bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bottom-Up Interventions Effective in Promoting Work Engagement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Björk Janina M. , Bolander Pernilla , Forsman Anna K.
Published: September 2021

Background: Promoting work engagement is of interest to organizations across sectors due to the associated positive outcomes. This interest warrants research on the evidence of work engagement interventions. Intervention research increasingly advocates a bottom-up approach, highlighting the role of employees themselves. These workplace interventions often encourage employees to identify, develop, and make use of workplace resources. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness and potential underlying mechanisms of these bottom-up, resource-developing interventions.

Method: Systematic searches were conducted in the online databases Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Business Source Ultimate, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. Publication year range was 2000–2020. Eligibility criteria were defined using PICOS. To be eligible for the systematic review, the intervention study identified had to aim at promoting working individuals’ work engagement by developing workplace resources from bottom-up. Work engagement had to be measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The systematic review included one-, two-, or multiple-armed – randomized or non-randomized – intervention studies with various study designs. Further, a meta-analysis was conducted on a sub-set of the studies included in the systematic review. To be eligible for the meta-analysis, the studies had to be two- or multiple-armed and provide the information necessary to compute effect sizes.

Results: Thirty-one studies were included in the systematic review. The majority reported that overall work engagement increased as an effect of the intervention. The evidence regarding the sub-components of work engagement was scattered. Potential underlying mechanisms explored were intervention foci, approach, and format. Dimensions of satisfaction and performance were identified as secondary outcomes. Participant experiences were generally described as positive in most of the studies applying mixed methods. The meta-analysis showed a small but promising intervention effect on work engagement (24 studies, SMD: −0.22, 95% CI: −0.34 to −0.11, with I2=53%, indicating moderate inconsistency in the evidence).

Conclusion: The synthesized evidence suggests that bottom-up, resource-developing interventions are effective in the promotion of work engagement. The meta-analysis suggests that focusing on strengths use or mobilizing ego resources and adopting a universal approach increase intervention effectiveness.
Training the Social-Emotional Skills of Youth School Students in Physical Education Classes
Authors: Malinauskas Romualdas , Malinauskiene Vilija
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to examine the impact of implementing an innovative Social-Emotional Skills Training Program in physical education classes at youth schools. This study used two surveys: the Schutte Self-Report Inventory (otherwise known as the Emotional Intelligence Scale) and the Social Skills Rating System (student form). The analysis included 104 youth school students (Mage = 16.91; SD = 1.12), who were randomly selected from two youth schools in the Kaunas region. Four classes were randomly assigned into an experimental (n = 49) and a control (n = 55) group. The experimental group participated in the Social-Emotional Skills Training Program. The intervention was targeted at the following social-emotional skills: empathy, cooperation, assertion, self-control, optimism, ability to understand and analyze emotions, appraisal, and utilization of emotions. The modified physical education classes were conducted by the physical education teacher, who was instructed by the researcher. Repeated measures multivariate ANOVA was used to analyze the effects of the Social-Emotional Skills Training Program. During the experiment, the applied training procedures had a statistically significant effect on the social-emotional skills of the experimental group of youth school students. Thus, the findings demonstrate that this program (for enhancing social-emotional skills of youth school students) positively impacted the social-emotional skills of the students. These results highlight the need to consider social-emotional skills training factors when interpreting the level of social-emotional skills among youth school students.
Occupational Fatigue: Relationship With Personality Traits and Decent Work
Authors: Di Fabio Annamaria , Svicher Andrea , Gori Alessio
Published: September 2021

Psychology of working theory (PWT) and psychology of working framework (PWF) offered a psychological view of decent work. The present study examined the associations among personality traits, decent work andOccupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale(OFER). Two hundred and thirty four participants filled out theBig Five Questionnaire, the Italian version of theDecent Work Scale, and the Italian version of theOFER Scale. Hierarchical regressions showed that decent work explained incremental variance beyond personality traits with respect to OFER both considering total score and its three dimensions (chronic fatigue, acute fatigue, persistent fatigue). The present study underlined the value of decent work in relation to occupational fatigue beyond the contributions of personality, in particular in relation to the dimensions ofAdequate compensationandFree time and restfor less occupational fatigue (both as total and as dimensions).
The Impact of Chinese College Students' Perceived Stress on Anxiety During the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Mediating Role of Irrational Beliefs
Authors: Chi Zhang , Qian Liu , Haihua Liu , Nuoxun Lin
Published: September 2021

Objective: To explore the underlying mechanism of the impact of perceived stress on anxiety of the Chinese college students during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Methods: The Perceived Stress Scale, Irrational Belief Scale, and General Anxiety Scale were adopted in the current study. College students were randomly selected for online questionnaire survey. There were 1,598 valid questionnaires, and the proportion of women was 47.81%.

Results: The perceived stress and anxiety, as well as the three dimensions of irrational beliefs (catastrophizing, low frustration tolerance, and depreciation) were significantly positively correlated; demandingness was not significantly correlated with anxiety. Further analysis found that the perceived stress had a significant positive predictive effect on the anxiety of college students. Catastrophizing, low frustration tolerance, and depreciation played part of the mediating role, and there was no significant difference in the strength of these mediating roles.

Conclusion: The perceived stress of the COVID-19 epidemic had a positive effect on the anxiety of Chinese college students, this was partly mediated by irrational beliefs.
Social Factors Associated With Adherence to Preventive Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Among Rural and Semi-urban Communities in Western Maharashtra, India
Authors: Shewale Suhas P. , Sane Suvarna Sanjay , Ujagare Dhammasagar Dnyaneshwar , Patel Rais , Roy Sudipto , Juvekar Sanjay , Kohli Rewa , Bangar Sampada , Jadhav Asha , Sahay Seema
Published: September 2021

Background: To control the transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, the Government of India (GoI) had taken stringent precautionary measures during the lockdown period. This study aimed to explore determinants affecting adherence to protective measures against COVID-19 infection among rural and semi-urban settings of Maharashtra, India.

Methods: A cross-sectional telephonic survey among 1,016 adults from randomly selected households was conducted between June 5 and July 16, 2020. The data were explored for knowledge, awareness, practices related to protective measures, and self-risk perception. Socio-demographic and attitudinal correlates of failure to use protective measures against COVID-19 were measured.

Results: In the survey, 72% of the participants were men. The mean age was 46 years (SD: 13.8). The main source of information was television (91%); however, information from healthcare providers (65%) and mass media announcements (49%) was trustworthy. Washing hands immediately with soap after returning from outdoors was reported by 95% of the respondents, always using a mask while outdoors by 94%, never attended social gatherings by 91%, always using hand sanitizer while outside by 77%, and 68% of the respondents followed all protective measures. The knowledge score [mean score 20.3 (SD: 2.4) out of 24] was independently associated with the risk of not using protective measures, with each unit increase in knowledge score, the risk of not using protective measures reduced by 16%. No source of income was independently associated with not using protective measures [AOR 1.5 95% CI (1.01–2.3)].

Conclusions: The COVID-19 public health interventions and behavior change communication strategies should be specifically directed towards the low socio-economic populations through trusted sources. The association between knowledge and practices demonstrates the importance of accurate public health communication to optimally follow preventive measures, such as structural interventions to address poverty and employment policies to address the unemployment crisis are required. Surveillance activity is needed to understand the actual behavior change among the population.
Experimental Protocol to Test Explicit Motor Learning–Cerebellar Theta Burst Stimulation
Authors: Ortelli Paola , Ferrazzoli Davide , Maestri Roberto , Saltuari Leopold , Kofler Markus , Alibardi Alessia , Koch Giacomo , Spampinato Danny , Castagna Anna , Sebastianelli Luca , Versace Viviana
Published: September 2021

Implicit and explicit motor learning processes work interactively in everyday life to promote the creation of highly automatized motor behaviors. The cerebellum is crucial for motor sequence learning and adaptation, as it contributes to the error correction and to sensorimotor integration of on-going actions. A non-invasive cerebellar stimulation has been demonstrated to modulate implicit motor learning and adaptation. The present study aimed to explore the potential role of cerebellar theta burst stimulation (TBS) in modulating explicit motor learning and adaptation, in healthy subjects. Cerebellar TBS will be applied immediately before the learning phase of a computerized task based on a modified Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) paradigm. Here, we present a study protocol aimed at evaluating the behavioral effects of continuous (cTBS), intermittent TBS (iTBS), or sham Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) on four different conditions: learning, adaptation, delayed recall and re-adaptation of SRTT. We are confident to find modulation of SRTT performance induced by cerebellar TBS, in particular, processing acceleration and reduction of error in all the conditions induced by cerebellar iTBS, as already known for implicit processes. On the other hand, we expect that cerebellar cTBS could induce opposite effects. Results from this protocol are supposed to advance the knowledge about the role of non-invasive cerebellar modulation in neurorehabilitation, providing clinicians with useful data for further exploiting this technique in different clinical conditions.
The i-Walk Lightweight Assistive Rollator: First Evaluation Study
Authors: Moustris George , Kardaris Nikolaos , Tsiami Antigoni , Chalvatzaki Georgia , Koutras Petros , Dometios Athanasios , Oikonomou Paris , Tzafestas Costas , Maragos Petros , Efthimiou Eleni , Papageorgiou Xanthi , Fotinea Stavroula-Evita , Koumpouros Yiannis , Vacalopoulou Anna , Papageorgiou Effie , Karavasili Alexandra , Koureta Foteini , Dimou Dimitris , Nikolakakis Alexandros , Karaiskos Konstantinos , Mavridis Panagiotis
Published: September 2021

Robots can play a significant role as assistive devices for people with movement impairment and mild cognitive deficit. In this paper we present an overview of the lightweight i-Walk intelligent robotic rollator, which offers cognitive and mobility assistance to the elderly and to people with light to moderate mobility impairment. The utility, usability, safety and technical performance of the device is investigated through a clinical study, which took place at a rehabilitation center in Greece involving real patients with mild to moderate cognitive and mobility impairment. This first evaluation study comprised a set of scenarios in a number of pre-defined use cases, including physical rehabilitation exercises, as well as mobility and ambulation involved in typical daily living activities of the patients. The design and implementation of this study is discussed in detail, along with the obtained results, which include both an objective and a subjective evaluation of the system operation, based on a set of technical performance measures and a validated questionnaire for the analysis of qualitative data, respectively. The study shows that the technical modules performed satisfactory under real conditions, and that the users generally hold very positive views of the platform, considering it safe and reliable.
Smoke Particle, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Total Benzo[a]pyrene Toxic Equivalence Emitted by Palm Oil Sewage Sludge Bio-Char Combustion
Authors: Kalasee Wachara , Dangwilailux Panya
Published: September 2021

The size distribution, total particle mass concentration (TPMC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) value, and total Benzo[a]pyrene Toxic Equivalence (BaPTE) concentration of smoke particles from palm oil sewage sludge (POSS) bio-char combustion were studied. In this experiment, temperature data of the POSS bio-char combustion were recorded in two parts: particle temperature (Tp) by using a two-color pyrometer and temperature at 300, 500 and 800 mm, respectively, above the fire base by using K-type thermocouples. The POSS bio-char moisture content, clean air speed values, and burning period affected the change of temperature above the fire base. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) values of the POSS bio-char combustion were found to be 0.44 to 1.05 micron at various moisture contents and burning periods. The MMAD, TPMC, and PAHs values increased with increasing moisture content and decreased the POSS bio-char combustion period. For the total BaPTE values, the results showed that the decrease in moisture content of the POSS bio-char samples had a prime influence in decreasing the total BaPTE values. Meanwhile, with decreases in the clean air speed values, the total BaPTE values were increased. Comparing the total BaPTE data between the experimental results and predicted values, the first-degree model had a better fit in predicting than the zero-degree model; this result was confirmed by the higher mean of the coefficient of determination.
AppliedMath—Cultivating Profitable Frontier of Mathematics
Authors: Hibi Takayuki
Published: September 2021

Mathematics has been built over thousands of years of history, since the creation of ancient civilizations [...]
Normed Spaces Which Are Not Mackey Groups
Authors: Gabriyelyan Saak
Published: September 2021

It is well known that every normed (even quasibarrelled) space is a Mackey space. However, in the more general realm of locally quasi-convex abelian groups an analogous result does not hold. We give the first examples of normed spaces which are not Mackey groups.
Indoor Localization for Personalized Ambient Assisted Living of Multiple Users in Multi-Floor Smart Environments
Authors: Thakur Nirmalya , Han Chia Y.
Published: September 2021

This paper presents a multifunctional interdisciplinary framework that makes four scientific contributions towards the development of personalized ambient assisted living (AAL), with a specific focus to address the different and dynamic needs of the diverse aging population in the future of smart living environments. First, it presents a probabilistic reasoning-based mathematical approach to model all possible forms of user interactions for any activity arising from user diversity of multiple users in such environments. Second, it presents a system that uses this approach with a machine learning method to model individual user-profiles and user-specific user interactions for detecting the dynamic indoor location of each specific user. Third, to address the need to develop highly accurate indoor localization systems for increased trust, reliance, and seamless user acceptance, the framework introduces a novel methodology where two boosting approaches—Gradient Boosting and the AdaBoost algorithm are integrated and used on a decision tree-based learning model to perform indoor localization. Fourth, the framework introduces two novel functionalities to provide semantic context to indoor localization in terms of detecting each user’s floor-specific location as well as tracking whether a specific user was located inside or outside a given spatial region in a multi-floor-based indoor setting. These novel functionalities of the proposed framework were tested on a dataset of localization-related Big Data collected from 18 different users who navigated in 3 buildings consisting of 5 floors and 254 indoor spatial regions, with an to address the limitation in prior works in this field centered around the lack of training data from diverse users. The results show that this approach of indoor localization for personalized AAL that models each specific user always achieves higher accuracy as compared to the traditional approach of modeling an average user. The results further demonstrate that the proposed framework outperforms all prior works in this field in terms of functionalities, performance characteristics, and operational features.
Clinical Relevance of Circulating Tumor Cells in Prostate Cancer Management
Authors: Cieślikowski Wojciech A. , Antczak Andrzej , Nowicki Michał , Zabel Maciej , Budna-Tukan Joanna
Published: September 2021

Given the low specificity of the routinely used biomarker prostate-specific antigen, circulating tumor cell (CTC) enumeration seems to be particularly useful in the monitoring of prostate cancer. In this review, we focused on a few aspects of CTC enumeration in prostate malignancies: prognostic value in metastatic and non-metastatic tumors, role in the monitoring of treatment outcomes, use as a surrogate marker for survival, and other applications, mostly for research purposes. CTC enumeration, without a doubt, offers an attractive perspective in the management of prostate cancer. However, the vast majority of available data about the role of CTC in this malignancy originate from randomized studies of anticancer agents and do not necessarily translate into real-world clinical practice. Further, most studies on the application of CTC in prostate cancer patients were limited to advanced stages of this malignancy. Meanwhile, the role of CTC in the early stages of prostate cancer, in which some patients may present with occult disseminated disease, is still relatively poorly understood, and should thus be studied extensively. Other obstacles in the widespread application of CTC enumeration in routine clinical practice include considerable discrepancies in the number of cells determined with various commercially available systems.
Genotoxicity of Paragonimus heterotremus Infection in a Rat Model of Simultaneous Pulmonary and Hepatic Paragonimiasis
Authors: Chelomina Galina N. , Kukla Sergey P. , Chelomin Viktor P. , Doanh Pham N.
Published: September 2021

Parasites cause numerous health issues in humans, eventually leading to significant social and economic damage; however, the mechanisms of parasite-mediated pathogenesis are not well understood. Nevertheless, it is clearly evidenced that cancerogenic fluke-induced chronic inflammations and cancer are closely associated with oxidative stress. (1) Methods: The Paragonimus heterotremus infection’s genotoxic potential was assessed in a rat model of simultaneous pulmonary and hepatic paragonimiasis by the alkaline version of single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Statistical analysis of comet parameters was based on the non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test. (2) Results: A clear and statistically significant increase in DNA damage was detected in the helminth-exposed group versus the control rats and the tissue areas adjacent to the parasite capsule versus remote ones; however, differences in DNA damage patterns between different tissues were not statistically significant. Infection resulted in up to 40% cells with DNA damage and an increased genetic damage index. (3) Conclusions: The data obtained contribute to understanding the pathogenesis mechanisms of paragonimiasis, suggesting oxidative stress as the most likely reason for DNA breaks; these findings allow us to consider P. heterotremus as a potentially cancerogenic species, and they are important for the monitoring and treatment of paragonimiasis.
The Value of Flow Cytometry Clonality in Large Granular Lymphocyte Leukemia
Authors: Giudice Valentina , D’Addona Matteo , Montuori Nunzia , Selleri Carmine
Published: September 2021

Large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia is a lymphoproliferative disorder of mature T or NK cells frequently associated with autoimmune disorders and other hematological conditions, such as myelodysplastic syndromes. Immunophenotype of LGL cells is similar to that of effector memory CD8+ T cells with T-cell receptor (TCR) clonality defined by molecular and/or flow cytometric analysis. Vβ usage by flow cytometry can identify clonal TCR rearrangements at the protein level, and is fast, sensitive, and almost always available in every Hematology Center. Moreover, Vβ usage can be associated with immunophenotypic characterization of LGL clone in a multiparametric staining, and clonal kinetics can be easily monitored during treatment and follow-up. Finally, Vβ usage by flow cytometry might identify LGL clones silently underlying other hematological conditions, and routine characterization of Vβ skewing might identify recurrent TCR rearrangements that might trigger aberrant immune responses during hematological or autoimmune conditions.
Transcriptome of Male Breast Cancer Matched with Germline Profiling Reveals Novel Molecular Subtypes with Possible Clinical Relevance
Authors: Zelli Veronica , Silvestri Valentina , Valentini Virginia , Bucalo Agostino , Rizzolo Piera , Zanna Ines , Bianchi Simonetta , Coppa Anna , Giannini Giuseppe , Cortesi Laura , Calistri Daniele , Tibiletti Maria Grazia , Fox Stephen B. , Fab kCon , Palli Domenico , Ottini Laura
Published: September 2021

Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare and understudied disease compared with female BC. About 15% of MBCs are associated with germline mutation in BC susceptibility genes, mainly BRCA1/2 and PALB2. Hereditary MBCs are likely to represent a subgroup of tumors with a peculiar phenotype. Here, we performed a whole transcriptome analysis of MBCs characterized for germline mutations in the most relevant BC susceptibility genes in order to identify molecular subtypes with clinical relevance. A series of 63 MBCs, including 16 BRCA2, 6 BRCA1, 2 PALB2, 1 RAD50, and 1 RAD51D germline-mutated cases, was analyzed by RNA-sequencing. Differential expression and hierarchical clustering analyses were performed. Module signatures associated with central biological processes involved in breast cancer pathogenesis were also examined. Different transcriptome profiles for genes mainly involved in the cell cycle, DNA damage, and DNA repair pathways emerged between MBCs with and without germline mutations. Unsupervised clustering analysis revealed two distinct subgroups, one of which was characterized by a higher expression of immune response genes, high scores of gene-expression signatures suggestive of aggressive behavior, and worse overall survival. Our results suggest that transcriptome matched with germline profiling may be a valuable approach for the identification and characterization of MBC subtypes with possible relevance in the clinical setting.
Efficacy and Safety of Isotonic and Hypotonic Intravenous Maintenance Fluids in Hospitalised Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Authors: Hasim Norfarahin , Bakar Mimi Azliha Abu , Islam Md Asiful
Published: September 2021

Hyponatraemia is a known complication in hospitalised children receiving maintenance intravenous fluid. Several studies have been published to investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous fluids in children. However, there is still an ongoing debate regarding the ideal solution to be used in the paediatric population. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the safety and efficacy of administering isotonic versus hypotonic intravenous maintenance fluid in hospitalised children. An extensive search was undertaken on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library on 28 December 2020. Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included. We used the random-effects model for all analyses. Risk ratio (RR) and mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for dichotomous and continuous outcomes, respectively. The quality of each study was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for RCTs. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021229067). Twenty-two RCTs with a total of 3795 participants were included. The studies encompassed surgical and medical patients admitted to intensive care unit as well as to general wards. We found that hypotonic fluid significantly increases the risk of hyponatremia at both ≤24 h (RR 0.34; 95% CI: 0.26–0.43, p < 0.00001) and >24 h (RR 0.48; 95% CI: 0.36–0.64, p < 0.00001). Isotonic fluid increases the risk of hypernatraemia at ≤24 h (RR 2.15; 95% CI: 1.24–3.73, p = 0.006). The prevalence of hyponatraemia was also higher in the hypotonic group at both ≤24 h (5.7% vs. 23.3%) and >24 h (6.0% vs. 26.3%). There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of developing adverse outcomes between the two groups. Mean serum and urine sodium as well as serum osmolality/osmolarity was lower in the hypotonic group. Isotonic solution is protective against the development of hyponatraemia while hypotonic solution increases the risk of hyponatraemia.
Hemopexin Modulates Expression of Complement Regulatory Proteins in Rat Glomeruli
Authors: Detsika Maria G. , Lianos Elias A.
Published: September 2021

In systemic hemolysis and in hematuric forms of kidney injury, the major heme scavenging protein, hemopexin (HPX), becomes depleted, and the glomerular microvasculature (glomeruli) is exposed to high concentrations of unbound heme, which, in addition to causing oxidative injury, can activate complement cascades; thus, compounding extent of injury. It is unknown whether unbound heme can also activate specific complement regulatory proteins that could defend against complement-dependent injury. Isolated rat glomeruli were incubated in media supplemented with HPX-deficient (HPX−) or HPX-containing (HPX+) sera as a means of achieving different degrees of heme partitioning between incubation media and glomerular cells. Expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and of the complement activation inhibitors, decay-accelerating factor (DAF), CD59, and complement receptor-related gene Y (Crry), was assessed by western blot analysis. Expression of HO-1 and of the GPI-anchored DAF and CD59 proteins increased in isolated glomeruli incubated with HPX− sera with no effect on Crry expression. Exogenous heme (hemin) did not further induce DAF but increased Crry expression. HPX modulates heme-mediated induction of complement activation controllers in glomeruli. This effect could be of translational relevance in glomerular injury associated with hematuria.
Lipid Nanoparticles Based Cosmetics with Potential Application in Alleviating Skin Disorders
Authors: Ahmad Javed
Published: September 2021

The lipids mainly oils, fats, waxes and phospholipids are of substantial importance in the development and functioning of cosmetic products. The lipid nanoparticles-based cosmetic product is highly capable of protecting the skin against harmful radiations and is utilized for anti-aging therapy. Naturally derived antioxidants such as carotenoids, retinoids and tocopherols could be employed for their antioxidant properties as therapeutics and skincare active moieties in cosmetic products. Such a lipid nanoparticles-based cosmetic formulation consisting of antioxidants are very effective against irritated and inflamed skin and very promising for treating skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Therefore, the present review provides an insight into lipid nanoparticles based cosmetics and the mechanistic of their percutaneous absorption. The manuscript discussion highlights the role of lipid nanoparticles-based cosmetics/cosmeceuticals employing active ingredients of synthetic and natural origin in alleviating dermatological disorders and enhancing skin health and appeal. Furthermore, the manuscript also updates about contemporary research studies carried on the concept of lipid nanoparticles based formulation design of cosmetic preparation and significant outcome to alleviate skin disorders.
Online Parameter Estimation for Fault Identification in Multi-Terminal DC Distribution Grids
Authors: Wang Ting , Liang Liliuyuan , Feng Xinrang , Ponci Ferdinanda , Monti Antonello
Published: September 2021

Fast and accurate identification of short-circuit faults is important for post-fault service restoration and maintenance in DC distribution grids. Yet multiple power sources and complex system topologies complicate the fault identification in multi-terminal DC distribution grids. To address this challenge, this paper introduces an approach that achieves fast online identification of both the location and the severity of faults in multi-terminal DC distribution grids. First, a generic model describing the dynamic response of DC lines to both pole-to-ground and pole-to-pole faults with fault currents injected from both line ends is developed. On this basis, a Kalman filter is adopted to estimate both the fault location and resistance. In the real-time simulation of various fault scenarios in a three-terminal DC distribution grid model with Opal-RT platform, the proposed method is proved to be effective with a short response time of less than 1 ms.
Thermal Management Systems and Waste Heat Recycling by Thermoelectric Generators—An Overview
Authors: Hooshmand Zaferani Sadeq , Jafarian Mehdi , Vashaee Daryoosh , Ghomashchi Reza
Published: September 2021

With the fast evolution in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (e.g., CO2, N2O) caused by fossil fuel combustion and global warming, climate change has been identified as a critical threat to the sustainable development of human society, public health, and the environment. To reduce GHG emissions, besides minimizing waste heat production at the source, an integrated approach should be adopted for waste heat management, namely, waste heat collection and recycling. One solution to enable waste heat capture and conversion into useful energy forms (e.g., electricity) is employing solid-state energy converters, such as thermoelectric generators (TEGs). The simplicity of thermoelectric generators enables them to be applied in various industries, specifically those that generate heat as the primary waste product at a temperature of several hundred degrees. Nevertheless, thermoelectric generators can be used over a broad range of temperatures for various applications; for example, at low temperatures for human body heat harvesting, at mid-temperature for automobile exhaust recovery systems, and at high temperatures for cement industries, concentrated solar heat exchangers, or NASA exploration rovers. We present the trends in the development of thermoelectric devices used for thermal management and waste heat recovery. In addition, a brief account is presented on the scientific development of TE materials with the various approaches implemented to improve the conversion efficiency of thermoelectric compounds through manipulation of Figure of Merit, a unitless factor indicative of TE conversion efficiency. Finally, as a case study, work on waste heat recovery from rotary cement kiln reactors is evaluated and discussed.
Bayesian Inference of Dwellings Energy Signature at National Scale: Case of the French Residential Stock
Authors: Artiges Nils , Rouchier Simon , Delinchant Benoit , Wurtz Frédéric
Published: September 2021

Cities take a central place in today’s energy landscape. Urban Buildings Energy Modeling (UBEM) is identified as a promising approach for energy planning and optimization in cities and districts. It generally relies on the use of Building Archetypes, i.e., simplified deterministic models for categorized building typologies. However, this implies large assumptions which may accumulate and induce significant bias on energy consumption estimates. In this work, we address this issue with static stochastic models whose parameters are inferred over national thermo-energy data using Bayesian Inference. We analyze inference results and validate them with a panel of standard indicators. Then, we provide comparative results with deterministic building archetypes and stock data from the TABULA European project. Comparisons between heat loss coefficients show relative coherence between building categories, but highlight some significant bias between both approaches. This bias is also shown in the comparative result of a Monte Carlo simulation using inferred stochastic models for a 10331 dwellings stock. In conclusion, inferred stochastic models show interesting insights over the French dwellings stock and potential for district energy simulation. All code and data involved in this study are released in an open repository.
Lumped-Parameters Thermal Network of PM Synchronous Machines for Automotive Brake-by-Wire Systems
Authors: Graffeo Federica , Vaschetto Silvio , Miotto Alessio , Carbone Fabio , Tenconi Alberto , Cavagnino Andrea
Published: September 2021

Thermal analysis represents a key factor in electrical machine design due to the impact of temperature increase on insulation lifetime. In this context, there has been a wide investigation on thermal modeling, particularly for machines used in harsh working conditions. In this perspective, brake-by-wire (BBW) systems represent one of the most challenging applications for electrical machines used for automotive smart actuators. Indeed, electro-actuated braking systems are required to repeatedly operate the electric machine in high overload conditions in order to limit the actuator response time, as well as to enhance gravimetric and volumetric specific performance indexes. Moreover, BBW systems often impose unconventional supply conditions to the electric machine, consisting of dc currents in three-phase windings to keep the rotor fixed during the braking intervals. However, a dc supply leads to uneven temperature distributions in the machine, and simplified thermal models may not accurately represent the temperature variations for the different machine parts. Considering such unconventional supply conditions, this paper initially investigates the applicability of a conventional lumped-parameters thermal network (LPTN) based on symmetry assumptions for the heat paths and suitable for surface-mounted PM synchronous machines used in BBW systems. An extensive test campaign consisting of pulses and load cycle tests representative of the real machine operations was conducted on a prototype equipped with several temperature sensors. The comparison between measurements and predicted average temperatures, together with insights on the unbalanced heat distribution under the dc supply obtained by means of finite element analyses (FEA), paved the way for the proposal of a phase-split LPTN with optimized parameters. The paper also includes a critical analysis of the optimized parameters, proposing a simplified, phase-split lumped-parameters thermal model suitable to predict the temperature variations in the different machine parts for PM synchronous electric machines used in BBW systems.
SNP Development in Penaeus vannamei via Next-Generation Sequencing and DNA Pool Sequencing
Authors: Huang Yongyu , Zhang Lili , Ge Hui , Wang Guodong , Huang Shiyu , Yang Zhangwu
Published: September 2021

Next-generation sequencing and pool sequencing have been widely used in SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) detection and population genetics research; however, there are few reports on SNPs related to the growth of Penaeus vannamei. The purpose of this study was to call SNPs from rapid-growing (RG) and slow-growing (SG) individuals’ transcriptomes and use DNA pool sequencing to assess the reliability of SNPs. Two parameters were applied to detect SNPs. One parameter was the p-values generated using Fisher’s exact test, which were used to calculate the significance of allele frequency differences between RG and SG. The other one was the AFI (minor allele frequency imbalance), which was defined to highlight the fold changes in MAF (minor allele frequency) values between RG and SG. There were 216,015 hypothetical SNPs, which were obtained based on the transcriptome data. Finally, 104 high-quality SNPs and 96,819 low-quality SNPs were predicted. Then, 18 high-quality SNPs and 17 low-quality SNPs were selected to assess the reliability of the detection process. Here, 72.22% (13/18) accuracy was achieved for high-quality SNPs, while only 52.94% (9/17) accuracy was achieved for low-quality SNPs. These SNPs enrich the data for population genetics studies of P. vannamei and may play a role in the development of SNP markers for future breeding studies.
The Role of the Rad55–Rad57 Complex in DNA Repair
Authors: Roy Upasana , Greene Eric C.
Published: September 2021

Homologous recombination (HR) is a mechanism conserved from bacteria to humans essential for the accurate repair of DNA double-stranded breaks, and maintenance of genome integrity. In eukaryotes, the key DNA transactions in HR are catalyzed by the Rad51 recombinase, assisted by a host of regulatory factors including mediators such as Rad52 and Rad51 paralogs. Rad51 paralogs play a crucial role in regulating proper levels of HR, and mutations in the human counterparts have been associated with diseases such as cancer and Fanconi Anemia. In this review, we focus on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad51 paralog complex Rad55–Rad57, which has served as a model for understanding the conserved role of Rad51 paralogs in higher eukaryotes. Here, we discuss the results from early genetic studies, biochemical assays, and new single-molecule observations that have together contributed to our current understanding of the molecular role of Rad55–Rad57 in HR.
Effects of Community-Based Programs on Integration into the Mental Health and Non-Mental Health Communities
Authors: Seo Mi Kyung , Lee Min Hwa
Published: September 2021

Aims: The purpose of this study was to verify how integration into the mental health community, a subculture of persons with mental illness, affects the integration into the non-mental health community. Thus, we analyzed the effect of community-based mental health service programs on non-mental health community integration, mediated by mental health community integration. Methods: In total, 190 persons with mental illness (M age = 42.78; SD = 11.3; male, 54.7%; female, 45.3%), living in local communities and using community-based mental health programs, participated in the study. We measured their sociodemographic and clinical variables, the environmental variables of mental health service programs, and the level of integration of the mental health and non-mental health communities. The data collected were analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results: The common significant predictors affecting the two types of community integration were symptoms and resource accessibility: the more accessible the various community resources and the less severe the psychiatric symptoms were, the higher the level of the two types of community integration was. In path analysis, the program’s atmosphere and the participation of people with mental illness (program involvement) significantly predicted the level of integration into the mental health community. This, in turn, had a positive effect on their physical integration, social contact frequency, and psychological integration into the non-mental health community, mediated by the integration of the mental health community. Conclusion: Based on the results, we emphasize the importance of mental health communities and suggest strategies to support the integration of mental health communities.
Inter-Regional Hospital Patients’ Mobility in Italy
Authors: Nante Nicola , Guarducci Giovanni , Lorenzini Carlotta , Messina Gabriele , Carle Flavia , Carbone Simona , Urbani Andrea
Published: September 2021

Background: The federalization of the Italian National Health Service (NHS) gave administrative, financial, and managerial independence to regions. They are in reciprocal competition according to the “quasi-market” model. A network of independent providers replaced the state monopoly. The NHS, based on the Beveridge model in which citizens are free to choose their place of treatment, was consolidated. The aim of our research was to analyze the fulfillment of need for hospital services on site and patients’ migration to hospitals of other regions. Material and Methods: We analyzed data from 2013 to 2017 of Hospital Discharge Cards (HDCs) provided by the Ministry of Health. The subjects of the analysis (catchment areas) were the hospital networks of every Italian region. The study of flows was developed through Internal Demand Satisfaction, Attraction, Escape, Attraction, Absorption, and Escape Production indexes. Graphic representations were produced using Gandy’s Nomogram and Qgis software. Results: In the studied period, the mean number of mobility admission was 678.659 ± 3.388, with an increase of 0.90%; in particular, the trend for ordinary regime increased 1.17%. Regions of central/northern Italy have attracted more than 60% of the escapes of the southern ones. Gandy’s Nomogram showed that only nine regions had optimal public hospital planning (Lombardy, Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Veneto, Friuli V.G., Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Latium and Molise). Conclusion: The central/northern regions appear more able to meet the care needs of their citizens and to attract patients than the southern ones.
The Synergistic Effect of Time of Exposure, Distance and No Use of Personal Protective Equipment in the Determination of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Results of a Contact Tracing Follow-Up Study in Healthcare Workers
Authors: La Torre Giuseppe , Marte Mattia , Previte Carlo Maria , Barone Lavinia Camilla , Picchioni Filippo , Chiappetta Marta , Faticoni Augusto , Marotta Daniela , Mazzalai Elena , Barletta Vanessa India , Kibi Shizuka , Cammalleri Vittoria , Dorelli Barbara , Giffi Monica , Pocino Roberta Noemi , Massetti Anna Paola , Fimiani Caterina , Turriziani Ombretta , Romano Ferdinando , Antonelli Guido , Deales Alberto , Mastroianni Claudio Maria , Vasaturo Fortunata ,   on behalf of Collaborative Group Sapienza
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of contact time, contact distance and the use of personal protective equipment on the determination of SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers (HCWs). This study consists of an analysis of data gathered for safety reasons at the Sapienza Teaching Hospital Policlinico Umberto I in Rome through the surveillance system that was put into place after the worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic. The studied subjects consist of HCWs who were put under health surveillance, i.e., all employees who were in contact with subjects who were confirmed to have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The HCWs under surveillance were monitored for a period encompassing ten days after the date of contact, during which they undertook nasopharyngeal swab tests analysed through RT-PCR (RealStar® SARS-CoV-2 Altona Diagnostic–Germany). Descriptive and univariate analyses have been undertaken, considering the following as risk factors: (a) no personal protective equipment use (PPE); (b) Distance < 1 m between the positive and contact persons; (c) contact time > 15′. Finally, a Cox regression and an analysis of the level of synergism between factors, as specified by Rothman, were carried out. We analysed data from 1273 HCWs. Of these HCWs, 799 (62.8%) were females, with a sample average age of 47.8 years. Thirty-nine (3.1%) tested positive during surveillance. The overall incidence rate was 0.4 per 100 person-days. Time elapsed from the last exposure and a positive RT-PCR result ranged from 2 to 17 days (mean = 7, median = 6 days). In the univariate analysis, a distance <1 m and a contact time > 15′ proved to be risk factors for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.62 (95% CI: 1.11–6.19) and 3.59 (95% IC: 1.57–8.21), respectively. The synergism analysis found the highest synergism between the “no PPE use” x “Contact time”. The synergy index S remains strongly positive also in the analysis of the factors “no PPE use” x “Distance” and “Time of contact” x “Distance”. This study confirms the absolute need to implement safety protocols during the pandemic and to use the correct PPE within health facilities in order to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. The analysis shows that among the factors considered (contact time and distance, no use of PPE), there is a strong synergistic effect.
Estimated Cancer Risks Associated with Nitrosamine Contamination in Commonly Used Medications
Authors: Li Kate , Ricker Karin , Tsai Feng C. , Hsieh ChingYi J. , Osborne Gwendolyn , Sun Meng , Marder M. Elizabeth , Elmore Sarah , Schmitz Rose , Sandy Martha S.
Published: September 2021

Many nitrosamines are potent carcinogens, with more than 30 listed under California’s Proposition 65. Recently, nitrosamine contamination of commonly used drugs for treatment of hypertension, heartburn, and type 2 diabetes has prompted numerous Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls in the US. These contaminants include the carcinogens NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine) and NDEA (N-nitrosodiethylamine) and the animal tumorigen NMBA (N-nitroso-N-methyl-4-aminobutyric acid). NMBA and NDEA are metabolically and/or structurally related to NDMA, an N-nitrosomethyl-n-alkylamine (NMA), and 12 other carcinogenic NMAs. These nitrosamines exhibit common genotoxic and tumorigenic activities, with shared target tumor sites amongst chemicals and within a given laboratory animal species. We use the drug valsartan as a case study to estimate the additional cancer risks associated with NDMA and NDEA contamination, based on nitrosamine levels reported by the US FDA, cancer potencies developed by California’s Proposition 65 program and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and specific exposure scenarios. These estimates suggest that nitrosamine contamination in drugs that are used long-term can increase cancer risks and pose a serious concern to public health.