bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Reduced Graphene Oxide on Microwave Absorbing Properties of Al1.5Co4Fe2Cr High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Wang Shuo , Zhang Weiran , Zhang Yong , Zhao Jinqiang , Li Ruixuan , Zhong Yujie
Published: January 2024

The microwave absorption performance of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) can be improved by reducing the reflection coefficient of electromagnetic waves and broadening the absorption frequency band. The present work prepared flaky irregular-shaped Al1.5Co4Fe2Cr and Al1.5Co4Fe2Cr@rGO alloy powders by mechanical alloying (MA) at different rotational speeds. It was found that the addition of trace amounts of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) had a favorable effect on the impedance matching, reflection loss (RL), and effective absorbing bandwidth (EAB) of the Al1.5Co4Fe2Cr@rGO HEA composite powders. The EAB of the alloy powders prepared at 300 rpm increased from 2.58 GHz to 4.62 GHz with the additive, and the RL increased by 2.56 dB. The results showed that the presence of rGO modified the complex dielectric constant of HEA powders, thereby enhancing their dielectric loss capability. Additionally, the presence of lamellar rGO intensified the interfacial reflections within the absorber, facilitating the dissipation of electromagnetic waves. The effect of the ball milling speed on the defect concentration of the alloy powders also affected its wave absorption performance. The samples prepared at 350 rpm had the best wave absorption performance, with an RL of −16.23 and −17.28 dB for a thickness of 1.6 mm and EAB of 5.77 GHz and 5.43 GHz, respectively.
Research on Image Stitching Algorithm Based on Point-Line Consistency and Local Edge Feature Constraints
Authors: Ma Shaokang , Li Xiuhong , Liu Kangwei , Qiu Tianchi , Liu Yulong
Published: January 2024

Image stitching aims to synthesize a wider and more informative whole image, which has been widely used in various fields. This study focuses on improving the accuracy of image mosaic and proposes an image mosaic method based on local edge contour matching constraints. Because the accuracy and quantity of feature matching have a direct influence on the stitching result, it often leads to wrong image warpage model estimation when feature points are difficult to detect and match errors are easy to occur. To address this issue, the geometric invariance is used to expand the number of feature matching points, thus enriching the matching information. Based on Canny edge detection, significant local edge contour features are constructed through operations such as structure separation and edge contour merging to improve the image registration effect. The method also introduces the spatial variation warping method to ensure the local alignment of the overlapping area, maintains the line structure in the image without bending by the constraints of short and long lines, and eliminates the distortion of the non-overlapping area by the global line-guided warping method. The method proposed in this paper is compared with other research through experimental comparisons on multiple datasets, and excellent stitching results are obtained.
An Exploration of How Multimodally Designed Teaching and the Creation of Digital Animations can Contribute to Six-Year-Olds’ Meaning Making in Chemistry
Authors: Patron Emelie , Wernholm Marina , Danielsson Kristina , Palmér Hanna , Ebbelind Andreas
Published: January 2024

Previous research shows that pupils’ participation in educational activities increases when they are allowed to use several forms of expression. Furthermore, digital media have become increasingly prominent as “carriers” of meaning in chemistry education. Based on that, this paper aims to explore ‘what is happening’ and ‘what is possible’ when six-year-old pupils participate in multimodally designed learning activities and create digital animations of water molecules and phase changes of water. This study is qualitative and draws on the frameworks of social semiotics and Designs for Learning, DfL, where teaching and learning are seen as a multimodal design. The Learning Design Sequence model, developed within DfL is used as a basis for the lesson design and as an analytical tool. The analyzed data were generated by filming when pupils participated in multimodal learning activities, created digital animations, and participated in meta-reflective discussions regarding their digital animations. The main findings are that multimodally designed lessons can increase pupils’ meaning making in chemistry, that the creation of digital animations may both increase pupils’ participation and support their meaning making, and that meta-reflection of pupils’ representations is an important part of the lesson design.
On the Quasistationarity of the Ambient Electromagnetic Field Generated by Wi-Fi Sources
Authors: Tuță Leontin , Roșu Georgiana , Andone Alina , Spandole-Dinu Sonia , Fichte Lars Ole
Published: January 2024

In recent decades, the widespread use of mobile phones and wireless technologies has led to a significant increase in radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs), raising concerns about continuous RF-EMF exposure among the general population. Recent research indicates that real-life RF signals are more biologically active than controlled laboratory signals with a low variability, suggesting that living organisms can adapt to EMF exposure when the pattern has a low variability. However, using real-life sources with unpredictable variation signals in biological experiments contradicts the principle of experiment controllability. This paper aims to investigate the nature of signals generated by current sources of ambient EMFs in terms of stationarity, with the goal of replicating them in biological experiments to study the effects of EMF exposure. Employing a range of statistical methodologies, starting with descriptive statistical analysis and progressing to the advanced APDP and APTF methods, an examination is conducted on a collection of Wi-Fi signal recordings across various operating modes, with particular attention given to video streaming. The chosen datasets are scrutinized with respect to their adherence to a Gaussian distribution and the concept of stationarity. The results indicate that the observed Wi-Fi signals lack stationarity in both the time and frequency domains. However, based on the analytical findings, it is possible to generate signals in frequency that authentically replicate Wi-Fi signals, accounting for nonstationarity considerations.
Assessment of Regulatory and Market Challenges in the Economic Feasibility of a Nanogrid: A Brazilian Case
Authors: Assis Fernando A. , Coelho Francisco C. R. , Castro José Filho C. , Donadon Antonio R. , Roncolatto Ronaldo A. , Rosas Pedro A. C. , Andrade Vittoria E. M. S. , Bento Rafael G. , Silva Luiz C. P. , Cypriano João G. I. , Saavedra Osvaldo R.
Published: January 2024

Microgrids have emerged as a popular solution for electric energy distribution due to their reliability, sustainability, and growing accessibility. However, their implementation can be challenging, particularly due to regulatory and market issues. Building smaller-scale microgrids, also known as nanogrids, can present additional challenges, such as high investment costs that need to be justified by local demands. To address these challenges, this work proposes an economic feasibility assessment model that is applied to a real nanogrid under construction in the Brazilian electrical system, with electric vehicle charging stations as its main load. The model, which takes into account uncertainties, evaluates the economic viability of constructing a nanogrid using economic indicators estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation method, with the system operation represented by the OpenDSS software. The model also considers aspects of energy transactions within the net-metering paradigm, with energy compensation between the nanogrid and the main distribution network, and investigates how incentives can impact the viability of these microgrids.
The Effect of Different Mixing Proportions and Different Operating Conditions of Biodiesel Blended Fuel on Emissions and Performance of Compression Ignition Engines
Authors: Zheng Fangyuan , Cho Haeng Muk
Published: January 2024

Faced with the depletion of fossil fuels and increasingly serious environmental pollution, finding an environmentally friendly renewable alternative fuel has become one of the current research focuses. In order to find new alternative fuels, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, improve air quality, and promote sustainable development goals, castor biodiesel was produced through transesterification, and mixed with diesel in a certain proportion. The engine performance and emissions were compared and analyzed under fixed load and different speeds of agricultural diesel engines. Biofuel, as a fuel containing oxygen, promotes complete combustion to a certain extent. As the proportion of castor biodiesel in the mixed fuel increases, the emissions of pollutants such as CO, HC, and smoke show a decreasing trend. The lowest CO, HC, and smoke emissions were observed in the B80 blend at 1800 rpm, at 0.3%, 23 ppm, and 3%, respectively. On the contrary, the CO2 and NOx emissions of the B80 blend are higher than those of 2.7 diesel, reaching 2.5% and 332 ppm respectively at 1800 rpm. The lower calorific value and higher viscosity of biodiesel result in a decrease in BTE and an increase in the BSFC of the blends. Higher combustion temperatures at high speeds promote oxidation reactions, resulting in reduced HC, CO, and smoke emissions, but increased CO2 and NOx emissions. At high speeds, fuel consumption increases, BSFC increases, and BTE decreases. Overall, castor biodiesel has similar physical and chemical properties to diesel and can be mixed with diesel in a certain proportion for use in CI engines, making it an excellent alternative fuel.
Life Cycle Assessment of a Gas Turbine Installation
Authors: Mozzhegorova Yulia , Ilinykh Galina , Korotaev Vladimir
Published: January 2024

Gas turbine installations (GTIs) are widely used to generate electrical and thermal energy, mainly by burning gaseous fuels. With the development of hydrogen energy technology, a current area of particular interest is the use of GTIs to burn hydrogen. In order to assess the prospects of using GTIs in this way, it is necessary to understand the carbon emissions of gas turbines within the larger context of the entire hydrogen life cycle and its carbon footprint. The article provides an overview of results from previously published studies on life cycle assessment (LCA) of complex technical devices associated with the production and consumption of fuel and energy, which are most similar to GTIs when it comes to the complexity of LCA. The subject of analysis was a set of GTIs located in Russia with a capacity of 16 MW. An assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per MWh of electricity produced showed that at different stages of the GTI life cycle, the total carbon footprint was 198.1–604.3 kg CO2-eq., of which more than 99% came from GTI operation. Greenhouse gas emissions from the production and end-of-life management stages are significantly lower for GTIs compared to those for other complex technical devices used to generate electricity. This is an indicator of the strong prospects for the future use of GTIs.
EhdNet: Efficient Harmonic Detection Network for All-Phase Processing with Channel Attention Mechanism
Authors: Deng Yi , Wang Lei , Li Yitong , Liu Hai , Wang Yifei
Published: January 2024

The core of harmonic detection is the recognition and extraction of each order harmonic in the signal. The current detection methods are seriously affected by the fence effect and spectrum aliasing, which brings great challenges to the detection of each order harmonic in the signal. This paper proposes an efficient harmonic detection neural network based on all-phase processing. It is based on three crucial designs. First, a harmonic signal-processing module is developed to ensure phase invariance and establish the foundation for subsequent modules. Then, we constructed the backbone network and utilized the feature-extraction module to extract deep abstract harmonic features of the target. Furthermore, a channel attention mechanism is also introduced in the weight-selection module to enhance the energy of the residual convolution stable spectrum feature, which facilitates the accurate and subtle expression of intrinsic characteristics of the target. We evaluate our method based on frequency, phase, and amplitude in two environments with and without noise. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed EhdNet method can achieve 94% accuracy, which is higher than the compared methods. In comparison experiments with actual data, the RMSE of EhdNet is also lower than that of other recent methods. Moreover, the proposed method outperforms ResNet, BP, and other neural network approaches in data processing across diverse working conditions due to its incorporation of a channel attention mechanism.
Enhancing Heat Storage Cooling Systems via the Implementation of Honeycomb-Inspired Design: Investigating Efficiency and Performance
Authors: Rahmani Amin , Dibaj Mahdieh , Akrami Mohammad
Published: January 2024

This study presents a novel approach inspired by the hexagonal honeycomb structure found in nature, leveraging image processing algorithms to precisely define complex geometries in thermal systems. Hexagonal phase change material containers and thermally conductive fins were meticulously delineated, mirroring the intricate real-world designs of honeycombs. This innovative methodology not only streamlines setup processes but also enhances our understanding of melting dynamics within enclosures, highlighting the potential benefits of biomimetic design principles in engineering applications. Two distinct honeycomb structures were employed to investigate their impact on the melting process within cavities subject to heating from the left wall, with the remaining walls treated as adiabatic surfaces. The incorporation of a thermally conductive fin system within the enclosure significantly reduced the time required for a complete phase change, emphasizing the profound influence of fin systems on thermal design and performance. This enhancement in heat transfer dynamics makes fin systems advantageous for applications prioritizing precise temperature control and expedited phase change processes. Furthermore, the critical role of the fin system design was emphasized, influencing both the onset and location of the final point of melting. This underscores the importance of tailoring fin systems to specific applications to optimize their performance. Our study highlights the significant impact of the Rayleigh (Ra) number on the melting time in a cavity without fins, revealing a decrease from 6 to 0.4 as the Ra increased from 102 to 105; the introduction of a fin system uniformly reduced the melting time to Ste.Fo = 0.5, indicating fins’ universal effectiveness in optimizing thermal dynamics and expediting the melting process. Moreover, the cavity angle was found to significantly affect the fluid fraction diagram in unfanned cavities but had minimal impact when fins were present, highlighting the stabilizing role of fins in mitigating gravitational effects during melting processes. These insights expand our understanding of cavity geometry and fin interactions in heat transfer, offering potential for enhanced thermal system designs in various engineering applications. Decreasing thermal conductivity (λ) by increasing the fin thickness can halve the melting time, but the accompanying disadvantages include a heavier system and reduced energy storage due to less phase change material, necessitating a careful balance in decision-making.
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Bolster the Energy Sector in Smart Cities: A Literature Review
Authors: Camacho José de Jesús , Aguirre Bernabé , Ponce Pedro , Anthony Brian , Molina Arturo
Published: January 2024

As Smart Cities development grows, deploying advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Cyber–Physical Systems, and particularly, Artificial Intelligence (AI), becomes imperative for efficiently managing energy resources. These technologies serve to coalesce elements of the energy life cycle. By integrating smart infrastructures, including renewable energy, electric vehicles, and smart grids, AI emerges as a keystone, improving various urban processes. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and the Scopus database, this study meticulously reviews the existing literature, focusing on AI technologies in four principal energy domains: generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption. Additionally, this paper shows the technological gaps when AI is implemented in Smart Cities. A total of 122 peer-reviewed articles are analyzed, and the findings indicate that AI technologies have led to remarkable advancements in each domain. For example, AI algorithms have been employed in energy generation to optimize resource allocation and predictive maintenance, especially in renewable energy. The role of AI in anomaly detection and grid stabilization is significant in transmission and distribution. Therefore, the review outlines trends, high-impact articles, and emerging keyword clusters, offering a comprehensive analytical lens through which the multifaceted applications of AI in Smart City energy sectors can be evaluated. The objective is to provide an extensive analytical framework that outlines the AI techniques currently deployed and elucidates their connected implications for sustainable development in urban energy. This synthesis is aimed at policymakers, urban planners, and researchers interested in leveraging the transformative potential of AI to advance the sustainability and efficiency of Smart City initiatives in the energy sector.
Integration of Well Logging and Seismic Data for the Prognosis of Reservoir Properties of Carbonates
Authors: Kaczmarczyk-Kuszpit Weronika , Sowiżdżał Krzysztof
Published: January 2024

Due to the complex nature of the pore system and the diversity of pore types, carbonate rocks pose a challenge in terms of their spatial characterization. Unlike sandstones, permeability in carbonates is often not correlated conclusively with porosity. A methodology for preliminary qualitative spatial characterization of reservoirs in carbonate rocks is presented in this article, with a focus on interparametric relationships. It endeavors to apply this methodology to a reservoir situated within the Main Dolomite formation in the Polish Lowlands. Fundamental analyses rely on data plotted within rock physics templates (RPT), specifically, cross-plots of acoustic impedance as a function of the product of compressional and shear wave velocities in well log profiles. The analysis of interparametric relationships was conducted on well log profiles and subsequently integrated with seismic data using neural network techniques. Areas with the greatest potential for hydrocarbon accumulation and areas potentially exhibiting enhanced reservoir properties were identified based on the outcomes of the well log profile analysis and parametric models. The qualitative assessment of the reservoir, rooted in interparametric dependencies encompassing lithofacies characteristics and elastic and petrophysical parameters, together with reservoir fluid saturation, forms the basis for further, more detailed reservoir analysis, potentially focusing on fracture modeling.
Can Electric Vehicle Carsharing Bridge the Green Divide? A Study of BlueLA’s Environmental Impacts among Underserved Communities and the Broader Population
Authors: Yassine Ziad , Martin Elliot , Shaheen Susan
Published: January 2024

This study aims to evaluate the potential of electric vehicle (EV) carsharing services to address social and environmental disparities in urban transportation through an evaluation of BlueLA, a one-way station-based carsharing service in Los Angeles, California. BlueLA provides a clean and affordable mobility option in underserved communities that face significant air quality burdens and have historically been excluded from environmental benefits. By incorporating BlueLA trip activity data from January 2021 to December 2022 (n = 59,112 trips) and an online user survey implemented in early December 2022 (n = 215 responses), we estimate the impacts of BlueLA on personal vehicle ownership patterns, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The results show an overall net reduction in VMT and GHG emissions of 463,845 miles and 656 metric tons, respectively, among the BlueLA user population (3074 registered users). When disaggregating impacts by BlueLA member type, our findings show a net reduction of 234 and 371 metric tons in GHG emissions for Standard (general population) and Community (low-income qualified) members, respectively. Additionally, our socio-demographic analysis highlights clear disparities between these two member groups, with Community members typically having lower incomes (i.e., 74% earning below USD 50,000 annually); lower educational attainment (i.e., 46% with at most an associate’s degree); and larger households (i.e., 23% living in households of four or more) compared to Standard members (i.e., 19% earning below USD 50,000, 24% with at most an associate’s degree, and 9% in households of four or more). Moreover, when comparing the VMT and associated GHG emissions due to BlueLA, we find that the presence of BlueLA reduces VMT and GHG emissions by 34% and 48% respectively, and each BlueLA vehicle replaces 16 personally owned vehicles (shed and postponed purchases). Last, when comparing the emissions produced by the electric fleet of BlueLA to those of a comparable fleet of internal combustion engine vehicles, we find that the use of an EV fleet reduces GHG emissions by 43% in comparison. The BlueLA carsharing service has led to notable net reductions in VMT and thus GHG emissions, with a major share of these reductions observed among Community members.
Spatiotemporal Evolution of Wind Turbine Wake Characteristics at Different Inflow Velocities
Authors: Xu Qian , Yang Hui , Qian Yuehong , Wei Yikun
Published: January 2024

In this paper, the spatiotemporal evolution of wind turbine (WT) wake characteristics is studied based on lattice Boltzmann method-large eddy simulations (LBM-LES) and grid adaptive encryption at different incoming flow velocities. It is clearly captured that secondary flow occurs in the vortex ring under shear force in the incoming flow direction, the S-wave and the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability occur in the major vortex ring mainly due to the unstable vortex ring interface with small disturbance of shear velocity along the direction of flow velocity. The S-wave and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability are increasingly enhanced in the main vortex ring, and three-dimensional disturbances are inevitable along the mainstream direction when it evolves along the flow direction. With increasing incoming flow, the S-wave and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability are gradually enhanced due to the increasing shear force in the flow direction. This is related to the nonlinear growth mechanism of the disturbance. The analysis of the velocity signal, as well as the pressure signal with a fast Fourier transform, indicates that the interaction between the vortices effectively accelerates the turbulence generation. In the near-field region of the wake, the dissipation mainly occurs at the vortex at the blade tip, and the velocity distribution appears asymmetric around the turbine centerline under shear and the mixing of fluids with different velocities in the wake zone also leads to asymmetric distributions.
Residence Time Reduction in Anaerobic Reactors: Investigating the Economic Benefits of Magnetite-Induced Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer Mechanism
Authors: Kim Tae-Bong , Lee Jun-Hyeong , Yoon Young-Man
Published: January 2024

Existing research on direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) has predominantly focused on the types and concentrations of conductive materials across diverse anaerobic digestion. However, insufficient understanding of the impact of residence time, a critical economic factor, prompted this investigation. Magnetite, a conductive material, was introduced into the anaerobic digestion of food wastewater, leading to a significant increase in ultimate methane production (Bu) with 25 mM-Fe3O4 (p < 0.05). Despite a subsequent decline in methane production efficiency from 388.9% to 7.1% over the 15- to 65-day anaerobic digestion period, the initial impact of increased methane production due to magnetite addition was evident. Control’s maximum methane production rate (Rm) was 27.5 mL/day, reaching its highest point at 37.4 mL/day with 15 mM-Fe3O4, accompanied by a noteworthy 56.6% reduction in the attainment day of Rm (Rm-day), shortened to 8.2 days. Even with 100 mM-Fe3O4, while Bu showed no significant difference, Rm-day exhibited a substantial reduction of 22.8. Despite the lower overall anaerobic digestion efficiency under some magnetite input conditions, this study confirmed a substantial shortening of Rm-day, suggesting that the DIET mechanism induced by conductive materials such as magnetite could reduce the residence time in continuous-type anaerobic reactors, contributing to improved economic feasibility.
Wildfires’ Effect on Soil Properties and Bacterial Biodiversity of Postpyrogenic Histic Podzols (Middle Taiga, Komi Republic)
Authors: Chebykina Ekaterina Yu. , Abakumov Evgeny V. , Kimeklis Anastasiia K. , Gladkov Grigory V. , Andronov Evgeny E. , Dymov Alexey A.
Published: January 2024

Data on the main properties of Histic Podzols in the pine forests of semi-hydromorphic landscapes in the middle taiga of the Komi Republic after forest fires are presented. A decrease in topsoil horizon thickness by more than 7.6 times, an increase in litter density by 6 times, and a decrease in litter stock by 4 times were observed in postfire soil. There was an increase in carbon content in the pyrogenic horizon (48%) and in the upper part of the podzolic horizon—from 0.49 at the control plot to 1.16% after the fire. The accumulation of all studied trace metals (Cu—from 2.5 to 6.8 mg × kg−1; Zn—from 35.7 to 127.4 mg × kg−1; Ni—from 2.2 to 8.1 mg × kg−1; Pb—from 1.4 to 28.3 mg × kg−1; Cd—from 0.3 to 1.1 mg × kg−1) in soils after wildfires was recorded. The effect of the fire can be traced to a depth of approximately 20–30 cm. A significant influence of the pyrogenic factor on the alpha and beta bacterial diversity was noted. The bacterial response to a forest fire can be divided into an increased proportion of spore-forming and Gram-negative species with complex metabolism as well.
Enzymatic Preparation and Processing Properties of DPP-IV Inhibitory Peptides Derived from Wheat Gluten: Effects of Pretreatment Methods and Protease Types
Authors: Zhao Rui , Lu Shuwen , Li Shaozhen , Shen Huifang , Wang Yao , Gao Yang , Shen Xinting , Wang Fei , Wu Jiawu , Liu Wenhui , Chen Kaixin , Yao Xinmiao , Li Jian
Published: January 2024

The choice of appropriate proteases and pretreatment methods significantly influences the preparation of bioactive peptides. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different pretreatment methods on the hydrolytic performance of diverse proteases during the production of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory peptides derived from wheat and their foaming and emulsion properties. Dry heating, aqueous heating, and ultrasound treatment were employed as pretreatments for the protein prior to the enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat gluten. FTIR analysis results indicated that all pretreatment methods altered the secondary structure of the protein; however, the effects of dry heating treatment on the secondary structure content were opposite to those of aqueous heating and ultrasound treatment. Nevertheless, all three methods enhanced the protein solubility and surface hydrophobicity. By using pretreated proteins as substrates, five different types of proteases were employed for DPP-IV inhibitory peptide production. The analysis of the DPP-IV inhibitory activity, degree of hydrolysis, and TCA-soluble peptide content revealed that the specific pretreatments had a promoting or inhibiting effect on DPP-IV inhibitory peptide production depending on the protease used. Furthermore, the pretreatment method and the selected type of protease collectively influenced the foaming and emulsifying properties of the prepared peptides.
Impact of Oat Supplementation on the Structure, Digestibility, and Sensory Properties of Extruded Instant Rice
Authors: Wu Junling , Zhu Kai , Zhang Sijie , Shi Meng , Liao Luyan
Published: January 2024

The addition of oat at varying percentages (26%, 32%, 38%, 44% and 50%) was used to evaluate the structural, microstructural, and physicochemical changes in instant-extruded rice (IER). A mixture of broken rice and oat flour was extruded in a twin-screw extruder. It was found that when adding 44% oats, the gelatinization degree of the mixed powder was the lowest (89.086 ± 1.966%). The dietary fiber content increased correspondingly with the increase in oat addition. Analyses of texture properties revealed that the hardness, adhesive, and resilience values increased and then decreased with oat addition. Compared with other common instant rice (IR), the advantages of IER were evaluated in terms of microstructure, digestive performance, and flavor. IER with 44% oat addition obtained in this study had higher hardness, adhesiveness, rehydration time, and sensory score, and the content of resistant starch (RS) reached 6.06%. The electronic nose and electronic tongue analyses could distinguish the flavor of different IR efficiently. This study showed the feasibility of preparing fiber-enriched IER. The results demonstrated the potential for the development and utilization of broken rice, providing a reference for the development of IER.
Hybrid Fruits for Improving Health—A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Cruz Marta A. A. S. , Coimbra Pedro P. S. , Araújo-Lima Carlos F. , Freitas-Silva Otniel , Teodoro Anderson J.
Published: January 2024

Several species of hybrid fruits, such as citrus, grapes, blueberries, apples, tomatoes, and lingonberries among others, have attracted scientific attention in recent years, especially due to their reported antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The bagasse, leaves, bark, and seeds of these hybrid fruits have large amounts of polyphenols, such as flavonoids, which act as potent antioxidants. Several studies have been carried out in cellular models of neurotoxicity of the extract of these fruits, to document the beneficial effects for human health, as well as to prove its antiproliferative effect in cancer cells. In the present review, through a synthesis of existing information in the scientific literature, we demonstrate that hybrid fruits are a source of antioxidant and bioactive compounds, which act in the inhibition of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, and consequently improving human health.
Polymorphisms and Pharmacogenomics of NQO2: The Past and the Future
Authors: Janda Elzbieta , Boutin Jean A. , De Lorenzo Carlo , Arbitrio Mariamena
Published: January 2024

The flavoenzyme N-ribosyldihydronicotinamide (NRH):quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2) catalyzes two-electron reductions of quinones. NQO2 contributes to the metabolism of biogenic and xenobiotic quinones, including a wide range of antitumor drugs, with both toxifying and detoxifying functions. Moreover, NQO2 activity can be inhibited by several compounds, including drugs and phytochemicals such as flavonoids. NQO2 may play important roles that go beyond quinone metabolism and include the regulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and autophagy, with implications in carcinogenesis and neurodegeneration. NQO2 is a highly polymorphic gene with several allelic variants, including insertions (I), deletions (D) and single-nucleotide (SNP) polymorphisms located mainly in the promoter, but also in other regulatory regions and exons. This is the first systematic review of the literature reporting on NQO2 gene variants as risk factors in degenerative diseases or drug adverse effects. In particular, hypomorphic 29 bp I alleles have been linked to breast and other solid cancer susceptibility as well as to interindividual variability in response to chemotherapy. On the other hand, hypermorphic polymorphisms were associated with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The I and D promoter variants and other NQO2 polymorphisms may impact cognitive decline, alcoholism and toxicity of several nervous system drugs. Future studies are required to fill several gaps in NQO2 research.
The Contributions of Knee Extension Strength and Hand Grip Strength to Factors Relevant to Physical Frailty: The Tanno-Sobetsu Study
Authors: Seko Toshiaki , Akasaka Hiroshi , Koyama Masayuki , Himuro Nobuaki , Saitoh Shigeyuki , Ogawa Shunichi , Miura Sayo , Mori Mitsuru , Ohnishi Hirofumi
Published: January 2024

Sarcopenia is the core factor of frailty. This study specifically focused on lower limb muscle strength and examined muscle indices that indicate the risk of frailty or pre-frailty in older adults. The study included 327 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years (43.7% male) who participated in the cohort. Frailty was defined based on five symptoms: weight loss, low activity level, exhaustion, weakness and slowness. Participants were classified into frail (three or more applicable), pre-frail (one to two applicable) and non-frail groups. Muscle strength (knee extension strength, toe grip strength and hand grip strength) were assessed, and appendicular muscle mass was assessed via a bioelectrical impedance analysis. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of muscle indices for with frailty (frail group vs. pre-frail group) or pre-frailty (pre-frail group vs. non-frail group) were calculated. The prevalence of frail and pre-frail was 7% and 40%, respectively. Adjusted for age, sex, albumin and medical history, knee extension strength was significantly associated with frailty (odds ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.98), while hand grip strength was associated with pre-frailty (odds ratio 0.92, 95% CI 0.88–0.97) but not with other muscle indices. This study is significant for identifying knee extension strength as a factor relevant to frailty in older adults considered pre-frailty, emphasizing the importance of this specific muscle measure in predicting and managing frailty.
Experiences of Veterans, Caregivers, and VA Home-Based Care Providers before, during, and Post-Hurricane Ian
Authors: Haverhals Leah M. , Manheim Chelsea , Vega Lujan Deisy
Published: January 2024

On 28 September 2022, Hurricane Ian pummeled parts of south Florida. Disaster and climate change research has shown that disasters exacerbate inequalities, especially amongst older and physically vulnerable people. Florida has a large population of Veterans managing multiple chronic health conditions and receiving long-term care in-home from Veterans Health Administration (VA) programs, including Home Based Primary Care and Medical Foster Home. To describe how VA staff provided high quality care during and after the hurricane, and how Veterans and caregivers accessed needed healthcare and supports post-hurricane, we conducted a site visit to Lee County, Florida area in May 2023, conducting N = 25 interviews with VA staff, Veterans, and caregivers. Findings from qualitative thematic analysis showed that while some Veterans and caregivers experienced significant challenges during and after the hurricane, including displacement and difficulty accessing oxygen, they felt highly supported by VA care teams. Staff efforts post-hurricane focused on improving care coordination in anticipation of future disasters, especially around communicating with Veterans and their caregivers, and a VA workgroup formed to implement changes. As climate change causes more severe hazard events, lessons learned from this project can better support healthcare staff, older adults, and their caregivers before and after major disasters.
Occupational Stress Levels among Radiologists and Radiographers in Hungary during the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Sipos David , Kövesdi Orsolya , Raposa Bence , Ferkai Luca , Deutsch Krisztina , Pandur Attila , Kovács Árpád , Csima Melinda Petőné
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened stress levels, potentially affecting the occupational wellbeing of radiographers and radiologists. Our study aimed to assess occupational stress levels within the radiology department and identify contributing factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between September and November 2022, with participants comprising radiographers and radiologists affiliated with the Hungarian Society of Radiographers and the Hungarian Society of Radiologists. The online survey collected socio-demographic and COVID-19 data, and the participants completed an effort–reward imbalance questionnaire. The analysis of 406 responses revealed significantly higher effort–reward imbalance (ERI) levels among the radiologists compared to the radiographers (p < 0.05). The healthcare professionals with over 30 years of experience exhibited significantly lower ERI levels than those with 1–9 years, 10–19 years, or 20–29 years of experience (p < 0.05). Additionally, the individuals aged 31–40 demonstrated higher ERI levels compared to their counterparts aged 19–30, 41–50, and over 51 (p < 0.05). The respondents cohabiting with a spouse/partner reported significantly higher stress levels than their single colleagues (p < 0.05), while the dog owners exhibited significantly lower ERI levels (p < 0.05). Elevated occupational stress highlights specific groups requiring targeted interventions to reduce stress and mitigate burnout among radiologists and radiographers.
Nutritional Risk, Depression, and Physical Function in Older People Living Alone
Authors: Park Jeong-Hye , Kang Se-Won
Published: January 2024

This study investigated depression and physical function as factors associated with nutritional risk in older adults living alone. The study included 2896 people 65 years or older who lived alone. Data were collected in South Korea between September and November 2020. Descriptive statistics, a chi-squared test, independent samples t-test, weighted multiple regression analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed using IBM SPSS for Windows ver. 23.0. In this study, 44.8% of participants were in the nutritional risk group. Furthermore, 60.9% of those at risk for depression, 75.1% of those with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) dependency, and 59.1% of those with chewing limitations were at nutritional risk. The factors that increased nutritional risk in the weighted multiple regression analysis were depression (β = 0.27, p < 0.001), chewing limitations (β = 0.12, p < 0.001), IADL dependency (β = 0.09, p < 0.001), and basic physical movement (β = 0.04, p = 0.020). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that those with IADL dependency had a 2.59 times higher nutritional risk than those with IADL non-dependency (p < 0.001). The nutritional risk group had a higher risk of depression (2.01 times higher [p < 0.001]), chewing limitations (1.76 times higher [p < 0.001]), and basic physical movement limitations (1.35 times higher [p = 0.009]) than the good nutritional group. Therefore, nutritional screening is required of older individuals living alone. To mitigate nutritional risks, it is necessary to assess depression and physical function, including IADL dependency.
Effects of Swedish Massage at Different Times of the Day on Dynamic and Static Balance in Taekwondo Athletes
Authors: Bayrakdaroğlu Serdar , Eken Özgür , Bayer Ramazan , Yagin Fatma Hilal , Kızılet Tuba , Kayhan Recep Fatih , Ardigò Luca Paolo
Published: January 2024

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of different durations of Swedish massage on the static and dynamic balance at different times of the day in taekwondo athletes. Twelve taekwondo athletes who had been practicing on a regular basis for more than 5 years participated in this study. Taekwondo athletes completed static and dynamic balance tests either after a no-massage protocol (NMP), a five-minute massage protocol (5MMP), a ten-minute massage protocol (10MMP), or a fifteen-minute massage protocol (15MMP) two times a day in the morning (08:00–12:00) and in the evening (16:00–20:00), on non-consecutive days. The findings of this study suggest that the duration of the massage has a discernible impact on dynamic balance, particularly with regard to the right foot. Taekwondo athletes who received a 10MMP or 15MMP displayed significantly improved dynamic balance compared to those in the NMP. Importantly, these improvements were independent of the time of day when the massages were administered. It underscores the potential benefits of incorporating short-duration Swedish massages into taekwondo athletes’ pre-competition routines to enhance dynamic balance. These findings highlight the potential benefits of incorporating short-duration Swedish massages into taekwondo athletes’ pre-competition routines to enhance dynamic balance, a critical component of their performance, regardless of the time of day.
Program Evaluation and Refinement of the “Safe Functional Home Exercise” Program for Improving Physical Activity in Older People with Dementia Who Receive Home Care
Authors: Lee Den-Ching A. , Callisaya Michele L. , Haines Terry P. , Hill Keith D.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: People with dementia who receive home care have low levels of physical activity participation. Objectives: To evaluate and refine a co-designed exercise program for home care clients with dementia, led by trained care support workers. Methods: An action research cycle whereby support workers, clients and carers (each n = 26) from the “Safe Functional Home Exercise” feasibility study were invited to complete an evaluation survey. Participants rated statements using Likert-style scales on (1) staff training, (2) staff confidence, (3) program support and (4) satisfaction. The participants could provide comments for situations that affected exercise performance, suggested improvements for staff training, program support and exercises. The co-design panel (original program designers) was reconvened to refine the exercise program. Results: Support workers (n = 19), clients (n = 15) and carers (n = 13) returned their surveys. Support workers (74–90%), carers (77–92%) and clients (100%) rated program support positively and were overall satisfied. Support workers (>80%) agreed that the training course was relevant and were confident in delivering the exercises to clients. Situations included “Covid isolation”, the client’s “poor medical condition” and “mood fluctuations” that made exercising difficult. Improvements included “making a client video” and “providing tips to motivate clients”. The co-design panel modified the exercise program. Conclusions: The “Safe Functional Home Exercise” program is the first exercise program co-designed for people with dementia. It is well accepted by support workers, people with dementia and carers. Utilising support workers to facilitate physical activity participation is potentially low-cost and scalable in home care. Future studies are needed to evaluate the refined program in home care.
The Role of Emotion Dysregulation in Understanding Suicide Risk: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Rogante Elena , Cifrodelli Mariarosaria , Sarubbi Salvatore , Costanza Alessandra , Erbuto Denise , Berardelli Isabella , Pompili Maurizio
Published: January 2024

Suicide prevention represents a global imperative, and efforts to identify potential risk factors are intensifying. Among these, emotional regulation abilities represent a transdiagnostic component that may have an impactful influence on suicidal ideation and behavior. Therefore, the present systematic review aimed to investigate the association between emotion dysregulation and suicidal ideation and/or behavior in adult participants. The review followed PRISMA guidelines, and the research was performed through four major electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Web of Science) for relevant titles/abstracts published from January 2013 to September 2023. The review included original studies published in peer-reviewed journals and in English that assessed the relationship between emotional regulation, as measured by the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS), and suicidal ideation and/or behavior. In total, 44 studies were considered eligible, and the results mostly revealed significant positive associations between emotion dysregulation and suicidal ideation, while the findings on suicide attempts were more inconsistent. Furthermore, the findings also confirmed the role of emotion dysregulation as a mediator between suicide and other variables. Given these results, it is important to continue investigating these constructs and conduct accurate assessments to implement effective person-centered interventions.
Examining Factors Associated with the Use of Community Food Resources: An Application of the Andersen Model to Inform Future Interventions
Authors: Atoloye Abiodun T. , Akinsola Oluyemisi , Murillo Melissa
Published: January 2024

The role of the food environment in shaping nutrition and health has gained substantial attention from policymakers, public health researchers, and advocacy groups. To promote equities in food access and nutrition outcomes, understanding factors linked with the utilization of local community food resources is crucial. Using Andersen’s service utilization model, we explained how adults use their neighborhood food resources. In a cross-sectional study design, an online survey was conducted in REDCap Version 13.4.0 via the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) involving 1830 adults with a mean age of 37.9  ±  12.1 years. Participants answered questions on predisposing, enabling, and need factors that influence their use of different community food resources. The predisposing factors that were statistically significant included age, family size, marital status, race, and ethnicity. The enabling factors included travel time, travel mode, income, and shopping decision motivators (such as being able to use Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) vouchers, delivery services, great sales, and coupons). Food security and community food resources need for lower food price were the significant need factors. However, these factors vary by the types of food resources. In conclusion, enhancing the utilization of community-based food access initiatives and programs among underserved families requires consideration of family composition, racial and ethnic diversity, and transportation access.