bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling and Evaluation of Stator and Rotor Faults for Induction Motors
Authors: Tang Jing , Chen Jie , Dong Kan , Yang Yongheng , Lv Haichen , Liu Zhigang
Published: December 2019

The modeling of stator and rotor faults is the basis of the development of online monitoring techniques. To obtain reliable stator and rotor fault models, this paper focuses on dynamic modeling of the stator and rotor faults in real-time, which adopts a multiple-coupled-circuit method by using a winding function approach for inductance calculation. Firstly, the model of the induction machine with a healthy cage is introduced, where a rotor mesh that consists of a few rotor loops and an end ring loop is considered. Then, the stator inter-turn fault model is presented by adding an extra branch with short circuit resistance on the fault part of a stator phase winding. The broken rotor bar fault is then detailed by merging and removing the broken-bar-related loops. Finally, the discrete models under healthy and faulty conditions are developed by using the Tustin transformation for digital implementation. Moreover, the stator and rotor mutual inductances are derived as a function of the rotor position according to the turn and winding functions distribution. Simulations and experiments are performed on a 2.2-kW/380-V/50-Hz three-phase and four-pole induction motor to show the performance of the stator and rotor faults, where the saturation effect is considered in simulations by exploiting the measurements of a no load test. The simulation results are in close agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, magnitudes of the characteristic frequencies of 2f1 in torque and (1 ± 2s)f1 in current are analyzed to evaluate the stator and rotor fault severity. Both indicate that the stator fault severity is related to the short circuit resistance. Further, the number of shorted turns and the number of continuous broken bars determines the rotor fault severity.
A Novel Repetitive Control Enhanced Phase-Locked Loop for Synchronization of Three-Phase Grid-Connected Converters
Authors: Filipović Filip , Petronijević Milutin , Mitrović Nebojša , Banković Bojan , Kostić Vojkan
Published: December 2019

This paper proposes the enhancement of a synchronous reference frame phase-locked loop in terms of its dynamic response and disturbance rejection capability. The improvements were undertaken in order to upgrade the converter grid support capability required by modern grid codes during grid faults. The proposed repetitive control-based filter is inserted in the loop filter structure of the phase-locked loop. For the initially proposed structure, the necessity of the phase angle error correction term was derived and added at the output of the loop filter. On a set of tests that included (i) phase jump; (ii) voltage sag; (iii) voltage harmonics; (iv) DC offset; (v) random noise and; (vi) frequency change, the synchronization algorithm with the proposed modification showed two desirable characteristics: (i) a high attenuation of oscillations on specific frequencies; and (ii) the instant compensation of the portion of the phase angle jump. Along with the benefits, drawbacks of the proposed synchronization method were noted, the most important being the high dependency of the oscillation attenuation capability on the fundamental frequency drift and susceptibility to high-frequency noise. With the proposed modification, the synchronization algorithm manages to achieve a phase angle settling time not longer than one fundamental frequency period in all of the conducted tests.
Erratum: Do, T.C., et al. Energy Management Strategy of a PEM Fuel Cell Excavator with a Supercapacitor/Battery Hybrid Power Source. Energies 2019, 12, 4362
Authors: Do Tri Cuong , Truong Hoai Vu Anh , Dao Hoang Vu , Ho Cong Minh , To Xuan Dinh , Dang Tri Dung , Ahn Kyoung Kwan
Published: December 2019

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]
SiNW/C@Pt Arrays for High-Efficiency Counter Electrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Kim Junhee , Jung Sanghoon , Kim Han-Jung , Kim Yoonkap , Lee Chanyong , Kim Soo Min , Kim Donghwan , Jun Yongseok
Published: December 2019

Modern energy needs and the pressing issue of environmental sustainability have driven many research groups to focus on energy-generation devices made from novel nanomaterials. We have prepared platinum nanoparticle-decorated silicon nanowire/carbon core–shell nanomaterials (SiNW/C@Pt). The processing steps are relatively simple, including wet chemical etching to form the silicon nanowires (SiNWs), chemical vapor deposition to form the carbon shell, and drop-casting and thermal treatment to embed platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs). This nanomaterial was then tested as the counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). SiNW/C@Pt shows potential as a good electrocatalyst based on material characterization data from Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Raman spectroscopy shows that the surface reactivity of the SiNW/C is increased by the decoration of Pt NPs. These data also show that the carbon shell included both graphitic (sp 2 hybridization) and defective (sp 3 hybridization) phases of carbon. We achieved the minimum charge-transfer resistance of 0.025 Ω · cm 2 and the maximum efficiency of 9.46% with a symmetric dummy cell and DSSC device fabricated from the SiNW/C@Pt CEs, respectively.
Asymmetrical Three-Level Inverter SiC-Based Topology for High Performance Shunt Active Power Filter
Authors: Guzman Iturra Rodrigo , Thiemann Peter
Published: December 2019

Power quality conditioner systems, such as shunt active power filters (SAPFs), are typically required to have low power losses, high-power density, and to produce no electromagnetic interference to other devices connected to the grid. At the present, power converters with such a features are built using multilevel topologies based on pure silicon semiconductors. However, recently new semiconductors that offer massive reduction of power losses such as silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs have been introduced into the power electronics field. In the near future, the applications that demand the highest performance will be powered by multilevel converters based on SiC. In this paper a highly efficient three-level (3L) topology based entirely on silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors for a SAPF is presented and analyzed in great detail. Furthermore, the proposed topology is compared with other full SiC-based conventional topologies: two level (2L), three-level T-type (3L-TNPC), and three-level neutral-point-clamped (3L-NPC) in terms of efficiency. The proposed asymmetrical topology has an efficiency superior to conventional all SiC 2L and 3L power circuits when the pulse or switching frequency of the system is set higher than 60 kHz. Further, for high current ratings, the asymmetrical topology has the advantage that it can be built just by cascading two half-bridge SiC modules.
Energy Retrofitting of a Buildings’ Envelope: Assessment of the Environmental, Economic and Energy (3E) Performance of a Cork-Based Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar
Authors: Silvestre José D. , Castelo André M. P. , Silva José J. B. C. , de Brito Jorge M. C. L. , Pinheiro Manuel D.
Published: December 2019

This paper presents an environmental, economic and energy (3E) assessment of an energy retrofitting of the external walls of a flat of an average building with the most current characteristics used in Portugal. For this intervention, a cork-based (as recycled lightweight aggregate) TIRM (Thermal Insulating Rendering Mortar) was considered. The declared unit was 1 m2 of an external wall for a 50-year study period and the energy and economic costs and savings, as well as the environmental impacts, were analytically modelled and compared for two main alternatives: the reference wall without any intervention and the energetically rehabilitated solution with the application of TIRM. Walls with improved energy performance (with TIRM) show lower economic and environmental impacts: reductions from 6% to 32% in carbon emissions, non-renewable energy consumption and costs during the use stage, which depends on the thickness and relative place where TIRM layers are applied. A worse energy performance is shown by reference walls (without TIRM) during the use stage (corresponding to energy used for heating and cooling), while the improved walls present economic and environmental impacts due to the application of TIRM (including the production, transport and application into the building) that do not exist in the reference walls. The comparison between reference walls and energy-retrofitted ones revealed that reference wall become be more expensive when more demanding operational energy requirements are analysed over a 50-year period, even if renewable materials are more expensive.
Dual Deep Learning Networks Based Load Forecasting with Partial Real-Time Information and Its Application to System Marginal Price Prediction
Authors: Yudantaka Khikmafaris , Kim Jung-Su , Song Hwachang
Published: December 2019

Load power forecast is one of most important tasks in power systems operation and maintenance. Enhancing its accuracy can be helpful to power systems scheduling. This paper presents how to use partial real-time temperature information in forecasting load power, which is usually done using past load power and temperature data. The partial real-time temperature information means temperature information for only part of the entire prediction time interval. To this end, a long short-term memory (LSTM) network is trained using past temperature and load power data in order to forecast load power, where forecasted load power depends on the temperature prediction implicitly. Then, in order to deal with the case where nontrivial temperature prediction errors happen, a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) network is trained using the past data describing the relation between temperature variation and load power variation. Then, the temperature is measured at the beginning of the prediction time-interval and compensated load forecast is computed by adding the output of the LSTM and that of the MLP whose input is the temperature prediction error. It is shown that the proposed compensation using the real-time temperature information indeed improves performance of load power forecast. This improved load forecast is used to predict system marginal price (SMP). The proposed method is validated using the real temperature and load power data of South Korea.
Study of Excitation Characteristics of Traction Machine/Drive Systems
Authors: Jiang Wenying , Guo Qiqi , Zhang Zhen
Published: December 2019

In order to accurately evaluate the performance of a traction machine/drive system, it is necessary to have an accurate excitation source which considers current harmonics. In this paper, four machine/drive systems with different excitation sources have been modeled, simulated, and studied to evaluate the effects on permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) from different perspectives. In Model I, the excitation is an ideal sinusoidal current source with no harmonics. Model II is excited by an ideal sinusoidal voltage source regardless of the pulse width modification’s (PWM’s) influence. Model III takes into account the influence of current harmonics under space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) control. Model IV is based on the equivalent circuit extraction (ECE) model (a look-up table motor model). We simulate these four models and study the characteristics of the excitation sources, based on the observations of current harmonics, torque, electromagnetic force, computation time, and efficiency. Experiments are also conducted to show that Model III allows the most precise study of the considered system. Model IV is a good substitution, providing similar results with a shorter running time.
Effect of Concrete on the pH and Susceptibility of Treated Pine to Decay by Brown-Rot Fungi
Authors: Nicholas Darrel , Rowlen Amy , Milsted David
Published: December 2019

Treated wood timbers employed in ground contact are often installed with a cement collar to firmly fix the structural wood post in place. Few prior studies have determined the effect of concrete on decay efficacy on treated wood, however. Treated wood nominal 4 × 4 posts were installed at four locations, with the upper ground-contact portion of each post encased in concrete, and the samples removed at various times for pH measurements. The wood alkalinity quickly increased at all four sites for the portion of the treated wood in concrete contact compared to the wood in ground contact without concrete. In laboratory decay tests employing three decay fungi, untreated wood which was first exposed or unexposed to concrete had no consistent difference in decay susceptibility. For wood treated with three different commercial copper/organic systems, cement exposure had no effect on wood treated with an amine copper azole system, while treatment with amine copper quat showed a statistically significant fungal efficacy enhancement for cement-exposed samples with both copper-tolerant fungi. Conversely, with a micronized copper azole preservative, cement exposure resulted in reduced fungal efficacy compared to treated samples which were not cement-exposed for all three decay fungi.
Distribution and Risk Assessment of Potential Invasiveness of Australoheros facetus (Jenyns, 1842) in Portugal
Authors: Baduy Flavia , Saraiva João L. , Ribeiro Filipe , Canario Adelino V. M. , Guerreiro Pedro M.
Published: December 2019

Invasive species are recognized as a major cause of biodiversity decline. Legal regulations relating to the prevention, control, or eradication of invasive species should always be up-to-date, as the failure to recognize the problem, lack of adequate scientific information, or long legal intervals required to prepare the legislation may result in irreversible, possibly catastrophic, outcomes. This implies constant monitoring of the species distribution and levels of establishment, as well as detailed knowledge about its biology to predict dissemination and viability under changing environmental conditions. Pre-screening kits for potential invasive species are valuable tools for policy makers, as they provide information about if and how management measures should be taken. The Freshwater Fish Invasiveness Scoring Kit (FISK) and the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK) have been suggested as reliable tools to assess the potential risk of a species becoming invasive. The present study highlights the spread of the non-native chameleon cichlid Australoheros facetus in several streams of the major river drainages in southern Portugal and compares the fish assemblages and ecological indices in two selected sites in the Vascão and Odelouca rivers. We reviewed the current knowledge on the distribution, physiology, and behavior of A. facetus, and applied the toolkits FISK v2 and AS-ISK to this species to evaluate whether the species should be classified as invasive in Portugal. Field data show high abundance of the species in most streams and dominance in specific hotspots. The scores reached by the kits (FISK v2: 23; AS-ISK: 37) places A. facetus as a species with high potential of invasiveness and support the recent inclusion of this species in the invasive species list in Portugal (Decree-Law 92/2019), but, most of all, highlights the importance of frequent updates in both the field monitoring and the legal regulation and watch lists of invasive organisms.
Novel Antioxidant, Anti-α-Amylase, Anti-Inflammatory and Antinociceptive Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from the Aerial Part of Nitraria retusa
Authors: Rjeibi Ilhem , Hentati Faiez , Feriani Anouar , Hfaiedh Najla , Delattre Cédric , Michaud Philippe , Pierre Guillaume
Published: December 2019

In this paper, water-soluble polysaccharides (named as NRLP) were extracted from Nitraria retusa leaves. The main structural features of NRLP were determined by High-pressure size exclusion chromatography, Fourier transform infrared and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry-Electronic Impact analysis. The in vitro and in vivo biological potential of NRLP were evaluated by measuring its antioxidant (•OH and DPPH• scavenging, total antioxidant capacity), anti-α-amylase as well as anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities in a mice model. NRLP was composed of Rha (33.7%), Gal (18.1%), GalA (15.0%), Glc (13.3%), Ara (13.3%), Xyl (3.8%), and GlcA (2.8%) and showed a Molecular Weight (Mw) of 23.0 kDa and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.66. The investigations highlighted a significant antioxidant activity (IC50 = 2.4–2.6 mg/mL) and an inhibition activity against α-amylase (IC50 = 4.55 mg/mL) in a dose-dependent manner. Further, NRLP revealed interesting anti-edematous effects and antinociceptive activities (both > 70%). These results open up new pharmacological prospects for the water-soluble polysaccharides extracted from Nitraria retusa leaves.
Studied of Defatted Flour and Protein Concentrate of Prunus serotine and Applications
Authors: Lu Martínez Analía A. , Báez González Juan G. , Bautista Villarreal Minerva , García Alanis Karla G. , Galindo Rodríguez Sergio A. , García Márquez Eristeo
Published: December 2019

Prunus serotine seed, was processed to produce a defatted flour (71.07 ± 2.10% yield) without hydrocyanic acid. The total protein was 50.94 ± 0.64%. According to sensory evaluation of cookies with P. serotine flour, the highest score in overall impression (6.31) was at 50% flour substitution. Its nutritional composition stood out for its protein and fiber contents 12.50% and 0.93%, respectively. Protein concentrate (PsPC) was elaborated (81.44 ± 7.74% protein) from defatted flour. Emulsifying properties of PsPC were studied in emulsions at different mass fractions; ϕ = 0.002, 0.02, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 through physicochemical analysis and compared with whey protein concentrate (WPC). Particle size in emulsions increased, as did oil content, and results were reflected in microscope photographs. PsPC at ϕ 0.02 showed positive results along the study, reflected in the microphotograph and emulsifying stability index (ESI) test (117.50 min). At ϕ 0.4, the lowest ESI (29.34 min), but the maximum emulsifying activity index (EAI) value (0.029 m2/g) was reached. WPC had an EAI value higher than PsPC at ϕ ≥ 0.2, but its ESI were always lower in all mass fraction values. PsPC can compete with emulsifiers as WPC and help stabilize emulsions.
Alignment of Perceived Competencies and Perceived Job Tasks among Primary Care Managers
Authors: Dikic Milica , Nikolic Dejan , Todorovic Jovana , Terzic-Supic Zorica , Kostadinovic Milena , Babic Uros , Gacevic Marijana , Santric-Milicevic Milena
Published: December 2019

In this study we aimed to explore how managers in primary health care (PHC) organizations assess their managerial knowledge and skills, as well as the importance of these competencies for their job, and to identify whether there is an alignment between these two perceptions; therefore, whether there is a need for management competency improvement. With this study, we tried to address a high demand for information about health managers, especially in health systems in low- and middle-income countries. In a sample of 58 primary health care centers (n = 106 managers) in Serbia, we used a basic managerial competency matrix consisting of the following six competencies—communication, team-building, planning and priority-setting, performance assessment, problem-solving, and leading. Managerial perception of the importance of their job tasks differs by educational level and managerial position. The best alignment between the importance of knowledge and skills was for communication and leading. The study pointed out that managers were aware of the necessity to improve their level of managerial competencies, particularly in the domains of planning and priority-setting, performance assessment, and problem solving. The study highlights the need for formal managerial education for managers in PHC settings and commitment to continuously evaluate and improve management competencies in order to better manage PHC.
The Effect of Climate Change and the Snail-Schistosome Cycle in Transmission and Bio-Control of Schistosomiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Adekiya Tayo Alex , Aruleba Raphael Taiwo , Oyinloye Babatunji Emmanuel , Okosun Kazeem Oare , Kappo Abidemi Paul
Published: December 2019

In the next century, global warming, due to changes in climatic factors, is expected to have an enormous influence on the interactions between pathogens and their hosts. Over the years, the rate at which vector-borne diseases and their transmission dynamics modify and develop has been shown to be highly dependent to a certain extent on changes in temperature and geographical distribution. Schistosomiasis has been recognized as a tropical and neglected vector-borne disease whose rate of infection has been predicted to be elevated worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa; the region currently with the highest proportion of people at risk, due to changes in climate. This review not only suggests the need to develop an efficient and effective model that will predict Schistosoma spp. population dynamics but seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of several current control strategies. The design of a framework model to predict and accommodate the future incidence of schistosomiasis in human population dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa is proposed. The impact of climate change on schistosomiasis transmission as well as the distribution of several freshwater snails responsible for the transmission of Schistosoma parasites in the region is also reviewed. Lastly, this article advocates for modelling several control mechanisms for schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa so as to tackle the re-infection of the disease, even after treating infected people with praziquantel, the first-line treatment drug for schistosomiasis.
Pathways Linking Exposure to Community Violence, Self-serving Cognitive Distortions and School Bullying Perpetration: A Three-Wave Study
Authors: Dragone Mirella , Esposito Concetta , De Angelis Grazia , Affuso Gaetana , Bacchini Dario
Published: December 2019

School bullying is a social phenomenon stemming from a complex interrelationship between the individuals and their environments. Underpinned by the social-ecological models, this study investigated the mediation of self-serving cognitive distortions (CDs) in the relationship between community violence exposure, as a victim and as a witness, and bullying perpetration. Bidirectional associations between violence exposure and bullying perpetration, and between CDs and bullying perpetration over time were also hypothesized. The study used a three-waves cross-lagged panel modeling in a sample of 829 Italian high school adolescents (46% males; Mage [Time 1; T1] = 12.71; Standard deviation [SD] = 1.68). The results showed that being exposed to community violence as a witness at T1 increased the development of CDs at Time 2 (T2), which in turn promoted the bullying perpetration at Time 3 (T3). Being exposed to community violence as a victim was not a significant predictor of CDs and bullying perpetration over time. Bidirectional associations were found between witnessing violence and bullying perpetration, and between CDs and bullying perpetration. The association between community violence exposure and individual moral cognitions over time plays a crucial role in predicting bullying perpetration. These findings highlight the need to consider both contextual and individual factors in understanding and preventing bullying perpetration.
Mapping the Human Exposome to Uncover the Causes of Breast Cancer
Authors: Bessonneau Vincent , Rudel Ruthann A.
Published: December 2019

Breast cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality for women, yet a significant proportion of variation in individual risk is unexplained. It is reasonable to infer that unexplained breast cancer risks are caused by a myriad of exposures and their interactions with genetic factors. Most epidemiological studies investigating environmental contribution to breast cancer risk have focused on a limited set of exposures and outcomes based on a priori knowledge. We hypothesize that by measuring a rich set of molecular information with omics (e.g., metabolomics and adductomics) and comparing these profiles using a case-control design we can pinpoint novel environmental risk factors. Specifically, exposome-wide association study approaches can be used to compare molecular profiles between controls and either breast cancer cases or participants with phenotypic measures associated with breast cancer (e.g., high breast density, chronic inflammation). Current challenges in annotating compound peaks from biological samples can be addressed by creating libraries of environmental chemicals that are breast cancer relevant using publicly available high throughput exposure and toxicity data, and by mass spectra fragmentation. This line of discovery and innovation will extend understanding of how environmental exposures interact with genetics to affect health, and provide evidence to support new breast cancer prevention strategies.
Adolescents’ Views on Seeking Help for Emotional and Behavioral Problems: A Focus Group Study
Authors: van den Toren Suzanne J. , van Grieken Amy , Lugtenberg Marjolein , Boelens Mirte , Raat Hein
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to get insight into adolescents’ views on help-seeking for emotional and behavioral problems. Fourteen focus groups were conducted. Two vignettes, depicting one healthy adolescent with few issues and one adolescent with severe psychosocial problems, were used to structure the focus groups. The focus groups were framed within a youth help-seeking model. Adolescents (mean age of 15.0 years) generally reported seeking help from friends or the internet for mild issues and from a person they trust like a parent or school mentor, for more severe problems. Adolescents correctly recognized the issues in vignette one as surmountable and the problems in vignette two as severe. A bond of trust with a help source was regarded as the main facilitator for the decision to seek help. Adolescents reported a preference for help sources who clearly displayed their expertise for the issue at hand and for informal help-sources, particularly friends.
Willingness to Self-Isolate When Facing a Pandemic Risk: Model, Empirical Test, and Policy Recommendations
Authors: Zhang Xiaojun , Wang Fanfan , Zhu Changwen , Wang Zhiqiang
Published: December 2019

Infected people are isolated to minimize the spread of pandemic diseases. Therefore, the factors related to self-isolation (SI) should not be neglected, and it is important to investigate the factors leading the infected (or possibly infected) people to choose to self-isolate. In this paper, we tried to show that the theory of planned behavior provides a useful conceptual framework for SI when facing a pandemic risk, and a regression method with Chinese provincial (Guangdong Province) data was applied to investigate how attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) influence SI when facing a pandemic emergency. The results and the robustness tests confirm that ATT, SN, and PBC have a significant positive influence on SI when facing a pandemic emergency. ATT plays the most important role, followed by SN and then PBC. Based on the factors of SI, we found, through theoretical and empirical analyses, at least three important aspects that local governments need to consider to encourage citizens to self-isolate when facing a pandemic.
Climbing Accidents—Prospective Data Analysis from the International Alpine Trauma Registry and Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Rauch Simon , Wallner Bernd , Ströhle Mathias , Dal Cappello Tomas , Brodmann Maeder Monika
Published: December 2019

Climbing has become an increasingly popular sport, and the number of accidents is increasing in parallel. We aim at describing the characteristics of climbing accidents leading to severe (multisystem) trauma using data from the International Alpine Trauma Registry (IATR) and at reporting the results of a systematic review of the literature on the epidemiology, injury pattern, severity and prevention of climbing accidents. We found that climbing accidents are a rare event, since approximately 10% of all mountain accidents are climbing related. Climbing accidents mainly affect young men and mostly lead to minor injuries. Fall is the most common mechanism of injury. Extremities are the most frequently injured body part. However, in multisystem climbing-related trauma, the predominant portion of injuries are to head/neck, chest and abdomen. The fatality rate of climbing accidents reported in the literature varies widely. Data on climbing accidents in general are very heterogeneous as they include different subspecialties of this sport and report accidents from different regions. A number of risk factors are accounted for in the literature. Appropriate training, preparation and adherence to safety standards are key in reducing the incidence and severity of climbing accidents.
Perceived Community Support, Users’ Interactions, and Value Co-Creation in Online Health Community: The Moderating Effect of Social Exclusion
Authors: Liu Wenlong , Fan Xiucheng , Ji Rongrong , Jiang Yi
Published: December 2019

Online health communities (OHCs) face the same problem as other social media platforms in terms of decreasing activity and user attrition. Drawing upon organizational support theory, this study explores how perceived community support affects user interactions and value co-creation which in turn influence their continuous participation. OHCs act as both health knowledge-sharing platforms and important social media for patients, and thus, interpersonal interactions in OHCs are categorized into health-related and general topic interactions. Considering the identity of patients, this study also examines the moderating effect of user-perceived social exclusion on the relationship between community support and user interaction. A total of 292 valid samples from a diabetic patient community in China were used to examine the proposed hypotheses through structural equation modeling. The results show that: (1) Community support has a positive effect on health topic and general topic interactions; (2) both types of interactions have significant positive effects on users’ perceived functional and social values, while general topic interaction is also related positively to users’ perceived affective value; (3) perceived functional value can result directly in continuous participation, while perceived social value contributes indirectly to continuous participation intention through perceived affective value; and (4) users perceived higher social exclusion are more influenced by community support to participate in health topic interactions than those who perceived lower social exclusion, while no significant difference in general topic interactions between two groups. The results of this study can provide implications for both researchers and practitioners.
Cat and Dog Ownership in Early Life and Infant Development: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study of Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Minatoya Machiko , Araki Atsuko , Miyashita Chihiro , Itoh Sachiko , Kobayashi Sumitaka , Yamazaki Keiko , Ait Bamai Yu , Saijyo Yasuaki , Ito Yoshiya , Kishi Reiko ,   The Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group
Published: December 2019

Contact with companion animals has been suggested to have important roles in enhancing child development. However, studies focused on child development and pet ownership at a very early age are limited. The purpose of the current study was to investigate child development in relation to pet ownership at an early age in a nationwide prospective birth cohort study: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Associations between cat and dog ownership at six months and infant development at 12 months of age were examined in this study. Infant development was assessed using the Ages & Stages QuestionnairesTM (ASQ-3) at 12 months. Among participants of (Japan Environment and Children’s Study) JECS, those with available data of cat and dog ownership at six months and data for the ASQ-3 at 12 months were included (n = 78,868). Having dogs showed higher percentages of pass in all five domains measured by ASQ-3 (communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social) compared to those who did not have dogs. Significantly decreased odds ratios (ORs) of developmental delays were observed in association with having dogs in all fix domains (communication: OR = 0.73, gross motor: OR = 0.86, fine motor: OR = 0.84, problem-solving: OR = 0.90, personal-social: OR = 0.83). This study suggested that early life dog ownership may reduce the risks of child developmental delays.
Academic Goals and Parental Control in Primary School Children
Authors: León-del-Barco Benito , Mendo-Lázaro Santiago , Iglesias Gallego Silvia , Polo-del-Río María-Isabel , Iglesias Gallego Damián
Published: December 2019

Parenting styles have been used to explain the effects of family socialization on children’s learning skills. In this research, we have considered build an instrument for evaluating academic goals in the primary school stage, that allows us determine the relationships between the different types of goals and the different ways of establishing and policing the rules that the participants perceive from their parents. Those participating in this research were 550 pupils from of primary education. The Questionnaire on Academic Goals (QAG) has highly acceptable psychometric characteriztics. The analysis has shown the existence of four solid, well-defined factors. The relationships between the different types of goals and the different ways of establishing and policing the rules are verified. The pupils classified in the groups concerning the goals of social evaluation and reward were characterized by a more indulgent parenting style, determined by an absence of rules and limits for their children’s behavior. On the other hand, those pupils classified in the groups concerning the goals of learning and achievement were characterized by parents with an inductive style, determined by the use of reasoning and explanations towards their children in so far as the consequences of breaking the rules.
Selected Aspects of Using the Telemetry Method in Synthesis of RelNav System for Air Traffic Control
Authors: Džunda Milan , Kotianová Natália , Dzurovčin Peter , Szabo Stanislav , Jenčová Edina , Vajdová Iveta , Koščák Peter , Liptáková Dorota , Hanák Peter
Published: December 2019

Accuracy is an important factor in air traffic management which is why high requirements are necessary for each navigation system. The aim of this article is to describe the principles of the RelNav system and telemetry and their accuracy. We present the algorithms of the relative navigation system, which could be used for air traffic control in the case of the unavailability of satellite navigation system signals. This article sums up the different positioning methods, and deals with the accuracy of the relative navigation system (RelNav). Furthermore, the article considers the factors that influence the positioning accuracy. For this task, a computer simulation was created to evaluate the accuracy of the telemetric method. Next, we discuss the principles of telemetry and algorithms for calculating the position of the flying object (FO).
Priming Effects of Water Immersion on Paired Associative Stimulation-Induced Neural Plasticity in the Primary Motor Cortex
Authors: Sato Daisuke , Yamashiro Koya , Yamazaki Yudai , Ikarashi Koyuki , Onishi Hideaki , Baba Yasuhiro , Maruyama Atsuo
Published: December 2019

We aimed to verify whether indirect-wave (I-wave) recruitment and cortical inhibition can regulate or predict the plastic response to paired associative stimulation with an inter-stimulus interval of 25 ms (PAS25), and also whether water immersion (WI) can facilitate the subsequent PAS25-induced plasticity. To address the first question, we applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the M1 hand area, while alternating the direction of the induced current between posterior-to-anterior and anterior-to-posterior to activate two independent synaptic inputs to the corticospinal neurons. Moreover, we used a paired stimulation paradigm to evaluate the short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). To address the second question, we examined the motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes before and after PAS25, with and without WI, and used the SAI, SICI, and MEP recruitment curves to determine the mechanism underlying priming by WI on PAS25. We demonstrated that SAI, with an inter-stimulus interval of 25 ms, might serve as a predictor of the response to PAS25, whereas I-wave recruitment evaluated by the MEP latency difference was not predictive of the PAS25 response, and found that 15 min WI prior to PAS25 facilitated long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity due to a homeostatic increase in cholinergic activity.
A Software for Calculating the Economic Aspects of Floating Offshore Renewable Energies
Authors: Castro-Santos Laura , Filgueira-Vizoso Almudena
Published: December 2019

The aim of this work is to develop a software to calculate the economic parameters so as to determine the feasibility of a floating offshore renewable farm in a selected location. The software can calculate the economic parameters of several types of offshore renewable energies, as follows: one renewable energy (floating offshore wind—WindFloat, tension leg platform (TLP), and spar; floating wave energy—Pelamis and AquaBuoy), hybrid offshore wind and wave systems (Wave Dragon and W2Power), and combined offshore wind and waves with different systems (independent arrays, peripherally distributed arrays, uniformly distributed arrays, and non-uniformly distributed arrays). The user can select several inputs, such as the location, configuration of the farm, type of floating offshore platform, type of power of the farm, life-cycle of the farm, electric tariff, capital cost, corporate tax, steel cost, percentage of financing, or interest and capacity of the shipyard. The case study is focused on the Galicia region (NW of Spain). The results indicate the economic feasibility of a farm of floating offshore renewable energy in a particular location in terms of its costs, levelized cost of energy (LCOE), internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and discounted pay-back period. The tool allows for establishing conclusions about the dependence of the offshore wind resource parameters, the main distances (farm–shore, farm–shipyard, and farm–port), the parameters of the waves, and the bathymetry of the area selected.
Effect of a Comprehensive Health Care Program on Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, Body Composition, and Depression in Older Adults Living Alone: A Quasi-Experimental Pretest–Posttest Study
Authors: Hwang Eun Jeong , Sim In Ok
Published: December 2019

This study explored the effects of a comprehensive health-care program (CHCP) on blood pressure, blood glucose, body composition, and depression in older adults living alone. We used a quasi-experimental, two-group, pretest–posttest design. The CHCP consisted of open lectures, health counseling, exercise classes, nutrition counseling, and self-help group meetings at a local senior welfare center. Fifty-eight subjects participated in this study, with thirty subjects in the experimental group and twenty-eight subjects in the control group. Data were analyzed by using the descriptive statistics, χ2-test, and t-test. Comparisons of the pretest and posttest systolic blood pressure (t = −2.530, p < 0.016) and blood glucose (t = 3.089, p < 0.004) between the experimental and control groups showed significant differences. In both the experimental (t = 3.949, p < 0.001) and control groups (t = 3.816, p < 0.002), depression symptoms showed a significant decrease posttest, compared with pretest. Our findings infer that older adults require physical and psychosocial health care and that more efforts must be made to improve the general health and well-being of this population group.
Opportunities for Tailored Support to Implement Smoke-Free Homes: A Qualitative Study among Lower Socioeconomic Status Parents
Authors: van Wijk Els C. , Overberg Regina I. , Kunst Anton E. , Harting Janneke
Published: December 2019

With the aim of preventing children from being exposed to secondhand smoke, we examined to which level lower socio-economic status (SES) households had implemented home smoking rules and the factors that hampered parents in their process of change toward a complete smoke-free home (SFH). We conducted a qualitative study including semi-structured in-depth interviews with 14 parents of young children living in a lower SES neighborhood of a provincial town in the Netherlands. Interview transcripts were subjected to a qualitative content analysis. Three distinct levels of SFH implementation emerged: complete SFH, flexible SFH, and partial SFH. Differences between parents at these three levels essentially concerned: (1) the role of child-related moral considerations in their motivation for an SFH; (2) whether they felt they had the agency to set and enforce home smoking rules; (3) the difficulties they experienced in changing their smoking habit from smoking indoors to smoking outdoors. Parents also had different opinions about the role their children could play in facilitating the parental process of change. We conclude that the current level of SFH implementation may serve as a starting point for developing tailored interventions. Such interventions should probably address other factors than the commonly used awareness–knowledge–commitment approach.
O-GlcNAc-Modification of NSL3 at Thr755 Site Maintains the Holoenzyme Activity of MOF/NSL Histone Acetyltransferase Complex
Authors: Zhao Linhong , Li Min , Wei Tao , Feng Chang , Wu Tingting , Shah Junaid Ali , Liu Hongsen , Wang Fei , Cai Yong , Jin Jingji
Published: December 2019

Both OGT1 (O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase isoform 1) and NSL3 (nonspecific lethal protein 3) are crucial components of the MOF (males absent on the first)/NSL histone acetyltransferase complex. We previously described how global histone H4 acetylation levels were modulated by OGT1/O-GlcNAcylation-mediated NSL3 stability. However, the specific modification site of NSL3 and its molecular mechanism of protein stability remain unknown. Here, we present evidence from biochemical experiments arguing that O-GlcNAcylation of NSL3 at Thr755 is tightly associated with holoenzyme activity of the MOF/NSL complex. Using in vitro O-GlcNAc-transferase assays combined with mass spectrometry, we suppose that the residue Thr755 on NSL3 C-terminus is the major site O-GlcNAc-modified by OGT1. Importantly, O-GlcNAcylation of this site is involved in the regulation of the ubiquitin-degradation of NSL3, because this site mutation (T755A) promotes the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of NSL3. Further in-depth research found that ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2 S (UBE2S) accelerated the degradation of NSL3 via direct binding to it. Interestingly, OGT1 and UBE2S competitively bind to NSL3, suggesting the coordination of OGT1–UBE2S in regulating NSL3 stability. Furthermore, O-GlcNAcylation of NSL3 Thr755 site regulates the histone H4 acetylation levels at lysine 5, 8, and 16, suggesting that the O-GlcNAcylation of NSL3 at Thr755 is required for maintaining the integrity and holoenzyme activity of the MOF/NSL complex. In colony formation assays, we found that the integrity of the complex impacts the proliferation of the lung carcinoma type II epithelium-like A549 cells. Taken together, our results provide new insight into the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of the MOF/NSL complex.
Analysis of the Barley Malt Rootlet Proteome
Authors: Mahalingam Ramamurthy
Published: December 2019

Barley seeds are one of the main ingredients of the malting industry for brewing beer. The barley rootlets that are separated from the kilned seeds at the end of the malting process and used as animal feed are one of the byproducts of this industry. In this study, the proteome of rootlets derived from two stages of the malting process, germination and kilning, from a popular malting barley variety were analyzed. A label-free shotgun proteomics strategy was used to identify more than 800 proteins from the barley rootlets. A high coverage and high confidence Gene Ontology annotations of the barley genome was used to facilitate the functional annotation of the proteins that were identified in the rootlets. An analysis of these proteins using Kellogg Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Plant Reactome databases indicated the enrichment of pathways associated with phytohormones, protein biosynthesis, secondary metabolism, and antioxidants. Increased levels of jasmonic acid and auxin in the rootlets further supported the in silico analysis. As a rich source of proteins and amino acids use of these by-products of the malting industry for animal feed is validated. This study also indicates rootlets as a potential source of naturally occurring phenylpropanoids and antioxidants that can be further exploited in the development of functional foods.
Intranasally Administered Human MSC-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Pervasively Incorporate into Neurons and Microglia in both Intact and Status Epilepticus Injured Forebrain
Authors: Kodali Maheedhar , Castro Olagide W. , Kim Dong-Ki , Thomas Alicia , Shuai Bing , Attaluri Sahithi , Upadhya Raghavendra , Gitai Daniel , Madhu Leelavathi N. , Prockop Darwin J. , Shetty Ashok K.
Published: December 2019

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have great promise as biologics to treat neurological and neurodegenerative conditions due to their robust antiinflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Besides, intranasal (IN) administration of EVs has caught much attention because the procedure is noninvasive, amenable for repetitive dispensation, and leads to a quick penetration of EVs into multiple regions of the forebrain. Nonetheless, it is unknown whether brain injury-induced signals are essential for the entry of IN-administered EVs into different brain regions. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the distribution of IN-administered hMSC-derived EVs into neurons and microglia in the intact and status epilepticus (SE) injured rat forebrain. Ten billion EVs labeled with PKH26 were dispensed unilaterally into the left nostril of naïve rats, and rats that experienced two hours of kainate-induced SE. Six hours later, PKH26 + EVs were quantified from multiple forebrain regions using serial brain sections processed for different neural cell markers and confocal microscopy. Remarkably, EVs were seen bilaterally in virtually all regions of intact and SE-injured forebrain. The percentage of neurons incorporating EVs were comparable for most forebrain regions. However, in animals that underwent SE, a higher percentage of neurons incorporated EVs in the hippocampal CA1 subfield and the entorhinal cortex, the regions that typically display neurodegeneration after SE. In contrast, the incorporation of EVs by microglia was highly comparable in every region of the forebrain measured. Thus, unilateral IN administration of EVs is efficient for delivering EVs bilaterally into neurons and microglia in multiple regions in the intact or injured forebrain. Furthermore, incorporation of EVs by neurons is higher in areas of brain injury, implying that injury-related signals likely play a role in targeting of EVs into neurons, which may be beneficial for EV therapy in various neurodegenerative conditions including traumatic brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease.