bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Silicon Dioxide as the Inert Component or Oxide Component Enhancer in ANFO
Authors: Biessikirski Andrzej , Barański Krzysztof , Pytlik Mateusz , Kuterasiński Łukasz , Biegańska Jolanta , Słowiński Konrad
Published: April 2021

Non-ideal explosives with differing contents of silicon dioxide (silica or dioxosilane) added in the form of powder and gel were tested. Measurements of structure, crystallinity and morphology were performed by means of infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). IR and XRD analysis revealed a lack of SiO2 influence on the non-ideal explosive structure. SEM analysis indicated that all the surface deformations of ammonium nitrate(V) prill were filled by a thin fuel film layer on which SiO2 was present. The additional calculations of selected theoretical properties of non-ideal compositions were made using ZMWCyw software. Based on this, it was established that the optimum semimetal content was 1.0 wt.%. Blasting tests confirmed that the addition of 1.0 wt.% SiO2 to the Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) resulted in the lowest volume of post-blast fumes. Moreover, it was established that finer SiO2 powder cannot be used as the oxide component enhancer due to the inhibition of detonation reaction. SiO2 should be used only as an inert component.
Examination of Multivalent Diagnoses Developed by a Diagnostic Program with an Artificial Neural Network for Devices in the Electric Hybrid Power Supply System “House on Water”
Authors: Duer Stanisław , Zajkowski Konrad , Harničárová Marta , Charun Henryk , Bernatowicz Dariusz
Published: April 2021

This article presents the problem of diagnostic examination by the (DIAG) diagnostic system of devices of the House on Water (HoW) hybrid electric power system in the multi-valued (2, 3, and 4) state assessment. Forming the basis for the functioning of the (DIAG) diagnostic system is the measurement knowledge base of the object tested. For this purpose, the issues of building a diagnostic knowledge base for a hybrid power system for HoW are presented. The basis for obtaining diagnostic information for the measurement knowledge base is a functional and diagnostic analysis of the hybrid power system tested. The result of this analysis is a functional and diagnostic model of the research object. At the next stage of the work, on the basis of the model created, the sets of basic elements and the sets of measurement signals were determined together with the reference signals assigned. State classification in the (DIAG) system is based on an analysis of the value of the divergence metrics of the signal vectors tested. The purpose of the HoW diagnostic test is to assess an increase in the diagnoses developed by the intelligent diagnostic system (DIAG 2) in 4-valued logic in relation to the assessments in 3- and 2-valued logic.
Data-Driven Evaluation of Secondary- and Tertiary-Reserve Needs with High Renewables Penetration: The Italian Case
Authors: Bovera Filippo , Rancilio Giuliano , Falabretti Davide , Merlo Marco
Published: April 2021

The diffusion of nonprogrammable power plants, together with the decommissioning of conventional, rotating generators, is increasing the need for flexible resources to always ensure the safe and secure operation of the European electric-power system. Beyond technological advances, policy aspects also play a fundamental role in the opening of electricity markets to new players; in this regard, System Operations Guideline EU 2017/1485 and Italian Regulatory Authority documents require the Italian transmission-system operator (TSO; Terna) to publish all exploited algorithms and methodologies for the management of market balancing. In this context, the present paper develops and presents a data-driven methodology to estimate secondary and tertiary reserve needs; a numerical real-life case study, focused on the North Italy geographical zone, is presented. Data for 2017, 2018, and 2019 on electricity consumption and production (forecasted and actual) were gathered. Following the European TSOs Organization (ENTSO-E) and the Italian TSO (Terna) prescriptions, methodology for the calculation of reserve needs was developed. Results are presented under graphical form and refer, among others, to spinning and nonspinning reserve duration curves, forecast error contribution to reserve calculation, and samples considered for analysis. While a comparison with available market observations is not very helpful, results suggest that the developed methodology could be useful for the evaluation of reserve needs in different control areas.
Microgrid Systems: Towards a Technical Performance Assessment Frame
Authors: Marchand Sophie , Monsalve Cristian , Reimann Thorsten , Heckmann Wolfram , Ungerland Jakob , Lauer Hagen , Ruhe Stephan , Krauß Christoph
Published: April 2021

A microgrid is an independent power system that can be connected to the grid or operated in an islanded mode. This single grid entity is widely used for furthering access to energy and ensuring reliable energy supply. However, if islanded, microgrids do not benefit from the high inertia of the main grid and can be subject to high variations in terms of voltage and frequency, which challenge their stability. In addition, operability and interoperability requirements, standards as well as directives have addressed main concerns regarding a microgrid’s reliability, use of distributed local resources and cybersecurity. Nevertheless, microgrid systems are quickly evolving through digitalization and have a large range of applications. Thus, a consensus over their testing must be further developed with the current technological development. Here, we describe existing technical requirements and assessment criteria for a microgrid’s main functionalities to foster harmonization of functionality-level testing and an international conception of system-level one. This framework is proposed as a reference document for assessment frame development serving both microgrid research and implementation for a comprehensive understanding of technical microgrid performance and its current assessment challenges, such as lack of standardization and evolving technology.
Leveraging Label Information in a Knowledge-Driven Approach for Rolling-Element Bearings Remaining Useful Life Prediction
Authors: Berghout Tarek , Benbouzid Mohamed , Mouss Leïla-Hayet
Published: April 2021

Since bearing deterioration patterns are difficult to collect from real, long lifetime scenarios, data-driven research has been directed towards recovering them by imposing accelerated life tests. Consequently, insufficiently recovered features due to rapid damage propagation seem more likely to lead to poorly generalized learning machines. Knowledge-driven learning comes as a solution by providing prior assumptions from transfer learning. Likewise, the absence of true labels was able to create inconsistency related problems between samples, and teacher-given label behaviors led to more ill-posed predictors. Therefore, in an attempt to overcome the incomplete, unlabeled data drawbacks, a new autoencoder has been designed as an additional source that could correlate inputs and labels by exploiting label information in a completely unsupervised learning scheme. Additionally, its stacked denoising version seems to more robustly be able to recover them for new unseen data. Due to the non-stationary and sequentially driven nature of samples, recovered representations have been fed into a transfer learning, convolutional, long–short-term memory neural network for further meaningful learning representations. The assessment procedures were benchmarked against recent methods under different training datasets. The obtained results led to more efficiency confirming the strength of the new learning path.
Day-Ahead Wind Power Forecasting in Poland Based on Numerical Weather Prediction
Authors: Bochenek Bogdan , Jurasz Jakub , Jaczewski Adam , Stachura Gabriel , Sekuła Piotr , Strzyżewski Tomasz , Wdowikowski Marcin , Figurski Mariusz
Published: April 2021

The role of renewable energy sources in the Polish power system is growing. The highest share of installed capacity goes to wind and solar energy. Both sources are characterized by high variability of their power output and very low dispatchability. Taking into account the nature of the power system, it is, therefore, imperative to predict their future energy generation to economically schedule the use of conventional generators. Considering the above, this paper examines the possibility to predict day-ahead wind power based on different machine learning methods not for a specific wind farm but at national level. A numerical weather prediction model used operationally in the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management–National Research Institute in Poland and hourly data of recorded wind power generation in Poland were used for forecasting models creation and testing. With the best method, the Extreme Gradient Boosting, and two years of training (2018–2019), the day-ahead, hourly wind power generation in Poland in 2020 was predicted with 26.7% mean absolute percentage error and 4.5% root mean square error accuracy. Seasonal and daily differences in predicted error were found, showing high mean absolute percentage error in summer and during daytime.
A Cross-Country Model for End-Use Specific Aggregated Household Load Profiles
Authors: Schlemminger Marlon , Niepelt Raphael , Brendel Rolf
Published: April 2021

End-use specific residential electricity load profiles are of interest for energy system modelling that requires future load curves or demand-side management. We present a model that is applicable across countries to predict consumption on a regional and national scale, using openly available data. The model uses neural networks (NNs) to correlate measured consumption from one country (United Kingdom) with weather data and daily profiles of a mix of human activity and device specific power profiles. We then use region-specific weather data and time-use surveys as input for the trained NNs to predict unscaled electric load profiles. The total power profile consists of the end-use household load profiles scaled with real consumption. We compare the model’s results with measured and independently simulated profiles of various European countries. The NNs achieve a mean absolute error compared with the average load of 6.5 to 33% for the test set. For Germany, the standard deviation between the simulation, the standard load profile H0, and measurements from the University of Applied Sciences Berlin is 26.5%. Our approach reduces the amount of input data required compared with existing models for modelling region-specific electricity load profiles considering end-uses and seasonality based on weather parameters. Hourly load profiles for 29 European countries based on four historical weather years are distributed under an open license.
Spatial–Temporal Estimation and Analysis of Japan Onshore and Offshore Wind Energy Potential
Authors: Delage Rémi , Matsuoka Taichi , Nakata Toshihiko
Published: April 2021

In the carbon-neutral scenarios fixed by most developed countries, wind and solar resources play a significant role due to their substantial potential. Their instability can be mitigated through smarter designs of energy systems, including sector coupling and cross-border interconnections, which require detailed information on the spatial and temporal evolution of these intermittent resources. The present study aims at estimating the spatial–temporal energy potential of wind in Japan based on meteorological weather data. These data allow to analyze the potential of resources sharing to reduce power generation’s lack and excess, even in such an isolated country due to its variety of climate conditions and local energy demand. The correlation skewness is introduced as a measure of the sites’ uniqueness to identify important sites for the spatial distribution of capacity toward the efficient stabilization of supply at a national scale in a model-free fashion.
Simulation Research on Regenerative Braking Control Strategy of Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Authors: Geng Cong , Ning Dawen , Guo Linfu , Xue Qicheng , Mei Shujian
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a double layered multi parameters braking energy recovery control strategy for Hybrid Electric Vehicle, which can combine the mechanical brake system with the motor brake system in the braking process to achieve higher energy utilization efficiency and at the same time ensure that the vehicle has sufficient braking performance and safety performance. The first layer of the control strategy proposed in this paper aims to improve the braking force distribution coefficient of the front axle. On the basis of following the principle of braking force distribution, the braking force of the front axle and the rear axle is reasonably distributed according to the braking strength. The second layer is to obtain the proportional coefficient of regenerative braking, considering the influence of vehicle speed, braking strength, and power battery state of charge (SOC) on the front axle mechanical braking force and motor braking force distribution, and a three-input single-output fuzzy controller is designed to realize the coordinated control of mechanical braking force and motor braking force of the front axle. Finally, the AMESim and Matlab/Simulink co-simulation model was built; the braking energy recovery control strategy proposed in this paper was simulated and analyzed based on standard cycle conditions (the NEDC and WLTC), and the simulation results were compared with regenerative braking control strategies A and B. The research results show that the braking energy recovery rate of the proposed control strategy is respectively 2.42%, 18.08% and 2.56%, 16.91% higher than that of the control strategies A and B, which significantly improves the energy recovery efficiency of the vehicle.
Sampling Primary Power Standard from DC up to 9 kHz Using Commercial Off-The-Shelf Components
Authors: Mester Christian
Published: April 2021

In the framework of the empir projects myrails and windefcy, metas developed a primary standard for electrical power using commercial off-the-shelf components. The only custom part is the software that controls the sampling system and determines the amplitude and phase of the different frequency components of voltage and current. The system operates from dc up to 9 kHz, even with distorted signals. The basic system is limited to 700 V and 21 A. Its power uncertainty is 15 μW/VA at power frequencies and increases to 1.8 mW/VA at 9 kHz. With the extension up to 1000 V and 360 A, the system reaches power uncertainties of 20 μW/VA at power frequencies, increasing to 510 μW/VA at 9 kHz. For higher voltages or higher currents, the same principle is used. However, the uncertainties are dominated by the stability of the sources. The voltage and current channels can also be used independently to calibrate and test power quality instruments. Thanks to a time-stamping system, the system can also be used to calibrate phasor measurement units, which are synchronised to utc.
A General Framework for Multi-Criteria Based Feasibility Studies for Solar Energy Projects: Application to a Real-World Solar Farm
Authors: Bandaru Sree Harsha , Becerra Victor , Khanna Sourav , Espargilliere Harold , Torres Sevilla Law , Radulovic Jovana , Hutchinson David , Khusainov Rinat
Published: April 2021

The growth of solar energy is projected to slow down during 2023–25 despite the fall in costs due to economic deceleration, reduced incentives, and market barriers including the lack of relevant and flexible energy project planning and decision-making tools. This study proposes a flexible and computationally simple multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)-based model that takes technical, financial, environmental, social and legal aspects of all project options as input and outputs a feasibility score for each option, which enables ranking the options and identifying the best alternative. The proposed model is applied to a real-world photovoltaic solar farm planned at a site in England and comprising nine different configurations formed by varying system capacity, energy storage option, mode of stakeholder, and network connections. The results of our study show that in this case the options without battery storage and a greater number of off-taker connections are more favorable than the options with battery storage. The analysis also shows that for the solar farm of the presented case study, ‘self-consumption fraction’ and ‘energy yield’, ‘net present value’, ‘life-cycle carbon emission reduction’, ‘ease of permit acquisition’ and ‘public approval’ are key sub-criteria for ‘technical’, ‘financial’, ‘environmental’, and ‘social and legal’ criteria, respectively. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the confidence on the obtained solution, and a change in the first preference was noticed when ‘environmental’ and ‘social and legal’ aspects are given higher weight over ‘technical’ and ‘financial’ aspects. The results obtained are in line with the recommendations by experts, who carried out an independent feasibility analysis considering the same options.
Directional Hydraulic Characteristics of Reservoir Rocks for CO2 Geological Storage in the Pohang Basin, Southeast Korea
Authors: Choi Junhyung , Lee Kyungbook , Shinn Young Jae , Ki Seil , Lee Dae Sung
Published: April 2021

This study conducted core sampling of an offshore borehole for geological reservoir characterization of a potential CO2 storage site in southeast Korea. From this, two promising geological formations at ~739 and ~779 m were identified as prospective CO2 storage reservoirs. Injection efficiency and CO2 migration were evaluated based on directional measurements of permeabilities from core plugs. The directional transport properties were determined using both a portable probe permeameter and a pressure cell capable of applying different in situ confining pressures. Both steady state and unsteady state measurements were used to determine permeability—the method selected according to the expected permeability range of the specific sample. This expected range was based on rapid screening measurements acquired using a portable probe permeameter (PPP). Anticipated performance of the prototypical CO2 injection site was evaluated based on flow modeling of the CO2 plume migration pathway including CO2 transport through the overlying formations based on the measured directional hydraulic properties. These analyses revealed that the injection efficiency at a depth of 739 m was double that at 779 m. These correlations among and distributions of the directional permeabilities of the potential CO2 geological storage site can be utilized for the assessment of CO2 storage capacity, injectivity, and leakage risk.
Towards Sustainable Bioinoculants: A Fermentation Strategy for High Cell Density Cultivation of Paraburkholderia sp. SOS3, a Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium Isolated in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Petersen Ian , Paungfoo-Lonhienne Chanyarat , Marcellin Esteban , Nielsen Lars Keld , Gonzalez Axayacatl
Published: April 2021

Paraburkholderia sp. SOS3 is a plant growth-promoting bacterium (PGPB) that displays pleiotropic effects and has the potential to be applied at a large scale across several agronomically important crops. The use of SOS3 is a suitable option to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers. While the benefits of SOS3 have been demonstrated in vitro, its potential applications at large scale are limited due to low biomass yield in current batch culture systems. Here, we developed a strategy for high-cell density cultivation of SOS3 in instrumented bioreactors, moving from low-biomass yield in a complex medium to high-biomass yield in a semi-defined medium. We achieved a 40-fold increase in biomass production, achieving cell densities of up to 11 g/L (OD600 = 40). This result was achieved when SOS3 was cultivated using a fed-batch strategy. Biomass productivity, initially 0.02 g/L/h in batch cultures, was improved 12-fold, reaching 0.24 g/L/h during fed-batch cultures. The biomass yield was also improved 10-fold from 0.07 to 0.71 gbiomass/gsolids. Analysis of the fermentation profile of SOS3 indicated minimal production of by-products and accumulation of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) during the exponential growth phase associated with nitrogen limitation in the medium. By implementing proteomics analysis in fed-batch cultures, we identified the expression of four metabolic pathways associated with growth-promoting effects, which may be used as a qualitative parameter to guarantee the efficacy of SOS3 when used as a bioinoculant. Ultimately, we confirmed that the high-cell density cultures maintained their plant growth-promoting capacity when tested in sorghum and maize under glasshouse conditions.
Microbial Biocontrol as an Alternative to Synthetic Fungicides: Boundaries between Pre- and Postharvest Applications on Vegetables and Fruits
Authors: Sellitto Vincenzo Michele , Zara Severino , Fracchetti Fabio , Capozzi Vittorio , Nardi Tiziana
Published: April 2021

From a ‘farm to fork’ perspective, there are several phases in the production chain of fruits and vegetables in which undesired microbial contaminations can attack foodstuff. In managing these diseases, harvest is a crucial point for shifting the intervention criteria. While in preharvest, pest management consists of tailored agricultural practices, in postharvest, the contaminations are treated using specific (bio)technological approaches (physical, chemical, biological). Some issues connect the ‘pre’ and ‘post’, aligning some problems and possible solution. The colonisation of undesired microorganisms in preharvest can affect the postharvest quality, influencing crop production, yield and storage. Postharvest practices can ‘amplify’ the contamination, favouring microbial spread and provoking injures of the product, which can sustain microbial growth. In this context, microbial biocontrol is a biological strategy receiving increasing interest as sustainable innovation. Microbial-based biotools can find application both to control plant diseases and to reduce contaminations on the product, and therefore, can be considered biocontrol solutions in preharvest or in postharvest. Numerous microbial antagonists (fungi, yeasts and bacteria) can be used in the field and during storage, as reported by laboratory and industrial-scale studies. This review aims to examine the main microbial-based tools potentially representing sustainable bioprotective biotechnologies, focusing on the biotools that overtake the boundaries between pre- and postharvest applications protecting quality against microbial decay.
Governmental Taxation of Households Choosing between a National Currency and a Cryptocurrency
Authors: Wang Guizhou , Hausken Kjell
Published: April 2021

A game between a representative household and a government was analyzed. The household chose which fractions of two currencies to hold, e.g., a national currency such as a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and a global currency such as Bitcoin or Facebook’s Diem, and chose the tax evasion probability for each currency. The government chose, for each currency, the probability of detecting and prosecuting tax evasion, the tax rate, and the penalty factor imposed on the household when tax evasion was successfully detected and prosecuted. The household′s fraction of the national currency, the government’s monitoring probability of the national currency, and the penalty factor imposed on the global currency, increased in the household′s Cobb Douglas output elasticity for the national currency. The household′s probabilities of tax evasion on both currencies increased in the government’s Cobb Douglas output elasticity for the national currency. The government’s taxation on both currencies decreased in the output elasticity for the national currency. High output elasticity for the national currency eventually induced the government to tax that currency more than the global currency. The household′s probability of tax evasion on the global currency increased in the government’s output elasticity for that currency. The household was less (more) likely to tax evade on the national (global) currency if the government valued taxation and penalty on the national (global) currency. The results are illustrated numerically where each of the eight parameter values was varied relative to a benchmark.
The Mystery of “Collaboration” in Henry James
Authors: Lello James
Published: April 2021

This article argues for the importance of collaboration as a species of literary relation in Henry James’s work. Collaboration was increasingly popular towards the end of the nineteenth century, and yet, James’s interest in and occasional practice of this compositional mode has been largely overlooked. This is partly due to James’s own ambivalent and contested relationship with multiple authorship, most obviously in his contribution to The Whole Family. However, James’s frequent identification of collaboration as a “mystery” indicates the extent to which it exerted a considerable influence over his imagination and thinking, and its association with some of his most formative moments of novelistic and vocational self-awareness. “Collaboration” is also a literary subject in its own right, most obviously in James’s 1892 story of that name, and the depiction of the practice as a unifying, if occasionally divisive, ideal offers a complex and often enigmatic vision of sociable reciprocity.
Investigation of Alternative Therapeutic and Biocidal Options to Combat Antifungal-Resistant Zoonotic Fungal Pathogens Isolated from Companion Animals
Authors: Meade Elaine , Savage Micheal , Slattery Mark , Garvey Mary
Published: April 2021

Fungal skin infections and iatrogenic disease of companion animals continue to be an ongoing issue for veterinarians, where misdiagnosis or inapt medical treatment result in secondary conditions within animals. The widespread use of antifungals in both modern medicine and agriculture has resulted in concomitant resistance in species, where zoonotic transfer poses a risk to public health. Studies described herein assess the resistance of pathogenic species isolated from companion animals to a battery of conventional antimicrobial agents. Levels of resistance were detected using recognised in vitro methods, where additional novel therapeutic and biocide options were also extensively investigated. Results show high levels of resistance to the three main families of antifungal agents, namely caspofungin, Amp B and fluconazole. Resistance in Candida, Cryptococcal, Aspergillus and Trichophyton species is described herein, highlighting the need for defined species-specific antifungal breakpoints, and for Malassezia and Wickerhamomyces anomalus species which also have zoonotic potential. Novel compound phendione showed promising antimicrobial activity, with MICs determined for both fungal and bacterial species. The biocidal options investigated also showed potential to act as intermediate-level disinfectants, where peracetic acid proved most effective against fungal spore formers.
Physical and Physiological Predictors of FRAN CrossFit® WOD Athlete’s Performance
Authors: Leitão Luis , Dias Marcelo , Campos Yuri , Vieira João Guilherme , Sant’Ana Leandro , Telles Luiz Guilherme , Tavares Carlos , Mazini Mauro , Novaes Jefferson , Vianna Jeferson
Published: April 2021

CrossFit® training is one of the fastest-growing fitness activities in the world due to its varied functional movement and competition experience. The performance is present in almost every workout of the day (WOD); however, there is a lack of knowledge in the science that did not allow us to fully understand the performance determinants of CrossFit WOD’s like we do for other individual or team sports. The purpose of this study was to analyze the physical and physiological variables of recreational trained CrossFit athletes during one of the most famous WOD, FRAN, and to identify which variables best determine performance. Methods: Fifteen CrossFit practitioners performed, alone on separate days, 1RM and a maximum of repetitions of pull-ups test, 1RM and a maximum of repetitions of thrusters with 95 lb/43.2 kg, FRAN CrossFit WOD, and 2K Row test. Results: Blood lactate concentrate, HRmax, HRav, and RPE achieved higher values for 2K Row and maximum repetitions of thrusters. Maximum repetition of thrusters and pull-ups, 1RM of thrusters, and 2K Row resulted in moderate to strong correlation with FRAN performance (r = −0.78; r = −0.58; r = −0.67; r = 0.63, respectively). Conclusions and practical applications: FRAN performance was strongly related to maximal and endurance strength training of thrusters, which should be prioritized.
Application of Combined Analyses of Stable Isotopes and Stomach Contents for Understanding Ontogenetic Niche Shifts in Silver Croaker (Pennahia argentata)
Authors: Choi Bohyung , Kim Won-Seok , Ji Chang Woo , Kim Min-Seob , Kwak Ihn-Sil
Published: April 2021

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) and stomach content analysis (SCA) were conducted to understand ontogenetic niche shifts in silver croaker Pennahia argentata inhabiting the southern coastal waters of the Korean peninsula. Sampled P. argentata were classified into three groups based on their total length (TL; 60–80 mm TL, 80–120 mm TL, and 120–210 mm TL). Carbon isotope (δ13C) ratios were distinguishable, whereas nitrogen isotope (δ15N) ratios were not significantly different among size classes, and Standard Ellipse Area (SEA), estimated by δ13C and δ15N, was expanded with increasing TL from 0.2 ‰2 (60–80 mm TL) to 2.0 ‰2 (120–210 mm TL). SCA results showed variable contribution of dietary items to each size class. In particular, higher dietary contribution of Polychaeta to P. argentata of 80–120 mm TL than 120–210 mm TL mirrored variation in δ13C values of P. argentata in those size classes. Based on the combined analyses involving SIA and SCA, we concluded that P. argentata underwent ontogenetic niche shifts, particularly dietary shifts, with growth stages. Ontogenetic niche shifting is a representative survival strategy in fish, and, therefore, represents essential information for managing fisheries. The present study demonstrated applicability of combined SIA and SCA analyses, not only for dietary resource tracing, but also for ecological niche studies.
Impact of Environmental Airborne Manganese Exposure on Cognitive and Motor Functions in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ruiz-Azcona Laura , Fernández-Olmo Ignacio , Expósito Andrea , Markiv Bohdana , Paz-Zulueta María , Parás-Bravo Paula , Sarabia-Cobo Carmen , Santibáñez Miguel
Published: April 2021

Background/Objective: Whether environmental exposure to Manganese (Mn) in adults is associated with poorer results in cognitive and motor function is unclear. We aimed to determine these associations through a meta-analysis of published studies. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to identify epidemiological studies on a population ≥18 years old exposed to environmental airborne Mn, and in which results on specific tests to evaluate cognitive or motor functions were reported. We consulted Medline through PubMed, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. We also performed a manual search within the list of bibliographic references of the retrieved studies and systematic reviews. To weight Mn effects, a random effects versus fixed effect model was chosen after studying the heterogeneity of each outcome. Results. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, eleven studies reported data susceptible for meta-analysis through a pooled correlation or a standardized means difference (SMD) approach between exposed and non-exposed groups. Regarding cognitive function, the results of the studies showed heterogeneity among them (I2 = 76.49%, p < 0.001). The overall effect was a statistically significant negative correlation in the random effects model (pooled r = −0.165; 95%CI: −0.214 to −0.116; p < 0.001). For SMD, the results showed a lower heterogeneity with a negative SMD that did not reach statistical significance under the fixed effects model (SMD = −0.052; 95%CI −0.108 to 0.004; p = 0.068). Regarding motor function, heterogeneity (I2 = 75%) was also observed in the correlation approach with a pooled r (random effect model) = −0.150; 95%CI: −0.219 to −0.079; p < 0.001. Moderate heterogeneity was observed according to the SMD approach (I2 = 52.28%), with a pooled SMD = −0.136; 95%CI: −0.188 to−0.084; p < 0.001, indicating worse motor function in those exposed. Conclusions: Correlation approach results support a negative effect on cognitive and motor functions (the higher the Mn levels, the poorer the scores). Regarding the SMD approach, results also support a worse cognitive and motor functions in those exposed, although only for motor function statistical significance was obtained.
Influence of Childhood Adversity and Infection on Timing of Menarche in a Multiethnic Sample of Women
Authors: April-Sanders Ayana K. , Tehranifar Parisa , Argov Erica Lee , Suglia Shakira F. , Rodriguez Carmen B. , McDonald Jasmine A.
Published: April 2021

Childhood adversities (CAs) and infections may affect the timing of reproductive development. We examined the associations of indicators of CAs and exposure to tonsillitis and infectious mononucleosis (mono) with age at menarche. A multiethnic cohort of 400 women (ages 40–64 years) reported exposure to parental maltreatment and maladjustment during childhood and any diagnosis of tonsillitis and/or mono; infections primarily acquired in early life and adolescence, respectively. We used linear and relative risk regression models to examine the associations of indicators of CAs individually and cumulatively, and history of tonsillitis/mono with an average age at menarche and early onset of menarche (<12 years of age). In multivariable models, histories of mental illness in the household (RR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.01–2.06), and tonsillitis diagnosis (RR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.20–2.33) were associated with early menarche (<12 years), and with an earlier average age at menarche by 7.1 months (95% CI: −1.15, −0.02) and 8.8 months (95% CI: −1.26, −0.20), respectively. Other adversities indicators, cumulative adversities, and mono were not statistically associated with menarcheal timing. These findings provided some support for the growing evidence that early life experiences may influence the reproductive development in girls.
Effects of Spatial Characteristics on the Spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Korea
Authors: An Meilan , Vitale Jeffrey , Han Kwideok , Ng’ombe John N. , Ji Inbae
Published: April 2021

This paper examines the effects of regional characteristics on the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during Korea’s 2016–2017 outbreak. A spatial econometric model is used to determine the effects of regional characteristics on HPAI dispersion using data from 162 counties in Korea. Results indicate the existence of spatial dependence, suggesting that the occurrence of HPAI in a county is significantly influenced by neighboring counties. We found that larger size poultry, including laying hens, breeders, and ducks are significantly associated with a greater incidence of HPAI. Among poultry, we found ducks as the greatest source of the spread of HPAI. Our findings suggest that those regions that are spatially dependent with respect to the spread of HPAI, such as counties that intensively breed ducks, should be the focus of surveillance to prevent future epidemics of HPAI.
The Effect of Regimen Frequency Simplification on Provider Order Generation: A Quasi-Experimental Study in a Korean Hospital
Authors: Cho Jungwon , Shin Sangmi , Jeong Young Mi , Lee Eunsook , Lee Euni
Published: April 2021

The multiplicity of dosing frequencies that are attached to medication orders poses a challenge to patients regarding adhering to their medication regimens and healthcare professionals in maximizing the efficiencies of health care service delivery. A multidisciplinary team project was performed to simplify medication regimens to improve the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system to reduce the dosing frequencies for patients who were discharged from the hospital. A 36-month pre-test–post-test study was performed, including 12-month pre-intervention, 12-month intervention, and 12-month post-intervention periods. Two-pronged strategies, including regimen standardization and prioritization, were devised to evaluate the dosing frequencies and prescribing efficiency. The results showed that the standardized menu reduced the dosing frequencies from 4.3 ± 2.2 per day in the pre-intervention period to 3.5 ± 1.8 per day in the post-intervention period (p < 0.001). In addition, the proportion of patients taking medications five or more times per day decreased from 40.8% to 20.7% (p < 0.001). After prioritizing the CPOE dosing regimen, the number of pull-down options that were available reflected an improvement in the prescribing efficiency. Our findings indicate that concerted efforts in improving even a simple change on the CPOE screen via standardization and prioritization simplified the dosing frequencies for patients and improved the physicians’ prescribing process.
Psychological Burden and Experiences Following Exposure to COVID-19: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study of Chinese Medical Student Volunteers
Authors: Zhang Kaiting , Peng Yixiang , Zhang Xiaowei , Li Liping
Published: April 2021

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, some medical students devoted themselves to volunteer activities, but it was the first time that they had been exposed to such an infectious disease and they might have experienced fear in the face of the epidemic. We aimed to conduct a timely assessment of the psychological burden and experience on medical student volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales to survey the psychology burden of students in April 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine medical students who signed up for volunteer activities in Chinese from February to April 2020. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. Results: The detection of depression, anxiety and stress of medical student volunteers were 26.8%, 20.2% and 11.1%, respectively. The volunteer’s negative emotions were more pronounced before work and diminished gradually. Most participants expressed no concern about being infected themselves, but worry about family infection. Participant’s motivations for volunteering were primarily their duties as medical students and encouragement from their families/teachers. The vast majority of medical students said they would be willing to work as medical assistants again and this experience would not affect their career choice. Conclusions: Chinese medical student volunteers tended to show negative emotions at the beginning of their work, and then gradually declined, while positive emotions emerged. Most medical students were willing to volunteer as medical assistants when their country needed them due to their sense of responsibility as medical students. This study on the psychological and experiential aspects were derived from Chinese medical student volunteers and might have a significant impact on future public health emergencies in similar settings.
Quality of Gerontological Nursing and Ageism: What Factors Influence on Nurses’ Ageism in South Korea?
Authors: Hwang Eun Hee , Kim Kon Hee
Published: April 2021

With the aging of the population, age-related problems are emerging, which has caused age discrimination. Particularly, most nurses care for a large number of old patients in the clinical setting. Nurses’ attitude toward the clients has a significant effect on the quality of nursing, so it is time to identify their perspective to the aged. The quality of nursing could greatly depend on who provides and how to provide care. If older patients meet nursing staff with an ageist perspective, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they experience negative attitudes toward them during served health care, and trust cannot be formed, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of medical services. This study aimed to identify factors influencing nurses’ ageism attitudes. A total of 162 general hospital nurses completed a questionnaire consisting of the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), the Contact with Elderly People (CEP), the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS), and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé post hoc, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 26.0 program. The average score of FSA was 2.63 ± 0.36 (range 1–4); FSA showed a statistical difference according to cohabitation with an old adult in the past (t = 2.42, p = 0.017). Factors influencing FSA were the fear of old people (β = 0.34, p < 0.001) and fear of loss (β = 0.28, p < 0.001) of the AAS; and these variables explained 21.1% of FSA (F = 22.56, p < 0.001). Based on these results, the development and application of nursing education focused on intergenerational contact is needed in order to reduce the anxiety about aging and to acquire a high quality of gerontological nursing with a reduction of ageism.
Association of Gender, Painkiller Use, and Experienced Pain with Pain-Related Fear and Anxiety among University Students According to the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-9
Authors: Piwowarczyk Paweł , Kaczmarska Agnieszka , Kutnik Paweł , Hap Aleksandra , Chajec Joanna , Myśliwiec Urszula , Czuczwar Mirosław , Borys Michał
Published: April 2021

Anxiety and fear are determinants of acute and chronic pain. Effectively measuring fear associated with pain is critical for identifying individuals’ vulnerable to pain. This study aimed to assess fear of pain among students and evaluate factors associated with pain-related fear. We used the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-9 to measure this fear. We searched for factors associated with fear of pain: gender, size of the city where the subjects lived, subject of academic study, year of study, the greatest extent of experienced pain, frequency of painkiller use, presence of chronic or mental illness, and past hospitalization. We enrolled 717 participants. Median fear of minor pain was 5 (4–7) fear of medical pain 7 (5–9), fear of severe pain 10 (8–12), and overall fear of pain 22 (19–26). Fear of pain was associated with gender, frequency of painkiller use, and previously experienced pain intensity. We found a correlation between the greatest pain the participant can remember and fear of minor pain (r = 0.112), fear of medical pain (r = 0.116), and overall fear of pain (r = 0.133). Participants studying medicine had the lowest fear of minor pain while stomatology students had the lowest fear of medical pain. As students advanced in their studies, their fear of medical pain lowered. Addressing fear of pain according to sex of the patient, frequency of painkiller use, and greatest extent of experienced pain could ameliorate medical training and improve the quality of pain management in patients.
Online Test of Risk Self-Detection of Eating Disorders
Authors: Gómez-Peresmitré Gilda , Platas-Acevedo Romana Silvia , Pineda-García Gisela
Published: April 2021

This study’s central aim was to examine the effectiveness of an online test of the Risk Self-Detection of Eating Disorders through the evaluation of (1) its psychometric properties, the significant probability of predicting risk eating behavior and the correct classification of membership to the risk or non-risk group and (2) the ability to measure users’ risk self-awareness through a group of statements and explore the expected responses through frequency analysis of the content provided by the users. The non-probability sample was comprised of n = 541 women aged 15 to 25 (M = 18.3; SD = 2.4). The instrument showed good psychometric properties, a structure of three predictive risk factors, and proper effect sizes (R2 = 0.67–0.69). Among the most critical findings were high percentages of correct classification (94–97%) and expected responses (61%). The logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of presenting eating disorders was higher if the participants smoked, consumed alcohol, had sexual experiences before the age of 15, and if those sexual experiences were non-consensual. Evidence is presented about the promising results of the online data collection method and its potential benefits.
The Synergistic Effect of PM2.5 and CO2 Concentrations on Occupant Satisfaction and Work Productivity in a Meeting Room
Authors: Wu Jindong , Weng Jiantao , Xia Bing , Zhao Yujie , Song Qiuji
Published: April 2021

High indoor air quality is crucial for the health of human beings. The purpose of this work is to analyze the synergistic effect of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration on occupant satisfaction and work productivity. This study carried out a real-scale experiments in a meeting room with exposures of up to one hour. Indoor environment parameters, including air temperature, relative humidity, illuminance, and noise level, were controlled at a reasonable level. Twenty-nine young participants were participated in the experiments. Four mental tasks were conducted to quantitatively evaluate the work productivity of occupants and a questionnaire was used to access participants’ satisfaction. The Spearman correlation analysis and two-way analysis of variance were applied. It was found that the overall performance declined by 1% for every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration. Moreover, for every 10% increase in dissatisfaction with air quality, productivity performance decreased by 1.1% or more. It should be noted that a high CO2 concentration (800 ppm) has a stronger negative effect on occupant satisfaction towards air quality than PM2.5 concentration in a non-ventilated room. In order to obtain optimal occupant satisfaction and work productivity, low concentrations of PM2.5 (<50 μg/m3) and CO2 (<700 ppm) are recommended.
Measuring the Impact of Genetic and Environmental Risk and Protective Factors on Speech, Language, and Communication Development-Evidence from Australia
Authors: Cronin Paula , Goodall Stephen
Published: April 2021

Speech and language acquisition is one of the key development indicators of optimal literacy development in infancy and early childhood. Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in the development of theoretical frameworks which underpin the underlying complexity of a child’s language developmental landscapes. This longitudinal study aims to measure the impact of genetic and environmental risk and protective factors on speech, language, and communication development (SLCN) among 5000 infants in Australia. Using robust panel fixed-effects models, the results demonstrate that there are clear and consistent effects of protective factors and SLCN associated with the infant’s family [coefficient (SD) = 0.153, 95% standard error (SE) = 8.76], the in utero environment [coefficient (SD) = 0.055, standard error (SE) = 3.29] and early infant health [coefficient (SD) = 0.074, standard error (SE) = 5.28]. The impact of family and in utero health is dominant at aged 2 to 3 years (relative to 0 to 1 years) across the domains of language and communication and more dominant from birth to 1 years for speech acquisition. In contrast, the evidence for the impact of genetics on SLCN acquisition in infancy, is less clear. The evidence from this study can be used to inform intervention policies.