bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
University Students’ Experiences and Reflections of Technology in Their Transition to Online Learning during the Global Pandemic
Authors: Keane Therese , Linden Tanya , Hernandez-Martinez Paul , Molnar Andreea
Published: June 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has been used to a lesser or greater extent to facilitate learning and has become an instrumental part of ensuring continuity of education. Students had no choice but to engage in online learning during periods of lockdowns. The quick transition to online learning had the potential to significantly affect the student learning experience and, as a result, their attitudes to studying at university. In this study, we examined self-reported students’ attitudes on their transition from face-to-face to online learning. Second-year students from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, were invited to complete the questionnaire. Students reported a range of attitudes and experiences from very positive and enjoying discovering the new study mode to the very negative where motivation to study was lost and they were considering deferring or quitting their studies. Approximately half of the students discovered the benefits of both online and in-person education and expressed a preference for learning in a blended learning environment. The study results demonstrate the importance of digital technologies that provide flexible and agile educational opportunities with many students being open to new learning experiences despite missing the traditional approaches to education. The results of this study could inform further educational interventions when there is a need to move to online learning with little notice.
Recent Advancements in Indoor Positioning and Localization
Authors: Ashraf Imran , Hur Soojung , Park Yongwan
Published: June 2022

The current era celebrates the rise of mobile devices, most of which are mobile phones [...]
An Improved RCS Calculation Method for Power Lines Combining Characteristic Mode with SMWA
Authors: Chen Chunfeng , Yang Fan , Hu Changyu , Zhou Jianjiang
Published: June 2022

The radar cross-section (RCS) of power lines has an important significance for detection of the power lines. The method of moments (MoM) can calculate the RCS of power lines. However, the efficiency of the MoM is limited by the time-consuming computing process, as well as the expensive storage overhead. In order to enhance the efficiency and reduce the storage of the RCS calculation of power lines, we propose an RCS calculation method that combines the characteristic mode (CM) with a Sherman–Morrison–Woodbury formula-based algorithm (SMWA), which is referred to as a CM-SMWA. CMs are used as the basis functions for reducing the dimension of the MoM impedance matrix, and the SMWA is applied to directly solve the CMs-reduced matrix equation, which can reduce the computational time and storage. The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed method can obtain the RCS of power lines, with different incident angles and different polarizations, at a higher efficiency. At 35 GHz, compared with the conventional MoM, for a typical LGJ50-8 power line with a length of 0.276 m, the computation time is reduced by 62.4% and the memory occupation is reduced by 96.4%.
Hybrid Features by Combining Visual and Text Information to Improve Spam Filtering Performance
Authors: Nam Seong-Guk , Jang Yonghun , Lee Dong-Gun , Seo Yeong-Seok
Published: June 2022

The development of information and communication technology has created many positive outcomes, including convenience for people; however, cases of unsolicited communication, such as spam, also occur frequently. Spam is the indiscriminate transmission of unwanted information by anonymous users, called spammers. Spam content is indiscriminately transmitted to users in various forms, such as SMS, e-mail, and social network service posts, causing negative experiences for users of the service, while also creating costs, such as unnecessarily large amounts of network traffic. In addition, spam content includes phishing, hype or false advertising, and illegal content. Recently, spammers have also used images that contain stimulating content to effectively attract users’ curiosity and attention. Image spam contains more complex information than text, making it more difficult to analyze and to generalize its properties compared to text. Therefore, existing text-based spam detectors are vulnerable to spam image attacks, resulting in a decline in service quality. In this paper, a “hybrid features by combining visual and text information to improve spam filtering performance” method is proposed to reduce the occurrence of misclassification. The proposed method employs three sub-models to extract features from spam images and a classifier model to output the results using the features. Each sub-model extracts topic-, word-, and image-embedding-based features from spam images. In addition, the sub-models use optical character recognition, latent Dirichlet allocation, and word2Vec techniques to extract features from images. To evaluate spam image classification performance, the spam classifiers were trained using the extracted features and the results were measured using a confusion matrix. Our model achieved an accuracy of 0.9814 and a macro-F1 score of 0.9813. In addition, the application of OCR evasion techniques resulted in a decrease in recognition performance. Using the proposed model, a mean macro-F1 score of 0.9607 was obtained.
Transcriptome Profiling of a Common Mistletoe Species Parasitizing Four Typical Host Species in Urban Southwest China
Authors: Kuang Jingge , Wang Yufei , Mao Kangshan , Milne Richard , Wang Mingcheng , Miao Ning
Published: June 2022

Comparing gene expressions among parasitic plants infecting different host species can have significant implications for understanding host–parasite interactions. Taxillus nigrans is a common hemiparasitic species in Southwest China that parasitizes a variety of host species. However, a lack of nucleotide sequence data to date has hindered transcriptome-level research on T. nigrans. In this study, the transcriptomes of T. nigrans individuals parasitizing four typical host species (Broussonetia papyrifera (Bpap), a broad-leaved tree species; Cryptomeria fortunei (Cfor), a coniferous tree species; Cinnamomum septentrionale (Csep), an evergreen tree species; and Ginkgo biloba (Gbil), a deciduous-coniferous tree species) were sequenced, and the expression profiles and metabolic pathways were compared among hosts. A total of greater than 400 million reads were generated in nine cDNA libraries. These were de novo assembled into 293823 transcripts with an N50 value of 1790 bp. A large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified when comparing T. nigrans individuals on different host species: Bpap vs. Cfor (1253 DEGs), Bpap vs. Csep (864), Bpap vs. Gbil (517), Cfor vs. Csep (259), Cfor vs. Gbil (95), and Csep vs. Gbil (40). Four hundred and fifteen unigenes were common to all six pairwise comparisons; these were primarily associated with Cytochrome P450 and environmental adaptation, as determined in a KEGG enrichment analysis. Unique unigenes were also identified, specific to Bpap vs. Cfor (808 unigenes), Bpap vs. Csep (329 unigenes), Bpap vs. Gbil (87 unigenes), Cfor vs. Csep (108 unigenes), Cfor vs. Gbil (32 unigenes), and Csep vs. Gbil comparisons (23 unigenes); partial unigenes were associated with the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides regarding plant hormone signal transduction. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed four modules that were associated with the hosts. These results provide a foundation for further exploration of the detailed molecular mechanisms involved in plant parasitism.
Genetic Structure of Racing Pigeons (Columba livia) Kept in Poland Based on Microsatellite Markers
Authors: Podbielska Angelika , Radko Anna
Published: June 2022

Pigeons played a major role in communication before the invention of the telephone and the telegraph, as well as in wars, where they were used to carry information and orders over long distances. Currently, numerous sports competitions and races are held with their participation, and their breeding is demanding not only for breeders, but also for the birds themselves. Therefore, an analysis of the genetic structure of racing pigeons kept in Poland was undertaken on the basis of 16 microsatellite markers, as well as the evaluation of the microsatellite panel recommended by ISAG. For this purpose, Bayesian clustering, a dendrogram, and Principal Coordinate Analysis were conducted. In addition, statistical analysis was performed. Based on this research, it was observed that racing pigeons are genetically mixed, regardless of their place of origin. Moreover, genetic diversity was estimated at a relatively satisfactory level (Ho = 0.623, He = 0.684), and no alarmingly high inbreeding coefficient was observed (F = 0.088). Moreover, it was found that the panel recommended by ISAG can be successfully used in Poland for individual identification and parentage testing (PIC = 0.639, CE-1P = 0.9987233, CE-2P = 0.9999872, CE-PP = 0.99999999).
The Liues, Apprehensions, Arraignments, and Executions of the 19 Late Pyrates: Jacobean Piracy in Law and Literature
Authors: Moore Graham
Published: June 2022

The 1609 pamphlet The liues, apprehensions, arraignments, and executions of the 19 late pyrates tells the stories of nineteen pirates trialled in 1609. Historians of Jacobean piracy have used this pamphlet as evidence, finding value in its detailed, dramatic accounts of maritime depredation—yet it has often escaped close textual analysis. This article analyses the pamphlet’s content and context, in doing so illuminating the tensioned relationship between legal, state, and popular cultural narratives of what constituted a “pirate”. The pamphlet provides an opportunity to further discuss the ambiguous, developing cultural role of piracy (and its perpetrators) at this time. It allows us to approach such questions as: which elements of a pirate’s story were interesting to the seventeenth-century audience, and which elements marked out acts of depredation as truly being “piracy”? How does the source approach legal proceedings, and digest them for popular consumption? What place does this pamphlet have in the wider canon of piracy’s print culture? This article suggests that the figure of the pirate could be redeemed, where it was reconcilable with the sensibilities of the terrestrial community—however, tensions arose when different groups imposed their own ideologies and intentions upon the criminal. These tensions appear in the differences between representations of maritime depredation emanating from the state and from the public—differences visible in the transmission of information from law to literature.
Use of Thermoregulatory Models to Evaluate Heat Stress in Industrial Environments
Authors: Yermakova Irena I. , Potter Adam W. , Raimundo António M. , Xu Xiaojiang , Hancock Jason W. , Oliveira A. Virgilio M.
Published: June 2022

Heat stress in many industrial workplaces imposes significant risk of injury to individuals. As a means of quantifying these risks, a comparison of four rationally developed thermoregulatory models was conducted. The health-risk prediction (HRP) model, the human thermal regulation model (HuTheReg), the SCENARIO model, and the six-cylinder thermoregulatory model (SCTM) each used the same inputs for an individual, clothing, activity rates, and environment based on previously observed conditions within the Portuguese glass industry. An analysis of model correlations was conducted for predicted temperatures (°C) of brain (TBrain), skin (TSkin), core body (TCore), as well as sweat evaporation rate (ER; Watts). Close agreement was observed between each model (0.81–0.98). Predicted mean ± SD of active phases of exposure for both moderate (TBrain 37.8 ± 0.25, TSkin 36.7 ± 0.49, TCore 37.8 ± 0.45 °C, and ER 207.7 ± 60.4 W) and extreme heat (TBrain 39.1 ± 0.58, TSkin, 38.6 ± 0.71, TCore 38.7 ± 0.65 °C, and ER 468.2 ± 80.2 W) were assessed. This analysis quantifies these heat-risk conditions and provides a platform for comparison of methods to more fully predict heat stress during exposures to hot environments.
Do Neighbors Have More Peaceful Students? Youth Violence Profiles among Adolescents in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia
Authors: Várnai Dóra Eszter , Malinowska-Cieślik Marta , Madarasová Gecková Andrea , Csémy Ladislav , Horváth Zsolt
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: Co-occurrence or overlaps of different forms or involvement in peer violence among adolescents have been broadly studied. The study aimed to assess adolescents’ violence profiles related to bullying, cyberbullying, and fighting in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. The study was to investigate the pattern of bullying, cyberbullying, and fighting involvement among adolescents in these four countries to test the stability of previously identified profiles. (2) Methods: We analyzed the data from the 2017/2018 international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, which used proportionate sampling among adolescents aged 11–15 years old (n = 24,501). A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to determine violence profiles in each country. (3) Results: In Slovakia, three distinct latent classes were identified, primarily cyber victims, school bullies, and those involved in multiple forms, and in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland bully victims was the fourth class. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest that peer violence prevention programs in adolescents should consider violence profiles and multiple involvements.
Effect of Second-Hand Smoke Exposure on Establishing Urinary Cotinine-Based Optimal Cut-Off Values for Smoking Status Classification in Korean Adults
Authors: Lee Hyun-Seung , Cho Ji-Hyun , Lee Young-Jin , Park Do-Sim
Published: June 2022

Regulations for banning smoking in indoor public places and workplaces have increased worldwide in recent years. A consecutive Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) between 2008 and 2018 showed a trend toward significant decreases in self-reported tobacco smoke exposure and measured urinary cotinine concentrations. We established and compared each optimal cut-off value for assessing the effect of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure on establishing urinary cotinine-based cut-off values for smoking status classification in a population setting controlled for racial and cultural diversity, using four KNHANES datasets consisting of the 2008, 2011, 2014, and 2018 surveys. A total of 18,229 Korean participants aged >19 years with measured urinary cotinine concentrations were enrolled. Self-reports of current smoking status showed that the prevalence of current smokers decreased from 22.9% to 18.2% between 2008 and 2018. During this period, the median value of urinary cotinine in nonsmokers decreased from 5.86 µg/L to 0.48 µg/L, whereas the median value showed no remarkable decrease in current smokers. The AUC-based optimal cut-off values of urinary cotinine concentration for distinguishing current smokers from nonsmokers decreased from 86.5 µg/L to 11.5 µg/L. Our study showed that decreased SHS exposure would result in decreased optimal cut-off values for distinguishing current smokers from nonsmokers. In addition, the study suggests that the range of urinary cotinine concentration to define SHS exposure for the trend monitoring of populationof SHS exposure is appropriate between 0.30 µg/L and 100 µg/L. In addition, our study showed the importance of determination of cotinine concentration, which would have allowed us to avoid mistakes in qualification to the study group in an increased use of e-cigarette setting.
Item-Level Psychometric Analysis of the Psychosocial Processes at Work Scale (PROPSIT) in Workers
Authors: Merino-Soto César , Juárez-García Arturo , Salinas-Escudero Guillermo , Toledano-Toledano Filiberto
Published: June 2022

The structural attributes and correlates of items have an effect on their composite scores and exploring them strengthens the content validity of a measure adapted to another context. The objective of this study was to evaluate the item properties of a measure of psychosocial work factors (PWFs). Data were collected through a web platform from 188 Peruvian working adults (men = 101, 50.5%) holding various professions and jobs. The instrument was the Psychosocial Processes at Work Scale (PROPSIT), adapted for the Peruvian context. The distributional characteristics, the efficiency of its response options and its correlates with engagement, occupational self-efficacy, general stress and psychological distress (explored with a coefficient of maximum information and another of monotonic association) were analyzed. It was found that the items were asymmetrically distributed, without statistical normality and with a response tendency at low (for psychosocial risk factors (PSRFs)) and medium (favorable psychosocial resources) levels. The number of efficient response options was lower (approximately five options) than the original structure (seven options). The monotonic associations with gender and age were essentially zero and theoretically converged with the external constructs, except for some items related to job demands. The contributions of the results to the content validity of the PROPSIT and the orientation of working hypotheses about PROPSIT item constructs and measures of work effects are discussed.
Validation of the MAastricht Instrument of Sustainable Employability (MAISE-NL) Adapted for Employees in Low-Skilled Jobs (MAISE-Easy)
Authors: Mignon Pauline , Hazelzet Emmelie , De Rijk Angelique , Bosma Hans , Houkes Inge
Published: June 2022

Background: Sustainable employability (SE) is important for work organizations. Recently, the MAastricht Instrument for Sustainable Employability (MAISE-NL) was developed and validated. This study describes the development and validation of an adapted version of the MAISE-NL, the MAISE-Easy, which can be used for employees in low-skilled jobs. Methods: The adaptation of the MAISE-NL was based on six focus groups with employees in low-skilled jobs in various sectors. The MAISE-Easy was distributed among employees in five organizations. The response rate (n = 1033) was 53%. Construct validity, reliability and criterion validity were analyzed by means of principal component analysis (PCA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Cronbach’s alpha and correlational analyses. Results: The MAISE-Easy included 17 scales divided over four main areas: (1) level of SE; (2) factors affecting SE; (3) overall responsibility for SE; (4) responsibility for factors affecting SE. Construct validity, reliability and criterion validity were adequate to good. Conclusions: The MAISE-Easy is a well-validated instrument for measuring SE among employees in low-skilled jobs in terms of the level of SE, factors affecting SE, responsibility for SE and responsibility for factors affecting SE. MAISE-Easy is recommended for both needs assessments and evaluation research in as yet underserved groups of low-skilled workers.
Progress of Local Health Department Planning Actions for Climate Change: Perspectives from California, USA
Authors: Holmes Tisha Joseph , Holt Ava , English Dorette Quintana
Published: June 2022

Public health departments are on the frontlines of protecting vulnerable groups and working to eliminate health disparities through prevention interventions, disease surveillance and community education. Exploration of the roles national, state and local health departments (LHDs) play in advancing climate change planning and actions to protect public health is a developing arena of research. This paper presents insights from local public health departments in California, USA on how they addressed the barriers to climate adaptation planning with support from the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Equity Climate Change and Health Equity Section (OHE), which administers the California Building Resilience Against Climate Effects Project (CalBRACE). With support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI), CalBRACE initiated an adaptation project to seed climate planning and actions in county health departments. In this study, we compared the barriers and strategies of twenty-two urban and rural LHDs and explored potential options for climate change adaptation in the public health framework. Using key informant interviews and document reviews, the results showed how engagement with CalBRACE’s Local Health Department Partnership on Climate Change influenced the county departments’ ability to overcome barriers to adaptation through the diversification of funding sources, the leveraging strategic collaborations, extensive public education and communication campaigns, and the development of political capital and champions. The lessons learned and recommendations from this research may provide pathways and practices for national, state and local level health departments to collaborate in developing protocols and integrating systems to respond to health-related climate change impacts, adaptation and implementation.
Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Grade 1 and 2, vs. Neurotypical Development: A School View
Authors: Gentil-Gutiérrez Ana , Santamaría-Peláez Mirian , Mínguez-Mínguez Luis A. , González-Santos Josefa , Fernández-Solana Jessica , González-Bernal Jerónimo J.
Published: June 2022

Background: Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social and communication functioning. Previous studies suggest that people with autism spectrum disorders have deficits in executive functions, having found a relationship with cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory, inhibition or self-control, but it is especially with respect to cognitive flexibility where the greatest dysfunctions have been found. The objective of this research was to compare the executive functioning of a group of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders with another with neurotypical development in an educational context. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and multicenter confirmatory study in which 121 people who participated acted as informants, with 70 of them being education professionals who work with people with autism spectrum disorders grade 1 and 2 and 51 of them being teachers who work with people of neurotypical development; these individuals were selected through non-probabilistic sampling. Results: People diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders obtained significantly higher scores on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 scale for the nine clinical scales and the four indexes that compose it compared to the group of people with neurotypical development; in addition, the average scores obtained are clinically significant, with them being elevated for the group with autism spectrum disorders. This study confirms that children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders experience greater difficulties with respect to their executive functions than children with neurotypical development.
Food Acquisition during the COVID-19 Lockdown and Its Associations with the Physical–Digital Integrated Community Food Environment: A Case Study of Nanjing, China
Authors: He Zhongyu , Pan Weijie
Published: June 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic and measures such as lockdowns affect food access, dietary choices, and food security. We conducted an online survey among 517 respondents during early 2020 in Nanjing, China to explore respondents’ food acquisition behaviors before and during the pandemic and associations with the community food environment. Using geographic analysis and binary logistic models, we revealed that despite inconvenience regarding food acquisition, no food security issues occurred during lockdown in Nanjing. The pandemic changed the access and frequency of obtaining food; meanwhile, pre-pandemic habits had a strong impact on food acquisition behavior. Online and in-store food acquisition showed a substitution relationship, with online food access playing a crucial role in food acquisition. Physical and digit food outlets are highly integrated in Chinese urban communities, and both objectively measured and perceived accessibility of these food outlets had a significant association with the food acquisition methods and transportation mode chosen by people during this public health crisis.
The Effects of Neighborhood Physical and Social Environment on Physical Function among Japanese Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A One-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Ando Masataka , Kamide Naoto , Sakamoto Miki , Shiba Yoshitaka , Sato Haruhiko , Kawamura Akie , Watanabe Shuichiro
Published: June 2022

Previous studies have shown a relationship between physical and social aspects of the neighborhood environment (e.g., built environment, safety) and physical function in older adults. However, these associations are unclear in older Asian adults because longitudinal studies are lacking. This study examined the effects of neighborhood physical and social environment on longitudinal changes in physical function among Japanese older adults. We analyzed 299 Japanese community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years. Neighborhood environment was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Environment Module. Physical function was assessed using handgrip strength, knee extension muscle strength, 5-m walking time, and a timed up-and-go test (TUG) in baseline and follow-up surveys. Changes in physical function over one year were calculated and classified into decline or maintenance groups based on minimal detectable changes. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting for confounding factors, good access to recreational facilities affected the maintenance of 5-m walking time (odds ratio [OR] = 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–5.21) and good crime safety affected the maintenance of TUG (OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.06–3.33). Therefore, it is important to assess both physical and social environmental neighborhood resources in predicting decline in physical function among Japanese older adults.
Is Female a More Pro-Environmental Gender? Evidence from China
Authors: Li Yong , Wang Bairong , Saechang Orachorn
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are gender differences in people’s pro-environmental psychology and behaviors in China. An online survey was conducted with the snowball sampling technique, and a sample of 532 Chinese respondents was obtained for the research. This study finds that gender does affect green psychology and behaviors, with females reporting a higher level of environmentalism in China. Specifically, females are more concerned with environmental problems, more supportive of plastic ban policies, more positive towards reducing plastics (reduce), and have stronger intention to bring a reusable bag for shopping (reuse and recycle). Moreover, females use fewer disposable toiletries when checking in a hotel and require less disposable tableware when ordering takeout. This study contributes to the current literature by identifying the relationship between gender and environmentalism in China. Implications for anti-plastic policy design and environmental management are also presented.
The Coordination of Aquaculture Development with Environment and Resources: Based on Measurement of Provincial Eco-Efficiency in China
Authors: Yan Wei , Zhong Changbiao
Published: June 2022

To resolve the environmental problems of China’s aquaculture industry, we must examine the current situation and comprehensively consider aquaculture growth, resource conservation and environmental protection. Using the unit investigation and evaluation method to evaluate the nonpoint source pollution of each province, this paper calculates eco-efficiency to evaluate the coordination of environment and aquaculture growth based on the slacks-based measure directional distance function dealing with undesirable outputs. The results reveal that the eco-efficiency of aquaculture in China from 2003 to 2018 is 0.70 and obviously lower than the industry’s economic efficiency, indicating aquaculture development has not been coordinated with resources and the environment. Environmental pollution brings great loss to the economic efficiency of aquaculture. Specifically, eastern China, with the highest aquaculture output, shows the best degree of coordination, followed by western China. Six provinces or province-level municipalities, including Fujian, Shanghai, Beijing, Hainan and Tianjin, are growing soundly and rapidly, while central China exhibits the most obvious imbalance among the environment, resources and aquaculture development.
The Influence of Proteins on Fate and Biological Role of Circulating DNA
Authors: Tutanov Oleg , Tamkovich Svetlana
Published: June 2022

Circulating DNA has already proven itself as a valuable tool in translational medicine. However, one of the overlooked areas of circulating DNA research is its association with different proteins, despite considerable evidence that this association might impact DNA’s fate in circulation and its biological role. In this review, we attempt to shed light on current ideas about circulating DNA origins and forms of circulation, known biological effects, and the clinical potential of circulating tumor deoxyribonucleoprotein complexes.
Differences in Inflammatory Cytokine Profile in Obesity-Associated Asthma: Effects of Weight Loss
Authors: Bantulà Marina , Tubita Valeria , Roca-Ferrer Jordi , Mullol Joaquim , Valero Antonio , Bobolea Irina , Pascal Mariona , de Hollanda Ana , Vidal Josep , Picado César , Arismendi Ebymar
Published: June 2022

Obesity and asthma are associated with systemic inflammation maintained by mediators released by adipose tissue and lung. This study investigated the inflammatory serum mediator profile in obese subjects (O) (n = 35), non-obese asthma (NOA) patients (n = 14), obese asthmatics (OA) (n = 21) and healthy controls (HC) (n = 33). The effect of weight loss after bariatric surgery (BS) was examined in 10 OA and 31 O subjects. We analyzed serum markers including leptin, adiponectin, TGF-β1, TNFR2, MCP-1, ezrin, YKL-40, ST2, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-18. Compared with HC subjects, the O group showed increased levels of leptin, TGF-β1, TNFR2, MCP-1, ezrin, YKL-40, and ST2; the OA group presented increased levels of MCP-1, ezrin, YKL-40, and IL-18, and the NOA group had increased levels of ezrin, YKL-40, IL-5, and IL-18. The higher adiponectin/leptin ratio in NOA with respect to OA subjects was the only significant difference between the two groups. IL-9 was the only cytokine with significantly higher levels in OA with respect to O subjects. TNFR2, ezrin, MCP-1, and IL-18 concentrations significantly decreased in O subjects after BS. O, OA, and NOA showed distinct patterns of systemic inflammation. Leptin and adiponectin are regulated in asthma by obesity-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Combination of asthma and obesity does not result in significant additive effects on circulating cytokine levels.
Subjective Assessments of Quality of Life Are Independently Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults Enrolled in Primary Care in Chile
Authors: Moreno Ximena , Sánchez Hugo , Huerta Martín , Cea Ximena , Márquez Carlos , Albala Cecilia
Published: June 2022

In Chile, depressive symptoms are highly prevalent among Chilean older adults, and research that examines the factors associated with them is scarce. This study aimed to determine if subjective assessments of quality of life are associated with positive screen for depressive symptoms among older adults enrolled in primary care in Chile. The participants of the study were people aged 70 years or more enrolled in primary care centers in three Chilean cities. The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to determine depressive symptoms. Multivariate logistic models were used to determine the associations. Overall, 17.28% men, and 26.47% women (p = 0.003) screened positive for depression. Subjective assessments of quality of life, including self-perceived health, memory, quality of life, and pain, were associated with a positive screen for depression. Only 17.65% of men and 43.55% of women who screened positive for depressive symptoms reported a diagnosis of depression. Assessments of quality of life in health checks of older adults in primary care could contribute to narrow the diagnosis and treatment gap by improving the ability to identify those who are more likely to experience depressive symptoms.
The Functional Hearing Gain with an Active Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Implant Does Not Correlate with the Subjective Hearing Performance
Authors: Auinger Alice , Liepins Rudolfs , Brkic Faris , Vyskocil Erich , Arnoldner Christoph
Published: June 2022

The functional hearing outcome with hearing implants does not always properly reflect the subjective benefit in everyday listening situations. In this study, the functional hearing gain and the impact on the subjective hearing ability and quality of life were assessed in patients with a Bonebridge. A chart review was performed on 45 patients with a Bonebridge who were provided with questionnaires regarding the hearing quality and health-related quality of life during their last clinical visit. The questionnaires consisted of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities (SSQ) and the Health Utility Index Mark 3 (HUI3). Eleven patients had to be excluded due to missing data. A total of 34 patients (37 ears) were included in the study. Aided hearing thresholds were significantly lower compared with the unaided condition, with a mean functional gain of 26.87 dB for patients with mixed/conductive hearing loss (MHL/CHL). Although patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) scored slightly lower on the SSQ compared with patients with MHL/CHL, all included patients reported improved subjective hearing quality with the BB compared with the hearing situation before implantation. No correlation was found between the functional hearing gain and the subdomains of the SSQ. SSD patients scored the HUI3 subdomain “hearing” slightly lower compared with MHL/CHL patients. Although not significant, a relationship was found between the functional gain and the “hearing” subdomain. No correlation was found for the other subdomains of the HUI3. Audiological measurements showed significantly improved hearing thresholds with the Bonebridge. Most importantly, the subjective benefit achieved in everyday listening situations was superior compared with the previous hearing condition. The lack of correlation between subjective questionnaire results and the functional hearing gain shows the importance of assessing both audiological and subjective hearing quality parameters in clinical routine.
Reply to Mazzei et al. Some Concerns from a Radiological Point of View. Comment on “Huang et al. Outcomes of Conversion Surgery for Metastatic Gastric Cancer Compared with In-Front Surgery plus Palliative Chemotherapy or In-Front Surgery Alone. J. Pers. Med. 2022, 12, 555”
Authors: Kou Hao-Wei , Hsu Jun-Te
Published: June 2022

We thank the authors for their interest in our article “Outcomes of Conversion Surgery for Metastatic Gastric Cancer Compared with In-Front Surgery Plus Palliative Chemotherapy or In-Front Surgery Alone” [...]
Effectivity of (Personalized) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Mental Health Populations and the Elderly: An Overview
Authors: Mijnster Teus , Boersma Gretha J. , Meijer Esther , Lancel Marike
Published: June 2022

Insomnia is very prevalent in psychiatry and is considered a transdiagnostic symptom of mental disorders. Yet, it is not only a consequence of a mental condition but may also exert detrimental effects on psychiatric symptom severity and therapeutic response; thus, adequate insomnia treatment is particularly important in psychiatric populations. The first choice of intervention is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as it is rather effective, also in the long run without side effects. It is offered in various forms, ranging from in-person therapy to internet-delivered applications. CBT-I protocols are typically developed for individuals with insomnia disorder without co-occurring conditions. For an optimal therapeutic outcome of CBT-I in individuals with comorbid mental disorders, adaptations of the protocol to tailor the treatment might be beneficial. Based on a literature search using major search engines (Embase; Medline; APA Psych Info; and Cochrane Reviews), this paper provides an overview of the effectiveness of the different CBT-I applications in individuals with diverse comorbid mental conditions and older adults and describes the functionality of CBT-I protocols that have been personalized to specific psychiatric populations, such as depression, substance abuse, and schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Finally, we discuss urgent needs for insomnia therapy targeted to improve both sleep and psychopathologies.
Using Crowdsourced Big Data to Unravel Urban Green Space Utilization during COVID-19 in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Liu Shuhao , Su Chang , Yang Ruochen , Zhao Jianye , Liu Kun , Ham Kwangmin , Takeda Shiro , Zhang Junhua
Published: June 2022

Urban green spaces (UGSs) can meet the spiritual and cultural needs of citizens and provide various ecosystem services. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization of UGSs has been affected in various countries worldwide. This study considered 13 UGSs in Guangzhou, China, as examples. It obtained user check-in data by sampling the check-in pages of Sina Weibo locations using a Python-based web crawler program. The study was conducted for 731 days from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2021, during different phases of the pandemic. Based on automated Chinese corpus recognition technology, statistical results were obtained after periodization and sentiment calculation. The study assessed the pandemic’s impact on the use of UGSs by analyzing the time, frequency, and emotions of residents visiting UGSs. The study concluded that the emotions of UGS users during COVID-19 tended to be positive. They tended to choose UGSs with low expected population density and visited UGSs on weekdays. Additionally, the religious attributes of UGSs also influenced their utilization.
“Good Foreign Language Teachers Pay Attention to Heterogeneity”: Conceptualizations of Differentiation and Effective Teaching Practice in Inclusive EFL Classrooms by German Pre-Service Teachers
Authors: Rovai Ana , Pfingsthorn Joanna
Published: June 2022

This paper explores how pre-service EFL teachers perceive the variety of methodic-didactic and pedagogical forms of differentiation that they consider as acceptable in their teaching practice and which shed light on knowledge areas related to adaptivity competence. Our investigation looks into (a) qualitative questionnaire data that depict pre-service FL teachers’ conceptualizations of what it means to be a “good” and “bad” foreign language teacher; and (b) pre-service FL teachers’ quantitative evaluations of existing differentiation approaches designed for accommodating learners, especially ones experiencing specific learning differences such as difficulties with memorization, classroom communication, anxiety, or lexical and grammar confusion. Our results show that, despite expressing general agreement towards supporting individual learners’ needs, participants’ knowledge regarding how to respond to the needs of all FL learners appropriately is incomplete.
Study on Mechanical Properties of Concrete Using Basalt-Based Recycled Aggregate and Varying Curing Conditions
Authors: Choi Hong-Beom , Park Jin-O
Published: June 2022

To replace porous basalt, the mechanical properties of concrete with recycled resources and durability improvement were analyzed in this study. The analysis was based on the quality improvement of recycled aggregate, use of fly ash, and changes in curing conditions. Basalt aggregate (BA) with a 3% water absorption, raw recycled aggregate and basalt (RRA), and improved recycled aggregate and basalt (PRA) were the main experimental variables. As PRA was applied to concrete, the compressive strength was lower than that of the specimen comprising BA in the normal strength region, but the modulus of elasticity (22.9 GPa) was equivalent or higher. The initial drying shrinkage increased because of the use of basalt-based recycled aggregate (B-RA). The drying shrinkage of PRA was similar to that of BA with an average difference of <7% as the age increased. The specimens subjected to steam curing exhibited the lowest drying shrinkage. These results showed that pores in the old paste of recycled aggregate increased freeze–thaw resistance because of the increase in the spacing factor. Although the PRA did not satisfy the quality criteria, the efficient use of recycled aggregate achieved an equivalent or higher performance than that of concrete comprising BA and improved durability.
3D and 2D Metal Halide Perovskites for Blue Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Park Min-Ho
Published: June 2022

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are emerging next-generation light emitters that have attracted attention in academia and industry owing to their low material cost, simple synthesis, and wide color gamut. Efficient strategies for MHP modification are being actively studied to attain high performance demonstrated by commercial light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on organic emitters. Active studies have overcome the limitations of the external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of green and red MHP LEDs (PeLEDs); therefore, the EQEs of PeLEDs (red: 21.3% at 649 nm; green: 23.4% at 530 nm) have nearly reached the theoretical limit for the light outcoupling of single-structured planar LEDs. However, the EQEs of blue PeLEDs (12.1% at 488 nm and 1.12% at 445 nm) are still lower than approximately half of those of green and red PeLEDs. To commercialize PeLEDs for future full-color displays, the EQEs of blue MHP emitters should be improved by approximately 2 times for sky-blue and more than 20 times for deep-blue MHP emitters to attain values comparable to the EQEs of red and green PeLEDs. Therefore, based on the reported effective approaches for the preparation of blue PeLEDs, a synergistic strategy for boosting the EQE of blue PeLEDs can be devised for commercialization in future full-color displays. This review covers efficient strategies for improving blue PeLEDs using fundamental approaches of material engineering, including compositional or dimensional engineering, thereby providing inspiration for researchers.
Study on the Hydrogen Embrittlement of Nanograined Materials with Different Grain Sizes by Atomistic Simulation
Authors: Li Jiaqing , Wu Ziyue , Wang Fang , Zhang Liang , Zhou Chilou , Lu Cheng , Teng Lin , Lin Qifeng
Published: June 2022

Although hydrogen embrittlement (HE) behavior has been extensively studied in bulk materials, little is known about H-related deformation and the fracture of nanograined materials. In this study, H segregation and HE mechanisms of nanograined Fe with different grain sizes are unveiled, following the employment of classical molecular dynamics simulations. The H segregation ratio increased, but the local H concentration at the grain boundaries (GBs) decreased with decreases in the grain size at a given bulk H concentration. The results demonstrate that H atoms increased the yield stress of nanograined models irrespective of the grain size. Furthermore, it is revealed that brittle fractures were inhibited, and the resistance to HE increased as the grain size decreased, due to the fact that the small-grain models had a lower local H concentration at the GBs and an enhanced GB-mediated intergranular deformation. These results are a clear indication of the utility of grain refinement to resist H-induced brittle failure.
Study on Microstructural Evolution of DP Steel Considering the Interface Layer Based on Multi Mechanism Strain Gradient Theory
Authors: Zhuang Qianduo , Yue Zhenming , Zhou Lingxiao , Zhao Xihang , Qi Jiashuo , Min Xinrui , Zhang Zhongran , Gao Jun
Published: June 2022

A multi-mechanism constitutive model is proposed in this paper to better describe the effect of the local hardening behavior of the interface layer on the mechanical heterogeneity of dual-phase (DP) steel. The constitutive equations considering the geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) and back stress at grain level and sample level were established. Based on the finite element simulation results, the influences of local hardening and microstructure characteristics on the strain–stress evolution, statistical storage dislocations, GNDs, and back stress of DP steel were studied and discussed. Due to the local hardening effect, the ferrite phase was treated as an inhomogeneous matrix reinforced by some small islands of martensite in the simulation. The simulation results show that the thickness of the interface layer has a significant effect on the macroscopic hardening property of DP steel, while the number of interface layers has little effect. Meanwhile, the GNDs and back stress at the grain level also have little effect on the strengthening of DP steel. The contribution of GNDs at the sample level to the flow stress is about 47%.
Amphiphilic Gold Nanoparticles: A Biomimetic Tool to Gain Mechanistic Insights into Peptide-Lipid Interactions
Authors: Canepa Ester , Relini Annalisa , Bochicchio Davide , Lavagna Enrico , Mescola Andrea
Published: June 2022

Functional peptides are now widely used in a myriad of biomedical and clinical contexts, from cancer therapy and tumor targeting to the treatment of bacterial and viral infections. Underlying this diverse range of applications are the non-specific interactions that can occur between peptides and cell membranes, which, in many contexts, result in spontaneous internalization of the peptide within cells by avoiding energy-driven endocytosis. For this to occur, the amphipathicity and surface structural flexibility of the peptides play a crucial role and can be regulated by the presence of specific molecular residues that give rise to precise molecular events. Nevertheless, most of the mechanistic details regulating the encounter between peptides and the membranes of bacterial or animal cells are still poorly understood, thus greatly limiting the biomimetic potential of these therapeutic molecules. In this arena, finely engineered nanomaterials—such as small amphiphilic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) protected by a mixed thiol monolayer—can provide a powerful tool for mimicking and investigating the physicochemical processes underlying peptide-lipid interactions. Within this perspective, we present here a critical review of membrane effects induced by both amphiphilic AuNPs and well-known amphiphilic peptide families, such as cell-penetrating peptides and antimicrobial peptides. Our discussion is focused particularly on the effects provoked on widely studied model cell membranes, such as supported lipid bilayers and lipid vesicles. Remarkable similarities in the peptide or nanoparticle membrane behavior are critically analyzed. Overall, our work provides an overview of the use of amphiphilic AuNPs as a highly promising tailor-made model to decipher the molecular events behind non-specific peptide-lipid interactions and highlights the main affinities observed both theoretically and experimentally. The knowledge resulting from this biomimetic approach could pave the way for the design of synthetic peptides with tailored functionalities for next-generation biomedical applications, such as highly efficient intracellular delivery systems.