bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating and Calibrating DER Model Parameters Using Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm in Renewable Rich Power Grid
Authors: Foroutan Armina , Basumallik Sagnik , Srivastava Anurag
Published: April 2023

The proliferation of inverter-based distributed energy resources (IBDERs) has increased the number of control variables and dynamic interactions, leading to new grid control challenges. For stability analysis and designing appropriate protection controls, it is important that IBDER models are accurate. This paper focuses on the accurate estimation and parameter calibration of DER_A, a recently proposed aggregated IBDER model. In particular, we focus on the parameters of the reactive power–voltage regulation module. We formulate the problem of parameter tuning as a non-linear least square minimization problem and solve it using the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) method. The LM method is primarily chosen due to its flexibility in adaptively selecting between the steepest descent and Gauss–Newton methods through a damping parameter. The LM approach is used to minimize the error between the actual measurements and the estimated response of the model. Further, the computational challenges posed by the numerical calculation of the Jacobian are tackled using a quasi-Newton root-finding approach. The proposed method is validated on a real feeder model in the northeastern part of the United States. The feeder is modeled in OpenDSS and the measurements thus obtained are fed to the DER_A model for calibration. The simulation results indicate that our approach is able to successfully calibrate the relevant model parameters quickly and with high accuracy, with a total sum of square error of 3.57×10−7.
All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells: From Certified 25% and Beyond
Authors: Boukortt Nour El Islam , Triolo Claudia , Santangelo Saveria , Patanè Salvatore
Published: April 2023

Perovskite-based solar cells are a promising photovoltaic technology capable of offering higher conversion efficiency at low costs compared with the standard of the market. They can be produced via a thin film technology that allows for considerable environmental sustainability, thus representing an efficient, sustainable, flexible, and light solution. Tandem solar cells represent the next step in the evolution of photovoltaics (PV). They promise higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than those currently dominating the market. The tandem solar cell design overcomes the limitations of single junction solar cells by reducing the thermal losses as well as the manufacturing costs. Perovskite has been employed as a partner in different kinds of tandem solar cells, such as the Si and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) based cells that, in their tandem configuration with perovskite, can convert light more efficiently than standalone sub-cells. This brief review presents the main engineering and scientific challenges in the field. The state-of-the-art three main perovskite tandem technologies, namely perovskite/silicon, perovskite/CIGS, and perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells, will be discussed, providing a side-by-side comparison of theoretical and experimental efficiencies of multijunction solar cells.
Mutual Influence of External Wall Thermal Transmittance, Thermal Inertia, and Room Orientation on Office Thermal Comfort and Energy Demand
Authors: Božiček David , Kunič Roman , Krainer Aleš , Stritih Uroš , Dovjak Mateja
Published: April 2023

Upgrades in building energy efficiency codes led to differences between buildings designed according to outdated codes and those with most recent requirements. In this context, our study investigates the influence of external wall thermal transmittance, thermal inertia, and orientation on energy demand (heating, cooling) and occupant thermal comfort. Simulation models of an office building were designed, varying (i) the thermal transmittance values (0.20 and 0.60 W/(m2K)), (ii) the room orientation (four cardinal directions), and (iii) the wall thermal inertia (approximately 60 kJ/(m2K) for low and 340 kJ/(m2K) for high thermal inertia. The energy demand for heating and cooling seasons was calculated for Ljubljana using EnergyPlus 9.0.0 software. The reduction of the external wall thermal transmittance value from 0.6 W/(m2K) to 0.2 W/(m2K) contributes to significant energy savings (63% for heating and 37% for cooling). Thermal inertia showed considerable potential for energy savings, especially in the cooling season (20% and 13%, depending on the external wall insulation level). In addition, the orientation proved to have a notable impact on heating and cooling demand, however not as pronounced as thermal inertia (up to 7% total energy demand). Comparison of the thermal comfort results showed that when internal air temperatures are identically controlled in all the rooms (i.e., internal air temperature is not an influencing factor), the external wall thermal transmittance, thermal inertia, and room orientation show negligible influence on the average occupant thermal comfort. The simultaneous achievement of thermally comfortable conditions in the working environment and low energy use can only be achieved by simultaneously considering the U-value and thermal inertia.
P2P Electricity Trading Considering User Preferences for Renewable Energy and Demand-Side Shifts
Authors: Sagawa Daishi , Tanaka Kenji , Ishida Fumiaki , Saito Hideya , Takenaga Naoya , Saegusa Kosuke
Published: April 2023

In the global trend towards decarbonization, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading is garnering increasing attention. Furthermore, energy management on the demand side plays a crucial role in decarbonization efforts. The authors have previously developed an automated bidding agent that considers user preferences for renewable energy (RE), assuming users own electric vehicles (EVs). In this study, we expand upon this work by considering users who own not only EVs but also heat pump water heaters, and we develop an automated bidding agent that takes into account their preferences for RE. We propose a method to control the start time and presence of daytime operation shifts for heat pump water heaters, leveraging their daytime operation shift function. Demonstration experiments were conducted to effectively control devices such as EVs and heat pumps using the agent. The results of the experiments revealed that by controlling the daytime operation of heat pumps with our method, the RE utilization rate can be improved compared to scenarios without daytime operation shifts. Furthermore, we developed a simulator to verify the outcomes under different scenarios of demand-side resource ownership rates, demonstrating that higher ownership rates of EVs and heat pumps enable more effective utilization of renewable energy, and that this effect is further enhanced through P2P trading. Based on these findings, we recommend promoting the adoption of demand-side resources such as EVs and heat pumps and encouraging P2P energy trading to maximize the utilization of renewable energy in future energy systems.
Modern Methods of Prediction
Authors: Moriarty Patrick
Published: April 2023

Humans have always wanted to know what the future holds in store for them. In earlier centuries, people often sought clues to the future from sacred texts. Today, more secular approaches are increasingly used, although the older approaches to the future persist. Modern methods for prediction include trend extrapolation, the Delphi method, mathematical modeling, and scenario analysis, including backcasting. Extrapolation was only possible when reliable past data became available. The Delphi method relies on the judgement of experts in the subject matter. Mathematical modeling has been very successful in the physical sciences, and, in the form of integrated assessment models (IAMs), has been applied to problems such as assessing future energy use. Scenario analysis looks at a number of possible futures and develops internally consistent story lines around each. It is often used in conjunction with IAMs. Each of the four methods, including both their strengths and weaknesses, are discussed in turn. Finally, this entry looks at the future of prediction, and concludes that despite progress in each of the four approaches treated, predicting the future, never easy, is now harder than ever.
Microservice-Oriented Architecture for Industry 4.0
Authors: Pontarolli Ricardo Pasquati , Bigheti Jeferson André , de Sá Lucas Borges Rodrigues , Godoy Eduardo Paciencia
Published: April 2023

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is characterized by the integration of digital technologies into manufacturing processes and highlights new requirements for industrial systems such as greater interoperability, decentralization, modularization, and independence. The traditional hierarchical architecture of Industrial Automation Systems (IAS) does not fulfill these requirements and is evolving to incorporate information technologies in order to support I4.0 applications. The integration among these technologies, equipment, and systems at different industry levels requires a migration from the legacy vertical architecture to a flat architecture based on services. Service-oriented architecture (SOA) and, more recently, microservices play a critical role in I4.0 by providing a framework for integrating complex systems and meeting those requirements. This paper presents the development of a Microservice-Oriented Architecture for Industry 4.0 (MOAI), initially focused on evolving IAS to the I4.0. The objective is to describe the development, deployment, and testing of an IAS architecture based on microservices prepared for I4.0 applications. On the contrary to developing the whole software for the industrial SOA, the MOAI was developed on top of the Moleculer framework, which allowed focusing on creating services and applications for the automation and process control industry context. The development of several microservices and security mechanisms for the MOAI is presented, as is the deployment of IAS applications as services such as process control, SCADA, discrete automation, among others. The MOAI was implemented in a process control pilot plant for experimentation. Experimental results of the MOAI for IAS applications are investigated, the microservice communication performance is evaluated, and the pros and cons of microservices for I4.0 are discussed.
An Improved Forest Fire and Smoke Detection Model Based on YOLOv5
Authors: Li Junhui , Xu Renjie , Liu Yunfei
Published: April 2023

Forest fires are destructive and rapidly spreading, causing great harm to forest ecosystems and humans. Deep learning techniques can adaptively learn and extract features of forest fires and smoke. However, the complex backgrounds and different forest fire and smoke features in captured forest fire images make detection difficult. Facing the complex background of forest fire smoke, it is difficult for traditional machine learning methods to design a general feature extraction module for feature extraction. Deep learning methods are effective in many fields, so this paper improves on the You Only Look Once v5 (YOLOv5s) model, and the improved model has better detection performance for forest fires and smoke. First, a coordinate attention (CA) model is integrated into the YOLOv5 model to highlight fire smoke targets and improve the identifiability of different smoke features. Second, we replaced YOLOv5s original spatial pyramidal ensemble fast (SPPF) module with a receptive field block (RFB) module to enable better focus on the global information of different fires. Third, the path aggregation network (PANet) of the neck structure in the YOLOv5s model is improved to a bi-directional feature pyramid network (Bi-FPN). Compared with the YOLOv5 model, our improved forest fire and smoke detection model at mAP@0.5 improves by 5.1%.
Protected Areas Conserved Forests from Fire and Deforestation in Vietnam’s Central Highlands from 2001 to 2020
Authors: Ebright Samuel J. , Stan Amanda B. , Sâm Hoàng Văn , Fulé Peter Z.
Published: April 2023

As a tropical nation with ~40% forested land area and 290 protected areas in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, Vietnam holds an important part of global forests. Despite a complex history of multiple colonial rules, war, rapid economic development and societal growth, Vietnam was one of a few Southeast Asian countries to reverse deforestation trends and sustain net forest cover gain since the 1990s. However, a considerable amount of Vietnam’s forest gain has been from plantation forestry, as Vietnam’s policies have promoted economic development. In the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, widespread forest degradation and deforestation has occurred recently in some areas due to plantation forestry and other factors, including fire-linked deforestation, but protected areas here have been largely effective in their conservation goals. We studied deforestation, wildfires, and the contribution of fire-linked deforestation from 2001 to 2020 in an area near the Da Lat Plateau of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. We stratified our study area to distinguish legally protected areas and those in the surrounding landscape matrix without formal protection. Using satellite-derived data, we investigated four questions: (1) Have regional deforestation trends continued in parts of the Central Highlands from 2001 to 2020? (2) Based on remotely sensed fire detections, how has fire affected the Central Highlands and what proportion of deforestation is spatiotemporally linked to fire? (3) Were annual deforestation and burned area lower in protected areas relative to the surrounding land matrix? (4) Was the proportion of fire-linked deforestation lower in protected areas than in the matrix? To answer these questions, we integrated the Global Forest Change and FIRED VIETNAM datasets. We found that 3794 fires burned 8.7% of the total study area and 13.6% of the area became deforested between 2001 and 2020. While nearly half of fires were linked to deforestation, fire-linked deforestation accounted for only a small part of forest loss. Across the entire study area, 54% of fire-linked deforestation occurred in natural forests and 46% was in plantation forests. Fire ignitions in the study area were strongly linked to the regional dry season, November to March, and instrumental climate data from 1971 to 2020 showed statistically significant increasing trends in minimum, mean, and maximum temperatures. However, the total area burned did not have a significant increasing trend. Regional trends in deforestation continued in Vietnam’s Central Highlands from 2001 to 2020, and nearly half of all detected fires can be spatially and temporally linked to forest loss. However, protected areas in the region effectively conserved forests relative to the surrounding landscape.
Environmental Impacts on Skin Microbiomes of Sympatric High Arctic Salmonids
Authors: Hamilton Erin F. , Juurakko Collin L. , Engel Katja , Neufeld Josh D. , Casselman John M. , Greer Charles W. , Walker Virginia K.
Published: April 2023

In the region of King William Island, Nunavut, in the Canadian high Arctic, populations of salmonids including Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), cisco (Coregonus autumnalis and C. sardinella) as well as lake whitefish (C. clupeaformis) are diadromous, overwintering in freshwater and transitioning to saline waters following ice melt. Since these fish were sampled at the same time and from the same traditional fishing sites, comparison of their skin structures, as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, has allowed an assessment of influences on wild fish bacterial communities. Arctic char skin microbiota underwent turnover in different seasonal habitats, but these striking differences in dispersion and diversity metrics, as well as prominent taxa involving primarily Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, were less apparent in the sympatric salmonids. Not only do these results refute the hypothesis that skin communities, for the most part, reflect water microbiota, but they also indicate that differential recruitment of bacteria is influenced by the host genome and physiology. In comparison to the well-adapted Arctic char, lake whitefish at the northern edge of their range may be particularly vulnerable, and we suggest the use of skin microbiomes as a supplemental tool to monitor a sustainable Indigenous salmonid harvest during this period of change in the high Arctic.
LC-MS/MS Method Minimizing Matrix Effect for the Analysis of Bifenthrin and Butachlor in Chinese Chives and Its Application for Residual Study
Authors: Kim So-Hee , Lee Yoon-Hee , Jeong Mun-Ju , Gwon Da-Yeong , Lee Ji-Ho , Shin Yongho , Choi Hoon
Published: April 2023

The matrix effect refers to the change in the analytical signal caused by the matrix in which the sample is contained, as well as the impurities that are co-eluted with the target analyte. In crop sample analysis using LC–MS/MS, the matrix effect can affect the quantification results. Chinese chives are likely to exhibit a strong matrix effect when co-extracted with bifenthrin and butachlor due to the presence of phytochemicals and chlorophyll. A novel analytical method was developed to reduce the matrix effects of bifenthrin and butachlor to a negligible level in Chinese chives. The established method had a limit of quantitation of 0.005 mg/kg and correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 within the range of 0.005–0.5 mg/kg. Matrix effects were found to be negligible, with values ranging from −18.8% to 7.2% in four different sources of chives and two leafy vegetables. Compared to conventional analytical methods for the LOQ and matrix effect, the established method demonstrated improved performances. The analytical method was further applied in a residual study in chive fields. The active ingredient of butachlor 5 granule (GR) was not detected after soil admixture application, while that of bifenthrin 1 emulsifiable concentrate (EC) showed a range from 1.002 to 0.087 mg/kg after foliar spraying. The dissipation rate constant (k) of bifenthrin was determined to be 0.115, thus its half-life was calculated to be 6.0 days. From the results, PHI and safety use standards of both pesticides were suggested. The developed analytical method can be applied to accurately determine bifenthrin and butachlor residues in Chinese chives and provides a foundation for further research on the fate and behavior of these pesticides in the environment.
Phytochemical-Rich Colored Noodles Fortified with an Aqueous Extract of Clitoria ternatea Flowers
Authors: Shiau Sy-Yu , Yu Yanli , Li Jing , Huang Wenbo , Feng Haixia
Published: April 2023

Clitoria ternatea (CT) flowers are rich in phytochemicals. An innovative approach was taken to utilize CT flower extract (CTFE) as a functional ingredient with natural pigment by incorporating it into noodles. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the CTFE amount (0–30%) on the color, texture, phytochemicals, and sensory quality of both dried and cooked noodles. Dried noodles with 30% CTFE had the highest total anthocyanins (9.48 μg/g), polyphenols (612 μg/g), DPPH radical scavenging capacity (165 μg TE/g), and reducing power (2203 μg TE/g). Cooking resulted in a significant decrease in the anthocyanin levels and blue color, while also increasing the greenness of the noodle. Both dried and cooked noodles with 20–30% CTFE showed a significantly higher color preference compared to the control sample. Despite a significant reduction in the cutting force, tensile strength, and extensibility of cooked noodles with 20–30% CTFE, the sensory attributes such as flavor, texture, and overall preferences were similar to those of noodles with 0–30% CTFE. Blue noodles with high phytochemicals, antioxidant activities, and desirable sensory qualities can be produced by the incorporation of 20–30% CTFE.
Multifunctional Nutraceutical Composition Based on Fermented Spirulina, Apple Cider Vinegar, Jerusalem Artichoke, and Bovine Colostrum
Authors: Bartkiene Elena , Starkute Vytaute , Jomantaite Ieva , Zokaityte Egle , Mockus Ernestas , Tolpeznikaite Ernesta , Zokaityte Gintare , Petrova Penka , Santini Antonello , Rocha João Miguel , Özogul Fatih , Klupsaite Dovile
Published: April 2023

The main purpose of this experiment was to develop a multifunctional nutraceutical composition based on ingredients of different origins (Spirulina powder (SP), bovine colostrum (BC), Jerusalem artichoke powder (JAP), and apple cider vinegar (ACV)) which possess different health benefits through their different mechanisms of action. In order to improve the functional properties of Spirulina and bovine colostrum, fermentation with the Pediococcus acidilactici No. 29 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LUHS244 strains, respectively, was carried out. These LAB strains were chosen due to their good antimicrobial properties. The following parameters were analysed: for Spirulina (non-treated and fermented)—pH, colour coordinates, fatty acid profile, and contents of L-glutamic and GABA acids; for bovine colostrum (non-treated and fermented)—pH, colour coordinates, dry matter, and microbiological parameters (total LAB, total bacteria, total enterobacteria, Escherichia coli, and mould/yeast counts); for the produced nutraceuticals—hardness, colour coordinates, and overall acceptability. It was established that fermentation reduced the pH of the SP and BC and affected their colour coordinates. Fermented SP contained a greater concentration of gamma-aminobutyric and L-glutamic acids (by 5.2 times and 31.4% more, respectively), compared to the non-treated SP and BC. In addition, the presence of gamma-linolenic and omega-3 fatty acids was observed in fermented SP. Fermentation of BC reduces Escherichia coli, total bacteria, total enterobacteria, and total mould/yeast counts in samples. The obtained three-layer nutraceutical (I layer—fermented SP; II—fermented BC and JAP; III—ACV) demonstrated a high overall acceptability. Finally, our finding suggest that the selected nutraceutical combination has immense potential in the production of a multifunctional product with improved functionality and a high acceptability.
Effects of Soybean Trypsin Inhibitor on Pancreatic Oxidative Damage of Mice at Different Growth Periods
Authors: Gu Chunmei , Yang Qiuping , Li Shujun , Zhao Linlin , Lyu Bo , Wang Yingnan , Yu Hansong
Published: April 2023

The bioactive components in soybeans have significant physiological functions. However, the intake of soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) may cause metabolic disorders. To investigate the effect of STI intake on pancreatic injury and its mechanism of action, a five-week animal experiment was conducted, meanwhile, a weekly monitor on the degree of oxidation and antioxidant indexes in the serum and pancreas of the animals was carried out. The results showed that the intake of STI had irreversible damage to the pancreas, according to the analysis of the histological section. Malondialdehyde (MDA) in the pancreatic mitochondria of Group STI increased significantly and reached a maximum (15.7 nmol/mg prot) in the third week. Meanwhile, the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), trypsin (TPS), and somatostatin (SST) were decreased and reached minimum values (10 U/mg prot, 87 U/mg prot, 2.1 U/mg prot, 10 pg/mg prot) compared with the Group Control. The RT-PCR results of the expression of SOD, GSH-Px, TPS, and SST genes were consistent with the above. This study demonstrates that STI causes oxidative structural damage and pancreatic dysfunction by inducing oxidative stress in the pancreas, which could increase with time.
Salt Solubilization Coupled with Membrane Filtration-Impact on the Structure/Function of Chickpea Compared to Pea Protein
Authors: Yaputri Brigitta P. , Bu Fan , Ismail Baraem P.
Published: April 2023

The demand for pulse proteins as alternatives to soy protein has been steeply increasing over the past decade. However, the relatively inferior functionality compared to soy protein is hindering the expanded use of pulse proteins, namely pea and chickpea protein, in various applications. Harsh extraction and processing conditions adversely impact the functional performance of pea and chickpea protein. Therefore, a mild protein extraction method involving salt extraction coupled with ultrafiltration (SE-UF) was evaluated for the production of chickpea protein isolate (ChPI). The produced ChPI was compared to pea protein isolate (PPI) produced following the same extraction method in terms of functionality and feasibility of scaling. Scaled-up (SU) ChPI and PPI were produced under industrially relevant settings and evaluated in comparison to commercial pea, soy, and chickpea protein ingredients. Controlled scaled-up production of the isolates resulted in mild changes in protein structural characteristics and comparable or improved functional properties. Partial denaturation, modest polymerization, and increased surface hydrophobicity were observed in SU ChPI and PPI compared to the benchtop counterparts. The unique structural characteristics of SU ChPI, including its ratio of surface hydrophobicity and charge, contributed to superior solubility at both a neutral and acidic pH compared to both commercial soy protein and pea protein isolates (cSPI and cPPI) and significantly outperformed cPPI in terms of gel strength. These findings demonstrated both the promising scalability of SE-UF and the potential of ChPI as a functional plant protein ingredient.
Effect of Wheat Gluten and Peanut Protein Ratio on the Moisture Distribution and Textural Quality of High-Moisture Extruded Meat Analogs from an Extruder Response Perspective
Authors: Zhang Ruixin , Yang Yueyue , Liu Qing , Xu Liangyun , Bao Huiyi , Ren Xiaoru , Jin Zhengyu , Jiao Aiquan
Published: April 2023

Wheat gluten (WG) and peanut protein powder (PPP) mixtures were extruded at high moisture to investigate the potential application of this mixture in meat analog production. Multiple factors, including the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), rheological properties of the mixed raw materials, die pressure, torque and specific mechanical energy (SME) during high moisture extrusion, texture properties, color, water distribution, and water activity of extrudates were analyzed to determine the relationships among the raw material characteristics, extruder response parameters, and extrudate quality. At a WG ratio of 50%, the extrudates have the lowest hardness (2.76 kg), the highest springiness (0.95), and a fibrous degree of up to 1.75. The addition of WG caused a significant rightward shift in the relaxation time of hydrogen protons in the extrudates, representing increased water mobility and water activity. A ratio of 50:50 gave the smallest total color difference (ΔE) (about 18.12). When the added amount of WG was 50% or less, it improved the lightness and reduced the ΔE compared to >50% WG. Therefore, clarifying the relationship among raw material characteristics, extruder response parameters, and extruded product quality is helpful in the systematic understanding and regulation of the fiber textural process of binary protein meat analogs.
On the Periodic Orbits of the Perturbed Two- and Three-Body Problems
Authors: Abouelmagd Elbaz I. , Guirao Juan Luis García , Llibre Jaume
Published: April 2023

In this work, a perturbed system of the restricted three-body problem is derived when the perturbation forces are conservative alongside the corresponding mean motion of two primaries bodies. Thus, we have proved that the first and second types of periodic orbits of the rotating Kepler problem can persist for all perturbed two-body and circular restricted three-body problems when the perturbation forces are conservative or the perturbed motion has its own extended Jacobian integral.
Biomass Chitosan-Based Tubular/Sheet Superhydrophobic Aerogels Enable Efficient Oil/Water Separation
Authors: Wang Wenhui , Lin Jia-Horng , Guo Jiali , Sun Rui , Han Guangting , Peng Fudi , Chi Shan , Dong Ting
Published: April 2023

Water pollution, which is caused by leakage of oily substances, has been recognized as one of the most serious global environmental pollutions endangering the ecosystem. High-quality porous materials with superwettability, which are typically constructed in the form of aerogels, hold huge potential in the field of adsorption and removal of oily substances form water. Herein, we developed a facile strategy to fabricate a novel biomass absorbent with a layered tubular/sheet structure for efficient oil/water separation. The aerogels were fabricated by assembling hollow poplar catkin fiber into chitosan sheets using a directional freeze-drying method. The obtained aerogels were further wrapped with -CH3-ended siloxane structures using CH3SiCl3. This superhydrophobic aerogel (CA ≈ 154 ± 0.4°) could rapidly trap and remove oils from water with a large sorption range of 33.06–73.22 g/g. The aerogel facilitated stable oil recovery (90.07–92.34%) by squeezing after 10 sorption-desorption cycles because of its mechanical robustness (91.76% strain remaining after 50 compress-release cycles). The novel design, low cost, and sustainability of the aerogel provide an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for handling oil spills.
Mitochondrial Heteroplasmy and PCR Amplification Bias Lead to Wrong Species Delimitation with High Confidence in the South American and Antarctic Marine Bivalve Aequiyoldia eightsii Species Complex
Authors: Martínez Mariano , Harms Lars , Abele Doris , Held Christoph
Published: April 2023

The species delimitation of the marine bivalve species complex Aequiyoldia eightsii in South America and Antarctica is complicated by mitochondrial heteroplasmy and amplification bias in molecular barcoding. In this study, we compare different data sources (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences; nuclear and mitochondrial SNPs). Whilst all the data suggest that populations on either side of the Drake Passage belong to different species, the picture is less clear within Antarctic populations, which harbor three distinct mitochondrial lineages (p-dist ≈ 6%) that coexist in populations and in a subset of individuals with heteroplasmy. Standard barcoding procedures lead to amplification bias favoring either haplotype unpredictably and thus overestimate the species richness with high confidence. However, nuclear SNPs show no differentiation akin to the trans-Drake comparison, suggesting that the Antarctic populations represent a single species. Their distinct haplotypes likely evolved during periods of temporary allopatry, whereas recombination eroded similar differentiation patterns in the nuclear genome after secondary contact. Our study highlights the importance of using multiple data sources and careful quality control measures to avoid bias and increase the accuracy of molecular species delimitation. We recommend an active search for mitochondrial heteroplasmy and haplotype-specific primers for amplification in DNA-barcoding studies.
Mapping Invasive Herbaceous Plant Species with Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery: Echium plantagineum in a Mediterranean Shrubland as a Case Study
Authors: Duncan Patricia , Podest Erika , Esler Karen J. , Geerts Sjirk , Lyons Candice
Published: April 2023

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a serious threat to biodiversity, agriculture, health, and economies globally. Accurate mapping of IAPs is crucial for their management, to mitigate their impacts and prevent further spread where possible. Remote sensing has become a valuable tool in detecting IAPs, especially with freely available data such as Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. Yet, remote sensing methods to map herbaceous IAPs, which tend to be more difficult to detect, particularly in shrubland Mediterranean-type ecosystems, are still limited. There is a growing need to detect herbaceous IAPs at a large scale for monitoring and management; however, for countries or organizations with limited budgets, this is often not feasible. To address this, we aimed to develop a classification methodology based on optical satellite data to map herbaceous IAP’s using Echium plantagineum as a case study in the Fynbos Biome of South Africa. We investigate the use of freely available Sentinel-2 data, use the robust non-parametric classifier Random Forest, and identify the most important variables in the classification, all within the cloud-based platform, Google Earth Engine. Findings reveal the importance of the shortwave infrared and red-edge parts of the spectrum and the importance of including vegetation indices in the classification for discriminating E. plantagineum. Here, we demonstrate the potential of Sentinel-2 data, the Random Forest classifier, and Google Earth Engine for mapping herbaceous IAPs in Mediterranean ecosystems.
Health Consequences of Falls among Older Adults in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Biswas Isha , Adebusoye Busola , Chattopadhyay Kaushik
Published: April 2023

Research has been conducted on the prevalence of health consequences of falls among older adults (aged ≥60 years) in India, and our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthe-size the existing evidence on this topic. The JBI guideline was followed for conducting this review work. Several databases were searched, and eight studies were included. The critical appraisal scores (“yes” responses) for the included studies ranged from 56% to 78%. Among older adults in India who fell, the pooled prevalence of injuries was 65.63% (95% confidence interval [38.89, 87.96]). Similarly, head and/or neck injuries was 7.55% (4.26, 11.62), upper extremity injuries was 19.42% (16.06, 23.02), trunk injuries was 9.98% (2.01, 22.47), lower extremity injuries was 34.36% (24.07, 45.44), cuts, lacerations, abrasions, grazes, bruises and/or contusions was 37.95% (22.15, 55.16), fractures was 12.50% (7.65, 18.30), dislocations and/or sprains was 14.31% (6.03, 25.26), loss of consciousness was 5.96% (0.75, 15.08), disabilities was 10.79% (7.16, 15.02), and hospital admissions was 19.68% (15.54, 24.16). Some of the high figures indicate the need for prioritizing and addressing the problem. Furthermore, high-quality studies on this topic should be conducted, including on psychological health consequences, health-related quality of life, length of hospital stay, and death. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022332903.
Experiences of Advanced Health Assessment Simulation Based on the Education Needs of Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Students
Authors: Kim Jiyoung , Dan Hyunju
Published: April 2023

There is an insufficient exploration of how simulation educational approaches improve the job performance of students in gerontological nurse practitioner (GNP) courses. To increase the effectiveness of simulation education in GNP courses, it is necessary to explore the advanced health assessment simulation curriculum. This study aimed to investigate GNP students’ educational experiences with the advanced health assessment simulation program by reflecting the needs of GNPs. A qualitative study design was employed for this study; focus group interviews were conducted among eight GNP students who participated in this simulation program. The focus group interview identified three theme clusters: ‘a high-fidelity simulator that reproduces a real-life setting’, ‘experience with standardized patients as a reference for normal older people’, and ‘application in the clinical field’. Through simulation education, GNP students were able to safely demonstrate knowledge and use what they learned for clinical practice. The development and utilization of simulation education for the GNP program would help to enhance the clinical competency of students.
mHealth and COVID-19: A Bibliometric Study
Authors: To Wai-Ming , Lee Peter K. C.
Published: April 2023

mHealth, i.e., using mobile computing and communication technologies in health care, has played an increasingly important role in the provision of medical care and undertaking self-health monitoring and management in the past two decades. Specifically, it becomes critically important for health care delivery when governments have been forced to impose quarantines and lockdowns during the spikes in COVID-19 cases. Therefore, this research focuses on academic publications including journal articles, reviews, and conference papers on the use of mHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a keyword search on “mHealth” (or “mobile health”) and “COVID-19” on 7 January 2023 in Scopus, it was found that 1125 documents were officially published between 2020 and 2022. Among these 1125 documents, 1042 documents were journal articles, reviews, and conference papers. Researchers in the US produced 335 articles, followed by UK researchers with 119 articles, and Chinese researchers with 79 articles. Researchers affiliated with Harvard Medical School published the largest number of articles (31), followed by researchers of University College London with 21 articles and Massachusetts General Hospital with 20 articles. Co-occurrence of keywords analysis revealed four clusters, namely “COVID-19, mHealth, mobile applications, and public health”, “adult, adolescent, mental health, and major clinical study”, “human, pandemic, and epidemiology”, and “telemedicine, telehealth, and health care delivery”. Implications of this study are given.
Effects of a Technology-Supported Decision, Reflection, and Interaction Approach on Nursing Students’ Learning Achievement and Self-Efficacy in Professional Training: A Pilot Study
Authors: Hwang Gwo-Jen , Jen Hsiu-Ju , Chang Ching-Yi
Published: April 2023

In professional training, it is important to provide students with opportunities to make judgments on practical cases. However, most training courses are conducted in a one-to-many teaching mode, and it is not easy to consider the needs of individual students. In this study, a technology-supported Decision, Reflection, and Interaction (DRI)-based professional training approach is proposed to cope with this problem for those courses aiming at fostering students’ competence in making correct judgments when facing real cases. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, an experiment was conducted. Two classes of 38 students from a nursing school were the participants. One class was an experimental group using the DRI-based professional training approach, and the other class was the control group using the conventional technology-assisted training approach. The experimental results showed that applying the proposed approach significantly improved the students’ learning achievement and self-efficacy more than the conventional technology-assisted approach. In addition, based on the interview results, the students generally believed that learning through the DRI-based professional training approach benefited them from several perspectives, including “increasing the value of activities”, “enhancing the planning and expensive capacity of conspicuous approaches”, “promoting decision-making”, “improving learning reflection”, and “providing students with personalized interaction”.
Japanese Consumers’ Attitudes towards Obtaining and Sharing Health Information Regarding Over-the-Counter Medication: Designing an Over-the-Counter Electronic Health Record
Authors: Tang Guyue , Izumi Kairi , Izumisawa Megumi , Koyama Shinichi
Published: April 2023

Designing an over-the-counter medication electronic health record (OTC-EHR) may help improve OTC usage. An online survey for the conceptual OTC-EHR design examined participant characteristics, attitudes towards obtaining user-shared OTC medication information, health-related application usage, and the inclination to share anonymized health information. Descriptive statistics, tests to assess statistical significance, and text mining were used to analyze the results. The findings revealed that Japanese consumers, particularly those with high eHealth literacy and women, possess relatively positive attitudes towards obtaining user-shared OTC medication information than those with low eHealth literacy (t (280.71) = −4.11, p < 0.001) and men (t (262.26) = −2.78, p = 0.006), respectively. Most consumers own smartphones but do not use health-related applications. A minority held positive attitudes about sharing anonymized health information. The perceived helpfulness of OTC-EHR was positively associated with the usage of health-related applications (χ2 (4) = 18.35, p = 0.001) and attitude towards sharing anonymized health information (χ2 (3) = 19.78, p < 0.001). The study findings contribute towards OTC-EHR’s design to enhance consumers’ self-medication and reduce risks, while the psychological barriers to sharing anonymized health information should be improved by increasing the OTC-EHR’s penetration rate and engaging in appropriate information design.
Assessing the Reliability and Validity of the Spanish Version of the Actual Scope of Nursing Practice Scale
Authors: Saralegui-Gainza Amaia , Soto-Ruiz Nelia , Escalada-Hernández Paula , García-Vivar Cristina , Rivera Diego , Martín-Rodríguez Leticia San
Published: April 2023

Nursing workforce shortage is one of the main challenges for healthcare organizations and it is important to determine if nurses are fulfilling their full scope of practice. There is a questionnaire that measures the activities carried out by nurses, but there is no version available for the Spanish context. The purpose of this study was to develop a cross-cultural adaptation of the “Actual Scope of Nursing Practice” questionnaire by D’Amour et al., and to assess the psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version. An exploratory sequential research design was used. The cross-cultural adaptation was performed using translation, back-translation, review, and pre-testing. Psychometric properties were assessed to determine its construct validity and internal consistency. Among the 501 eligible nurses from the three main hospitals in the region, the first 310 nurses to respond to an online questionnaire were included in our study. The response rate was 61.9%. They were invited via email and completed the survey using the SurveyMonkey platform. The Spanish version of the questionnaire was obtained. A final scale with twenty items and two factors was confirmed with an adequate fit, with the item scores demonstrating that all items were optimally related to their respective latent construct. The alpha coefficients for the Spanish ASCOP scale were robust and revealed good internal consistency. This study showed that the Spanish version of the scale, “Scope of Nursing Practice”, has a good degree of validity and reliability. This questionnaire can support nurse managers in realising nursing activities within their organisations and in promoting desirable work outcomes among nurses.
Are Malnourished Inpatients Treated by Dietitians Active Participants in Their Nutrition Care? Findings of an Exploratory Study of Patient-Reported Measures across Nine Australian Hospitals
Authors: Bell Jack J. , Rushton Alita , Elmas Kai , Banks Merrilyn D. , Barnes Rhiannon , Young Adrienne M.
Published: April 2023

Background: Inpatient malnutrition is a key determinant of adverse patient and healthcare outcomes. The engagement of patients as active participants in nutrition care processes that support informed consent, care planning and shared decision making is recommended and has expected benefits. This study applied patient-reported measures to identify the proportion of malnourished inpatients seen by dietitians that reported engagement in key nutrition care processes. Methods: A subset analysis of a multisite malnutrition audit limited to patients with diagnosed malnutrition who had at least one dietitian chart entry and were able to respond to patient-reported measurement questions. Results: Data were available for 71 patients across nine Queensland hospitals. Patients were predominantly older adults (median 81 years, IQR 15) and female (n = 46) with mild/moderate (n = 50) versus severe (n = 17) or unspecified severity (n = 4) malnutrition. The median length of stay at the time of audit was 7 days (IQR 13). More than half of the patients included had two or more documented dietitian reviews. Nearly all patients (n = 68) received at least one form of nutrition support. A substantial number of patients reported not receiving a malnutrition diagnosis (n = 37), not being provided information about malnutrition (n = 30), or not having a plan for ongoing nutrition care or follow-up (n = 31). There were no clinically relevant trends between patient-reported measures and the number of dietitian reviews or severity of malnutrition. Conclusions: Malnourished inpatients seen by dietitians across multiple hospitals almost always receive nutritional support. Urgent attention is required to identify why these same patients do not routinely report receiving malnutrition diagnostic advice, receiving information about being at risk of malnutrition, and having a plan for ongoing nutrition care, regardless of how many times they are seen by dietitians.
Effects of a Senior Musical Program on the Physical Function and Cognitive Abilities of Older Women in the Community
Authors: Kim Byeong-Soo , Kim Ji-Youn , Park Sam-Ho , Lee Myung-Mo
Published: April 2023

Background: We aimed to investigate the effects of a community-based senior musical program on the cognitive and physical functions in older women. Method: Older women aged ≥65 years participating in a program at a community welfare center were randomized to experimental (n = 17) or control (n = 17) groups. The control group participated in singing and yoga classes offered at the welfare center, while the experimental group participated in a senior musical program consisting of vocal training, dancing, and breathing training. The effects of the 12-week program (120 min/session, two sessions/week) and the intergroup differences in outcomes were compared using the cognitive impairment screening test (CIST), pulmonary function test (PFT), respiratory muscle pressure test (RPT), and static and dynamic balance tests. Result: The experimental group showed significant post-intervention changes in CIST scores, cardiorespiratory parameters, and static and dynamic balance (p < 0.05), but the control group only showed significant changes in some respiratory and balance parameters (p < 0.05). In comparison with the control group, the experimental group showed significantly greater post-intervention changes in the CIST score, PFT and RPT parameters, static balance, and Y-balance anterior (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The senior musical program enhanced older women’s cognitive, respiratory, and physical functions and promoted a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction.
Comparative Phytoremediation Potential of Eichhornia crassipes, Lemna minor, and Pistia stratiotes in Two Treatment Facilities in Cluj County, Romania
Authors: Buta Erzsebet , Borșan Ionuț Lucian , Omotă Mariana , Trif Emil Bogdan , Bunea Claudiu Ioan , Mocan Andrei , Bora Florin Dumitru , Rózsa Sándor , Nicolescu Alexandru
Published: April 2023

Phytoremediation is an effective method used to control the accumulation of certain contaminants found in industrial or city wastewater. Among the species with high efficacy are Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth), Lemna minor (common duckweed), and Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce). In this study, the application of these species in the context of two municipal wastewater treatment facilities in Cluj County, Romania, is evaluated. To determine the efficacy of bioaccumulation, we measured the content of nitrogen species (ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrites, and nitrates), phosphorous, iron, and chromium before and after the addition of plant material to effluent and treated wastewater. The results showed that E. crassipes, L. minor, and P. stratiotes presented high phytoremediation yields for these common wastewater pollutants after one week of contact, with yields as high as 99–100% for ammoniacal nitrogen, 95% for phosphorous, 96% for iron, and 94% for chromium. However, the remediation capacity for nitrate and nitrite was less significant.