include microfractures, stylolites, and micro–nanoscale pore throats. The research showed that the Fengcheng Formation has tectonic fracture-pore systems (tectonic fracture-type reservoirs) and stylolite-matrix pore-tectonic microfracture systems (shale oil reservoirs), forming the shale oil preponderant charging channel network. Reservoir space type and its spatial distribution are the principal factors for shale oil accumulation of the Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag.

Empowering Criteria for Effective Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Buildings in Egypt

This study identifies a list of effective criteria for the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in Egypt. Adaptive reuse is one of the most important conservation strategies. The qualitative nature of this approach and its reliance on many diverse and often conflicting heritage factors and values has made decision-making complex, difficult, and fragmentarily supported in a way within the framework of sustainability. The research examines the factors influencing the adaptive reuse of buildings to determine effective and influencing criteria in Egypt for changing resistant perspectives. Criteria from previous studies were reviewed and evaluated for their potential use through a questionnaire tool targeting professional and non-professional, then analyzed by the SPSS statistics program. The results showed five empowering criteria for effective buildings adaptability in Egypt. Based on the analysis for principal components, identified criteria are grouped into seven principal components; heritage value management, integration with the demand of development, environment adaptivity, environmental performance and sustainability, public intervention, adaptation Plan, and financial and investment. The identified empowering criteria and principal factors are considered as a reference for stakeholders and governments to get a clearer vision of adaptive reuse to achieve better and more sustainable planning, and management.

Reward Dysfunction in General and Specific Psychopathology in Children and Adults

Background: Reward dysfunction has been implicated in many psychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders, depression, and substance use disorders. However, psychiatric comorbidities are common, and the specificity of reward dysfunction to individual psychopathologies is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between reward functioning and specific or general psychopathologies. Methods: 1044 adults and their 1215 children (ages 6-12) completed various measures of the Positive Valence System domain from the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC), which included the Delayed and Probability Discounting Tasks, Energy Expenditure for Reward Task, and Iowa Gambling Task. Children also completed the Experienced Pleasure Scale for children, while adults completed the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale and the Behavioral Activation System tasks. Psychopathology was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for children and the Adult Self Report (ASR) for parents. Results: One general factor identified via principal factors factor analysis explained the majority of variance in psychopathology in both groups. Reward measures in both adults and children were significantly associated with general psychopathology as well as most specific psychopathologies. Some associations between reward and psychopathology did not hold following removal of general psychopathology; nonetheless, certain reward constructs were uniquely associated with specific disorder problems but not general psychopathology. Conclusion: Disorder problem specific associations with reward functioning can be identified after removal of comorbidity. General propensity toward psychopathology is significantly but not uniquely correlated with reward dysfunction. Altogether, this may have broader implications for future study of the role of reward in disease pathogenesis.

ISGylation Inhibits an LPS-Induced Inflammatory Response via the TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Goat Endometrial Epithelial Cells

Endometritis is a common and important reproductive disease of domestic animals. The principal factors responsible for the disease are infection with Gram-negative bacteria, the release of Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and activation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. However, we do not fully understand the interaction between endometrial immunity and bacterial infection in the disease etiology. The ubiquitin-like protein ISG15 can regulate the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway via the ISGylation modification system, modulating the inflammatory response. In the present study, we found that ISG15 protein was expressed mainly in the cytoplasm of goat endometrial epithelial cells (gEECs) and that the expression of key genes and proteins of ISGylation increased in LPS-induced gEECs. Overexpression and silencing of the ISG15 gene demonstrated that ISGylation inhibited an LPS-induced inflammatory response via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in gEECs. Here, we provide the experimental basis for further exploration of the role of the ISGylation modification system in the inflammatory response of endometrium and a potential method for the treatment of endometritis.