bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fad, Food, or Feed: Alternative Seafood and Its Contribution to Food Systems
Authors: Marwaha Nisha , Beveridge Malcolm C. M. , Phillips Michael J.
Published: April 2022

Aquatic foods, or “seafood”, are an integral part of the global food system that contribute significantly to many dimensions of human wellbeing, including livelihoods and food and nutrition security. Fish, molluscs, crustaceans, algae and other aquatic foods are of particular importance in low- and middle-income countries as a source of employment, income, and nutrition for many poor and vulnerable people, including women. Global concern over the ability of fisheries and aquaculture to sustainably meet future seafood demand is driving improvements in technology and management. It has also inspired the emergence of plant-based and cell-based seafood, collectively termed “alternative seafood”. Growing investment, consumer demand, and participation by major food companies in the alternative seafood sector necessitate an evaluation of potential opportunities and challenges alternative seafood poses to food systems. This paper explores key economic, social, and environmental implications associated with production, distribution, and consumption of alternative seafood and its interactions with fisheries and aquaculture over the next decade, with specific emphasis on low- and middle-income countries. Available data on current supply and projected growth suggest that alternative seafood may account for almost eight percent of global seafood supplies destined for human consumption in 2030. Assuming current production techniques and expected technological development, the sector has potential for reduced environmental impacts relative to the existing fisheries and aquaculture sectors. However, its potential to impact livelihoods, food and nutrition security, and the environment remains largely a matter of conjecture due to the lack of robust data. Mechanistically, it is believed that growth of alternative seafood supplies will lessen demand for “conventional” seafood and/or meat, a scenario with implications for livelihoods, food and nutrition security, and the environment. Such changes are contingent on technological development, human and institutional behavior, market forces, and ecological linkages and as such, remain speculative. Nevertheless, as a novel sector, new food, and potential alternative to conventional seafood and/or meat, society has an opportunity to shape the growth of alternative seafood and its contribution to national and global development goals. This paper identifies knowledge gaps that require further research to inform inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development and governance of the emerging alternative seafood sector.
Spinous Process Combined With a Titanium Mesh Cage as a Bone Graft in the Stability Reconstruction of Lumbar or Lumbosacral Spinal Tuberculosis
Authors: Zhang Hongqi , Xiao Lige , Tang Mingxing , Yang Guanteng
Published: April 2022

Background

Autogenous bone grafts, such as iliac bone or rib struts, have been used in the anterior reconstruction of spinal tuberculosis (STB) and have their own benefits and limitations. Here, we introduced a new method, the spinous process (SP), combined with a titanium mesh cage (TMC) as a bone graft in the stability reconstruction of lumbar or lumbosacral STBs. By retrospectively comparing patients who received SP+TMC to traditional TMC bone grafts or allogeneic bone grafts in terms of safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness, we aimed to evaluate whether SP+TMC could be a possible alternative method.

Methods

From 2010 to 2018, 69 patients who underwent one-stage posterior debridement with grafts and internal fixation within a single lumbar or lumbosacral segment were included in this study. Twelve patients who received SP combined with a TMC (SP+TMC, group A), 30 patients who received a TMC only (group B), and 27 patients who received allografts (group C) were included. Measurements including operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), American Spinal Injury Association Impairment (ASIA) grade, final follow-up (FFU) duration and postoperative complications were recorded. Radiological measurements, including the number of segments fixated, the number of pedicle screws used, the Cobb angle, pelvic parameters, and the bony fusion time, were reviewed. All outcomes were analyzed using SPSS 25.

Results

We found that the SP+TMC group had fewer fixation segments, fewer pedicle screws implanted, a shorter operative time, reduced blood loss, and a considerably lower hospital cost than allografts. In addition, the TMC group had a comparable clinical outcome with the TMC group regarding lower economic cost.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that compared to a TMC or allograft, the use of SP combined with a TMC as a bone graft is an effective and reliable approach for the surgical management of one-level lumbar or lumbosacral spinal tuberculosis, leading to effective restoration of spinal stability. Furthermore, this approach is a cost-effective structural bone grafting method, especially for patients in developing countries.
The Effect of the Intraoperative Blood Loss and Intraoperative Blood Transfusion on the Short-Term Outcomes and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Kang Bing , Liu Xiao-Yu , Li Zi-Wei , Yuan Chao , Zhang Bin , Wei Zheng-Qiang , Peng Dong
Published: April 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the current study was to analyze the effect of intraoperative blood loss (IBL) and intraoperative blood transfusion (IBT) on the short-term outcomes and prognosis for patients who underwent primary colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the patients' information from the database of a teaching hospital from January 2011 to January 2020. IBL and IBT were collected and analyzed, and the propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed.

Results

A total of 4,250 patients with CRC were included in this study. There were 1,911 patients in the larger IBL group and 2,339 patients in the smaller IBL group. As for IBT, there were 82 patients in the IBT group and 4,168 patients in the non-IBT group. After 1:1 ratio PSM, there were 82 patients in the IBT group and 82 patients in the non-IBT group. The larger IBL group had longer operation time (p = 0.000 < 0.01), longer post-operative hospital stay (p = 0.000 < 0.01), smaller retrieved lymph nodes (p = 0.000 < 0.01), and higher overall complication (p = 0.000 < 0.01) than the smaller IBL group. The IBT group had longer operation time (p = 0.000 < 0.01), longer hospital stay (p = 0.016 < 0.05), and higher overall complications (p = 0.013 < 0.05) compared with the non-IBT group in terms of short-term outcomes. Larger IBL (p = 0.000, HR = 1.352, 95% CI = 1.142–1.601) and IBT (p = 0.044, HR = 1.487, 95% CI = 1.011–2.188) were independent predictive factors of overall survival (OS). Larger IBL (p = 0.000, HR = 1.338, 95% CI = 1.150–1.558) was an independent predictor of disease-free survival (DFS); however, IBT (p = 0.179, HR = 1.300, 95% CI = 0.886–1.908) was not an independent predictor of DFS.

Conclusion

Based on the short-term outcomes and prognosis of IBL and IBT, surgeons should be cautious during the operation and more careful and proficient surgical skills are required for surgeons.
The Importance of Evaluating Positive Welfare Characteristics and Temperament in Working Therapy Dogs
Authors: Miller Sharmaine L. , Serpell James A. , Dalton Kathryn R. , Waite Kaitlin B. , Morris Daniel O. , Redding Laurel E. , Dreschel Nancy A. , Davis Meghan F.
Published: April 2022

To date, investigations of the welfare of therapy dogs have focused largely on examining physiological and behavioral measures that could indicate if the animal is experiencing stress or distress. However, this approach does not fully address the definition of welfare which is often described as existing on a continuum from negative (or stressful) topositive. With therapy dogs, it would be worth addressing if they experience positive emotional affect while working since the quality and efficacy of animal-assisted interventions for the human recipient is likely to be influenced by the animal's emotional state during the interaction. The purpose of this review is to articulate how objective measurements of the HPA axis and measurements of behavioral observations and standardized questions can be used to evaluate positive welfare in therapy dogs. A potentially relevant indicator of positive welfare is the peripheral concentration of the neurohormone oxytocin, which has been found to increase in systemic circulation within a variety of species during positive social and affiliative contexts, including during human-dog interaction. Oxytocin is also a negative-feedback regulator of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which culminates with the production of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is widely used as a physiological indicator to assess negative welfare states in animals, including therapy dogs. Observable behavior during interactions with humans that may convey enjoyment could provide indicators of positive welfare in dogs such as engagement in play, or human-directed affiliative behaviors including leaning against, nudging, or licking the patient. However, in assessing positive welfare, it is also critical to consider that all animal behavioral displays and physiological responses are dependent on the dog's individual (and breed) temperament. Temperament directly drives how the animal copes and responds to its current physical and social environment, including during stressful situations such as when therapy dogs interact with unfamiliar humans in novel healthcare settings. Coupled with both positive and negative physiological and behavioral welfare indicators, questionnaire data can provide further context to, and enhance interpretations of, therapy dog welfare assessment results. Overall, to date, no studies have measured all of these factors to assess therapy dog welfare.
Static Body Weight Distribution and Girth Measurements Over Time in Dogs After Acute Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion
Authors: Amaral Marrero Natalia P. , Thomovsky Stephanie A. , Linder Jessica E. , Bowditch Jessica , Lind Mallory , Kazmierczak Kristine A. , Moore George E. , Lewis Melissa J.
Published: April 2022

Dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion (TL-IVDE) can exhibit variable neurologic deficits after decompressive surgery. The objectives of this study were to quantify changes in static weight distribution (SWD) and limb and body circumference over time in dogs recovering from surgery for TL-IVDE. Dogs with acute TL-IVDE were prospectively evaluated at baseline (48–72 h post-operatively), 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-operatively. Commercially-available digital scales were used to measure weight distributed to the pelvic limbs (PL%) and asymmetry between left and right pelvic limbs (LRA), each expressed as a percentage of total body weight. Trunk and thigh circumference measurements were performed using a spring-loaded tape measurement device. Measurements were performed in triplicate, compared to neurologically normal small breed control dogs and analyzed for changes over time. P <0.05 was significant. Twenty-one dogs were enrolled; 18 regained ambulation and 3 did not by study completion. PL% increased from 27.6% at baseline to 30.7% at 12 weeks but remained lower than in control dogs (37%) at all time points (p < 0.0001), even excluding dogs still non-ambulatory at 12 weeks (p < 0.025). LRA was similar to the control dogs, and did not have an association with surgical side. Caudal trunk girth decreased over time to 95% of baseline (p = 0.0002), but this was no longer significant after accounting for reductions in body weight (p = 0.30). Forward shifting of body weight persisted in dogs with TL-IVDE 12 weeks after surgery even among ambulatory dogs. SWD and circumference measurements could provide additional objective measures to monitor recovery.
On the Effects of Disc Deformation on the Tilting-Induced Vibration of a Spline-Guided Spinning Disc with an Axial-Fixed Boundary
Authors: Xue Jiaqi , Ma Biao , Chen Man , Yu Liang , Zheng Liangjie
Published: April 2022

This paper investigates the effects of disc deformation on the tilting-induced vibration of a splined spinning disc with axial-fixed boundaries.The purpose is to provide an intuitive interpretation of the vibration variance of the wet clutch system with different deformed discs. First, tilting models of flat and deformed discs are derived by introducing distinctive shape functions. Additionally, the inner spline interface is chosen as the friction boundary. Then, an impact model between friction pairs and the rigid boundary is established by adopting Hertz’s contact theory. Finally, the dynamic equations are solved via numerical methods, and the responses are analyzed in both time and frequency domains. The deformation can increase the nonlinearity of the dynamic response of the spinning disc. Moreover, the effects of increasing the impulse force and reducing the boundary distance are quite similar; they both increase the motion intensity.
A Numerical Simulation of an Experimental Melting Process of a Phase-Change Material without Convective Flows
Authors: García-Fuente Manuel , González-Peña David , Alonso-Tristán Cristina
Published: April 2022

The melting process of lauric acid in a square container heated from the top surface was numerically studied from an experimental case. Knowledge of this process is of special interest for computationally efficient modeling systems, such as PCM-enhanced photovoltaic panels in horizontal positions or energy storage using PCM embedded on flat surfaces. In these systems, the geometric arrangement of the PCM hinders the fluid-phase movements through natural convection, which slows the melting process and can cause overheating in the fluid phase. Using Ansys Fluent Software, three different approaches and two simulation methods, enthalpy-porosity and effective heat capacity, were developed for the numerical study. The results were compared with experimental measurements in a successful evaluation of the accuracy of computational fluid dynamics simulations. It could be observed that the effective heat capacity method presented significant advantages over the enthalpy-porosity method, since similar accuracy results were obtained, and a lower computational cost was required.
Enhanced T-Cell Priming and Improved Anti-Tumor Immunity through Lymphatic Delivery of Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy
Authors: Mantilla-Rojas Carolina , Velasquez Fred C. , Morton Janelle E. , Clemente Leticia C. , Parra Edwin R. , Torres-Cabala Carlos , Sevick-Muraca Eva M.
Published: April 2022

An infusion of checkpoint blockade immunotherapy (CBI) has revolutionized cancer treatments for some patients, but the majority of patients experience disappointing responses. Because adaptive immune responses are mounted by the concentrated assembly of antigens, immune cells, and mediators in the secluded and protective environment of draining lymph nodes (dLNs), we hypothesize that lymphatic delivery of CBI (αCTLA-4 and αPD-1) to tumor dLNs (tdLNs) improves anti-tumor responses over intravenous (i.v.) administration, and that vaccination against tumor associated antigen (TAA) further enhances these responses. Mono- and combination CBI were administered i.v. or through image-guided intradermal (i.d.) injection to reach tdLNs in vaccinated and unvaccinated animals bearing either primary or orthotopically metastasizing B16F10 melanoma. Vaccination and boost against TAA, Melan-A, was accomplished with virus-like particles (VLP) directed to tdLNs followed by VLP boost after CBI administration. Lymphatic delivery of CBIs reduced primary tumor size and metastatic tumor burden, alleviated the pro-tumorigenic immune environment, and improved survival over systemic administration of CBIs. Animals receiving CBIs lymphatically exhibited significantly enhanced survival over those receiving therapies administered partially or completely through systemic routes. By combining vaccination and CBI for effective T-cell priming in the protected environment of dLNs, anti-tumor responses may be improved.
Myosteatosis in Cirrhosis: A Review of Diagnosis, Pathophysiological Mechanisms and Potential Interventions
Authors: Ebadi Maryam , Tsien Cynthia , Bhanji Rahima A. , Dunichand-Hoedl Abha R. , Rider Elora , Motamedrad Maryam , Mazurak Vera C. , Baracos Vickie , Montano-Loza Aldo J.
Published: April 2022

Myosteatosis, or pathological excess fat accumulation in muscle, has been widely defined as a lower mean skeletal muscle radiodensity on computed tomography (CT). It is reported in more than half of patients with cirrhosis, and preliminary studies have shown a possible association with reduced survival and increased risk of portal hypertension complications. Despite the clinical implications in cirrhosis, a standardized definition for myosteatosis has not yet been established. Currently, little data exist on the mechanisms by which excess lipid accumulates within the muscle in individuals with cirrhosis. Hyperammonemia may play an important role in the pathophysiology of myosteatosis in this setting. Insulin resistance, impaired mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, diminished lipid oxidation in muscle and age-related differentiation of muscle stem cells into adipocytes have been also been suggested as potential mechanisms contributing to myosteatosis. The metabolic consequence of ammonia-lowering treatments and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in reversing myosteatosis in cirrhosis remains uncertain. Factors including the population of interest, design and sample size, single/combined treatment, dosing and duration of treatment are important considerations for future trials aiming to prevent or treat myosteatosis in individuals with cirrhosis.
Senotherapeutics in Cancer and HIV
Authors: Sánchez-Díaz Laura , Espinosa-Sánchez Asunción , Blanco José-Ramón , Carnero Amancio
Published: April 2022

Cellular senescence is a stress-response mechanism that contributes to homeostasis maintenance, playing a beneficial role during embryogenesis and in normal adult organisms. In contrast, chronic senescence activation may be responsible for other events such as age-related disorders, HIV and cancer development. Cellular senescence activation can be triggered by different insults. Regardless of the inducer, there are several phenotypes generally shared among senescent cells: cell division arrest, an aberrant shape, increased size, high granularity because of increased numbers of lysosomes and vacuoles, apoptosis resistance, defective metabolism and some chromatin alterations. Senescent cells constitute an important area for research due to their contributions to the pathogenesis of different diseases such as frailty, sarcopenia and aging-related diseases, including cancer and HIV infection, which show an accelerated aging. Hence, a new pharmacological category of treatments called senotherapeutics is under development. This group includes senolytic drugs that selectively attack senescent cells and senostatic drugs that suppress SASP factor delivery, inhibiting senescent cell development. These new drugs can have positive therapeutic effects on aging-related disorders and act in cancer as antitumor drugs, avoiding the undesired effects of senescent cells such as those from SASP. Here, we review senotherapeutics and how they might affect cancer and HIV disease, two very different aging-related diseases, and review some compounds acting as senolytics in clinical trials.
The Importance of Self-Leadership Strategies and Psychological Safety for Well-Being in the Context of Enforced Remote Work
Authors: Sjöblom Kirsi , Juutinen Soile , Mäkikangas Anne
Published: April 2022

This study examines the relationship between self-leadership strategies and occupational well-being and whether psychological safety has moderated these relationships in the context of enforced remote work caused by COVID-19. Altogether, 2493 higher education employees, most of whom were working entirely remotely due to the pandemic, responded to an electronic survey in May 2021. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted as the main method of analysis. The results showed that goal-oriented and well-being-related self-leadership strategies as well as psychological safety were positively related to meaningfulness of work and negatively to job burnout. Psychological safety moderated the relation between goal-oriented self-leadership strategies and meaningfulness of work. The study presents much-needed novel knowledge about self-leadership and psychological safety in the context of remote work and sheds light on the interrelatedness between self-leadership strategies, psychological safety, and occupational well-being. It presents a novel category of well-being-related self-leadership strategies and contributes to the measurement of both self-leadership and psychological safety. In order to both enable sufficient well-being and facilitate flourishing at work, it is imperative to support employees in learning and applying diverse self-leadership strategies as well as ensure psychological safety at workplace, especially in post-pandemic multi-locational work.
Erythema Nodosum in Children: A Narrative Review and a Practical Approach
Authors: Trapani Sandra , Rubino Chiara , Lodi Lorenzo , Resti Massimo , Indolfi Giuseppe
Published: April 2022

Erythema nodosum (EN) is the most frequent form of panniculitis in children. We performed a literature review analyzing studies on pediatric EN published from 1990 to February 2022. EN is rare in pediatric age. It can be primary/idiopathic in 23–55% cases, or secondary in 47–77% cases. Secondary EN is related to a wide variety of conditions including infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, malignancy, drugs, vaccinations, and pregnancy. The diagnosis of EN is clinical, based on the acute appearance of painful and red nodules localized to lower limbs, bilaterally distributed. If EN is diagnosed, basic work-up should include inflammatory markers, serum aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine, protein electrophoresis, immunoglobulins, testing for streptococcal infection, and a tuberculin skin test. Based on the medical history and associated manifestations, further laboratory and radiological exams should be performed. The prognosis of EN is excellent, with spontaneous resolution in most patients within 2–6 weeks. Treatment, if needed, is addressed to the underlying condition. Despite being a rare manifestation in children, EN can be isolated or the first manifestation of a systemic or infectious condition. EN diagnosis is clinical, and a high index of suspicion is needed to perform investigations for the underlying disorders.
Antibacterial Activity of Electrodeposited Copper and Zinc on Metal Injection Molded (MIM) Micropatterned WC-CO Hard Metals
Authors: Dawari Christopher K. , Gunell Marianne , Mönkkönen Kari , Suvanto Mika , Saarinen Jarkko J.
Published: April 2022

Antibacterial activity of electrodeposited copper and zinc both on flat and micropatterned hard metal tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) specimens was studied. Tribological wear was applied on electrodeposited specimens: coatings were completely removed from flat surfaces whereas only top of the micropillars was exposed to wear for the micropatterned specimens protecting the functional metal coating in between the micropillars. The growth of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) Gram-positive bacterial species was studied on the specimens using a touch test mimicking bacterial transfer from the surfaces. Copper coated specimens prevented bacterial growth completely independent of wear or surface structure, i.e., even residual traces of copper were sufficient to prevent bacterial growth. Zinc significantly suppressed the bacterial growth both on flat and micropatterned specimens. However, adhesion of zinc was low resulting in an easy removal from the surface by wear. The micropatterned zinc specimens showed antibacterial activity as electrodeposited zinc remained intact on the sample surface between the micropillars. This was sufficient to suppress the growth of S. aureus. On the contrary, the flat zinc coated surfaces did not show any antibacterial activity after wear. Our results show that micropatterned hard metal specimens can be used to preserve antibacterial activity under tribological wear.
Consistent Quantification of Complex Dynamics via a Novel Statistical Complexity Measure
Authors: Keul Frank , Hamacher Kay
Published: April 2022

Natural systems often show complex dynamics. The quantification of such complex dynamics is an important step in, e.g., characterization and classification of different systems or to investigate the effect of an external perturbation on the dynamics. Promising routes were followed in the past using concepts based on (Shannon’s) entropy. Here, we propose a new, conceptually sound measure that can be pragmatically computed, in contrast to pure theoretical concepts based on, e.g., Kolmogorov complexity. We illustrate the applicability using a toy example with a control parameter and go on to the molecular evolution of the HIV1 protease for which drug treatment can be regarded as an external perturbation that changes the complexity of its molecular evolutionary dynamics. In fact, our method identifies exactly those residues which are known to bind the drug molecules by their noticeable signal. We furthermore apply our method in a completely different domain, namely foreign exchange rates, and find convincing results as well.
Metriplectic Structure of a Radiation–Matter-Interaction Toy Model
Authors: Materassi Massimo , Marcucci Giulia , Conti Claudio
Published: April 2022

A dynamical system defined by a metriplectic structure is a dissipative model characterized by a specific pair of tensors, which defines a Leibniz bracket; and a free energy, formed by a “Hamiltonian” and an entropy, playing the role of dynamics generator. Generally, these tensors are a Poisson bracket tensor, describing the Hamiltonian part of the dynamics, and a symmetric metric tensor, that models purely dissipative dynamics. In this paper, the metriplectic system describing a simplified two-photon absorption by a two-level atom is disclosed. The Hamiltonian component is sufficient to describe the free electromagnetic radiation. The metric component encodes the radiation–matter coupling, driving the system to an asymptotically stable state in which the excited level of the atom is populated due to absorption, and the radiation has disappeared. First, a description of the system is used, based on the real–imaginary decomposition of the electromagnetic field phasor; then, the whole metriplectic system is re-written in terms of the phase–amplitude pair, named Madelung variables. This work is intended as a first result to pave the way for applying the metriplectic formalism to many other irreversible processes in nonlinear optics.
Fast Readout of Split-Ring Resonators Made Simple and Low-Cost for Application in HPLC
Authors: Hitzemann Moritz , Dehning Kirsten J. , Gehl Adrian V. , Sterr Erk-Fietje , Zimmermann Stefan
Published: April 2022

Split-ring resonators (SRR) are simple electrical circuits that show a significant shift in resonance frequency even with the smallest changes in split capacitance, and thus in permittivity, electric conductivity, and dielectric losses of the split capacitor’s dielectric. Usually, the resonance frequency is derived from the frequency response, but recording the frequency spectrum takes a certain amount of time. Here, we present a new capillary split-ring resonator CaSRR with fast readout for liquid chromatography (LC), which is capable of accurately detecting very fast changes in split capacity. The proposed method is based on the detection of the transmitted signal at a single frequency that is analyzed by demodulation. The demodulated signal changes its amplitude depending on the shift of the resonance frequency. Our simple low-cost electronics enables an average sampling rate of 42 Hz with 128 averages of the demodulated signal and has a frequency stability of 840 mHz. Thus, a minimum change in permittivity of Δεr,min = 11.26 × 10−3 can be detected. Finally, a chromatogram of one sugar (glucose) and one sugar alcohol (xylitol) is recorded using the SRR and is compared to a standard refractive index detector.
Short-Term Load Forecasting Model of Electric Vehicle Charging Load Based on MCCNN-TCN
Authors: Zhang Jiaan , Liu Chenyu , Ge Leijiao
Published: April 2022

The large fluctuations in charging loads of electric vehicles (EVs) make short-term forecasting challenging. In order to improve the short-term load forecasting performance of EV charging load, a corresponding model-based multi-channel convolutional neural network and temporal convolutional network (MCCNN-TCN) are proposed. The multi-channel convolutional neural network (MCCNN) can extract the fluctuation characteristics of EV charging load at various time scales, while the temporal convolutional network (TCN) can build a time-series dependence between the fluctuation characteristics and the forecasted load. In addition, an additional BP network maps the selected meteorological and date features into a high-dimensional feature vector, which is spliced with the output of the TCN. According to experimental results employing urban charging station load data from a city in northern China, the proposed model is more accurate than artificial neural network (ANN), long short-term memory (LSTM), convolutional neural networks and long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM), and TCN models. The MCCNN-TCN model outperforms the ANN, LSTM, CNN-LSTM, and TCN by 14.09%, 25.13%, 27.32%, and 4.48%, respectively, in terms of the mean absolute percentage error.
Dust and Particulate Matter Generated during Handling and Pelletization of Herbaceous Biomass: A Review
Authors: Kanageswari Singara Veloo , Tabil Lope G. , Sokhansanj Shahabaddine
Published: April 2022

Using straw and herbaceous crops to replace or augment fossil fuels is becoming popular as access to forest biomass becomes environmentally stricter and more expensive. The low bulk density raw biomass is pre-processed and densified into pellets to facilitate handling and use. Dust is generated during collection, baling and debaling, grinding, drying, and densifying processed herbaceous biomass. Abundant literature deals with dust generated during the industrial handling of woody biomass, grains, and other crops like cotton. But the information on handling herbaceous biomass in the open literature is scarce. This paper reviews the available literature on dust generation from handling and processing of herbaceous biomass. Limited available data shows that herbaceous biomass species have a lower ignition temperature than woody biomass. The paper identifies several crucial pieces of information needed to ensure safety in the handling and pelleting of herbaceous crops.
Novel Numerical Methods in Heat and Mass Transfer
Authors: Piasecka Magdalena , Dutkowski Krzysztof
Published: April 2022

The Special Issue entitled “Novel Numerical Methods in Heat and Mass Transfer” focuses on such issues as CFD modeling of fluid flow, heat transfer characteristics, mass transfer, phase-change and heat exchangers. The Guest Editors of this Special Issue, under the support and auspices of the publishing house, and through its editors, invited the authors to publish their latest achievements in the area of numerical methods used in the area of heat and mass transfer. A short overview of the successful invited submission articles devoted to the above-mentioned subject is presented with the hope that these valuable works will be of interest to a wide range of readers, as the topic is important and worth further scientific attention.
Mixed-Combustion Characteristics and Reaction Kinetics of Municipal Sludge and Corn Straw in Micro-Fluidized Bed
Authors: Guo Shengjie , Tan Jinhui , Yang Zhongguo , Deng Shuhui , Wang Yaxuan , Guo Shuai
Published: April 2022

With economic development, the output of municipal sludge (MS) continues to increase, and the effective utilization of corn straw (CS) also plays an important role in promoting “carbon neutrality”. The mixed combustion of solid wastes is a very environmentally friendly technology; however, little research has occurred regarding the combustion characteristics and reaction kinetics of MS and CS in a fluidized bed. Therefore, this study used a micro-fluidized bed and process mass spectrometer to evaluate the mixed-combustion characteristics of MS and CS and analyze the effects of the temperature and mixing ratios on the reaction rate. Isothermal kinetics were used to calculate the activation energy, pre-exponential factors, and other kinetic parameters of this reaction. The results showed that with an increasing reaction temperature, the combustion reaction rate of MS and CS under different mixing ratios increased. The reaction rate of mixed combustion of MS and CS was greater than that of MS or CS alone. Compared with the homogeneous model, the shrinking core model is more suitable for analyzing the mixed-combustion behavior of MS and CS. The calculated activation energies of the mixed combustion in different proportions were lower than that of single fuel combustion. When the ratio of MS to CS was 2:8, the activation energy required for the reaction was minimum (28.00 kJ/mol), the pre-exponential factor was 9.06, and the fitting degree was larger than 0.99, which proved the reliability of the results.
Torch-NILM: An Effective Deep Learning Toolkit for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring in Pytorch
Authors: Virtsionis Gkalinikis Nikolaos , Nalmpantis Christoforos , Vrakas Dimitris
Published: April 2022

Non-intrusive load monitoring is a blind source separation task that has been attracting significant interest from researchers working in the field of energy informatics. However, despite the considerable progress, there are a very limited number of tools and libraries dedicated to the problem of energy disaggregation. Herein, we report the development of a novel open-source framework named Torch-NILM in order to help researchers and engineers take advantage of the benefits of Pytorch. The aim of this research is to tackle the comparability and reproducibility issues often reported in NILM research by standardising the experimental setup, while providing solid baseline models by writing only a few lines of code. Torch-NILM offers a suite of tools particularly useful for training deep neural networks in the task of energy disaggregation. The basic features include: (i) easy-to-use APIs for running new experiments, (ii) a benchmark framework for evaluation, (iii) the implementation of popular architectures, (iv) custom data loaders for efficient training and (v) automated generation of reports.
Wineinformatics: Comparing and Combining SVM Models Built by Wine Reviews from Robert Parker and Wine Spectator for 95 + Point Wine Prediction
Authors: Tian Qiuyun , Whiting Brittany , Chen Bernard
Published: April 2022

Wineinformatics is among the new fields in data science that use wine as domain knowledge. To process large amounts of wine review data in human language format, the computational wine wheel is applied. In previous research, the computational wine wheel was created and applied to different datasets of wine reviews developed by Wine Spectator. The goal of this research is to explore the development and application of the computational wine wheel to reviews from a different reviewer, Robert Parker. For comparison, this research collects 513 elite Bordeaux wines that were reviewed by both Robert Parker and Wine Spectator. The full power of the computational wine wheel is utilized, including NORMALIZED, CATEGORY, and SUBCATEGORY attributes. The datasets are then used to predict whether the wine is a classic wine (95 + scores) or not (94 − scores) using the black-box classification algorithm support vector machine. The Wine Spectator’s dataset, with a combination of NORMALIZED, CATEGORY, and SUBCATEGORY attributes, achieves the best accuracy of 76.02%. Robert Parker’s dataset also achieves an accuracy of 75.63% out of all the attribute combinations, which demonstrates the usefulness of the computational wine wheel and that it can be effectively adopted in different wine reviewers’ systems. This paper also attempts to build a classification model using both Robert Parker’s and Wine Spectator’s reviews, resulting in comparable prediction power.
Insight into a Successful Development of Biocontrol Agents: Production, Formulation, Packaging, and Shelf Life as Key Aspects
Authors: Teixidó Neus , Usall Josep , Torres Rosario
Published: April 2022

Biocontrol agents (BCAs) have been proposed and studied over recent decades as a suitable alternative to diminish or substitute synthetic fungicides used to control pre- and postharvest diseases. However, the development of BCAs has many constraints and obstacles that would have to be overcome before they could be successfully implemented in the market. For the BCA commercial development, the microorganism should be mass-produced on a large-scale, and, independently of the method used for the production, a particular plan regarding the formulation of BCAs by multidisciplinary approaches (liquid or solid) is required to optimize the yield, efficacy, and shelf life of the developed product. Unfortunately, not all BCAs can survive the conditions imposed during the formulation process. Improved stability can be achieved by either using special conditions during growing or by adding protective substances to the formulation medium. Finally, BCAs should be formulated in such a way as to guarantee long-term stability and ease of application of the product. Therefore, an accurate range of the packaging conditions should be considered to extend the shelf life of the formulated product, preferably up to two years. Herein, we discussed the main aspects regarding the production, formulation, packaging, and shelf life of BCAs.
Cleaning Products Commonly Used in Oklahoma Family Child Care Homes: Implications for Respiratory Risk and Children’s Health
Authors: Querdibitty Cassandra D. , Wetherill Marianna S. , Sisson Susan B. , Williams Bethany , Aithinne Kan , Seo Haeyn , Inhofe Nancy R. , Campbell Janis , Slawinski Megan , Salvatore Alicia L.
Published: April 2022

Little is known about the cleaning products used by early care and education programs that contribute to childhood asthma, particularly in Oklahoma where rates of uncontrolled asthma are higher than national rates (60.0% vs. 50.3%, respectively). We conducted a cross-sectional study of cleaning products used by Oklahoma-licensed family child care homes (FCCHs) (n = 50) to characterize and identify potential respiratory-health risks associated with chemical contents. Overall, 386 chemicals were abstracted from the 132 reported products. Of these, 100 unique chemicals were identified. Four percent (4.2%) of providers used a product with a sensitizer that may cause allergy or asthma symptoms if inhaled and 35.4% used a product with an irritant that may cause irritation to the respiratory tract. Most (62.5%) reported using a product with a chemical that had a C=C double bond in its molecular structure that may make it highly reactive with other substances in the air and produce secondary air pollutants and 83.3% reported using a sodium hypochlorite containing product. Twenty-three percent reported products that contain carcinogens. Policy, educational, and technical assistance interventions are needed to promote the use of safer products and reduce respiratory and other health risks posed by chemicals in Oklahoma FCCHs.
Estimation and Analysis of PM2.5 Concentrations with NPP-VIIRS Nighttime Light Images: A Case Study in the Chang-Zhu-Tan Urban Agglomeration of China
Authors: Wang Mengjie , Wang Yanjun , Teng Fei , Li Shaochun , Lin Yunhao , Cai Hengfan
Published: April 2022

Rapid economic and social development has caused serious atmospheric environmental problems. The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of PM2.5 concentrations have become an important research topic for sustainable social development monitoring. Based on NPP-VIIRS nighttime light images, meteorological data, and SRTM DEM data, this article builds a PM2.5 concentration estimation model for the Chang-Zhu-Tan urban agglomeration. First, the partial least squares method is used to calculate the nighttime light radiance, meteorological elements (temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed), and topographic elements (elevation, slope, and topographic undulation) for correlation analysis. Second, we construct seasonal and annual PM2.5 concentration estimation models, including multiple linear regression, support random forest, vector regression, Gaussian process regression, etc., with different factor sets. Finally, the accuracy of the PM2.5 concentration estimation model that results in the Chang-Zhu-Tan urban agglomeration is analyzed, and the spatial distribution of the PM2.5 concentration is inverted. The results show that the PM2.5 concentration correlation of meteorological elements is the strongest, and the topographic elements are the weakest. In terms of seasonal estimation, the spring estimation results of multiple linear regression and machine learning estimation models are the worst, the winter estimation results of multiple linear regression estimation models are the best, and the annual estimation results of machine learning estimation models are the best. At the same time, the study found that there is a significant difference in the temporal and spatial distribution of PM2.5 concentrations. The methods in this article overcome the high cost and spatial resolution limitations of traditional large-scale PM2.5 concentration monitoring, to a certain extent, and can provide a reference for the study of PM2.5 concentration estimation and prediction based on satellite remote sensing technology.
Pregnancy, Motherhood and Partner Support in Visually Impaired Women: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Commodari Elena , La Rosa Valentina Lucia , Nania Giuseppina Susanna
Published: April 2022

Background: This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of women with vision impairments regarding the meaning of motherhood and their mothering-related issues and priorities. Methods: In-depth individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and December 2020 with a group of visually impaired mothers residing in Italy. The interviews explored experiences related to pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood; support received from partners, family, and friends; ways of interacting and communicating with the child; and the participants’ sense of personal self-efficacy and self-awareness. Results: Fifteen women participated in this study, ten with a congenital visual impairment and five with an acquired disability. The mean age of the sample was 49 years. The qualitative content analysis of the transcripts of the interviews pointed out four main themes or categories: (1) pregnancy and motherhood experiences, (2) family and social support, (3) relationship and communication with the child, and (4) self-efficacy and self-awareness. Conclusions: This study underlined that mothers with visual impairments show a strong desire to be recognized and accepted as women and mothers by their social environment. Adequate social and family support is associated with a better sense of personal self-efficacy and greater confidence in one’s skills as a mother.
Body-Related Attitudes, Personality, and Identity in Female Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa or Other Mental Disorders
Authors: Achermann Melanie , Günther Juliane , Goth Kirstin , Schmeck Klaus , Munsch Simone , Wöckel Lars
Published: April 2022

The psychological integration of body-related attitudes (BodyRA) is a critical developmental task in adolescence. Adolescents must adapt to their changing body image and body satisfaction. For young people, BodyRA (body dissatisfaction, bulimia, and drive for thinness) are connected to insecurities, which can disturb identity integration and personality development. Our goal was to evaluate the importance of BodyRA also for other mental disorders other than anorexia nervosa (AN), and the association between BodyRA with temperament and personality traits and identity diffusion. Data for the period of 2012 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed from a convenience sample of patients in a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital (n = 114). The patients were 13 to 17 years of age and had a BMI of 11.9–36.1 kg/m2. As expected, BodyRA were found to be more pronounced in AN, as well as in borderline personality disorder (BPD), depression (DD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). BodyRA correlated significantly with internalizing problems in patients with DD (r = 0.428–0.565, p < 0.01) and BPD (r = 0.680, p < 0.01) as well as with BMI (r = 0.404, p < 0.01) in patients with DD. Moreover, we detected significant correlations with impaired identity development in patients with DD (r = 0.482–0.565, p < 0.01) and BPD (r = 0.681–0.703, p < 0.01). BodyRA also correlated significantly with the personality traits of harm avoidance (r = 0.377–0.541, p < 0.01) and self-directedness (r = −0.537–−0.635, p < 0.01) in DD. These personality traits and bulimia were used as predictors for identity diffusion in the investigated disorders of this study. We conclude that BodyRA, harm avoidance and self-directedness are associated with identity development in adolescent females with mental disorders.
Effectiveness of a Problem-Based Geropsychiatric Nursing Clinical Internship Program
Authors: Wu Chia-Shan , Chang Su-Hsien , Lin Kuan-Chia , Rong Jiin-Ru
Published: April 2022

Clinical internships that effectively incorporate the care of older adults with mental health disorders are sparse in many countries, including Taiwan. This study investigated the effectiveness of a problem-based geropsychiatric clinical internship program for nursing students in Taiwan. We conducted a quasi-experimental study among 126 nursing students. Experimental and control groups received problem-based geropsychiatric and general psychiatric practice sessions, respectively. Knowledge, attitude, skills, and self-reflection were evaluated before (T1) and after (T2) measurements. There were no significant differences between the groups in knowledge, attitude, skills, and self-reflection at T1. At T2, knowledge was significantly higher in the experimental group (t = 2.39, p = 0.02). Attitude, skills, and self-reflection ability did not differ between the groups at T2. Our results showed that clinical problem-based approaches can be applied in geropsychiatric mental health nursing internship programs. The problem-based approach was helpful in improving nursing students’ knowledge about psychiatric symptoms and the health problems of older adults with mental illness. However, it did not significantly enhance or change the attitudes, skills, or the ability to self-reflect among students.