bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Periodic Event-Triggered Estimation for Networked Control Systems
Authors: Cui Shitong , Liu Le , Xing Wei , Zhao Xudong
Published: September 2021

This paper considers the problem of remote state estimation in a linear discrete invariant system, where a smart sensor is utilized to measure the system state and generate a local estimate. The communication depends on an event scheduler in the smart sensor. When the channel between the remote estimator and the smart sensor is activated, the remote estimator simply adopts the estimate transmitted by the smart sensor. Otherwise, it calculates an estimate based on the available information. The closed-form of the minimum mean-square error (MMSE) estimator is introduced, and we use Gaussian preserving event-based sensor scheduling to obtain an ideal compromise between the communication cost and estimation quality. Furthermore, we calculate a variation range of communication probability, which helps to design the policy of event-triggered estimation. Finally, the simulation results are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed event-triggered estimator.
An Edge Caching Strategy Based on User Speed and Content Popularity for Mobile Video Streaming
Authors: Chen Yingwen , Yu Hujie , Hu Bowen , Duan Zhimin , Xue Guangtao
Published: September 2021

Mobile users’ demands to delay-sensitive video streaming media put forward new requirements for mobile networks, such as architecture optimization. Edge caching as a new paradigm is proposed to enhance the quality of service (QoS) for mobile users at the network edge. Due to the limited coverage of edge cache nodes, the frequent handoffs between base stations would aggravate network traffic overhead, resulting in a bad experience of high latency and service interruption when mobile users browse videos. This paper first proposes a three-layer mobile edge network architecture and applied edge caching to video streams to build an efficient caching system. Given the user’s mobility and low latency of mobile video streaming, we propose an edge caching strategy based on user speed and content popularity. Horizontally, the user’s speed affects the spanning area and the buffer size of the cache on edge; vertically, content popularity determines the priority of cached videos. Experimental results demonstrate that our caching strategy outperforms other schemes in terms of the average delay and the cache hit ratio in mobile video streaming scenes compared with the other three classic caching methods.
Advancing Logistics 4.0 with the Implementation of a Big Data Warehouse: A Demonstration Case for the Automotive Industry
Authors: Silva Nuno , Barros Júlio , Santos Maribel Y. , Costa Carlos , Cortez Paulo , Carvalho M. Sameiro , Gonçalves João N. C.
Published: September 2021

The constant advancements in Information Technology have been the main driver of the Big Data concept’s success. With it, new concepts such as Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 are arising. Due to the increase in data volume, velocity, and variety, organizations are now looking to their data analytics infrastructures and searching for approaches to improve their decision-making capabilities, in order to enhance their results using new approaches such as Big Data and Machine Learning. The implementation of a Big Data Warehouse can be the first step to improve the organizations’ data analysis infrastructure and start retrieving value from the usage of Big Data technologies. Moving to Big Data technologies can provide several opportunities for organizations, such as the capability of analyzing an enormous quantity of data from different data sources in an efficient way. However, at the same time, different challenges can arise, including data quality, data management, and lack of knowledge within the organization, among others. In this work, we propose an approach that can be adopted in the logistics department of any organization in order to promote the Logistics 4.0 movement, while highlighting the main challenges and opportunities associated with the development and implementation of a Big Data Warehouse in a real demonstration case at a multinational automotive organization.
A Survey of Trust Management in the Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Siddiqui Sarah Ali , Mahmood Adnan , Sheng Quan Z. , Suzuki Hajime , Ni Wei
Published: September 2021

Over the past decade, the groundbreaking technological advancements in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) coupled with the notion of trust have attracted increasing attention from researchers and experts in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), wherein vehicles establish a belief towards their peers in the pursuit of ensuring safe and efficacious traffic flows. Diverse domains have been taking advantage of trust management models in the quest of alleviating diverse insider attacks, wherein messages generated by legitimate users are altered or counterfeited by malicious entities, subsequently, endangering the lives of drivers, passengers, and vulnerable pedestrians. In the course of vehicles forming perceptions towards other participating vehicles, a range of contributing parameters regarding the interactions among these vehicles are accumulated to establish a final opinion towards a target vehicle. The significance of these contributing parameters is typically represented by associating a weighting factor to each contributing attribute. The values assigned to these weighting factors are often set manually, i.e., these values are predefined and do not take into consideration any affecting parameters. Furthermore, a threshold is specified manually that classifies the vehicles into honest and dishonest vehicles relying on the computed trust. Moreover, adversary models as an extension to trust management models in order to tackle the variants of insider attacks are being extensively emphasized in the literature. This paper, therefore, reviews the state of the art in the vehicular trust management focusing on the aforementioned factors such as quantification of weights, quantification of threshold, misbehavior detection, etc. Moreover, an overarching IoV architecture, constituents within the notion of trust, and attacks relating to the IoV have also been presented in addition to open research challenges in the subject domain.
Study of 3D-Printed Dielectric Barrier Windows for Microwave Applications
Authors: Proyavin Mikhail D. , Sobolev Dmitry I. , Parshin Vladimir V. , Belousov Vladimir I. , Mishakin Sergey V. , Glyavin Mikhail Y.
Published: September 2021

3D printing technologies offer significant advantages over conventional manufacturing technologies for objects with complicated shapes. This technology provides the potential to easily manufacture barrier windows with a low reflection in a wide frequency band. Several 3D printing methods were examined for this purpose, and the dielectric properties of the various types of materials used for 3D printing were experimentally studied in the frequency range 26–190 GHz. These measurements show that the styrene-butadiene-styrene and polyamide plastics are suitable for broadband low-reflection windows for low-to-medium-power microwave applications. Two barrier windows with optimized surface shapes were printed and tested. Results demonstrate that the studied technique can fabricate windows with a reflection level below −18 dB in the frequency band up to 160 GHz. Studied windows can be used for spectroscopic tasks and other wideband microwave applications.
Hydrothermal Carbonization of Chemical and Biological Pulp Mill Sludges
Authors: Mendoza Martinez Clara Lisseth , Sermyagina Ekaterina , Vakkilainen Esa
Published: September 2021

A modern pulp mill generates a variety of different by-products and waste streams, some of these can be recycled, refined, sold, or used on-site for energy production. However, some, such as chemical and biological sludges produced in wastewater treatment cannot be reused or disposed of easily, mainly due to their high moisture content and poor drying characteristics. Tightening legislation regarding waste disposal as well as the growing need to increase the process efficiencies of pulp mills act as driving forces to find environmentally friendly and energy-efficient techniques for pulp mill sludge treatment. This study summarizes the current methods for pulp mill sludge handling and evaluates the potential of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), a conversion process through which wet organic substrates can be transformed into a carbonaceous material (hydrochar). Depending on the process parameters, the material’s structure is modified, enabling hydrochar use in energy, soil conditioning and adsorption applications. The sludges were hydrothermally carbonized at 180, 200, 220 and 240 °C for 3 h. The hydrochar and liquid products’ main properties were analyzed. Their potential applications were also evaluated. The effective treatment of sludges from the pulp industry with HTC could transform energy-demanding waste into a value-added source of materials.
Determinants of Renewable Energy Production: Do Intellectual Property Rights Matter?
Authors: Tee Wu-Shun , Chin Lee , Abdul-Rahim Abdul Samad
Published: September 2021

Climate change and finite energy supply issues have received substantial public attention in recent times. It has been argued that a sustainable energy supply associated with the promotion of clean energy is an important engine of growth, which calls for sound protection to reinforce investments in the renewable energy market. This paper examined the effect of intellectual property rights (IPRs) on renewable energy production using the dynamic panel generalised method of moments (GMM) technique on data from 59 sample countries. The empirical results provided strong evidence that IPRs significantly drive renewable energy production. Greater protection rights motivate renewable energy firms to increase energy production from renewable resources. Our findings further revealed that stronger protection propagates the deployment of renewable energy technologies that ultimately promote renewable energy production.
Flexibility Estimation of Residential Heat Pumps under Heat Demand Uncertainty
Authors: You Zhengjie , Zade Michel , Kumaran Nalini Babu , Tzscheutschler Peter
Published: September 2021

With the increasing penetration of intermittent renewable energy generation, there is a growing demand to use the inherent flexibility within buildings to absorb renewable related disruptions. Heat pumps play a particularly important role, as they account for a high share of electricity consumption in residential units. The most common way of quantifying the flexibility is by considering the response of the building or the household appliances to external penalty signals. However, this approach neither accounts for the use cases of flexibility trading nor considers its impact on the prosumer comfort, when the heat pump should cover the stochastic domestic hot water (DHW) consumption. Therefore, in this paper, a new approach to quantifying the flexibility potential of residential heat pumps is proposed. This methodology enables the prosumers themselves to generate and submit the operating plan of the heat pump to the system operator and trade the alternative operating plans of the heat pump on the flexibility market. In addition, the impact of the flexibility provision on the prosumer comfort is investigated by calculating the warm water temperature drops in the thermal energy storage given heat demand forecast errors. The results show that the approach with constant capacity reservation in the thermal energy storage provides the best solution, with an average of 2.5 min unsatisfactory time per day and a maximum temperature drop of 2.3 °C.
RANS- and TFC-Based Simulation of Turbulent Combustion in a Small-Scale Venting Chamber
Authors: Jaseliūnaitė Justina , Povilaitis Mantas , Stučinskaitė Ieva
Published: September 2021

A laboratory-scale chamber is convenient for combustion scenarios in the practical analysis of industrial explosions and devices such as internal combustion engines. The safety risks in hazardous areas can be assessed and managed during accidents. Increased hydrogen usage in renewable energy production requires increased attention to the safety issues since hydrogen produces higher explosion overpressures and flame speed and can cause more damage than methane or propane. This paper reports numerical simulation of turbulent hydrogen combustion and flame propagation in the University of Sydney's small-scale combustion chamber. It is used for the investigation of turbulent premixed propagating flame interaction with several solid obstacles. Obstructions in the direction of flow cause a complex flame front interaction with the turbulence generated ahead of it. For numerical analysis, OpenFOAM CFD software was chosen, and a custom-built turbulent combustion solver based on the progress variable model—flameFoam—was used. Numerical results for validation purposes show that the pressure behaviour and flame propagation obtained using RANS and TFC models were well reproduced. The interaction between larger-scale flow features and flame dynamics was obtained corresponding to the experimental or mode detailed LES modelling results from the literature. The analysis revealed that as the propagating flame reached and interacted with obstacles and the recirculation wake was created behind solid obstacles, leaving traces of an unburned mixture. The expansion of flames due to narrow vents generates turbulent eddies, which cause wrinkling of the flame front.
A Case of Elastography-Assisted Laparoscopic Fertility Preservation for Severe Deep Endometriosis Causing Ureteral Stenosis and Subtype II Adenomyosis
Authors: Ota Yoshiaki , Ota Kuniaki , Takahashi Toshifumi , Morimoto Yumiko , Suzuki So-Ichiro , Sano Rikiya , Ota Ikuko , Moriya Takuya , Shiota Mitsuru
Published: September 2021

Adenomyosis is commonly treated by total hysterectomy. Adenomyomectomy is considered for women of reproductive age who wish to preserve their fertility. However, a high recurrence rate following adenomyomectomy has been reported because complete removal of the lesion is difficult, and uterine rupture during pregnancy remains a complication. We previously reported that laparoscopic adenomyomectomy using a cold knife prevented thermal damage to the myometrium and elastography to avoid residual lesions. Here, we report the case of a patient who underwent complete resection of a subtype II adenomyosis and resection of deep endometriosis (DE) with the closure of the pouch of Douglas. The patient was 31 years old, had severe dysmenorrhea, and had left ureteral stenosis and subtype II adenomyosis associated with the closure of the pouch of Douglas by the DE. After resection of the DE posterior wall adenomyosis, residual lesions were confirmed by laparoscopic real-time elastography. Eight weeks after surgery, postoperative transvaginal ultrasound showed that the myometrium had shrunk from 28 to 22.7 mm, and the hydronephrosis had disappeared, although a stent remained necessary. In this study, we report the complete resection of subtype II adenomyosis and DE, combined with elastography to visualize the lesions during resection.
Genome-Wide Characterization of HSP90 Gene Family in Malus sieversii and Their Potential Roles in Response to Valsa mali Infection
Authors: Haxim Yakupjan , Si Yu , Liu Xiaojie , Wen Xuejing , Kahar Gulnaz , Ding Yu , Li Xiaoshuang , Zhang Daoyuan
Published: September 2021

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is highly conservative molecular chaperon produced by plants in response to adverse environmental stresses including fungal infection. In China, canker disease, caused by Valsa mali, is the main threat for Malus sieversii, an ancestor of the cultivated apple. In this study, a total of eight HSP90 genes were identified from the M. sieversii genome and randomly distributed on eight chromosomes. According to gene structure and phylogenetic analysis, the MsHSP90s can be divided into five categories. The transcriptome analysis of M. sieversii under V. mali infection showed that the plant pathogen interaction pathway was identified as significantly enriched. RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the MsHSP90-6a gene was significantly repressed by V. mali infection. We further predicted cis-regulatory elements on the promotor region of MsHSP90 genes and identified canonical SHE motifs. Our results improve our understanding of the HSP90 gene family and provide a foundation for further studies of disease prevention in M. sieversii.
Oil in Water Nanoemulsions Loaded with Tebuconazole for Populus Wood Protection against White- and Brown-Rot Fungi
Authors: Lucia Alejandro , Murace Mónica , Sartor Gastón , Keil Gabriel , Cámera Ricardo , Rubio Ramón G. , Guzmán Eduardo
Published: September 2021

Eugenol in water nanoemulsions loaded with tebuconazole appear as a very promising alternative formulations for wood protection against xylophagous fungi that are the main species responsible for different rots in wood structures. The dispersions as prepared and upon dilution (impregnation mixtures) were characterized by the apparent hydrodynamic diameter distribution of the oil droplets loaded with tebuconazole and their long-term stability. The impregnation mixtures were applied on wood of Populus canadensis I-214 clone by using a pressure-vacuum system, and the effectiveness against fungal degradation by Gloeophyllum sepiarium and Pycnoporus sanguineus fungi was determined. The retention of tebuconazole in wood was about 40% of the amount contained in the impregnation mixtures. The results showed that the impregnation process leads to a long-term antifungal protection to the wood, with the mass loss after 16 weeks being reduced more than 10 times in relation to the control (untreated poplar wood) and the reference wood (untreated beech wood).
Alkenylbenzenes in Foods: Aspects Impeding the Evaluation of Adverse Health Effects
Authors: Eisenreich Andreas , Götz Mario E. , Sachse Benjamin , Monien Bernhard H. , Herrmann Kristin , Schäfer Bernd
Published: September 2021

Alkenylbenzenes are naturally occurring secondary plant metabolites, primarily present in different herbs and spices, such as basil or fennel seeds. Thus, alkenylbenzenes, such as safrole, methyleugenol, and estragole, can be found in different foods, whenever these herbs and spices (or extracts thereof) are used for food production. In particular, essential oils or other food products derived from the aforementioned herbs and spices, such as basil-containing pesto or plant food supplements, are often characterized by a high content of alkenylbenzenes. While safrole or methyleugenol are known to be genotoxic and carcinogenic, the toxicological relevance of other alkenylbenzenes (e.g., apiol) regarding human health remains widely unclear. In this review, we will briefly summarize and discuss the current knowledge and the uncertainties impeding a conclusive evaluation of adverse effects to human health possibly resulting from consumption of foods containing alkenylbenzenes, especially focusing on the genotoxic compounds, safrole, methyleugenol, and estragole.
Jacobi Spectral Collocation Technique for Time-Fractional Inverse Heat Equations
Authors: Abdelkawy Mohamed A. , Amin Ahmed Z. M. , Babatin Mohammed M. , Alnahdi Abeer S. , Zaky Mahmoud A. , Hafez Ramy M.
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we introduce a numerical solution for the time-fractional inverse heat equations. We focus on obtaining the unknown source term along with the unknown temperature function based on an additional condition given in an integral form. The proposed scheme is based on a spectral collocation approach to obtain the two independent variables. Our approach is accurate, efficient, and feasible for the model problem under consideration. The proposed Jacobi spectral collocation method yields an exponential rate of convergence with a relatively small number of degrees of freedom. Finally, a series of numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the efficiency and flexibility of the numerical scheme.
On Discrete Delta Caputo–Fabrizio Fractional Operators and Monotonicity Analysis
Authors: Mohammed Pshtiwan Othman , Abdeljawad Thabet , Hamasalh Faraidun Kadir
Published: September 2021

The discrete delta Caputo-Fabrizio fractional differences and sums are proposed to distinguish their monotonicity analysis from the sense of Riemann and Caputo operators on the time scale Z. Moreover, the action of Q− operator and discrete delta Laplace transform method are also reported. Furthermore, a relationship between the discrete delta Caputo-Fabrizio-Caputo and Caputo-Fabrizio-Riemann fractional differences is also studied in detail. To better understand the dynamic behavior of the obtained monotonicity results, the fractional difference mean value theorem is derived. The idea used in this article is readily applicable to obtain monotonicity analysis of other discrete fractional operators in discrete fractional calculus.
Marine Biopolymer Dynamics, Gel Formation, and Carbon Cycling in the Ocean
Authors: Verdugo Pedro
Published: September 2021

Much like our own body, our planet is a macroscale dynamic system equipped with a complex set of compartmentalized controls that have made life and evolution possible on earth. Many of these global autoregulatory functions take place in the ocean; paramount among those is its role in global carbon cycling. Understanding the dynamics of organic carbon transport in the ocean remains among the most critical, urgent, and least acknowledged challenges to modern society. Dissolved in seawater is one of the earth’s largest reservoirs of reduced organic carbon, reaching ~700 billion tons. It is composed of a polydisperse collection of marine biopolymers (MBP), that remain in reversible assembled↔dissolved equilibrium forming hydrated networks of marine gels (MG). MGs are among the least understood aspects of marine carbon dynamics. Despite the polymer nature of this gigantic pool of material, polymer physics theory has only recently been applied to study MBP dynamics and gel formation in the ocean. There is a great deal of descriptive phenomenology, rich in classifications, and significant correlations. Still missing, however, is the guide of robust physical theory to figure out the fundamental nature of the supramolecular interactions taking place in seawater that turn out to be critical to understanding carbon transport in the ocean.
Selective Breeding for Disease-Resistant PRNP Variants to Manage Chronic Wasting Disease in Farmed Whitetail Deer
Authors: Haley Nicholas , Donner Rozalyn , Merrett Kahla , Miller Matthew , Senior Kristen
Published: September 2021

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of cervids caused by a misfolded variant of the normal cellular prion protein, and it is closely related to sheep scrapie. Variations in a host’s prion gene, PRNP, and its primary protein structure dramatically affect susceptibility to specific prion disorders, and breeding for PRNP variants that prevent scrapie infection has led to steep declines in the disease in North American and European sheep. While resistant alleles have been identified in cervids, a PRNP variant that completely prevents CWD has not yet been identified. Thus, control of the disease in farmed herds traditionally relies on quarantine and depopulation. In CWD-endemic areas, depopulation of private herds becomes challenging to justify, leading to opportunities to manage the disease in situ. We developed a selective breeding program for farmed white-tailed deer in a high-prevalence CWD-endemic area which focused on reducing frequencies of highly susceptible PRNP variants and introducing animals with less susceptible variants. With the use of newly developed primers, we found that breeding followed predictable Mendelian inheritance, and early data support our project’s utility in reducing CWD prevalence. This project represents a novel approach to CWD management, with future efforts building on these findings.
Calcineurin Gamma Catalytic Subunit PPP3CC Inhibition by miR-200c-3p Affects Apoptosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Anastasiadou Eleni , Messina Elena , Sanavia Tiziana , Labruna Vittorio , Ceccarelli Simona , Megiorni Francesca , Gerini Giulia , Pontecorvi Paola , Camero Simona , Perniola Giorgia , Venneri Mary Anna , Trivedi Pankaj , Lenzi Andrea , Marchese Cinzia
Published: September 2021

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) outpaces all the other forms of the female reproductive system malignancies. MicroRNAs have emerged as promising predictive biomarkers to therapeutic treatments as their expression might characterize the tumor stage or grade. In EOC, miR-200c is considered a master regulator of oncogenes or tumor suppressors. To investigate novel miR-200c-3p target genes involved in EOC tumorigenesis, we evaluated the association between this miRNA and the mRNA expression of several potential target genes by RNA-seq data of both 46 EOC cell lines from Cancer Cell line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and 456 EOC patient bio-specimens from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Both analyses showed a significant anticorrelation between miR-200c-3p and the protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit γ of calcineurin (PPP3CC) levels involved in the apoptosis pathway. Quantitative mRNA expression analysis in patient biopsies confirmed the inverse correlation between miR-200c-3p and PPP3CC levels. In vitro regulation of PPP3CC expression through miR-200c-3p and RNA interference technology led to a concomitant modulation of BCL2- and p-AKT-related pathways, suggesting the tumor suppressive role of PPP3CC in EOC. Our results suggest that inhibition of high expression of miR-200c-3p in EOC might lead to overexpression of the tumor suppressor PPP3CC and subsequent induction of apoptosis in EOC patients.
Moderating Effect of Nurse’s Character on the Relationship between Attitudes toward Nursing Care of the Dying and Performance of Terminal Care in South Korea
Authors: Seo Kawoun
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of nurses’ characteristics on the relationship between attitudes toward nursing care and terminal care performance of hospice nurses. The participants included nurses working in hospice care units in general hospitals in South Korea. Data collected from August 1 to 31, 2020 were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson′s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. The performance of terminal care was positively correlated with attitudes toward nursing care of the dying (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) and nurses’ characteristics (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). There was also a positive correlation (r = 0.58, p < 0.001) between attitudes toward nursing care for dying patients and nurses′ characteristics. Nurses’ characteristics had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between attitudes toward nursing care of the dying and performance of terminal care. This means that the nurses’ character had a buffering effect on the relationship between attitudes toward nursing care of the dying and performance of terminal care in hospice care units. These findings suggest that continuous and repetitive educational programs on terminal care need to be enhanced, and strategies to strengthen attitudes toward nursing care of the dying and nurses’ character need to be included in these programs.
Abdominal Muscles and Metabolic Syndrome According to Patient Sex: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lee Tae Young , Jeon Young-Jee , Kim Chung Reen , Kang Byung Ju , Park Gyung-Min
Published: September 2021

Computed tomography (CT) is a reference method for measuring skeletal muscle mass, and the amount of fat in the skeletal muscle can be calculated based on CT attenuation. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effect of muscle quality and quantity on metabolic syndrome (MetS) according to sex. This retrospective cross-sectional study enrolled 8081 individuals aged ≥20 years who underwent self-referral abdominopelvic CT at our hospital. The total abdominal muscle area (TAMA), low-attenuation abdominal muscle area (LAMA), normal-attenuation abdominal muscle area (NAMA), and extramyocellular lipid area (EMCLA) were measured using cross-sectional CT data of the L3 lumbar vertebrae. The TAMA and NAMA showed negative correlations with risk factors for MetS and a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas the LAMA and EMCLA showed an inverse trend in both the sexes (p < 0.001). After adjusting for various factors, a higher LAMA index and the ratio of LAMA to TAMA were associated with a higher prevalence of MetS. High TAMA indices were associated with a lower prevalence of MetS. Furthermore, muscle quality and quantity were associated with the prevalence of MetS in both males and females. However, the LAMA showed a stronger association with MetS in males than in females.
Development of a New Essential Oil-Based Technology to Maintain Fruit Quality in Tomato
Authors: Duque Luisa Fernanda , Amador María Victoria , Guzmán Miguel , Asensio Carlos , Valenzuela Juan Luis
Published: September 2021

In this study, a new technology was tested for its efficacy in the conservation of tomato fruits. An initial experiment was conducted to determine the effects of eugenol on the main quality parameters of Raf tomato fruits; then, a main experiment was performed to test the effectiveness of the new technology. In both experiments, fruits of the tomato cultivar Raf at the mature green stage were used. The preliminary experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of eugenol in maintaining fruit quality during the postharvest life of the fruit. In the main experiment, the fruits were packed using a sachet filled with a mixture consisting of 10:1:1 clinoptilolite clay, ground clove buds, and activated charcoal. This mixture was evaluated against a commercial ethylene scavenger composed mainly of KMnO4-impregnated sepiolite. Three lots of fruits were used: One batch was considered as the control, where the fruits were not packed but kept in an open box at room temperature. The fruits in the other two batches were packed in 2 L PET containers with lids at a rate of three fruits per container, and a sachet of ground cloves and a commercial scavenger was added inside each container in each batch. The containers were kept at room temperature, and the following main quality parameters were analyzed: ethylene production rate, firmness, color, content of soluble solids, and pigments. The results showed that ground clove buds led to a reduction in ethylene production which was associated with a delay in maturation and could be a good alternative for use in the active fruit packaging of horticultural products.
The Photosynthetic Characteristics of Different Purple Peppers
Authors: Huang Yu , Wang Xiaohui , Miao Wu , Suo Huan , Fu Canfang , Chen Meng , Zhao Xuanhua , Ou Lijun
Published: September 2021

The yield of pepper with purple leaves (PF) is low, while the pepper with green leaves (GM) is not resistant to strong light and high temperature. In this study, we analyzed the photosynthesis characteristics and genetic stability of their hybrid progenies using PF(CS3) and GM(SJ11-3) as controls. Based on the decreased purple color and increased green color, the hybrid pepper was divided into five groups: Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 and Z5. Results showed that as the purple color increased, the anthocyanin content in leaves increased. Simultaneously, we found that PF exhibited higher resistance to strong light and high temperature. Thus, the purple hybrid progenies with higher photosynthetic rate were recommended, as they showed higher yield and better resistance to strong light and high temperature.
Characteristics and Circumstances Associated with Work-Related Suicides from the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2013–2017
Authors: Peek-Asa Corinne , Zhang Ling , Hamann Cara , Davis Jonathan , Schwab-Reese Laura
Published: September 2021

Workplaces are critical in suicide prevention because work-related factors can be associated with suicide, and because workplaces can be effective suicide prevention sites. Understanding the circumstances associated with work-related suicides can advance worksite prevention efforts. Data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Violent Death Reporting System from 2013 to 2017 were used to examine characteristics and circumstances associated with work compared with non-work suicides. Work-related suicides included those indicated as work-related on the death certificate or in which the death investigation mentioned a work problem or work crisis. Of the 84,389 suicides, 12.1% had some relation to the decedent’s work. Males, those aged 21–54, and with at least a college education, were most likely to have work-related suicides. The circumstances most strongly associated with work-related suicide were financial problems (Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.7; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 4.5–5.0), prior depressed mood (OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 2.3–2.5), and eviction/loss of home (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.4–1.7). Suicides among healthcare practitioners and management occupations had the highest odds of being work-related. Workplace wellness programs can consider incorporating services, such as financial planning and mental health services, as potentially up-stream approaches to prevent work-related suicide.
Ethnic Stereotype Formation and Its Impact on Sojourner Adaptation: A Case of “Belt and Road” Chinese Migrant Workers in Montenegro
Authors: English Alexander S. , Zhang Xinyi , Stanciu Adrian , Kulich Steve J. , Zhao Fuxia , Bojovic Milica
Published: September 2021

Ethnic stereotypes are cognitive markers that are formed and modified because of intercultural contact with a new cultural group. There is now much empirical evidence that explicates how stereotypes of ethnic groups can impact individuals’ acculturation experiences. However, what is unknown is how previously nonexistent ethnic beliefs are formed as a result of contact with the local culture. One hundred and seventy-four (N = 174) overseas Chinese construction workers were contacted through the Chinese Consulate in Montenegro and agreed to participate in the present study. The online questionnaire asked workers to describe Montenegrin majority members in terms of five characteristics. These traits formed the stereotype markers that were classified as positive, neutral, or negative. Sojourners also answered questions that measured perceived cultural distance, social exclusion, knowledge of Montenegrin culture, feelings of social exclusion, and their sociocultural adaptation. Results show that both positive and negative stereotypes are correlated with less social exclusion and better socio-cultural adaptation. Perceived cultural distance, knowledge of host culture and length of stay was mediated by stereotypes on adaptation outcomes. Interestingly longer sojourn did not lessen the type of stereotype, nor did it reduce cultural distance. Contribution to the stereotype literature and practical understanding of how Chinese sojourners see majority members will be discussed.
Self-Rated Health and Pain Problems in Mothers of Healthy Children or Children Requiring Outpatient Observation or Hospitalisation: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Aftyka Anna , Rosa Wojciech , Samardakiewicz Marzena
Published: September 2021

A child’s illness or disability is a considerable stressor for the mother and a risk factor for many psychological problems and somatic diseases. The purpose of the study was to (1) assess the prevalence of poor SRH and pain, (2) compare self-rated health and pain, (3) and identify the determinants of SRH and pain in mothers of healthy children and children requiring ambulatory observation or hospitalization. The study covered 234 mothers of both healthy and unhealthy children who required outpatient observation or treatment at an intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, or oncology department. To analyse the variables obtained, the following tools were used: Self-Rated Health, Numerical Rating, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, Peritraumatic Distress Inventory, Modified Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Impact of Effects Scale—Revised. The self-assessment of health in mothers of healthy children and those in need of outpatient observation or hospitalization at units with various specialities differed in a statistically significant way. The severity of the average and maximum pain among mothers of healthy children and those with a history of disease differed statistically significantly. Poor SRH co-occurred with severe maximum pain in all of the examined groups. Both in the control group and the group of mothers of children requiring outpatient observation, poor SRH co-occurred with a high level of anxiety. Only in the control group was a correlation found between the severity of the average and maximum pain and the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms.
Tuberculosis Notification Trends and Treatment Outcomes in Penitentiary and Civilian Health Care Sectors in the WHO European Region
Authors: Dadu Andrei , Ciobanu Ana , Hovhannesyan Araksya , Alikhanova Natavan , Korotych Oleksandr , Gurbanova Elmira , Mehdiyev Rafael , Doltu Svetlana , Gozalov Ogtay , Ahmedov Sevim , Dara Masoud
Published: September 2021

Setting: Tuberculosis (TB) morbidity in penitentiary sectors is one of the major barriers to ending TB in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Objectives and design: a comparative analysis of TB notification rates during 2014–2018 and of treatment outcomes in the civilian and penitentiary sectors in the WHO European Region, with an assessment of risks of developing TB among people experience incarceration. Results: in the WHO European Region, incident TB rates in inmates were 4–24 times higher than in the civilian population. In 12 eastern Europe and central Asia (EECA) countries, inmates compared to civilians had higher relative risks of developing TB (RR = 25) than in the rest of the region (RR = 11), with the highest rates reported in inmates in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, and Ukraine. The average annual change in TB notification rates between 2014 and 2018 was −7.0% in the civilian sector and −10.9% in the penitentiary sector. A total of 15 countries achieved treatment success rates of over 85% for new penitentiary sector TB patients, the target for the WHO European Region. In 10 countries, there were no significant differences in treatment outcomes between civilian and penitentiary sectors. Conclusion: 42 out of 53 (79%) WHO European Region countries reported TB data for the selected time periods. Most countries in the region achieved a substantial decline in TB burden in prisons, which indicates the effectiveness of recent interventions in correctional institutions. Nevertheless, people who experience incarceration remain an at-risk population for acquiring infection, developing active disease and unfavourable treatment outcomes. Therefore, TB prevention and care practices in inmates need to be improved.
Gender Differences in Depression and Quality of Life in Current and Abstinent Ketamine Users
Authors: Wang Peng-Wei , Yen Cheng-Fang , Wu Hung-Chi , Hsu Chih-Yao , Yang Yu-Yi
Published: September 2021

Ketamine use has become of increasing concern because it has spread in many parts of the world during the past few years. Substance users usually have depression and a lower quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to explore depression and QoL in ketamine users, and to further examine the role of gender in relation to differences in depression and QoL in ketamine users. This study recruited 204 current ketamine users, 102 abstinent ketamine users and 102 healthy controls. The demographic data, severity of depression and QoL were recorded. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to compare the associations of ketamine use status with depression and QoL. Gender differences were examined by moderator analysis. The current ketamine users with and without ketamine use disorder, in addition to the abstinent ketamine users with ketamine use disorder, have more severe depression and a lower QoL than healthy controls. There were significant gender differences in depression and QoL in abstinent ketamine users with ketamine use disorder. Ketamine users have more severe depression and a lower QoL. In particular, depression and a lower QoL are still prominent in abstinent ketamine users. The gender differences in depression and QoL are significant in abstinent ketamine users.
Age and Emotional Distress during COVID-19: Findings from Two Waves of the Norwegian Citizen Panel
Authors: Berge Line I. , Gedde Marie H. , Husebo Bettina S. , Erdal Ane , Kjellstadli Camilla , Vahia Ipsit V.
Published: September 2021

Older adults face the highest risk of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We investigated a one-year change in emotions and factors associated with emotional distress immediately after the onset of the pandemic, with emphasis on older age. Methods: The online Norwegian Citizen Panel includes participants drawn randomly from the Norwegian Population Registry. Emotional distress was defined as the sum score of negative (anxious, worried, sad or low, irritated, and lonely) minus positive emotions (engaged, calm and relaxed, happy). Results: Respondents to both surveys (n = 967) reported a one-year increase in emotional distress, mainly driven by elevated anxiety and worrying, but we found no difference in change by age. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression comparing older age, economy-, and health-related factors showed that persons in their 60s (ß −1.87 (95%CI: −3.71, −0.04)) and 70s/80s (ß: −2.58 (−5.00, −0–17)) had decreased risk of emotional distress relative to persons under 60 years. Female gender (2.81 (1.34, 4.28)), expecting much lower income (5.09 (2.00, 8.17)), uncertainty whether infected with SARS-Cov2 (2.92 (1.21, 4.63)), and high self-rated risk of infection (1.77 (1.01, 2.53)) were associated with high levels of emotional distress. Conclusions: Knowledge of national determinants of distress is crucial to tailor accurate public health interventions in future outbreaks.
Spatially Varying Effects of Street Greenery on Walking Time of Older Adults
Authors: Yang Linchuan , Liu Jixiang , Liang Yuan , Lu Yi , Yang Hongtai
Published: September 2021

Population aging has become a notable and enduring demographic phenomenon worldwide. Older adults’ walking behavior is determined by many factors, such as socioeconomic attributes and the built environment. Although a handful of recent studies have examined the influence of street greenery (a built environment variable readily estimated by big data) on older adults’ walking behavior, they have not focused on the spatial heterogeneity in the influence. To this end, this study extracts the socioeconomic and walking behavior data from the Travel Characteristic Survey 2011 of Hong Kong and estimates street greenery (the green view index) based on Google Street View imagery. It then develops global models (linear regression and Box–Cox transformed models) and local models (geographically weighted regression models) to scrutinize the average (global) and location-specific (local) relationships, respectively, between street greenery and older adults’ walking time. Notably, green view indices in three neighborhoods with different sizes are estimated for robustness checks. The results show that (1) street greenery has consistent and significant effects on walking time; (2) the influence of street greenery varies across space—specifically, it is greater in the suburban area; and (3) the performance of different green view indices is highly consistent.
Alisporivir Improves Mitochondrial Function in Skeletal Muscle of mdx Mice but Suppresses Mitochondrial Dynamics and Biogenesis
Authors: Dubinin Mikhail V. , Starinets Vlada S. , Talanov Eugeny Yu. , Mikheeva Irina B. , Belosludtseva Natalia V. , Belosludtsev Konstantin N.
Published: September 2021

Mitigation of calcium-dependent destruction of skeletal muscle mitochondria is considered as a promising adjunctive therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). In this work, we study the effect of intraperitoneal administration of a non-immunosuppressive inhibitor of calcium-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore alisporivir on the state of skeletal muscles and the functioning of mitochondria in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. We show that treatment with alisporivir reduces inflammation and improves muscle function in mdx mice. These effects of alisporivir were associated with an improvement in the ultrastructure of mitochondria, normalization of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, and a decrease in lipid peroxidation, due to suppression of MPT pore opening and an improvement in calcium homeostasis. The action of alisporivir was associated with suppression of the activity of cyclophilin D and a decrease in its expression in skeletal muscles. This was observed in both mdx mice and wild-type animals. At the same time, alisporivir suppressed mitochondrial biogenesis, assessed by the expression of Ppargc1a, and altered the dynamics of organelles, inhibiting both DRP1-mediated fission and MFN2-associated fusion of mitochondria. The article discusses the effects of alisporivir administration and cyclophilin D inhibition on mitochondrial reprogramming and networking in DMD and the consequences of this therapy on skeletal muscle health.
Loss of Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) Tumor Suppressor Gene Function: VHL–HIF Pathway and Advances in Treatments for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
Authors: Kim Hyunho , Shim Byoung Yong , Lee Seung-Ju , Lee Ji Youl , Lee Hyo-Jin , Kim In-Ho
Published: September 2021

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignancy of the kidney originating from the tubular epithelium. Inactivation of the von Hippel–Lindau tumor-suppressor gene (VHL) is found in most clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCCs). The VHL–HIF–VEGF/VEGFR pathway, which involves the von Hippel–Lindau tumor suppressor protein (VHL), hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and its receptor (VEGFR), is a well-studied therapeutic target for metastatic ccRCC. Therefore, over the past decade, anti-angiogenic agents targeting VEGFR have served as the standard treatment for metastatic RCC. Recently, based on the immunomodulatory effect of anti-VEGFR therapy, anti-angiogenic agents and immune checkpoint inhibitor combination strategies have also emerged as therapeutic strategies. These advances were made possible by the improved understanding of the VHL–HIF pathway. In this review, we summarize the historical evolution of ccRCC treatments, with a focus on the involvement of the VHL–HIF pathway.
Treatment Response to SGLT2 Inhibitors: From Clinical Characteristics to Genetic Variations
Authors: Klen Jasna , Dolžan Vita
Published: September 2021

SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2) inhibitors are a new class of antihyperglycaemic drugs that act on the proximal tubules of the kidney. They have shown efficacy in the management of diabetes mellitus type 2 and their cardiovascular and renal safety have been extensively investigated and confirmed in clinical trials. However, inter-individual differences in response to treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors may present in everyday clinical practice, and good predictors of glycemic response and the risk for adverse events in an individual patient are lacking. As genetic variability of SGLT2 may influence the treatment response, pharmacogenetic information could support the choice of the most beneficial treatment strategy in an individual patient. This review focuses on the clinical and genetic factors that may influence the treatment response to SGLT2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes patients with comorbid conditions.