bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When Work Conflicts With Personal Projects: The Association of Work-Life Conflict With Worker Wellbeing and the Mediating Role of Mindfulness
Authors: Pacheco Tyler , Coulombe Simon , Meunier Sophie
Published: November 2021

The negative emotional and health effects of work-life conflict (WLC) have been demonstrated in numerous studies regarding organizational psychology and occupational health. However, little is known about WLC’s relationship with positive wellbeing outcomes, including emotional, psychological, and social aspects of workers’ thriving. Furthermore, the mediating processes underlying the effects of WLC remain mostly unknown. The current study investigated the associations of perceived time- and strain-based WLC with positive mental health and thriving at work, as well as the mediating role of mindfulness in these associations. It is argued that WLC causes reduced mindfulness capacities among workers, which is in turn associated with lower positive wellbeing given the importance of mindfulness in emotion regulation. A sample of 330 workers based in Québec, Canada, completed an online survey including a measure of strain- and time-based interference with personal projects (i.e., the goals and activities that define the daily life of an individual) and validated scales of wellbeing outcomes and mindfulness. Results of structural equation modeling revealed negative associations between time- and strain-based WLC with positive mental health and thriving at work. Work-life conflict was related to lower mindfulness, which played a mediating role in the associations between time-based WLC with positive mental health and thriving at work, as well as strain-based WLC with positive mental health. The mediation was complete for the time-based WLC and positive mental health association, but partial for the other mediated pathways, highlighting the need for more research to identify additional mediators. These results highlight that beyond resulting in negative emotional/health outcomes often studied in previous research, WLC may be associated with workers’ reduced potential to live a fulfilling life, in general and in the workplace. Recommendations (e.g., mindfulness intervention to promote emotional regulation, personal project intervention) for workplace policymakers and practitioners are identified.
Comparison of Students’ and Teachers’ Opinions Toward Digital Citizenship Education
Authors: Tangül Hasan , Soykan Emrah
Published: November 2021

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the temporary interruption of educational activities in the classroom. Digitalization of the classrooms emerged as a need following that process. The objective of this study is to compare the digital citizenship levels of teacher candidates studying in the last year at the departments of classroom teaching and primary school classroom teachers and to reveal their needs. A total of 38 primary school classroom teachers and 27 classroom teacher candidates in the last year of teaching programs in North Cyprus participated in the research. This descriptive study was designed as a case study, which is a qualitative research approach. The data of the study were gathered within the frame of a grounded theory coding process and were analyzed through descriptive analysis, content analysis and the constant comparison technique. The digital citizenship levels of the classroom teachers and teacher candidates were analyzed according to the sub-dimensions of digital citizenship. As a result of the research, it was found that the digital citizenship sub-dimension scores of the classroom teachers were higher than the teacher candidates and that the teacher candidates needed digital citizenship education.
Differential Treatment Response Between Hypochondriasis With and Without Prominent Somatic Symptoms
Authors: Fallon Brian A. , Basaraba Cale , Pavlicova Martina , Ahern David K. , Barsky Arthur J.
Published: November 2021

Background: Health anxiety may exist with or without prominent somatic symptoms, but the impact of somatic symptoms on treatment response is unclear. The study objective was to examine this question further as symptom burden may impact choice of type of treatment.

Methods: This exploratory study used a unique database from a prior trial of 193 individuals with DSM-IV hypochondriasis who had been randomly assigned to either cognitive behavioral therapy, fluoxetine, combined therapy, or placebo. Two subgroups were newly defined—no/low somatic burden (n = 42) and prominent somatic burden (n = 151). Response was defined by ≥30% improvement in hypochondriasis.

Results: Among high somatic hypochondriacal participants, compared to placebo, the odds of being a responder were significantly greater among those who received fluoxetine, either alone (OR = 4.46; 95% CI: 1.38, 14.41) or with cognitive behavioral therapy (OR = 3.56; 95% CI: 1.19, 10.68); the estimated odds were not significantly different for those receiving cognitive behavioral therapy alone (OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 0.59, 5.54). In contrast, among low somatic hypochondriacal participants, compared to placebo, the observed odds of being a responder were similar in magnitude and direction for those who received cognitive behavioral therapy, either alone (OR = 3.00; 95% CI: 0.38, 23.68) or in combination with fluoxetine (OR = 3.60; 95% CI: 0.62, 21.03), compared to the odds for those receiving fluoxetine alone (OR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.14, 5.65). High somatic hypochondriacal individuals assigned to any fluoxetine group had significantly greater odds of being a responder than those who had not received fluoxetine (OR = 2.70; 95% CI: 1.33, 5.48). Low somatic hypochondriacal individuals assigned to any cognitive behavioral therapy group had significantly greater odds of being a responder than those who had not received cognitive behavioral therapy (OR = 8.03; 95% CI: 1.41, 45.67).

Conclusion: These findings indicate that somatic symptom burden may be important in guiding treatment selection among individuals with marked health anxiety, as hypochondriacal individuals with high somatic burden responded more often to fluoxetine while those with low somatic burden responded more often to cognitive behavioral therapy. Systematic replication with larger studies is needed.
Telemental Health Use in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review and Evidence Gap Mapping
Authors: Abraham Amit , Jithesh Anupama , Doraiswamy Sathyanarayanan , Al-Khawaga Nasser , Mamtani Ravinder , Cheema Sohaila
Published: November 2021

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted telemedicine use for mental illness (telemental health).

Objective:In the scoping review, we describe the scope and domains of telemental health during the COVID-19 pandemic from the published literature and discuss associated challenges.

Methods:PubMed, EMBASE, and the World Health Organization's Global COVID-19 Database were searched up to August 23, 2020 with no restrictions on study design, language, or geographical, following ana prioriprotocol (https://osf.io/4dxms/). Data were synthesized using descriptive statistics from the peer-reviewed literature and the National Quality Forum's (NQF) framework for telemental health. Sentiment analysis was also used to gauge patient and healthcare provider opinion toward telemental health.

Results:After screening, we identified 196 articles, predominantly from high-income countries (36.22%). Most articles were classified as commentaries (51.53%) and discussed telemental health from a management standpoint (86.22%). Conditions commonly treated with telemental health were depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Where data were available, most articles described telemental health in a home-based setting (use of telemental health at home by patients). Overall sentiment was neutral-to-positive for the individual domains of the NQF framework.

Conclusions:Our findings suggest that there was a marked growth in the uptake of telemental health during the pandemic and that telemental health is effective, safe, and will remain in use for the foreseeable future. However, more needs to be done to better understand these findings. Greater investment into human and financial resources, and research should be made by governments, global funding agencies, academia, and other stakeholders, especially in low- and middle- income countries. Uniform guidelines for licensing and credentialing, payment and insurance, and standards of care need to be developed to ensure safe and optimal telemental health delivery. Telemental health education should be incorporated into health professions curricula globally. With rapidly advancing technology and increasing acceptance of interactive online platforms amongst patients and healthcare providers, telemental health can provide sustainable mental healthcare across patient populations.

Systematic Review Registration:https://osf.io/4dxms/.
Challenges and Approaches of the Global Governance of Public Health Under COVID-19
Authors: Zhang Hu
Published: November 2021

Public health events, as the common concern faced by the international community, call for the joint response from all mankind. The outbreak of the COVID-19 has highlighted the problems confronting the global governance of international public health, such as limited functions of international organizations and difficulties in achieving objectives, poor collaboration between governance subjects and their limited performance, overlapping legal basis of governance and blurred core function, and lack of solutions to special problems. The corresponding approaches can be taken to improve the efficiency of the governance of global public health, including supporting the role of international organizations to achieve the objectives, enhancing coordination among international governance subjects to form synergy, promoting the compliance with IHR2005 to avoid conflict of law application and upholding the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind to jointly respond to the special problems.
Attitudes and Commitment Toward Precautionary Measures Against COVID-19 Amongst the Jordanian Population: A Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Khatatbeh Moawiah , Al-Maqableh Hindya O. , Albalas Samir , Al Ajlouni Sara , A'aqoulah Ashraf , Khatatbeh Haitham , Kasasbeh Mohammed A. , Khatatbeh Ibdaa , Albalas Rahaf , Al-Tammemi Ala'a B.
Published: November 2021

Aims:This study aimed to (1) assess the non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) measures that were used by the Jordanian population against COVID-19, and (2) determine the sociodemographic and behavioral predictors of contracting COVID-19 with a focus on the utilization of personal precautionary measures.

Methods:A descriptive questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was used in this study. A structured web-based questionnaire was disseminated to the Jordanian community through social media platforms. Participants were asked a series of questions about socio-demographic characteristics, in addition to the knowledge, attitudes, and commitment toward using various personal precautionary measures (e.g., face mask, hand washing, social distancing) against the COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and binary logistic regression through SPSS®.

Results:Responses from 7,746 participants were included in our final analyses. Descriptive statistics showed that most participants (82.6%) believed that face mask protects against COVID-19. Around 69.5% of the participants were completely committed to wearing a face mask, while 65% of the participants were completely committed to hand washing. The results of the regression analysis revealed that female gender (AOR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.07–1.35;p= 0.002), having a family member infected with COVID-19 (AOR = 8.5; 95% Cl: 7.51–9.70;p= 0.001), having a health-related work or study (AOR = 1.2; 95% Cl: 1.09–1.38;p= 0.001), believing that face masks do not protect against COVID-19 (AOR = 1.3; 95% Cl: 1.12–1.47;p= 0.001), and partial commitment to handwashing (AOR = 1.2; 95% Cl: 1.11–1.75;p= 0.006) were all associated with an increased odds of contracting COVID-19 among the participants.

Conclusion:Overall, commitment to non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) measures, such as wearing a face mask, hand washing, and physical distancing, was not optimal among Jordanians. This might explain the dramatic increase in the infectivity rate of the COVID-19 virus in the past few months in the country. More sustainable efforts regarding health promotion and strict policies are required to prevent a third wave of hitting the country and to prevent similar infectious threats in the future.
Thulium Laser Resection of Bladder Tumors vs. Conventional Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors for Intermediate and High Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Followed by Intravesical BCG Immunotherapy
Authors: Liu Zheng , Long Gongwei , Zhang Yucong , Sun Guoliang , Ouyang Wei , Wang Shen , Xu Hao , Wang Zhihua , Guan Wei , Yu Xiao , Hu Zhiquan , Chen Zhong , Wang Shaogang , Li Heng
Published: November 2021

Background: Thulium laser resection of bladder tumors (TmLRBT) is recently considered as a common treatment option for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancers (NMIBC), but whether it is superior to Transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) are still undetermined.

Materials and Methods: We retrospectively screened our institution database to identify patients who were treated by conventional TURBT or TmLRBT for NMIBC and followed by intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy. The preoperative characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and recurrence-free survival were compared to assess the safety and efficacy of the two procedures.

Results: Eventually, 90 patients who underwent TmLRBT (n = 37) or TURBT (n = 53) followed by intravesical BCG immunotherapy were included. Two groups were similar in baseline characteristics except for the smaller tumor size of the TmLRBT group(1.7 cm vs. 2.2 cm; P = 0.036). Obturator nerve reflex occurred in eight patients in the TURBT group and 3 of them suffered from bladder perforation while none happened in the TmLRBT group. The TmLRBT also had a shorter irrigation duration. In the multivariate Cox regression, the TmLRBT was related to less recurrence risk (HR: 0.268; 95% CI, 0.095–0.759; P = 0.013).

Conclusion: Our results suggested that TmLRBT is safer than conventional TURBT with fewer perioperative complications, and it offers better cancer control, therefore might be a superior option for NMIBC patients with intermediate and high recurrence risk.
Caring for the Animal Caregiver—Occupational Health, Human-Animal Bond and Compassion Fatigue
Authors: Van Hooser J. Preston , Pekow Cynthia , Nguyen Holly M. , D'Urso Dominic M. , Kerner Sara E. , Thompson-Iritani Sally
Published: November 2021

Laboratory Animal Professionals experience many positive and rewarding interactions when caring for and working with research animals. However, these professionals also may experience conflicting feelings and exhaustion when the work is stressful due to factors such as limited resources, making end of life decisions, dealing with conflicting priorities, and negotiating animal care priorities with colleagues. These stresses may be further complicated by each individual's self-understanding and emotional investment in the human-animal bond. The term used for this type of complex emotional conflict and exhaustion is Compassion Fatigue. Compassion Fatigue in the Laboratory Animal Science setting is a combination of physical, emotional and psychological depletion associated with working with and caring for animals and their well-being in a research environment. The University of Washington has developed a Compassion in Science Program called Dare2Care which emphasizes self-care and helps Laboratory Animal Professionals identify stress factors and work toward a personal solution to relieve stress. The first step in developing a resiliency program is to assess the current culture and needs of the organization. At an institutional level we identified that we needed increased communication concerning study endpoints, as well as identified individuals with whom affected personnel can talk about personal concerns. We also implemented community events to reflect on the positive aspects of this field of work. We improved the physical work environment, and provided outlets established for personnel to express feelings via written word or artistically. Lastly, we started working with our Center for One Health to encompass a holisitic approach to the occupational health of our animal caregivers. One health is the relationship and interplay between people, animals and the environment and we needed to include emotional well-being in our assessment of the health of our personnel. A question was added to our occupational health screening form to include additional health or workplace concerns (e.g., Compassion Fatigue) not covered by the questionnaire, and we added a component of Compassion Fatigue awareness in our training program. Here we review the importance of identifying Compassion Fatigue in the animal research setting, focus on developing a compassion resiliency culture and provide tools and coping strategies to validate and strengthen the human-animal bond with research animals and to sustain the care that is necessary for both people and research animals.
Analysis of the Serum Peptidomics Profile for Cats With Sarcomeric Gene Mutation and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Sukumolanan Pratch , Phanakrop Narumon , Thaisakun Siriwan , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Petchdee Soontaree
Published: November 2021

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has a complex phenotype that is partly explained by genetic variants related to this disease. The serum peptidome profile is a promising approach to define clinically relevant biomarkers. This study aimed to classify peptide patterns in serum samples between cats with sarcomeric gene mutations and normal cats.

Materials and Methods: In the total serum samples from 31 cats, several essential proteins were identified by peptidomics analysis. The 5,946 peptides were differentially expressed in cats with sarcomeric gene mutations compared with cats without mutations.

Results: Our results demonstrated characteristic protein expression in control cats, Maine Coon cats, and Maine Coon cats with gene mutations. In cats with gene mutations, peptide expression profiling showed an association with three peptides, Cytochrome 3a132 (CYP3A132), forkhead box O1 (FOXO1), and ArfGAP, with GTPase domains, ankyrin repeats, and PH domain 2 (AGAP2).

Discussion: The serum peptidome of cats with mutations might provide supporting evidence for the dysregulation of metabolic and structural proteins. Genetic and peptidomics investigations may help elucidate the phenotypic variability of HCM and treatment targets to reduce morbidity and mortality of HCM in cats.
Adaptive Refinement in Advection–Diffusion Problems by Anomaly Detection: A Numerical Study
Authors: Falini Antonella , Sampoli Maria Lucia
Published: November 2021

We consider advection–diffusion–reaction problems, where the advective or the reactive term is dominating with respect to the diffusive term. The solutions of these problems are characterized by the so-called layers, which represent localized regions where the gradients of the solutions are rather large or are subjected to abrupt changes. In order to improve the accuracy of the computed solution, it is fundamental to locally increase the number of degrees of freedom by limiting the computational costs. Thus, adaptive refinement, by a posteriori error estimators, is employed. The error estimators are then processed by an anomaly detection algorithm in order to identify those regions of the computational domain that should be marked and, hence, refined. The anomaly detection task is performed in an unsupervised fashion and the proposed strategy is tested on typical benchmarks. The present work shows a numerical study that highlights promising results obtained by bridging together standard techniques, i.e., the error estimators, and approaches typical of machine learning and artificial intelligence, such as the anomaly detection task.
Research on Control of Stewart Platform Integrating Small Attitude Maneuver and Vibration Isolation for High-Precision Payloads on Spacecraft
Authors: Chi Weichao , Ma He , Wang Caihua , Zhao Tianyu
Published: November 2021

The Stewart platform, a classical mechanism proposed as the parallel operation apparatus of robots, is widely used for vibration isolation in various fields. In this paper, a design integrating both small attitude control and vibration isolation for high-precision payloads on board satellites is proposed. Our design is based on a Stewart platform equipped with voice-coil motors (VCM) to provide control force over the mechanism. The coupling terms in the dynamic equations of the legs are removed as the total disturbance by the linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC). Attitude maneuver and vibration isolation performance is verified by numerical simulations.
Particulate Matter Dispersion Modeling in Agricultural Applications: Investigation of a Transient Open Source Solver
Authors: Janke David , Swaminathan Senthilathiban , Hempel Sabrina , Kasper Robert , Amon Thomas
Published: November 2021

Agriculture is a major emitter of particulate matter (PM), which causes health problems and can act as a carrier of the pathogen material that spreads diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate an open-source solver that simulates the transport and dispersion of PM for typical agricultural applications. We investigated a coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian solver within the open source software package OpenFOAM. The continuous phase was solved using transient large eddy simulations, where four different subgrid-scale turbulence models and an inflow turbulence generator were tested. The discrete phase was simulated using two different Lagrangian solvers. For the validation case of a turbulent flow of a street canyon, the flowfield could be recaptured very well, with errors of around 5% for the non-equilibrium turbulence models (WALE and dynamicKeq) in the main regions. The inflow turbulence generator could create a stable and accurate boundary layer for the mean vertical velocity and vertical profile of the turbulent Reynolds stresses R11. The validation of the Lagrangian solver showed mixed results, with partly good agreements (simulation results within the measurement uncertainty), and partly high deviations of up to 80% for the concentration of particles. The higher deviations were attributed to an insufficient turbulence regime of the used validation case, which was an experimental chamber. For the simulation case of PM dispersion from manure application on a field, the solver could capture the influence of features such as size and density on the dispersion. The investigated solver is especially useful for further investigations into time-dependent processes in the near-source area of PM sources.
Breeding Temperate Japonica Rice Varieties Adaptable to Tropical Regions: Progress and Prospects
Authors: Pacleb Myrish , Jeong O-Young , Lee Jeom-Sig , Padolina Thelma , Braceros Rustum , Pautin Lenie , Torollo Gideon , Sana Elbert E. , Del-Amen Jesson Y. , Baek Man-Kee , Jo Sumin , Hyun Woong-Jo , Park Hyun-Su , Jeong Jong-Min , Lee Ji-Youn , Cho Jun-Hyeon , Lee Jeong-Heui , Lee Sais-Beul , Choi Il-Ryong , Kim Sung-Ryul , Lee Jae-Sung , Sreenivasulu Nese , Ko Jong-Cheol , Lee Joum-Ho , Kim Byeong-Ju , Kim Ki-Young , Park Dong-Soo
Published: November 2021

Temperate japonica rice is mainly cultivated in temperate regions. Many temperate japonica varieties have a superior grain quality that is preferred in Northeast Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and China. The changes in consumers’ preferences in Southeast Asia and Western countries has contributed to increasing the demand for temperate japonica. Most temperate japonica varieties developed in temperate regions typically exhibit extra-early flowering under the short-day conditions in the tropics, which usually results in severely reduced yields. Since 1992, we have been developing temperate japonica varieties that can adapt to tropical environments to meet the increasing demand for temperate japonica rice, having released six varieties in the Philippines. Especially, the yield of one of the temperate japonica varieties, Japonica 7, was comparable to the yields of leading indica varieties in the Philippines. Here, we discuss the current breeding initiatives and future plans for the development of tropical-region-bred temperate japonica rice.
Development and Evaluation of a Nested PCR for Improved Diagnosis and Genetic Analysis of Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV) for Future Use in Nascent PPR Eradication Programme
Authors: Mahapatra Mana , Neto Martin Mayora , Khunti Asha , Njeumi Felix , Parida Satya
Published: November 2021

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of small ruminants caused by PPR virus (PPRV). PPR is endemic in Asia, the Middle East and across large areas of Africa and is currently targeted for global eradication by 2030. The virus exists as four different lineages that are usually limited to specific geographical areas. However, recent reports of spread of PPRV, in particular of lineage IV viruses to infection-free countries and previously PPR endemic areas are noteworthy. A rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis and reports on its epidemiological linkage for virus spread play a major role in the effective control and eradication of the disease. Currently, molecular assays, including conventional reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) are usually used for diagnosis of PPR while the sequencing of part of the nucleocapsid gene is usually carried out for the viral lineage identification. However, it is difficult to diagnose and sequence the genetic material if the animal excreted a low level of virus at the initial stage of infection or if the PPRV is degraded during the long-distance transportation of samples to the reference laboratories. This study describes the development of a novel nested RT-PCR assay for the detection of the PPRV nucleic acid by targeting the N-protein gene, compares the performance of the assay with the existing conventional RT-PCR and also provides good-quality DNA suitable for sequencing in order to identify circulating lineages. The assay was evaluated using cell culture propagated PPRVs, field samples from clinically infected animals and samples from experimentally infected animals encompassing all four lineages (I–IV) of PPRV. This assay provides a solution with an easy, accurate, rapid and cost-effective PPR diagnostic and partial genome sequencing for use in resource-limited settings.
Comparison of Gaseous and Water-Based Medium-Expansion Foam Depopulation Methods in Cull Sows
Authors: Lorbach Joshua N. , Campler Magnus R. , Youngblood Brad , Farnell Morgan B. , Beyene Tariku J. , Kieffer Justin , Moeller Steven J. , Arruda Andréia G. , Bowman Andrew S.
Published: November 2021

The U.S. swine industry is currently inadequately prepared to counteract the increasing threat of high-consequence diseases. Although approved and preferred depopulation guidelines exist, ventilation shutdown (VSD+) is currently the only method being deployed during a state of emergency to depopulate large swine populations. However, the permitted use of VSD+ during constrained circumstances has been criticized due to raised swine welfare concerns. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of carbon dioxide gas (CO2), nitrogen gas (N2), compressed air foam (CAF), compressed nitrogen foam (CAF-N2) and aspirated foam (AF) during a 15-min dwell time on adult swine in an emergency depopulation situation. A small-scale trial using 12 sows per depopulation method showed the highest efficiency to induce cessation of movement for AF and CO2 (186.0 ± 48 vs. 202.0 ± 41, s ± SD). The ease of implementation and safety favored AF for further investigation. A large-scale field study using AF to depopulate 134 sows in modified rendering trailers showed a mean fill time of 103.8 s (SD: 5.0 s) and cessation of movement of 128.0 s (SD: 18.6 s) post filling. All sows were confirmed dead post-treatment for both trials. The implementation of AF in modified rendering trailers may allow for a safe and reliable method that allows for the expedient and mobile depopulation of both small and large numbers of sows during an emergency.
A First Genome Survey and Genomic SSR Marker Analysis of Trematomus loennbergii Regan, 1913
Authors: Choi Eunkyung , Kim Sun Hee , Lee Seung Jae , Jo Euna , Kim Jinmu , Kim Jeong-Hoon , Parker Steven J. , Chi Young-Min , Park Hyun
Published: November 2021

Trematomus loennbergii Regan, 1913, is an evolutionarily important marine fish species distributed in the Antarctic Ocean. However, its genome has not been studied to date. In the present study, whole genome sequencing was performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to characterize its genome and develop genomic microsatellite markers. The 25-mer frequency distribution was estimated to be the best, and the genome size was predicted to be 815,042,992 bp. The heterozygosity, average rate of read duplication, and sequencing error rates were 0.536%, 0.724%, and 0.292%, respectively. These data were used to analyze microsatellite markers, and a total of 2,264,647 repeat motifs were identified. The most frequent repeat motif was di-nucleotide with 87.00% frequency, followed by tri-nucleotide (10.45%), tetra-nucleotide (1.94%), penta-nucleotide (0.34%), and hexa-nucleotide (0.27%). The AC repeat motif was the most abundant motif among di-nucleotides and among all repeat motifs. Among microsatellite markers, 181 markers were selected and PCR technology was used to validate several markers. A total of 15 markers produced only one band. In summary, these results provide a good basis for further studies, including evolutionary biology studies and population genetics of Antarctic fish species.
The Progress of Global Antimicrobial Resistance Governance and Its Implication to China: A Review
Authors: Yin Jia , Wang Yu , Xu Xueran , Liu Yinqi , Yao Lu , Sun Qiang
Published: November 2021

China has great potential for engaging in global actions on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control. This study aims to summarize the process of global AMR governance and provide relevant policy recommendations on how China could take more initiative in the global AMR governance. We searched for academic articles and official document published or issued before December 2020 in e-journal databases, official websites of major organizations, and the relevant national ministries. This review revealed that global action on AMR control has experienced three stages: (1) The beginning stage (1980s and 1990s) when actions were mainly sponsored by high-income countries and AMR surveillance was focused on hospitals; (2) The rapid development stage (2000–2010) when global AMR governance began to concentrate on joint actions in multi-sectors, and developing countries were gradually involved in global actions; (3) The comprehensive stage (2011 to present) when global actions on AMR have covered various fields in different countries. China’s AMR governance has fallen behind at the beginning but recently began to catch up with the global trend. The central government should take a far-fetched view, act decisively and positively towards the global efforts of addressing AMR to play a more active and greater role on the international stage.
Identification of Coinfections by Viral and Bacterial Pathogens in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients in Peru: Molecular Diagnosis and Clinical Characteristics
Authors: Pérez-Lazo Giancarlo , Silva-Caso Wilmer , del Valle-Mendoza Juana , Morales-Moreno Adriana , Ballena-López José , Soto-Febres Fernando , Martins-Luna Johanna , Carrillo-Ng Hugo , del Valle Luís J. , Kym Sungmin , Aguilar-Luis Miguel Angel , Peña-Tuesta Issac , Tinco-Valdez Carmen , Illescas Luis Ricardo
Published: November 2021

The impact of respiratory coinfections in COVID-19 is still not well understood despite the growing evidence that consider coinfections greater than expected. A total of 295 patients older than 18 years of age, hospitalized with a confirmed diagnosis of moderate/severe pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2 infection (according to definitions established by the Ministry of Health of Peru) were enrolled during the study period. A coinfection with one or more respiratory pathogens was detected in 154 (52.2%) patients at hospital admission. The most common coinfections were Mycoplasma pneumoniae (28.1%), Chlamydia pneumoniae (8.8%) and with both bacteria (11.5%); followed by Adenovirus (1.7%), Mycoplasma pneumoniae/Adenovirus (0.7%), Chlamydia pneumoniae/Adenovirus (0.7%), RSV-B/Chlamydia pneumoniae (0.3%) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae/Chlamydia pneumoniae/Adenovirus (0.3%). Expectoration was less frequent in coinfected individuals compared to non-coinfected (5.8% vs. 12.8%). Sepsis was more frequent among coinfected patients than non-coinfected individuals (33.1% vs. 20.6%) and 41% of the patients who received macrolides empirically were PCR-positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae.
Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Sicily, Italy: Estimates from the Regional Point Prevalence Surveys 2016–2018
Authors: Barchitta Martina , Maugeri Andrea , La Rosa Maria Clara , La Mastra Claudia , Murolo Giuseppe , Corrao Giovanni , Agodi Antonella
Published: November 2021

An assessment of the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) is useful for comparing and ranking HAIs and to support infection prevention and control strategies. We estimated the burden of healthcare-associated pneumoniae (HAP), bloodstream infection (HA BSI), urinary tract infection (HA UTI), and surgical site infection (SSI) in Sicily, Italy. We used data from 15,642 patients aged 45 years and above, identified during three repeated point prevalence surveys (PPSs) conducted from 2016 to 2018 according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control protocol. The methodology of the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe project was employed. The selected HAIs accounted for 8424 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 7394–9605) annually in Sicily, corresponding to 344 DALYs per 100,000 inhabitants aged 45 years and above (95% UI: 302–392). Notably, more than 60% of the burden was attributable to HAP, followed by HA BSI, SSI, and HA UTI. The latter had the lowest burden despite a relatively high incidence, whereas HA BSI generated a high burden even through a relatively low incidence. Differences between our estimates and those of European and Italian PPSs encourage the estimation of the burden of HAIs region by region.
Sequential Extraction of Hydroxytyrosol, Mannitol and Triterpenic Acids Using a Green Optimized Procedure Based on Ultrasound
Authors: Gómez-Cruz Irene , Contreras María del Mar , Romero Inmaculada , Castro Eulogio
Published: November 2021

Olive-derived biomasses contain bioactive compounds with health promoting effects as well as antioxidant and sweet-tasting properties. However, their sequential extraction has not been attained. In the present study, firstly antioxidants and mannitol were extracted from exhausted olive pomace (EOP) by an eco-friendly method, ultrasound-assisted water extraction (UAWE). The amplitude (20–80%), extraction time (2–18 min) and solid loading (2–15%, w/v) were evaluated according to a Box–Behnken experimental design. Using the response surface methodology, the optimal conditions for extraction were obtained: 80% amplitude, 11.5% solid loading and 16 min. It enabled the multi-response optimization of the total phenolic content (TPC) (40.04 mg/g EOP), hydroxytyrosol content (6.42 mg/g EOP), mannitol content (50.92 mg/g EOP) and antioxidant activity (ferric reducing power or FRAP, 50.95 mg/g EOP; ABTS, 100.64 mg/g EOP). Moreover, the phenolic profile of the extracts was determined by liquid chromatography-UV and mass spectrometry, identifying hydroxytyrosol as the main phenolic compound and other minor derivatives could be characterized. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the morphological changes produced in the cellular structure of EOP after UAWE. In addition, the chemical composition of the extracted EOP solid was characterized for further valorization. Then, a second extraction step was performed in order to extract bioactive triterpenes from the latter solid. The triterpenes content in the extract was determined and the effect of the previous UAWE step on the triterpenes extraction was evaluated. In this case, the use of ultrasound enhanced the extraction of maslinic acid and oleanolic acid from pelletized EOP with no milling requirement. Overall, UAWE can be applied to obtain antioxidant compounds and mannitol as first extraction step from pelletized EOP while supporting the subsequent recovery of triterpenic acids.
Two-Stage Adaptive Relay Selection and Power Allocation Strategy for Cooperative CR-NOMA Networks in Underlay Spectrum Sharing
Authors: Li Suoping , Liang Wenwu , Pla Vicent , Yang Nana , Yang Sa
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we consider a novel cooperative underlay cognitive radio network based on non-orthogonal multiple access (CR-NOMA) with adaptive relay selection and power allocation. In secondary networks, dedicated relay assistance and user assistance are used to achieve communication between the base station and the far (and near) user. Here, a two-stage adaptive relay selection and power allocation strategy is proposed to maximize the achievable data rate of the far user while ensuring the service quality of near user. Furthermore, the closed-form expressions of outage probability of two secondary users are derived, respectively, under interference power constraints, revealing the impact of transmit power, number of relays, interference threshold and target data rate on system outage probability. Numerical results and simulations validate the advantages of the established cooperation and show that the proposed adaptive relay selection and power allocation strategy has better outage performance.
Kinematic Analysis and Motion Planning of Cable-Driven Rehabilitation Robots
Authors: Zhang Jingyu , Cao Dianguo , Wu Yuqiang
Published: November 2021

In this study, a new cable-driven rehabilitation robot is designed, the overall design of the robot is given, and the kinematic equation of the lower limbs in the supine state of the human body is addressed. Considering that cable winders move along the rail brackets, the closed vector method is applied to establish the kinematic model of the robot, and the relationship between the human joint angle and the cable length change was deduced. Considering joint compliance, a fifth-order polynomial trajectory planning method based on an S-shaped curve is proposed by introducing an S-shaped velocity curve, and the changes in cable length displacement, velocity, and acceleration are simulated and analyzed. Three planning methods are compared based on two indices, and experimental verification is carried out on the rehabilitation experiment platform. The simulation and experimental results show that the trajectory planning method presents low energy consumption and strong flexibility, and can achieve better rehabilitation effect, which builds a good basis for the subsequent study of dynamics and control strategy.
Effect of Fiber Reinforcement on the Compression and Flexural Strength of Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymers
Authors: Łach Michał , Kluska Bartłomiej , Janus Damian , Kabat Dawid , Pławecka Kinga , Korniejenko Kinga , Guigou Martin Duarte , Choińska Marta
Published: November 2021

This work aimed to determine the effect of the addition of different types of reinforcing fibers on the strength properties of geopolymers such as flexural and compressive strength. Geopolymers are an attractive alternative to conventional binders and building materials; however, one of the main problems of their widespread use is their low resistance to brittle fracture. To improve the mechanical properties, reinforcement in the form of glass, carbon, and basalt fibers (as grids) was applied to geopolymers in the following work. Additionally, composites with these fibers were produced not only in the matrix of pure geopolymer but also as a hybrid variant with the addition of cement. Furthermore, basalt grids were used as reinforcement for geopolymers not only based on ash but also metakaolin. An additional variable used in the study was the molar concentration of the alkali solution (5 M and 10 M) for the different types of geopolymer samples. The mechanical properties of geopolymer materials and geopolymer–cement hybrids are the highest when reinforcement in the form of carbon fiber is used. Strength values for geopolymers reinforced with basalt mats depend on the number of reinforcement layers and the concentration of the alkaline solution used. All produced composites were tested for compressive strength and bending strength. When using basalt mesh, it was possible to achieve a bending strength of 12 MPa. The highest compressive strength that was achieved was the value of 66 MPa, while for samples not reinforced with fibers, only about 40 MPa was achieved.
“Novel Approaches in Landslide Monitoring and Data Analysis” Special Issue: Trends and Challenges
Authors: Blahůt Jan , Jaboyedoff Michel , Thiebes Benni
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together recent studies related in particular to landslide monitoring and data analysis [...]
Analysis of Pungency Sensation Effects from an Oral Processing, Sensorial and Emotions Detection Perspective—Case Study with Grilled Pork Meat
Authors: Djekic Ilija , Ilić Jovan , Chen Jianshe , Djekic Rastko , Sołowiej Bartosz G. , Vujadinović Dragan , Tomasevic Igor
Published: November 2021

Pungency is an interesting sensory stimulus analyzed from different perspectives, in particular the underpinning mechanisms of its sensation and perception. In this study, grilled pork meat coated with three types of hot sauces were investigated regarding its main food oral processing characteristics and evaluated using time-intensity and temporal dominance of pungency sensations methods analyzing the pungency descriptors and intensities. Besides these methods, facial expressions obtained from video capturing were subject to emotion detection. Mastication parameters showed a slight, but not statistically significant, trend of an increased number of chews and consumption time associated with pungency intensity, while saliva incorporation indicated an increasing trend depending on the pungency intensity, especially after 25 strokes and before swallowing. Both time intensity and temporal dominance of pungency sensations showed that the complexity of understanding these sensations is in relation to intensity and type. Finally, the use of emotion detection software in analyzing the faces of panelists during mastication confirmed the increase in non-neutral emotions associated with the increase in pungency intensity.
Detection of Exceptional Malware Variants Using Deep Boosted Feature Spaces and Machine Learning
Authors: Asam Muhammad , Hussain Shaik Javeed , Mohatram Mohammed , Khan Saddam Hussain , Jamal Tauseef , Zafar Amad , Khan Asifullah , Ali Muhammad Umair , Zahoora Umme
Published: November 2021

Malware is a key component of cyber-crime, and its analysis is the first line of defence against cyber-attack. This study proposes two new malware classification frameworks: Deep Feature Space-based Malware classification (DFS-MC) and Deep Boosted Feature Space-based Malware classification (DBFS-MC). In the proposed DFS-MC framework, deep features are generated from the customized CNN architectures and are fed to a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm for malware classification, while, in the DBFS-MC framework, the discrimination power is enhanced by first combining deep feature spaces of two customized CNN architectures to achieve boosted feature spaces. Further, the detection of exceptional malware is performed by providing the deep boosted feature space to SVM. The performance of the proposed malware classification frameworks is evaluated on the MalImg malware dataset using the hold-out cross-validation technique. Malware variants like Autorun.K, Swizzor.gen!I, Wintrim.BX and Yuner.A is hard to be correctly classified due to their minor inter-class differences in their features. The proposed DBFS-MC improved performance for these difficult to discriminate malware classes using the idea of feature boosting generated through customized CNNs. The proposed classification framework DBFS-MC showed good results in term of accuracy: 98.61%, F-score: 0.96, precision: 0.96, and recall: 0.96 on stringent test data, using 40% unseen data.
Bottom-Up Model of Random Daily Electrical Load Curve for Office Building
Authors: Cheng Sihan , Tian Zhe , Wu Xia , Niu Jide
Published: November 2021

In the design stage of energy systems in buildings, accurate load boundary conditions are the key to achieving energy supply and demand balance. Compared with the building cold and heat load, the generation of building electrical load has stronger randomness, and the current standard electrical load calculation method cannot reflect this feature. Therefore, this paper proposes a bottom-up high time resolution power load generation method for office buildings. Firstly, the non-homogeneous Markov chain is used to establish the random mobility model of personnel in office buildings, and the building electrical appliances are divided into four categories according to the different driving modes of personnel to electrical appliances in office buildings. Then, based on the personnel mobility model, the correlation between the use of electrical appliances in office buildings and the personnel in the room is established to construct the random power simulation model of different types of electrical appliances. Finally, the electric load of different types of electrical appliances is superimposed hourly to generate a random daily load curve. In order to verify the validity of the model, an office building is simulated and compared with the measured electrical load value. The verification results show that the model well reflects the daily distribution characteristics of electric load. The simulation value and the measured value are used for statistical analysis. The evaluation results show that the correlation between the simulation value and the measured value is high, which further illustrates the validity and accuracy of the model.
A Distributed Biased Boundary Attack Method in Black-Box Attack
Authors: Xiang Fengtao , Xu Jiahui , Zhang Wanpeng , Wang Weidong
Published: November 2021

The adversarial samples threaten the effectiveness of machine learning (ML) models and algorithms in many applications. In particular, black-box attack methods are quite close to actual scenarios. Research on black-box attack methods and the generation of adversarial samples is helpful to discover the defects of machine learning models. It can strengthen the robustness of machine learning algorithms models. Such methods require queries frequently, which are less efficient. This paper has made improvements in the initial generation and the search for the most effective adversarial examples. Besides, it is found that some indicators can be used to detect attacks, which is a new foundation compared with our previous studies. Firstly, the paper proposed an algorithm to generate initial adversarial samples with a smaller L2 norm; secondly, a combination between particle swarm optimization (PSO) and biased boundary adversarial attack (BBA) is proposed. It is the PSO-BBA. Experiments are conducted on the ImageNet. The PSO-BBA is compared with the baseline method. Experimental comparison results certificate that: (1) A distributed framework for adversarial attack methods is proposed; (2) The proposed initial point selection method can reduces query numbers effectively; (3) Compared to the original BBA, the proposed PSO-BBA algorithm accelerates the convergence speed and improves the accuracy of attack accuracy; (4) The improved PSO-BBA algorithm has preferable performance on targeted and non-targeted attacks; (5) The mean structural similarity (MSSIM) can be used as the indicators of adversarial attack.