bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Creativity and Entrepreneurial Intentions of College Students: Mediated by Career Adaptability and Moderated by Parental Entrepreneurial Background
Authors: Zhang Libing , Li Qianqian , Zhou Ting , Li Chun , Gu Chuanhua , Zhao Xiuli
Published: June 2022

Drawing on social cognitive career theory, this study aims to ascertain how social creativity influences college students’ entrepreneurial intentions, based on the mediating role of career adaptability and the moderating role of parental entrepreneurial background. A total of 715 college students completed an online survey designed to collect information on these variables. SPSS (version 25.0) was used to test the model. The results indicate that after controlling for gender and individual entrepreneurial experience, college students with a high level of social creativity were likely to have a high level of entrepreneurial intention. Career adaptability partially mediates the association between social creativity and entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, both direct and indirect associations between social creativity and entrepreneurial intention were moderated by parental entrepreneurial background. Specifically, compared with college students whose parents had no entrepreneurial background, the relationships between social creativity and entrepreneurial intention, social creativity and career adaptability, and career adaptability and entrepreneurial intention were stronger among college students whose parents had an entrepreneurial background. The findings help to develop promotion programs that are more suitable for college students’ entrepreneurship intentions.
The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Psychological Outcomes and Quality of Life in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tian Xu , Yi Li-Juan , Liang Chen-Si-Sheng , Gu Lei , Peng Chang , Chen Gui-Hua , Jiménez-Herrera Maria F.
Published: June 2022

Objective

The impact of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on psychological outcomes and quality of life (QoL) in lung cancer patients remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the MBSR program on psychological states and QoL in lung cancer patients.

Methods

Eligible studies published before November 2021 were systematically searched from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases. The risk of bias in eligible studies was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Psychological variables and QoL were evaluated as outcomes. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system to grade the levels of evidence. Statistical analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 and STATA 14.0.

Results

A total of 17 studies involving 1,680 patients were included for meta-analysis eventually. MBSR program significantly relieved cancer-related fatigue (standard mean difference [SMD], −1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], −1.69 to −0.82; moderate evidence) and negative psychological states (SMD, −1.35; 95% CI, −1.69 to −1.02; low evidence), enhanced positive psychological states (SMD, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.56–1.27; moderate evidence), and improved quality of sleep (MD, −2.79; 95% CI, −3.03 to −2.56; high evidence). Evidence on MBSR programs' overall treatment effect for QoL revealed a trend toward statistical significance (p = 0.06, low evidence).

Conclusion

Based on our findings, the MBSR program shows positive effects on psychological states in lung cancer patients. This approach should be recommended as a part of the rehabilitation program for lung cancer patients.

Systematic Review Registration

https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-mwvbq-v1, identifier: 10.17605/OSF.IO/MWVBQ.
The effects of implementation intentions on prospective memory in young and older adults
Authors: Koo Yu Wen , Neumann David L. , Ownsworth Tamara , Shum David H. K.
Published: June 2022

Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to perform a planned action at a future time, while carrying on with other unrelated tasks. Implementation Intentions (II) is a promising metacognitive strategy for improving PM in older adults, though its generalization and longer-term effects are not well-understood. We examined the effects of II on PM in 48 community-dwelling older adults (77% female, Mage = 71.52) and 59 young adults (75% female, Mage = 19.86). Participants were randomly allocated to a conventional instruction or II group and administered a laboratory-based PM task in the first session. In the second session, participants returned to complete a similar but new laboratory-based PM task and an ecological PM task without prompts to use a strategy. We found strong age effects on PM performance whereby older adults performed worse than young adults across all PM tasks. While the overall facilitation effect of II was not statistically significant, there was a trend that this strategy facilitated PM performance on the laboratory-based PM task in the first session for older adults with a medium sized effect (d = 0.37). The generalization and longer-term effect of II were not significant for either the similar laboratory-based or the ecological PM task. These results suggest that a single-session II intervention may not be sufficient to elicit transfer to other similar new PM tasks in healthy populations.
The Interrelationship Between Emotional Intelligence, Self-Efficacy, and Burnout Among Foreign Language Teachers: A Meta-Analytic Review
Authors: Wang Yabing , Wang Yangyu
Published: June 2022

The importance of teachers’ affective, cognitive, and motivational factors in students’ academic achievement and well-being has been widely acknowledged. These factors are of great relevance, especially in the foreign language learning context wherein interaction between teachers and students is frequent and varies in forms. Though abundant evidence points to the high prevalence and risky factors of burnout among such a group, the extant literature lacks a quantitative synthesis of the interrelationship between emotional intelligence (EI), self-efficacy (SE), and burnout among them. This study aims to fill this research gap. The current meta-analysis is based on 42 independent samples with the experiences of 5,665 teachers reviewed. Results demonstrated moderate to large meta-correlations between these three constructs in the expected directions. EI and SE are positively correlated with each other, but negatively correlated with burnout. Moderation analysis also provides exploratory insights into the effects. Implications and future directions are also discussed.
The Value of Immersive Media in Expanding Chinese Public Cultural Participation and Its Realization Path From the Perspective of Cultural Education
Authors: Cai Wujin , Liu Yuan
Published: June 2022

This paper mainly introduces the application of immersive media in Chinese public cultural participation from the perspective of cultural education, as well as the important value of the application of immersive media in expanding the breadth, accuracy, and depth of education and thereby improving the quality of education. On this basis, the realistic path of the role of immersive media technology in further realizing public cultural participation is discussed. First of all, through a questionnaire survey, it analyzes the problems existing in Chinese public cultural participation from the perspective of cultural education and the application of immersive media in Chinese public cultural participation. Secondly, from the aspects that the application of immersive media can extend the space of cultural participation, enrich the content of cultural participation and strengthen the value recognition of cultural participation, it demonstrates that immersive media helps to solve the dilemma of Chinese public cultural participation as a whole and thus improve the quality of education. This will bring new possibilities for expanding Chinese public cultural participation and promoting public social education and cultural quality education. Finally, it discusses the further development of immersive media technology in the field of cultural education from the aspects of optimizing the ecology of immersive media development, promoting the R&D and application of immersive media technology, and promoting the integration of immersive media with cultural participation space and cultural education content.
Family Matters: Trauma and Quality of Life in Family Members of Individuals With Prader-Willi Syndrome
Authors: Bos-Roubos Anja , Wingbermühle Ellen , Biert Anneloes , Graaff Laura de , Egger Jos
Published: June 2022

Background

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a potentially life threatening, genetic developmental disorder that requires lifelong medical treatment and behavioral management. PWS has a major impact on the patient's social environment. In this study, we have explored traumatic life events and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in family members of individuals with PWS. We have also assessed quality of life in relation to trauma manifestations. In addition, we have evaluated demographic characteristics such as living setting of PWS patients as well as PWS symptom severity.

Methods

Data of this observational study were obtained by means of the Life Events Checklist DMS-5, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist DSM-5, the abbreviated World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile questionnaire, and a short demographic inventory. The study sample includes 98 adults aged 19 to 80 years (M = 49, SD = 15), who are relatives of 69 individuals with PWS aged 0 to 58 years (M = 19, SD = 13). Participants were recruited via the two Dutch patient associations PWS and the Dutch Digital Center of Expertise PWS.

Results

Life time prevalence of traumatic events (93%) was higher in family members of PWS patients (“PWS relatives”) than in the general Dutch population (81%). Of those who reported any traumatic event, almost half reported PWS-related events. The prevalence of probable PTSD was higher in PWS relatives (12.1%) than the general lifetime prevalence of PTSD (worldwide, and in the Netherlands 7.4%). Predominant trauma symptoms in PWS relatives were “negative changes in arousal and reactivity” and “negative changes in cognition and mood;” both significantly negatively related to quality of life. Symptom severity of PWS individuals, as well as the associated trauma symptom severity of their relatives increased with age of the PWS individual. The presence of trauma symptoms was less frequent among relatives of PWS individuals living in a care facility.

Conclusions

Having a relative with PWS is associated with higher prevalence of traumatic experiences and greater vulnerability to PTSD. Raising awareness in health care professionals of trauma symptoms in PWS relatives may contribute to effective treatment of their psychosocial stress. In addition, timely interventions might prevent family members from developing psychopathology like PTSD.
Impact of Urbanization on Health and Well-Being in Ghana. Status of Research, Intervention Strategies and Future Directions: A Rapid Review
Authors: Tay Doris Akosua , Ocansey Reginald T. A.
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Ghana like other African countries is facing multiple health threats due to expansion of urban populations. Globally, the urbanization phenomenon has received considerable attention and modest steps have been undertaken to address it. Ghana is stalling on implementation of policies and interventions targeted at alleviating the menace.

Objectives

This review examined research evidence, interventions, and policies relating to urbanization and threats to health and well-being of people living in Ghana. The review focused on three areas including urbanization threats to health and well-being, health risks associated with urbanization, and interventions and policies.

Materials and Methods

The search spanned from year 2000 to February 2022 covering documents related to urbanization, health, and well-being. Databases used for the search include African Journals Online, Annual Reviews (Biomedical, Life & Physical sciences, Social Sciences), BioMedCentral, BioOne, BLDS digital library, Cambridge University Press, ClinicalKey, CINAHL, University of Ghana Digital Collections/UGSpace, JSTOR, Medline and Wiley Online Library.

Results

Environmental risk factors, urban planning, water-related, behavior-related, and socioeconomic factors were important urbanization threats to health and well-being. Health risks identified include airborne diseases, waterborne diseases, malaria, and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and lung cancer. Additionally, there is evidence of non-implementation and/or non-enforcement of existing interventions and policies.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Evidence from this rapid review shows that urbanization impacts on health and well-being of people in Ghana. Urbanization threats that expose populations to health risks could be reduced through commitment to implementation, surveillance and monitoring of policies and interventions. Communities and individuals must be equipped to take control of their health and well-being.
Optimization of Dynamic Sit-to-Stand Trajectories to Assess Whole-Body Motion Performance of the Humanoid Robot REEM-C
Authors: Aller Felix , Harant Monika , Mombaur Katja
Published: June 2022

To enable the application of humanoid robots outside of laboratory environments, the biped must meet certain requirements. These include, in particular, coping with dynamic motions such as climbing stairs or ramps or walking over irregular terrain. Sit-to-stand transitions also belong to this category. In addition to their actual application such as getting out of vehicles or standing up after sitting, for example, at a table, these motions also provide benefits in terms of performance assessment. Therefore, they have long been used as a sports medical and geriatric assessment for humans. Here, we develop optimized sit-to-stand trajectories using optimal control, which are characterized by their dynamic and humanlike nature. We implement these motions on the humanoid robot REEM-C. Based on the obtained sensor data, we present a unified benchmarking procedure based on two different experimental protocols. These protocols are characterized by their increasing level of difficulty for quantifying different aspects of lower limb performance. We report performance results obtained by REEM-C using two categories of indicators: primary, scenario-specific indicators that assess overall performance (chair height and ankle-to-chair distance) and subsidiary, general indicators that further describe performance. The latter provide a more detailed analysis of the applied motion and are based on metrics such as the angular momentum, zero moment point, capture point, or foot placement estimator. In the process, we identify performance deficiencies of the robot based on the collected data. Thus, this work is an important step toward a unified quantification of bipedal performance in the execution of humanlike and dynamically demanding motions.
Case Report: Post-Partum SARS-CoV-2 Infection After the First French Uterus Transplantation
Authors: Ayoubi Jean Marc , Carbonnel Marie , Kvarnström Niclas , Revaux Aurelie , Poulain Marine , Vanlieferinghen Sarah , Coatantiec Yves , Le Marchand Mathilde , Tourne Morgan , Pirtea Paul , Snanoudj Renaud , Le Guen Morgan , Dahm-Kähler Pernilla , Racowsky Catherine , Brännström Mats
Published: June 2022

Absolute uterus factor infertility, whether congenital or acquired, renders the woman unable to carry a child. Although uterus transplantation (UTx) is being increasingly performed as a non-vital procedure to address this unfortunate condition, the immunosuppression required presents risks that are further compounded by pregnancy and during the puerperium period. These vulnerabilities require avoidance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant UTx recipients especially during the third trimester, as accumulating evidence reveals increased risks of morbidity and mortality. Here we describe a successful UTx case with delivery of a healthy child, but in which both mother and neonate developed asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection seven days after RNA vaccination, on day 35 post-partum. Although the patient was successfully treated with a combination therapy comprised of two monoclonal antibodies, this case highlights the challenges associated with performing UTx in the era of Covid-19. More broadly, the risks of performing non-vital organ transplantation during a pandemic should be discussed among team members and prospective patients, weighing the risks against the benefits in improving the quality of life, which were considerable for our patient who achieved motherhood with the birth of a healthy child.
How to Precisely Open the Internal Auditory Canal for Resection of Vestibular Schwannoma via the Retrosigmoid Approach
Authors: Jia Chenguang , Xu Chengshi , Wang Mengyang , Chen Jincao
Published: June 2022

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate how to precisely expose the intrameatal portion of vestibular schwannomas (VSs) without damaging the labyrinth.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of patients who had undergone retrosigmoid resection of a VS in our institution from April 2018 to December 2021. The patients were divided into microsurgery (MS) and navigation endoscopic-assisted (combined surgery, CS) groups and the effects of image guidance and endoscopy evaluated. The tumors in the CS group were then divided into medial and lateral types by fusion imaging and the differences between the two types analyzed.

Results

Data of 84 patients were analyzed. Residual tumor was detected by postoperative MRI at the fundus of the internal auditory canal in 5 of the 31 patients in the MS group and 1 of the 53 in the CS group. The labyrinth was damaged in four patients in the MS group but was not damaged in any of the CS group patients. The CS group included 29 lateral type and 24 medial type schwannomas. Endoscopic-assisted resection of residual tumor in the IAC was performed significantly more often on medial than on lateral tumors.

Conclusion

Navigation and endoscopy are useful in assisting the exposure of the intrameatal portion of VSs. Preoperative MRI/CT fusion imaging is helpful in preoperative evaluation and surgical planning in patients undergoing VS surgery. Tumors of the medial type require endoscopic assistance for resection.
COVID-19 and Liver Surgery: How the Pandemic Affected an Italian Medium-Volume HBP Center
Authors: Carissimi Francesca , Scotti Mauro Alessandro , Ciulli Cristina , Fogliati Alessandro , Uggeri Fabio , Chiarelli Marco , Braga Marco , Romano Fabrizio , Garancini Mattia
Published: June 2022

Introduction

While the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, it is even more evident that victims of the pandemic are not only those who contract the virus, but also the countless patients suffering from other serious diseases (i.e., tumor) who have undergone delayed potentially life-saving surgery due to a lack of beds. Like many hospitals, ours also initially blocked all elective oncologic surgery, but these operations were “recovered” and reintegrated in a relatively short time, thanks to the establishment of COVID-free wards and operating rooms with staff dedicated to oncological surgery. In tis context, our aim is to assess whether and how the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has impacted our hepatobiliary surgery unit.

Methods

From our prospective database, we retrospectively took data from patients undergoing liver surgery in 2018–2019 (pre-COVID) and 2020–2021 (COVID period). Patients admitted to COVID-free wards must necessarily have a negative nasal swab from the previous 24 h.

Results

Between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019 (Group 1), 101 patients were treated; during the pandemic [January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021 (Group 2)], 126 patients were treated. There was no statistical difference between the groups. The median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days for both groups; 7 patients had major complications (Clavien-Dindo > 3) in Group 1 and 11 in Group 2 (p = 0.795). A total of 4 patients died in Group 1 and 6 during the pandemic (p = 0.754). Tumor burden was significantly greater in Group 2 where nodule size, lymphadenectomy, and extrahepatic disease were significantly greater (p = 0.011, p = 0.004, and p = 0.026, respectively).

Conclusion

During the COVID pandemic, our HPB unit managed to offer a volume of tertiary-center hepatobiliary surgery without a significant impact in terms of length of stay, morbidity, or mortality despite the increase in tumor burden during the pandemic years.
A New Nomogram Model for Predicting 1-Year All-Cause Mortality After Hip Arthroplasty in Nonagenarians With Hip Fractures: A 20-Year Period Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Lu Xingchen , Wang Ziming , Chong Feifei , Wang Yu , Wu Siyu , Du Quanyin , Gou Wenlong , Peng Keyun , Xiong Yan
Published: June 2022

Background

China has become an ageing society and as it continues to age, it will face an increasing number of hip fractures in nonagenarians. However, few preoperative assessment tools to determine the postoperative mortality risk in nonagenarians with hip fracture were available. The aim of this study was to identify all-cause mortality risk factors after hip arthroplasty in nonagenarians with hip fractures and to establish a new nomogram model to optimize the individualized hip arthroplasty in nonagenarians with hip fractures.

Methods

We retrospectively studied 246 consecutive nonagenarians diagnosed with hip fracture from August 2002 to February 2021 at our center. During the follow-up, 203 nonagenarians with a median age of 91.9 years treated with hip arthroplasty were included, of which 136 were females and 67 were males, and 43 nonagenarians were excluded (40 underwent internal fixation and 3 were lost to follow-up). The full cohort was randomly divided into training (50%) and validation (50%) sets. The potential predictive factors for 1-year all-cause mortality after hip arthroplasty were assessed by univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards regression on the training set, and then, a new nomogram model was established and evaluated by concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves.

Results

After analyzing 44 perioperative variables including demographic characteristics, vital signs, surgical data, laboratory tests, we identified that age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (aCCI) (p = 0.042), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (p = 0.007), Urea (p = 0.028), serum Ca2+ (p = 0.011), postoperative hemoglobin (p = 0.024) were significant predictors for 1-year all-cause mortality after hip arthroplasty in the training set. The nomogram showed a robust discrimination, with a C-index of 0.71 (95%CIs, 0.68–0.78). The calibration curves for 1-year all-cause mortality showed optimal agreement between the probability as predicted by the nomogram and the actual probability in training and validation sets.

Conclusion

A novel nomogram model integrating 5 independent predictive variables were established and validated. It can effectively predict 1-year all-cause mortality after hip arthroplasty in nonagenarians with hip fracture and lead to a more optimized and rational therapeutic choice.
Combination of the Modified Loop Technique and De Vega Annuloplasty in Dogs with Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Aoki Takuma , Miyamoto Takashi , Fukamachi Naoyuki , Niimi Seiya , Jingya Yao , Wakao Yoshito
Published: June 2022

Background: Detailed surgical techniques for treating canine mitral regurgitation have not been previously reported. Method: This case series included six consecutive client-owned dogs with mitral regurgitation. All dogs underwent a combined protocol, including the modified loop technique and De Vega annuloplasty (MODEL surgery), in 2021. Artificial loops covering 80% of the length of the strut chordae tendineae were used for chordal replacement. Mitral annuloplasty was subjectively performed, targeting the circumference of the septal leaflet. Results: The breeds were Chihuahua-mixed breed, Spitz, Pomeranian, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Chihuahua, with average ages and weights of 11.4 ± 2.3 years and 5.49 ± 2.98 kg, respectively. The aortic cross-clamp, pumping, and surgery times were 64.0 ± 7.5 min, 168.5 ± 39.1 min, and 321.0 ± 53.1 min, respectively. After MODEL surgery, left atrial-to-aortic ratios significantly decreased from 2.20 ± 0.18 to 1.26 ± 0.22 (p < 0.01), and left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter normalized to body weight significantly decreased from 2.03 ± 0.26 to 1.48 ± 0.20 (p < 0.01). In all cases, the clinical signs disappeared or improved significantly. Conclusions: MODEL surgery increased mitral valve coaptation, normalized heart sizes, and significantly improved clinical signs in dogs with mitral regurgitation.
Antibiotics and Infectious Respiratory Diseases
Authors: Di Gennaro Francesco , Gualano Gina , Palmieri Fabrizio
Published: June 2022

Respiratory infectious diseases (rIDs) remain among the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and, in the era of COVID-19, they have come into major focus in the scientific world and global health approaches [...]
Veterinary Practitioners’ Standpoints and Comprehension towards Antimicrobial Use—Are There Opportunities for Antimicrobial Stewardship Improvement?
Authors: Kovačević Zorana , Vidović Jovana , Erdeljan Mihajlo , Cincović Marko , Ružić Zoran , Galić Ivan , Kukurić Tijana , Stojanac Nenad , Horvat Olga
Published: June 2022

The main subject of the research is the assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of veterinarians regarding the use of antibiotics (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a questionnaire conducted among veterinarians in the northern region of Serbia. A total of 62 respondents completed the questionnaire, which represents a response rate of 44.3%. Male veterinarians are less likely to be in the group of veterinarians with insufficient knowledge (p < 0.05). Veterinarians engaged in mixed practice (small and large animals) (p < 0.001) and veterinarians who have over 100 patients per month (p < 0.005) are also less likely to be in the group with insufficient knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. The proportion of those with insufficient knowledge is growing among veterinarians whose source is the Internet (p < 0.01), while the proportion of those with insufficient knowledge about antimicrobial resistance is declining among veterinarians whose source of information is continuous education (p < 0.05). The majority of the respondents (n = 59, 95.2%) completely agreed that AMR is a very big issue in the global health sector right now. Unfortunately, there are crucial gaps in the knowledge and attitudes of the surveyed participants. They do not appear to be aware of the importance of AMU in veterinary medicine and its influence on overall AMR, or the crucial part that non-prescribed antibiotics have in all of it. Positively, many veterinarians use good practice AMU guidelines in their everyday practice and in line with the global trend of AMU reduction, respondents have also decreased their AMU compared to the previous year.
Performance of Graph and Relational Databases in Complex Queries
Authors: Kotiranta Petri , Junkkari Marko , Nummenmaa Jyrki
Published: June 2022

In developing NoSQL databases, a major motivation is to achieve better efficient query performance compared with relational databases. The graph database is a NoSQL paradigm where navigation is based on links instead of joining tables. Links can be implemented as pointers, and following a pointer is a constant time operation, whereas joining tables is more complicated and slower, even in the presence of foreign keys. Therefore, link-based navigation has been seen as a more efficient query approach than using join operations on tables. Existing studies strongly support this assumption. However, query complexity has received less attention. For example, in enterprise information systems, queries are usually complex so data need to be collected from several tables or by traversing paths of graph nodes of different types. In the present study, we compared the query performance of a graph-based database system (Neo4j) and relational database systems (MySQL and MariaDB). The effect of different efficiency issues (e.g., indexing and optimization) were included in the comparison in order to investigate the most efficient solutions for different query types. The outcome is that although Neo4j is more efficient for simple queries, MariaDB is essentially more efficient when the complexity of queries increases. The study also highlighted how dramatically the efficiency of relational database has grown during the last decade.
Effects of the Irrigation of Chelva Grapevines on the Aroma Composition of Wine
Authors: Delgado Juan A. , Osorio Alises María , Alonso-Villegas Rodrigo , Sánchez-Palomo Eva , González-Viñas Miguel A.
Published: June 2022

Climate change scenarios are predicting an increase in temperature as well as more scarce and torrential rainfall episodes. Due to this, an imbalance between grape technological and phenolic maturity is being observed, which detrimentally affects the grapes’ composition. In semi-arid areas, irrigation management is a main field practice used to influence grape ripening. The goal of the present study was to investigate the influence of vine irrigation on the aroma composition and sensory characteristics of La Mancha Chelva wines. Volatile compounds were studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 75 aroma compounds were identified and quantified in Chelva wines elaborated with grapes of irrigated and non-irrigated vines. The results show that the application of irrigation during vine cultivation produced small changes in the concentration of wine volatile compounds. Nevertheless, it increased, in general, the intensity of the attributes of the main aroma sensory profile of the wines. According to the results, the vine irrigation of Chelva cultivated in the La Mancha region can be used as a method to increase the aroma of wines.
KHK, PNPLA3 and PPAR as Novel Targets for the Anti-Steatotic Action of Bempedoic Acid
Authors: Velázquez Ana Magdalena , Bentanachs Roger , Sala-Vila Aleix , Lázaro Iolanda , Rodríguez-Morató Jose , Sánchez Rosa María , Laguna Juan Carlos , Roglans Núria , Alegret Marta
Published: June 2022

Bempedoic acid (BemA) is an ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitor used to treat hypercholesterolemia. We studied the anti-steatotic effect of BemA, and the mechanisms involved, in a model of fatty liver in female rats obtained through the administration of a high-fat diet supplemented with liquid fructose (HFHFr) for three months. In the third month, a group of rats was treated with BemA (30 mg/kg/day) by gavage. Plasma analytes, liver histology, adiposity, and the expression of key genes controlling fatty acid metabolism were determined, and PPAR agonism was explored by using luciferase reporter assays. Our results showed that, compared to HFHFr, BemA-treated rats exhibited lower body weight, higher liver/body weight, and reduced hepatic steatosis. In addition to ACLY inhibition, we found three novel mechanisms that could account for the anti-steatotic effect: (1) reduction of liver ketohexokinase, leading to lower fructose intake and reduced de novo lipogenesis; (2) increased expression of patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3, a protein related to the export of liver triglycerides to blood; and (3) PPARα agonist activity, leading to increased hepatic fatty acid β-oxidation. In conclusion, BemA may represent a novel approach to treat hepatic steatosis, and therefore to avoid progression to advanced stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Stage II of Chronic Kidney Disease—A Tipping Point in Disease Progression?
Authors: Grgurevic Lovorka , Novak Rudjer , Salai Grgur , Hrkac Stela , Mocibob Marko , Vojtusek Ivana Kovacevic , Laganovic Mario
Published: June 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the progressive loss of renal function. Although advances have been made in understanding the progression of CKD, key molecular events in complex pathophysiological mechanisms that mark each stage of renal failure remain largely unknown. Changes in plasma protein profiles in different disease stages are important for identification of early diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets. The goal of this study was to determine the molecular profile of each CKD stage (from 1 to 5), aiming to specifically point out markedly expressed or downregulated proteins. We performed a cross-sectional shotgun-proteomic study of pooled plasma across CKD stages and compared them to healthy controls. After sample pooling and heparin-column purification we analysed proteomes from healthy to CKD stage 1 through 5 participants’ plasma by liquid-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. We identified 453 proteins across all study groups. Our results indicate that key events, which may later affect the course of disease progression and the overall pathophysiological background, are most pronounced in CKD stage 2, with an emphasis on inflammation, lipoprotein metabolism, angiogenesis and tissue regeneration. We hypothesize that CKD stage 2 is the tipping point in disease progression and a suitable point in disease course for the development of therapeutic solutions.
Experimental Study and Numerical Simulation of Hydrodynamic Parameters of Tangential Swirlers
Authors: Voinov Nikolai A. , Frolov Alexander S. , Bogatkova Anastasiya V. , Zemtsov Denis A.
Published: June 2022

This paper presents and patents new profiled- and annular-channel tangential swirlers with 1.8–3 times less hydraulic drag coefficient compared to swirlers with straight channel walls at the same flow rate, respectively. The results of numerical simulation of the gas velocity and pressure profiles for tangential swirler channels of different structures are presented. The modelling was carried out with the help of OpenFOAM software using the k-ε turbulence model. It is found that the shape of the velocity profile at the channel inlet has a decisive influence on the swirler drag coefficient. The greatest contribution to the total drag coefficient of the tangential swirler is made by the pressure drop at the channel inlet compared to the pressure drop at the channel wall and the channel outlet. The experimental dependencies of the tangential swirlers’ drag coefficient on the Reynolds number with a gas criterion of 2000–20,000 and the following structural channel parameters: width 1, 2–9 mm, height 1, 5–10 mm, number 5–45 units, inclination angle 0–45° are presented. The experimental data were compared with the modelling calculations and the convergence of data was achieved. The generalized dependence for the measurement of the hydraulic drag coefficient of three types of tangential swirlers considering the effect made by the geometric parameters (flow rate, width and height of the channel, wall inclination angle) on the pressure drop has been determined; it can be useful at the unit design stage as it allows for reducing the calculation time of the swirler parameters.
E-Senses, Panel Tests and Wearable Sensors: A Teamwork for Food Quality Assessment and Prediction of Consumer’s Choices
Authors: Modesti Margherita , Tonacci Alessandro , Sansone Francesco , Billeci Lucia , Bellincontro Andrea , Cacopardo Gloria , Sanmartin Chiara , Taglieri Isabella , Venturi Francesca
Published: June 2022

At present, food quality is of utmost importance, not only to comply with commercial regulations, but also to meet the expectations of consumers; this aspect includes sensory features capable of triggering emotions through the citizen’s perception. To date, key parameters for food quality assessment have been sought through analytical methods alone or in combination with a panel test, but the evaluation of panelists’ reactions via psychophysiological markers is now becoming increasingly popular. As such, the present review investigates recent applications of traditional and novel methods to the specific field. These include electronic senses (e-nose, e-tongue, and e-eye), sensory analysis, and wearables for emotion recognition. Given the advantages and limitations highlighted throughout the review for each approach (both traditional and innovative ones), it was possible to conclude that a synergy between traditional and innovative approaches could be the best way to optimally manage the trade-off between the accuracy of the information and feasibility of the investigation. This evidence could help in better planning future investigations in the field of food sciences, providing more reliable, objective, and unbiased results, but it also has important implications in the field of neuromarketing related to edible compounds.
Serum Biomarkers in a Radiological Pattern of Non-Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Implications for Mechanistic Difference and Differential Diagnosis
Authors: Takimoto Takayuki , Nakamura Yukihiro
Published: June 2022

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a consequence of immune-mediated reactions caused by recurrent exposure to environmental agents. Recently, clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis of HP were published and increased interest in HP. On the other hand, novel therapies have recently emerged for various diseases, and the management of drug-related pneumonitis (DRP) has become increasingly important. Among DRP, the HP pattern (DRP-HP) shows small, poorly defined centrilobular nodules with or without widespread areas of ground-glass opacity or lobular areas of decreased attenuation and vascularity. A similar radiological pattern of non-fibrotic HP can be induced, irrespective of inhalation (non-fibrotic HP) or intravenous administration (DRP-HP). However, their difference has not been well described, although the distribution of lesions in the lungs was slightly different between these two conditions. In this review, we focus on serum biomarkers of lung epithelial cells in order to investigate the difference between DRP-HP and non-fibrotic HP (common-HP). Serum levels of Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6) might be relatively lower (occasionally normal) in DRP-HP than in common-HP, implying a mechanistic difference. KL-6 could be useful in discriminating between DRP and non-fibrotic HP (common type).
Facial Expression Recognition: One Attention-Modulated Contextual Spatial Information Network
Authors: Li Xue , Zhu Chunhua , Zhou Fei
Published: June 2022

Facial expression recognition (FER) in the wild is a challenging task due to some uncontrolled factors such as occlusion, illumination, and pose variation. The current methods perform well in controlled conditions. However, there are still two issues with the in-the-wild FER task: (i) insufficient descriptions of long-range dependency of expression features in the facial information space and (ii) not finely refining subtle inter-classes distinction from multiple expressions in the wild. To overcome the above issues, an end-to-end model for FER, named attention-modulated contextual spatial information network (ACSI-Net), is presented in this paper, with the manner of embedding coordinate attention (CA) modules into a contextual convolutional residual network (CoResNet). Firstly, CoResNet is constituted by arranging contextual convolution (CoConv) blocks of different levels to integrate facial expression features with long-range dependency, which generates a holistic representation of spatial information on facial expression. Then, the CA modules are inserted into different stages of CoResNet, at each of which the subtle information about facial expression acquired from CoConv blocks is first modulated by the corresponding CA module across channels and spatial locations and then flows into the next layer. Finally, to highlight facial regions related to expression, a CA module located at the end of the whole network, which produces attentional masks to multiply by input feature maps, is utilized to focus on salient regions. Different from other models, the ACSI-Net is capable of exploring intrinsic dependencies between features and yielding a discriminative representation for facial expression classification. Extensive experimental results on AffectNet and RAF_DB datasets demonstrate its effectiveness and competitiveness compared to other FER methods.
Analysis of Emissions and Fuel Consumption in Freight Transport
Authors: Ziółkowski Andrzej , Fuć Paweł , Jagielski Aleks , Bednarek Maciej
Published: June 2022

Currently in Europe, road freight transport is characterized by the most dynamic advancement. Year after year, we may observe an increase in the amount of transported goods. The paper presents the emissions of gaseous exhaust components such as CO, THC, and NOx as well as fuel consumption in freight transport. The emission analysis was performed for the entire transport cycle covering the handling of the goods with forklifts and carriage with a heavy-duty truck. The investigations were performed under actual conditions of operation using a Portable Emission Measurement System (PEMS). The fuel mileage was determined using the carbon balance method. The test routes were designed so as to reproduce the transport-logistic system typical of small towns. The setting for the tests was a town located in central Poland near the A2 motorway constituting part of the trans-European logistic network with multiple locations of logistic centers. In order to present the real emissions during handling, two test variants were considered: an outdoor variant (on a nearby lot) and inside a warehouse. The test run of the heavy-duty truck involved transporting 24,000 kg of load on urban and extra-urban (local and intercity) roads. The exhaust emissions and fuel mileage were determined for each of the stages as well as for the entire research cycle.
Comparison of Component-Oriented and System-Oriented Modeling in the Context of Operational Energy System Analysis
Authors: Beck Jan-Philip , Sawant Parantapa , Drauz Simon Ruben , Schwarz Jan Sören , Heyer Annika , Huismann Philipp
Published: June 2022

Simulation based studies for operational energy system analysis play a significant role in evaluation of various new age technologies and concepts in the energy grid. Various modelling approaches already exist and in this original paper, four models representing these approaches are compared in two real-world hybrid energy system scenarios. The models, namely TransiEnt, µGRiDS, and OpSim (including pandaprosumer and mosaic) are classified into component-oriented or system-oriented approaches as deduced from the literature research. The methodology section describes their differences under standard conditions and the necessary parameterization for the purpose of creating a framework facilitating a closest possible comparison. A novel methodology for scenario generation is also explained. The results help to quantify primary differences in these approaches that are also identified in literature and qualify the influence of the accuracy of the models for application in a system-wide analysis. It is shown that a simplified model may be sufficient for the system-oriented approach especially when the objective is an optimization-based control or planning. However, from a field level operational point of view, the differences in the time series signify the importance of the component-oriented approaches.
Finite Element Method for Non-Newtonian Radiative Maxwell Nanofluid Flow under the Influence of Heat and Mass Transfer
Authors: Nawaz Yasir , Arif Muhammad Shoaib , Abodayeh Kamaleldin , Bibi Mairaj
Published: June 2022

The recent study was concerned with employing the finite element method for heat and mass transfer of MHD Maxwell nanofluid flow over the stretching sheet under the effects of radiations and chemical reactions. Moreover, the effects of viscous dissipation and porous plate were considered. The mathematical model of the flow was described in the form of a set of partial differential equations (PDEs). Further, these PDEs were transformed into a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using similarity transformations. Rather than analytical integrations, numerical integration was used to compute integrals obtained by applying the finite element method. The mesh-free analysis and comparison of the finite element method with the finite difference method are also provided to justify the calculated results. The effect of different parameters on velocity, temperature and concentration profile is shown in graphs, and numerical values for physical quantities of interest are also given in a tabular form. In addition, simulations were carried out by employing software that applies the finite element method for solving PDEs. The calculated results are also portrayed in graphs with varying sheet velocities. The results show that the second-order finite difference method is more accurate than the finite element method with linear interpolation polynomial. However, the finite element method requires less number of iterations than the finite difference method in a considered particular case. We had high hopes that this work would act as a roadmap for future researchers entrusted with resolving outstanding challenges in the realm of enclosures utilized in industry and engineering.
An Optical Engine Used as a Physical Model for Studies of the Combustion Process Applying a Two-Color Pyrometry Technique
Authors: Corral-Gómez Lis , Armas Octavio , Soriano José A. , Pastor José V. , García-Oliver José M. , Micó Carlos
Published: June 2022

This work describes an experimental installation for the investigation of the combustion and injection processes. This installation is based on a two-stroke direct injection diesel engine with a total displacement of 3 L and a cylinder head equipped with three quartz windows. The windows are optical accesses that allow studying the process of injection, the atomization and evaporation of the fuel jet in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen), and the combustion process in a reactive atmosphere (ambient air). Additionally, the application of a two-color pyrometry technique to measure soot formation in this facility is presented. A methodological study is carried out regarding the influence of the dynamic range of the detectors and the wavelengths used. Maps of KL2C, flame temperature, and error probability are presented. The use of cameras with high dynamic range provides better results since the system seems to be less sensitive to measurement noise, and fewer points are obtained with a non-physical solution. Moreover, an appropriate combination of interference filters can improve the reliability of the solution. The greater the difference between the wavelengths of both interference filters, the fewer points with a non-physical solution, which improves the reliability of results.