bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quanto melhor vínculo eu tenho com minha organização, mais saudável estou! Correlatos entre suporte organizacional e danos relacionados ao trabalho
Authors: Paula Natália Holanda Mendes Maia de , Formiga Nilton Soares , Silva Alda Karoline Lima da , Franco Juliana Bianca Maia , Oliveira Heitor César Costa , Prochazka Gleyssielle Lira , Nascimento Rodrigo L. , Grangeiro Sara Ruth Araújo , Valin Cristienne Gonçalves Pereira , Beserra Thalita Kelle Pires , Almeida Layze Amanda Leal
Published: May 2021

A saúde do profissional exerce influência significativa na sua qualidade de vida, satisfação e desempenho laboral. Muitas situações de trabalho podem trazer riscos à saúde, dentre os quais, os danos relacionados ao trabalho. Desta forma, tanto o trabalhador quanto a organização em geral, devem oferecer ações de diagnóstico, prevenção e promoção da saúde física e mental de todo o sistema de trabalho. Esse artigo tem o objetivo de verificar a relação entre o suporte organizacional percebido pelos trabalhadores e a avaliação dos danos relacionados ao trabalho. Participaram da pesquisa 228 trabalhadores, com idade acima de 18 anos, homens e mulheres, do setor público e privado. Responderam à Escala de Percepção de Suporte Organizacional, à Escala de Avaliação dos Danos Relacionados ao Trabalho e aos dados sociodemográficos por meio eletrônico através do Google forms. Observou-se que ambas as escalas apresentaram indicadores psicométricos confiáveis e com base numa correlação de Pearson, o suporte organizacional correlacionou-se negativa e significativamente com os danos reslacionados ao trabalho e suas respectivas dimnesões (físico, psicológico e social). Entende-se que, na concepção dos trabalhadores, quanto maior for o apoio (suporte) que a organização oferecer, menor a chance de que eles apresentem adoecimentos mais graves no ambiente laboral. Com base nos resultados, destaca-se a necessidade de programas de intervenção multiprofissionais com recursos humanos desenvolvidos por e dentro da organização com o objetivo de prevenção, diagnóstico e promoção da saúde dos seus trabalhadores.
BR-440 em Juiz de Fora (MG) e seus desdobramentos: Uma análise revisional narrativa
Authors: Barros Vinicius Tavares , Sanches Fabio de Oliveira , Machado Cascio Raposo
Published: May 2021

O processo de construção da BR-440 em Juiz de Fora – MG possui vigência por um considerável período de tempo (doze anos). A obra, iniciada no ano de 2009 a qual é de responsabilidade do Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura e Transporte (DNIT), até hoje enfrenta entraves para a sua conclusão, principalmente por conta de questões ambientais relacionadas ao traçado da via e à canalização e cobertura do córrego São Pedro, fomentando debates a respeito de seu real benefício ao município. Assim, o objetivo deste artigo é discutir (i) a inserção da BR-440 no contexto atual e (ii) como a referida infraestrutura é percebida pela população local, bem como por quem atuou em sua implementação. O estudo baseou-se em uma análise revisional narrativa, tendo como base da dados notícias do jornal local Tribuna de Minas, por meio de uma análise de reportagens publicadas ao longo da última década e que levantam discussões técnicas e sociais sobre a construção da rodovia. Os resultados apontam que os problemas advindos de sua construção ainda geram muitas discussões jurídicas e políticas, além de transtornos à população que reside próximo à via.
Análise crítica da formulação do Morosil e sua comercialização no tratamento da obesidade
Authors: Oliveira Adolfo Marcito Campos de , Silva Isabella Clímaco , Sousa Josefa Aliene de Sá
Published: May 2021

Os tratamentos com fitoterápicos tem ganhado força nos últimos anos, principalmente para o tratamento da obesidade, porém existem poucas evidências científicas sobre os mesmos. Dessa forma o presente estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma análise crítica da sua comercialização e eficácia no tratamento da obesidade. A pesquisa foi realizada em farmácias de manipulação e drogarias da cidade de Teresina – PI, por meio de uma análise observacional, foram avaliadas as informações técnicas dos produtos que tem como princípio ativo o Toranja Citrussinensis (morosil). Além disso também será realizado uma busca de artigos nas seguintes bases de dados Science Direct, PubMed e MEDLINE. Em uma tabela foram descritas as especificações das formulações de morosil comercializadas em Farmácias de manipulação de Teresina-PI, onde majoritariamente são comercializados na apresentação de cápsulas, com exceção da farmácia C tipo 2 que dispõe também da apresentação sachê. Todas as formulações possuem uma dosagem de 500mg, com exceção da Farmácia E tipo 1, consequentemente, todas têm posologia de 1 vez ao dia, exceto a Farmácia E tipo 1 que tem posologia de 2 vezes ao dia. Todos possuem venda livre. Os preços entre as Farmácias variam de 188R$ à 90R$, tendo na Farmácia D as opções do morosil associado a outros componentes ou de forma isolada. Diante do exposto, é possível inferir as informações contidas nas formulações magistrais dos produtos manipulados são essencialmente importantes para garantir uma boa adesão farmacológica, minimizar os potenciais efeitos adversos, garantir a segurança e a eficácia.
Nature’s Services and Contributions: The Relational Value of Childhood Nature Experience and the Importance of Reciprocity
Authors: Beery Thomas H. , Lekies Kristi S.
Published: May 2021

People depend on functioning ecosystems to meet human needs and support well-being across the life span. This article considers the interest in ecosystem service valuation, the growing interest in the benefits of nature experience for children, and ways to bridge these perspectives. We focus on embodied childhood nature experiences: the physical and multisensory experiences that intertwine child and nature. Additionally, we highlight the reciprocal quality of nature and child experience relationship as an example of how this relationship goes beyond the instrumental and demonstrates relational value. Underlying this perspective is the belief that children need to be better represented in the perception and action of ecosystem valuation in environmental policy.
Clinical Effects of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Targeting the Primary Tumor of Liver-Only Oligometastatic Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Ji Xiaoqin , Zhao Yulu , He Chenglong , Han Siqi , Zhu Xixu , Shen Zetian , Chen Cheng , Chu Xiaoyuan
Published: May 2021

Aim

To investigate the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) targeting the primary tumor for liver-only oligometastatic pancreatic cancer.

Methods

We compared the efficacy and safety of SBRT plus chemotherapy with chemotherapy alone in patients with liver-only oligometastatic pancreatic cancer. The populations were balanced by propensity score-weighted and propensity score-matched analyses based on baseline variables. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). The secondary outcomes included progression free survival (PFS), local progression, metastatic progression and symptomatic local control.

Results

This is a retrospective study of 89 pancreatic cancer patients with liver-only oligometastasis. Overall, 34 (38.2%) and 55 (61.8%) patients received SBRT plus chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone, respectively. After propensity score matching, 1-year OS rate was 34.0% (95%CI, 17.8-65.1%) in the SBRT plus chemotherapy group and 16.5% (95%CI, 5.9-46.1%) in chemotherapy alone group (P=0.115). The 6-month PFS rate was 29.4% (95%CI, 15.4-56.1) in SBRT plus chemotherapy and 20.6% (95%CI, 8.8-48.6) in chemotherapy alone group (P=0.468), respectively. Further subgroup analysis indicated that the addition of SBRT improved OS in patients with primary tumor located in the head of pancreas (stratified HR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.90) or good performance status (stratified HR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.86). In terms of disease control, SBRT delayed local progression of pancreas (P=0.008), but not distant metastatic progression (P=0.56). Besides, SBRT offered significant abdominal/back pain relief (P=0.016) with acceptable toxicities.

Conclusions

The addition of SBRT to chemotherapy in patients with liver-only oligometastatic pancreatic cancer improves the OS of those with primary tumor located in the head of pancreas or good performance status. In addition, it is a safe and effective method for local progression control and local symptomatic palliation in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Sex Differences of the Diabetic Heart
Authors: Fourny Natacha , Beauloye Christophe , Bernard Monique , Horman Sandrine , Desrois Martine , Bertrand Luc
Published: May 2021

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease associated with micro- and macro-vascular complications, including myocardial ischemia, and also with a specific and intrinsic cardiac dysfunction called diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Both clinical and animal studies demonstrate significant sex differences in prevalence, pathophysiology, and outcomes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including those associated with diabetes. The increased risk of CVDs with diabetes is higher in women compared to men with 50% higher risk of coronary artery diseases and increased mortality when exposed to acute myocardial infarction. Clinical studies also reveal a sexual dimorphism in the incidence and outcomes of DCM. Based on these clinical findings, growing experimental research was initiated to understand the impact of sex on CVDs associated with diabetes and to identify the molecular mechanisms involved. Endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, coagulation, and fibrosis are mechanisms found to be sex-differentially modulated in the diabetic cardiovascular system. Recently, impairment of energy metabolism also emerged as a determinant of multiple CVDs associated with diabetes. Therefore, future studies should thoroughly analyze the sex-specific metabolic determinants to propose new therapeutic targets. With current medicine tending toward more personalized care of patients, we finally propose to discuss the importance of sex as determinant in the treatment of diabetes-associated cardiac diseases to promote a more systemic inclusion of both males and females in clinical and preclinical studies.
The Psychology behind Knowledge Hiding in an Organization
Authors: Rezwan Roksana Binte , Takahashi Yoshi
Published: May 2021

This study aimed to understand the psychological process behind employees’ knowledge hiding (KH) behaviors in organizations. KH is an intentional act of concealing knowledge when it is requested by a colleague and can lead to counterproductive consequences for the organization. Therefore, this study synthesized previous studies (n = 88) on KH through a systematic literature review. We used the cognitive–motivational–relational (CMR) theory of emotion to create a framework for the studies’ findings. Based on the framework, the psychological process behind KH has two stages—personal goal generation and the knowledge-request event appraisal process, each of which contains its own CMR process. In the first stage, an individual’s internal and external attributes related to the organization shape their personal goals. In the second stage, an individual appraises the features of a knowledge-request event in terms of both their personal goal and the internal and external attributes that created the goal. If the knowledge request is appraised as harmful for the personal goal, emotion arises and leads to the manifestation of KH. This study contributes to the knowledge management literature as, to our knowledge, it is the first to propose a CMR theory-based framework to understand the overall psychological process behind KH.
Evaluation of Genotype, Environment, and Management Interactions on Fava Beans under Mediterranean Field Conditions
Authors: Sellami Mohamed Houssemeddine , Lavini Antonella , Calandrelli Davide , De Mastro Giuseppe , Pulvento Cataldo
Published: May 2021

Faba beans (Vicia faba L.), also known as fava beans, like other crops, are influenced by several factors: their genotype, environment, and management, as well as the interaction between these, have an important impact on seed yielding and seed quality traits. This study was conducted at three locations in South Italy between 2017 and 2019 to evaluate the sowing date effect on yield and yield components of three Vicia faba L., originating from cool climates. The results showed that seed yield (SY) and yield components declined with sowing delay. The crop’s environment (year × site) and management (sowing date) were found to explain 34.01% and 42.95% of the total seed yield variation, respectively. The data showed that the tested genotypes were positively influenced by the environment with sandy loam soil and early winter sowing date, resulting in either a greater number of SY and THS than in the other environment. The three faba bean genotypes showed tolerance to winter frost conditions in the two growing seasons.
Equine-Assisted Interventions (EAIs) for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): Behavioural and Physiological Indices of Stress in Domestic Horses (Equus caballus) during Riding Sessions
Authors: Contalbrigo Laura , Borgi Marta , De Santis Marta , Collacchi Barbara , Tuozzi Adele , Toson Marica , Redaelli Veronica , Odore Rosangela , Vercelli Cristina , Stefani Annalisa , Luzi Fabio , Valle Emanuela , Cirulli Francesca
Published: May 2021

Equine-assisted interventions (EAIs) are well-known complementary practices combining physical activity with emotional/cognitive stimulation. They are especially suited for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who need a high degree of physical and psychological enrichment. Even though EAIs have become a common practice, stress responses in horses interacting with individuals that can manifest inappropriate behaviours, such as ASD children, have not been thoroughly investigated. Our multicentre study aimed to investigate behavioural and physiological indices of stress in horses involved in EAI standardised sessions with children with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) children. A controlled within-subject design with repeated measurements involving 19 horses and 38 children was adopted. Stress-related behaviours, heart rate, heart rate variability, and eye temperature were recorded during the riding sessions. Moreover, blood samples were collected from horses before and after each session to monitor changes in blood adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and catecholamines. Results indicate that, in general, stress responses in horses involved in EAIs did not differ as a function of the horse being ridden by children with ASD or TD. A lower sympathetic tone in horses involved in ASD sessions was found, while in the mounting and dismounting phases, horses displayed behavioural signs of stress, independently from children’s behaviour. We conclude that professionals working in EAI should increase their awareness of animal welfare and refine riding practices, taking into account horse’s needs.
Effect of a Diet Supplemented with Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) or Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) on the Post-Slaughter Traits and Meat Quality Parameters of Termond White Rabbits
Authors: Pałka Sylwia Ewa , Otwinowska-Mindur Agnieszka , Migdał Łukasz , Kmiecik Michał , Wojtysiak Dorota
Published: May 2021

The purpose of the study was to analyse the effect of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) leaves and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds as additives to fodder in order to improve post-slaughter traits and quality parameters of Termond White rabbit meat (n = 60; 30♂, 30♀). Three experimental groups were created. The control group (n = 20; 10♂ and 10♀) was fed ad libitum feed containing corn, bran, wheat, dried alfalfa, soybean meal, sunflower meal, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate and vitamin-mineral premix. The animals from the first experimental group (n = 20; 10♂ and 10♀) were fed a complete mixture added with 1% of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) leaves. Rabbits from the second group (n = 20; 10♂ and 10♀) were fed with a complete mixture added with 1% of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds. Rabbits fed with pellets with the addition of nettle were characterized by a higher slaughter weight, higher weight of hot and cold carcasses, lungs, kidneys and head as well as a higher weight of the fore, middle and hind part of the carcass compared to the other two groups. The carcasses of animals fed with fenugreek and nettle had a higher percentage of the fore and hind parts compared to the carcasses of the animals from the control group. The female carcasses were characterized by a significantly higher percentage of the middle part compared to the male carcasses. For most colour measurement traits, the differences depending on the feeding regime were significant. The effect of gender on meat colour was non significant. The effect of feeding regime and of gender on texture traits such as shear force, hardness, springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness were non significant. Feeding had no effect on muscle fibre diameter, but it affected the muscle fibre type I percentage. Thus, the group fed with pellets containing nettle leaves had higher percentage of type I muscle fibres than the control group. The effect of gender on muscle fibre traits was non significant.
A Results-Oriented Approach for the Animal Welfare Measure of the European Union’s Rural Development Programme
Authors: Bergschmidt Angela , March Solveig , Wagner Kathrin , Brinkmann Jan
Published: May 2021

Farm animal welfare is a major concern to the European Union’s citizens, addressed in the Rural Development Programmes by a specific animal welfare support measure. Previous evaluation results reveal that the implemented action-oriented measures fail when it comes to improving animal health, an important dimension of animal welfare. Results-oriented measures could compensate for this deficiency, but little is known about their design. In order to improve the effectiveness of current animal welfare measures for dairy cows, we analysed the elements of such a measure in an interdisciplinary, application-oriented research project involving agricultural economists and livestock scientists. We have used a mixed methods approach including a written Delphi survey, group-discussions and on-farm data-collection to select suitable indicators, develop an approach for the identification of threshold values and to design a support measure. Results suggest that, in animal welfare support measures, action- as well as results-oriented elements are necessary to address all dimensions of animal welfare.
Associations between Bovine Coronavirus and Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections and Productivity, Health Status and Occurrence of Antimicrobial Resistance in Swedish Dairy Herds
Authors: Duse Anna , Ohlson Anna , Stengärde Lena , Tråvén Madeleine , Alenius Stefan , Bengtsson Björn
Published: May 2021

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and bovine coronavirus (BCoV) affect dairy herds worldwide. In this study, effects on herd health, morbidity, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were assessed. Herds were considered free of infection (FREE), recently infected (RI) or past steadily infected (PSI) based on antibody testing of milk from primiparous cows. Data from farm records, national databases, and AMR of fecal Escherichia coli from calves were used as outcome variables. Compared to BRSV FREE herds: BRSV PSI herds had significantly higher odds of cough in young stock, a higher proportion of quinolone-resistant E. coli (QREC), but a lower proportion of cows with fever. BRSV RI herds had significantly higher odds of diarrhea in calves and young stock, a higher proportion of QREC and higher odds of multidrug-resistant E. coli. Compared to BCoV FREE herds: BCoV PSI herds had significantly higher odds of cough in all ages, and of diarrhea in young stock and cows, and a higher proportion of cows with fever. BCoV RI herds had significantly higher odds of diarrhea in young stock and cows and of cough in all ages. The results support previous research that freedom from BRSV and BCoV is beneficial for animal welfare and farm economy and possibly also mitigates AMR.
Effects of Pulse Current Charging on the Aging Performance of Commercial Cylindrical Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Lee Seunghun , Cho Wonil , Do Vandung , Choi Woongchul
Published: May 2021

Rapid development of electronic devices, ranging from personal communication devices to electric mobility solutions, has increased demand for energy storage devices not only in the production volume but also in the product functionality. Among many functional requirements including energy capacity, safety, and short recharge time, one of the major limitations is the short charging time while maintaining the designed capacity. However, even with the most updated lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology, it is well known that fast charging with a high current rate would reduce the lifetime of batteries significantly. Recently, among the many approaches to improve the quick charging performance, a pulse current charging method while keeping the total amount of energy has demonstrated a successful fast recharging of LIB without significantly degrading the battery capacity. The essence of the idea is to stop charging in the middle stage to provide a relaxation period instead of continuously charging at a high current rate. In this study, a comparative study between a conventional charging method with 3C current rate (equivalent to 20 min of charging time) and a pulse current charging with 6C current rate (10 min of charging and 10 min of relaxation time) was carried out. While the conventional charging method showed that the capacity was maintained up to about 200 cycles, the pulse current charging method revealed that the capacity was maintained for more than 450 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency of nearly 100%.
Short-Term Load Forecasting Using an Attended Sequential Encoder-Stacked Decoder Model with Online Training
Authors: Henselmeyer Sylwia , Grzegorzek Marcin
Published: May 2021

The paper presents a new approach for the prediction of load active power 24 h ahead using an attended sequential encoder and stacked decoder model with Long Short-Term Memory cells. The load data are owned by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) and is dated from the years 2014–2017. Due to dynamics in the load patterns, multiple short pieces of training on pre-filtered data are executed in combination with the transfer learning concept. The evaluation is done by direct comparison with the results of the NYISO forecast and additionally under consideration of several benchmark methods. The results in terms of the Mean Absolute Percentage Error range from 1.5% for the highly loaded New York City zone to 3% for the Mohawk Valley zone with rather small load consumption. The execution time of a day ahead forecast including the training on a personal computer without GPU accounts to 10 s on average.
Low-Cost Embedded System Using Convolutional Neural Networks-Based Spatiotemporal Feature Map for Real-Time Human Action Recognition
Authors: Kim Jinsoo , Cho Jeongho
Published: May 2021

The field of research related to video data has difficulty in extracting not only spatial but also temporal features and human action recognition (HAR) is a representative field of research that applies convolutional neural network (CNN) to video data. The performance for action recognition has improved, but owing to the complexity of the model, some still limitations to operation in real-time persist. Therefore, a lightweight CNN-based single-stream HAR model that can operate in real-time is proposed. The proposed model extracts spatial feature maps by applying CNN to the images that develop the video and uses the frame change rate of sequential images as time information. Spatial feature maps are weighted-averaged by frame change, transformed into spatiotemporal features, and input into multilayer perceptrons, which have a relatively lower complexity than other HAR models; thus, our method has high utility in a single embedded system connected to CCTV. The results of evaluating action recognition accuracy and data processing speed through challenging action recognition benchmark UCF-101 showed higher action recognition accuracy than the HAR model using long short-term memory with a small amount of video frames and confirmed the real-time operational possibility through fast data processing speed. In addition, the performance of the proposed weighted mean-based HAR model was verified by testing it in Jetson NANO to confirm the possibility of using it in low-cost GPU-based embedded systems.
5G/B5G Service Classification Using Supervised Learning
Authors: Preciado-Velasco Jorge E. , Gonzalez-Franco Joan D. , Anias-Calderon Caridad E. , Nieto-Hipolito Juan I. , Rivera-Rodriguez Raul
Published: May 2021

The classification of services in 5G/B5G (Beyond 5G) networks has become important for telecommunications service providers, who face the challenge of simultaneously offering a better Quality of Service (QoS) in their networks and a better Quality of Experience (QoE) to users. Service classification allows 5G service providers to accurately select the network slices for each service, thereby improving the QoS of the network and the QoE perceived by users, and ensuring compliance with the Service Level Agreement (SLA). Some projects have developed systems for classifying these services based on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that characterize the different services. However, Key Quality Indicators (KQIs) are also significant in 5G networks, although these are generally not considered. We propose a service classifier that uses a Machine Learning (ML) approach based on Supervised Learning (SL) to improve classification and to support a better distribution of resources and traffic over 5G/B5G based networks. We carry out simulations of our proposed scheme using different SL algorithms, first with KPIs alone and then incorporating KQIs and show that the latter achieves better prediction, with an accuracy of 97% and a Matthews correlation coefficient of 96.6% with a Random Forest classifier.
Consensus of Multi-Agent Systems with Unbounded Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Zong Siheng , Tian Yu-Ping
Published: May 2021

In multi-agent systems with increasing communication distances, the communication delay is time-varying and unbounded. In this paper, we describe the multi-agent system with increasing communication distances as the discrete-time system with non-distributed unbounded time-varying delays and study the consensus problem of the system via the distributed control. This paper uses a time-delay system to model the discrete-time system, and the maximum delay in the time-delay system tends to infinity as time goes on. Furthermore, caused by this property, most of convergence analysis methods for bounded time-delay systems are ineffective. Hence, for any finite integer k>0, the finite-dimensional augmented model of the time-delay system is built in the interval [0,k] to study the system state. Under the weaker topological assumption that the topology containing a spanning tree, the system is proved to achieve a consensus if the growth rate of the maximum delay satisfies some mild constraints, which also are constraints on the growth rate of the maximum communication distance between agents. Furthermore, we characterize that the rate of the system achieving a consensus and the growth rate of the maximum delay are negatively correlated. In other words, the rate of the system achieving a consensus and the growth rate of the maximum communication distance between agents are negatively correlated.
Deposition of Aerosols onto Upper Ocean and Their Impacts on Marine Biota
Authors: Ventura Andreia , Simões Eliana F. C. , Almeida Antoine S. , Martins Roberto , Duarte Armando C. , Loureiro Susana , Duarte Regina M. B. O.
Published: May 2021

Atmospheric aerosol deposition (wet and dry) is an important source of macro and micronutrients (N, P, C, Si, and Fe) to the oceans. Most of the mass flux of air particles is made of fine mineral particles emitted from arid or semi-arid areas (e.g., deserts) and transported over long distances until deposition to the oceans. However, this atmospheric deposition is affected by anthropogenic activities, which heavily impacts the content and composition of aerosol constituents, contributing to the presence of potentially toxic elements (e.g., Cu). Under this scenario, the deposition of natural and anthropogenic aerosols will impact the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients and toxic elements in the ocean, also affecting (positively or negatively) primary productivity and, ultimately, the marine biota. Given the importance of atmospheric aerosol deposition to the oceans, this paper reviews the existing knowledge on the impacts of aerosol deposition on the biogeochemistry of the upper ocean, and the different responses of marine biota to natural and anthropogenic aerosol input.
Metal(Loids) Bioaccessibility in Road Dust from the Surrounding Villages of an Active Mine
Authors: Candeias Carla , Ávila Paula F. , Ferreira da Silva Eduardo , Rocha Fernando
Published: May 2021

Human activities, in general, cause a significant impact on the environment and human health. The present study aims to characterize the road dust of villages located near an active mine and to assess metal(loids) bioaccessible fractions. From the collected road dust samples (<250 µm fraction), the pseudo total, gastric (G) and gastrointestinal (GI) phase (UBM assay) concentrations, mineralogical composition, enrichment factor (EF), and risk for humans were determined. The obtained results revealed that arsenic represents the highest risk to humans, with mean pseudototal values higher than the maximum reference value range. The enrichment factor pointed to As as having significant to very high enrichment in all of the villages. In addition, Cd presented the maximum EF values in all of the villages, and was thus classified as having a very high enrichment. Particles enriched in As, Ca, Fe, Cu, Al, and Ti were identified by SEM-EDS in weathered agglomerates, and were linked to mine wastes and long-distance transport through both wind and/or traffic. The arsenic bioaccessibility fraction (%BAF) presented low values in the studied samples, possibly because of the low complex solubility of Fe with adsorbed As, limiting the release of arsenic and reducing its bioaccessibility. The concentrations of bioaccessible Cd for the G and GI phases were within the reference range, while for Cu, they were above and for Pb they were lower than the reference value range. The results show that the pseudototal fraction risk is overestimated when compared with BAF%; nevertheless, the total G and GI risks were above the carcinogenic target risk (1 × 10−6) in most of the samples. The carcinogenic risk of the bioaccessible contaminants showed that As represented the higher risk for developing cancer over a lifetime, with ingestion being the main risk route.
Statistical Approaches for Forecasting Primary Air Pollutants: A Review
Authors: Liao Kuo , Huang Xiaohui , Dang Haofei , Ren Yin , Zuo Shudi , Duan Chensong
Published: May 2021

Air pollutant forecasting can be used to quantitatively estimate pollutant reduction trends. Combining bibliometrics with the evolutionary tree and Markov chain methods can achieve a superior quantitative analysis of research hotspots and trends. In this work, we adopted a bibliometric method to review the research status of statistical prediction methods for air pollution, used evolutionary trees to analyze the development trend of such research, and applied the Markov chain to predict future research trends for major air pollutants. The results indicate that papers mainly focused on the effects of air pollution on human diseases, urban pollution exposure models, and land use regression (LUR) methods. Particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and ozone (O3) were the most investigated pollutants. Artificial neural network (ANN) methods were preferred in studies of PM and O3, while LUR were more widely used in studies of NOx. Additionally, multi-method hybrid techniques gradually became the most widely used approach between 2010 and 2018. In the future, the statistical prediction of air pollution is expected to be based on a mixed method to simultaneously predict multiple pollutants, and the interaction between pollutants will be the most challenging aspect of research on air pollution prediction. The research results summarized in this paper provide technical support for the accurate prediction of atmospheric pollution and the emergency management of regional air quality.
Monitoring and Recognizing Enterprise Public Opinion from High-Risk Users Based on User Portrait and Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Chen Tinggui , Yin Xiaohua , Peng Lijuan , Rong Jingtao , Yang Jianjun , Cong Guodong
Published: May 2021

With the rapid development of “We media” technology, netizens can freely express their opinions regarding enterprise products on a network platform. Consequently, online public opinion about enterprises has become a prominent issue. Negative comments posted by some netizens may trigger negative public opinion, which can have a significant impact on an enterprise’s image. From the perspective of helping enterprises deal with negative public opinion, this paper combines user portrait technology and a random forest algorithm to help enterprises identify high-risk users who have posted negative comments and thus may trigger negative public opinion. In this way, enterprises can monitor the public opinion of high-risk users to prevent negative public opinion events. Firstly, we crawled the information of users participating in discussions of product experience, and we constructed a portrait of enterprise public opinion users. Then, the characteristics of the portraits were quantified into indicators such as the user’s activity, the user’s influence, and the user’s emotional tendency, and the indicators were sorted. According to the order of the indicators, the users were divided into high-risk, moderate-risk, and low-risk categories. Next, a supervised high-risk user identification model for this classification was established, based on a random forest algorithm. In turn, the trained random forest identifier can be used to predict whether the authors of newly published public opinion information are high-risk users. Finally, a back propagation neural network algorithm was used to identify users and compared with the results of model recognition in this paper. The results showed that the average recognition accuracy of the back propagation neural network is only 72.33%, while the average recognition accuracy of the model constructed in this paper is as high as 98.49%, which verifies the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed random forest recognition method.
Rhizosphere Colonization Determinants by Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR)
Authors: Santoyo Gustavo , Urtis-Flores Carlos Alberto , Loeza-Lara Pedro Damián , Orozco-Mosqueda Ma. del Carmen , Glick Bernard R.
Published: May 2021

The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the field has been hampered by a number of gaps in the knowledge of the mechanisms that improve plant growth, health, and production. These gaps include (i) the ability of PGPR to colonize the rhizosphere of plants and (ii) the ability of bacterial strains to thrive under different environmental conditions. In this review, different strategies of PGPR to colonize the rhizosphere of host plants are summarized and the advantages of having highly competitive strains are discussed. Some mechanisms exhibited by PGPR to colonize the rhizosphere include recognition of chemical signals and nutrients from root exudates, antioxidant activities, biofilm production, bacterial motility, as well as efficient evasion and suppression of the plant immune system. Moreover, many PGPR contain secretion systems and produce antimicrobial compounds, such as antibiotics, volatile organic compounds, and lytic enzymes that enable them to restrict the growth of potentially phytopathogenic microorganisms. Finally, the ability of PGPR to compete and successfully colonize the rhizosphere should be considered in the development and application of bioinoculants.
Could You Give Me the Blue Brick? LEGO®-Based Therapy as a Social Development Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
Authors: Narzisi Antonio , Sesso Gianluca , Berloffa Stefano , Fantozzi Pamela , Muccio Rosy , Valente Elena , Viglione Valentina , Villafranca Arianna , Milone Annarita , Masi Gabriele
Published: May 2021

LEGO®-based therapy is a social skills development program aimed at children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science bibliographic databases were searched from their date of inception to August 2020. The review included 19 studies. Studies were classified according to experimental designs (e.g., Randomized Control Trial, Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions and case report and series) and a narrative synthesis of each was provided, along with a critical discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the available literature on the topic. Although LEGO®-based therapy appears a promising treatment for social interaction in ASD, the findings of LEGO®-based therapy studies should be interpreted and generalized with caution, due to the low quality of the studies and the small sample sizes.
Effects of Different Anxiety Levels on the Behavioral Patternings Investigated through T-pattern Analysis in Wistar Rats Tested in the Hole-Board Apparatus
Authors: Casarrubea Maurizio , Di Giovanni Giuseppe , Crescimanno Giuseppe
Published: May 2021

The Hole-Board is an ethologically based tool for investigating the anxiety-related behavior of rats following manipulation of the central anxiety level. The present paper aims to assess behavioral patterning following pharmacological manipulation of emotional assets in Wistar rats tested in this experimental apparatus. For this purpose, the behavior of three groups of rats injected with saline, diazepam or FG7142 was evaluated using conventional quantitative and multivariate T-pattern analyses. The results demonstrate that quantitative analyses of individual components of the behavior, disjointed from the comprehensive behavioral structure, are of narrow utility in the understanding of the subject’s emotional condition. Among the components of the behavioral repertoire in rodents tested in the Hole-Board, Edge-Sniff and Head-Dip represent the most significant ones to rate anxiety level. They are characterized by a strong bivariate relationship and are also firmly part of the behavioral architecture, as revealed by the T-pattern analysis (TPA), a multivariate technique able to detect significant relationships among behavioral events over time. Edge-Sniff → Head-Dip sequences, in particular, are greatly influenced by the level of anxiety: barely detectable in control animals, they completely disappear in subjects with a reduced level of anxiety and are present in almost 25% of the total of T-patterns detected in subjects whose anxiety level increased.
Autophagy and Extracellular Vesicles, Connected to rabGTPase Family, Support Aggressiveness in Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Brunel Aude , Bégaud Gaëlle , Auger Clément , Durand Stéphanie , Battu Serge , Bessette Barbara , Verdier Mireille
Published: May 2021

Even though cancers have been widely studied and real advances in therapeutic care have been made in the last few decades, relapses are still frequently observed, often due to therapeutic resistance. Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are, in part, responsible for this resistance. They are able to survive harsh conditions such as hypoxia or nutrient deprivation. Autophagy and Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) secretion are cellular processes that help CSC survival. Autophagy is a recycling process and EVs secretion is essential for cell-to-cell communication. Their roles in stemness maintenance have been well described. A common pathway involved in these processes is vesicular trafficking, and subsequently, regulation by Rab GTPases. In this review, we analyze the role played by Rab GTPases in stemness status, either directly or through their regulation of autophagy and EVs secretion.
Effect of Coatings Using Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles and Chitosan Films on Oxidation during Storage on White Button Mushroom
Authors: Khojah Ebtihal , Sami Rokayya , Helal Mahmoud , Elhakem Abeer , Benajiba Nada , Alharbi Mona , Alkaltham Mohammed Saeed
Published: May 2021

White button mushroom or (Agaricus bisporus) is known as a healthy foodstuff with several nutrients, polyphenols, proteins, and dietary fibers. Mushrooms have a short shelf-life, approximately three to four days at commercial storage and about eight days under chilling conditions. In the current study, titanium dioxide nanoparticles and chitosan films were used as novel active coating materials with the addition of thymol and tween (T and T) as food preservatives to prolong mushroom shelf life up to 12 days. Chitosan, Chitosan-Nano, and Chitosan-Nano/TT were used as coating materials, while water was used as control. Chitosan-Nano/TT film reported the lowest peroxidase activity (0.005 U kg−1 FW) and the highest superoxide dismutase activity (4.033 U kg−1 FW), while catalase activity in Chitosan-Nano film was (0.45 U kg−1 FW). Chitosan-Nano film enhanced the reactive oxygen species production levels, DPPH radicals (74.70%), and malondialdehyde content (1.68 µmol kg−1FW). Chitosan-Nano/TT film preserved the respiration rates (O2 consumption −0.026 mmol s−1kg−1, CO2 production −0.004 mg CO2 kg−1s−1) and increased the phenolic contents (0.38 g kg−1). The results suggested that nano-coating films can increase the oxidation processes which enhanced the quality of the mushrooms.
Deep Learning of Ultrasound Imaging for Evaluating Ambulatory Function of Individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Liao Ai-Ho , Chen Jheng-Ru , Liu Shi-Hong , Lu Chun-Hao , Lin Chia-Wei , Shieh Jeng-Yi , Weng Wen-Chin , Tsui Po-Hsiang
Published: May 2021

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) results in loss of ambulation and premature death. Ultrasound provides real-time, safe, and cost-effective routine examinations. Deep learning allows the automatic generation of useful features for classification. This study utilized deep learning of ultrasound imaging for classifying patients with DMD based on their ambulatory function. A total of 85 individuals (including ambulatory and nonambulatory subjects) underwent ultrasound examinations of the gastrocnemius for deep learning of image data using LeNet, AlexNet, VGG-16, VGG-16TL, VGG-19, and VGG-19TL models (the notation TL indicates fine-tuning pretrained models). Gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) was used to visualize features recognized by the models. The classification performance was evaluated using the confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The results show that each deep learning model endows muscle ultrasound imaging with the ability to enable DMD evaluations. The Grad-CAMs indicated that boundary visibility, muscular texture clarity, and posterior shadowing are relevant sonographic features recognized by the models for evaluating ambulatory function. Of the proposed models, VGG-19 provided satisfying classification performance (the area under the ROC curve: 0.98; accuracy: 94.18%) and feature recognition in terms of physical characteristics. Deep learning of muscle ultrasound is a potential strategy for DMD characterization.
Ontologies to Enable Interoperability of Multi-Agent Electricity Markets Simulation and Decision Support
Authors: Santos Gabriel , Pinto Tiago , Vale Zita
Published: May 2021

This paper presents the AiD-EM Ontology, which provides a semantic representation of the concepts required to enable the interoperability between multi-agent-based decision support systems, namely AiD-EM, and the market agents that participate in electricity market simulations. Electricity markets’ constant changes, brought about by the increasing necessity for adequate integration of renewable energy sources, make them complex and dynamic environments with very particular characteristics. Several modeling tools directed at the study and decision support in the scope of the restructured wholesale electricity markets have emerged. However, a common limitation is identified: the lack of interoperability between the various systems. This gap makes it impossible to exchange information and knowledge between them, test different market models, enable players from heterogeneous systems to interact in common market environments, and take full advantage of decision support tools. To overcome this gap, this paper presents the AiD-EM Ontology, which includes the necessary concepts related to the AiD-EM multi-agent decision support system, to enable interoperability with easier cooperation and adequate communication between AiD-EM and simulated market agents wishing to take advantage of this decision support tool.
Design of Portable Exoskeleton Forearm for Rehabilitation of Monoparesis Patients Using Tendon Flexion Sensing Mechanism for Health Care Applications
Authors: Imtiaz Muhammad Saad bin , Babar Ali Channa , Kausar Zareena , Shah Syed Yaseen , Shah Syed Aziz , Ahmad Jawad , Imran Muhammad Ali , Abbasi Qammer Hussain
Published: May 2021

Technology plays a vital role in patient rehabilitation, improving the quality of life of an individual. The increase in functional independence of disabled individuals requires adaptive and commercially available solutions. The use of sensor-based technology helps patients and therapeutic practices beyond traditional therapy. Adapting skeletal tracking technology could automate exercise tracking, records, and feedback for patient motivation and clinical treatment interventions and planning. In this paper, an exoskeleton was designed and subsequently developed for patients who are suffering from monoparesis in the upper extremities. The exoskeleton was developed according to the dimensions of a patient using a 3D scanner, and then fabricated with a 3D printer; the mechanism for the movement of the hand is a tendon flexion mechanism with servo motor actuators controlled by an ATMega2560 microcontroller. The exoskeleton was used for force augmentation of the patient’s hand by taking the input from the hand via flex sensors, and assisted the patient in closing, opening, grasping, and picking up objects, and it was also able to perform certain exercises for the rehabilitation of the patient. The exoskeleton is portable, reliable, durable, intuitive, and easy to install and use at any time.
A Framework for Mitigating DDoS and DOS Attacks in IoT Environment Using Hybrid Approach
Authors: Ghali Abdulrahman Aminu , Ahmad Rohiza , Alhussian Hitham
Published: May 2021

The Internet of Things (IoT) has gained remarkable acceptance from millions of individuals. This is evident in the extensive use of intelligent devices such as smartphones, smart television, speakers, air conditioning, lighting, and high-speed networks. The general application area of IoT includes industries, hospitals, schools, homes, sports, oil and gas, automobile, and entertainment, to mention a few. However, because of the unbounded connection of IoT devices and the lack of a specific method for overseeing communication, security concerns such as distributed denial of service (DDoS), denial of service (DoS), replay, botnet, social engineering, man-in-the-middle, and brute force attacks have posed enormous challenges in the IoT environment. Regarding these enormous challenges, this study focuses on DDoS and DoS attacks. These two attacks have the most severe consequences in the IoT environment. The solution proposed in this study can also help future researchers tackle the expansion of IoT security threats. Moreover, the study conducts rigorous experiments to assess the efficiency of the proposed approach. In summary, the experimental results show that the proposed hybrid approach mitigates data exfiltration caused by DDoS and DoS attacks by 95.4%, with average network lifetime, energy consumption, and throughput improvements of 15%, 25%, and 60%, respectively.