bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Variations of Global Solar Radiation and Its Potential Effects at Dome C (Antarctica)
Authors: Bai Jianhui , Zong Xuemei , Lanconelli Christian , Lupi Angelo , Driemel Amelie , Vitale Vito , Li Kaili , Song Tao
Published: March 2022

An empirical model to predict hourly global solar irradiance under all-sky conditions as a function of absorbing and scattering factors has been applied at the Dome C station in the Antarctic, using measured solar radiation and meteorological variables. The calculated hourly global solar irradiance agrees well with measurements at the ground in 2008–2011 (the model development period) and at the top of the atmosphere (TOA). This model is applied to compute global solar irradiance at the ground and its extinction in the atmosphere caused by absorbing and scattering substances during the 2006–2016 period. A sensitivity study shows that the responses of global solar irradiance to changes in water vapor and scattering factors (expressed by water vapor pressure and S/G, respectively; S and G are diffuse and global solar irradiance, respectively) are nonlinear and negative, and that global solar irradiance is more sensitive to changes in scattering than to changes in water vapor. Applying this empirical model, the albedos at the TOA and the surface in 2006–2016 are estimated and found to agree with the satellite-based retrievals. During 2006–2016, the annual mean observed and estimated global solar exposures decreased by 0.05% and 0.09%, respectively, and the diffuse exposure increased by 0.68% per year, associated with the yearly increase of the S/G ratio by 0.57% and the water vapor pressure by 1.46%. The annual mean air temperature increased by about 1.80 °C over the ten years, and agrees with the warming trends for all of Antarctica. The annual averages were 316.49 Wm−2 for the calculated global solar radiation, 0.332 for S/G, −46.23 °C for the air temperature and 0.10 hPa for the water vapor pressure. The annual mean losses of solar exposure due to absorbing and scattering substances and the total loss were 4.02, 0.19 and 4.21 MJ m−2, respectively. The annual mean absorbing loss was much larger than the scattering loss; their contributions to the total loss were 95.49% and 4.51%, respectively, indicating that absorbing substances are dominant and play essential roles. The annual absorbing, scattering and total losses increased by 0.01%, 0.39% and 0.28% per year, respectively. The estimated and satellite-retrieved annual albedos increased at the surface. The mechanisms of air-temperature change at two pole sites, as well as a mid-latitude site, are discussed.
A Hybrid Model for Driver Emotion Detection Using Feature Fusion Approach
Authors: Sukhavasi Suparshya Babu , Sukhavasi Susrutha Babu , Elleithy Khaled , El-Sayed Ahmed , Elleithy Abdelrahman
Published: March 2022

Machine and deep learning techniques are two branches of artificial intelligence that have proven very efficient in solving advanced human problems. The automotive industry is currently using this technology to support drivers with advanced driver assistance systems. These systems can assist various functions for proper driving and estimate drivers’ capability of stable driving behavior and road safety. Many studies have proved that the driver’s emotions are the significant factors that manage the driver’s behavior, leading to severe vehicle collisions. Therefore, continuous monitoring of drivers’ emotions can help predict their behavior to avoid accidents. A novel hybrid network architecture using a deep neural network and support vector machine has been developed to predict between six and seven driver’s emotions in different poses, occlusions, and illumination conditions to achieve this goal. To determine the emotions, a fusion of Gabor and LBP features has been utilized to find the features and been classified using a support vector machine classifier combined with a convolutional neural network. Our proposed model achieved better performance accuracy of 84.41%, 95.05%, 98.57%, and 98.64% for FER 2013, CK+, KDEF, and KMU-FED datasets, respectively.
Effects of 6-Month Square Stepping Exercise Intervention on Physical and Cognitive Competence, Regucalcin, and Body Composition in Older People: Study Protocol for a Randomised Control Trial
Authors: Franco-García Juan Manuel , Carlos-Vivas Jorge , Pereira-Payo Damián , Adsuar José Carmelo , Mendoza-Muñoz María , Granado-Sánchez Manuel , Pastor-Cisneros Raquel , Muñoz-Bermejo Laura , Barrios-Fernández Sabina , Nobari Hadi , Gusi Narcis , Pérez-Gómez Jorge
Published: March 2022

Background: Age-related changes negatively affect physical fitness, body composition, and executive function and produce a decrease in regucalcin level expression in blood. The square-stepping exercise (SSE) is a balance and lower-limb strength training programme used to prevent falls and stimulate cognitive function in older adults. This project aims to analyse the effects of SSE on executive function, regucalcin expression, fall prevention, body composition, and physical fitness in people over 65 years old. Methods: A randomized controlled trial will be conducted. A total of 90 older people over 65 years old will be recruited and randomly assigned to 2 groups: experimental (n = 45) and control (n = 45). The experimental group will perform an SSE-based intervention for 6 months (2 times per week), while the control group do not follow any treatment. Results: The main outcome will be balance, but other motor (body mass index, upper- and lower-limb strength, flexibility, and speed-agility) and cognitive variables (executive functions and attention) will be assessed. The expression of regucalcin levels will also be evaluated. Therefore, this project aims to analyse the effect of a 6-month SSE intervention on cognitive and motor competence, physical fitness, regucalcin levels, fall risk, and body composition in older people. If the intervention proves to be effective, it could be implemented in centres, entities, and associations specialized in elderly care.
Nurses’ Contributions in Rural Family Medicine Education: A Mixed-Method Approach
Authors: Ohta Ryuichi , Maejma Satoko , Sano Chiaki
Published: March 2022

Family medicine residents frequently collaborate with nurses regarding clinical decisions and treatments, which contributes to their education. In rural areas, these residents experience a wider scope of practice by collaborating with nurses. However, nurses’ contributions to rural family medicine education have not been clarified. This study measured the contributions of 88 rural community hospital nurses to family medicine education using a quantitative questionnaire and interviews. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Nurses’ average clinical experience was 20.16 years. Nurses’ contributions to the roles of teacher and provider of emotional support were statistically lower among participants working in acute care wards than those working in chronic care wards (p = 0.024 and 0.047, respectively). The qualitative analysis indicated that rural nurses’ contributions to family medicine education focused on professionalism, interprofessional collaboration, and respect for nurses’ working culture and competence. Additionally, nurses struggled to educate medical residents amid their busy routine; this education should be supported by other professionals. Rural family medicine education should incorporate clinical nurses as educators for professionalism and interprofessional collaboration and as facilitators of residents’ transition to new workplaces. Subsequently, other professionals should be more actively involved in improving education quality.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Poor Sleep Quality in Collegiate Athletes during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Melone Marie-Anne , Tourny Claire , Gehlbach Brian K. , Schmidt Eli L. , Lalevée Matthieu , L’Hermette Maxime
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lifestyle, sleep and physical activity habits. This study evaluated the prevalence of poor sleep quality, its disrupters, and the impact of the pandemic in collegiate athletes. We performed a cross-sectional study of collegiate athletes (N = 339, median age: 20 (IQR,19–21) years old, 48.5% female, 47% individual sports) who received a web-based questionnaire in April 2021. This survey included subject characteristics, chronotype, sleep disrupters, the changes due to the pandemic and sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]). A multivariate linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between sleep quality, gender, chronotype, sleep disrupters and the changes to training volume or sleep. Results showed a disrupted sleep quality in 63.7%. One in five students had a total sleep time under 6.5 h per night. Poor sleep quality was significantly correlated with nocturnal concerns related to the pandemic, evening chronotype, female gender, third year of study, caffeine consumption and lack of sleep routine (all p < 0.05). To conclude, poor sleep quality is common in collegiate athletes. Sleep disrupters remain prevalent in the lifestyle habits of this population and may have been exacerbated by changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep hygiene should become a major aspect of sports education during the return to post-covid normality.
Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Highly Sensitive Child Scale: The Parent Version
Authors: Costa-López Borja , Ruiz-Robledillo Nicolás , Albaladejo-Blázquez Natalia , Baryła-Matejczuk Monika , Ferrer-Cascales Rosario
Published: March 2022

Environmental sensitivity is the ability to perceive, register and process information about the environment, which differs among children and adolescents. The Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale has been used to assess environmental sensitivity in youngsters. The HSC scale is a short and 12-item adapted version of the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) scale. The aim of this pilot study is to transculturally adapt the Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale, and to analyze its factorial structure, reliability and validity. First, a transcultural adaptation was conducted by bilingual experts. Second, once the questionnaire was translated, the psychometric properties were analyzed. The Spanish version of the HSC scale was administered to parents answering about information of 141 children between 6 and 10 years old. The Spanish version of the Emotionality, Activity and Sociability Survey (EAS) was also applied. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure of sensitivity in our Spanish sample. This structure included the following dimensions: (1) Ease of Excitation (EOE), (2) Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and (3) Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES). Moreover, both Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω values indicated that the Spanish version of the HSC scale was a reliable measure of environmental sensitivity, as a general factor of sensitivity (α = 0.84), and even in its three dimensions: EOE (α = 0.86), LST (α = 0.77) and AES (α = 0.73). Finally, the correlations for convergent validity showed positive associations, especially among the three dimensions of SPS and Emotionality (EOE r = 0.351; LST r = 0.274; AES r = 0.259), which was one of the domains of the EAS survey. The pilot study provided interesting results, which showed a reliable and valid replication of the original structure of sensitivity in the Spanish samples.
Dental Students’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Cross-Sectional Study from Norway
Authors: Løset Ida Heitmann , Lægreid Torgils , Rodakowska Ewa
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to map dental students’ experience of the study situation throughout the pandemic. All clinical dental students (year 3 to 5) at the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Dentistry (IKO), University of Bergen (UiB), Norway, were invited. Participation was anonymous and voluntary, and the response rate was 63%. Questions regarding stress-related factors were divided into three categories. In the category «Stressors/learning», a statistically significant difference was observed between both the genders (p = 0.001) and years of study (p = 0.028). Statistically significant differences between the genders were also observed in the category «Stressors/infection» (p = 0.008). Women were significantly more stressed due to lack of clinical skills (p = 0.048), not receiving as good theoretical teaching as before the pandemic (p = 0.016), and uncertain issues around the exams (p = 0.000). Fourth year students were significantly more stressed due to lack of clinical skills (p = 0.012), for not passing the clinic/skills courses due to lack of study progression (p = 0.005), and worries about not being a good enough dentist after graduation (p = 0.002). In conclusion, the pandemic had a major impact on dental students. The most prominent stressors in relation to the study situation were experienced by students from the fourth year and female students. Clinical and theoretical learning outcomes among students were regarded as worse than before the pandemic. The students preferred in presence lectures, but experienced digital asynchronous video lectures as a good alternative. The pandemic negatively affected the students’ social life. Dental schools should be aware that students have been exposed to increased distress and burden through the pandemic and should provide support for those in need.
Appraising Evidence-Based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Guidelines—PART I: A Systematic Review on Methodological Quality Using AGREE-HS
Authors: te Brake Hans , Willems Andrea , Steen Charlie , Dückers Michel
Published: March 2022

In 2007, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) published its guidelines for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in emergency situations. This was one of the first sets of MHPSS guidelines, developed during the last decades, to aid policymakers and practitioners in the planning and implementation of disaster mental health risk reduction activities. However, the potential merit of MHPSS guidelines for this purpose is poorly understood. The objective of this study is to review available MHPSS guidelines in disaster settings and assess their methodological quality. MHPSS guidelines, frameworks, manuals and toolkits were selected via a systematic literature review as well as a search in the grey literature. A total of 13 MHPSS guidelines were assessed independently by 3–5 raters using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation–Health Systems (AGREE-HS) instrument. Guideline quality scores varied substantially, ranging between 21.3 and 67.6 (range 0–100, M = 45.4), with four guidelines scoring above midpoint (50). Overall, guidelines scored highest (on a 1–7 scale) on topic (M = 5.3) and recommendations (M = 4.2), while implementability (M = 2.7) is arguably the area where most of the progress is to be made. Ideally, knowledge derived from scientific research aligns with the receptive contexts of policy and practice where risks are identified and mitigated.
Cancer Survivors’ Disability Experiences and Identities: A Qualitative Exploration to Advance Cancer Equity
Authors: Magasi Susan , Marshall Hilary K. , Winters Cassandra , Victorson David
Published: March 2022

Eliminating cancer-related disparities is a global public health priority. Approximately 40% of cancer survivors experience long-term effects of cancer which can lead to activity limitations and participation restrictions; yet discussions of disability are largely absent from clinical and research cancer health equity agendas. The purpose of this study was to explore how cancer survivors experience and make sense of the long-term disabling effects of cancer and its treatments. In this qualitative study, data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews with survivors of breast cancer, head and neck cancer, and sarcoma (n = 30). Data were analyzed thematically using a 2-phase iterative process proceeding from descriptive to conceptual coding. Survivors experienced a wide range of long-term physical, sensory, cognitive, and emotional effects, that intertwined to restrict their participation in self-care, work, leisure, and social roles. While the interaction between impairments and participation restrictions meets the definition of disability; participants articulated a range of responses when asked about their disability identity, including (1) rejecting, (2) othering, (3) acknowledging, and (4) affirming. Findings may be indicative of structural and internalized ableism which can impede cancer care and survivorship. To support cancer survivors’ transition to post-treatment life, cancer care providers should implement anti-ableist practices and engage in frank discussions about cancer’s long-term impacts.
A Neurobiological Framework for the Therapeutic Potential of Music and Sound Interventions for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Critical Illness Survivors
Authors: Pant Usha , Frishkopf Michael , Park Tanya , Norris Colleen M. , Papathanassoglou Elizabeth
Published: March 2022

Overview: Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has emerged as a severely debilitating psychiatric disorder associated with critical illness. Little progress has been made in the treatment of post-intensive care unit (ICU) PTSD. Aim: To synthesize neurobiological evidence on the pathophysiology of PTSD and the brain areas involved, and to highlight the potential of music to treat post-ICU PTSD. Methods: Critical narrative review to elucidate an evidence-based neurobiological framework to inform the study of music interventions for PTSD post-ICU. Literature searches were performed in PubMed and CINAHL. The Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guided reporting. Results: A dysfunctional HPA axis feedback loop, an increased amygdalic response, hippocampal atrophy, and a hypoactive prefrontal cortex contribute to PTSD symptoms. Playing or listening to music can stimulate neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, enhance brain recovery, and normalize stress response. Additionally, evidence supports effectiveness of music to improve coping and emotional regulation, decrease dissociation symptoms, reduce depression and anxiety levels, and overall reduce severity of PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Despite the lack of music interventions for ICU survivors, music has the potential to help people suffering from PTSD by decreasing amygdala activity, improving hippocampal and prefrontal brain function, and balancing the HPA-axis.
Resting Metabolic Rate in Women with Endocrine and Osteoporotic Disorders in Relation to Nutritional Status, Diet and 25(OH)D Concentration
Authors: Godala Małgorzata , Sewerynek Ewa , Maślach Dominik , Krzyżak Michalina , Gaszyńska Ewelina
Published: March 2022

There are speculations that vitamin D may be an important regulator of the energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of serum 25(OH)D concentration and nutritional status on the resting metabolic rate. The study group consisted of 223 women with endocrine and/or osteoporotic disorders. The control group consisted of 108 women, clinically healthy. The total 25(OH)D concentration level was measured with an assay using chemiluminescent immunoassay technology. Indirect calorimetry was applied to assess the resting metabolic rate. The mean resting metabolic rate was significantly lower in the group of women with metabolic disorders than in the control group. A correlation was found between serum 25(OH)D levels in healthy subjects and the resting metabolic rate. Significantly higher resting metabolic rate was found in women with normal serum 25(OH)D levels in comparison to subjects with deficient vitamin D levels. The control group demonstrated a relationship between body fat tissue and fat-free body mass and the resting metabolic rate. Both 25(OH)D concentration and body composition were factors influencing the resting metabolic rate in the group of healthy subjects. More research is needed to clarify the relationship between vitamin D status and metabolic rate in individuals with endocrine and osteoporotic disorders.
Effects of Different Land Use Types and Soil Depths on Soil Mineral Elements, Soil Enzyme Activity, and Fungal Community in Karst Area of Southwest China
Authors: Gong Jiyi , Hou Wenpeng , Liu Jie , Malik Kamran , Kong Xin , Wang Li , Chen Xianlei , Tang Ming , Zhu Ruiqing , Cheng Chen , Liu Yinglong , Wang Jianfeng , Yi Yin
Published: March 2022

The current research was aimed to study the effects of different land use types (LUT) and soil depth (SD) on soil enzyme activity, metal content, and soil fungi in the karst area. Soil samples with depths of 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm were collected from different land types, including grassland, forest, Zanthoxylum planispinum land, Hylocereus spp. land and Zea mays land. The metal content and enzyme activity of the samples were determined, and the soil fungi were sequenced. The results showed that LUT had a significant effect on the contents of soil K, Mg, Fe, Cu and Cr; LUT and SD significantly affected the activities of invertase, urease, alkaline phosphatase and catalase. In addition, Shannon and Chao1 index of soil fungal community was affected by different land use types and soil depths. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota were the dominant phyla at 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil depths in five different land types. Land use led to significant changes in soil fungal structure, while soil depth had no significant effect on soil fungal structure, probably because the small-scale environmental changes in karst areas were not the dominant factor in changing the structure of fungal communities. Additionally, metal element content and enzyme activity were related to different soil fungal communities. In conclusion, soil mineral elements content, enzyme activity, and soil fungal community in the karst area were strongly affected by land use types and soil depths. This study provides a theoretical basis for rational land use and ecological restoration in karst areas.
Environmental Regulation, Rural Residents’ Health Investment, and Agricultural Eco-Efficiency: An Empirical Analysis Based on 31 Chinese Provinces
Authors: Zhou Kun , Zheng Xingqiang , Long Yan , Wu Jin , Li Jianqiang
Published: March 2022

This paper explores the effects of environmental regulation (ER) and rural residents’ health investment (RRHI) on agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) to provide a reference for the Chinese Government and other developing countries for implementing environmental regulation policies and to provide new paths to further improve green development in agriculture. Using the panel data of 31 Chinese provinces from 2009–2018, the Super-SBM model was used to measure AEE. The role of ER on AEE was analyzed based on panel two-way fixed effects with endogeneity treatment and a robustness test, and this mediating effect analysis was conducted to analyze the role of RRHI in ER and AEE, examining the extent of the effect of ER on AEE in three regions of China—eastern, central and western—using a heterogeneity analysis. The results of the study show that: (1) from a national perspective, ER has a significant positive impact on AEE, showing that ER is effective at this stage; (2) when RRHI is used as a mediating variable, the rising ER’s intensity can promote AEE by increasing RRHI; and (3) the results of the heterogeneity analysis show that ER has the greatest impact on AEE in the economically developed eastern region; the western region with a weaker level of economic development is in second place. However, ER has a negative impact on AEE in the central region with a medium level of economic development. Thus, the impact of ER on AEE will show great differences depending on the stage of economic development.
Teacher Training and Engagement in Health Promotion Mediates Health Behavior Outcomes
Authors: Nubani Husseini Maha , Zwas Donna R. , Donchin Milka
Published: March 2022

School-based health promotion interventions have been shown to lead to measurable changes in the nutrition and physical activity behaviors. This study examines whether the impact of an intervention program on students’ healthy eating and physical activity was mediated by teacher training and engagement in health promotion. The trial was conducted in three phases: needs assessment of the baseline survey of teachers, mothers’ and children; intervention among seven randomly selected schools that included teacher training in healthy eating and physical activity; and a post-intervention evaluation survey. The SPSS PROCESS for Hayes (Model8) was used to determine moderation and mediation effects. The difference in difference (DID) was calculated for the three main outcomes of the study: eating breakfast daily (DID = 17.5%, p < 0.001); consuming the recommended servings of F&V (DID = 29.4%, p < 0.001); and being physically active for at least 5 days/week (DID = 45.2%, p < 0.001). Schoolchildren’s eating breakfast daily was mediated by their teachers’ training in nutrition (β = 0.424, p = 0.002), teachers’ engagement (β = 0.167, p = 0.036), and mothers preparing breakfast (β = 1.309, p < 0.001). Schoolchildren’s consumption of F&V was mediated by teachers’ engagement (β = 0.427, p = 0.001) and knowing the recommended F&V servings (β = 0.485, p < 0.001). Schoolchildren’s physical activity was mediated by their teachers’ training in physical activity (β = 0.420, p = 0.020) and teachers’ engagement (β = 0.655, p < 0.001). Health behavior changes in the school setting including improvements in eating breakfast, consuming the recommended F&V and physical activity was mediated by teacher training and engagement. Effective teacher training leading to teacher engagement is warranted in the design of health-promotion interventions in the school setting.
Positive Effects on Emotional Stress and Sleep Quality of Forest Healing Program for Exhausted Medical Workers during the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Kim Yunsoo , Choi Yoonhee , Kim Hyeyun
Published: March 2022

This study targeted medical workers, who are currently being subjected to an excessive workload and emotional stress during the COVID-19 outbreak. Various treatment programs, such as a relaxation program to relieve stress, a walk in the forest, and woodworking were provided to the participants as forest healing therapies. We enrolled 13 medical workers (11 females, 2 males). Before and after forest healing therapy, stress and sleep-related questionnaires and levels of salivary cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and melatonin were measured and compared. The improvement of the perceived stress scale and the decrease of DHEA-S, a stress index, showed statistically significant results. However, although this study was conducted with a small number of participants and has a limitation in that the therapy occurred over a short period of only 1 night and 2 days, the trend of supporting results remains positive. As such, the authors propose forest healing therapy as one intervention to relieve the job stress for this group of workers
The Escalating Crisis of Health and Safety Law Enforcement in Great Britain: What Does Brexit Mean?
Authors: Moretta Andrew , Tombs Steve , Whyte David
Published: March 2022

This paper explores occupational safety and health regulation in Great Britain following the UK’s exit from the European Union. In particular, the paper focuses on the credibility of regulatory enforcement. The prospects raised by the UK’s exit from the European Union have long been part of a free-market fantasy—even obsession—of right-wing politicians and their ideologues. As the UK’s relationship with the EU is recalibrated, this will present right-wing opportunists with a new rationale for undermining health and safety law and enforcement. The paper uses empirical evidence of Great Britain’s record in health and safety law enforcement to evidence a drift towards an extreme form of self-regulation. It deepens this evidence with a detailed analysis of key international policy debates, arguing that Brexit now raises an imminent threat of the UK entering a ‘race to the bottom’. The paper concludes that the 2021 EU/UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement may enable the UK to evade its formal health and safety responsibilities under the treaty because of the lack of the prospect of significant retaliatory ‘rebalancing’ measures. Should minimal health and safety requirements cease to apply in the post-EU era, then the UK Government will be free to pursue a system of self-regulation that will allow health and safety standards to fall even further behind those of other developed economies.
Gender Specifics of Healthy Ageing in Older Age as Seen by Women and Men (70+): A Focus Group Study
Authors: Schladitz Katja , Förster Franziska , Wagner Michael , Heser Kathrin , König Hans-Helmut , Hajek André , Wiese Birgitt , Pabst Alexander , Riedel-Heller Steffi G. , Löbner Margrit
Published: March 2022

(1) The rising proportion of older adults in the population represents a challenge for the healthcare system. Women and men age differently. This study aims to examine gender-specific characteristics of health in old age from male and female perspectives. (2) Two focus groups were formed in this qualitative study of older (70+) women (n = 10) and men (n = 8) in accordance with the theoretical framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) on healthy ageing determinants. The data were audio recorded and fully transcribed. Qualitative content analysis was performed using MAXQDA. (3) In both focus groups (average age: women 77.1 years, men 74.9 years), gender-specific characteristics regarding healthy ageing were discussed. Women focused on healthy eating, while men focused on an active lifestyle and meaningful activities. Physical and social activities were considered as important for healthy ageing in both groups. (4) Important gender-specific characteristics of health in old age were identified and recommendations for gender-unspecific and gender-specific recommendations were derived. The results provide important information for promoting and maintaining health in old age. Women and men show both similarities and differences in terms of health-related needs and individual experiences. We suggest gender-specific features in nutrition and health programs for older adults.
Patients’ Perspectives on Determinants Avoidable Hospitalizations: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire
Authors: Sarmento João , Siopa Margarida , Feteira-Santos Rodrigo , Lopes Sílvia , Dias Sónia , Guerreiro António Sousa , Panarra António , Nascimento Paula , Rodrigues Afonso , Rodrigues Ana Catarina , Rocha João Victor , Santana Rui
Published: March 2022

Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) can be avoided through effective care in the ambulatory setting. Patients are the most qualified individuals to express the social and individual contexts of their own experience. Thus, understanding why potentially preventable hospitalizations occur is important to develop patient-centred policies or interventions that may reduce them. This study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire to capture the patients’ perspective on the causes of the hospitalizations for ACSC. The development of a new questionnaire involved four phases: a literature review, face validity, pre-test, and validation. We conducted a three-step face validity verification to confirm the relevance of the identified determinants and to collect determinants not previously identified by interviewing healthcare providers, representatives of patients’ associations, and patients. Determinants were identified through the literature review predominantly in the “Healthcare Access”, “Disease self-management”, and “Social Support” domains. The validated resulting questionnaire comprises 25 questions, distributed by two dimensions (individual/contextual) covering seven domains and 20 determinants of ACSC hospitalization. Currently, there are no validated instruments as comprehensive and easy to use as the one described in this paper. This questionnaire should provide a base for further language/context validations.
Linking Soil Microbial Diversity to Modern Agriculture Practices: A Review
Authors: Gupta Amrita , Singh Udai B. , Sahu Pramod K. , Paul Surinder , Kumar Adarsh , Malviya Deepti , Singh Shailendra , Kuppusamy Pandiyan , Singh Prakash , Paul Diby , Rai Jai P. , Singh Harsh V. , Manna Madhab C. , Crusberg Theodore C. , Kumar Arun , Saxena Anil K.
Published: March 2022

Agriculture is a multifarious interface between plants and associated microorganisms. In contemporary agriculture, emphasis is being given to environmentally friendly approaches, particularly in developing countries, to enhance sustainability of the system with the least negative effects on produce quality and quantity. Modern agricultural practices such as extensive tillage, the use of harmful agrochemicals, mono-cropping, etc. have been found to influence soil microbial community structure and soil sustainability. On the other hand, the question of feeding the ever-growing global population while ensuring system sustainability largely remains unanswered. Agriculturally important microorganisms are envisaged to play important roles in various measures to raise a healthy and remunerative crop, including integrated nutrient management, as well as disease and pest management to cut down agrochemicals without compromising the agricultural production. These beneficial microorganisms seem to have every potential to provide an alternative opportunity to overcome the ill effects of various components of traditional agriculture being practiced by and large. Despite an increased awareness of the importance of organically produced food, farmers in developing countries still tend to apply inorganic chemical fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides beyond the recommended doses. Nutrient uptake enhancement, biocontrol of pests and diseases using microbial inoculants may replace/reduce agrochemicals in agricultural production system. The present review aims to examine and discuss the shift in microbial population structure due to current agricultural practices and focuses on the development of a sustainable agricultural system employing the tremendous untapped potential of the microbial world.
Positive Effects of an Online Workplace Exercise Intervention during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality of Life Perception in Computer Workers: A Quasi-Experimental Study Design
Authors: Moreira Sara , Criado Maria Begoña , Ferreira Maria Salomé , Machado Jorge , Gonçalves Carla , Clemente Filipe Manuel , Mesquita Cristina , Lopes Sofia , Santos Paula Clara
Published: March 2022

Computer workers’ sedentary work, together with less active lifestyles, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, represents a high risk for many chronic diseases, leading to a decrease in health-related quality of life (QoL). Workplace exercises consist of a set of physical exercises, implemented during work breaks, that have multiple benefits for workers’ health. Aim: To assess the impact of online workplace exercises on computer workers’ perception of quality of life. Methods: Quasi-experimental study with two groups: a control group (n = 26) and an intervention group (n = 13). The inclusion criteria were that participants must be aged between 18 and 65 years old and the exclusion criteria included diagnosis of non-work-related medical conditions. The interventions consisted of workplace exercises, which were applied for 17 consecutive weeks, each session lasting 15 min, three times a week. The exercise programme, performed online and guided by a physiotherapist, consisted of mobility exercises, flexibility and strength exercises, with the help of a TheraBand® for elastic resistance. The control group were not subjected to any intervention. A socio-demographic questionnaire and the Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36v2) were used in two assessment stages (M0—baseline and M1—final of intervention). A mixed ANOVA with interaction time*group was used to evaluate the effect of the exercise programme. Results: A good perception of the QoL was obtained in both stages. The exercise programme had a positive effect in the domains of Pain (ptime*group = 0.012, η2p = 0.158), Physical Function (ptime*group = 0.078, η2p = 0.082), Physical Performance (ptime*group = 0.052, η2p = 0.098), and Emotional Performance (ptime*group = 0.128, η2p = 0.061). Conclusion: After 17 weeks of workplace exercises, it became clear that the intervention group positively increased their QoL perception, with this improvement being significant in the Pain domain, which resulted in an improvement in their health condition. Therefore, further studies are needed to determine the optimal exercise for CWs, with detailed exercise types, different intensities and focused on various health conditions.
Determinants of Utilization of Institutional Delivery Services in Zambia: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Rashid Mamunur , Chowdhury Mohammad Rocky Khan , Kader Manzur , Hiswåls Anne-Sofie , Macassa Gloria
Published: March 2022

Institutional delivery at birth is an important indicator of improvements in maternal health, which remains one of the targets of sustainable development goals intended to reduce the maternal mortality ratio. The purpose of the present study was to identify the determinants of utilization of institutional delivery in Zambia. A population-based cross-sectional study design was used to examine 9841 women aged 15–49 years from the 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey. A multiple logistic regression was applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to identify determinants of utilization of institutional delivery. Sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with institutional delivery: woman’s (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.04–2.99) and husband’s (OR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.09–3.05) secondary/higher education, higher wealth index (OR: 2.31; 95% CI: 1.27–4.22), and rural place of residence (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.30–0.98). Healthcare-related factors were also significantly associated with institutional delivery: 5–12 visits to antenatal care (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.66–3.26) and measuring blood pressure (OR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.32–2.66) during pregnancy. To improve institutional delivery and reduce maternal and newborn mortality, policymakers and public health planners should design an effective intervention program targeting these factors.
Modeling as a Critical Process of Knowledge: Survey of Buildings in a State of Ruin
Authors: Paris Leonardo , Rossi Maria Laura , Cipriani Giorgia
Published: March 2022

HBIM modeling presupposes a series of methodological and content questions depending on the type of historic building being investigated. A particular case refers to a multitude of buildings, isolated or aggregated, that sprinkle our territory that do not stand out for their valuable architectural characteristics abandoned for different reasons and turned to ruins. This building category retains a valuable judgment when the typological constructive characteristics are recognized as explanations of “making architecture”, strongly linked to a place and to a time and that are worth preserving. The study of a ruin as a building typology involves various issues starting from the survey, both in terms of structure stability and room accessibility, and in terms of survey techniques to be used to acquire geometries that have lost their original conformation. The loss and deformation of the shape are therefore the main obstacles in the reconstruction of the historical evolutionary phases, fundamental for the definition of a recovery project that respects the nature of the building, now in a state of instability. Informed digital models, soon mandatory by law in most building processes, applied to the ruins thus become not only a means of documenting, cataloging, and communicating the built heritage but, above all, a tool that serves the project.
Extracting Spatio-Temporal Information from Chinese Archaeological Site Text
Authors: Yuan Wenjing , Yang Lin , Yang Qing , Sheng Yehua , Wang Ziyang
Published: March 2022

Archaeological site text is the main carrier of archaeological data at present, which contains rich information. How to efficiently extract useful knowledge from the massive unstructured archaeological site texts is of great significance for the mining and reuse of archaeological information. According to the site information (such as name, location, cultural type, dynasty, etc.) recorded in the Chinese archaeological site text, this paper combines deep learning and natural language processing techniques to study the information extraction method for automatically obtaining the spatio-temporal information of sites. The initial construction of the corpus of Chinese archaeological site text is completed for the first time, and the corpus is input into the Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory with Conditional Random Fields (BiLSTM-CRF) entity recognition model and Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Units with Dual Attention (BiGRU-Dual Attention) relationship extraction model for training. The F1 values of BiLSTM-CRF model and BiGRU-Dual Attention model on the test set reach 87.87% and 88.05%, respectively. The study demonstrates that the information extraction method proposed in this paper is feasible for the Chinese archaeological site texts, which promotes the establishment of knowledge graphs in archaeology and provides new methods and ideas for the development of information mining technology in archaeology.
Interactive Geological Data Visualization in an Immersive Environment
Authors: Chen Xiaojian , Wang Hailong , Zhu Yu , Wang Hansheng , Su Mingjun , Bao Shuyu , Wu Yiping
Published: March 2022

Underground flow paths (UFP) often play an important role in the illustration of geological data by geologists, especially in illustrating geological data and revealing stratigraphic structures, which can help domain experts in their exploration of petroleum information. In this paper, we present a new immersive visualization tool to help domain experts better illustrate stratigraphic data. We use a visualization method based on bit-array-based 3-D texture to represent stratigraphic data. Our visualization tool has three major advantages: it allows for flexible interaction at the immersive device, it enables domain experts to obtain their desired UFP structure through the execution of quadratic surface queries, and supports different stratigraphic display modes, as well as switching and integration geological information flexibly. Feedback from domain experts has shown that our tool can contribute more for domain experts in the scientific exploration of stratigraphic data, compared to the existing UFP visualization tools in the field. Thus, experts in geology can have a more comprehensive understanding and more effective illustration of the structure and distribution of UFPs.
A Map-Based Recommendation System and House Price Prediction Model for Real Estate
Authors: Mubarak Maryam , Tahir Ali , Waqar Fizza , Haneef Ibraheem , McArdle Gavin , Bertolotto Michela , Saeed Muhammad Tariq
Published: March 2022

In 2015, global real estate was worth $217 trillion, which is approximately 2.7 times the global GDP; it also accounts for roughly 60% of all conventional global resources, making it one of the key factors behind any country’s economic growth and stability. The accessibility of spatial big data will help real estate investors make better judgement calls and earn additional profit. Since location is deemed necessary for real estate and consequent decision-making, digital maps have become a prime resource for real estate purchases, planning and development. Personalisation can assist in making judgments by identifying user desires and inclinations, which can then be recorded or captured as a user performs some interactions with a digital map. A personalised real estate portal can use this information to suggest properties, assist homeowners and provide valuable real estate analytics. This article presents a novel framework for recommending real estate to users. By monitoring user interactions through an online real estate portal, the framework can make personalised recommendations of real estate based on content, collaboration and location. The effectiveness of the recommendations was tested by the user feedback mechanism through a method of mean absolute precision, and the results show that 79% precise suggestions were generated, i.e., out of 5 recommendations produced, users were interested in at least 3. Along with that, a separate house price prediction model based on neural networks and classical regression techniques was also implemented to assist users in making an informed decision regarding prospects of real estate purchase.
Multi-Omics Analysis in β-Thalassemia Using an HBB Gene-Knockout Human Erythroid Progenitor Cell Model
Authors: Zhou Guoqiang , Zhang Haokun , Lin Anning , Wu Zhen , Li Ting , Zhang Xumin , Chen Hongyan , Lu Daru
Published: March 2022

β-thalassemia is a hematologic disease that may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Increased expression of HBG1/2 can ameliorate the severity of β-thalassemia. Compared to the unaffected population, some β-thalassemia patients display elevated HBG1/2 expression levels in their red blood cells. However, the magnitude of up-regulation does not reach the threshold of self-healing, and thus, the molecular mechanism underlying HBG1/2 expression in the context of HBB-deficiency requires further elucidation. Here, we performed a multi-omics study examining chromatin accessibility, transcriptome, proteome, and phosphorylation patterns in the HBB homozygous knockout of the HUDEP2 cell line (HBB-KO). We found that up-regulation of HBG1/2 in HBB-KO cells was not induced by the H3K4me3-mediated genetic compensation response. Deletion of HBB in human erythroid progenitor cells resulted in increased ROS levels and production of oxidative stress, which led to an increased rate of apoptosis. Furthermore, in response to oxidative stress, slower cell cycle progression and proliferation were observed. In addition, stress erythropoiesis was initiated leading to increased intracellular HBG1/2 expression. This molecular model was also validated in the single-cell transcriptome of hematopoietic stem cells from β-hemoglobinopathy patients. These findings further the understanding of HBG1/2 gene regulatory networks and provide novel clinical insights into β-thalassemia phenotypic diversity.
Dysregulation of mTOR Signaling after Brain Ischemia
Authors: Villa-González Mario , Martín-López Gerardo , Pérez-Álvarez María José
Published: March 2022

In this review, we provide recent data on the role of mTOR kinase in the brain under physiological conditions and after damage, with a particular focus on cerebral ischemia. We cover the upstream and downstream pathways that regulate the activation state of mTOR complexes. Furthermore, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of mTORC1 and mTORC2 status in ischemia–hypoxia at tissue and cellular levels and analyze the existing evidence related to two types of neural cells, namely glia and neurons. Finally, we discuss the potential use of mTORC1 and mTORC2 as therapeutic targets after stroke.
Comment on Kopańska et al. Disorders of the Cholinergic System in COVID-19 Era—A Review of the Latest Research. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 672
Authors: Cafiero Concetta , Micera Alessandra , Re Agnese , Schiavone Beniamino , Benincasa Giulio , Palmirotta Raffaele
Published: March 2022

We read the recent review article by Marta Kopańska et al. [...]