bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells’ Behavior at Different Operational Scenarios
Authors: Al-Asheh Sameer , Al-Assaf Yousef , Aidan Ahmed
Published: October 2020

A Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) is a process in which a microorganism respires and captures the electrons that normally passes through the electron transport system of the organism and produces electricity. This work intends to present the different operating parameters affecting the efficiency of a Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) process. To study the performance of the process, various materials for the cathode and anode rods with similar size and chape including, copper, aluminum, carbon cloth, steel and brass were considered to determine the combination that leads to the best results. Moreover, different oxidizing agents such as Copper Sulphate and Potassium Hexacyanoferrate were considered. Furthermore, the effects of shapes, sizes and distance between electrodes on the current and voltage were investigated. The power outputs between electrochemical and microbial cells were recorded. In addition, the power, whether expressed as voltage or current, was measured at different conditions and different cell combinations. The power is directly related to the area, volume of the bacterial solution and supplying air and stirring.
Breakage Characterization of Magnetite under Impact Loads and Cyclic Impact Loading
Authors: Si Liang , Cao Yijun , Fan Guixia
Published: October 2020

A series of impact compression tests were conducted to study the breakage characteristics of magnetite, as well as the impact pressure on its strain rate and dynamic compressive strength. The dynamic mechanical properties and fragmentation size distribution of magnetite under diverse impact loads and cyclic impact were investigated, with fractal theory as a basis and split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). Breakage methods were also employed to analyze the fracture morphology of magnetite. According to the result, the fractal dimension can reflect the distribution of fragments in various sizes. If the strain rate increases, the fractal dimension will be larger, the fragment size will be finer, and the fragmentation degree will be more influential. A micro-analysis of SEM images demonstrates that the fracture morphology is determined by mineral properties. Under low load cyclic impact, intergranular fracture is the main fractography. Besides, the intergranular fracture will be changed to a transgranular one as the impact load increases.
The DSR Scheme in the Capacity Market of Industrial Enterprises in Poland—Participation Determinants
Authors: Jeżyna Bartosz , Lis Marcin , Mesjasz-Lech Agata
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this article is to present the key differences between the Polish Guaranteed DSR (demand-side response) Scheme operating from 2017 to 2020 and the Polish Capacity Market DSR Scheme operating from 2021, and their impacts on the decision to participate in the DSR scheme. The present study attempts to compare the rules of the old and new schemes and their impacts on the participation decision depending on the industry of the potential scheme participant. The study was conducted on a group of 50 randomly selected companies. A structured interview was used to collect information, and a chi-quadrant independence test and a Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test were used in the analysis of the collected data. The study was conducted in selected enterprises located in Poland. The results of the study indicate the elements that are similar to the literature on the subject, and key aspects arising from the unique characteristics of the Polish market and the industry of the potential participant. A detailed analysis of the collected data showed that the position of the respondent in the company and the size of the company do not affect the level of knowledge of the DSR market, or the decision concerning cooperation or the manner of reduction. All the respondents have higher opinions about the new Capacity Market DSR Scheme, which confirms the proper direction of the changes in relation to the ending Guaranteed DSR Scheme.
PLS-CNN-BiLSTM: An End-to-End Algorithm-Based Savitzky–Golay Smoothing and Evolution Strategy for Load Forecasting
Authors: Massaoudi Mohamed , S. Refaat Shady , Abu-Rub Haitham , Chihi Ines , Oueslati Fakhreddine S.
Published: October 2020

This paper proposes an effective deep learning framework for Short-Term Load Forecasting (STLF) of multivariate time series. The proposed model consists of a hybrid Convolutional neural network-Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (CBiLSTM) based on the Evolution Strategy (ES) method and the Savitzky–Golay (SG) filter (SG-CBiLSTM). The adopted methodology incorporates the virtue of different prepossessing blocks to enhance the performance of the CBiLSTM model. In particular, a data-augmentation strategy is employed to synthetically improve the feature representation of the CBiLSTM model. The augmented data is forwarded to the Partial Least Square (PLS) method to select the most informative features above the predefined threshold. Next, the SG algorithm is computed for smoothing the load to enhance the learning capabilities of the underlying system. The structure of the SG-CBiLSTM for the ISO New England dataset is optimized using the ES technique. Finally, the CBiLSTM model generates output forecasts. The proposed approach demonstrates a remarkable improvement in the performance of the original CBiLSTM model. Furthermore, the experimental results strongly confirm the high effectiveness of the proposed SG-CBiLSTM model compared to the state-of-the-art techniques.
An Efficient Resource Scheduling Strategy for V2X Microservice Deployment in Edge Servers
Authors: Shi Yanjun , Guo Yijia , Lv Lingling , Zhang Keshuai
Published: October 2020

The fast development of connected vehicles with support for various V2X (vehicle-to-everything) applications carries high demand for quality of edge services, which concerns microservice deployment and edge computing. We herein propose an efficient resource scheduling strategy to containerize microservice deployment for better performance. Firstly, we quantify three crucial factors (resource utilization, resource utilization balancing, and microservice dependencies) in resource scheduling. Then, we propose a multi-objective model to achieve equilibrium in these factors and a multiple fitness genetic algorithm (MFGA) for the balance between resource utilization, resource utilization balancing, and calling distance, where a container dynamic migration strategy in the crossover and mutation process of the algorithm is provided. The simulated results from Container-CloudSim showed the effectiveness of our MFGA.
Coating Flow Near Channel Exit. A Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Khayat Roger E. , Hossain Mohammad Tanvir
Published: October 2020

The planar flow of a steady moving-wall free-surface jet is examined theoretically for moderate inertia and surface tension. The method of matched asymptotic expansion and singular perturbation is used to explore the rich dynamics near the stress singularity. A thin-film approach is also proposed to capture the flow further downstream where the flow becomes of the boundary-layer type. We exploit the similarity character of the flow to circumvent the presence of the singularity. The study is of close relevance to slot and blade coating. The jet is found to always contract near the channel exit, but presents a mild expansion further downstream for a thick coating film. We predict that separation occurs upstream of the exit for slot coating, essentially for any coating thickness near the moving substrate, and for a thin film near the die. For capillary number of order one, the jet profile is not affected by surface tension but the normal stress along the free surface exhibits a maximum that strengthens with surface tension. In contrast to existing numerical findings, we predict the existence of upstream influence as indicated by the nonlinear pressure dependence on upstream distance and the pressure undershoot (overshoot) in blade (slot) coating at the exit.
Perceptual–Cognitive Function and Unplanned Athletic Movement Task Performance: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wilke Jan , Groneberg David , Banzer Winfried , Giesche Florian
Published: October 2020

The performance of choice-reaction tasks during athletic movement has been demonstrated to evoke unfavorable biomechanics in the lower limb. However, the mechanism of this observation is unknown. We conducted a systematic review examining the association between (1) the biomechanical and functional safety of unplanned sports-related movements (e.g., jumps/runs with a spontaneously indicated landing leg/cutting direction) and (2) markers of perceptual–cognitive function (PCF). A literature search in three databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar) identified five relevant articles. The study quality, rated by means of a modified Downs and Black checklist, was moderate to high (average: 13/16 points). Four of five papers, in at least one parameter, found either an association of PCF with task safety or significantly reduced task safety in low vs. high PCF performers. However, as (a) the outcomes, populations and statistical methods of the included trials were highly heterogeneous and (b) only two out of five studies had an adequate control condition (pre-planned movement task), the evidence was classified as conflicting. In summary, PCF may represent a factor affecting injury risk and performance during unplanned sports-related movements, but future research strengthening the evidence for this association is warranted.
The Promotion of Eating Behaviour Change through Digital Interventions
Authors: Chen Yang , Perez-Cueto Federico J. A. , Giboreau Agnès , Mavridis Ioannis , Hartwell Heather
Published: October 2020

Diet-related chronic disease is a global health epidemic giving rise to a high incidence of morbidity and mortality. With the rise of the digital revolution, there has been increased interest in using digital technology for eating behavioural change as a mean of diet-related chronic disease prevention. However, evidence on digital dietary behaviour change is relatively scarce. To address this problem, this review considers the digital interventions currently being used in dietary behaviour change studies. A literature search was conducted in databases like PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Medline, and PsycInfo. Among 119 articles screened, 15 were selected for the study as they met all the inclusion criteria according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) search strategy. Four primary digital intervention methods were noted: use of personal digital assistants, use of the internet as an educational tool, use of video games and use of mobile phone applications. The efficiency of all the interventions increased when coupled with tailored feedback and counselling. It was established that the scalable and sustainable properties of digital interventions have the potential to bring about adequate changes in the eating behaviour of individuals. Further research should concentrate on the appropriate personalisation of the interventions, according to the requirements of the individuals, and proper integration of behaviour change techniques to motivate long-term adherence.
Associations between Governmental Policies to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Supermarket Purchases and Individual, Retailer, and Community Health Outcomes: An Integrative Review
Authors: Moran Alyssa J. , Gu Yuxuan , Clynes Sasha , Goheer Attia , Roberto Christina A. , Palmer Anne
Published: October 2020

Supermarkets are natural and important settings for implementing environmental interventions to improve healthy eating, and governmental policies could help improve the nutritional quality of purchases in this setting. This review aimed to: (1) identify governmental policies in the United States (U.S.), including regulatory and legislative actions of federal, tribal, state, and local governments, designed to promote healthy choices in supermarkets; and (2) synthesize evidence of these policies’ effects on retailers, consumers, and community health. We searched five policy databases and developed a list of seven policy actions that meet our inclusion criteria: calorie labeling of prepared foods in supermarkets; increasing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; financial incentives for the purchase of fruit and vegetables; sweetened beverage taxes; revisions to the USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package; financial assistance for supermarkets to open in underserved areas; and allowing online purchases with SNAP. We searched PubMed, Econlit, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Business Source Ultimate to identify peer-reviewed, academic, English-language literature published at any time until January 2020; 147 studies were included in the review. Sweetened beverage taxes, revisions to the WIC food package, and financial incentives for fruits and vegetables were associated with improvements in dietary behaviors (food purchases and/or consumption). Providing financial incentives to supermarkets to open in underserved areas and increases in SNAP benefits were not associated with changes in food purchasing or diet quality but may improve food security. More research is needed to understand the effects of calorie labeling in supermarkets and online SNAP purchasing.
Batch-Mode Analysis of Thermophilic Methanogenic Microbial Community Changes in the Overacidification Stage in Beverage Waste Treatment
Authors: Matsuda Shuhei , Yamato Takahiro , Mochizuki Yoshiyuki , Sekiguchi Yoshinori , Ohtsuki Takashi
Published: October 2020

Biogasification by methane fermentation is an important and effective way to utilize beverage wastes. Beverage wastes are good feedstocks for methane fermentation because of their richness in sugars and proteins, although overacidification and inhibition of methane production caused by high substrate loading often become problematic. This study investigated changes in microbial communities in the overacidification state of the thermophilic methane fermentation process with beverage waste by establishing a simulated batch culture. We assessed 20 mL-scale batch cultures using a simulant beverage waste mixture (SBWM) with different amounts of addition; high cumulative methane production was achieved by adding 5 mL of SBWM (11358 mg—chemical oxygen demand—COD/L of organic loading), and overacidification was observed by adding 10 mL of SBWM (22715 mg—COD/L of organic loading). The results of 16S rRNA amplicon sequence analysis using nanopore sequencer suggested that Coprothermobacter proteolyticus, Defluviitoga tunisiensis, Acetomicrobium mobile, and Thermosediminibacter oceani were predominantly involved in hydrolysis/acidogenesis/acetogenesis processes, whereas Methanothrix soehngenii was the major acetotrophic methane producer. A comparison of microbial population between the methane-producing cultures and overacidification cultures revealed characteristic population changes especially in some minor species under 0.2% of population. We concluded that careful monitoring of population changes of the minor species is a potential indicator for prediction of overacidification.
MALDI-MSI—A Step Forward in Overcoming the Diagnostic Challenges in Ovarian Tumors
Authors: Pietkiewicz Dagmara , Horała Agnieszka , Plewa Szymon , Jasiński Piotr , Nowak-Markwitz Ewa , Kokot Zenon J. , Matysiak Jan
Published: October 2020

This study presents the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) directly on the tissue of two ovarian tumors that often present a diagnostic challenge, a low-grade serous borderline ovarian tumor and ovarian fibrothecoma. Different spatial distribution of m/z values within the tissue samples was observed, and regiospecific peaks were identified. Among the 106 peaks in the borderline ovarian tumor five, regiospecific peaks (m/z: 2861.35; 2775.79; 3368.34; 3438.43; 4936.37) were selected using FlexImaging software. Subsequently, the distribution of those selected peaks was visualized on the fibrothecoma tissue section, which demonstrated the differences in the tissue homo-/heterogeneous structure of both tumors. The comparison with the histopathological staining of the ovarian borderline tumor tissue section, obtained during serial sectioning, showed a close correlation of the molecular map with the morphological and histopathological features of the tissue and allowed the identification of different tissue types within the sample. This study highlights the potential significance of MSI in enabling morphological characterization of ovarian tumors as well as correct diagnosis and further prognosis than thus far seen in the literature. Osteopontin, tropomyosin and orosomucoid are only a couple of the molecules investigated using MALDI-MSI in ovarian cancer research. This study, in line with the available literature, proves the potential of MALDI-MSI to overcome the current limitations of classic histopathological examination giving a more in-depth insight into the tissue structure and thus lead to the more accurate differential diagnosis of ovarian tumors, especially in the most challenging cases.
Clinical Relevance of Unexpected Findings of Post-Mortem Computed Tomography in Hospitalized Patients: An Observational Study
Authors: Mentink Max G. , Latten Bartholomeus G. H. , Bakers Frans C. H. , Mihl Casper , Rennenberg Roger J. M. W. , Kubat Bela , Hofman Paul A. M.
Published: October 2020

Background and objective: The current literature describing the use of minimally invasive autopsy in clinical care is mainly focused on the cause of death. However, the identification of unexpected findings is equally important for the evaluation and improvement of daily clinical care. The purpose of this study was to analyze unexpected post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) findings of hospitalized patients and assess their clinical relevance. Materials and methods: This observational study included patients admitted to the internal medicine ward. Consent for PMCT and autopsy was requested from the next of kin. Decedents were included when consent for at least PMCT was obtained. Consent for autopsy was not obtained for all decedents. All findings reported by PMCT were coded with an International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code. Unexpected findings were identified and subsequently categorized for their clinical relevance by the Goldman classification. Goldman class I and III were considered clinically relevant. Additionally, correlation with autopsy results and ante-mortem imaging was performed. Results: In total, 120 decedents were included and evaluated for unexpected findings on PMCT. Of them, 57 decedents also underwent an autopsy. A total of 1020 findings were identified; 111 correlated with the cause of death (10.9%), 508 were previously reported (49.8%), 99 were interpreted as post-mortem changes (9.7%), and 302 were classified as unexpected findings (29.6%). After correlation with autopsy (in 57 decedents), 24 clinically relevant unexpected findings remained. These findings were reported in 18 of 57 decedents (32%). Interestingly, 25% of all unexpected findings were not reported by autopsy. Conclusion: Many unexpected findings are reported by PMCT in hospitalized patients, a substantial portion of which is clinically relevant. Additionally, PMCT is able to identify pathology and injuries not reported by conventional autopsy. A combination of PMCT and autopsy can thus be considered a more comprehensive and complete post-mortem examination.
Citations Network Analysis of Vision and Sport
Authors: Nascimento Henrique , Martinez-Perez Clara , Alvarez-Peregrina Cristina , Sánchez-Tena Miguel Ángel
Published: October 2020

Background: Sports vision is a relatively new specialty, which has attracted particular interest in recent years from trainers and athletes, who are looking at ways of improving their visual skills to attain better performance on the field of play. The objective of this study was to use citation networks to analyze the relationships between the different publications and authors, as well as to identify the different areas of research and determine the most cited publication. Methods: The search for publications was carried out in the Web of Science database, using the terms “sport”, “vision”, and “eye” for the period between 1911 and August 2020. The publication analysis was performed using the Citation Network Explorer and CiteSpace software. Results: In total, 635 publications and 801 citations were found across the network, with 2019 being the year with the highest number of publications. The most cited publication was published in 2002 by Williams et al. By using the clustering functionality, four groups covering the different research areas in this field were found: ocular lesion, visual training methods and efficiency, visual fixation training, and concussions. Conclusions: The citation network offers an objective and comprehensive analysis of the main papers on sports vision.
Persistent Malnutrition and Associated Factors among Children under Five Years Attending Primary Health Care Facilities in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Modjadji Perpetua , Mashishi Josephine
Published: October 2020

Despite years of interventions intended to reduce child malnutrition in South Africa, its negative effects, stunting in particular, persist mainly among children under five years old living in under-resourced regions. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among 404 children under age five attending childcare services with their mothers in selected healthcare facilities of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Anthropometry, socio-demographics and obstetric history were collected. Height-for-age, weight-for-age and body mass index-for-age Z-scores were used to determine stunting, underweight and thinness among children, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were performed to generate the factors associated with malnutrition. Stunting (45.3%) was the prevalent form of malnutrition among children under age five, affecting boys (51.7%) more than girls (38.8%) and children aged 12–23 months (62.4%) more than those <11 months old (40.1%), in addition to the overall prevalence of underweight (29.0%) and thinness (12.6%). Boys had increased odds of stunting (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.26–3.41, p = 0.004) and underweight (AOR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.32–3.57, p = 0.002) than girls. Children aged 12–23 months were more likely to be stunted (AOR = 4.79, 95% CI: 2.36–9.75, p ≤ 0.0001) than children aged ≤11 months. Delayed introduction of solid foods increased the odds of stunting (AOR = 5.77, 95% CI: 2.63–12.64, p ≤ 0.0001) and underweight (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.08–3.89, p = 0.028). Children with normal birth weight were less likely to be thin (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.19–0.92, p = 0.029) and underweight (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17–0.68, p = 0.003) than children who had low birth weight. Children whose mothers had obtained secondary school education (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.16–0.97, p = 0.044), and Grade 12 or post-Grade 12 education (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.12–0.83, p = 0.020) were less likely to be stunted than were children of mothers who had only primary school education. Suboptimal complementary feeding predisposed children to stunting and underweight. National nutrition programs should be context-specific to improve the introduction of complementary foods among children, especially in the remote and poor areas.
Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Tuscany Region, Italy, 2016–2017: Integrating Multiple Data Sources to Investigate Underreporting
Authors: Quattrone Filippo , Donzelli Gabriele , D’Arienzo Sara , Fornili Marco , Innocenti Francesco , Forni Silvia , Baglietto Laura , Tavoschi Lara , Lopalco Pier Luigi
Published: October 2020

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is a vaccine-preventable disease characterized by the presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in normally sterile sites. Since 2007, Italy has implemented an IPD national surveillance system (IPD-NSS). This system suffers from high rates of underreporting. To estimate the level of underreporting of IPD in 2016–2017 in Tuscany (Italy), we integrated data from IPD-NSS and two other regional data sources, i.e., Tuscany regional microbiological surveillance (Microbiological Surveillance and Antibiotic Resistance in Tuscany, SMART) and hospitalization discharge records (HDRs). We collected (1) notifications to IPD-NSS, (2) SMART records positive for S. pneumoniae from normally sterile sites, and (3) hospitalization records with IPD-related International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD9) codes in discharge diagnoses. We performed data linkage of the three sources to obtain a combined surveillance system (CSS). Using the CSS, we calculated the completeness of the three sources and performed a three-source log-linear capture–recapture analysis to estimate total IPD underreporting. In total, 127 IPD cases were identified from IPD-NSS, 320 were identified from SMART, and 658 were identified from HDRs. After data linkage, a total of 904 unique cases were detected. The average yearly CSS notification rate was 12.1/100,000 inhabitants. Completeness was 14.0% for IPD-NSS, 35.4% for SMART, and 72.8% for HDRs. The capture–recapture analysis suggested a total estimate of 3419 cases of IPD (95% confidence interval (CI): 1364–5474), corresponding to an underreporting rate of 73.7% (95% CI: 34.0–83.6) for CSS. This study shows substantial underreporting in the Tuscany IPD surveillance system. Integration of available data sources may be a useful approach to complement notification-based surveillance and provide decision-makers with better information to plan effective control strategies against IPD.
Use of Yoghurt Enhanced with Volatile Plant Oils Encapsulated in Sodium Alginate to Increase the Human Body’s Immunity in the Present Fight Against Stress
Authors: Tița Ovidiu , Constantinescu Maria Adelina , Tița Mihaela Adriana , Georgescu Cecilia
Published: October 2020

(1) Background: The COVID–19 pandemic and the imposition of strict but necessary measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus have been, and still are, major stress factors for adults, children, and adolescents. Stress harms human health as it creates free radicals in the human body. According to various recent studies, volatile oils from various aromatic plants have a high content of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds. An external supply of antioxidants is required to destroy these free radicals. The main purpose of this paper is to create a yoghurt with high antioxidant capacity, using only raw materials from Romania; (2) Methods: The bioactive components used to enrich the cow milk yoghurt were extracted as volatile oils out of four aromatic plants: basil, mint, lavender and fennel. Initially, the compounds were extracted to determine the antioxidant capacity, and subsequently, the antioxidant activity of the yoghurt was determined. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhy-drazyl (DPPH) method was used to determine the antioxidant activity; (3) Results: The results show that cow milk yoghurt enhanced with volatile oils of basil, lavender, mint and fennel, encapsulated in sodium alginate has an antioxidant and antimicrobial effect as a staple food with multiple effects in increasing the body’s immunity. The antioxidant activity proved to be considerably higher than the control sample. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained on the first day of the analysis, decreasing onwards to measurements taken on days 10 and 20. The cow milk yoghurt enriched with volatile basil oil obtained the best results; (4) Conclusions: The paper shows that yoghurts with a high antioxidant capacity were obtained, using only raw materials from Romania. A healthy diet, compliance with safety conditions and finding appropriate and safe methods to increase the body’s immunity is a good alternative to a major transition through harder times, such as pandemics. The creation of food products that include natural antioxidant compounds combines both the current great possibility of developing food production in Romania and the prevention and reduction of the effects caused by pandemic stress in the human body.
Impact of Non-Tailored One-Way Automated Short Messaging Service (OASMS) on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Feasibility Study
Authors: Alamer Ahmad , Palm Charles , Almulhim Abdulaziz S. , Te Charisse , Pendergrass Merri L. , Fazel Maryam T.
Published: October 2020

Short message service (SMS) is easily accessible and potentially an ideal platform for delivering patient-targeted messages. However, an effective SMS dosing strategy is not well established. Our purpose was to evaluate the impact of diabetes self-care promoting messages via non-tailored one-way automated SMS (OASMS) on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was compared between patients who received the service and those who did not. This retrospective quasi-experimental pre–post feasibility study was conducted at an academic medical center endocrinology clinic. English-speaking adults (≥18 years) with uncontrolled T2DM (HbA1c ≥ 8%) were included. A total of 69 patients (intervention n = 34; control n = 35) met the inclusion criteria. The mean (±SD) baseline HbA1c values were 10.2% (±1.9%) and 9.9% (±1.7%) in the intervention and control arms, respectively. Median follow-up was 3.3 months (IQR = 3–4.2). An ANCOVA model adjusted for baseline HbA1c and age showed an estimated HbA1c reduction difference of −0.97% (95% CI, −1.73 to −0.20%, p = 0.014), favoring the intervention arm. Inverse propensity score weighting confirmed the ANCOVA results. Our study suggests that adding diabetes self-care promoting messages via non-tailored OASMS to usual care improves glycemic control in poorly controlled T2DM. Larger and longer studies are needed to evaluate different features of the non-tailored OASMS strategy.
Exploring the Link between Work Addiction Risk and Health-Related Outcomes Using Job-Demand-Control Model
Authors: Dutheil Frédéric , Charkhabi Morteza , Ravoux Hortense , Brousse Georges , Dewavrin Samuel , Cornet Thomas , Mondillon Laurie , Han Sihui , Pfabigan Daniela , S Baker Julien , Mermillod Martial , Schmidt Jeannot , Moustafa Fares , Pereira Bruno
Published: October 2020

Purpose of the study: Work addiction risk is a growing public health concern with potential deleterious health-related outcomes. Perception of work (job demands and job control) may play a major role in provoking the risk of work addiction in employees. We aimed to explore the link between work addiction risk and health-related outcomes using the framework of job-demand-control model. Methods: Data were collected from 187 out of 1580 (11.8%) French workers who agreed to participate in a cross-sectional study using the WittyFit software online platform. The self-administered questionnaires were the Job Content Questionnaire by Karasek, the Work Addiction Risk Test, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and socio-demographics. Data Analysis: Statistical analyses were performed using the Stata software (version 13). Results: There were five times more workers with a high risk of work addiction among those with strong job demands than in those with low job demands (29.8% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.002). Addiction to work was not linked to job control (p = 0.77), nor with social support (p = 0.22). We demonstrated a high risk of work addiction in 2.6% of low-strain workers, in 15.0% of passive workers, in 28.9% of active workers, and in 33.3% of high-strain workers (p = 0.010). There were twice as many workers with a HAD-Depression score ≥11 compared with workers at low risk (41.5% vs. 17.7%, p = 0.009). Sleep quality was lower in workers with a high risk of work addiction compared with workers with a low risk of work addiction (44.0 ± 27.3 vs. 64.4 ± 26.8, p < 0.001). Workers with a high risk of work addiction exhibited greater stress at work (68.4 ± 23.2 vs. 47.5 ± 25.1) and lower well-being (69.7 ± 18.3 vs. 49.3 ± 23.0) compared with workers at low risk (p < 0.001). Conclusions: High job demands are strongly associated with the risk of work addiction. Work addiction risk is associated with greater depression and poor quality of sleep. Preventive strategies should benefit from identifying more vulnerable workers to work addiction risk.
Rock Climbing Emergencies in the Austrian Alps: Injury Patterns, Risk Analysis and Preventive Measures
Authors: Rugg Christopher , Tiefenthaler Laura , Rauch Simon , Gatterer Hannes , Paal Peter , Ströhle Mathias
Published: October 2020

To elucidate patterns of and risk factors for acute traumatic injuries in climbers in need of professional rescue, a retrospective evaluation was performed of the Austrian National Registry of Mountain Accidents regarding rock climbing incidents over a 13-year timeframe from 2005 to 2018. From 2992 recorded incidents, 1469 were uninjured but in need of recovery, mainly when alpine climbing. Acute traumatic injuries (n = 1217) were often classified as severe (UIAA ≥ 3; n = 709), and commonly involved fractures (n = 566). Main injury causes were falls (n = 894) frequently preceded by rockfall (n = 229), a stumble (n = 146), a grip or foothold break-out (n = 143), or a belaying error (n = 138). In fatal cases (n = 140), multiple trauma (n = 105) or head injuries (n = 56) were most common, whereas lower extremity injuries (n = 357) were most common in severely injured patients. The risk for severe or fatal injuries increased with age and fall height when ascending or bouldering, during the morning hours, and when climbing without a helmet or rope. The case fatality rate was 4.7%, and the estimated total mortality rate was 0.003–0.007 per 1000 h of rock climbing. Acute traumatic injuries requiring professional rescue when rock climbing are often severe or fatal. Consequent use of a helmet when sport climbing, consistent use of a rope (particularly when ascending), proper spotting when bouldering, and proper training, as well as high vigilance when belaying are likely to help prevent such injuries.
Traffic Crash Severity Prediction—A Synergy by Hybrid Principal Component Analysis and Machine Learning Models
Authors: Assi Khaled
Published: October 2020

The accurate prediction of road traffic crash (RTC) severity contributes to generating crucial information, which can be used to adopt appropriate measures to reduce the aftermath of crashes. This study aims to develop a hybrid system using principal component analysis (PCA) with multilayer perceptron neural networks (MLP-NN) and support vector machines (SVM) in predicting RTC severity. PCA shows that the first nine components have an eigenvalue greater than one. The cumulative variance percentage explained by these principal components was found to be 67%. The prediction accuracies of the models developed using the original attributes were compared with those of the models developed using principal components. It was found that the testing accuracies of MLP-NN and SVM increased from 64.50% and 62.70% to 82.70% and 80.70%, respectively, after using principal components. The proposed models would be beneficial to trauma centers in predicting crash severity with high accuracy so that they would be able to prepare for appropriate and prompt medical treatment.
Association between Selected Dietary Habits and Lipid Profiles of Patients with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Kopčeková Jana , Holovičová Mária , Gažarová Martina , Mrázová Jana , Habánová Marta , Mečiarová Lucia , Bronkowska Monika
Published: October 2020

This study evaluated the associations between selected dietary habits and lipid profiles in a group of 800 randomly selected patients hospitalized in the Nitra Cardio Center, Slovakia. Patients were aged 20–101 years (only men, the average age was 61.13 ± 10.47 years). The data necessary for the detection of dietary habits were obtained by a questionnaire method in closed-ended format. Data collection was carried out simultaneously with the somatometric and biochemical examinations of the respondents ensured by the Nitra Cardio Center. The following parameters were evaluated: total cholesterol (T-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, and blood glucose. Statistical comparisons between groups were performed using one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA), followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. We detected significant differences (p < 0.05) in the influence of the number of daily meals on T-C and LDL-C, which were higher in men who consumed 1–2 meals compared with 3–4 or 5–6 meals. In the consumption of meat, eggs, and fish, there was no significant effect on the biochemical parameters of blood (p > 0.05). We recorded a significant effect (p < 0.001) on T-C and LDL-C levels between low-fat and whole-fat milk consumption. Except for the impact of fruit consumption on the HDL-C level (p < 0.001), the different frequencies of fruit consumption showed non-significant changes for the lipid profile levels. We detected a significant effect (p = 0.017) of the consumption of vegetables 1–2 times/week on LDL-C in favor of daily consumption. Our results support that monitoring the lipid profile is an important determinant in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The conducted research emphasizes the importance of diet dependence on the improvement of the quality of treatment and nutrition of people with this type of disease.
Coupling Relationship Analysis between Quality Infrastructure and Ecological Environment Quality for Policy Implications
Authors: Shen Jing , Zhang Yang , Guo Benhai , Zheng Suli
Published: October 2020

Long-term improvement of ecological environment quality (EEQ) is a hotspot and urgent topic in the context of high-quality and sustainable development. It is urgent to look for methods that could support EEQ improvement in a high-quality and sustainable way. Owing to its natural supporting and guaranteeing functions for enhancing quality, quality infrastructure (QI) is a fundamental and critical element in promoting EEQ, but a neglected one. In this paper, we analyzed the coupling structure between QI and EEQ and applied an improved coupling model to recognize contributed and weakened indicators that affected the coupling relationship. We also examined this coupling relationship in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from 2012 to 2017, which proved the current situation where QI construction cannot satisfy the practical needs of EEQ improvement. Results showed that the important supporting role of QI in EEQ improvement should be valued for long-term sustainable development. Meanwhile, equilibrium and consistency of indicators in the QI and EEQ systems determined the coupling state. EEQ improvement countermeasures were also provided according to the coupling relationship analysis results. This study provided a scientific basis and guidance for EEQ improvement and sustainable development.
Examining Emotional Literacy Development Using a Brief On-Line Positive Psychology Intervention with Primary School Children
Authors: Francis Jacqueline , Chin Tan-Chyuan , Vella-Brodrick Dianne
Published: October 2020

Wellbeing literacy (WL) may be the missing ingredient required to optimally enhance or enable positive psychology intervention (PPI) effectiveness. This study involved Victorian government funded primary schools, including two rural, two regional, and two city schools; participants included 20 classroom teachers and 131 grade five and six primary school students. A brief online PPI was implemented by teachers for 10–15 min, three times per week, for six weeks. This paper examines quantitative data collected pre and post the six week intervention, and qualitative data gathered in week one of the intervention regarding intervention effectiveness. The aim is to examine if a brief online PPI effectively builds intentional emotional vocabulary use, and to discuss how on-line PPIs can be used in public health to improve young people’s WL. Considering evaluations of process effectiveness and outcome measures related to student emotional vocabulary use, results tentatively suggest that online PPIs can positively impact emotional vocabulary capability and intentionality. Multimodal communication was exercised during the PPI, suggesting that the brief online PPI format may provide a valuable tool to promote student WL.
Reconstruction of Lost Cultural Heritage Sites and Landscapes: Context of Ancient Objects in Time and Space
Authors: Brůha Lukáš , Laštovička Josef , Palatý Tomáš , Štefanová Eva , Štych Přemysl
Published: October 2020

Diachronic studies play a key role in the research and documentation of cultural heritage and its changes, ranging from architectural fragments to landscape. Regarding the reconstructions of lost cultural heritage sites, the determination of landscape conditions in the reconstructed era goes frequently unheeded. Often, only ruins and detached archeological artefacts remain of the built heritage. Placing them correctly within the reconstructed building complex is of similar importance as placing the lost monument in the context of the landscape at that time. The proposed method harmonizes highly heterogeneous sources to provide such a context. The solution includes the fusion of referential terrain models of different levels of detail (LODs) as well as the fusion of diverse 3D data sources for the reconstruction of the built heritage. Although the combined modeling of large landscapes and small 3D objects of a high detail results in very large datasets, we present a feasible solution, whose data structure is suitable for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyses of landscapes and also provides a smooth and clear 3D visualization and inspection of detailed features. The results are demonstrated in the case study of the island monastery, the vanished medieval town of Sekanka, and the surrounding landscape, which is located in Czechia and was the subject of intensive changes over time.
MGMT Promoter Methylation and IDH1 Mutations Do Not Affect [18F]FDOPA Uptake in Primary Brain Tumors
Authors: Cimini Andrea , Chiaravalloti Agostino , Ricci Maria , Villani Veronica , Vanni Gianluca , Schillaci Orazio
Published: October 2020

The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of methylation of O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter (MGMTp) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH 1) mutations on amino acid metabolism evaluated with 3,4-dihydroxy-6-[18F]-fluoro-l-phenylalanine ([18F] FDOPA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Seventy-two patients with primary brain tumors were enrolled in the study (33 women and 39 men; mean age 44 ± 12 years old). All of them were subjected to PET/CT examination after surgical treatment. Of them, 29 (40.3%) were affected by grade II glioma and 43 (59.7%) by grade III. PET/CT was scored as positive or negative and standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr) was calculated as the ratio between SUVmax of the lesion vs that of the background. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann–Whitney U test. Methylation of MGMTp was detectable in 61 out of the 72 patients examinated. Mean SUVr in patients without methylation of MGMTp was 1.44 ± 0,38 vs. 1.35 ± 0.48 of patients with methylation (p = 0.15). Data on IDH1 mutations were available for 43 subjects; of them, 31 are IDH-mutant. Mean SUVr was 1.38 ± 0.51 in patients IDH mutant and 1.46 ± 0.56 in patients IDH wild type. MGMTp methylation and IDH1 mutations do not affect [18F] FDOPA uptake in primary brain tumors and therefore cannot be assessed or predicted by radiopharmaceutical uptake parameters.
Temperature-Dependent Alternative Splicing of Precursor mRNAs and Its Biological Significance: A Review Focused on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of a Cold Shock Protein Gene in Hibernating Mammals
Authors: Shiina Takahiko , Shimizu Yasutake
Published: October 2020

Multiple mRNA isoforms are often generated during processing such as alternative splicing of precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNA), resulting in a diversity of generated proteins. Alternative splicing is an essential mechanism for the functional complexity of eukaryotes. Temperature, which is involved in all life activities at various levels, is one of regulatory factors for controlling patterns of alternative splicing. Temperature-dependent alternative splicing is associated with various phenotypes such as flowering and circadian clock in plants and sex determination in poikilothermic animals. In some specific situations, temperature-dependent alternative splicing can be evoked even in homothermal animals. For example, the splicing pattern of mRNA for a cold shock protein, cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP or CIRBP), is changed in response to a marked drop in body temperature during hibernation of hamsters. In this review, we describe the current knowledge about mechanisms and functions of temperature-dependent alternative splicing in plants and animals. Then we discuss the physiological significance of hypothermia-induced alternative splicing of a cold shock protein gene in hibernating and non-hibernating animals.
Nanomedicine for Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Dong Xinyue , Gao Jin , Su Yujie , Wang Zhenjia
Published: October 2020

Stroke is a severe brain disease leading to disability and death. Ischemic stroke dominates in stroke cases, and there are no effective therapies in clinic, partly due to the challenges in delivering therapeutics to ischemic sites in the brain. This review is focused on the current knowledge of pathogenesis in ischemic stroke, and its potential therapies and diagnosis. Furthermore, we present recent advances in developments of nanoparticle-based therapeutics for improved treatment of ischemic stroke using polymeric NPs, liposomes and cell-derived nanovesicles. We also address several critical questions in ischemic stroke, such as understanding how nanoparticles cross the blood brain barrier and developing in vivo imaging technologies to address this critical question. Finally, we discuss new opportunities in developing novel therapeutics by targeting activated brain endothelium and inflammatory neutrophils to improve the current therapies for ischemic stroke.
Alanine Scanning Mutagenesis of the DRYxxI Motif and Intracellular Loop 2 of Human Melanocortin-4 Receptor
Authors: Yang Li-Kun , Tao Ya-Xiong
Published: October 2020

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, which has been extensively studied in obesity pathogenesis due to its critical role in regulating energy homeostasis. Both the Gs-cAMP and ERK1/2 cascades are known as important intracellular signaling pathways initiated by the MC4R. The DRYxxI motif at the end of transmembrane domain 3 and the intracellular loop 2 (ICL2) are thought to be crucial for receptor function in several GPCRs. To study the functions of this domain in MC4R, we performed alanine-scanning mutagenesis on seventeen residues. We showed that one residue was critical for receptor cell surface expression. Eight residues were important for ligand binding. Mutations of three residues impaired Gs-cAMP signaling without changing the binding properties. Investigation on constitutive activities of all the mutants in the cAMP pathway revealed that six residues were involved in constraining the receptor in inactive states and five residues were important for receptor activation in the absence of an agonist. In addition, mutations of four residues impaired the ligand-stimulated ERK1/2 signaling pathway without affecting the binding properties. We also showed that some mutants were biased to the Gs-cAMP or ERK1/2 signaling pathway. In summary, we demonstrated that the DRYxxI motif and ICL2 were important for MC4R function.