bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Personal Recovery in People With a Psychotic Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Associated Factors
Authors: Leendertse J. C. P. , Wierdsma A. I. , van den Berg D. , Ruissen A. M. , Slade M. , Castelein S. , Mulder C. L.
Published: February 2021

Background: Personal recovery (PR) is a subjective, multidimensional concept, and quantitative research using PR as an outcome is rapidly increasing. This systematic review is intended to support the design of interventions that contribute to PR in psychotic disorders, by providing an overview of associated factors and their weighted importance to PR: clinical factors, social factors, and socio-demographic characteristics are included, and factors related to the concept of PR (organized into CHIME dimensions).

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted from inception to March 2020. Quantitative studies that had used a validated questionnaire assessing the concept of PR were included. Mean effect sizes for the relationship between PR-scale total scores and related factors were calculated using meta-analyses. Sources of heterogeneity were examined using meta-regression tests.

Results: Forty-six studies, that used (a total of) eight PR measures, showed that in clinical factors, affective symptoms had a medium negative association with PR-scale total scores (r = −0.44, 95%CI −0.50 to −0.37), while positive, negative and general symptoms had small negative correlations. No association was found with neuro-cognition. Social factors (support, work and housing, and functioning) showed small positive correlations. Gender and age differences had barely been researched. Large associations were found for PR-scale total scores with the CHIME dimensions hope (r = 0.56, 95%CI 0.48–0.63), meaning in life (r = 0.48, 95%CI 0.38–0.58) and empowerment (r = 0.53, 95%CI 0.42–0.63); while medium associations were found with connectedness (r = 0.34, 95%CI 0.43–0.65) and identity (r = 0.43, 95%CI 0.35–0.50). Levels of heterogeneity were high, sources included: the variety of PR measures, variations in sample characteristics, publication bias, variations in outcome measures, and cultural differences.

Discussion: Most interventions in mental healthcare aim to reduce symptoms and improve functioning. With regard to stimulating PR, these interventions may benefit from also focusing on enhancing hope, empowerment, and meaning in life. The strength of these findings is limited by the challenges of comparing separate CHIME dimensions with questionnaires assessing the concept of PR, and by the high levels of heterogeneity observed. Future research should focus on the interaction between elements of PR and clinical and social factors over time.
It's Complicated—Adolescent Grief in the Time of Covid-19
Authors: Weinstock Louis , Dunda Dunja , Harrington Hannah , Nelson Hannah
Published: February 2021

Presently, there is a real possibility of a second pandemic occurring: a grief pandemic. There are estimated to be over 1 million children and young people experiencing bereavement because of Covid-19. Adolescent grief is unique due to bio-psycho-social factors such as increased risk-taking, identity-formation, and limited capacity for emotional regulation. In this article, we will argue that adolescents are at increased risk of developing complicated grief during the Covid-19 pandemic, and that it is vital that services are improved to recognize and address this need before secondary problems emerge, including anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Complicated grief in adolescents is widely underrecognized and often misdiagnosed as a range of mental health problems, addictions, and offending behavior. For example, 25% of <20 year olds who commit suicide have experienced childhood bereavement, whilst 41% of youth offenders have experienced childhood bereavement; this is in comparison with only 4% of the general population. Many of the broader risk factors for complicated grief were already increasing prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, including increased loneliness amongst young people, and the collapse of collective structures to help people manage grief. We propose that this pandemic could be a catalyst for mental health professionals to support and nurture the caring communities emerging in this time as an essential resource to prevent the onset of a grief pandemic.
Secondary Outcomes of Implemented Depression Prevention in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: de Jonge-Heesen Karlijn W. J. , Rasing Sanne P. A. , Vermulst Ad A. , Scholte Ron H. J. , van Ettekoven Kim M. , Engels Rutger C. M. E. , Creemers Daan H. M.
Published: February 2021

Our most recent RCT provides evidence that indicated depression prevention is effective in reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents when implemented in the school community. In the present study we further test the potential effects of this prevention approach on symptoms related to depression: anxiety, suicidality, somatic symptoms, and perfectionism. We conducted exploratory analyses in 130 adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms aged between 12 and 16 years old (M= 13.59;SD= 0.68; 63.8% girls) who were randomly assigned to the experimental (OVK 2.0) or active control condition (psycho-education). Self-reported anxiety, suicidality, somatic symptoms, and perfectionism were assessed at pretest, post intervention, as well as 6- and 12-months follow-up. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that there was a significant decrease in anxiety in both conditions and that this decrease was significantly larger in the intervention condition than in the control condition. Somatic symptoms and socially prescribed perfectionism decreased significantly in the intervention condition and suicidality decreased significantly in the control condition. Yet there was no difference in decrease in suicidality, somatic symptoms, and perfectionism between the two conditions. This study suggest that screening on depressive symptoms and providing a CBT depression prevention program for adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms, can decrease comorbid symptoms of anxiety and therefore ensure better outcomes. We discuss the clinical implications as well suggestions for future research.

Clinical Trial Registration:The study is registered in the Dutch Trial Register for RCTs (NTR5725). Date registered: 11th of March 2016.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Two Automated Room Decontamination Devices Under Real-Life Conditions
Authors: Knobling Birte , Franke Gefion , Klupp Eva M. , Belmar Campos Cristina , Knobloch Johannes K.
Published: February 2021

To evaluate the effectiveness of automated room decontamination devices, a common aerosolized hydrogen peroxide (aHP) as well as a recent gaseous ozone-based device, which produces the disinfectant reagent without the need of consumables, were tested under real-life conditions. Twenty-two contaminated surfaces were positioned in different areas in a patient room with adjacent bathroom and anteroom. Following the decontamination process bacteria were recovered and reduction factors were calculated after performing quantitative culture. Following the manufactures instructions, the ozone-based device displayed a bactericidal effect (log10 > 5), whereas the aHP system failed for a high bacterial burden and achieves only a complete elimination of a realistic bioburden (log10 2). After increasing the exposure time to 30 min, the aHP device also reached a bactericidal effect. Nevertheless, our results indicate, that further research and development is necessary, to get knowledge about toxicity, efficacy and safety by using in complex hospital conditions and achieve meaningful integration in cleaning procedures, to reach positive effects on disinfection performance.
Robotics in Spine Surgery: A Technical Overview and Review of Key Concepts
Authors: Farber S. Harrison , Pacult Mark A. , Godzik Jakub , Walker Corey T. , Turner Jay D. , Porter Randall W. , Uribe Juan S.
Published: February 2021

The use of robotic systems to aid in surgical procedures has greatly increased over the past decade. Fields such as general surgery, urology, and gynecology have widely adopted robotic surgery as part of everyday practice. The use of robotic systems in the field of spine surgery has recently begun to be explored. Surgical procedures involving the spine often require fixation via pedicle screw placement, which is a task that may be augmented by the use of robotic technology. There is little margin for error with pedicle screw placement, because screw malposition may lead to serious complications, such as neurologic or vascular injury. Robotic systems must provide a degree of accuracy comparable to that of already-established methods of screw placement, including free-hand, fluoroscopically assisted, and computed tomography–assisted screw placement. In the past several years, reports have cataloged early results that show the robotic systems are associated with equivalent accuracy and decreased radiation exposure compared with other methods of screw placement. However, the literature is still lacking with regard to long-term outcomes with these systems. This report provides a technical overview of robotics in spine surgery based on experience at a single institution using the ExcelsiusGPS (Globus Medical; Audobon, PA, USA) robotic system for pedicle screw fixation. The current state of the field with regard to salient issues in robotics and future directions for robotics in spinal surgery are also discussed.
Optimal Cooking Procedure Presentation System for Multiple Recipes and Investigating Its Effect
Authors: Nakabe Jin , Mizumoto Teruhiro , Suwa Hirohiko , Yasumoto Keiichi
Published: February 2021

As the number of users who cook their own food increases, there is increasing demand for an optimal cooking procedure for multiple dishes, but the optimal cooking procedure varies from user to user due to the difference of each user’s cooking skill and environment. In this paper, we propose a system of presenting optimal cooking procedures that enables parallel cooking of multiple recipes. We formulate the problem of deciding optimal cooking procedures as a task scheduling problem by creating a task graph for each recipe. To reduce execution time, we propose two extensions to the preprocessing and bounding operation of PDF/IHS, a sequential optimization algorithm for the task scheduling problem, each taking into account the cooking characteristics. We confirmed that the proposed algorithm can reduce execution time by up to 44% compared to the base PDF/IHS, and increase execution time by about 900 times even when the number of required searches increases by 10,000 times. In addition, through the experiment with three recipes for 10 participants each, it was confirmed that by following the optimal cooking procedure for a certain menu, the actual cooking time was reduced by up to 13 min (14.8% of the time when users cooked freely) compared to the time when users cooked freely.
Can Hydromulch Reduce the Emergence of Perennial Weeds?
Authors: Mas Maria Teresa , Pardo Gabriel , Pueyo Jorge , Verdú Antoni M. C. , Cirujeda Alicia
Published: February 2021

Herbicide weed control is difficult in the first years of perennial crop establishment or in minor crops, and plastic sheet mulches can leave persistent residues. Liquid spray-on mulch (hydromulch) might be a solution in these cases. To test three hydromulch formulations on perennial weed emergence, greenhouse assays were conducted for two years in two localities to evaluate their rhizome sprouting and shoot emergence. Data, obtained from a completely randomized block design, were analyzed by means of generalized linear mixed models with binomial distribution and logit link function; the effects of hydromulch, species, and their interaction were considered fixed, while the other sources of variation (i.e., locality, year, block and rhizome length) were considered random. All three hydromulches, based on wheat straw, rice husk, and used substrate for mushroom cultivation, were capable of reducing rhizome sprouting of all four species tested when compared to the non-mulched treatment. Many rhizomes sprouted but were trapped under the mulch layer, especially those of Paspalum dilatatum (87%), Cynodon dactylon, and Sorghum halepense (around 50%), while Cyperus rotundus was least affected by the hydromulch treatments (16%). All three blends showed promising results in the reduction of perennial weed emergence, warranting field trials to test combined weed management strategies.
Delayed Development of Resistance to QoI Fungicide in Venturia inaequalis in Israeli Apple Orchards and Improved Apple Scab Management Using Fungicide Mixtures
Authors: Gur Lior , Levy Keren , Farber Amotz , Frenkel Omer , Reuveni Moshe
Published: February 2021

Quinone outside inhibitors (QoI) fungicides group were introduced for commercial use against apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) in Israel in 1997. Unlike other regions in the world, in which resistance of V. inaequalis to QoI fungicides was observed within 3–5 years of use, in Israel it only occurred after 14 years of use. Field trials conducted between 2007 and 2017 showed a significant reduction in susceptibility to QoIs in northern Israel only since 2011. The delay in the development of resistance is related to limited fungicidal sprays resulting from unfavorable conditions for the pathogen. Of the 28 isolates collected from infected leaves or fruits of commercial orchards in northern Israel, 27 were resistant to the QoI fungicide Kresoxim-methyl. Amplification of the CYTB gene and sequencing of the G143A mutation region confirmed the resistance of all 27 isolates to QoIs. Resistance is demonstrated in the orchard, in vitro and molecular-based study, which forced the growers to avoid using QoIs against apple scab. We show that foliar applications of tank mixtures of systemic fungicides plus captan or prepacked fungicidal mixtures improved efficacy and can be used as a strategic approach in fungicide resistance management, including in orchards in which resistance to QoIs has been detected.
Soil Moisture Retrieval Model Design with Multispectral and Infrared Images from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Seo Min-Guk , Shin Hyo-Sang , Tsourdos Antonios
Published: February 2021

This paper deals with a soil moisture retrieval model design with airborne measurements for remote monitoring of soil moisture level in large crop fields. A small quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is considered as a remote sensing platform for high spatial resolutions of airborne images and easy operations. A combination of multispectral and infrared (IR) sensors is applied to overcome the effects of canopies convering the field on the sensor measurements. Convolutional neural network (CNN) is utilized to take the measurement images directly as inputs for the soil moisture retrieval model without loss of information. The procedures to obtain an input image corresponding to a certain soil moisture level measurement point are addressed, and the overall structure of the proposed CNN-based model is suggested with descriptions. Training and testing of the proposed soil moisture retrieval model are conducted to verify and validate its performance and address the effects of input image sizes and errors on input images. The soil moisture level estimation performance decreases when the input image size increases as the ratio of the pixel corresponding to the point to estimate soil moisture level to the total number of pixels in the input image, whereas the input image size should be large enough to include this pixel under the errors in input images. The comparative study shows that the proposed CNN-based algorithm is advantageous on estimation performance by maintaining spatial information of pixels on the input images.
Ghanaian Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Bean Shells Coproducts: Effect of Particle Size on Chemical Composition, Bioactive Compound Content and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Botella-Martínez Carmen , Lucas-Gonzalez Raquel , Ballester-Costa Carmen , Pérez-Álvarez José Ángel , Fernández-López Juana , Delgado-Ospina Johannes , Chaves-López Clemencia , Viuda-Martos Manuel
Published: February 2021

The worldwide cocoa bean shell (CBS) generation is estimated at around 900,000 tons. In their composition, this coproduct showed several bioactive compounds like methylxanthines or polyphenolic compounds. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the effects of different particle sizes on the chemical composition, physico-chemical, bioactive compounds content, and antioxidant properties of flours obtained from cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) bean shells. The flours obtained from CBS with different particle sizes had high content of dietary fiber (61.18–65.58 g/100 g). The polyphenolic profile identified seven compounds being epicatechin and catechin (values ranged 4.56–6.33 and 2.11–4.56 mg/g, respectively) as the most abundant compounds. Additionally, the methylxanthines theobromine and caffeine were quantified with values ranging from 7.12 to 12.77 and 4.02 to 6.13 mg/g, respectively. For the fatty acid profile, the principal compounds identified were oleic, stearic and palmitic acids. CBS had antioxidant capacity with all methods assayed. For DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays values ranged between 2.35–5.53, 3.39–11.55, and 3.84–7.62 mg Trolox equivalents/g sample, respectively. This study suggests that cocoa bean shells may constitute a valuable coproduct for the food industry due to its high content in valuable bioactive compounds.
Novel Bacillus cereus Strain, ALT1, Enhance Growth and Strengthens the Antioxidant System of Soybean under Cadmium Stress
Authors: Sahile Atlaw Anbelu , Khan Muhammad Aaqil , Hamayun Muhammad , Imran Muhammad , Kang Sang-Mo , Lee In-Jung
Published: February 2021

Cadmium stress significantly decreases agricultural productivity worldwide. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are eco-friendly and inexpensive tool for mitigating heavy metal stress in crops. We isolated rhizospheric bacteria and screened them for various plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits as well as Cd tolerance. Only 6 bacterial isolates out of 55 assessed showed multiple PGP traits in response to different Cd concentrations. The Bacillus cereus ALT1 strain showed high tolerance to increased Cd amounts in the culture medium, while secreting indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and organic acids into the culture medium. High Cd concentrations (0.7 mM, 1.4 mM, and 2.1 mM) reduced soybean shoot and root length, root/shoot fresh and dry weight, as well as chlorophyll content; however, inoculation with the bacterial isolate ALT1 mitigated Cd stress and enhanced both soybean growth parameters and chlorophyll content. It also decreased abscisic acid (ABA) amounts, enhanced salicylic acid (SA) production, and promoted antioxidant response by increasing total proteins (TP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), while decreasing glutathione (GSH) content, lipid peroxidation (LPO), peroxidase (POD), superoxide anion (SOA), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in soybean plants. In addition, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) showed that soybean plants treated with the bacterial isolate ALT1 enhanced K uptake and decreased Cd amounts in comparison to control plants. The present study reveals that Cd-tolerant bacterial isolate ALT1 can alleviate Cd toxicity on plants by increasing their growth, thus imposing itself as an eco-friendly bio-fertilizer under Cd stress.
Mapping the Implementation of a Clinical Pharmacist-Driven Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme at a Tertiary Care Centre in South India
Authors: Nampoothiri Vrinda , Sudhir Akkulath Sangita , Joseph Mariam Varsha , Mohamed Zubair , Menon Vidya , Charani Esmita , Singh Sanjeev
Published: February 2021

In many parts of the world, including in India, pharmacist roles in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes remain unexplored. We describe the evolution and effect of the role of adding clinical pharmacists to a multidisciplinary AMS at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kerala, India. Through effective leadership, multidisciplinary AMS (February 2016) and antitubercular therapy (ATT) stewardship programmes (June 2017) were established. Clinical pharmacists were introduced as core members of the programmes, responsible for the operational delivery of key stewardship interventions. Pharmacy-led audit and feedback monitored the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescriptions and compliance to AMS/ATT recommendations. Between February 2016 and January 2017, 56% (742/1326) of antimicrobial prescriptions were appropriate, and 54% (318/584) of recommendations showed compliance. By the third year of the AMS, appropriateness increased to 80% (1752/2190), and compliance to the AMS recommendations to 70% (227/325). The appropriateness of ATT prescriptions increased from a baseline of 61% (95/157) in the first year, to 72% (62/86, June 2018–February 2019). The compliance to ATT recommendations increased from 42% (25/60) to 58% (14/24). Such a model can be effective in implementing sustainable change in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as India, where the shortage of infectious disease physicians is a major impediment to the implementation and sustainability of AMS programmes.
Polyphenols in the Mediterranean Diet: From Dietary Sources to microRNA Modulation
Authors: Cannataro Roberto , Fazio Alessia , La Torre Chiara , Caroleo Maria Cristina , Cione Erika
Published: February 2021

It is now well established that polyphenols are a class of natural substance that offers numerous health benefits; they are present in all plants in very different quantities and types. On the other hand, their bioavailability, and efficacy is are not always well proven. Therefore, this work aims to discuss some types of polyphenols belonging to Mediterranean foods. We chose six polyphenols—(1) Naringenin, (2) Apigenin, (3) Kaempferol, (4) Hesperidin, (5) Ellagic Acid and (6) Oleuropein—present in Mediterranean foods, describing dietary source and their chemistry, as well as their pharmacokinetic profile and their use as nutraceuticals/supplements, in addition to the relevant element of their capability in modulating microRNAs expression profile.
Age of Information and Success Probability Analysis in Hybrid Spectrum Access-Based Massive Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Okegbile Samuel , Maharaj Bodhaswar
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we investigate users’ performance under the hybrid spectrum access model in the massive cognitive radio network (CRN), where multiple primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs) transmit on the same channel simultaneously. SUs first detect the state of the channel via channel sensing and select an appropriate channel access scheme (either underlay or overlay) for their transmissions based on the outcome of the channel sensing. When at least one PU is active, SUs transmit under the underlay channel access scheme by employing the power control technique to ensure that the interference generated in the primary network is below the pre-defined interference threshold. In the absence of PU, SUs transmit with full transmit power under the overlay channel access scheme, thereby maximizing their throughput. Using the tool of stochastic geometry, we obtained tractable analyses for important metrics such as success probability, throughput, and the average age of information (AoI) in both primary and secondary networks, while capturing the interference between the two networks. The obtained analyses offer an efficient way to understand the metrics of AoI, throughput and success probability in the hybrid spectrum access-based CRN. We further compared users’ performance under the hybrid spectrum access scheme with performances under overlay and underlay spectrum access schemes. The outcome of the numerical simulations shows that the hybrid spectrum access scheme can significantly improve the performance of users in the network, while also capturing more key features of real-life systems.
Theoretical Analysis and Design of an Innovative Coil Structure for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Authors: Zhang Naming , Wang Ziang , Shi Jinhua , Ning Shuya , Zhang Yukuo , Wang Shuhong , Qiu Hao
Published: February 2021

Previous research showed that pulsed functional magnetic stimulation can activate brain tissue with optimum intensity and frequency. Conventional stimulation coils are always set as a figure-8 type or Helmholtz. However, the magnetic fields generated by these coils are uniform around the target, and their magnetic stimulation performance still needs improvement. In this paper, a novel type of stimulation coil is proposed to shrink the irritative zone and strengthen the stimulation intensity. Furthermore, the electromagnetic field distribution is calculated and measured. Based on numerical simulations, the proposed coil is compared to traditional coil types. Moreover, the influential factors, such as the diameter and the intersection angle, are also analyzed. It was demonstrated that the proposed coil has a better performance in comparison with the figure-8 coil. Thus, this work suggests a new way to design stimulation coils for transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Vibration Isolation of a Surveillance System Equipped in a Drone with Mode Decoupling
Authors: Shin Yun-Ho , Kim Donggeun , Son Seho , Ham Ji-Wan , Oh Ki-Yong
Published: February 2021

Vibration isolation with mode decoupling plays a crucial role in the design of an intelligent robotic system. Specifically, a coupled multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) model accurately predicts responses of system dynamics; hence, it is useful for vibration isolation and control with mode decoupling. This study presents a vibration isolation method with mode decoupling based on system identification, including a coupled multi-DOF model to design intelligent robotic systems. Moreover, the entire procedure is described, including the derivation of the governing equation of the coupled multi-DOF model, estimation of the frequency response function, and parameter estimation using least squares approximation. Furthermore, the suggested methods were applied for a mobile surveillance system suffering from resonances with mode coupling; it made the monitoring performance of the surveillance camera deteriorate. The resonance problem was mitigated by installing vibration isolators, but limited to eliminate the coupling effects of natural frequency deterioration performances of vibration isolation. More seriously, system identification with a simple decoupled model limits the prediction of this phenomenon. Hence, it is difficult to enhance the performance of vibration isolators. In contrast, the presented method can accurately predict the vibration phenomenon and plays a critical role in vibration isolation. Therefore, dynamic characteristics were predicted based on a vibration isolator using the coupled three-DOF model, and a final suggestion is presented here. The experiments demonstrated that the suggested configuration decreased vibration up to 98.3%, 94.0%, and 94.5% in the operational frequency range, i.e., 30–85 Hz, compared to the original surveillance system in the fore-after, side-by-side, and vertical directions, respectively. The analysis suggests that the present method and procedure effectively optimize the vibration isolation performances of a drone containing a surveillance system.
Diagnosis of Sepsis by AI-Aided Proteomics Using 2D Electrophoresis Images of Patient Serum Incorporating Transfer Learning for Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Hayashi Nobuhiro , Sawada Yoshihide , Ujimoto Kei , Yamaguchi Syunta , Sato Yoshikuni , Miki Takahiro , Nakada Toru , Iba Toshiaki
Published: February 2021

An accuracy of ≥98% was achieved in sepsis diagnosis using serum samples from 30 sepsis patients and 68 healthy individuals and a high-performance two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (HP-2D-PAGE) method developed here with deep learning and transfer learning algorithms. In this method, small-scale target domain data, which are collected to achieve our objective, are inputted directly into a model constructed with source domain data which are collected from a different domain from the target; target vectors are estimated with the outputted target domain data and applied to refine the model. Recognition performance of small-scale data is improved by reusing all layers, including the output layers of the neural network. Proteomics is generally considered the ultimate bio-diagnostic technique and provides extremely high information density in its two-dimensional electrophoresis images, but extracting the data has posed a basic problem. The present study is expected to solve that problem and will be an important breakthrough for practical utilization and future perspectives of proteomics in clinics after evaluation in clinical settings.
An Immersive Serious Game for the Behavioral Assessment of Psychological Needs
Authors: Giglioli Irene Alice Chicchi , Carrasco-Ribelles Lucia A. , Parra Elena , Marín-Morales Javier , Alcañiz Raya Mariano
Published: February 2021

Motivation is an essential component in mental health and well-being. In this area, researchers have identified four psychological needs that drive human behavior: attachment, self-esteem, orientation and control, and maximization of pleasure and minimization of distress. Various self-reported scales and interviews tools have been developed to assess these dimensions. Despite the validity of these, they are showing limitations in terms of abstractation and decontextualization and biases, such as social desirability bias, that can affect responses veracity. Conversely, virtual serious games (VSGs), that are games with specific purposes, can potentially provide more ecologically valid and objective assessments than traditional approaches. Starting from these premises, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a VSG to assess the four personality needs. Sixty subjects participated in five VSG sessions. Results showed that the VSG was able to recognize attachment, self-esteem, and orientation and control needs with a high accuracy, and to a lesser extent maximization of pleasure and minimization of distress need. In conclusion, this study showed the feasibility to use a VSG to enhance the assessment of psychological behavioral-based need, overcoming biases presented by traditional assessment.
Effect of the Particle Size on TDA Shear Strength Parameters in Triaxial Tests
Authors: El Naggar Hany , Zahran Khaled
Published: February 2021

Tire recycling and reuse in North America and worldwide have increased considerably, intending to reduce the harmful effects of scrap tires on the environment. Accordingly, the use of tire derived aggregates (TDA) as backfill material in civil engineering applications is on the rise at an unprecedented rate. However, to use TDA in the construction industry, its strength and stiffness parameters properties must be evaluated. One key factor that is known to influence the strength and stiffness of backfill material is the particle size of the used material. Hence, in this paper, a series of large-scale triaxial tests on five TDA samples with different maximum particle size, Dmax, of 19.05, 25.4, 38.1, 50.8 and 76.2 mm were conducted to investigate the effect of the particle size on the obtained results. The tests were done under consolidated drained conditions using three confining pressures of 50, 100, and 200 kPa. The results showed that the shear strength of TDA increase by increasing the maximum particle size while the cohesion did not show a specific trend. Moreover, the samples exhibited an increase in the secant elastic modulus by increasing the particle size.
Drug Resistance and Novel Therapies in Cancers in 2019
Authors: Wang Zhixiang
Published: February 2021

After the successful launch in the second half of 2018 by Cancers, the topic collection “Drug Resistance and Novel Therapies in Cancers” experienced its productive first full year in 2019 [...]
Interventions Facilitating Family Communication of Genetic Testing Results and Cascade Screening in Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer or Lynch Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Baroutsou Vasiliki , Underhill-Blazey Meghan L. , Appenzeller-Herzog Christian , Katapodi Maria C.
Published: February 2021

Evidence-based guidelines recommend cascade genetic testing of blood relatives of known Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) or Lynch Syndrome (LS) cases, to inform individualized cancer screening and prevention plans. The study identified interventions designed to facilitate family communication of genetic testing results and/or cancer predisposition cascade genetic testing for HBOC and LS. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials that assessed intervention efficacy for these two outcomes. Additional outcomes were also recorded and synthesized when possible. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the narrative synthesis and 13 in the meta-analysis. Lack of participant blinding was the most common risk of bias. Interventions targeted HBOC (n = 5); both HBOC and LS (n = 4); LS (n = 3); or ovarian cancer (n = 2). All protocols (n = 14) included a psychoeducational and/or counseling component. Additional components were decision aids (n = 4), building communication skills (n = 4), or motivational interviewing (n = 1). The overall effect size for family communication was small (g = 0.085) and not significant (p = 0.344), while for cascade testing, it was small (g = 0.169) but significant (p = 0.014). Interventions show promise for improving cancer predisposition cascade genetic testing for HBOC and LS. Future studies should employ family-based approaches and include racially diverse samples.
Clinical Perspectives in Addressing Unsolved Issues in (Neo)Adjuvant Therapy for Primary Breast Cancer
Authors: Kim Ryungsa , Kin Takanori
Published: February 2021

The treatment of primary breast cancer has evolved over the past 50 years based on the concept that breast cancer is a systemic disease, with the escalation of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies and de-escalation of breast cancer surgery. Despite the development of these therapies, recurrence with distant metastasis during the 10 years after surgical treatment is observed, albeit infrequently. Recent advances in genomic analysis based on circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA have enabled the development of targeted therapies based on genetic mutations in residual tumor cells. A paradigm shift involving the application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has enabled the prediction of treatment response and long-term prognoses; additional adjuvant chemotherapy targeting remaining tumor cells after NAC improves survival. The activation of antitumor immunity by anticancer agents may be involved in the eradication of residual tumor cells. Elucidation of the manner in which antitumor immunity is induced by anticancer agents and unknown factors, and the overcoming of drug resistance via the targeted eradication of residual tumor cells based on genomic profiles, will inevitably lead to the achievement of 0% distant recurrence and a complete cure for primary breast cancer.
Photoactive Heterostructures: How They Are Made and Explored
Authors: Emeline Alexei V. , Rudakova Aida V. , Mikhaylov Ruslan V. , Bulanin Kirill M. , Bahnemann Detlef W.
Published: February 2021

In our review we consider the results on the development and exploration of heterostructured photoactive materials with major attention focused on what are the better ways to form this type of materials and how to explore them correctly. Regardless of what type of heterostructure, metal–semiconductor or semiconductor–semiconductor, is formed, its functionality strongly depends on the quality of heterojunction. In turn, it depends on the selection of the heterostructure components (their chemical and physical properties) and on the proper choice of the synthesis method. Several examples of the different approaches such as in situ and ex situ, bottom-up and top-down, are reviewed. At the same time, even if the synthesis of heterostructured photoactive materials seems to be successful, strong experimental physical evidence demonstrating true heterojunction formation are required. A possibility for obtaining such evidence using different physical techniques is discussed. Particularly, it is demonstrated that the ability of optical spectroscopy to study heterostructured materials is in fact very limited. At the same time, such experimental techniques as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electrophysical methods (work function measurements and impedance spectroscopy) present a true signature of heterojunction formation. Therefore, whatever the purpose of heterostructure formation and studies is, the application of HRTEM and electrophysical methods is necessary to confirm that formation of the heterojunction was successful.
Milestones in Understanding Pulmonary Circulation: From Antiquity to Heart-Lung Machine
Authors: Torbicki Adam
Published: February 2021

Human pulmonary circulation is as full of mysteries and surprises as is the history of attempts to uncover and understand them. The Special Issue of Diagnostics, appearing after 2020 immobilized the world, give us an opportunity, space and momentum to remind to our medical community at least the main milestones which mark the progress that was made before our times. This review’s aim is to remind about pioneers and their ideas which now are considered as if they were always with us—which is not the case…
Open Markov Chains: Cumulant Dynamics, Fluctuations and Correlations
Authors: Salgado-García Raúl
Published: February 2021

In this work we propose a model for open Markov chains that can be interpreted as a system of non-interacting particles evolving according to the rules of a Markov chain. The number of particles in the system is not constant, because we allow the particles to arrive or leave the state space according to prescribed protocols. We describe this system by looking at the population of particles on every state by establishing the rules of time-evolution of the distribution of particles. We show that it is possible to describe the distribution of particles over the state space through the corresponding moment generating function. This description is given through the dynamics ruling the behavior of such a moment generating function and we prove that the system is able to attain the stationarity under some conditions. We also show that it is possible to describe the dynamics of the two first cumulants of the distribution of particles, which in some way is a simpler technique to obtain useful information of the open Markov chain for practical purposes. Finally we also study the behavior of the time-dependent correlation functions of the number of particles present in the system. We give some simple examples of open chains that either, can be fully described through the moment generating function or partially described through the exact solution of the cumulant dynamics.
Response of the Zygopteran Community (Odonata: Insecta) to Change in Environmental Integrity Driven by Urbanization in Eastern Amazonian Streams
Authors: Brito Jhose Paixão , Carvalho Fernando Geraldo , Juen Leandro
Published: February 2021

The accelerated and disordered growth of large urban centers has caused a significant loss of biodiversity and the negative effects are more significant in aquatic environments. Thus, the objective of this study is to assess the effects of environmental change due to urbanization in the abundance and biomass patterns of species belonging to the Zygoptera suborder. We tested the hypothesis that, in altered streams, there will be a predominance of organisms with fast growth and small biomass (r-strategists), and intermediate streams will have an overlapping of r and k-strategists. In control streams, there will be a predominance of k-strategists, with slow growth, decreased abundance, and high biomass. Urban expansion in Amazonian streams will cause loss of Zygoptera species richness. Streams draining urban areas will have higher air temperatures than control streams. Thus, small-sized and less abundant species will be favored. We sampled 15 streams in the metropolitan area of Belém. Sites were classified, using the index of physical habitat integrity, as control, intermediate and altered. Comparisons between biomass and abundance were analyzed using W Statistics. Our analyses showed that: the effects of urbanization cause loss of k-strategists and favors r-strategists, once abundance was placed above biomass; in intermediate environments, contrary to what we expected, there was no overlapping of strategies, once r-strategists were also placed above k-strategists; in control environments, biomass was placed above abundance, suggesting these environments have a predominance of k-strategist species, as we suggested; and we observed increased levels of temperature favor the most abundant species, the ones having generalist biological mechanisms; however, contrary to what we expected, there was no difference in richness. With these results, we reinforce the need for public policies to create or maintain the riparian forest along streams running through urban areas and create or maintain urban parks.
Support for Families of Youths and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: Contributions of a Program from Families’ and Specialists’ Perspectives
Authors: Villaescusa Maria , Martínez-Rueda Natxo , Fernández Almudena
Published: February 2021

A family-centered approach (FCA) is recognized as a set of values, principles, and practices aimed at strengthening families’ abilities to promote the development and well-being of its members. Despite the limited information available, results show the positive relationship between the support model, based on the collaboration between families and specialists, and family empowerment. This paper seeks to analyze the opinions of families and specialists on their participation in an intervention program for families of youths and adults with disabilities. Thirteen families and eight specialists participated in the study that used qualitative techniques, such as interviews and discussion groups, and a questionnaire to gather information about the families’ and specialists’ viewpoints over one year. Results show that families welcomed their involvement in the program. Both families and specialists recognize that creating a space for the whole family is the main contribution of the program, as it highlights the importance of considering the family’s entire system as a support unit, as well as the close relationship between the individual’s and family’s quality of life (FQoL).
Wind Put Barrier Options Pricing Based on the Nordix Index
Authors: Rodríguez Yeny E. , Pérez-Uribe Miguel A. , Contreras Javier
Published: February 2021

Wind power generators face risks derived from fluctuations in market prices and variability in power production, generated by their high dependence on wind speed. These risks could be hedged using weather financial instruments. In this research, we design and price an up-and-in European wind put barrier option using Monte Carlo simulation. Under the existence of a structured weather market, wind producers may purchase an up-and-in European wind barrier put option to hedge wind fluctuations, allowing them to recover their investments and maximise their profits. We use a wind speed index as the underlying index of the barrier option, which captures risk from wind power generation and the Autoregressive Fractionally Integrated Moving Average (ARFIMA) to model the wind speed. This methodology is applied in the Colombian context, an electricity market affected by the El Niño phenomenon. We find that when the El Niño phenomenon occurs, there are incentives for wind generators to sell their energy to the system because their costs, including the put option price, are lower than the power prices. This research aims at encouraging policymakers and governments to promote renewable energy sources and a financial market to trade options to reduce uncertainty in the electrical system due to climate phenomena.
Coordinated Control of Virtual Power Plants to Improve Power System Short-Term Dynamics
Authors: Zhong Weilin , Chen Junru , Liu Muyang , Murad Mohammed Ahsan Adib , Milano Federico
Published: February 2021

The paper proposes a coordinated frequency control strategy for Virtual Power Plant (VPPs), with the inclusion of Distributed Energy Resource (DERs), e.g., Solar Photo-Voltaic Generation (SPVG), Wind Generator (WG) as well as Energy Storage System (ESS). The objective is to improve the short-term dynamic response of the overall power system. The robustness of the proposed control is evaluated through a Monte Carlo analysis and a detailed modeling of stochastic disturbances of loads, wind speed, and solar irradiance. The impact of communication delays of a variety of realistic communication networks with different bandwidths is also discussed and evaluated. The case study is based on a modified version of the WSCC 9-bus test system with inclusion of a VPP. This is modeled as a distribution network with inclusion of a variety of DERs.
The Effect of Heat Removal during Thermophilic Phase on Energetic Aspects of Biowaste Composting Process
Authors: Sołowiej Piotr , Pochwatka Patrycja , Wawrzyniak Agnieszka , Łapiński Krzysztof , Lewicki Andrzej , Dach Jacek
Published: February 2021

Composting is the natural, exothermic process where the huge amount of heat that is created is an issue of organic matter decomposition. However, too high temperature can reduce the microbial activity during the thermophilic composting phase. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of heat excess removal from composted materials on the process dynamic. The experiment was performed in two parallel bioreactors. One of them was equipped with a heat removal system from the bed of the composted material. Three experiments were carried out with mixtures of different proportions: biological waste, wheat straw, and spent coffee grounds. The content of each option was determined based on a previous study of substrates to maintain the C/N ratio for the right composting process, provide adequate porosity composted material, and enable a proper degree of aeration. The study showed the possibility of receiving part of the heat from the bed of composted material during the thermophilic phase of the process without harm both to the course of composting and the quality of the final product. This shows that at a real scale, it can be possible to recover an important amount of heat from composted materials as a low-temperature heat source.
Energy Efficiency in OECD Countries: A DEA Approach
Authors: Fidanoski Filip , Simeonovski Kiril , Cvetkoska Violeta
Published: February 2021

This paper deals with energy efficiency examined through an integrated model that links energy with environment, technology, and urbanisation as related areas. Our main goal is to discover how efficiently developed countries use primary energy and electricity (secondary energy). We additionally want to find out how the inclusion of environmental care and renewable energy capacity affects efficiency. For that purpose, we set up an output-oriented BCC data envelopment analysis that employs a set of input variables with non-negative values to calculate the efficiency scores on minimising energy use and losses as well as environmental emissions for a sample of 30 OECD member states during the period from 2001 to 2018. We develop a couple of baseline models in which we find that countries have mean inefficiency margins of 16.1% for primary energy and from 10.8 to 13.5% for electricity. The results from the extended models show that taking care about environment does not affect efficiency in general, while the reliance on energy produced from renewable sources does slightly reduce it.