bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Three-Dimensional Dual-Band Terahertz Perfect Absorber as a Highly Sensitive Sensor
Authors: Yin Wei , Shen Zhonglei , Li Shengnan , Zhang Liuyang , Chen Xuefeng
Published: April 2021

Terahertz (THz) absorbers are highly desirable in sensing and detection devices. Herein, we have proposed a 3D dual-band near-perfect absorber that works in the THz regime for sensing applications. The theoretical calculation shows that the absorption efficiency of the absorber can reach 99.0 and 97.0% at 1.125 and 1.626 THz, respectively. Double absorption peaks can be tuned independently by alternating the geometric parameters of unit resonators. The underlying physical mechanism of the absorber matches well with the well-known impedance matching theory. Compared with its planar counterpart, our proposed absorber exhibits a figure of merit enhancement of at least two times due to its out-of-plane induced large interfacial area. Additionally, the absorber can work robustly at a wide range of incident angles and keep insensitive to polarization states, which renders it great for highly sensitive sensing.
Computerized Symbol Digit Modalities Test in a Swiss Pediatric Cohort – Part 2: Clinical Implementation
Authors: Klein Marie-Noëlle , Jufer-Riedi Ursina , Rieder Sarah , Hochstrasser Céline , Steiner Michelle , Cao Li Mei , Feinstein Anthony , Bigi Sandra , Lidzba Karen
Published: April 2021

Background

Information processing speed (IPS) is a marker for cognitive function. It is associated with neural maturation and increases during development. Traditionally, IPS is measured using paper and pencil tasks requiring fine motor skills. Such skills are often impaired in patients with neurological conditions. Therefore, an alternative that does not need motor dexterity is desirable. One option is the computerized symbol digit modalities test (c-SDMT), which requires the patient to verbally associate numbers with symbols.

Methods

Eighty-six participants (8–16 years old; 45 male; 48 inpatients) were examined, 38 healthy and 48 hospitalized for a non-neurological disease. All participants performed the written SDMT, c-SDMT, and the Test of Non-verbal Intelligence Fourth Edition (TONI-4). Statistical analyses included a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) for the effects of intelligence (IQ) and hospitalization on the performance of the SDMT and c-SDMT. A repeated measures analysis of variance (repeated measures ANOVA) was used to compare performance across c-SDMT trials between inpatients and outpatients.

Results

The MANCOVA showed that hospitalization had a significant effect on IPS when measured with the SDMT (p = 0.04) but not with the c-SDMT (p = 0.68), while IQ (p = 0.92) had no effect on IPS. Age (p < 0.001) was the best predictor of performance of both tests. The repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in within-test performance (p = 0.06) between outpatient and inpatient participants in the c-SDMT.

Conclusion

Performance of the c-SDMT is not confounded by hospitalization and gives within-test information. As a valid and reliable measure of IPS for children and adolescents, it is suitable for use in both inpatient and outpatient populations.
La construcción de la pareja: retos de la terapia de pareja
Authors: Loos Victor E.
Published: April 2021

Muchos terapeutas afirman que el trabajo con parejas es muy difícil y estresante. En este artículo se ofrecen unas reflexiones surgidas a lo largo del trabajo con parejas basado en el corolario de sociabilidad de Kelly y el campo del estudio hermenéutico. La tarea principal de la terapia de pareja es trabajar (o co-construir) conjuntamente con la pareja una historia que sea a) específica para los intereses de cada miembro de la pareja, b) significativa para ambos en cuanto a que son pareja y c) que ofrezca nuevas opciones para una acción efectiva en la situación que afrontan. Este proceso de coautoría, para que sea exitoso con las parejas, debe considerar un número de temas relacionados, incluyendo la co-definición del problema, la conexión con el sistema relevante, el co-desarrollo de objetivos específicos y viables, el mantenimiento de la flexibilidad y la co-construcción de alternativas.
Intimidad: ser y estar en la relación
Authors: Costa M. Emília
Published: April 2021

Considerando todos los elementos estructurales en una relación, el concepto de intimidad parece, desde nuestra perspectiva, el más amplio, complejo y controvierto, por su vulnerabilidad conceptual (de proximidad e incluso sobreposición de conceptos) y su larga historia de cambios de significado. Desde nuestro punto de vista, la definición de intimidad debe implicar sus dimensiones espacial y temporal, en las cuales se construye la intimidad en proceso multi-sistémico, intra- e interpersonal. Es decir, la intimidad es una capacidad simultáneamente individual y relacional, desarrollada a lo largo de la vida, presentando diferentes formas, significados y complejidades de acuerdo con las características y propiedades de la relación.
Recursos analógicos en psicoterapia (i): metáforas, mitos y cuentos
Authors: Villegas Manuel , Mallor Pilar
Published: April 2021

Entre los diversos recursos analógicos de tipo discursivo que pueden utilizarse en terapia hemos escogido los mitos, cuentos y leyendas. Su carácter analógico los hace especialmente útiles para completar la toma de conciencia sobre determinados aspectos que se desea trabajar. La selección aquí presentada tiene sólo un carácter indicativo e ilustrativo, dejando a la creatividad del terapeuta la posibilidad de recurrir a otros muchos o incluso de inventarse para la ocasión.
IDEACIÓN SUICIDA EN EL TRASTORNO LÍMITE DE PERSONALIDAD: Reflexiones sobre el proceso terapéutico.
Authors: Sanchis Cordellat Francisco
Published: April 2021

Este artículo presenta un caso con ideación suicida recurrente que formaba parte de un trastorno límite de personalidad. El proceso terapéutico seguido fue abordado desde una perspectiva cognitiva conductual. Durante el proceso fue necesario mantener y reconstruir los objetivos así como adaptarse continuamente a la situación vivencial de la paciente. Dadas las circunstancias que rodeaban el caso, la alianza terapéutica y la adhesión al tratamiento fueron los objetivos que permitieron mantener el proceso terapéutico abierto. Esto posibilitó la estabilización psicológica de la paciente frente a la idea persistente y negativa de terminar con su propia vida.
Mitos, sueños y realidades del psicoterapeuta
Authors: Erskine Richard G.
Published: April 2021

Esta conferencia de presentación del Segundo Congreso Mundial de Psicoterapia comienza con la definición de Carl Jung sobre el mito como una vívida descripción de la experiencia emocional y explora los mitos personales de los psicoterapeutas como representaciones de su motivación para formar parte de la profesión.
Mueren los “ismos”, vuelve la persona. Entrevista a giampiero arciero
Authors: Trujillo Trujillo David , Cabrera Casimiro Eduardo , Arciero Giampiero
Published: April 2021

Transcurridos más de diez años de la desaparición de Vittorio Guidano, el modelo post-racionalista ha seguido evolucionando. Su legado intelectual ha supuesto fuente de inspiración para generar nuevos avances. Siendo uno de sus máximos precursores actuales Giampiero Arciero, hemos tratado de llevar a cabo una revisión histórica del modelo y así desvelar las premisas teóricas en que se fundamenta sus nuevas propuestas.
El cine en terapia
Authors: Raya Saavedra Miguel Ángel
Published: April 2021

En este artículo el cine se considera como una herramienta de aprendizaje vicario. Algunas películas que son biográficas, que explican el proceso vital de una persona determinada, otras son películas temáticas, que se centran en un tema concreto y muestran una visión particular sobre él, otras son películas «de cambio», en las que se narra el proceso de adaptación de una persona después de vivir un acontecimiento crítico que provoca una nueva construcción identitaria y vital, como también hay películas propiamente «de terapia», donde se asiste al proceso de terapia del protagonista o a la cotidianidad del terapeuta.
Cine y psicología: lectura postracionalista de las películas: el laberinto del fauno y el espinazo del diablo de guillermo del toro
Authors: Merigliano Daniela
Published: April 2021

En este trabajo la autora lleva a cabo una lectura constructivista postracionalista de dos películas cinematográficas del director Guillermo del Toro “El laberinto del fauno” y “El espinazo del diablo”.
El modelo terapéutico sistémico: una perspectiva constructivista
Authors: Ugazio Valeria
Published: April 2021

El artículo se centra en los nuevos desarrollos que se han producido durante estos últimos años en el interior del modelo terapéutico sistémico, gracias a la adopción de una perspectiva de los procesos mentales, calificable como "constructivismo social". Tales desarrollos implican un cambio del objeto mismo, es decir de los fenómenos de los que se ocupa el modelo sistémico. La atención se ha desplazado de la familia como totalidad a la articulación entre individuo y familia. El objetivo consiste en estudiar los procesos conversacionales a través de los cuales se construye, de-construye y reconstruye la identidad del individuo. Esto conlleva la elaboración de nuevas categorías explicativas que tomen en cuenta tanto la especifidad del sujeto como su interconexión con los otros miembros del sistema relacional al que pertenece. Un ejemplo de ello serían los "constructos semánticos familiares".Un segundo cambio afecta a la metodología. Tiene por objeto el procedimiento cognoscitivo adoptado por el terapeuta para llegar a comprender la autoorganización del sistema (individuo o familia), y, particularmente los aspectos autoorganizativos que se hallan en el origen de la psicopatología y del estado de malestar expresado. Este giro metodológico implica el paso de un modelo cognoscitivo fundado sobre el paradigma de los indicios a otro basado sobre la autorreflexividad.Finalmente, un tercer vuelco se refiere a la manera cómo se concibe el cambio terapéutico. Implica la superación de prácticas prescriptivo-instructivas en favor de técnicas fundadas sobre el concepto de "perturbación".
Intervención en grupos sociales
Authors: Navarro  Góngora José
Published: April 2021

En el presente trabajo se desarrolla lo que son las Intervenciones en Redes Sociales. Se parte del estudio de lo que es el Apoyo Social (Apoyo Social) y sus relaciones con la Salud Mental, sentando con ello las bases empíricas que justifiquen su uso terapéutico. A continuación se analiza lo que es una red social y sus características y, finalmente, se abordan distintas formas de intervenir en redes, completando el análisis con un estudio de diferentes taxonomías de intervenciones.
Effect of Grazing Intensities on Soil N2O Emissions from an Alpine Meadow of Zoige Plateau in China
Authors: Zhan Wei , Yang Zhenan , Liu Jianliang , Chen Huai , Yang Gang , Zhu Erxiong , Hu Ji , Jiang Lin , Liu Liangfeng , Zhu Dan , He Yixin , Zhao Chuan , Xue Dan , Peng Changhui
Published: April 2021

The alpine meadow of Zoige Plateau plays a key role in local livestock production of cattle and sheep. However, it remains unclear how animal grazing or its intensity affect nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and the main driving factors. A grazing experiment including four grazing intensities (G0, G0.7, G1.2, G1.6 yak ha−1) was conducted between January 2013 and December 2014 to evaluate the soil nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes under different grazing intensities in an alpine meadow on the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau of China. The N2O fluxes were examined with gas collected by the static chamber method and by chromatographic concentration analysis. N2O emissions in the growing seasons (from May to September) were lower than that in non-growing seasons (from October to April) in 2013, 1.94 ± 0.30 to 3.37 ± 0.56 kg N2O ha−1 yr−1. Annual mean N2O emission rates were calculated as 1.17 ± 0.50 kg N2O ha−1 yr−1 in non-grazing land (G0) and 1.94 ± 0.23 kg N2O ha−1 yr−1 in the grazing land (G0.7, G1.2, and G1.6). The annual mean N2O flux showed no significant differences between grazing treatments in 2013. However, there were significantly greater fluxes from the G0.7 treatment than from the G1.6 treatment in 2014, especially in the growing season. Over the two years, the soil N2O emission rate was significantly negatively correlated with soil water-filled pore space (WFPS) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content as well as positively correlated with soil available phosphorus (P). No relationship was observed between soil N2O emission rate and temperature or rainfall. Our results showed that the meadow soils acted as a source of N2O for most periods and turned into a weak sink of N2O later during the sampling period. Our results highlight the importance of proper grazing intensity in reducing N2O emissions from alpine meadow. The interaction between grazing intensity and N2O emissions should be of more concern during future management of pastures in Zoige Plateau.
On Analytical Modeling of the Air Gap Field Modulation in the Brushless Doubly Fed Reluctance Machine
Authors: Benômar Yassine , Croonen Julien , Verrelst Björn , Mierlo Joeri Van , Hegazy Omar
Published: April 2021

The brushless doubly fed reluctance machine (BDFRM) is receiving an increased amount of attention from the research community thanks to its potential as an alternative drive for variable speed applications, both as motor and generator. Currently, the sizing of the BDFRM in the literature is based on the model of an ideal axially laminated rotor (ALR) and discrepancies are hidden in compensation factors which are in turn tuned with a finite element analysis (FEA). This paper proposes an analytical framework to accurately model the air gap field modulation, and by extension the torque density, of the BDFRM with ducted segmental rotor (DSR) and salient pole rotor (SPR). The results are verified with FEA and validated on a BDFRM prototype.
Weather-Driven Scenario Analysis for Decommissioning Coal Power Plants in High PV Penetration Grids
Authors: Dumlao Samuel Matthew G. , Ishihara Keiichi N.
Published: April 2021

Despite coal being one of the major contributors of CO2, it remains a cheap and stable source of electricity. However, several countries have turned to solar energy in their goal to “green” their energy generation. Solar energy has the potential to displace coal with support from natural gas. In this study, an hourly power flow analysis was conducted to understand the potential, limitations, and implications of using solar energy as a driver for decommissioning coal power plants. To ensure the results’ robustness, the study presents a straightforward weather-driven scenario analysis that utilizes historical weather and electricity demand to generate representative scenarios. This approach was tested in Japan’s southernmost region, since it represents a regional grid with high PV penetration and a fleet of coal plants older than 40 years. The results revealed that solar power could decommission 3.5 GW of the 7 GW coal capacity in Kyushu. It was discovered that beyond 12 GW, solar power could not reduce the minimum coal capacity, but it could still reduce coal generation. By increasing the solar capacity from 10 GW to 20 GW and the LNG quota from 10 TWh to 28 TWh, solar and LNG electricty generation could reduce the emissions by 37%, but the cost will increase by 5.6%. Results also show various ways to reduce emissions, making the balance between cost and CO2 a policy decision. The results emphasized that investing in solar power alone will not be enough, and another source of energy is necessary, especially for summer and winter. The weather-driven approach highlighted the importance of weather in the analysis, as it affected the results to varying degrees. The approach, with minor changes, could easily be replicated in other nations or regions provided that historical hourly temperature, irradiance, and demand data are available.
Review on Deep Neural Networks Applied to Low-Frequency NILM
Authors: Huber Patrick , Calatroni Alberto , Rumsch Andreas , Paice Andrew
Published: April 2021

This paper reviews non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) approaches that employ deep neural networks to disaggregate appliances from low frequency data, i.e., data with sampling rates lower than the AC base frequency. The overall purpose of this review is, firstly, to gain an overview on the state of the research up to November 2020, and secondly, to identify worthwhile open research topics. Accordingly, we first review the many degrees of freedom of these approaches, what has already been done in the literature, and compile the main characteristics of the reviewed publications in an extensive overview table. The second part of the paper discusses selected aspects of the literature and corresponding research gaps. In particular, we do a performance comparison with respect to reported mean absolute error (MAE) and F1-scores and observe different recurring elements in the best performing approaches, namely data sampling intervals below 10 s, a large field of view, the usage of generative adversarial network (GAN) losses, multi-task learning, and post-processing. Subsequently, multiple input features, multi-task learning, and related research gaps are discussed, the need for comparative studies is highlighted, and finally, missing elements for a successful deployment of NILM approaches based on deep neural networks are pointed out. We conclude the review with an outlook on possible future scenarios.
2-D Convolutional Deep Neural Network for the Multivariate Prediction of Photovoltaic Time Series
Authors: Rosato Antonello , Araneo Rodolfo , Andreotti Amedeo , Succetti Federico , Panella Massimo
Published: April 2021

Here, we propose a new deep learning scheme to solve the energy time series prediction problem. The model implementation is based on the use of Long Short-Term Memory networks and Convolutional Neural Networks. These techniques are combined in such a fashion that inter-dependencies among several different time series can be exploited and used for forecasting purposes by filtering and joining their samples. The resulting learning scheme can be summarized as a superposition of network layers, resulting in a stacked deep neural architecture. We proved the accuracy and robustness of the proposed approach by testing it on real-world energy problems.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Electricity Consumption and Economic Growth in Romania
Authors: Soava Georgeta , Mehedintu Anca , Sterpu Mihaela , Grecu Eugenia
Published: April 2021

This paper analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic growth and electricity consumption and investigates the hypothesis of the influence of this consumption on the gross domestic product (GDP) for Romania. Using time series on monthly electricity consumption and quarterly GDP and a multi-linear regression model, we performed an analysis of the evolution of these indicators for 2007–2020, a comparison between their behavior during the financial crisis vs. COVID-19 crisis, and empirically explore the relationships between GDP and electricity consumption or some of its components. The results of the analysis confirm that the shock of declining activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe negative impact on electric energy consumption and GDP in the first half of 2020, followed by a slight recovery. By using a linear regression model, long-term relationships between GDP and domestic and non-household electricity consumptions were found. The empirically estimated elasticity coefficients confirm the more important impact of non-household electricity consumption on GDP compared to the one of domestic electricity consumption. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of the study could be useful for optimizing energy and economic growth policies at the national and European levels.
Optimal Management of a Microgrid with Radiation and Wind-Speed Forecasting: A Case Study Applied to a Bioclimatic Building
Authors: Vásquez Luis O. Polanco , Ramírez Víctor M. , Langarica Córdova Diego , Redondo Juana López , Álvarez José Domingo , Torres-Moreno José Luis
Published: April 2021

An Energy Management System (EMS) that uses a Model Predictive Control (MPC) to manage the flow of the microgrids is described in this work. The EMS integrates both wind speed and solar radiation predictors by using a time series to perform the primary grid forecasts. At each sampling data measurement, the power of the photovoltaic system and wind turbine are predicted. Then, the MPC algorithm uses those predictions to obtain the optimal power flows of the microgrid elements and the main network. In this work, three time-series predictors are analyzed. As the results will show, the MPC strategy becomes a powerful energy management tool when it is integrated with the Double Exponential Smoothing (DES) predictor. This new scheme of integrating the DES method with an MPC presents a good management response in real-time and overcomes the results provided by the Optimal Power Flow method, which was previously proposed in the literature. For the case studies, the test microgrid located in the CIESOL bioclimatic building of the University of Almeria (Spain) is used.
On the Characterisations of the Impulse Breakdown in High Resistivity Soils by Field Testing
Authors: Abdul Ali Abdul Wali , Nor Normiza Mohamad
Published: April 2021

This paper presents experimental results of high-current impulse tests on six ground electrode configurations. A high impulse current generator is employed to inject different magnitudes of current into these rod electrodes, under both positive and negative impulse polarities. The effect of increasing the number of rod electrodes, hence the resistance at DC or steady-state (RDC), on the impulse response of ground electrodes is analysed. From the analysis of the results, it was found that the larger the size of rod electrodes, the less current-dependent Zimpulse becomes. The percentage of reduction of impulse impedance, Zimpulse from its steady state, and RDC values are found to be independent of impulse polarity. However, as the voltage magnitudes were increased, an occurrence of breakdown was seen, with higher breakdown voltage seen in negative impulse polarity in comparison to positive impulse polarity. Relatively, the higher the breakdown voltage is, seen in the ground electrodes subjected to negative polarity, the faster the time to breakdown is.
Regional Flexibility Markets—Solutions to the European Energy Distribution Grid—A Systematic Review and Research Agenda
Authors: Rösch Tobias , Treffinger Peter , Koch Barbara
Published: April 2021

The German government is aiming to increase the share of renewable energies in the electricity supply to 80% in 2050. To date, however, neither the technical requirements nor the market requirements to implement this aim are provided: Germany is struggling to establish the technical requirements and the market requirements to meet this goal. As an important incentive mechanism, the German government has used and continues to use support measures, such as guaranteed feed-in tariffs, and continuously adapts these to market developments and requirements of the European Union. The purpose of the study is to outline a concept for the implementation of regional flexibility markets in Europe based on a thorough review of technical solutions. The method of a comprehensive review of research in regional flexibility markets of electricity, distribution, and pricing from the study is applied to summarize and discuss the opportunities, risks, and future potentials of grid distribution technology. Based on the insights, a new market-based supply and distribution scheme for electricity, which is aimed to benefit of a fully regenerative, decentral and fairly priced electricity markets on the European level is presented. The study suggests a blockchain based pricing mechanism which shall allow equal market access for consumer, providers, and grid operators and rewards regenerative production and short-distance transmission.
Comparison of Economical and Technical Photovoltaic Hosting Capacity Limits in Distribution Networks
Authors: Fatima Samar , Püvi Verner , Arshad Ammar , Pourakbari-Kasmaei Mahdi , Lehtonen Matti
Published: April 2021

Power distribution networks are transitioning from passive towards active networks considering the incorporation of distributed generation. Traditional energy networks require possible system upgrades due to the exponential growth of non-conventional energy resources. Thus, the cost concerns of the electric utilities regarding financial models of renewable energy sources (RES) call for the cost and benefit analysis of the networks prone to unprecedented RES integration. This paper provides an evaluation of photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity (HC) subject to economical constraint by a probabilistic analysis based on Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to consider the stochastic nature of loads. The losses carry significance in terms of cost parameters, and this article focuses on HC investigation in terms of losses and their associated cost. The network losses followed a U-shaped trajectory with increasing PV penetration in the distribution network. In the investigated case networks, increased PV penetration reduced network costs up to around 40%, defined as a ratio to the feeding secondary transformer rating. Above 40%, the losses started to increase again and at 76–87% level, the network costs were the same as in the base cases of no PVs. This point was defined as the economical PV HC of the network. In the case of networks, this level of PV penetration did not yet lead to violations of network technical limits.
Performance Comparison of Ferrite and Nanocrystalline Cores for Medium-Frequency Transformer of Dual Active Bridge DC-DC Converter
Authors: Somkun Sakda , Sato Toshiro , Chunkag Viboon , Pannawan Akekachai , Nunocha Pornnipa , Suriwong Tawat
Published: April 2021

This article reports an investigation into ferrite and nanocrystalline materials for the medium-frequency transformer of a dual active bridge DC-DC converter, which plays a key role in the converter’s efficiency and power density. E65 MnZn ferrite cores and toroidal and cut nanocrystalline cores are selected for the construction of 20-kHz transformers. Transformer performance is evaluated with a 1.1-kW (42–54 V)/400 V dual active bridge DC-DC converter with single-phase shift and extended phase shift modulations. The experimental results indicate that the toroidal nanocrystalline transformer had the best performance with an efficiency range of 98.5–99.2% and power density of 12 W/cm3, whereas the cut-core nanocrystalline transformer had an efficiency range of 98.4–99.1% with a power density of 9 W/cm3, and the ferrite transformer had an efficiency range of 97.6–98.8% with a power density of 6 W/cm3. A small mismatch in the circuit parameters is found to cause saturation in the nanocrystalline toroidal core, due to its high permeability. The analytical and experimental results suggest that cut nanocrystalline cores are suitable for the dual active bridge DC-DC converter transformers with switching frequencies up to 100 kHz.
Hydrogen Yield from CO2 Reforming of Methane: Impact of La2O3 Doping on Supported Ni Catalysts
Authors: Abasaeed Ahmed , Kasim Samsudeen , Khan Wasim , Sofiu Mahmud , Ibrahim Ahmed , Fakeeha Anis , Al-Fatesh Ahmed
Published: April 2021

Development of a transition metal based catalyst aiming at concomitant high activity and stability attributed to distinguished catalytic characteristics is considered as the bottleneck for dry reforming of methane (DRM). This work highlights the role of modifying zirconia (ZrO2) and alumina (Al2O3) supported nickel based catalysts using lanthanum oxide (La2O3) varying from 0 to 20 wt% during dry reforming of methane. The mesoporous catalysts with improved BET surface areas, improved dispersion, relatively lower reduction temperatures and enhanced surface basicity are identified after La2O3 doping. These factors have influenced the catalytic activity and higher hydrogen yields are found for La2O3 modified catalysts as compared to base catalysts (5 wt% Ni-ZrO2 and 5 wt% Ni-Al2O3). Post-reaction characterizations such as TGA have showed less coke formation over La2O3 modified samples. Raman spectra indicates decreased graphitization for La2O3 catalysts. The 5Ni-10La2O3-ZrO2 catalyst produced 80% hydrogen yields, 25% more than that of 5Ni-ZrO2. 5Ni-15La2O3-Al2O3 gave 84% hydrogen yields, 8% higher than that of 5Ni-Al2O3. Higher CO2 activity improved the surface carbon oxidation rate. From the study, the extent of La2O3 loading is dependent on the type of oxide support.
Maximizing Thermal Energy Recovery from Drinking Water for Cooling Purpose
Authors: Ahmad Jawairia Imtiaz , Giorgi Sara , Zlatanovic Ljiljana , Liu Gang , van der Hoek Jan Peter
Published: April 2021

Drinking water distribution networks (DWDNs) have a huge potential for cold thermal energy recovery (TED). TED can provide cooling for buildings and spaces with high cooling requirements as an alternative for traditional cooling, reduce usage of electricity or fossil fuel, and thus TED helps reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There is no research on the environmental assessment of TED systems, and no standards are available for the maximum temperature limit (Tmax) after recovery of cold. During cold recovery, the water temperature increases, and water at the customer’s tap may be warmer as a result. Previous research showed that increasing Tmax up to 30 °C is safe in terms of microbiological risks. The present research was carried out to determine what raising Tmax would entail in terms of energy savings, GHG emission reduction and water temperature dynamics during transport. For this purpose, a full-scale TED system in Amsterdam was used as a benchmark, where Tmax is currently set at 15 °C. Tmax was theoretically set at 20, 25 and 30 °C to calculate energy savings and CO2 emission reduction and for water temperature modeling during transport after cold recovery. Results showed that by raising Tmax from the current 15 °C to 20, 25 and 30 °C, the retrievable cooling energy and GHG emission reduction could be increased by 250, 425 and 600%, respectively. The drinking water temperature model predicted that within a distance of 4 km after TED, water temperature resembles that of the surrounding subsurface soil. Hence, a higher Tmax will substantially increase the TED potential of DWDN while keeping the same comfort level at the customer’s tap.
Problems of Powering End Devices in Wireless Networks of the Internet of Things
Authors: Michalski Andrzej , Watral Zbigniew
Published: April 2021

This article presents the problems of powering wireless sensor networks operating in the structures of the Internet of Things (IoT). This issue was discussed on the example of a universal end node in IoT technology containing RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. The basic methods of signal transmission in these types of networks are discussed and their impact on the basic requirements such as range, transmission speed, low energy consumption, and the maximum number of devices that can simultaneously operate in the network. The issue of low power consumption of devices used in IoT solutions is one of the main research objects. The analysis of possible communication protocols has shown that there is a possibility of effective optimization in this area. The wide range of power sources available on the market, used in nodes of wireless sensor networks, was compared. The alternative possibilities of powering the network nodes from Energy Harvesting (EH) generators are presented.
Dissipation Behavior, Residue, and Risk Assessment of Benziothiazolinone in Apples
Authors: Chai Yida , Liu Rong , He Wei , Xu Fuliu , Chen Zenglong , Li Li , Li Wei , Yuan Longfei
Published: April 2021

Benziothiazolinone is the first independently developed fungicide in China. It has been used to effectively control fungal diseases in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and crops. In this study, the degradation behavior and final residue of benziothiazolinone in apples is discussed, and the dietary risk to consumers was evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determine benziothiazolinone residues in apple samples from eight different regions of China. The average recovery of benziothiazolinone in apples was 85.5–100.2%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 0.8–14.9%. The limits of the method of quantification of benziothiazolinone in apples was 0.01 mg/kg. Under good agricultural practices (GAP) conditions, the final residues of benziothiazolinone in apples were below 0.01 mg/kg, lower than the maximum residual limit (MRL) of China. Although the degradation half-lives of benziothiazolinone were 23.9 d–33.0 d, the risk quotient (RQ) of benziothiazolinone was 15.5% by calculating the national estimated daily intake and comparing it with the acceptable daily intake. These results suggested that under GAP conditions, the intake of benziothiazolinone from apples exhibits an acceptably low health risk on consumers.
Moving through Motherhood: Involving the Public in Research to Inform Physical Activity Promotion throughout Pregnancy and Beyond
Authors: Salmon Victoria E. , Rodgers Lauren R. , Rouse Peter , Williams Oli , Cockcroft Emma , Boddy Kate , De Giorgio Luana , Thomas Ciara , Foster Charlie , Davies Rosie , Morgan Kelly , Jarvie Rachel , Weis Christina , Pulsford Richard M.
Published: April 2021

Information received by women regarding physical activity during and after pregnancy often lacks clarity and may be conflicting and confusing. Without clear, engaging, accessible guidance centred on the experiences of pregnancy and parenting, the benefits of physical activity can be lost. We describe a collaborative process to inform the design of evidence-based, user-centred physical activity resources which reflect diverse experiences of pregnancy and early parenthood. Two iterative, collaborative phases involving patient and public involvement (PPI) workshops, a scoping survey (n = 553) and stakeholder events engaged women and maternity, policy and physical activity stakeholders to inform pilot resource development. These activities shaped understanding of challenges experienced by maternity and physical activity service providers, pregnant women and new mothers in relation to supporting physical activity. Working collaboratively with women and stakeholders, we co-designed pilot resources and identified important considerations for future resource development. Outcomes and lessons learned from this process will inform further work to support physical activity during pregnancy and beyond, but also wider health research where such collaborative approaches are important. We hope that drawing on our experiences and sharing outcomes from this work provide useful information for researchers, healthcare professionals, policy makers and those involved in supporting physical activity behaviour.
Prediction Models for Public Health Containment Measures on COVID-19 Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: A Systematic Review
Authors: Payedimarri Anil Babu , Concina Diego , Portinale Luigi , Canonico Massimo , Seys Deborah , Vanhaecht Kris , Panella Massimiliano
Published: April 2021

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have expanded their utilization in different fields of medicine. During the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, AI and ML were also applied for the evaluation and/or implementation of public health interventions aimed to flatten the epidemiological curve. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of AI and ML when applied to public health interventions to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Our findings showed that quarantine should be the best strategy for containing COVID-19. Nationwide lockdown also showed positive impact, whereas social distancing should be considered to be effective only in combination with other interventions including the closure of schools and commercial activities and the limitation of public transportation. Our findings also showed that all the interventions should be initiated early in the pandemic and continued for a sustained period. Despite the study limitation, we concluded that AI and ML could be of help for policy makers to define the strategies for containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I Go up to the Edge of the Valley, and I Talk to God”: Using Mixed Methods to Understand the Relationship between Gender-Based Violence and Mental Health among Lebanese and Syrian Refugee Women Engaged in Psychosocial Programming
Authors: Barada Rassil , Potts Alina , Bourassa Angela , Contreras-Urbina Manuel , Nasr Krystel
Published: April 2021

Lebanon’s intersecting economic and political crises exacerbate complex public health issues among both host and refugee populations. This mixed-methods study by a Lebanese service provider, in partnership with an international research institute, seeks to better understand how experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) and mental health intersect in the lives of Syrian and Lebanese women, and how to better meet these needs. It employs a randomized cross-sectional survey of 969 Abaad service users and focus groups with community members and service providers. There were significant associations between GBV and ill mental health; notably, respondents reporting transactional sex had 4 times the likelihood of severe distress (aOR 4.2; 95% CI 1.2–14.8; p ≤ 0.05). Focus groups emphasized less-visible forms of violence, such as emotional violence, and the importance of environmental factors in one’s ability to cope, noting “it always came back to the economy”. Recommendations include providing a more holistic and coordinated approach between GBV, mental health, livelihood, and basic assistance sectors; and sensitive, accessible, and higher-quality mental health services informed by GBV response actors’ experience putting in place survivor-centered programming and made available to both host and refugee community members.
Complications in the Use of Deepithelialized Free Gingival Graft vs. Connective Tissue Graft: A One-Year Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Ripoll Silvestre , Fernández de Velasco-Tarilonte Ángela , Bullón Beatriz , Ríos-Carrasco Blanca , Fernández-Palacín Ana
Published: April 2021

In the treatment of gingival recession, different surgical options have been described: free gingival grafts (FGG), connective tissue Grafts (CTG), and a more recent technique, de-epithelialized free gingival graft (DFGG). They are not procedures exempt from the appearance of complications. Most publications refer to postoperative complications, and there is limited literature regarding the development of late complications (weeks or months). Our working group carried out a study to describe the development of late complications associated with the use of DFGG in comparison with CTG, providing an incidence rate and a classification. Sixty-eight patients with mucogingival problems were selected, and divided into two groups: the Test Group, for which we used DFGG + Coronal Advancement Flap (CAF), and the Control Group (CTG + CAF). All patients were treated at the University of Seville’s dental school to solve mucogingival problems for aesthetic and/or functional reasons. A classification is proposed based on its severity; Major and Minor. Major complications included reepithelialization of the graft, epithelial bands, cul-de-sac, epithelial cysts, and bone exostoses. Minor complications included the graft´s color changes and superficial revascularization. Late major complications were only associated with the use of the DFGG, and the late minor complications developed with the use of the DFGG were much higher than those associated with CTG. CTG appears to be a safer procedure than DFGG in terms of late complications.
Validation of a Satisfaction Questionnaire on Spa Tourism
Authors: Anaya-Aguilar Rosa , Gemar German , Anaya-Aguilar Carmen
Published: April 2021

The authors’ line of research is within the existing methodological debate around the concepts of quality of services, destinations, and quality measurements methods. The authors consider that the most appropriate way to measure quality is to develop instruments according to the destination and context in question, defining the quality of the tourist destination for practical purposes based on the satisfaction experienced by the tourist or the SERVPERF model, weighted and used to measure the quality of sun and beach tourist destinations. The authors of this work propose the knowledge of spa tourism, its quality and its level of satisfaction as a research gap and consider it as a starting point to validate a questionnaire that would allow the measurement and comparison of parameters with other segments already studied and that can also serve as a measuring instrument for tourist segments with similar characteristics, not as well known in the international literature as inland, ecological or nature tourism. Good internal reliability results were obtained in all items and in all dimensions. The factor analysis distributed the weights of the variables in the theoretical model, and construct validity was obtained with an association between the global evaluation by dimension and the general significance. The score of the main questionnaire was statistically significant.
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Two Doses of Caffeine for Apnoea in Prematurity
Authors: Mohd Kori Anis Munirah , Van Rostenberghe Hans , Ibrahim Nor Rosidah , Yaacob Najib Majdi , Nasir Ariffin
Published: April 2021

Caffeine is the most commonly used methyl xanthine for the prevention of apnoea in prematurity, but the ideal dose was uncertain, until now. This study compared two doses of caffeine for the prevention of apnoea in prematurity. A clinical trial was conducted on 78 preterm infants ≤32 weeks in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They were randomly allocated to receive the intervention (loading 40 mg/kg/day and maintenance of 20 mg/kg/day) or the control (loading 20 mg/kg/day and maintenance of 10 mg/kg/day) dose of caffeine. The primary outcome of the study was the frequency and total days of apnoea per duration of treatment for both groups. The frequency of apnoea ranged from zero to fourteen in the intervention group and zero to twelve in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups, with a p-value of 0.839. The number of days of apnoea was also similar between both groups, with a p-value of 0.928. There was also no significant difference in adverse events between both regimens. This study did not support the use of higher doses of caffeine as a prevention for apnoea in prematurity.
Assessment of a New Nanostructured Microemulsion System for Ocular Delivery of Sorafenib to Posterior Segment of the Eye
Authors: Santonocito Manuela , Zappulla Cristina , Viola Santa , La Rosa Luca Rosario , Solfato Elena , Abbate Ilenia , Tarallo Valeria , Apicella Ivana , Platania Chiara Bianca Maria , Maugeri Grazia , D’Agata Velia , Bucolo Claudio , De Falco Sandro , Mazzone Maria Grazia , Giuliano Francesco
Published: April 2021

Eye drop formulations allowing topical treatment of retinal pathologies have long been sought as alternatives to intravitreal administration. This study aimed to assess whether a novel nanostructured microemulsions system (NaMESys) could be usefully employed to deliver sorafenib to the retina following topical instillation. NaMESys carrying 0.3% sorafenib (NaMESys-SOR) proved to be cytocompatible in vitro on rabbit corneal cells, and well-tolerated following b.i.d. ocular administration to rabbits during a 3-month study. In rats subject to retinal ischemia-reperfusion, NaMESys-SOR significantly inhibited retinal expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα, 20.7%) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNos, 87.3%) mRNAs in comparison to controls. Similarly, in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, NaMESys-SOR inhibited retinal expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), TNFα, insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1), IGF1 receptor (IGF1R), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) and 2 (VEGFR2) mRNAs by three-fold on average compared to controls. Furthermore, a reduction in TNFα, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 protein expression was observed by western blot. Moreover, in mice subject to laser-induced choroidal neovascularization, NaMESys-SOR significantly inhibited neovascular lesions by 54%. In conclusion, NaMESys-SOR was shown to be a well-tolerated ophthalmic formulation able to deliver effective amounts of sorafenib to the retina, reducing proinflammatory and pro-angiogenic mediators in reliable models of proliferative retinopathies. These findings warrant further investigations on the full therapeutic potential of NaMESys-SOR eye drops, aiming to address unmet needs in the pharmacotherapy of retinal neovascular diseases.
Protein Structure Refinement Using Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization with Decomposition Strategy
Authors: Zhou Cheng-Peng , Wang Di , Pan Xiaoyong , Shen Hong-Bin
Published: April 2021

Protein structure refinement is a crucial step for more accurate protein structure predictions. Most existing approaches treat it as an energy minimization problem to intuitively improve the quality of initial models by searching for structures with lower energy. Considering that a single energy function could not reflect the accurate energy landscape of all the proteins, our previous AIR 1.0 pipeline uses multiple energy functions to realize a multi-objectives particle swarm optimization-based model refinement. It is expected to provide a general balanced conformation search protocol guided from different energy evaluations. However, AIR 1.0 solves the multi-objective optimization problem as a whole, which could not result in good solution diversity and convergence on some targets. In this study, we report a decomposition-based method AIR 2.0, which is an updated version of AIR, for protein structure refinement. AIR 2.0 decomposes a multi-objective optimization problem into a number of subproblems and optimizes them simultaneously using particle swarm optimization algorithm. The solutions yielded by AIR 2.0 show better convergence and diversity compared to its previous version, which increases the possibilities of digging out better structure conformations. The experimental results on CASP13 refinement benchmark targets and blind tests in CASP 14 demonstrate the efficacy of AIR 2.0.
Mechanisms of High-Grade Serous Carcinogenesis in the Fallopian Tube and Ovary: Current Hypotheses, Etiologic Factors, and Molecular Alterations
Authors: Otsuka Isao
Published: April 2021

Ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases. They include fallopian-tube-epithelium (FTE)-derived and ovarian-surface-epithelium (OSE)-derived tumors. The risk/protective factors suggest that the etiology of HGSCs is multifactorial. Inflammation caused by ovulation and retrograde bleeding may play a major role. HGSCs are among the most genetically altered cancers, and TP53 mutations are ubiquitous. Key driving events other than TP53 mutations include homologous recombination (HR) deficiency, such as BRCA 1/2 dysfunction, and activation of the CCNE1 pathway. HR deficiency and the CCNE1 amplification appear to be mutually exclusive. Intratumor heterogeneity resulting from genomic instability can be observed at the early stage of tumorigenesis. In this review, I discuss current carcinogenic hypotheses, sites of origin, etiologic factors, and molecular alterations of HGSCs.