bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Entropy-Based Cross-Efficiency under Variable Returns to Scale
Authors: Su Chun-Hsiung , Lu Tim
Published: December 2019

Cross-efficiency evaluation is an effective methodology for discriminating among a set of decision-making units (DMUs) through both self- and peer-evaluation methods. This evaluation technique is usually used for data envelopment analysis (DEA) models with constant returns to scale due to the fact that negative efficiencies never happen in this case. For cases of variable returns to scale (VRSs), the evaluation may generate negative cross-efficiencies. However, when the production technology is known to be VRS, a VRS model must be used. In this case, negative efficiencies may occur. Negative efficiencies are unreasonable and cause difficulties in calculating the final cross-efficiency. In this paper, we propose a cross-efficiency evaluation method, with the technology of VRS. The cross-efficiency intervals of DMUs were derived from the associated aggressive and benevolent formulations. More importantly, the proposed approach does not produce negative efficiencies. For comparison of DMUs with their cross-efficiency intervals, a numerical index is required. Since the concept of entropy is an effective tool to measure the uncertainty, this concept was employed to build an index for ranking DMUs with cross efficiency intervals. A real-case example was used to illustrate the approach proposed in this paper.
Nature in the Eye of the Beholder: A Case Study for Cultural Humility as a Strategy to Broaden Participation in STEM
Authors: Miriti Maria N.
Published: December 2019

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines suffer from chronically low participation of women and underrepresented minorities. Diversity enhancement initiatives frequently attempt to mitigate skill deficits such as math skills in an attempt to improve preparedness of these students. However, such interventions do not address cultural or social barriers that contribute to the isolation and marginalization that discourage continued participation in STEM. Science exists and is developed within social constructs.; because of this, cultural conflicts can occur pertaining to contrasting cultural belief systems between educators and students, or to socially-biased perspectives that are embedded in disciplinary values. These conflicts are implicated in the low recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in STEM. To address the relationship between culture and STEM diversity, I present a case study that examines the role of culturally-biased views of nature on the lack of diverse participation in ecology and environmental biology. I conclude by advocating the use of inclusive, culturally-sensitive teaching practices that can improve the climate for underrepresented students and increase diverse recruitment and retention in STEM.
The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Nurses’ Organizational Commitment: A Multiple Mediation Model
Authors: Iqbal Kamran , Fatima Tehreem , Naveed Muhammad
Published: December 2019

This study proposed that the transformational style of nursing staff supervisors inculcate commitment amongst nurses. Moreover, psychological empowerment and psychological well-being were posited as multiple meditators in the above-mentioned association, based on the tenant of conservation of resource (COR) theory. The authors have collected the survey data from the sample of (n = 299) hospital nurses working in Sargodha district of Pakistan. The bootstrap results have supported the direct, as well as indirect relationships. These findings imply that when the nursing staff perceives their leader as transformational, their psychological empowerment is enhanced, and they have higher well-being, which in turn increases their commitment to their hospitals. This study offers a better understanding of psychological states that mediate transformational leadership and organizational commitment linkage.
Masivo: Parallel Simulation Model Based on OpenCL for Massive Public Transportation Systems’ Routes
Authors: Ruiz-Rosero Juan , Ramirez-Gonzalez Gustavo , Khanna Rahul
Published: December 2019

There is a large number of tools for the simulation of traffic and routes in public transport systems. These use different simulation models (macroscopic, microscopic, and mesoscopic). Unfortunately, these simulation tools are limited when simulating a complete public transport system, which includes all its buses and routes (up to 270 for the London Underground). The processing times for these type of simulations increase in an unmanageable way since all the relevant variables that are required to simulate consistently and reliably the system behavior must be included. In this paper, we present a new simulation model for public transport routes’ simulation called Masivo. It runs the public transport stops’ operations in OpenCL work items concurrently, using a multi-core high performance platform. The performance results of Masivo show a speed-up factor of 10.2 compared with the simulator model running with one compute unit and a speed-up factor of 278 times faster than the validation simulator. The real-time factor achieved was 3050 times faster than the 10 h simulated duration, for a public transport system of 300 stops, 2400 buses, and 456,997 passengers.
Cascade Second Order Sliding Mode Control for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Drive
Authors: Merabet Adel
Published: December 2019

This paper presents a cascade second-order sliding mode control scheme applied to a permanent magnet synchronous motor for speed tracking applications. The control system is comprised of two control loops for the speed and the armature current control, where the command of the speed controller (outer loop) is the reference of the q-current controller (inner loop) that forms the cascade structure. The sliding mode control algorithm is based on a single input-output state space model and a second order control structure. The proposed cascade second order sliding mode control approach is validated on an experimental permanent magnet synchronous motor drive. Experimental results are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy with respect to speed and current control. Moreover, the robustness of the second-order sliding mode controller is guaranteed in terms of unknown disturbances and parametric and modeling uncertainties.
The Benefit of Collaboration in the North European Electricity System Transition—System and Sector Perspectives
Authors: Göransson Lisa , Lehtveer Mariliis , Nyholm Emil , Taljegard Maria , Walter Viktor
Published: December 2019

This work investigates the connection between electrification of the industry, transport, and heat sector and the integration of wind and solar power in the electricity system. The impact of combining electrification of the steel industry, passenger vehicles, and residential heat supply with flexibility provision is evaluated from a systems and sector perspective. Deploying a parallel computing approach to the capacity expansion problem, the impact of flexibility provision throughout the north European electricity system transition is investigated. It is found that a strategic collaboration between the electricity system, an electrified steel industry, an electrified transport sector in the form of passenger electric vehicles (EVs) and residential heat supply can reduce total system cost by 8% in the north European electricity system compared to if no collaboration is achieved. The flexibility provision by new electricity consumers enables a faster transition from fossil fuels in the European electricity system and reduces thermal generation. From a sector perspective, strategic consumption of electricity for hydrogen production and EV charging and discharging to the grid reduces the number of hours with very high electricity prices resulting in a reduction in annual electricity prices by up to 20%.
Overcharge Cycling Effect on the Surface Layers and Crystalline Structure of LiFePO4 Cathodes of Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Beletskii Evgenii V. , Alekseeva Elena V. , Spiridonova Dar’ya V. , Yankin Andrei N. , Levin Oleg V.
Published: December 2019

Electrochemical cells using LiFePO4 cathode material are considered one of the safest and most resistant to overcharging among Li-ion batteries. However, if LiFePO4-based electrodes are exposed to high potentials, surface and structural changes may occur in the electrode material. In this study Li/LiFePO4 half-cells were overcharged under different modes with variable cut-off voltages and charge currents. The change in voltage profile, discharge capacity, surface layers composition, and crystalline structure were characterized after overcharge cycles. It was demonstrated that the cathode material is resistant to short-term overcharging up to 5 V, but undergoes irreversible changes with increasing overcharge time or potential. Thus, despite the well-known tolerance of LiFePO4-based batteries to overcharge, a long overcharge time or high cut-off voltage leads to destructive changes in the cathode and should be avoided.
Exergy Analysis and Process Optimization with Variable Environment Temperature
Authors: Pons Michel
Published: December 2019

In its usual definition, exergy cancels out at the ambient temperature which is thus taken both as a constant and as a reference. When the fluctuations of the ambient temperature, obviously real, are considered, the temperature where exergy cancels out can be equated, either to the current ambient temperature (thus variable), or to a constant reference temperature. Thermodynamic consequences of both approaches are mathematically derived. Only the second approach insures that minimizing the exergy loss maximizes performance in terms of energy. Moreover, it extends the notion of reversibility to the presence of an ideal heat storage. When the heat storage is real (non-ideal), the total exergy loss includes a component specifically related to the heat exchanges with variable ambient air. The design of the heat storage can then be incorporated into an optimization procedure for the whole process. That second approach with a constant reference is exemplified in the case study of heat pumping for heating a building in wintertime. The results show that the so-obtained total exergy loss is the lost mechanical energy, a property that is not verified when exergy analysis is conducted following the first approach.
Optimal Operation of Critical Peak Pricing for an Energy Retailer Considering Balancing Costs
Authors: Song Hye Yoon , Lee Gyu Sub , Yoon Yong Tae
Published: December 2019

Recently, there have been frequent fluctuations in the wholesale prices of electricity following the increased penetration of renewable energy sources. Therefore, retailers face price risks caused by differences between wholesale prices and retail rates. As a hedging against price risk, retailers can utilize critical peak pricing (CPP) in a price-based program. This study proposes a novel multi-stage stochastic programming (MSSP) model for a retailer with self-generation photovoltaic facility to optimize both its bidding strategy and the CPP operation, in the face of several uncertainties. Using MSSP, decisions can be determined sequentially with realization of the uncertainties over time. Furthermore, to ensure a global optimum, a mixed integer non-linear programming is transformed into mixed integer linear programming through three linearization steps. In a numerical simulation, the effectiveness of the proposed MSSP model is compared with that of a mean-value deterministic model based on a rolling horizon method. We also investigate the optimal strategy of a retailer by changing various input parameters and perform a sensitivity analysis to assess the impacts of different uncertain parameters on the retailer’s profit. Finally, the effect of the energy storage system on the proposed optimization problem is investigated.
Evaluation of Heat Transfer Performance of a Multi-Disc Sorption Bed Dedicated for Adsorption Cooling Technology
Authors: Sosnowski Marcin
Published: December 2019

The possibility of implementing the innovative multi-disc sorption bed combined with the heat exchanger into the adsorption cooling technology is investigated experimentally and numerically in the paper. The developed in-house sorption model incorporated into the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code was applied within the analysis. The research allowed to define the design parameters of the proposed type of the sorption bed and correlate them with basic factors influencing the performance of the sorption bed and its dimensions. The designed multi-disc sorption bed is characterized by great scalability and allows to significantly expand the potential installation sites of the adsorption chillers.
A Real-Time Bi-Adaptive Controller-Based Energy Management System for Battery–Supercapacitor Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Authors: Hussain Sadam , Ali Muhammad Umair , Park Gwan-Soo , Nengroo Sarvar Hussain , Khan Muhammad Adil , Kim Hee-Je
Published: December 2019

The energy storage system (ESS) is the main issue in traction applications, such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs). To alleviate the shortage of power density in BEVs, a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) can be used as an alternative ESS. HESS has the dynamic features of the battery and a supercapacitor (SC), and it requires an intelligent energy management system (EMS) to operate it effectively. In this study, a real-time EMS is proposed, which is comprised of a fuzzy logic controller-based low-pass filter and an adaptive proportional integrator-based charge controller. The proposed EMS intelligently distributes the required power from the battery and SC during acceleration. It allocates the braking energy to the SC on the basis of the state of charge. A simulation study was conducted for three standard drive cycles (New York City cycle, Artemis urban cycle, and New York composite cycle) using MATLAB Simulink. Comparative analysis of conventional and proposed EMSs was carried out. The results reveal that the proposed EMS reduced the stress, temperature, and power losses of the battery. The steady-state charging performance of the SC was 98%, 95%, and 96% for the mentioned drive cycles.
Research and Application of Continuous Bidirectional Trading Mechanism in Yunnan Electricity Market
Authors: Yu Xuguang , Li Gang , Cheng Chuntian , Sun Yongjun , Chen Ran
Published: December 2019

To further promote market competition, enrich trading varieties, alleviate information asymmetry, and improve trading efficiency during electricity market reform in China, the continuous bidirectional transaction (CBT) was designed and applied in the Yunnan electricity market (YNEM), which is dominated by medium- and long-term power energy trading. The clearing model for the CBT with the goal of maximum social welfare is proposed in two bidding stages, including call auction (CA) and continuous double auction (CDA). Correspondingly, the integrated two-stage market clearing algorithm is also introduced to ensure the data consistency and business continuity. Finally, the analysis of the practical application shows that the proposed model, algorithm, and various key implementation strategies of the trading platform support the bidding and clearing of the CBT well. In addition, the research and application of CBT may also provide valuable insights for other electricity market construction.
Optimal Design of PMSM Based on Automated Finite Element Analysis and Metamodeling
Authors: You Yong-Min
Published: December 2019

To obtain accurate optimal design results in electric machines, the finite element analysis (FEA) technique should be used; however, it is time-consuming. In addition, when the design of experiments (DOE) is conducted in the optimal design process, mechanical design, analysis, and post process must be performed for each design point, which requires a significant amount of design cost and time. This study proposes an automated DOE procedure through linkage between an FEA program and optimal design program to perform DOE easily and accurately. Parametric modeling was developed for the FEA model for automation, the files required for automation were generated using the macro function, and the interface between the FEA and optimal design program was established. Shape optimization was performed on permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) for small electric vehicles to maximize torque while maintaining efficiency, torque ripple, and total harmonic distortion of the back EMF using the built-in automation program. Fifty FEAs were performed for the experimental points selected by optimal Latin hypercube design and their results were analyzed by screening. Eleven metamodels were created for each output variable using the DOE results and root mean squared error tests were conducted to evaluate the predictive performance of the metamodels. The optimization design based on metamodels was conducted using the hybrid metaheuristic algorithm to determine the global optimum. The optimum design results showed that the average torque was improved by 2.5% in comparison to the initial model, while satisfying all constraints. Finally, the optimal design results were verified by FEA. Consequently, it was found that the proposed optimal design method can be useful for improving the performance of PMSM as well as reducing design cost and time.
Research on Fluid Flow and Permeability in Low Porous Rock Sample Using Laboratory and Computational Techniques
Authors: Krakowska Paulina , Madejski Paweł
Published: December 2019

The paper presents results of fluid flow simulation in tight rock being potentially gas-bearing formation. Core samples are under careful investigation because of the high cost of production from the well. Numerical simulations allow determining absolute permeability based on computed X-ray tomography images of the rock sample. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) give the opportunity to use the partial slip Maxwell model for permeability calculations. A detailed 3D geometrical model of the pore space was the input data. These 3D models of the pore space were extracted from the rock sample using highly specialized software poROSE (poROus materials examination SoftwarE, AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland), which is the product of close cooperation of petroleum science and industry. The changes in mass flow depended on the pressure difference, and the tangential momentum accommodation coefficient was delivered and used in further quantitative analysis. The results of fluid flow simulations were combined with laboratory measurement results using a gas permeameter. It appeared that for the established parameters and proper fluid flow model (partial slip model, Tangential Momentum Accommodation Coefficient (TMAC), volumetric flow rate values), the obtained absolute permeability was similar to the permeability from the core test analysis.
Assessing the Performance of the European Natural Gas Network for Selected Supply Disruption Scenarios Using Open-Source Information
Authors: Lustenberger Peter , Schumacher Felix , Spada Matteo , Burgherr Peter , Stojadinovic Bozidar
Published: December 2019

Natural gas covers more than 20% of Europe’s primary energy demand. A potential disruption could lead to supply shortages with severe consequences for the European economy and society. History shows that such a vast and complex network system is prone to exogenous and endogenous disruptions. A dedicated large-scale dataset of the European natural gas network from publicly available information sources is assembled first. The spatial coverage, completeness and resolution allows analyzing the behavior of this geospatial infrastructure network (including consumption) and its components under likely disruptive events, such as earthquakes, and/or technical failures. Using the developed system state simulation engine, the disruption impact is mapped. The results show that storage facilities cannot in all cases compensate for a pipeline disruption. Moreover, critical pipelines, such as the Transitgas pipeline crossing the Alps and the Trans-Mediterranean pipeline bringing natural gas from Northern Africa, are identified. To analyze the pipelines with high impact on the system performance, a detailed scenario analysis using a Monte Carlo simulation resulting in supply grade mapping is conducted and presented for the case of Italy. Overall, it can be concluded that locations with a dead-end, sole supply, and without storage facility nearby, are remarkably exposed to natural gas supply losses.
Effective Mechanisms to Relate Initial Rock Permeability to Outcome of Relative Permeability Modification
Authors: Al-shajalee Faaiz , Wood Colin , Xie Quan , Saeedi Ali
Published: December 2019

Excessive water production is becoming common in many gas reservoirs. Polymers have been used as relative permeability modifiers (RPM) to selectively reduce water production with minimum effect on the hydrocarbon phase. This manuscript reports the results of an experimental study where we examined the effect of initial rock permeability on the outcome of an RPM treatment for a gas/water system. The results show that in high-permeability rocks, the treatment may have no significant effect on either the water and gas relative permeabilities. In a moderate-permeability case, the treatment was found to reduce water relative permeability significantly but improve gas relative permeability, while in low-permeability rocks, it resulted in greater reduction in gas relative permeability than that of water. This research reveals that, in an RPM treatment, more important than thickness of the adsorbed polymer layer ( e ) is the ratio of this thickness on rock pore radius ( e r ).
Optimization of the Alignment Method for an Electric Vehicle Magnetic Field Wireless Power Transfer System Using a Low-Frequency Ferrite Rod Antenna
Authors: Seong Jae Yong , Lee Sang-Sun
Published: December 2019

The establishment of international and regional standards for electric vehicle (EV) magnetic field wireless power transfer (MF-WPT) systems started in 2010 by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In the meantime, the EV MF-WPT standardization has been focused on primary device and secondary device topology. Recently, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and SAE have begun describing the communication and alignment techniques for EV MF-WPT. In this paper, we present a fine positioning method using a low-frequency (LF) signal, as mentioned in IEC 61980 and SAE J2954. Through modeling and simulation, we optimized a LF ferrite rod antenna (FRA) for EV MF-WPT fine positioning. We also found the optimal arrangement of LF-FRAs on primary device and secondary device Finally, we used a test bench to experiment and check the results of our proposal.
Research on Community Detection of Online Social Network Members Based on the Sparse Subspace Clustering Approach
Authors: Zhou Zihe , Tian Bo
Published: December 2019

The text data of the social network platforms take the form of short texts, and the massive text data have high-dimensional and sparse characteristics, which does not make the traditional clustering algorithm perform well. In this paper, a new community detection method based on the sparse subspace clustering (SSC) algorithm is proposed to deal with the problem of sparsity and the high-dimensional characteristic of short texts in online social networks. The main ideal is as follows. First, the structured data including users’ attributions and user behavior and unstructured data such as user reviews are used to construct the vector space for the network. And the similarity of the feature words is calculated by the location relation of the feature words in the synonym word forest. Then, the dimensions of data are deduced based on the principal component analysis in order to improve the clustering accuracy. Further, a new community detection method of social network members based on the SSC is proposed. Finally, experiments on several data sets are performed and compared with the K-means clustering algorithm. Experimental results show that proper dimension reduction for high dimensional data can improve the clustering accuracy and efficiency of the SSC approach. The proposed method can achieve suitable community partition effect on online social network data sets.
Measuring Initial Attack Suppression Effectiveness through Burn Probability
Authors: Reimer Jonathan , Thompson Dan K. , Povak Nicholas
Published: December 2019

Most wildfires in North America are quickly extinguished during initial attack (IA), the first phase of suppression. While rates of success are high, it is not clear how much IA suppression reduces annual fire risk across landscapes. This study introduces a method of estimating IA effectiveness by pairing burn probability (BP) analysis with containment probability calculations based on initial fire intensity, spread rate, and crew response time. The method was demonstrated on a study area in Kootenay National Park, Canada by comparing burn probabilities with and without modeled IA suppression. Results produced landscape-level analyses of three variables: burn probability, suppression effectiveness, and conditional escape probability. Overall, IA reduced mean study area BP by 78% as compared to a no-suppression scenario, but the primary finding was marked spatial heterogeneity. IA was most effective in recently burned areas (86% reduction), whereas mature, contiguous fuels moderated its influence (50%). Suppression was least effective in the designated wildfire exclusion zone, suggesting supplementary management approaches may be appropriate. While the framework includes assumptions about IA containment, results offer new insight into emergent risk patterns and how management strategies alter them. Managers can adopt these methods to anticipate, quantify, and compare fine-scale policy outcomes.
Diet of European Catfish in a Newly Invaded Region
Authors: Ferreira Marco , Gago João , Ribeiro Filipe
Published: December 2019

Biological invasions are considered to be one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Freshwater ecosystems are amongst the most biodiverse, containing about 50% of the world’s known fish species but, ironically, are the most invaded ecosystems. In Portuguese freshwaters, there are currently 20 identified non-native fishes, arriving at an unprecedented rate of a new species every two years. A recent non-native is the European catfish Silurus glanis, a top predator native to Central and Eastern Europe, that arrived at the Lower Tagus (Portugal) circa 2006. This study compares the dietary habits of this top predator in two different habitats of the Lower Tagus in order to evaluate its potential impact. The stomach contents of 96 individuals were analyzed, 61 from the lotic environment and 35 from the lentic systems. A total of 66 stomachs contained prey items, 38 from the lotic and 28 from the lentic. Diet varied considerably between habitats, with shrimp and crayfish being the most abundant prey items in the lentic systems and shrimp and fish the most abundant prey items in the lotic section. Tendency to piscivory was observed in large-sized individuals. Overall, the findings in this study provide the first evidence of the potential impacts of European catfish through predation on the fish communities.
“I Always Wanted to Look at Another Human and Say I Can See That Human in Me”: Understanding Genealogical Bewilderment in the Context of Racialised Intercountry Adoptees
Authors: Barn Ravinder , Mansuri Nushra
Published: December 2019

Although there is growing literature on the situation of international adoption, there is a general paucity of research into the salience of the concept of genealogical bewilderment (GB) and racialised adult adoptees’ experiences of searching for their transnational birth families. This paper seeks to explore the relevance of the much under-studied concept of GB in relation to intercountry adoption. Through a detailed analysis of a documentary film series—Searching for Mum—that serves as an empirical example to develop the concept of GB, this paper utilises four case studies involving adult adoptees to shed light on a number of key concerns, including motivations for genealogy search, belonging, identity, body image/mirror image, and ancestral knowledge. The paper argues that even supposedly well-adjusted adoptees may desire to search for their genealogy and heredity. Moreover, such searches may indicate a quest for belonging and identity in a world where biological ties and processes of racialisation are equated with such phenomena.
A Silicified Carboniferous Lycopsid Forest in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA
Authors: Viney Mike , Hickey Robert D. , Mustoe George E.
Published: December 2019

The 1930 discovery of Carboniferous lycopsid fossils in south central Colorado resulted in the naming of a new species of scale tree, Lepidodendron johnsonii (=Lepidophloios johnsonii (Arnold) DiMichele). Cellular structures of L. johnsonii axes and periderm are preserved in silica—an unusual mode of fossil preservation for Pennsylvanian lycopsid plant remains. The early reports on the Trout Creek lycopsid fossils focused on taxonomic and paleobotanical aspects. Our 2019 reinvestigation of the locality produced many new specimens and a wealth of new data from a variety of analytical methods. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive electron spectroscopy, determination of specific gravity, and Loss on Ignition provide details of mineralization. Cell walls are preserved with very small fine quartz particles, and cell lumina are filled with microcrystalline quartz. Some cell exteriors are encrusted with euhedral quartz crystals. These multiple forms of quartz are evidence that petrifaction involved several episodes of silicification. The dark color of the fossil wood and siliceous matrix appears to be caused by traces of dispersed carbon, but 500 °C Loss on Ignition reveals that the fossil wood preserves only very small amounts of the original organic matter.
An Investigation of the Side Effects, Patient Feedback, and Physiological Changes Associated with Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy for Hepatitis C
Authors: Wu Pin-Sheng , Chang Te-Sheng , Lu Sheng-Nan , Su Hsiang-Jou , Chang Shu-Zhi , Hsu Chia-Wen , Chen Mei-Yen
Published: December 2019

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma globally. The advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with high cure rates provides an opportunity to reduce the rising HCV disease burden. However, few studies have explored the side effects and physiological benefits of DAA therapy in rural areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the subjective reports of discomfort, patient feedback about the course of treatment, and physiological changes after DAA treatment in HCV patients. Methods: A descriptive, prospective, comparative cohort study was conducted from January to August 2019 in western coastal Yunlin County, Taiwan. Data regarding demographic characteristics, subjective discomfort levels, and physiological responses were collected through face to face interviews and from medical records by a cooperating hospital. Results: Six-hundred-and-twenty-three participants with an active HCV infection were identified; 555 (89.1%) had completed treatment, and sustained virologic response was achieved in 99.6% (n = 553). The mean age was 64.9 (standard deviation = 13.1) years, and 35% of patients experienced discomfort during DAA treatment, including fatigue, itching, and dizziness. After three months of treatment, physiological markers, including body weight (p < 0.001), waist circumference (p < 0.05), blood pressure (p < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (p < 0.001), and aspartate aminotransferase (p < 0.001), had significantly improved. Almost all participants provided positive feedback about the treatment experience and reported manageable side effects. Conclusions: The findings showed that, in an endemic rural area, DAA treatment had a high cure rate and improved physiological markers with few discomforts. These results can be used to reduce the barriers HCV patients face in adopting new medications.
Sporting Habits of Urban Runners: Classification According to Their Motivation
Authors: Parra-Camacho David , González-Serrano María Huertas , González-García Rómulo Jacobo , Calabuig Moreno Ferran
Published: December 2019

This study analyses the sporting habits of runners participating in short-distance urban running events to identify groups with different motivations towards the practice of endurance running and participation in urban running events. A sample consisting of 937 participants in the Valencia running circuit was interviewed using a questionnaire consisting of a scale of 22 items to analyse their motives for participating in popular races. An exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis was carried out to check the validity of the instrument, and the analysis identified the following four factors into which the indicators were grouped: psychological and physical motives (3 items), social motives and interest in running events (5 items), occupation of time and social recognition (6 items) and competitive and material motives (3 items). Subsequently, a cluster analysis was performed by combining hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods, and the analysis identified the following three groups of runners with different characteristics: individual hedonists (n = 276), enthusiasts (n = 312) and socializing hedonists (n = 349). Enthusiastic runners consider most motives important when participating in running events, individual hedonists consider individual psychological and physical motives important, and socializing hedonists consider personal and social motives and interest in sport important. Variables related to age, educational level, annual income level, frequency of running, how the individuals went out to run and the level of the runners contributed to differentiating the identified groups. The results confirm the heterogeneous nature of urban runners.
From Happiness Orientations to Work Performance: The Mediating Role of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Experiences
Authors: Peiró José M. , Kozusznik Malgorzata W. , Soriano Aida
Published: December 2019

In organizations, psychologists have often tried to promote employees’ well-being and performance, and this can be achieved through different pathways. The happy-productive worker thesis states that ‘happy’ workers perform better than ‘unhappy’ ones. However, most studies have focused on hedonic well-being at the expense of the person’s eudaimonic experience. This study examines whether orientations to happiness (i.e., life of pleasure/meaning) are related to hedonic (i.e., perception of comfort) and eudaimonic (i.e., activity worthwhileness) experiences that, in turn, improve performance. We applied multilevel structural equation modeling to diary data (68 office workers; n = 471 timepoints). We obtained significant effects of: life of pleasure on self-rated performance through activity worthwhileness, life of meaning on performance (self-rated, rated by the supervisor) through activity worthwhileness, and life of meaning on performance rated by the supervisor through perception of comfort. Results show more significant paths from/or through eudaimonia to performance than from/or through hedonia. The results suggest that the pursuit and/or experience of eudaimonic happiness is more beneficial for work performance than the pursuit and/or experience of hedonic happiness. Theoretical and practical implications for organizations are discussed.
Agricultural Dust Exposures and Health and Safety Practices among Western Australian Wheatbelt Farmers during Harvest
Authors: Rumchev Krassi , Gilbey Suzanne , Mead-Hunter Ryan , Selvey Linda , Netto Kevin , Mullins Ben
Published: December 2019

Background: Agricultural farmworkers are routinely exposed to high levels of airborne dust particles that have been linked to adverse health outcomes. Methods: This study measured personal and environmental exposures to dust particulates by farmworkers during harvesting activities. Farmers completed a workplace survey with regards to their health and safety awareness and practices and researchers observed general farm safety practices on selected farms using a checklist. Results: In this study, farmers were noted to commonly work extended hours and shifts during harvest due to rigid timing deadlines. Results showed that 40% of farmers were exposed to concentrations of inhalable particles greater than SafeWork Australia’s workplace exposure standards for grain dusts, assuming a 16 h working day over 5 shifts. Twenty-two percent were exposed to concentrations that were above the adjusted standard for 12 h shifts. Survey results showed that three-quarters of farm owners provided new workers with some type of induction related to farm safety, however this was mostly undertaken in an arbitrary manner. Despite noting that farming was a dusty occupation and reporting to use protective measures to reduce harmful dust exposures, no workers were observed to wear respiratory protection when working outside of the protection of a vehicle cabin. Conclusion: This study identified substantial gaps in health and safety knowledge among farm managers and workers, and improved education and training are highly recommended.
Integration of Multi-Camera Video Moving Objects and GIS
Authors: Xie Yujia , Wang Meizhen , Liu Xuejun , Mao Bo , Wang Feiyue
Published: December 2019

This work discusses the integration of multi-camera video moving objects (MCVO) and GIS. This integration was motivated by the characteristics of multi-camera videos distributed in the urban environment, namely, large data volume, sparse distribution and complex spatial–temporal correlation of MCVO, thereby resulting in low efficiency of manual browsing and retrieval of videos. To address the aforementioned drawbacks, on the basis of multi-camera video moving object extraction, this paper first analyzed the characteristics of different video-GIS Information fusion methods and investigated the integrated data organization of MCVO by constructing a spatial–temporal pipeline among different cameras. Then, the conceptual integration model of MCVO and GIS was proposed on the basis of spatial mapping, and the GIS-MCVO prototype system was constructed in this study. Finally, this study analyzed the applications and potential benefits of the GIS-MCVO system, including a GIS-based user interface on video moving object expression in the virtual geographic scene, video compression storage, blind zone trajectory deduction, retrieval of MCVO, and video synopsis. Examples have shown that the integration of MCVO and GIS can improve the efficiency of expressing video information, achieve the compression of video data, rapidly assisting the user in browsing video objects from multiple cameras.
Role of the Novel Hsp90 Co-Chaperones in Dynein Arms’ Preassembly
Authors: Fabczak Hanna , Osinka Anna
Published: December 2019

The outer and inner dynein arms (ODAs and IDAs) are composed of multiple subunits including dynein heavy chains possessing a motor domain. These complex structures are preassembled in the cytoplasm before being transported to the cilia. The molecular mechanism(s) controlling dynein arms’ preassembly is poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that canonical R2TP complex, an Hsp-90 co-chaperone, in cooperation with dynein axonemal assembly factors (DNAAFs), plays a crucial role in the preassembly of ODAs and IDAs. Here, we have summarized recent data concerning the identification of novel chaperone complexes and their role in dynein arms’ preassembly and their association with primary cilia dyskinesia (PCD), a human genetic disorder.
SYK Targeting Represents a Potential Therapeutic Option for Relapsed Resistant Pediatric ETV6-RUNX1 B-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients
Authors: Serafin Valentina , Porcù Elena , Cortese Giuliana , Mariotto Elena , Veltri Giulia , Bresolin Silvia , Basso Giuseppe , Accordi Benedetta
Published: December 2019

The presence of the chromosomal rearrangement t(12;21)(ETV6-RUNX1) in childhood B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is an independent predictor of favorable prognosis, however relapses still occur many years later after stopping therapy, and patients often display resistance to current treatments. Since spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), a cytosolic nonreceptor tyrosine kinase interacting with immune receptors, has been previously associated with malignant transformation and cancer cell proliferation, we aimed to assess its role in ETV6-RUNX1 cell survival and prognosis. We evaluated the effects on cell survival of three SYK inhibitors and showed that all of them, in particular entospletinib, are able to induce cell death and enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutics. By using reverse phase protein arrays we next revealed that activated SYK is upregulated at diagnosis in pediatric ETV6-RUNX1 patients who will experience relapse, and, importantly, hyperactivation is maintained at a high level also at relapse occurrence. We thus treated primary cells from patients both at diagnosis and relapse with the combination entospletinib + chemotherapeutics and observed that SYK inhibition is able to sensitize resistant primary cells to conventional drugs. Entospletinib could thus represent a new therapeutic option supporting conventional chemotherapy for relapsed ETV6-RUNX1 patients, and these evidences encourage further studies on SYK for treatment of other relapsed resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) subgroups.
The Extraordinary Role of Extracellular RNA in Arteriogenesis, the Growth of Collateral Arteries
Authors: Kluever Anna-Kristina , Braumandl Anna , Fischer Silvia , Preissner Klaus T. , Deindl Elisabeth
Published: December 2019

Arteriogenesis is an intricate process in which increased shear stress in pre-existing arteriolar collaterals induces blood vessel expansion, mediated via endothelial cell activation, leukocyte recruitment and subsequent endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation. Extracellular RNA (eRNA), released from stressed cells or damaged tissue under pathological conditions, has recently been discovered to be liberated from endothelial cells in response to increased shear stress and to promote collateral growth. Until now, eRNA has been shown to enhance coagulation and inflammation by inducing cytokine release, leukocyte recruitment, and endothelial permeability, the latter being mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling. In the context of arteriogenesis, however, eRNA has emerged as a transmitter of shear stress into endothelial activation, mediating the sterile inflammatory process essential for collateral remodeling, whereby the stimulatory effects of eRNA on the VEGF signaling axis seem to be pivotal. In addition, eRNA might influence subsequent steps of the arteriogenesis cascade as well. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the beneficial effects of eRNA during arteriogenesis, laying the foundation for further exploration of the connection between the damaging and non-damaging effects of eRNA in the context of cardiovascular occlusive diseases and of sterile inflammation.
The Opposing Functions of Protein Kinases and Phosphatases in Chromosome Bipolar Attachment
Authors: Sherwin Delaney , Wang Yanchang
Published: December 2019

Accurate chromosome segregation during cell division is essential to maintain genome integrity in all eukaryotic cells, and chromosome missegregation leads to aneuploidy and therefore represents a hallmark of many cancers. Accurate segregation requires sister kinetochores to attach to microtubules emanating from opposite spindle poles, known as bipolar attachment or biorientation. Recent studies have uncovered several mechanisms critical to chromosome bipolar attachment. First, a mechanism exists to ensure that the conformation of sister centromeres is biased toward bipolar attachment. Second, the phosphorylation of some kinetochore proteins destabilizes kinetochore attachment to facilitate error correction, but a protein phosphatase reverses this phosphorylation. Moreover, the activity of the spindle assembly checkpoint is regulated by kinases and phosphatases at the kinetochore, and this checkpoint prevents anaphase entry in response to faulty kinetochore attachment. The fine-tuned kinase/phosphatase balance at kinetochores is crucial for faithful chromosome segregation during both mitosis and meiosis. Here, we discuss the function and regulation of protein phosphatases in the establishment of chromosome bipolar attachment with a focus on the model organism budding yeast.
Intra- and Inter-Tumor BRAF Heterogeneity in Acral Melanoma: An Immunohistochemical Analysis
Authors: Ito Takamichi , Kaku-Ito Yumiko , Murata Maho , Ichiki Toshio , Kuma Yuki , Tanaka Yuka , Ide Taketoshi , Ohno Fumitaka , Wada-Ohno Maiko , Yamada Yuichi , Oda Yoshinao , Furue Masutaka
Published: December 2019

The current development of BRAF inhibitors has revolutionized the treatment of unresectable melanoma. As the potential heterogeneity of BRAF mutations in melanoma has been reported, accurate detection of BRAF mutations are important. However, the genetic heterogeneity of acral melanoma—a distinct type of melanoma with a unique genetic background—has not fully been investigated. We conducted a retrospective review of our acral melanoma patients. Of the 196 patients with acral melanoma, we retrieved 31 pairs of primary and matched metastatic melanomas. We immunostained the 31 pairs with VE1, a BRAFV600E-mutation-specific monoclonal antibody. Immunohistochemistry with VE1 showed a high degree of sensitivity and specificity for detecting BRAFV600E mutations compared with the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. A total of nine primary (29.0%) and eight metastatic (25.8%) acral melanomas were positive for VE1. In three patients (9.7%), we observed a discordance of VE1 staining between the primary and metastatic lesions. Of note, VE1 immunohistochemical staining revealed a remarkable degree of intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity in acral melanoma. Our study reveals that VE1 immunostaining is a useful ancillary method for detecting BRAFV600E mutations in acral melanoma and allows for a clear visualization of intra- and inter-tumor BRAF heterogeneity.
Modeling the Effects of Severe Metabolic Disease by Genome Editing of hPSC-Derived Endothelial Cells Reveals an Inflammatory Phenotype
Authors: Roudnicky Filip , Lan Yanjun , Friesen Max , Dernick Gregor , Zhang Jitao David , Staempfli Andreas , Bordag Natalie , Wagner-Golbs Antje , Christensen Klaus , Ebeling Martin , Graf Martin , Burcin Mark , Meyer Claas Aiko , Cowan Chad A , Patsch Christoph
Published: December 2019

The kinase AKT2 (PKB) is an important mediator of insulin signaling, for which loss-of-function knockout (KO) mutants lead to early onset diabetes mellitus, and dominant active mutations lead to early development of obesity and endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. To model EC dysfunction, we used edited human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that carried either a homozygous deletion of AKT2 (AKT2 KO) or a dominant active mutation (AKT2 E17K), which, along with the parental wild type (WT), were differentiated into ECs. Profiling of EC lines indicated an increase in proinflammatory and a reduction in anti-inflammatory fatty acids, an increase in inflammatory chemokines in cell supernatants, increased expression of proinflammatory genes, and increased binding to the EC monolayer in a functional leukocyte adhesion assay for both AKT2 KO and AKT2 E17K. Collectively, these findings suggest that vascular endothelial inflammation that results from dysregulated insulin signaling (homeostasis) may contribute to coronary artery disease, and that either downregulation or upregulation of the insulin pathway may lead to inflammation of endothelial cells. This suggests that the standard of care for patients must be expanded from control of metabolic parameters to include control of inflammation, such that endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disorders can ultimately be prevented.