bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mission Critical Microgrids: The Case of the Alcântara Space Center
Authors: Castelo Branco César Augusto Santana , Moraes Fabricio Pereira , Oliveira Hércules Araújo , Neto Pedro Bezerra Leite , Saavedra Osvaldo Ronald , de Matos José Gomes , Oliveira Clóvis Bosco Mendonça , Ribeiro Luiz Antonio de S. , Oliveira Alexandre Cunha , Júnior Marcelo Fernado Augusto , Pinheiro Lucas de Paula Assunção , Cazo Rogério Moreira
Published: April 2022

This article reports the conception and design of a mission critical microgrid to serve a critical infrastructure application, namely, the Alcântara Space Launch Center, a government military facility in Brazil. The assumptions, general characteristics, requirements and particularities arising from the application are established and discussed in detail. High resilience and energy security are required in critical periods of operation, demanding a power supply infrastructure composed of redundant and dispachable sources capable of supporting n−1 generation contingencies. Whereas, in the remaining time, economic and environmental aspects take place as main requests. Operation scenarios, on both grid-connected (on-grid) and isolated (off-grid) modes, are formulated as optimization problems and simulations have been performed to analyze these scenarios, which are reported and analyzed here. The off-grid operation, which is clearly more complex, is preferentially addressed, especially in scenarios with contingencies. In this context, the proposed microgrid is conceived to satisfactorily balance requirements such as the economy, pollutant emission reduction, high reliability, resilience and operational security, which are requested by this critical infrastructure application.
A Profitability Analysis for an Aggregator in the Ancillary Services Market: An Italian Case Study
Authors: Cancro Carmine , Delcea Camelia , Fabozzi Salvatore , Ferruzzi Gabriella , Graditi Giorgio , Palladino Valeria , Valenti Maria
Published: April 2022

The integration of renewable energy sources into the energy system requires both new investment in network infrastructures, and the introduction of new models of energy management. In this framework, new structures of collaborations were born: the aggregator is one of them. It involves grouping different players of the power system, acting, however, as a single entity both when it participates in the electricity markets and sells services to the operator. In this work, a new methodology to determine the optimal revenue of a Unità Virtuali Abilitate Miste (UVAM), which is an Italian virtual energy unit managed by an aggregator, is proposed. The methodology is articulated in several steps, the core of which is represented by the two models: (1) a cost–benefit analysis in order to identify the main costs/benefits that impact on the UVAM’ revenues; and (2) a decision-making model based on the sensitive analysis to capture the optimal interaction between users and aggregator. The results show how, on varying the parameter costs depending on the aggregator-users’ strategy, it is possible to obtain different optimal “working-points”. Finally, the analysis identifies two main cost factors that impact on the optimal revenue: the Energy Management Platform and the Communication costs, confirming the importance of these parameters in the general economy of UVAM.
A Novel Bio-Architectural Temporary Housing Designed for the Mediterranean Area: Theoretical and Experimental Analysis
Authors: Bruno Roberto , Bevilacqua Piero , Rollo Antonino , Barreca Francesco , Arcuri Natale
Published: April 2022

Energy performances of an innovative Temporary Housing Unit (THU), made of natural materials and developed for the Mediterranean area, were determined. Cork panels limit winter transmission losses, whereas bio-PCMs were applied to reduce cooling needs properly. Assuming a split system for air-conditioning purposes, simulations in EnergyPlus allowed for identifying the optimal configuration that minimizes the annual electric demand. Bio-PCM melting temperatures, locations inside the external walls and the PCM quantities were varied. An ideal melting temperature of 23 °C was identified, whereas a double PCM layer uniformly distributed in the external walls is recommended, mainly for the limitation of the cooling demands. Negligible differences in electric requirements have been observed between the continuous and the scheduled functioning of the split system. A PV generator installed on the available roof surface allows for covering the electric demands satisfactorily. Experimental tests carried out in a climatic chamber have allowed for determining the dynamic thermal performance of the optimized panel by considering variable external conditions. Results show how the considered PCM in summer is able to delay and attenuate the indoor air temperature peaks considerably, confirming the crucial role of bio-PCM to reduce cooling demands, in line with the simulation results.
Detection of Stator Winding Faults in PMSMs Based on Second Harmonics of Phase Instantaneous Reactive Powers
Authors: Huang Shaopo , Bi Zhenguo , Sun Zhaojia , Aggarwal Anmol , Huang Xiaoyan , Wu Lijian , Niu Feng
Published: April 2022

Reliable stator winding faults diagnosis is important for machine drives. This work presents an inter-turn short-circuit (ITSC) winding faults detection method for permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), based on the percentage of the second harmonics in phase instantaneous reactive powers (IRPs), defined in the abc frame of reference. In particular, the proposed indicator can locate the phase with ITSC for the PMSM with neutral conductor. The feature of ITSC in phase IRP is analyzed theoretically first, and a simulation setup is established in MATLAB/Simulink using the faulty PMSM model widely used for ITSC detection. From the theoretical analysis and the simulations, the second harmonic in phase IRP is proven to be the characteristic feature for fault detection. Simulations at different operating conditions show that the percentage of the second harmonic to its dc component in phase IRP, which is the proposed indicator in this article, is more reliable than the second harmonic amplitude itself for the ITSC detection and location. Experimental tests are carried out on a 3 kW motor with ITSC to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed indicator under different working conditions.
Development of a Wet-Granulated Sourdough Multiple Starter for Direct Use
Authors: Blaiotta Giuseppe , Romano Raffaele , Trifuoggi Marco , Aponte Maria , Miro Agnese
Published: April 2022

The search for sourdough starters for the direct production of baked goods with all the advantages of biological sourdough fermentation is still a crucial issue. In this study, 43 Lactic Acid Bacteria strains isolated from mature sourdoughs were evaluated for features of technological interest and tested for fermentation ability. Three microbial combinations were selected and used to produce bread. Based on GC-MS and sensory analysis, bread made by using the three combinations of strains was characterized by a more complex aroma profile with the prevalence of VOCs typical of sourdough bread. To set up the best way to keep microbial viability upon drying, the three combinations were subject to freeze-drying and wet granulation, with the latter being used for the first time for food starters’ stabilization. Wet granulation ensured optimal strains’ viability. Surprisingly, the height attained by mature sourdoughs when inoculated with wet granulated starters was constantly higher than the height reached by sourdoughs made with the same starters as fresh cells. The microbial combination E75-B72 exhibited the best performances and may represent a starter able to ensure sourdough bread production in 16 h of fermentation at 28 °C.
Structure Identification and Functional Mechanism of Natural Active Components: A Special Issue
Authors: Huang Zhaohua , Zhu Miao , Zhang Guowen
Published: April 2022

The natural active components derived from plants have attracted widespread attention due to their abundant species and source advantages [...]
Myostatin Alteration in Pigs Enhances the Deposition of Long-Chain Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Subcutaneous Fat
Authors: Pei Yangli , Song Yuxin , Feng Zheng , Li Hua , Mu Yulian , Rehman Saif ur , Liu Qingyou , Li Kui
Published: April 2022

In animals, myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator that inhibits muscle growth and repair. The decreased level of functional MSTN gene expression can change the amount and proportions of fats in pigs. In this study we determined the lipidomics of subcutaneous fat in MSTN single copy mutant pigs and evaluated the variations in lipid contents of the subcutaneous fat from MSTN+/− and wild type Large White (LW) pigs via ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole/Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (MS). The results showed that the quantities of glycerolipids, sphingolipids, fatty acyls and glycerophospholipids were significantly changed, particularly, the molecular diacylglycerol in glycerolipids, long-chain unsaturated fatty acids, and ceramide non-hydroxy fatty acid-sphingosine in sphingolipids were remarkably increased in the MSTN+/− group. Due to their positive bioavailability demonstrated by previous researches, these three lipids might be beneficial for human health. Further, the results of our study confirm that MSTN participates in the regulation of fat metabolism, and reduced expression of MSTN can ultimately influence the accumulation of lipid contents in the subcutaneous fat of pigs.
Sustainability of Intertwined Supply Networks: A Game-Theoretic Approach
Authors: Gorbaneva Olga , Ougolnitsky Guennady
Published: April 2022

A formal game-theoretic model of an intertwined supply network, in full and simplified versions, is proposed. Conditions for the sustainable development of an active system are presented in general form and then specified to the class of intertwined supply networks. As an illustration, a concise example of the dynamic Cournot duopoly and a detailed example of the model of Social and Private Interests Coordination Engines (SPICE-model) for a marketing network are considered and analytically investigated and sustainability conditions are established. An important conclusion is that the sustainable development of the active system is possible only under the viability conditions satisfied simultaneously with coordinating the interests of all active agents of the system.
Arginine Decarboxylase Gene ADC2 Regulates Fiber Elongation in Cotton
Authors: Ren Guangming , Mo Huijuan , Xu Ruqiang
Published: April 2022

Cotton is an important agro-industrial crop providing raw material for the textile industry. Fiber length is the key factor that directly affects fiber quality. ADC, arginine decarboxylase, is the key rate-limiting enzyme in the polyamine synthesis pathway; whereas, there is no experimental evidence that ADC is involved in fiber development in cotton yet. Our transcriptome analysis of the fiber initiation material of Gossypium arboreum L. showed that the expression profile of GaADC2 was induced significantly. Here, GhADC2, the allele of GaADC2 in tetraploid upland cotton Gossypium hirsutum L., exhibited up-regulated expression pattern during fiber elongation in cotton. Levels of polyamine are correlated with fiber elongation; especially, the amount of putrescine regulated by ADC was increased. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the fiber length was increased with exogenous addition of an ADC substrate or product putrescine; whereas, the fiber density was decreased with exogenous addition of an ADC specific inhibitor. Next, genome-wide transcriptome profiling of fiber elongation with exogenous putrescine addition was performed to determine the molecular basis in Gossypium hirsutum. A total of 3163 differentially expressed genes were detected, which mainly participated in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, fatty acid elongation, and sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis pathways. Genes encoding transcription factors MYB109, WRKY1, and TCP14 were enriched. Therefore, these results suggested the ADC2 and putrescine involvement in the development and fiber elongation of G. hirsutum, and provides a basis for cotton fiber development research in future.
Team-Based Learning Experiences of Nursing Students in a Health Assessment Subject: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Park Hyung-Ran , Park Eunyoung
Published: April 2022

Health assessment as a subject comprises knowledge and practices in which health problems are identified by collecting individual health data. As the subject requires fast learning of voluminous content, it becomes cumbersome. Team-based learning (TBL) has been proposed as an effective teaching and learning strategy in such situations. This study aimed to explore the lived TBL experiences of nursing students from their perspectives in a health assessment subject. This study adopted a qualitative research method. TBL was applied in a health assessment subject at a university in South Korea, as a 2-credit course for 16 weeks. Twelve sophomore nursing students who enrolled in a health assessment subject were the participants. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. The results contained twelve themes categorized into five theme clusters: “Getting ready for learning”, “Effective class promoting concentration and immersion”, “Proactive participation in a non-hierarchical learning environment”, “Complementary collaboration”, and “Sense of burden”. The findings suggest that TBL is an effective teaching and learning strategy for the discipline, imparting positive experiences such as class engagement, teamwork, learning outcomes, and improvement of problem-solving skills if students’ role conflicts and continuous learning burden can be addressed.
Sex Differences in Pre-Season Anthropometric, Balance and Range-of-Motion Characteristics in Elite Youth Soccer Players
Authors: Llurda-Almuzara Luis , Pérez-Bellmunt Albert , Labata-Lezaun Noé , López-de-Celis Carlos , Moran Jason , Clark Nicholas C.
Published: April 2022

In soccer, injury epidemiology differs between males and females. It is clinically useful to know whether there are between-sex differences in selected characteristics relevant to primary injury risk and injury prevention practices. The purpose of this study was to explore between-sex differences in anthropometric, balance, and range-of-motion characteristics in Spanish elite male and female youth soccer players. This was a pre-season cross-sectional study. Sixty-nine males (age 16.8 ± 0.9 yr; height 175.9 ± 6.8 cm; mass 67.9 ± 6.3 kg) and thirty-seven females (age 17.2 ± 1.7 yr; height 164.0 ± 6.3 cm; mass 59.0 ± 5.8 kg) participated. Anthropometrics (standing/sitting height, bodymass, right/left leg length) and right/left anterior reach test (ART), hip internal/external active range of motion, active knee extension (AKE), and weightbearing lunge test (WBLT) were measured. Between-sex differences were assessed with Bonferroni-corrected Mann–Whitney U tests and Cliff’s delta (d). Between-sex significant differences (p < 0.003, d ≥ 0.50) were observed for anthropometric data and for hip internal rotation. No between-sex significant differences were observed for ART/AKE/WBLT measures. Between-sex significant differences with large effect sizes were identified for anthropometric data and right/left hip internal rotation. The present study adds new data to the literature for young Spanish male and female soccer players. The present findings will help inform clinical reasoning processes and future injury prevention research for elite male and female youth soccer players.
Effect on the Growth and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Anthurium andreanum (‘Pink Champion’, ‘Alabama’) under Hydroponic Culture by Different LED Light Spectra
Authors: Song Yinglong , Shang Wenqian , Ma Dandan , Wang Zheng , He Songlin , Shi Liyun , Shen Yuxiao , He Dan , Wang Erqiang , Wang Xiaohui
Published: April 2022

Anthurium andreanum was one of the best indoor ornamental plants. Two cultivars of Anthurium andreanum (Pink Champion, Alabama) were used to investigate the effects of light quality on physiological and biochemical indexes. There were six different light quality treatments: Fluorescent Daylight Lamp (CK), and RB (100% Blue, 60% R + 40% B, 70% R + 30% B, 80% R + 20% B, 100% Red) provided by light emitting diodes (LED). The results showed that blue light was beneficial to shoot growth and dry matter accumulation, photosynthetic rate, soluble sugar, and POD activities. Red light was beneficial for the synthesis and accumulation of soluble protein, and could promote root growth. ‘Pink Champion’ and ‘Alabama’ obtained the relatively better morphological parameters, chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic parameters, and antioxidant enzyme activities in 7:3 and 6:4 treatments. The antioxidant enzyme (POD, SOD) activities under composite light of red and blue treatments were better than that of monochromatic red, blue light treatments and CK on the whole. Comprehensive evaluation showed that the treatment of 7:3 was a suitable light environment indoors and could be used as the preferred light quality ratio in the production and application of Anthurium andreanum.
Change in Disability Associated with Psychological Distress among Internally Displaced Persons in Central Sudan
Authors: Sanhori Zeinat , Lien Lars , Hauff Edvard , Ayazi Touraj , Mdala Ibrahimu , Eide Arne H.
Published: April 2022

Individuals with disabilities are particularly vulnerable in conflict settings, and a high rate of psychopathology is well documented among persons with disabilities. The objective of this study was to explore the change in disability prevalence among IDPs in two settlement areas in central Sudan and the association between disability and psychological distress. In this one-year follow-up study, 1549 IDPs were interviewed twice using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) to investigate emotional distress. Disability was measured using the Washington Group Short Set. Households were randomly selected using the community health center as the starting point. All household members above eighteen years of age in the sampled households were interviewed. There is an increase in disability prevalence among internally displaced persons over time, associated with rural residency and poverty, low education, unemployment, IDP status, originating from western Sudan, young age, male gender, and being married. Disability was further found to be associated with psychological distress. Disability among displaced persons should be considered as a risk factor for increase in psychopathological disorders and is closely related to poverty. The study is limited to individual-level data and does not incorporate relevant environmental variables that may have influenced the changes in disability rates.
Optimization of the Use of Hospital Beds as an Example of Improving the Functioning of Hospitals in Poland on the Basis of the Provincial Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Rzeszow
Authors: Porada Sławomir , Sygit Katarzyna , Hejda Grażyna , Nagórska Małgorzata
Published: April 2022

An efficient health care system combines maximum accessibility with high-quality treatments, as well as cost optimization of individual health care facilities throughout the entire system. In hospitals, the critical element is the number of beds within individual wards, which generates costs and, at the same time, affects the capacity to serve patients. The aim of this article is to discuss the restructuring and optimization of hospital bed occupancy in a healthcare facility in the Podkarpackie voivodeship. The analysis covers the years 1999–2018. In the indicated period, the analyzed healthcare institution restructured the number of beds based on a forecast of the demand for services, which resulted in positive cost effects, without limiting patients’ access to diagnostic and therapeutic care. The analyzed facility took part in a common trend of optimizing cost-effectiveness and efficiency of hospital operations in Poland.
Frailty, Health Literacy, and Self-Care in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Mu-Dan , Tsai Jen-Pi , Chen Min-Li , Chang Li-Chun
Published: April 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a chronic and often irreversible disease that requires active self-care to mitigate adverse outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the associations of demographic and disease data, frailty, health literacy (HL), and CKD self-care (CKDSC) in patients with CKD. We conducted a cross-sectional study at two hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 144 CKD patients with a mean age of 66.8 ± 9.1 years were included in the study. Among them, 79.2% were in CKD G3, and the mean time since diagnosis of CKD was 86 ± 48 months. Approximately 62.5% were identified as non-frail. The mean of HL and CKDSC were 11.76 ± 4.10 and 62.12 ± 9.31. In multivariate linear regression analysis, age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 5.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59–9.75), non-frailty (OR = 2.19, 95% CI 0.02–5.40), and high critical HL (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 0.13–2.90) showed significant positive correlation with CKDSC. Therefore, management of patients with CKD should focus on the young population, reinforcing health education strategies that improve critical HL and preventing frailty that may interfere with self-care. In addition, the patient’s social support resources should be expanded to achieve the goal of CKDSC.
Experiences of Disabled Older Adults in Tokyo’s Adult Day Care Centers during COVID-19—A Case Study
Authors: Naruse Takashi , Hatsushi Masakazu , Kato Junichi
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in social isolation among elderly people with disabilities. Adult daycare (ADC) is an important community care option for socialization among people with disabilities. However, their experiences with ADC remain underexplored. Thus, this study investigated the experiences of community-dwelling disabled elderly with ADC from the perspective of socialization. Four older women from Tokyo with disabilities, availing of one ADC service, were interviewed across two sessions between November 2020 and January 2021. The transcribed interviews and field notes were analyzed qualitatively. This yielded eight categories: two pertaining to context (“restricted social interaction outside of ADC”, “feeling simultaneously grateful and ashamed of oneself as a recipient of care services”), and six pertaining to experience with ADC (“take a catastrophic defensive posture in situations where one’s perception of value is shaken”, “express oneself positively to justify one’s daily life”, “have trouble knowing what to do”, “put oneself in a shaded exchange relationship”, “examine the value of elderly people in need of care in society”, and “savor regular contact with others”). Ensuring the use of ADC as a safe place for interaction while considering pandemic-related needs is important to develop policy and practical responses to restricted socialization during COVID-19.
Has the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Been Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic?
Authors: Biondi Vito , Monti Salvatore , Landi Alessandra , Pugliese Michela , Zema Elena , Passantino Annamaria
Published: April 2022

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, listed as notifiable by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). It causes substantial economic losses to pig farming in the affected countries, with consequent enormous damage to livestock production due to mortality of the animals, and to the restrictions on national and international trade in pigs and derivative products that the presence of the infection implies. To prevent or reduce the risk of ASF introduction, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the OIE recommend preventive and control measures, such as the ban of live swine and their products traded from ASF-affected to ASF-free countries or zones. The current spread of ASF into Europe poses a serious risk to the industrialized and small-scale pig sector, as demonstrated by observed cases in different EU areas. In this paper the authors discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ASF, and the indirect effects including the impact on animal health and disease management. They suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected animal disease surveillance control. ASF requires rapid responses and continuous monitoring to identify outbreaks and prevent their spread, and both aspects may have been greatly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Predictors of Uncertainty and Unwillingness to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine in Men Who Have Sex with Men in France
Authors: Ousseine Youssoufa M. , Vaux Sophie , Vandentorren Stéphanie , Bonmarin Isabelle , Champenois Karen , Lydié Nathalie , Velter Annie
Published: April 2022

The development of vaccines against COVID-19 has given hope to populations. Public acceptability of vaccination is a major driver in containing the disease. However, in marginalized and stigmatized populations, uncertainty and unwillingness may be a challenge. This study aimed to analyze the factors associated with uncertainty and unwillingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 in men who have sex with men (MSM) living in France. The data used came from Rapport au Sexe (ERAS) 2021, a voluntary, cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered, online survey conducted from 26 February to 11 April 2021. Among the 15,426 respondents included in the analysis, 60.5% were willing to vaccinate (these included persons already vaccinated), 17.5% were not, and 22% were uncertain. Factors independently associated with uncertainty and unwillingness were lower education level, low health literacy level, financial hardship, being under 30 years of age, and living in a rural area. HIV-positive MSM were less likely to report vaccination uncertainty and unwillingness than HIV-negative MSM and those with unknown serostatus. Although more impacted by COVID-19, socioeconomically vulnerable MSM were the sub-group most unwilling to vaccinate. To improve acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination in MSM, policy makers and researchers must increase access to and understanding of medical information by considering the general public’s health literacy when developing information sources. Moreover, a dedicated global care approach, which ensures these populations can be reached, is necessary.
Effects of Physical Activity Level on Attentional Networks in Young Adults
Authors: Meng Fanying , Xie Chun , Qiu Fanghui , Geng Jiaxian , Li Fengrong
Published: April 2022

Although physical activity is associated with better attentional functioning in elderly populations or in specific clinical populations, the association between physical activity level and attention has been less studied in young adult populations. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the positive effects of physical activity on attentional networks extend to young adults. In total, 57 college students were recruited and assigned to one of three groups of physical activity levels (high, moderate, and low) based on their self-reported exercise. Each participant completed the Attention Network Test to evaluate the efficiency of three components of attention: alerting, orienting, and executive control. Compared with the low physical activity group, both the high and moderate physical activity groups exhibited better executive control. In addition, the efficiency of the executive control network was positively correlated with physical activity. By contrast, no statistically significant differences were detected among these three groups for the functioning of the alerting or orienting networks. These findings suggested that physical activity had a positive effect on attention in young adults, with the benefit primarily observed for the executive control component rather than for the alerting and orienting components of attention.
Influence of Perfluoroalkyl Substances on Occurrence of Coronavirus Disease 2019
Authors: Dembek Zygmunt F. , Lordo Robert A.
Published: April 2022

Epidemiologic evidence indicates exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) influences immunosuppression, with diminished vaccination response. The relationship between PFAS blood levels and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurrence by age warrants further examination. This assessment identified blood PFAS exposure levels in discrete populations. Recent PFAS population studies summarizing age and gender results were identified and included. Geographically corresponding COVID-19 incidence data were determined for selected counties in North Carolina (NC) and Ohio (OH), and the state of New Jersey (NJ). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 databases were accessed for national incidence data by age groupings. We assessed associations between blood PFAS concentrations, COVID-19 incidence rates, and key demographic characteristics, within subpopulations. COVID-19 incidence counts and blood PFAS concentration were obtained for each age group, along with estimated U.S. Census total population. A general trend observed is higher PFAS levels in older age groups. Younger age groups contained fewer COVID-19 cases. Global COVID-19 mortality is highest in elderly populations with hospitalization and death greatly increasing from age 50. PFAS exposures occurring early in life may cause deleterious health effects later in life, including decreased antibody response and reduced disease resistance. Highest levels of both PFAS exposure and COVID-19 were found in the oldest populations. While this does not determine causality, such associations should help promote further study.
Priority Analysis of Educational Needs of Forest Healing Instructors Related to Programs for Cancer Survivors: Using Borich Needs Assessment and the Locus for Focus Model
Authors: Park Kwang-Hi , Song Min Kyung
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to identify the priority of educational needs to strengthen the competency of forest healing instructors who operate forest healing programs for cancer survivors. A survey was conducted with 91 forest healing instructors using a questionnaire. The average perceived importance of the forest healing program for cancer survivors of forest healing instructors was higher compared to the average knowledge of the forest healing instructors. The Borich needs assessment model showed the highest educational need in the domains of “Cancer survivors’ overview” and “Health status screening method”. In addition, deriving the priority of educational needs using the Borich needs assessment model and the focus trajectory model revealed that the highest priority was for “Health status screening method” and “Effective communication with cancer survivors”. These results can be used as basic data for developing a forest healing instructors training program for cancer survivors that reflects the instructors’ needs and the characteristics of cancer survivors.
Development of Spatial Model for Food Security Prediction Using Remote Sensing Data in West Java, Indonesia
Authors: Virtriana Riantini , Riqqi Akhmad , Anggraini Tania Septi , Fauzan Kamal Nur , Ihsan Kalingga Titon Nur , Mustika Fatwa Cahya , Suwardhi Deni , Harto Agung Budi , Sakti Anjar Dimara , Deliar Albertus , Soeksmantono Budhy , Wikantika Ketut
Published: April 2022

The food crisis is a problem that the world will face. The availability of growing areas that continues to decrease with the increase in food demand will result in a food crisis in the future. Good planning is needed to deal with future food crises. The absence of studies on the development of spatial models in estimating an area’s future food status has made planning for handling the food crisis suboptimal. This study aims to predict food security by integrating the availability of paddy fields with environmental factors to determine the food status in West Java Province. Food status modeling is done by integrating land cover, population, paddy fields productivity, and identifying the influence of environmental factors. The land cover prediction will be developed using the CA-Markov model. Meanwhile, to identify the influence of environmental factors, multivariable linear regression (MLR) was used with environmental factors from remote sensing observations. The data used are in the form of the NDDI (Normalized Difference Drought Index), NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), land surface temperature (LST), soil moisture, precipitation, altitude, and slopes. The land cover prediction has an overall accuracy of up to 93%. From the food status in 2005, the flow of food energy in West Java was still able to cover the food needs and obtain an energy surplus of 6.103 Mcal. On the other hand, the prediction of the food energy flow from the food status in 2030 will not cover food needs and obtain an energy deficit of up to 13,996,292.42 Mcal. From the MLR results, seven environmental factors affect the productivity of paddy fields, with the determination coefficient reaching 50.6%. Thus, predicting the availability of paddy production will be more specific if it integrates environmental factors. With this study, it is hoped that it can be used as planning material for mitigating food crises in the future.
Evaluation of Urban Flood Resilience Enhancement Strategies—A Case Study in Jingdezhen City under 20-Year Return Period Precipitation Scenario
Authors: Zhang Jingxuan , Wang Huimin , Huang Jing , Sun Dianchen , Liu Gaofeng
Published: April 2022

Various flood resilience enhancement measures have been proposed to deal with the growing problem of urban flooding. However, there is a lack of evaluation about the applicability of these measures at a community scale. This paper investigates the effects of two types of flood resilience enhancement measures: engineering measures and adaptive measures, in order to explore their effectiveness in different flood-prone communities. A community-scale oriented flood resilience assessment method is used to assess the impact of different types of measures. A case study is applied in three communities that suffer from waterlogging problems in Jingdezhen city, China. Results show that there are spatial differences of flood resilience in three flood-prone communities. Future scenarios present a poorer performance in flood resilience compared to current scenarios due to the effects of urbanization and human activities. Engineering measures are suitable for the old communities with high-density residential areas when sitting alongside the river, for example the communities of Fuliang and Zhushan. On the other hand, adaptive measures exhibit more efficiency in improving flood resilience in all communities, especially effective for the new city town Changjiang where engineering measures are nearly saturated. The findings can help local governments develop appropriate flood resilience enhancement strategies for different types of communities.
A New Graph-Based Fractality Index to Characterize Complexity of Urban Form
Authors: Ma Lei , Seipel Stefan , Brandt Sven Anders , Ma Ding
Published: April 2022

Examining the complexity of urban form may help to understand human behavior in urban spaces, thereby improving the conditions for sustainable design of future cities. Metrics, such as fractal dimension, ht-index, and cumulative rate of growth (CRG) index have been proposed to measure this complexity. However, as these indicators are statistical rather than spatial, they result in an inability to characterize the spatial complexity of urban forms, such as building footprints. To overcome this problem, this paper proposes a graph-based fractality index (GFI), which is based on a hybrid of fractal theory and deep learning techniques. First, to quantify the spatial complexity, several fractal variants were synthesized to train a deep graph convolutional neural network. Next, building footprints in London were used to test the method, where the results showed that the proposed framework performed better than the traditional indices, i.e., the index is capable of differentiating complex patterns. Another advantage is that it seems to assure that the trained deep learning is objective and not affected by potential biases in empirically selected training datasets Furthermore, the possibility to connect fractal theory and deep learning techniques on complexity issues opens up new possibilities for data-driven GIS science.
Liver Injury in COVID-19 Patients with Drugs as Causatives: A Systematic Review of 996 DILI Cases Published 2020/2021 Based on RUCAM as Causality Assessment Method
Authors: Teschke Rolf , Méndez-Sánchez Nahum , Eickhoff Axel
Published: April 2022

Patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) commonly show abnormalities of liver tests (LTs) of undetermined cause. Considering drugs as tentative culprits, the current systematic review searched for published COVID-19 cases with suspected drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and established diagnosis using the diagnostic algorithm of RUCAM (Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method). Data worldwide on DILI cases assessed by RUCAM in COVID-19 patients were sparse. A total of 6/200 reports with initially suspected 996 DILI cases in COVID-19 patients and using all RUCAM-based DILI cases allowed for a clear description of clinical features of RUCAM-based DILI cases among COVID-19 patients: (1) The updated RUCAM published in 2016 was equally often used as the original RUCAM of 1993, with both identifying DILI and other liver diseases as confounders; (2) RUCAM also worked well in patients treated with up to 18 drugs and provided for most DILI cases a probable or highly probable causality level for drugs; (3) DILI was preferentially caused by antiviral drugs given empirically due to their known therapeutic efficacy in other virus infections; (4) hepatocellular injury was more often reported than cholestatic or mixed injury; (5) maximum LT values were found for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 1.541 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 1.076 U/L; (6) the ALT/AST ratio was variable and ranged from 0.4 to 1.4; (7) the mean or median age of the COVID-19 patients with DILI ranged from 54.3 to 56 years; (8) the ratio of males to females was 1.8–3.4:1; (9) outcome was favorable for most patients, likely due to careful selection of the drugs and quick cessation of drug treatment with emerging DILI, but it was fatal in 19 patients; (10) countries reporting RUCAM-based DILI cases in COVID-19 patients included China, India, Japan, Montenegro, and Spain; (11) robust estimation of the percentage contribution of RUCAM-based DILI for the increased LTs in COVID-19 patients is outside of the current scope. In conclusion, RUCAM-based DILI with its clinical characteristics in COVID-19 patients and its classification as a confounding variable is now well defined, requiring a new correct description of COVID-19 features by removing DILI characteristics as confounders.
Fibrosis of Peritoneal Membrane as Target of New Therapies in Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Masola Valentina , Bonomini Mario , Borrelli Silvio , Di Liberato Lorenzo , Vecchi Luigi , Onisto Maurizio , Gambaro Giovanni , Palumbo Roberto , Arduini Arduino
Published: April 2022

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an efficient renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease. Even if it ensures an outcome equivalent to hemodialysis and a better quality of life, in the long-term, PD is associated with the development of peritoneal fibrosis and the consequents patient morbidity and PD technique failure. This unfavorable effect is mostly due to the bio-incompatibility of PD solution (mainly based on high glucose concentration). In the present review, we described the mechanisms and the signaling pathway that governs peritoneal fibrosis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition of mesothelial cells, and angiogenesis. Lastly, we summarize the present and future strategies for developing more biocompatible PD solutions.
Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis for Oncogenic Mechanisms Underlying Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Carcinogenesis with Candida albicans Infection
Authors: Hsieh Yi-Ping , Wu Yu-Hsueh , Cheng Siao-Muk , Lin Fang-Kuei , Hwang Daw-Yang , Jiang Shih-Sheng , Chen Ken-Chung , Chen Meng-Yen , Chiang Wei-Fan , Liu Ko-Jiunn , Huynh Nam Cong-Nhat , Huang Wen-Tsung , Huang Tze-Ta
Published: April 2022

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) carcinogenesis involves heterogeneous tumor cells, and the tumor microenvironment (TME) is highly complex with many different cell types. Cancer cell–TME interactions are crucial in OSCC progression. Candida albicans (C. albicans)—frequently pre-sent in the oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) lesions and OSCC tissues—promotes malignant transformation. The aim of the study is to verify the mechanisms underlying OSCC car-cinogenesis with C. albicans infection and identify the biomarker for the early detection of OSCC and as the treatment target. The single-cell RNA sequencing analysis (scRNA-seq) was performed to explore the cell subtypes in normal oral mucosa, OPMD, and OSCC tissues. The cell composi-tion changes and oncogenic mechanisms underlying OSCC carcinogenesis with C. albicans infec-tion were investigated. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) was used to survey the mechanisms underlying OSCC carcinogenesis with and without C. albicans infection. The results revealed spe-cific cell clusters contributing to OSCC carcinogenesis with and without C. albicans infection. The major mechanisms involved in OSCC carcinogenesis without C. albicans infection are the IL2/STAT5, TNFα/NFκB, and TGFβ signaling pathways, whereas those involved in OSCC carcinogenesis with C. albicans infection are the KRAS signaling pathway and E2F target down-stream genes. Finally, stratifin (SFN) was validated to be a specific biomarker of OSCC with C. albicans infection. Thus, the detailed mechanism underlying OSCC carcinogenesis with C. albicans infection was determined and identified the treatment biomarker with potential precision medicine applications.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress and Its Role in Pancreatic β-Cell Dysfunction and Senescence in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Lee Ji-Hye , Lee Jaemin
Published: April 2022

An increased life span and accompanying nutritional affluency have led to a rapid increase in diseases associated with aging, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, imposing a tremendous economic and health burden on society. Pancreatic β-cells are crucial for controlling glucose homeostasis by properly producing and secreting the glucose-lowering hormone insulin, and the dysfunction of β-cells determines the outcomes for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As the native structure of insulin is formed within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ER homeostasis should be appropriately maintained to allow for the proper metabolic homeostasis and functioning of β-cells. Recent studies have found that cellular senescence is critically linked with cellular stresses, including ER stress, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial stress. These studies implied that β-cell senescence is caused by ER stress and other cellular stresses and contributes to β-cells’ dysfunction and the impairment of glucose homeostasis. This review documents and discusses the current understanding of cellular senescence, β-cell function, ER stress, its associated signaling mechanism (unfolded protein response), and the effect of ER stress on β-cell senescence and dysfunction.
Identification, In Silico Characterization, and Differential Expression Profiles of Carotenoid, Xanthophyll, Apocarotenoid Biosynthetic Pathways Genes, and Analysis of Carotenoid and Xanthophyll Accumulation in Heracleum moellendorffii Hance
Authors: Sathasivam Ramaraj , Kim Nam Su , Choi Minsol , Kwon Haejin , Nguyen Bao Van , Kim Jae Kwang , Jeong Dae Hui , Park Eung Jun , Park Hong Woo , Park Sang Un
Published: April 2022

Heracleum moellendorffii Hance is a non-woody forest plant widely used in China, Korea, and Japan because of its various therapeutic properties. However, the genetic details of the carotenoid pathway (CP), xanthophyll pathway (XP), and apocarotenoid pathway (AP) genes have not been studied. Thus, the CP, XP, and AP genes of H. moellendorffii were detected and analyzed. A total of fifteen genes were identified, of which eight, four, and three belonged to CP, XP, and AP, respectively. All identified genes possessed full open reading frames. Phylogenetic characterization of the identified gene sequences showed the highest similarity with other higher plants. Multiple alignments and 3D dimensional structures showed several diverse conserved motifs, such as the carotene-binding motif, dinucleotide-binding motif, and aspartate or glutamate residues. The results of real-time PCR showed that the CP, XP, and AP genes were highly expressed in leaves, followed by the stems and roots. In total, eight different individual carotenoids were identified using HPLC analysis. The highest individual and total carotenoid content were achieved in the leaves, followed by the stems and roots. This study will provide more information on the gene structure of the CP, XP, and AP genes, which may help to increase the accumulation of carotenoids in H. moellendorffii through genetic engineering. These results could be helpful for further molecular and functional studies of CP, XP, and AP genes.
Seroma after Simple Mastectomy in Breast Cancer—The Role of CD4+ T Helper Cells and the Evidence as a Possible Specific Immune Process
Authors: Pochert Nicole , Schneider Mariella , Ansorge Nadine , Strieder Annamarie , Sagasser Jacqueline , Reiger Matthias , Traidl-Hoffmann Claudia , Neumann Avidan , Jeschke Udo , Dannecker Christian , Kühn Thorsten , Ditsch Nina
Published: April 2022

Seroma development after breast cancer surgery is the most common postoperative complication seen after mastectomy but neither its origin nor its cellular composition is known. To investigate the assumption of immunological significance, one of the first aims of this pilot study is to describe the cellular content of collected seroma fluids and its corresponding serum in patients with simple mastectomy after needle aspiration, as well as the serum of healthy controls. The content of red blood cells (RBC) was measured by haemato-counter analyses, and the lymphocyte identification/quantification was conducted by flow cytometry analyses in seroma fluid (SFl) and the sera of patients (PBp) as well as controls (PBc). Significantly lower numbers of RBCs were measured in SFl. Cytotoxic T cells are significantly reduced in SFl, whereas T helper (Th) cells are significantly enriched compared to PBp. Significantly higher numbers of Th2 cells were found in SFl and PBp compared to PBc. The exact same pattern is seen when analyzing the Th17 subgroup. In conclusion, in contrast to healthy controls, significantly higher Th2 and Th17 cell subgroup-mediated immune responses were measured in seroma formations and were further confirmed in the peripheral blood of breast cancer (including DCIS) patients after simple mastectomy. This could lead to the assumption of a possible immunological cause for the origin of a seroma.