bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wind Speed Forecasting Using Attention-Based Causal Convolutional Network and Wind Energy Conversion
Authors: Shang Zhihao , Wen Quan , Chen Yanhua , Zhou Bing , Xu Mingliang
Published: April 2022

As one of the effective renewable energy sources, wind energy has received attention because it is sustainable energy. Accurate wind speed forecasting can pave the way to the goal of sustainable development. However, current methods ignore the temporal characteristics of wind speed, which leads to inaccurate forecasting results. In this paper, we propose a novel SSA-CCN-ATT model to forecast the wind speed. Specifically, singular spectrum analysis (SSA) is first applied to decompose the original wind speed into several sub-signals. Secondly, we build a new deep learning CNN-ATT model that combines causal convolutional network (CNN) and attention mechanism (ATT). The causal convolutional network is used to extract the information in the wind speed time series. After that, the attention mechanism is employed to focus on the important information. Finally, a fully connected neural network layer is employed to get wind speed forecasting results. Three experiments on four datasets show that the proposed model performs better than other comparative models. Compared with different comparative models, the maximum improvement percentages of MAPE reaches up to 26.279%, and the minimum is 5.7210%. Moreover, a wind energy conversion curve was established by simulating historical wind speed data.
Net Hydrogen Consumption Minimization of Fuel Cell Hybrid Trains Using a Time-Based Co-Optimization Model
Authors: Meng Guangzhao , Wu Chaoxian , Zhang Bolun , Xue Fei , Lu Shaofeng
Published: April 2022

With increasing concerns on transportation decarbonization, fuel cell hybrid trains (FCHTs) attract many attentions due to their zero carbon emissions during operation. Since fuel cells alone cannot recover the regenerative braking energy (RBE), energy storage devices (ESDs) are commonly deployed for the recovery of RBE and provide extra traction power to improve the energy efficiency. This paper aims to minimize the net hydrogen consumption (NHC) by co-optimizing both train speed trajectory and onboard energy management using a time-based mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. In the case with the constraints of speed limits and gradients, the NHC of co-optimization reduces by 6.4% compared to the result obtained by the sequential optimization, which optimizes train control strategies first and then the energy management. Additionally, the relationship between NHC and employed ESD capacity is studied and it is found that with the increase of ESD capacity, the NHC can be reduced by up to 30% in a typical route in urban railway transit. The study shows that ESDs play an important role for FCHTs in reducing NHC, and the proposed time-based co-optimization model can maximize the energy-saving benefits for such emerging traction systems with hybrid energy sources, including both fuel cells and ESD.
Detection of Cherry Quality Using YOLOV5 Model Based on Flood Filling Algorithm
Authors: Han Wei , Jiang Fei , Zhu Zhiyuan
Published: April 2022

Presently, the quality of cherries in the market is uneven, because human senses are used to distinguish cherry quality, which consumes a lot of time and energy and does not achieve good results in terms of accuracy. If the internal quality indices, such as the PH value, sugar–acid ratio, and vitamin C content, of cherries are extracted using chemical methods, the detection speed will decrease. With the development of artificial intelligence (AI), image processing by AI algorithms has attracted broad attention. The YOLOv5 model in the YOLO series has many advantages, such as high detection accuracy, fast speed, small size, and so on, and has been used in face recognition, image recognition and other fields. However, owing to the influence of seasonal weather, the environment and other factors, the dataset used in the training model decreases the accuracy of image recognition. To improve the accuracy, a large amount of data must be used for model training, but this will decrease the model training speed. Because it is impossible to use all data in training, there will inevitably be recognition errors in the detection process. In this study, the cherry images in a dataset were extracted by the flooding filling algorithm. The extracted cherry images were used as a new dataset for training and recognition, and the results were compared to those obtained with non-extracted images. The dataset generated by the flooding filling algorithm was used for model training. After 20 training epochs, the accuracy rate reached 99.6%. Without using the algorithm to extract images, the accuracy rate was only 78.6% after 300 training epochs.
Investigating the Effect of Consumers’ Knowledge on Their Acceptance of Functional Foods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Baker Mathew T. , Lu Peng , Parrella Jean A. , Leggette Holli R.
Published: April 2022

Inconsistent results published in previous studies make it difficult to determine the precise effect of consumer knowledge on their acceptance of functional foods. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by identifying and collecting relevant literature from three databases. Of the 1050 studies reviewed, we included 40 in the systematic review and 18 in the meta-analysis. Based on the focus of each included study, we operationally defined knowledge as knowledge of the functional food concept, nutritional-related knowledge, and knowledge of specific functional products. Results from the systematic review indicate that most participants from the included studies had low knowledge, especially nutrition-related knowledge associated with consuming functional foods, and were generally not familiar with the concept of functional foods. Results from the meta-analysis generated a summary effect size (r = 0.14, 95% CI [0.05; 0.23]), measured by the correlation coefficient r, which indicates a small positive relationship exists between consumers’ level of knowledge and their acceptance of functional foods. Results from our study demonstrate the importance of increasing consumers’ functional foods knowledge to improve their acceptance of such products. Agricultural and health communicators, educators, and functional foods industry professionals should prioritize increasing consumers’ knowledge through their communications, marketing, and programmatic efforts.
Transcriptomics Integrated with Changes in Cell Wall Material of Chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) during Storage Provides a New Insight into the “Calcification” Process
Authors: Chen Yu , Zhu Cancan , Zhao Yuqiang , Zhang Shijie , Wang Wu
Published: April 2022

Chestnut “calcification” is the result of a series of physiological and biochemical changes during postharvest storage; however, the associated mechanisms are unclear. In this study, several potential calcification-related physicochemical parameters in chestnut, including moisture, cell wall materials, cellulose, lignin, and pectin, were measured. Transcriptome analysis was performed on chestnut seeds during different stages of storage. The results showed that the degree of calcification in the chestnut seeds was significantly negatively correlated with the moisture content (r = −0.961) at room temperature (20–25 °C) and a relative humidity of 50–60%. The accumulation of cell wall material in completely calcified seeds was 5.3 times higher than that of fresh seeds. The total content of cellulose and lignin increased during the storage process. Transcriptome analysis of 0% and 50% calcified chestnut was performed; a total of 1801 differentially expressed genes consisting of 805 up-regulated and 996 down-regulated genes were identified during the calcification process. Furthermore, response to water, water deprivation, and salt stress were most enriched by gene ontology (GO) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways related to chestnut calcification included purine metabolism, RNA degradation, the mRNA surveillance pathway, starch and sucrose metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism, and were detected. Most of the genes involved in cellulose synthase, lignin catabolism, and pectin catabolism were down-regulated, while only two important genes, scaffold11300 and scaffold0412, were up-regulated, which were annotated as cellulose and pectin synthase genes, respectively. These two genes may contribute to the increase of total cell wall material accumulation during chestnut calcification. The results provided new insights into chestnut calcification process and laid a foundation for further chestnut preservation.
Formulation of Biscuits Fortified with a Flour Obtained from Bergamot By-Products (Citrus bergamia, Risso)
Authors: Laganà Valeria , Giuffrè Angelo Maria , De Bruno Alessandra , Poiana Marco
Published: April 2022

Bergamot belongs to the Rutaceae family and is a typical fruit grown principally in the province of Reggio Calabria (South Italy). Nowadays, its industrial use is mostly related to the extraction of the essential oil contained in the flavedo but also to a lesser extent the extraction of the juice (from the pulp), which is rich in antioxidants. However, the pressed pulp (known as Pastazzo) is either used for animal feed or is discarded. The aim of this research was to study the effect of bergamot Pastazzo flour in shortbread biscuits. Pastazzo flour partially replaced the 00 wheat flour in different percentages (2.5%, 5%, 10% and 15%). Simultaneously, a sample without the addition of Pastazzo flour (control) was analyzed, thus obtaining five biscuit samples. Cooking was done in a ventilated oven at 180 °C. The baking time was different for the control and the enriched samples depending on when the desired color was reached. The control took 12 min, while the enriched samples reached the desired color in 8 min. All samples were subjected to physicochemical and antioxidant characterization, as well as total polyphenols and flavonoids. The use of Pastazzo flour resulted in a slight increase in water activity and humidity values. pH values decreased for all the enriched samples compared to the control, but this was more relevant for the samples enriched with 10 and 15% of flour from by-products. Hardness varied from 1823 g (Control) to 2022 and 2818 g (respectively, for 2.5% and 15% bergamot Pastazzo flour in the recipe). Total phenol content varied from 0.14 mg GAE g−1 (Control) to 0.60 and 3.64 mg GAE g−1 (respectively, for 2.5% and 15% bergamot Pastazzo flour in the recipe). The obtained results demonstrated that the use of Pastazzo flour had a positive influence on the antioxidant content, with values which increased as more Pastazzo flour was added.
Predicting the Oxidative Degradation of Raw Beef Meat during Cold Storage Using Numerical Simulations and Sensors—Prospects for Meat and Fish Foods
Authors: Kondjoyan Alain , Sicard Jason , Cucci Paolo , Audonnet Fabrice , Elhayel Hiba , Lebert André , Scislowski Valérie
Published: April 2022

Preventing animal-source food waste is an important pathway to reducing malnutrition and improving food system sustainability. Uncontrolled color variation due to oxidation is a source of waste as it prompts food rejection by consumers. Evaluation of oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) can help to predict and prevent oxidation and undesirable color changes. A new sensor and two modeling approaches—a phenomenological model and a reaction–diffusion model—were successfully used to predict the oxidative browning of beef ribeye steaks stored under different temperature and oxygen concentration conditions. Both models predicted similar storage durations for acceptable color, although deviating for higher and lower redness levels, which are of no interest for meat acceptance. Simulations under higher oxygen concentrations lead to a few days of delay in the redness change, as observed in practice, under modified atmosphere packaging. In meat juice, variation in ORP measured by the sensor correlated with the redness variation. However, in meat, sensors promote oxidation in the adjacent area, which is unacceptable for industrial use. This paper discusses the potential, limits, and prospects of the mathematical models and sensors, developed for beef. A strategy is proposed to couple these approaches and include the effect of microorganisms.
Questioning Cézanne across Sightlines: Balzac, Zola, and Merleau-Ponty
Authors: Fóti Véronique M.
Published: April 2022

Although Merleau-Ponty’s privileging of Cézanne in the context of his philosophy of painting does not explicitly address the painter’s relation to literature, this relation is important and somewhat problematic. Cézanne was an avid reader of both classical Latin and contemporary French literature, but he sought, in his maturity, to dissociate painting from the inspiration of literature. The danger of a mode of figurative painting informed by literature is explored in Balzac’s novella The Unknown Masterpiece, of which there are echoes in Merleau-Ponty’s discussions of painting, and which is alluded to in Emile Zola’s novel The Masterpiece, which led Cézanne to break off his lifelong friendship with the author. Zola’s novel contradicts Merleau-Ponty’s emphasis on the artist’s creative freedom by portraying his protagonist, modeled on Cézanne, as destroyed by a fatality of destiny. Cézanne, in his maturity, sought to conjoin in painting a “logic of the eyes” with a “logic of the brain” resulting in an art genuinely “parallel with nature”, which it sought to express rather than to represent. The article explores this dissociation of painting from literature and autonomy with respect to what Merleau-Ponty calls “the dimension of color” and to Cézanne’s lifelong theme of bathers in a landscape.
BUSIS: A Benchmark for Breast Ultrasound Image Segmentation
Authors: Zhang Yingtao , Xian Min , Cheng Heng-Da , Shareef Bryar , Ding Jianrui , Xu Fei , Huang Kuan , Zhang Boyu , Ning Chunping , Wang Ying
Published: April 2022

Breast ultrasound (BUS) image segmentation is challenging and critical for BUS computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems. Many BUS segmentation approaches have been studied in the last two decades, but the performances of most approaches have been assessed using relatively small private datasets with different quantitative metrics, which results in a discrepancy in performance comparison. Therefore, there is a pressing need for building a benchmark to compare existing methods using a public dataset objectively, to determine the performance of the best breast tumor segmentation algorithm available today, and to investigate what segmentation strategies are valuable in clinical practice and theoretical study. In this work, a benchmark for B-mode breast ultrasound image segmentation is presented. In the benchmark, (1) we collected 562 breast ultrasound images and proposed standardized procedures to obtain accurate annotations using four radiologists; (2) we extensively compared the performance of 16 state-of-the-art segmentation methods and demonstrated that most deep learning-based approaches achieved high dice similarity coefficient values (DSC ≥ 0.90) and outperformed conventional approaches; (3) we proposed the losses-based approach to evaluate the sensitivity of semi-automatic segmentation to user interactions; and (4) the successful segmentation strategies and possible future improvements were discussed in details.
Relationship of the Nigrostriatal Tract with the Motor Function and the Corticospinal Tract in Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke Patients: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study
Authors: Jang Sung Ho , Cho Min Jye
Published: April 2022

This study investigated the relationship of the nigrostriatal tract (NST) with motor function and the corticospinal tract (CST) using diffusion tensor tractography in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. Forty-three consecutive patients with putaminal hemorrhage in the chronic stage were recruited. The Motricity Index was used to evaluate the motor function of affected hemiparetic extremities. The fractional anisotropy and the tract volume of ipsilesional NST and ipsilesional CST were acquired. The tract volume (Rho = 0.824) of ipsilesional NST and fractional anisotropy (r = 0.682) and the tract volume (Rho = 0.886) of ipsilesional CST showed a strong positive correlation with the Motricity Index score. The fractional anisotropy of ipsilesional NST showed moderate positive correlations with the fractional anisotropy (r = 0.449) and tract volume (Rho = 0.353) of ipsilesional CST. The tract volume of ipsilesional NST showed strong positive correlations with the fractional anisotropy (Rho = 0.716) and the tract volume (Rho = 0.799) of ipsilesional CST. The regression model showed that the tract volumes of ipsilesional NST and ipsilesional CST were positively associated with the Motricity Index score (Adjusted R2 = 0.763, F = 45.998). Mediation analysis showed that the tract volume of ipsilesional CST partially mediated the effects of the tract volume of ipsilesional NST on the Motricity Index score (z = 3.34). A close relationship was found between ipsilesional NST and the motor function of affected extremities in chronic hemiparetic patients with putaminal hemorrhage. Moreover, ipsilesional NST influenced the motor function of affected extremities indirectly through ipsilesional CST.
Best Papers Introduction
Authors: De Bellis Luigi
Published: April 2022

I am pleased to announce three articles published in Horticulture in 2020 which were considered eligible for the Best Paper Award 2022 by the Editorial Board among the many excellent papers from that year [...]
Differences in Puberty of Girls before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Oliveira Neto Clariano Pires de , Azulay Rossana Santiago de Sousa , Almeida Ana Gregória Ferreira Pereira de , Tavares Maria da Glória Rodrigues , Vaz Luciana Helena Gama , Leal Ianik Rafaela Lima , Gama Monica Elinor Alves , Ribeiro Marizélia Rodrigues Costa , Nascimento Gilvan Cortês , Magalhães Marcelo , Santos Wellyandra Costa dos , Facundo Alexandre Nogueira , Faria Manuel dos Santos , Lago Débora Cristina Ferreira
Published: April 2022

In the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in consultations for precocious puberty. We aim to analyze differences in female puberty before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhão in São Luis, Brazil. We included 55 girls with precocious puberty, 22 who started puberty during the pandemic and 33 who started puberty before the pandemic. Clinical, anthropometric, laboratory and imaging variables were compared between groups. Statistics were performed to determine if there was a statistical difference between the groups. Girls with puberty during the pandemic had higher Z-scores for weight (1.08 ± 1.29 versus 0.69 ± 0.83; p = 0.04), lower ovarian volume (1.88 ± 0.95 versus 3.15 ± 2.31; p = 0.01), and smaller differences between thelarche noticed by the parents and the diagnosis (6.63 ± 5.21 versus 12.15 ± 9.96; p = 0.02). The association between precocious puberty during the pandemic with higher Z-scores for weight, lower ovarian volume, and a reduction in the time between the perception of pubertal findings by parents and the diagnosis suggests the influence of the pandemic on the normal time of puberty.
Psychopathological and Psychosocial Risk Profile, Styles of Interaction and Mentalization of Adolescent and Young Mother–Infant Dyads
Authors: Ierardi Elena , Albizzati Alessandro , Moioli Margherita , Riva Crugnola Cristina
Published: April 2022

This study examined the psychopathological and psychosocial risk profile and the quality of mother–infant interaction in 98 adolescent and young mother–infant dyads. At their infant’s age of 3 months, mothers filled in a socio-demographic form and completed a test battery: EPDS for depression, STAY-I for anxiety, PSI-SF for parenting stress, MPSS for social support, AAI for maternal attachment and reflective functioning, CECA for adverse childhood experiences, Care-Index and Mind-mindedness coding system for mother–infant interaction. Results showed that motherhood in adolescence was associated with several psychosocial risk factors. Adolescent and young mothers have depression (25%), anxiety (29%) and insecure attachment (65%), with low reflective functioning, of whom 18% have disorganized attachment. A total of 54% of the mothers had at least one adverse childhood experience. Furthermore, adolescent mothers had low sensitivity and mind-mindedness and high intrusiveness, and their infant had low responsiveness and high passive behaviors. Mothers under 18 have experienced more sexual abuse, are more likely to be single and have been followed by child social services more than mothers aged 18–21. Adolescent mothers have a high-risk psychopathological and psychosocial profile that affects their ability to mentalize and build an adequate relationship with the child. It appears to be important to support the adolescent mother–child relationship.
Effects of Electrocardiographic Monitoring Education on Nurses’ Confidence and Psychological Stress: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey in Japan
Authors: Nishiguchi Sho , Sugaya Nagisa , Saigusa Yusuke , Mayama Michinori , Moromizato Takuhiro , Inamori Masahiko , Tokuda Yasuharu , Watari Takashi
Published: April 2022

We aimed to investigate the association between nurses’ electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring education and their confidence and psychological stress regarding ECG monitoring. In 2019, a web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Japanese nurses. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of education on nurses’ confidence and psychological stress regarding ECG monitoring. In total, 1652 nurses were included in the study. Factors significantly associated with nurses’ confidence were post-graduate education experience (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–3.6), ≥11 post-graduate years (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.5–3.1), male gender (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 2.9–6.6), ≥5 helpful experiences with ECG monitoring (OR, 10.7; 95% CI, 6.0–19.1), work experience in an intensive care unit (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.5–3.7), and work experience in a cardiology department (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2–2.4). Factors significantly associated with nurses’ psychological stress were male gender (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–2.9), ≥5 helpful experiences with ECG monitoring (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–2.9), and work experience in an emergency room (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3–4.8). These results suggest that nurses’ post-graduate ECG monitoring education enhanced their confidence, but did not reduce psychological stress regarding ECG monitoring.
Environmental Pollution in Geopark Management: A Systematic Review of the Literary Evidence
Authors: Mikhailenko Anna V. , Yashalova Natalia N. , Ruban Dmitry A.
Published: April 2022

Dozens of geoparks have been created in the world since the beginning of the 21st century. Their environmental impact is yet to be fully understood. A bibliographical survey was undertaken to systematically review the journal articles devoted to environmental pollution in geoparks. The considered literature focuses on 10 geoparks (many of them are the members of the UNESCO Global Geoparks network) from eight countries, namely, China, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, and South Korea. Significant pollution was registered in half of these geoparks. Trace metals and metalloids such as arsenic and cadmium are often reported as pollutants. Water pollution is the most common. In many cases, environmental pollution is not related to geoparks, but results from agricultural and industrial activities. Sometimes, this pollution is inherited from past mining activities, and the latter are related to the geoheritage represented in the geoparks. However, there are also examples of pollution triggered by tourist activities in geoparks and the related infrastructural failures. Various mitigation approaches are considered in the literature (establishing monitoring networks, installing filtration membranes, etc.). It is argued that environmental pollution can be used in geoparks for eco-education and eco-awareness initiatives. Research in environmental pollution in geoparks is an emerging field, and does not avoid multiple biases. Nonetheless, the actual importance of this research is undisputable, and it will be demanded in the future.
Human Health Risk Assessment from Lead Exposure through Consumption of Raw Cow Milk from Free-Range Cattle Reared in the Vicinity of a Lead–Zinc Mine in Kabwe
Authors: Zyambo Golden , Yabe John , Muzandu Kaampwe , M’kandawire Ethel , Choongo Kennedy , Kataba Andrew , Chawinga Kenneth , Liazambi Allan , Nakayama Shouta M. M , Nakata Hokuto , Ishizuka Mayumi
Published: April 2022

Lead (Pb) contamination in the environment affects both humans and animals. Chronic exposure to Pb via dietary intake of animal products such as milk from contaminated areas poses a health risk to consumers; therefore, the present study investigated Pb contamination in cow milk and its health risk impact on humans through consumption of milk from cattle reared in the proximity of a Pb–Zn mine in Kabwe, Zambia. Fresh milk samples were collected from cows from Kang’omba (KN), Kafulamse (KF), Mpima (MP), Mukobeko (MK), and Munga (MN) farming areas. Pb determination was performed using Graphite Flame Absorption Atomic Spectrophotometry (GFAAS). Cow milk Pb levels showed different concentration patterns according to season, distance, and location of the farms from the Pb–Zn mine. The overall mean Pb levels were ranged 0.60–2.22 µg/kg and 0.50–4.24 µg/kg in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The mean Pb concentration, chronic daily intake (CDIs), target hazard quotients (THQs), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) results obtained were all within the permissible limits of 20 µg/kg, 3 and 12.5 µg/kg-BW/day, <1 and 10−4 to10−6, respectively. In conclusion, although Pb was detected in milk from cows reared in Kabwe, the health risk effects of Pb exposure associated with the consumption of milk in both adults and children were negligible.
Management of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and Complex Aorta Anatomy: The Importance of Pre-Procedural Planning
Authors: Intorcia Alfredo , Ambrosini Vittorio , Capasso Michele , Granata Riccardo , Magliulo Fabio , Carbone Giannignazio Luigi , Capobianco Stefano , Rotondi Francesco , Lanni Francesca , Manganelli Fiore , Di Lorenzo Emilio
Published: April 2022

Aortic stenosis is the most common primary valve lesion requiring surgery or, especially for older patients, transcatheter intervention (TAVI). We showcase a successful transfemoral TAVI procedure in a very high-risk patient and an extremely tortuous S-shaped descending aorta, characterized by heavy calcifications and multiple strong resistance points. We demonstrated that transfemoral TAVI using the “buddy stiff guidewire” technique could be a feasible, simple, quick, and easy procedure able to straighten an extremely abdominal aorta tortuosity. With all techniques available and careful pre-procedural planning, and thanks to the flexibility of new generation TAVI delivery systems, it is possible to safely perform the procedure even in the most challenging patients.
Effectiveness of Workplace Interventions for Improving Working Conditions on the Health and Wellbeing of Fathers or Parents: A Systematic Review
Authors: Suto Maiko , Balogun Olukunmi Omobolanle , Dhungel Bibha , Kato Tsuguhiko , Takehara Kenji
Published: April 2022

Evidence on the effectiveness of workplace interventions for improving working conditions on the health and wellbeing of fathers is scarce. We reviewed studies on the effectiveness of various workplace interventions designed to improve working conditions for the health and wellbeing of employed fathers and their families. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomized controlled trials of workplace interventions applied to employees with the aim of improving working conditions of employed parents, compared with no intervention, other active arms, placebo, wait list, or usual practice were included. Studies involving only women were excluded. An electronic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC and SSCI was done for eligible studies. Studies were screened against predetermined criteria and assessment of risk of bias done using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions for RCTs and the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies for non-RCTs. Of the 8229 records identified, 19 reports were included in this review: 14 reports from five RCTs and five reports from two quasi-RCT studies. The studies were conducted in four different countries among working populations from various sectors. Studies addressing issues related to improving working conditions of fathers alone were lacking. All included studies assessed intervention effects on various health-related outcomes, the most common being sleep disturbances and mental health outcomes. Interventions administered yielded positive effects on various health outcomes across all seven studies. All included studies had methodological limitations, while study designs and methodologies lacked comparability. Consequently, a narrative synthesis of evidence is provided. Based on our findings, providing workplace interventions for improving working conditions may improve some aspects of the health and wellbeing of employed parents, including fathers.
The Role of Glp-1 Receptor Agonists in Insulin Resistance with Concomitant Obesity Treatment in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Bednarz Krzysztof , Kowalczyk Karolina , Cwynar Marlena , Czapla Dominika , Czarkowski Wiktor , Kmita Dominika , Nowak Artur , Madej Paweł
Published: April 2022

Insulin resistance is documented in clamp studies in 75% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Although it is not included in the diagnostic criteria of PCOS, there is a crucial role of this metabolic impairment, which along with hormonal abnormalities, increase each other in a vicious circle of PCOS pathogenesis. Insulin resistance in this group of patients results from defects at the molecular level, including impaired insulin receptor-related signaling pathways enhanced by obesity and its features: Excess visceral fat, chronic inflammation, and reactive oxygen species. While lifestyle intervention has a first-line role in the prevention and management of excess weight in PCOS, the role of anti-obesity pharmacological agents in achieving and maintaining weight loss is being increasingly recognized. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RAs) not only act by reducing body weight but also can affect the mechanisms involved in insulin resistance, like an increasing expression of glucose transporters in insulin-dependent tissues, decreasing inflammation, reducing oxidative stress, and modulating lipid metabolism. They also tend to improve fertility either by increasing LH surge in hypothalamus-pituitary inhibition due to estrogen excess connected with obesity or decreasing too high LH levels accompanying hyperinsulinemia. GLP1-RAs seem promising for effective treatment of obese PCOS patients, acting on one of the primary causes of PCOS at the molecular level.
An Update on Sphingosine-1-Phosphate and Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor Transcripts in Rodent Olfactory Mucosa
Authors: Toebbe JT. , Genter Mary Beth
Published: April 2022

Olfactory neurons connect the external environment and the brain, allowing the translocation of materials from the nasal cavity into the brain. The olfactory system is involved in SARS-CoV-2 infections; early in the pandemic declared in 2020, a loss of the sense of smell was found in many infected patients. Attention has also been focused on the role that the olfactory epithelium appears to play in the entry of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into the brain. Specifically, SARS-CoV-2 enters cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 protein (ACE2), which is found on supporting cells in the olfactory epithelium. The intranasal administration of sphingosine has been proposed to prevent the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2. Further, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors appear to facilitate the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the brain. The goal of these studies was to characterize S1P receptor expression status in rodent olfactory mucosa. The expression of receptors for a related sphingolipid, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), was also assessed. The results confirm previous reports of S1P1 and S1P3 receptor expression, as well as LPA receptor 1, in mouse olfactory mucosa; moreover, they extend the previous findings to identify additional S1P and LPA receptor transcripts in rat and mouse olfactory mucosa, as well as in cultured olfactory neurons. These findings may enhance the utility of rodent models in identifying agonists and/or antagonists of S1P and LPA receptors that may block the entry of SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses into nasal epithelial cells, and prevent transmission from the nasal cavity into the brain.
Sex-Specific Alterations in Dopamine Metabolism in the Brain after Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Authors: Daiwile Atul P. , Sullivan Patricia , Jayanthi Subramaniam , Goldstein David S. , Cadet Jean Lud
Published: April 2022

Methamphetamine (METH) use disorder affects both sexes, with sex differences occurring in behavioral, structural, and biochemical consequences. The molecular mechanisms underlying these differences are unclear. Herein, we used a rat model to identify potential sex differences in the effects of METH on brain dopaminergic systems. Rats were trained to self-administer METH for 20 days, and a cue-induced drug-seeking test was performed on withdrawal days 3 and 30. Dopamine and its metabolites were measured in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (dSTR), and hippocampus (HIP). Irrespective of conditions, in comparison to females, male rats showed increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) in the PFC, dSTR, and HIP; increased cys-dopamine in NAc; and increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol (DOPET) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in dSTR. Males also showed METH-associated decreases in DA levels in the HIP but increases in the NAc. Female rats showed METH-associated decreases in DA, DOPAL, and DOPAC levels in the PFC but increases in DOPET and DOPAC levels in the HIP. Both sexes showed METH-associated decreases in NAc DA metabolites. Together, these data document sex differences in METH SA-induced changes in DA metabolism. These observations provide further support for using sex as an essential variable when discussing therapeutic approaches against METH use disorder in humans.
Insights into Mechanisms of Damage Recognition and Catalysis by APE1-like Enzymes
Authors: Bulygin Anatoly A. , Fedorova Olga S. , Kuznetsov Nikita A.
Published: April 2022

Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases are the key DNA repair enzymes in the base excision repair (BER) pathway, and are responsible for hydrolyzing phosphodiester bonds on the 5′ side of an AP site. The enzymes can recognize not only AP sites but also some types of damaged bases, such as 1,N6-ethenoadenosine, α-adenosine, and 5,6-dihydrouridine. Here, to elucidate the mechanism underlying such a broad substrate specificity as that of AP endonucleases, we performed a computational study of four homologous APE1-like endonucleases: insect (Drosophila melanogaster) Rrp1, amphibian (Xenopus laevis) APE1 (xAPE1), fish (Danio rerio) APE1 (zAPE1), and human APE1 (hAPE1). The contact between the amino acid residues of the active site of each homologous APE1-like enzyme and the set of damaged DNA substrates was analyzed. A comparison of molecular dynamic simulation data with the known catalytic efficiency of these enzymes allowed us to gain a deep insight into the differences in the efficiency of the cleavage of various damaged nucleotides. The obtained data support that the amino acid residues within the “damage recognition” loop containing residues Asn222–Ala230 significantly affect the catalytic-complex formation. Moreover, every damaged nucleotide has its unique position and a specific set of interactions with the amino acid residues of the active site.
Recent Advances in Functional Materials for Wastewater Treatment: From Materials to Technological Innovations
Authors: Khan Nadia , Tabasi Zahra A. , Liu Jiabin , Zhang Baiyu H. , Zhao Yuming
Published: April 2022

The growing concerns about climate changes and environmental pollution have galvanized considerable research efforts in recent years to develop effective and innovative remediation technologies for contaminated soils and water caused by industrial and domestic activities. In this context, the establishment of effective treatment methods for wastewater has been critically important and urgent, since water pollution can take place on a very large scale (e.g., oceanic oil spills) and have massive impacts on ecosystems and human lives. Functional materials play a central role in the advancement of these technologies due to their highly tunable properties and functions. This article focuses on reviewing the recent progress in the application of various functional materials for wastewater treatment. Our literature survey is first concentrated on new modification methods and outcomes for a range of functional materials which have been actively investigated in recent years, including biofilm carriers, sand filters, biomass, biopolymers, and functional inorganic materials. Apart from the development of modified functional materials, our literature survey also covers the technological applications of superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic meshes, hybrid membranes, and reusable sponges in oil–water separation. These devices have gained significantly enhanced performance by using new functional materials as the key components (e.g., coating materials), and are therefore highly useful for treatment of oily wastewater, such as contaminated water collected from an oil spill site or oil–water emulsions resulting from industrial pollution. Based on our state-of-the-art literature review, future directions in the development and application of functional materials for wastewater treatment are suggested.
Social-aware Content Uploading for Cooperative Device-to-Device Communications
Authors: Liu Xiaolan , Yang Bin
Published: April 2022

To support the social-aware content uploading for users (clients) with a poor uplink channel quality in cellular networks, we propose a cooperative device-to-device (D2D) communication scheme. Under this scheme, mobile clients are able to communicate directly and the ones with social relationship form a multi-hop D2D chain, the head of which is in charge of transmitting the desired content to the base station (BS). A promising feature of this scheme is to stimulate effective cooperation among all clients by making use of social-aware relationship. To establish the D2D chain in this scheme, we first employ coalitional game to divide all clients with social relationship into multi-chains, and then propose a coalition formation algorithm to select the optimal chain according to the cost of content uploading such as energy and time. Finally, simulation results are presented to verify the efficiency of our proposed scheme in terms of the total content uploading time and energy consumption.
Entropy of the Earth / Sun Planetary System: The Earth’s Temperature in a Millennial Precession Cycle
Authors: Mazzullo Salvatore
Published: April 2022

We will use the definition of entropy to calculate the Earth annual and millennial temperature profile having the highest probability among all probable temperature profiles. We will achieve this through the development of an original procedure for identifying the physical parameters of a paleo-climatic model of the Earth. This investigation will allow us to answer two questions of contemporary experimental and theoretical research: The first concerns the increase in sea temperature and the Earth accumulation of heat, measured in the last sixty years. The second concerns the probability of two events of capital interest for humanity: the onset of an ice age and the onset of a climatic optimum. This paleo-climatic model provides the answer that the probability of the onset of an ice age is higher than the advent of a climatic optimum within an interglacial period.
Hubungan Antara Self Regulated Learning dengan Hasil Belajar Matematika Pada Materi Trigonometri
Authors: Arsyad Rahmi Nindi , Pomalato Sarson W. Dj. , Abbas Nurhayati , Achmad Novianita
Published: April 2022

This article discusses the survey research aims to find out the Correlation between self-regulated learning and students’ mathematics learning outcomes in the topic of trigonometry in SMA Negeri 1 Gorontalo. This study focuses on 32 eleventh-grade students in the site area during the academic year of 2018/2019. Moreover, a multiple-choice test was used to collect the data on mathematics learning outcomes, as well as a questionnaire to collect data on self-regulated learning. The hypothesis was tested using the regression and correlational analysis test. The result indicates that self-regulated learning positively correlates with students’ mathematics learning outcomes with the correlational and determination coefficient values of 0.6311 and 40%, respectively. In other words, such a learning model contributes 40% to mathematics learning outcomes; the remaining 60% is influenced by other factors excluded in this research.
Deskripsi Kesulitan Belajar Matematika Siswa pada Pokok Bahasan Bilangan Berpangkat di SMP Negeri 1 Biluhu
Authors: Kadir Verawati Tarsan , Nurwan Nurwan , Zakiyah Siti , Mohidin Abdul Djabar
Published: April 2022

This article discusses student’s mathematics learning difficulties with the aim of describing student’s mathematics learning difficulties on the subject of power numbers. The method used in this research is descriptive which is carried out in class IX odd semester for the academic year 2021/2022. The subjects of this study were 20 students of class IX1of SMP Negeri 1 Biluhu. There were also three interview subjects who represented the high category, medium category, and low category. The instrument of this research is a difficult test in the form of an essay on the material of rank numbers. To see learning difficulties, 3 indicators are used, namely: (1) difficulties in learning principles, (2) difficulties in learning concepts, and (3) difficulties in learning operations. The results of this study indicate that the learning difficulties of class IX students of SMP country 1 Biluhu are in the moderate category.
Deskripsi Kemampuan Pemahaman Konsep Matematika Siswa pada Materi Sistem Persamaan Linear Tiga Variabel
Authors: Baina Nur , Machmud Tedy , Abdullah Abdul Wahab
Published: April 2022

This article discusses describing the ability to understand a student's mathematical concepts in the material of a three-variable system of linear equations. The strategy used is descriptive qualitative. The data sources of this research are the results of tests and interviews. The research subjects from a total of 35 students of class X MAS AL-Falah Limboto Barat who were selected based on the results of student’s understanding of mathematical concepts on the material of a three-variable system of linear equations, namely in each category one student was selected to represent each category. The data collection technique was carried out by means of an essay test as a supporting instrument and an interview as the main instrument. Essay test to obtain data on student’s ability to understand mathematical concepts in terms of 3 indicators, namely; (1) restate a concept, (2) provide examples instead of examples, (3) apply concepts or algorithms in problem-solving. The results of the study show that the ability to understand student’s mathematical concepts is still classified in the low category
Deskripsi Hasil Belajar Matematika Siswa Pada Materi Sistem Persamaan Linear Tiga Variabel di Madrasah Aliyah Al-Falah Limboto Barat
Authors: Ade Wa , Hulukati Evi , Zakiyah Siti
Published: April 2022

This article discusses the description of students' mathematics learning outcomes on the material of a three-variable system of linear equations. This descriptive research was conducted at Madrasah Aliyah Al-Falah Limboto Barat in the 2021/2022 academic year. The instrument used in this study was a description test or essay test to obtain data on students' mathematics learning outcomes in solving math problems on a three-variable system of linear equations viewed from 4 indicators. The results showed that the average student learning achievement in mathematics reached 62.20% and was categorized as low. The average percentage of student learning outcomes on the knowledge indicator is 91.93%, the understanding indicator is 90.18%, the implementation indicator is 63.50%, and 7.40% for the analysis indicator.
Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Normal Lymph Nodes
Authors: Хоружик С.А.
Published: April 2022

Цель исследования определить характеристики нормальных лимфатических узлов (ЛУ) при диффузионно-взвешенном МРТ-исследовании (ДВИ). ДВИ выполнено 92 пациентам без установленного диагноза злокачественной опухоли или других заболеваний, сопровождающихся поражением ЛУ. ЛУ шеи, подмышечные, брюшной полости, подвздошные и паховые визуализировались на изображениях с высоким фактором диффузии у всех пациентов, средостения у 28 пациентов, корней легких только у 20. Средние размеры ЛУ по короткой оси составили 78 мм независимо от анатомической группы, по длинной оси варьировали от 10 мм (ЛУ корней легких) до 14 мм (ЛУ шеи и подвздошные). Максимальный размер по короткой оси достигал 11 мм, по длинной 24 мм. Выявлена значительная вариабельность значений измеряемого коэффициента диффузии (ИКД) нормальных ЛУ, который в порядке увеличения составил (103 мм2/с): ЛУ шеи 1,250,19, подвздошные 1,250,21, подмышечные 1,460,26, паховые 1,630,26, брюшной полости 2,030,38, средостения 2,360,56, корней легких 2,550,43. При визуальной оценке 97 шейных и 61 подвздошных ЛУ имели сигнал на картах ИКД ниже сигнала мышц, большинство ЛУ остальных анатомических групп равный или выше сигнала мышц. Выявленные особенности могут быть использованы для оптимизации критериев дифференциальной диагностики нормальных и пораженных при лимфоме ЛУ.

The aim of this study is to define the characteristics of normal lymph nodes (LN) on diffusion- weighted MRI (DWI). DWI was performed in 92 patients without the known diagnosis of cancer or other diseases associated with LN involvement. The neck, axillary, abdominal, iliac and inguinal LN were visualized on high diffusion factor images in all patients, mediastinal in 28 of patients, lung hilum in 20 of patients. The average short axis diameter of LN was 78 mm, regardless of the anatomical group long axis diameter ranged from 10 mm (hilar LN) to 14 mm (neck and iliac LN). The maximum short axis diameter reached 11 mm and long axis diameter reached 24 mm. Considerable variation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in normal LN was observed, which was the following in the increasing order (103 mm2/s): neck LN 1,250,19, iliac 1,250,21, axillary 1,460,26, inguinal 1,630,26, abdominal 2,030,38, mediastinal 2,360,56, hilar 2,550,43. In visual assessment, 97 of neck LNs and 61 of iliac LN had signal below signal of muscles on ADC maps. Most of LN of other anatomical groups had the signal equal to or higher than that of muscles. The identified features can be used to optimize the criteria for the differential diagnostics of normal LN and those involved in lymphoma.