bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased Prevalence of Minor Physical Anomalies Among the Healthy First-Degree Relatives of Bipolar I Patients – Results With the Méhes Scale
Authors: Csulak Tímea , Csábi Györgyi , Herold Róbert , Vörös Viktor , Jeges Sára , Hajnal András , Kovács Márton Áron , Simon Maria , Herold Márton , Tóth Ákos Levente , Tényi Tamás
Published: April 2021

Minor physical anomalies are somatic markers of aberrant neurodevelopment, so the higher prevalence of these signs among the relatives of bipolar I patients can confirm minor physical anomalies as endophenotypes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of minor physical anomalies in first-degree healthy relatives of patients with bipolar I disorder compared to normal control subjects. Using a list of 57 minor physical anomalies (the Méhes Scale), 20 first-degree unaffected relatives of patients with the diagnosis of bipolar I disorder and as a comparison 20 matched normal control subjects were examined. Minor physical anomalies were more common in the ear, head, mouth and trunk regions among the relatives of bipolar I patients compared to normal controls. By the differentiation of minor malformations and phenogenetic variants, we have found that both minor malformations and phenogenetic variants were more common among the relatives of bipolar I patients compared to the control group, while individual analyses showed, that one minor malformation (sole crease) and one phenogenetic variant (high arched palate) were more prevalent in the relative group. This is the first report in literature on the increased prevalence of minor physical anomalies among the first-degree unaffected relatives of bipolar I patients. The study support the concept, that minor physical anomalies can be endophenotypic markers of bipolar I affective disorder.
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Hesitancy in a Sample of US Adults: Role of Perceived Satisfaction With Health, Access to Healthcare, and Attention to COVID-19 News
Authors: Bass Sarah Bauerle , Wilson-Genderson Maureen , Garcia Dina T. , Akinkugbe Aderonke A. , Mosavel Maghboeba
Published: April 2021

Understanding which communities are most likely to be vaccine hesitant is necessary to increase vaccination rates to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. This cross-sectional survey of adults (n = 501) from three cities in the United States (Miami, FL, New York City, NY, San Francisco, CA) assessed the role of satisfaction with health and healthcare access and consumption of COVID-19 news, previously un-studied variables related to vaccine hesitancy. Multilevel logistic regression tested the relationship between vaccine hesitancy and study variables. Thirteen percent indicated they would not get vaccinated. Black race (OR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.38–5.3), income (OR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.50–0.83), inattention to COVID-19 news (OR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1–2.5), satisfaction with health (OR 0.72; 95% CI: 0.52–0.99), and healthcare access (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2–2.7) were associated with vaccine hesitancy. Public health officials should consider these variables when designing public health communication about the vaccine to ensure better uptake.
Experimental Induction of Micro- and Macrosomatognosia: A Virtual Hand Illusion Study
Authors: Anders David , Berisha Arbnor , Selaskowski Benjamin , Asché Laura , Thorne Jeremy D. , Philipsen Alexandra , Braun Niclas
Published: April 2021

Although body size misperceptions are known to occur under various neurological and psychiatric conditions, their neurocognitive underpinnings are not yet resolved. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have an experimental paradigm, by which aberrant body misperceptions could be induced and systematically investigated. Expanding upon the “Virtual Hand Illusion” (VHI), this study aimed to design such a paradigm. Using a body-motion tracking system, we translated the participant's real hand position and movements to an embodiable, but resizable virtual hand model that we presented to the participants via a head-mounted display. The virtual hand's size was then systematically shrunk and enlarged in five different conditions (i.e., −50%, −25%, 0%, +25% or +50% rescaling). Applying this VHI derivate on n = 35 healthy participants, we investigated (1) if participants experience Sense of Ownership (SoO) and Sense of Agency (SoA) over a virtual hand that significantly deviates in size from their own hand, and (2) if by such size-deviant VHI induction, a change in their own hand size perception is also induced. Virtual hand embodiment was explicitly and implicitly assessed by means of self-report and EDA analysis. Questionnaire results revealed a stable SoA across all hand size conditions, while SoO parametrically decreased according to the hand scaling factor in either direction. Hand size perception, in turn, adapted according to the hand-scaling factor. In conclusion, the present study provides an important step toward an experimental paradigm that can induce and investigate aberrant body-size misperceptions.
A Theoretical Development of the Gender Embodiment of Enrichment: A Study of Gender Norms in Enrichment and Factors Related to Enrichment in a Sample of the Swedish Working Population
Authors: Hagqvist Emma , Nyberg Anna , Leineweber Constanze
Published: April 2021

Enrichment is a phenomenon described as the synergistic and beneficial effects of participating in both work and private life. Far too few studies have acknowledged the role of gender in enrichment. By applying a gender theoretical approach, this article has two aims; first, we aim to study the role of gender in enrichment by examining the factorial structure of enrichment in men and women; secondly, we aim to study the relationship between enrichment and work and private life factors in an approximately representative sample of the Swedish working population. A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis with measurement in variance was performed and this resulted in a two-factor solution for enrichment for both men and women, representing the two directions of enrichment: work-to-life enrichment (WLE) and life-to-work enrichment (LWE). Factor loadings differ across genders, indicating that men and women construct and value items of enrichment differently. Next, linear mixed models were used to answer the second aim. Results show that gendered cultural norms in work and private life manifest in the relationship between factors in the work and home sphere and enrichment. Factors in work and private life with more or less masculine or feminine epithets relate differently to WLE and LWE for men and women. The main conclusion is that masculine and feminine norms are embodied in the values and experiences of enrichment and factors related to enrichment.
Multi-Actors' Co-Implementation of Climate-Smart Village Approach in West Africa: Achievements and Lessons Learnt
Authors: Bayala J. , Ky-Dembele C. , Dayamba S. D. , Somda J. , Ouédraogo M. , Diakite A. , Chabi A. , Alhassane A. , Bationo A. B. , Buah S. S. J. , Sanogo D. , Tougiani A. , Traore K. , Zougmoré R. B. , Rosenstock T. S.
Published: April 2021

Climate change and variability are significant challenges for the environment and food security worldwide. Development strategies focusing simultaneously on adaptive farming, productivity, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-known as climate-smart agriculture (CSA) strategies-are key to responding to these challenges. For almost a decade, within the framework of Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), World Agroforestry (ICRAF), and its partners have been using Participatory Action Research (PAR) to fully engage key stakeholders in co-creating such CSA development strategies. This includes the testing of Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) CSA scalability options. The multidisciplinary teams include the National Research and Extension Systems (NARES), national meteorological services (NMS), non-profit organizations (NGOs), and local radio programs, among others. The CCAFS-West Africa Program, World Agroforestry-West and Central Africa (ICRAF-WCA), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), University of Reading, and Centre Régional de Formation et d'Application en Agro-météorologie et Hydrologie Opérationnelle (AGRHYMET) provide technical backstopping to the national teams. Climate information (CI) was used as an entry point to inform the development of CSA technologies and practices within Climate-Smart Villages (CSV). This groundwork has led to a greater understanding of three critical factors for successful CSV implementation: (1) Building strong partnerships to co-design and develop agricultural systems that improve ecosystem and population resilience, (2) Key stakeholders (researchers, farmers, development agents, and students) capacity strengthening through vocational and academic training, and (3) Using CI for livelihood planning at all scales. These three factors support more effective identification and testing of agricultural technologies and practices addressing climate variability and change at plot, community, and landscape levels. This paper discusses the PAR-CSA methodology and parameters for evaluation, including biophysical and social change. Keys to success, including communication, knowledge sharing tools, and scalability are also discussed. Finally, future opportunities for improvement are presented, including knowledge product development, CSA policy and investment planning, capacity building, further engagement of the private sector, and additional research on existing practices and tools.
Herbage Yield, Lamb Growth and Foraging Behavior in Agrivoltaic Production System
Authors: Andrew Alyssa C. , Higgins Chad W. , Smallman Mary A. , Graham Maggie , Ates Serkan
Published: April 2021

Agrivoltaic systems are designed to mutually benefit solar energy and agricultural production in the same location for dual-use of land. This study was conducted to compare lamb growth and pasture production from solar pastures in agrivoltaic systems and traditional open pastures over 2 years in Oregon. Weaned Polypay lambs grew at 120 and 119 g head−1 d−1 in solar and open pastures, respectively in spring 2019 (P = 0.90). The liveweight production between solar (1.5 kg ha−1 d−1) and open pastures (1.3 kg ha−1 d−1) were comparable (P = 0.67). Similarly, lamb liveweight gains and liveweight productions were comparable in both solar (89 g head−1 d−1; 4.6 kg ha−1 d−1) and open (92 g head−1 d−1; 5.0 kg ha−1 d−1) pastures (all P > 0.05) in 2020. The daily water consumption of the lambs in spring 2019 were similar during early spring, but lambs in open pastures consumed 0.72 L head−1 d−1 more water than those grazed under solar panels in the late spring period (P < 0.01). No difference was observed in water intake of the lambs in spring 2020 (P = 0.42). Over the entire period, solar pastures produced 38% lower herbage than open pastures due to low pasture density in fully shaded areas under solar panels. The results from our grazing study indicated that lower herbage mass available in solar pastures was offset by higher forage quality, resulting in similar spring lamb production to open pastures. Our findings also suggest that the land productivity could be greatly increased through combining sheep grazing and solar energy production on the same land in agrivoltaics systems.
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in the Tumor Microenvironment of Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rodrigo Juan P. , Sánchez-Canteli Mario , López Fernando , Wolf Gregory T. , Hernández-Prera Juan C. , Williams Michelle D. , Willems Stefan M. , Franchi Alessandro , Coca-Pelaz Andrés , Ferlito Alfio
Published: April 2021

The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in the tumor microenvironment has been demonstrated to be of prognostic value in various cancers. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated the prognostic value of TIL in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). We performed a systematic search in PubMed for publications that investigated the prognostic value of TIL in LSCC. A meta-analysis was performed including all studies assessing the association between TIL counts in hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained sections, for CD8+ and/or CD3+/CD4+ TIL and overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS). The pooled meta-analysis showed a favorable prognostic role for stromal TIL in HE sections for OS (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.36–0.91, p = 0.02), and for DFS (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34–0.94, p = 0.03). High CD8+ TIL were associated with a prolonged OS (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.4–0.97, p = 0.04) and DFS (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.34–0.94, p = 0.002). High CD3+/CD4+ TIL demonstrated improved OS (HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.16–0.9, p = 0.03) and DFS (HR 0.23, 95% CI 0.10–0.53, p = 0.0005). This meta-analysis confirmed the favorable prognostic significance of TIL in LSCC. High stromal TIL evaluated in HE sections and intra-tumoral and stromal CD3+, CD4+ and/or CD8+ TIL might predict a better clinical outcome.
The Multifaceted Roles of Zinc in Neuronal Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Liu Hilary Y. , Gale Jenna R. , Reynolds Ian J. , Weiss John H. , Aizenman Elias
Published: April 2021

Zinc is a highly abundant cation in the brain, essential for cellular functions, including transcription, enzymatic activity, and cell signaling. However, zinc can also trigger injurious cascades in neurons, contributing to the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondria, critical for meeting the high energy demands of the central nervous system (CNS), are a principal target of the deleterious actions of zinc. An increasing body of work suggests that intracellular zinc can, under certain circumstances, contribute to neuronal damage by inhibiting mitochondrial energy processes, including dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), leading to ATP depletion. Additional consequences of zinc-mediated mitochondrial damage include reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial permeability transition, and excitotoxic calcium deregulation. Zinc can also induce mitochondrial fission, resulting in mitochondrial fragmentation, as well as inhibition of mitochondrial motility. Here, we review the known mechanisms responsible for the deleterious actions of zinc on the organelle, within the context of neuronal injury associated with neurodegenerative processes. Elucidating the critical contributions of zinc-induced mitochondrial defects to neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration may provide insight into novel therapeutic targets in the clinical setting.
Molecular Functions of WWOX Potentially Involved in Cancer Development
Authors: Taouis Karim , Driouch Keltouma , Lidereau Rosette , Lallemand François
Published: April 2021

The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase gene (WWOX) was cloned 21 years ago as a putative tumor suppressor gene mapping to chromosomal fragile site FRA16D. The localization of WWOX in a chromosomal region frequently altered in human cancers has initiated multiple current studies to establish its role in this disease. All of this work suggests that WWOX, due to its ability to interact with a large number of partners, exerts its tumor suppressive activity through a wide variety of molecular actions that are mostly cell specific.
Solid Phase Nitrosylation of Enantiomeric Cobalt(II) Complexes
Authors: Møller Mads Sondrup , Liljedahl Morten Czochara , McKee Vickie , McKenzie Christine J.
Published: April 2021

Accompanied by a change in color from red to black, the enantiomorphic phases of the cobalt complexes of a chiral salen ligand (L2−, Co(L)·CS2, and Co(L) (L = LS,S or LR,R)) chemisorb NO (g) at atmospheric pressure and rt over hours for the CS2 solvated phase, and within seconds for the desolvated phase. NO is installed as an axial nitrosyl ligand. Aligned but unconnected voids in the CS2 desorbed Co(LR,R)·CS2 structure indicate conduits for the directional desorption of CS2 and reversible sorption of NO, which occur without loss of crystallinity. Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra have been recorded for both hands of LH2, Zn(L), Co(L)·CS2, Co(L), Co(NO)(L), and Co(NO)(L)·CS2, revealing significant differences between the solution-state and solid-state spectra. Chiral induction enables the detection of the νNO band in both condensed states, and surprisingly also the achiral lattice solvent (CS2 (νCS at 1514 cm−1)) in the solid-state VCD. Solution-state spectra of the paramagnetic Co(II) complex shows a nearly 10-fold enhancement and more extensive inversion of polarity of the vibrations of dominant VCD bands compared to the spectra of the diamagnetic compounds. This enhancement is less pronounced when there are fewer polarity inversions in the solid state VCD spectra.
Entropy of the Land Parcel Mosaic as a Measure of the Degree of Urbanization
Authors: Bitner Agnieszka , Fialkowski Marcin
Published: April 2021

Quantifying the urbanization level is an essential yet challenging task in urban studies because of the high complexity of this phenomenon. The urbanization degree has been estimated using a variety of social, economic, and spatial measures. Among the spatial characteristics, the Shannon entropy of the landscape pattern has recently been intensively explored as one of the most effective urbanization indexes. Here, we introduce a new measure of the spatial entropy of land that characterizes its parcel mosaic, the structure resulting from the division of land into cadastral parcels. We calculate the entropies of the parcel areas’ distribution function in different portions of the urban systems. We have established that the Shannon and Renyi entropies R0 and R1/2 are most effective at differentiating the degree of a spatial organization of the land. Our studies are based on 30 urban systems located in the USA, Australia, and Poland, and three desert areas from Australia. In all the cities, the entropies behave the same as functions of the distance from the center. They attain the lowest values in the city core and reach substantially higher values in suburban areas. Thus, the parcel mosaic entropies provide a spatial characterization of land to measure its urbanization level effectively.
Improved Approach for the Maximum Entropy Deconvolution Problem
Authors: Shlisel Shay , Pinchas Monika
Published: April 2021

The probability density function (pdf) valid for the Gaussian case is often applied for describing the convolutional noise pdf in the blind adaptive deconvolution problem, although it is known that it can be applied only at the latter stages of the deconvolution process, where the convolutional noise pdf tends to be approximately Gaussian. Recently, the deconvolutional noise pdf was approximated with the Edgeworth Expansion and with the Maximum Entropy density function for the 16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) input but no equalization performance improvement was seen for the hard channel case with the equalization algorithm based on the Maximum Entropy density function approach for the convolutional noise pdf compared with the original Maximum Entropy algorithm, while for the Edgeworth Expansion approximation technique, additional predefined parameters were needed in the algorithm. In this paper, the Generalized Gaussian density (GGD) function and the Edgeworth Expansion are applied for approximating the convolutional noise pdf for the 16 QAM input case, with no need for additional predefined parameters in the obtained equalization method. Simulation results indicate that improved equalization performance is obtained from the convergence time point of view of approximately 15,000 symbols for the hard channel case with our new proposed equalization method based on the new model for the convolutional noise pdf compared to the original Maximum Entropy algorithm. By convergence time, we mean the number of symbols required to reach a residual inter-symbol-interference (ISI) for which reliable decisions can be made on the equalized output sequence.
Inference and Learning in a Latent Variable Model for Beta Distributed Interval Data
Authors: Mousavi Hamid , Buhl Mareike , Guiraud Enrico , Drefs Jakob , Lücke Jörg
Published: April 2021

Latent Variable Models (LVMs) are well established tools to accomplish a range of different data processing tasks. Applications exploit the ability of LVMs to identify latent data structure in order to improve data (e.g., through denoising) or to estimate the relation between latent causes and measurements in medical data. In the latter case, LVMs in the form of noisy-OR Bayes nets represent the standard approach to relate binary latents (which represent diseases) to binary observables (which represent symptoms). Bayes nets with binary representation for symptoms may be perceived as a coarse approximation, however. In practice, real disease symptoms can range from absent over mild and intermediate to very severe. Therefore, using diseases/symptoms relations as motivation, we here ask how standard noisy-OR Bayes nets can be generalized to incorporate continuous observables, e.g., variables that model symptom severity in an interval from healthy to pathological. This transition from binary to interval data poses a number of challenges including a transition from a Bernoulli to a Beta distribution to model symptom statistics. While noisy-OR-like approaches are constrained to model how causes determine the observables’ mean values, the use of Beta distributions additionally provides (and also requires) that the causes determine the observables’ variances. To meet the challenges emerging when generalizing from Bernoulli to Beta distributed observables, we investigate a novel LVM that uses a maximum non-linearity to model how the latents determine means and variances of the observables. Given the model and the goal of likelihood maximization, we then leverage recent theoretical results to derive an Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm for the suggested LVM. We further show how variational EM can be used to efficiently scale the approach to large networks. Experimental results finally illustrate the efficacy of the proposed model using both synthetic and real data sets. Importantly, we show that the model produces reliable results in estimating causes using proofs of concepts and first tests based on real medical data and on images.
An Improved Similarity-Based Clustering Algorithm for Multi-Database Mining
Authors: Miloudi Salim , Wang Yulin , Ding Wenjia
Published: April 2021

Clustering algorithms for multi-database mining (MDM) rely on computing (n2−n)/2 pairwise similarities between n multiple databases to generate and evaluate m∈[1,(n2−n)/2] candidate clusterings in order to select the ideal partitioning that optimizes a predefined goodness measure. However, when these pairwise similarities are distributed around the mean value, the clustering algorithm becomes indecisive when choosing what database pairs are considered eligible to be grouped together. Consequently, a trivial result is produced by putting all the n databases in one cluster or by returning n singleton clusters. To tackle the latter problem, we propose a learning algorithm to reduce the fuzziness of the similarity matrix by minimizing a weighted binary entropy loss function via gradient descent and back-propagation. As a result, the learned model will improve the certainty of the clustering algorithm by correctly identifying the optimal database clusters. Additionally, in contrast to gradient-based clustering algorithms, which are sensitive to the choice of the learning rate and require more iterations to converge, we propose a learning-rate-free algorithm to assess the candidate clusterings generated on the fly in fewer upper-bounded iterations. To achieve our goal, we use coordinate descent (CD) and back-propagation to search for the optimal clustering of the n multiple database in a way that minimizes a convex clustering quality measure L(θ) in less than (n2−n)/2 iterations. By using a max-heap data structure within our CD algorithm, we optimally choose the largest weight variable θp,q(i) at each iteration i such that taking the partial derivative of L(θ) with respect to θp,q(i) allows us to attain the next steepest descent minimizing L(θ) without using a learning rate. Through a series of experiments on multiple database samples, we show that our algorithm outperforms the existing clustering algorithms for MDM.
Impact of Process Parameters on the Diameter of Nanobubbles Generated by Electrolysis on Platinum-Coated Titanium Electrodes Using Box–Behnken Experimental Design
Authors: Ulatowski Karol , Jeżak Radosław , Sobieszuk Paweł
Published: April 2021

(1) The generation of nanobubbles by electrolysis is an interesting method of using electrical energy to form bubble nuclei, effectively creating a multiphase system. For every process, the effectiveness of nanobubble generation by electrolysis depends on various process parameters that impact should be determined. (2) In this work, the electrolytic generation of hydrogen and oxygen bubbles was performed in a self-built setup, in which a Nafion membrane separated two chambers. The generation of bubbles of both gases was investigated using Box–Behnken experimental design. Three independent variables were salt concentration, current density, and electrolysis time, while the dependent variables were Sauter diameters of generated bubbles. An ANOVA analysis and multivariate regression were carried out to propose a statistical and power model of nanobubble size as a process parameter function. (3) The generation of bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis showed that different factors or their combinations determine their size. The results presented in this work proved to be complementary to previous works reported in the literature. (4) The Sauter diameter of bubbles increases with salt concentration and stays constant with increasing current density in investigated range. The proposed correlations allow the Sauter diameters of nanobubbles generated during electrolysis to be predicted.
CFD Optimization of the Resistivity Meter for the IFMIF-DONES Facility
Authors: Marinari Ranieri , Favuzza Paolo , Bernardi Davide , Nitti Francesco Saverio , Di Piazza Ivan
Published: April 2021

A detailed study of lithium-related topics in the IFMIF-DONES facility is currently being promoted and supported within the EUROfusion action, paying attention to different pivotal aspects including lithium flow stability and the monitoring and extraction of impurities. The resistivity meter is a device able to monitor online non-metallic impurities (mainly nitrogen) in flowing lithium. It relies on the variation of the electric resistivity produced by dissolved anions: the higher the concentration of impurities in lithium, the higher the resistivity measured. The current configuration of the resistivity meter has shown different measuring issues during its operation. All these issues reduce the accuracy of the measurements performed with this instrument and introduce relevant noise affecting the resistance value. This paper proposes different upgrades, supported by CFD simulations, to optimize lithium flow conditions and to reduce measurement problems. Owing to these upgrades, a new design of the resistivity meter has been achieved, which is simpler and easier to manufacture.
Control of Transformerless Inverter-Based Two-Stage Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System Using Adaptive-PI and Adaptive Sliding Mode Controllers
Authors: Zeb Kamran , Nazir Muhammad Saqib , Ahmad Iftikhar , Uddin Waqar , Kim Hee-Je
Published: April 2021

To enhance the move towards a sustainable society, the solar Photovoltaic (PV) industry and its applications are progressing at a rapid rate. However, the associated issues need to be addressed when connecting PV to the grid. Advanced and efficient controllers are required for the DC link to control the second harmonic ripple and current controllers to inject quality active and reactive power to the grid in the grid-connected PV system. In this paper, DC-link voltage, active power, and reactive power are successfully controlled in stationary reference using Adaptive-PI (A-PI) and Adaptive-Sliding Mode Controller (A-SMC) for a 3 kW single-phase two-stage transformerless grid-connected inverter. A Resonant Harmonic Compensator (RHC)-based Proportional Resonant (PR) controller is employed in the current-controlled loop. The magnitude, phase, and frequency information of the grid voltage are provided by Second-Order General Integral (SOGI)-based PLL that has harmonic immunity, fast-tracking accuracy, and a rapid-dynamic response. MATLAB®/Simulink®/Simscape R2017b were used for the test bench implementation. Two scenarios were considered: in the first case, the input PV power feedforward loop was avoided, while in second case, it was included. The feedforward loop of input PV power improved the overall system dynamics. The results show that the designed controller improves both the steady-state and dynamic performance as compared with a proper-regulated PI-controller. The proposed controllers are insensitive to active and reactive power variations, and are robust, stable, faster, and fault tolerant, as compared to controllers from prior studies.
Organic Rankine Cycle Optimization Performance Analysis Based on Super-Heater Pressure: Comparison of Working Fluids
Authors: Fernández-Guillamón Ana , Molina-García Ángel , Vera-García Francisco , Almendros-Ibáñez José A.
Published: April 2021

The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is widely accepted to produce electricity from low-grade thermal heat sources. In fact, it is a developed technology for waste-heat to electricity conversions. In this paper, an ORC made up of super-heater, turbine, regenerator, condenser, pump, economizer and evaporator is considered. An optimization model to obtain the maximum performance of such ORC, depending on the super-heater pressure, is proposed and assessed, in order to find possible new working fluids that are less pollutant with similar behavior to those traditionally used. The different super-heater pressures under analysis lie in between the condenser pressure and 80% of the critical pressure of each working fluid, taking 100 values uniformly distributed. The system and optimization algorithm have been simulated in Matlab with the CoolProp library. Results show that the twelve working fluids can be categorized into four main groups, depending on the saturation pressure at ambient conditions (condenser pressure), observing that the fluids belonging to Group 1, which corresponds with the lower condensing pressure (around 100 kPa), provide the highest thermal efficiency, with values around η=23−25%. Moreover, it is also seen that R123 can be a good candidate to substitute R141B and R11; R114 can replace R236EA and R245FA; and both R1234ZE and R1234YF have similar behavior to R134A.
Grid Services and Stress Reduction with a Flywheel in the Rotor of a Wind Turbine
Authors: Jauch Clemens
Published: April 2021

Wind power penetration increases in most grids and the sizes of wind turbines increase. This leads to increasingly tough requirements, which are imposed on wind turbines, both from the grid as well as from economics. Some of these partially contradictory requirements can only be satisfied with additional control mechanisms in the wind turbines. In this paper, such a mechanism, i.e., a hydraulic–pneumatic flywheel system in the rotor of a wind turbine, is discussed. This flywheel system supports a wind turbine in providing grid services such as steadying the power infeed, fast frequency response, continuous inertia provision, power system stabilization, and low voltage ride-through. In addition, it can help mitigate the stress on the mechanical structure of a wind turbine, which results from varying operating points, imbalances in the rotor, gravitation that acts on the blades, in-plane vibrations, and emergency braking. The study presented in this paper is based on simulations of a publicly available reference wind turbine. Both the rotor blade design as well as the design of the flywheel system are as previously published. It is discussed how the aforementioned grid services and the stress reduction mechanisms can be combined. Finally, it is concluded that such a flywheel system broadens the range of control mechanisms of a wind turbine substantially, which is beneficial for the grid as well as for the wind turbine itself.
Potential of Waste Cooking Oil Biodiesel as Renewable Fuel in Combustion Engines: A Review
Authors: Yaqoob Haseeb , Teoh Yew Heng , Sher Farooq , Farooq Muhammad Umer , Jamil Muhammad Ahmad , Kausar Zareena , Sabah Noor Us , Shah Muhammad Faizan , Rehman Hafiz Zia Ur , Rehman Atiq Ur
Published: April 2021

As non-renewable conventional fossil fuel sources are depleting day by day, researchers are continually finding new ways of producing and utilizing alternative, renewable, and reliable fuels. Due to conventional technologies, the environment has been degraded seriously, which profoundly impacts life on earth. To reduce the emissions caused by running the compression ignition engines, waste cooking oil (WCO) biodiesel is one of the best alternative fuels locally available in all parts of the world. Different study results are reviewed with a clear focus on combustion, performance, and emission characteristics, and the impact on engine durability. Moreover, the environmental and economic impacts are also reviewed in this study. When determining the combustion characteristics of WCO biodiesel, the cylinder peak pressure value increases and the heat release rate and ignition delay period decreases. In performance characteristics, brake-specific fuel consumption increases while brake-specific energy consumption, brake power, and torque decrease. WCO biodiesel cuts down the emissions value by 85% due to decreased hydrocarbon, SO2, CO, and smoke emissions in the exhaust that will effectively save the environment. However, CO2 and NOx generally increase when compared to diesel. The overall economic impact of production on the utilization of this resource is also elaborated. The results show that the use of WCO biodiesel is technically, economically, environmentally, and tribologically appropriate for any diesel engine.
Establishment of a Simplified System to Evaluate Salinity Preference and Validation of Behavioral Salinity Selection in the Japanese Medaka, Oryzias latipes
Authors: Miyanishi Hiroshi , Uchida Katsuhisa
Published: April 2021

In fishes, it is necessary to select a salinity environment suitable for survival. However, little is known about the mechanisms regarding detection and selection of salinity environments in fish. This study involved the establishment of a simple aquarium system in which fish can swim between freshwater (FW) and seawater (SW) in a single tank. In this tank, the lower level contained SW, the upper level contained FW, and the FW and SW levels were clearly separated as different salinity areas. Behavioral experiments of salinity environment selection using this simplified system to evaluate salinity preference showed that FW-acclimated medakas preferred FW to SW. In contrast, SW-acclimated medakas preferred SW to FW. These results indicate that euryhaline medakas prefer the saline habitats to which they are acclimated, when able to select the salinity environment. We identified the taste receptor type-2 and polycystic kidney disease 2-like 1 genes as possibly related to high-salinity taste in medaka. The expression of these genes increased at certain time points after SW challenges. In this study, we established an aquarium system to facilitate a simple experiment for salinity preference. Our results suggest that the medaka is good model for research related to seawater environment selection in fish.
Measuring Neighborhood Landscapes: Associations between a Neighborhood’s Landscape Characteristics and Colon Cancer Survival
Authors: Wiese Daniel , Stroup Antoinette M. , Maiti Aniruddha , Harris Gerald , Lynch Shannon M. , Vucetic Slobodan , Gutierrez-Velez Victor H. , Henry Kevin A.
Published: April 2021

Landscape characteristics have been shown to influence health outcomes, but few studies have examined their relationship with cancer survival. We used data from the National Land Cover Database to examine associations between regional-stage colon cancer survival and 27 different landscape metrics. The study population included all adult New Jersey residents diagnosed between 2006 and 2011. Cases were followed until 31 December 2016 (N = 3949). Patient data were derived from the New Jersey State Cancer Registry and were linked to LexisNexis to obtain residential histories. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI95) for the different landscape metrics. An increasing proportion of high-intensity developed lands with 80–100% impervious surfaces per cell/pixel was significantly associated with the risk of colon cancer death (HR = 1.006; CI95 = 1.002–1.01) after controlling for neighborhood poverty and other individual-level factors. In contrast, an increase in the aggregation and connectivity of vegetation-dominated low-intensity developed lands with 20–<40% impervious surfaces per cell/pixel was significantly associated with the decrease in risk of death from colon cancer (HR = 0.996; CI95 = 0.992–0.999). Reducing impervious surfaces in residential areas may increase the aesthetic value and provide conditions more advantageous to a healthy lifestyle, such as walking. Further research is needed to understand how these landscape characteristics impact survival.
Older Adults’ Experiences of a Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Intervention: A Nested Qualitative Study in the SITLESS Multi-Country Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Blackburn Nicole , Skjodt Mathias , Tully Mark , Mc Mullan Ilona , Giné-Garriga Maria , Caserotti Paolo , Blancafort Sergi , Santiago Marta , Rodriguez-Garrido Sara , Weinmayr Gudrun , John-Köhler Ulrike , Wirth Katharina , Jerez-Roig Javier , Dallmeier Dhayana , Wilson Jason , Deidda Manuela , McIntosh Emma , Coll-Planas Laura ,   on behalf of the SITLESS Group
Published: April 2021

Background: The SITLESS programme comprises exercise referral schemes and self-management strategies and has been evaluated in a trial in Denmark, Spain, Germany and Northern Ireland. The aim of this qualitative study was to understand the implementation and contextual aspects of the intervention in relation to the mechanisms of impact and to explore the perceived effects. Methods: Qualitative methodologies were nested in the SITLESS trial including 71 individual interviews and 12 focus groups targeting intervention and control group participants from postintervention to 18-month follow-up in all intervention sites based on a semi-structured topic guide. Results: Overarching themes were identified under the framework categories of context, implementation, mechanisms of impact and perceived effects. The findings highlight the perceived barriers and facilitators to older adults’ engagement in exercise referral schemes. Social interaction and enjoyment through the group-based programmes are key components to promote adherence and encourage the maintenance of targeted behaviours through peer support and connectedness. Exit strategies and signposting to relevant classes and facilities enabled the maintenance of positive lifestyle behaviours. Conclusions: When designing and implementing interventions, key components enhancing social interaction, enjoyment and continuity should be in place in order to successfully promote sustained behaviour change.
Assessment of Good Practices in Community-Based Interventions for Physical Activity Promotion: Development of a User-Friendly Tool
Authors: Franco Sofia , Godinho Cristina , Silva Catarina Santos , Avelar-Rosa Bruno , Santos Rute , Mendes Romeu , Silva Marlene Nunes
Published: April 2021

Tools to identify good practices in the design, implementation, and evaluation of physical activity community-based interventions (PACIs) are key to address the physical inactivity pandemic. Existing tools tend to be extensive and with limited applicability to assess small-scale PACIs. This work aimed to report the development and preliminary validity results of a simple, practical, and user-friendly tool to evaluate PACIs in local/municipal contexts. Eighty-six good practice characteristics defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint Action Framework on Chronic Diseases (CHRODIS), and an umbrella review of good practice characteristics of diet and physical activity interventions were initially extracted and refined in four rounds of revision from an expert panel using a Delphi-type methodology and rated on their relative importance. A pilot application was conducted, and data on the tool usability and applicability were collected through three semi-structured interviews with specialists and coordinators of local/municipal PACIs. For preliminary validation, the refined tool was applied to five community-based programs mostly aimed at an elderly population. The final tool included thirty-four selected characteristics, with a brief explanation and practical examples for each, under three main sections: design, evaluation, and implementation. Each characteristic has a rating (i.e., somewhat important, highly important, mandatory) and a percentage weight. Preliminary validation of this tool pointed to an adequate evaluation of good practice characteristics of municipal PACIs in a reliable, practical, and user-friendly way. Given its adequacy, this tool can support the definition of quality standards for PACIs, encouraging their dissemination and adoption at a regional or national level.
Well-Being of Healthcare Workers and the General Public during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Vietnam: An Online Survey
Authors: Hoang Tuyen Dinh , Colebunders Robert , Fodjo Joseph Nelson Siewe , Nguyen Nhan Phuc Thanh , Tran Trung Dinh , Vo Thang Van
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictive measures implemented may considerably affect people’s lives. This study aimed to assess the well-being of Vietnamese people after COVID-19 lockdown measures were lifted and life gradually returned to normal. An online survey was organized from 21 to 25 April 2020 among Vietnamese residents aged 18 and over. The survey was launched by the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy. The WHO-5 Well-Being Index (scored 0–25) was used to score participants’ well-being. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the predictors of well-being. A total of 1922 responses were analyzed (mean age: 31 years; 30.5% male; 88.2% health professionals or students in the health sector). The mean well-being score was 17.35 ± 4.97. Determinants of a high well-being score (≥13) included older age, eating healthy food, practicing physical exercise, working from home, and adhering to the COVID-19 preventive measures. Female participants, persons worried about their relatives’ health, and smokers were more likely to have a low well-being score. In conclusion, after the lockdown measures were lifted, the Vietnamese have people continued to follow COVID-19 preventive measures, and most of them scored high on the well-being scale. Waiting to achieve large-scale COVID-19 vaccine coverage, promoting preventive COVID-19 measures remains important, together with strategies to guarantee the well-being of the Vietnamese people.
Human Rights in the Least Developed Countries of Asia: An Index for Quantifying Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing)
Authors: Bedriñana Karen G. Añaños , Martín José Antonio Rodríguez , Añaños Fanny T.
Published: April 2021

This paper aims to measure disparities among the variables associated with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 defined by the United Nations (UN) in the least developed countries (LDCs) of Asia. In the terms of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, LDCs are countries with profound economic and social inequalities. The indicator was constructed using a set of variables associated with SDG3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Applying Pena’s DP2 distance method to the most recent data available (2018) enables regional ordering of Asia’s LDCs based on the values of these variables. The index integrates socioeconomic variables that permit examination of the impact of each individual indicator to determine territorial disparities in terms of the partial indicators of SDG3. “Maternal education,” “Proportion of women who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use, and reproductive health care,” and “Gender parity index in primary education” are the most important variables in explaining spatial disparities in good health and wellbeing in the LDCs of Asia.
Artificial Intelligence Applications for COVID-19 in Intensive Care and Emergency Settings: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chee Marcel Lucas , Ong Marcus Eng Hock , Siddiqui Fahad Javaid , Zhang Zhongheng , Lim Shir Lynn , Ho Andrew Fu Wah , Liu Nan
Published: April 2021

Background: Little is known about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a decisive technology in the clinical management of COVID-19 patients. We aimed to systematically review and critically appraise the current evidence on AI applications for COVID-19 in intensive care and emergency settings. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library databases from inception to 1 October 2020, without language restrictions. We included peer-reviewed original studies that applied AI for COVID-19 patients, healthcare workers, or health systems in intensive care, emergency, or prehospital settings. We assessed predictive modelling studies and critically appraised the methodology and key findings of all other studies. Results: Of fourteen eligible studies, eleven developed prognostic or diagnostic AI predictive models, all of which were assessed to be at high risk of bias. Common pitfalls included inadequate sample sizes, poor handling of missing data, failure to account for censored participants, and weak validation of models. Conclusions: Current AI applications for COVID-19 are not ready for deployment in acute care settings, given their limited scope and poor quality. Our findings underscore the need for improvements to facilitate safe and effective clinical adoption of AI applications, for and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Telephone-Based Tobacco Cessation Program in the State of Qatar: Protocol of a Feasibility Study
Authors: Al Thani Mohammed , Leventakou Vasiliki , Sofroniou Angeliki , Eltayeb Safa M. , Sadoun Eman , Hakim Iman A. , Thomson Cynthia , Nair Uma
Published: April 2021

In Qatar, tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death and disease. Telephone-based interventions for smoking are cost-effective and scalable interventions that are effective in promoting smoking behavior change. While many countries have implemented these services within their tobacco control programs, there is a distinct dearth of a telephone-based smoking cessation intervention that is adapted and tailored to meet the needs of people who smoke in Qatar. This study presents the protocol of a primary health care center integrated smoking quitline program in Qatar. Participants will be recruited from seven smoking clinics (recruitment sites). Trained clinic staff will provide brief advice on quitting followed by a referral to the quitline. Eligible participants (male smokers over 18 years of age) will complete baseline questionnaires and receive five weekly proactive counseling calls, an end-of-treatment assessment (approx. 1 week after Session 5), and 1- and 3-month follow-up assessments. The main aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability, which include the recruitment and retention rate, compliance to pharmacotherapy, and participant satisfaction. This is the first study to integrate an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention delivered via telephone within the healthcare system in Qatar. If effective, results can inform the development of a large-scale telephone-based program that widely reaches users of tobacco in Qatar as well as in the Middle East.