bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Techno-Economic Planning and Operation of the Microgrid Considering Real-Time Pricing Demand Response Program
Authors: Yu Zi-Xuan , Li Meng-Shi , Xu Yi-Peng , Aslam Sheraz , Li Yuan-Kang
Published: July 2021

The optimal planning of grid-connected microgrids (MGs) has been extensively studied in recent years. While most of the previous studies have used fixed or time-of-use (TOU) prices for the optimal sizing of MGs, this work introduces real-time pricing (RTP) for implementing a demand response (DR) program according to the national grid prices of Iran. In addition to the long-term planning of MG, the day-ahead operation of MG is also analyzed to get a better understanding of the DR program for daily electricity dispatch. For this purpose, four different days corresponding to the four seasons are selected for further analysis. In addition, various impacts of the proposed DR program on the MG planning results, including sizing and best configuration, net present cost (NPC) and cost of energy (COE), and emission generation by the utility grid, are investigated. The optimization results show that the implementation of the DR program has a positive impact on the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of MG. The NPC and COE are reduced by about USD 3700 and USD 0.0025/kWh, respectively. The component size is also reduced, resulting in a reduction in the initial cost. Carbon emissions are also reduced by 185 kg/year.
Consumer Preferences for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Based on the Text Mining Method
Authors: Wang Yuan-Yuan , Chi Yuan-Ying , Xu Jin-Hua , Li Jia-Lin
Published: July 2021

The construction of charging infrastructure has a positive effect on promoting the diffusion of new energy vehicles (NEVs). This study uses natural language processing (NLP) technology to explore consumer preferences for charging infrastructure from consumer comments posted on public social media. The findings show that consumers in first-tier cities pay more attention to charging infrastructure, and the number of comments accounted for 36% of the total. In all comments, consumers are most concerned about charging issues, national policy support, driving range, and installation of private charging piles. Among the charging modes of charging piles, direct current (DC) fast charging is more popular with consumers. The inability to find public charging piles in time to replenish power during travel or high energy consumption caused by air conditioning is the main reason for consumers’ range anxiety. Increasing battery performance, improving charging convenience, and construction of battery swap station are the main ways consumers prefer to increase driving range. Consumers’ preference for charging at home is the main reason for their high attention to the installation of private charging piles. However, the lack of fixed parking spaces and community properties have become the main obstacles to the installation of private charging piles. In addition, consumers in cities with different development levels pay different amounts of attention to each topic of charging infrastructure. Consumers in second-tier and above cities are most concerned about charging issues. Consumers in third-tier and above cities pay significantly more attention to the installation of private charging piles than consumers in fourth-tier and fifth-tier cities. Consumers in each city have almost the same amount of attention to driving range.
A Visual Software Implementation of Numerical Simulation for Transient Process of Pipeline Network System of Water Supply Project
Authors: Guo Wencheng , Wang Bingbao , Zhao Lu
Published: July 2021

The transient process is the key for the design, operation and maintenance of the pipeline network system of the water supply project. This paper aims to study and develop a new type of visual numerical simulation software for the transient process of pipeline network system. Firstly, the software architecture design is illustrated. Then, three tiers of software architecture, i.e., back-tier, middle-tier and front-tier, are studied and developed. Finally, the practical application procedure of the software is illustrated and the accuracy of calculation results is verified. The results indicate that the visual numerical simulation software is designed based on C/S architecture. The software architecture contains back-tier, middle-tier and front-tier. The back-tier includes the model and the algorithm. The middle-tier realizes the decoding of the topology of the pipeline network system and the interaction between the back-tier and the front-tier. The front-tier integrates the visual interface and pre-post processing. The main interface includes a menu bar, a visual modeling area and a parameter input dialog box. The software has the features of professionalization, visualization, generalization, modularization and intellectualization. The software can calculate the transient process for the pipeline network system of both, pressure flow without the pump and pressure flow with the pump. The physical laws reflected from the calculation results are correct. The calculation results are accurate.
Current Control Strategies for a Star Connected Cascaded H-Bridge Converter Operating as MV-AC to MV-DC Stage of a Solid State Transformer
Authors: Stynski Sebastian , Grzegorczyk Marta , Sobol Cezary , Kot Radek
Published: July 2021

Nowadays, the increasing number of nonlinear loads and renewable energy resources pose new challenges for the standard electrical grid. Conventional solutions cannot handle most of them. The weakest component in the whole system is a conventional distribution (converting medium to low AC voltage) transformer. It should not operate with unbalanced, heavily distorted voltage and cannot control power flow or compensate current harmonics. One of the promising solutions to replace the conventional transformer and thus minimize power flow and grid distortions is a power electronics device called a solid state transformer (SST). Depending on the SST topology, it can have different functionalities, and, with the proper control algorithm, it is able to compensate any power imbalances in both low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) grid sides. In the case of a three energy conversion stage SST, the LV and the MV stages can be treated separately. This paper focuses on the MV-AC to the MV-DC stage only based on a star-connected cascaded H-bridge converter. In this paper, a simple control solution for such a converter enabling different current control strategies to distribute power among the phases in an MV grid in the case of voltage imbalances is proposed. Simulation and experimental results proved good performance and verified the validity of the proposed control algorithm.
Forest Fire Forecasting Using Fuzzy Logic Models
Authors: Nebot Àngela , Mugica Francisco
Published: July 2021

In this study, we explored hybrid fuzzy logic modelling techniques to predict the burned area of forest fires. Fast detection is crucial for successful firefighting, and a model with an accurate prediction ability is extremely useful for optimizing fire management. Fuzzy Inductive Reasoning (FIR) and the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) are two powerful fuzzy techniques for modelling burned areas of forests in Portugal. The results obtained from them were compared with those of other artificial intelligence techniques applied to the same datasets found in the literature.
Spatial Agglomeration of China’s Forest Products Manufacturing Industry: Measurement, Characteristics and Determinants
Authors: Chen Zhenhuan , Zhu Hongge , Zhao Wencheng , Zhao Menghan , Zhang Yutong
Published: July 2021

China’s forest products manufacturing industry is experiencing the dual pressure of forest protection policies and wood scarcity and, therefore, it is of great significance to reveal the spatial agglomeration characteristics and evolution drivers of this industry to enhance its sustainable development. Based on the perspective of large-scale agglomeration in a continuous space, in this study, we used the spatial Gini coefficient and standard deviation ellipse method to investigate the spatial agglomeration degree and location distribution characteristics of China’s forest products manufacturing industry, and we used exploratory spatial data analysis to investigate its spatial agglomeration pattern. The results show that: (1) From 1988 to 2018, the degree of spatial agglomeration of China’s forest products manufacturing industry was relatively low, and the industry was characterized by a very pronounced imbalance in its spatial distribution. (2) The industry has a very clear core–periphery structure, the spatial distribution exhibits a “northeast-southwest” pattern, and the barycenter of the industrial distribution has tended to move south. (3) The industry mainly has a high–high and low–low spatial agglomeration pattern. The provinces with high–high agglomeration are few and concentrated in the southeast coastal area. (4) The spatial agglomeration and evolution characteristics of China’s forest products manufacturing industry may be simultaneously affected by forest protection policies, sources of raw materials, international trade and the degree of marketization. In the future, China’s forest products manufacturing industry should further increase the level of spatial agglomeration to fully realize the economies of scale.
Fuel Modelling Characterisation Using Low-Density LiDAR in the Mediterranean: An Application to a Natural Protected Area
Authors: Ferrer Palomino Aurora , Silva Francisco Rodríguez y
Published: July 2021

Fuel structure and characteristics are important to better understand and predict wildfire behaviour. The aim of the present study was to develop a methodology for characterising fuel models using low-density and free LiDAR data that facilitate the work of managers of protected territories. Field inventories were carried out in order to understand the characteristics of the stand and the variables that fuel models must include. This information, together with the use of the intensity and structure provided by LiDAR, was used to perform statistical analyses. The linear regressions obtained to characterise the stand of the mixed Quercus spp.–Pinus ssp.-dominated stand had an R2 value ranging from 0.4393 to 0.66. While working with low-density LiDAR data (which has more difficulties crossing the canopy), in addition to the obtained results, we performed the statistical analysis of the dominant stand to obtain models with R2 values ranging from 0.8201 to 0.8677. The results of this research show that low-density LiDAR data are significant; however, in mixed stands, it is necessary to only use the dominant stratum because other components generate noise, which reduces the predictive capacity of the models. Additionally, by using the decision tree developed in combination, it is possible to update the mapping of fuel models in inaccessible areas, thereby significantly reducing costs.
Extraction and Microencapsulation of Bioactive Compounds from Muicle (Justicia spicigera) and Their Use in the Formulation of Functional Foods
Authors: Castro-Alatorre Norma Cristina , Gallardo-Velázquez Tzayhrí , Boyano-Orozco Luis Carlos , Téllez-Medina Darío Iker , Meza-Márquez Ofelia Gabriela , Osorio-Revilla Guillermo
Published: July 2021

Bioactive compounds (BC) present in muicle leaves were extracted using the best extraction conditions obtained with a Box–Behnken experimental design, extracting 95% of BC. Microencapsulation of muicle BC was carried out by spray drying using DE10 maltodextrin (MD) and soy protein isolate (SPI) as encapsulating agents. The best conditions for the ethanolic extraction of BC from muicle were 30 °C, 40% aqueous ethanol, and one extraction for 1 h. The best spray drying encapsulating conditions for BC and antioxidant capacity (AC) using MD as an encapsulating agent were: 160–80 °C and 10% MD in the feeding solution, and for SPI: 180–70 °C and 5% SPI in the feeding solution. Microcapsules were added to yogurt and a sensory evaluation and retention of BC during 15-day storage at 4 °C was performed. Sensory evaluation showed that yogurt with added MD microcapsules had better acceptance than that with SPI microcapsules. Based on this, a jelly with added muicle MD microcapsules was also prepared which obtained better acceptance by the judges. At the end of the storage period, yogurt with SPI microcapsules showed better retention of BC and AC than yogurts with MD microcapsules; however, products with MD microcapsules had better acceptance.
Formation of Lipid and Protein Oxidation Products during In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of Dry-Cured Loins with Different Contents of Nitrate/Nitrite Added
Authors: Lavado Guadalupe , Higuero Nieves , León-Camacho Manuel , Cava Ramón
Published: July 2021

The effect of nitrate/nitrite (0, 37.5, 75, and 150 mg/kg) in the dry-cured loin formulation on the formation of lipid and protein oxidation products during in vitro digestion was evaluated. Dry-cured loins formulated with nitrate/nitrite resulted in significantly less lipid and protein oxidation than uncured loins before and after simulated digestion. Compared to loins added with 0 mg/kg nitrate/nitrite, dry-cured loins with 37.5, 75, and 150 mg/kg contained a significantly lower content of conjugated dienes, malondialdehyde, carbonyls, and non-heme iron, and higher amounts of nitrosylmioglobin and thiols. During in vitro digestion, the content of conjugated dienes, malondialdehyde, and carbonyls increased, while thiol content decreased, indicating the development of lipid and protein oxidative processes. At the end of the intestinal phase, the 75 mg/kg digests had a significantly higher content of conjugated dienes, while no differences were found among the other digests. During the in vitro intestinal phase (180 and 240 min), nitrate/nitrite curing resulted in significantly lower malondialdehyde concentrations in the 37.5, 75, and 150 mg/kg loin digests than in the uncured loin digests. No significant differences were observed at the end of the intestinal digestion phase between the cured loin digests. Digests of dried loins without nitrate/nitrite addition showed higher carbonyl contents than the nitrate/nitrite cured counterparts. The loss of thiols was significantly higher in loin digests without added nitrate/nitrite than in loin digests with different amounts of curing salts. The addition of 37.5 mg/kg nitrate/nitrite in the cured loin formulation prevents the formation of lipid peroxidation products and carbonyls from protein oxidation and thiol loss during digestion
Occurrence of Polyamines in Foods and the Influence of Cooking Processes
Authors: Muñoz-Esparza Nelly C. , Costa-Catala Judit , Comas-Basté Oriol , Toro-Funes Natalia , Latorre-Moratalla M. Luz , Veciana-Nogués M. Teresa , Vidal-Carou M. Carmen
Published: July 2021

Dietary polyamines are involved in different aspects of human health and play an important role in the prevention of certain chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Different polyamines can be found in all foods in variable amounts. Moreover, several culinary practices have been reported to modify the content and profile of these bioactive compounds in food although experimental data are still scarce and even contradictory. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of polyamines in a large range of foods and to assess the effect of different cooking processes on the polyamine content of a few of them. The highest level of polyamines was found in wheat germ (440.6 mg/kg). Among foods of a plant origin, high levels of total polyamines over 90 mg/kg were determined in mushrooms, green peppers, peas, citrus fruit, broad beans and tempeh with spermidine being predominant (ranging from 54 to 109 mg/kg). In foods of an animal origin, the highest levels of polyamines, above all putrescine (42–130 mg/kg), were found in raw milk, hard and blue cheeses and in dry-fermented sausages. Regarding the influence of different domestic cooking processes, polyamine levels in food were reduced by up to 64% by boiling and grilling but remained practically unmodified by microwave and sous-vide cooking.
Structure Differences of Water Soluble Polysaccharides in Astragalus membranaceus Induced by Origin and Their Bioactivity
Authors: Sheng Zhili , Liu Junmei , Yang Bao
Published: July 2021

Astragalus membranaceus is a functional food with multiple bioactivities. It presents differentiated health benefits due to origins. Polysaccharides (APS) are the leading bioactive macromolecules of A. membranaceus, which are highly related to its health benefits. However, the effect of origin on the structural characteristics of APSs remains unclear. In this work, polysaccharides from four origins were isolated and identified by NMR. The results showed APSs of four origins had identical monosaccharide composition and glycosidic linkage. Rhamnogalacturonan II pectins and α-(1→4)-glucan were the dominant polysaccharides. However, the level of methyl ester in pectins varied to a large extent. The molecular weight profiles of APSs were also different. Inner Mongolia APS had the largest percentage of 20–40 kDa polysaccharides. Molecular weight and methyl ester level were two important parameters determining the difference of APSs from four origins. These results were helpful to recognize the origin-related quality of A. membranaceus.
Meat Reduction in 5 to 8 Years Old Children—A Survey to Investigate the Role of Parental Meat Attachment
Authors: Erhardt Julia , Olsen Annemarie
Published: July 2021

It is by now well established that a plant-based and meatless or reduced-meat diet is an important contribution to a sustainability and healthy diet. This work discusses important determinants for parents of implementing a meat reduced diet for their children. A questionnaire was conducted with 90 parents of children aged 5–8 years living in Germany, where they had to choose one out of three options of a dish, namely meaty, reduced meat and no meat, for their child. The results show that the parent’s attachment to meat and the associated attitudes and habits play a crucial role in their meal choice and therefore eating behaviour, including consumed amounts of meat, of their child. Moreover, perceived tastiness, healthiness and balanced serving style, as well as the child’s preferences influences the parent’s decision. The findings of this work provide valuable insights to the food industry and food producers, health professionals and public health, as it highlights the background, as well as some drivers and barriers for parents choosing a dish with less meat for their children.
Analysis of Codon Usage Patterns in Giardia duodenalis Based on Transcriptome Data from GiardiaDB
Authors: Li Xin , Wang Xiaocen , Gong Pengtao , Zhang Nan , Zhang Xichen , Li Jianhua
Published: July 2021

Giardia duodenalis, a flagellated parasitic protozoan, the most common cause of parasite-induced diarrheal diseases worldwide. Codon usage bias (CUB) is an important evolutionary character in most species. However, G. duodenalis CUB remains unclear. Thus, this study analyzes codon usage patterns to assess the restriction factors and obtain useful information in shaping G. duodenalis CUB. The neutrality analysis result indicates that G. duodenalis has a wide GC3 distribution, which significantly correlates with GC12. ENC-plot result—suggesting that most genes were close to the expected curve with only a few strayed away points. This indicates that mutational pressure and natural selection played an important role in the development of CUB. The Parity Rule 2 plot (PR2) result demonstrates that the usage of GC and AT was out of proportion. Interestingly, we identified 26 optimal codons in the G. duodenalis genome, ending with G or C. In addition, GC content, gene expression, and protein size also influence G. duodenalis CUB formation. This study systematically analyzes G. duodenalis codon usage pattern and clarifies the mechanisms of G. duodenalis CUB. These results will be very useful to identify new genes, molecular genetic manipulation, and study of G. duodenalis evolution.
Xeroderma Pigmentosum: Gene Variants and Splice Variants
Authors: Martens Marie Christine , Emmert Steffen , Boeckmann Lars
Published: July 2021

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) is essential for the repair of ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA damage, such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and 6,4-pyrimidine-pyrimidone dimers (6,4-PPs). Alterations in genes of the NER can lead to DNA damage repair disorders such as Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). XP is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder associated with UV-sensitivity and early onset of skin cancer. Recently, extensive research has been conducted on the functional relevance of splice variants and their relation to cancer. Here, we focus on the functional relevance of alternative splice variants of XP genes.
Search for a Functional Genetic Variant Mimicking the Effect of SGLT2 Inhibitor Treatment
Authors: Wang Siqi , Said M. Abdullah , Groot Hilde E. , van der Most Peter J. , Thio Chris H. L. , van de Vegte Yordi J. , Verweij Niek , Snieder Harold , van der Harst Pim
Published: July 2021

SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) block renal glucose reabsorption. Due to the unexpected beneficial observations in type 2 diabetic patients potentially related to increased natriuresis, SGLT2i are also studied for heart failure treatment. This study aimed to identify genetic variants mimicking SGLT2i to further our understanding of the potential underlying biological mechanisms. Using the UK Biobank resource, we identified 264 SNPs located in the SLC5A2 gene or within 25kb of the 5′ and 3′ flanking regions, of which 91 had minor allele frequencies >1%. Twenty-seven SNPs were associated with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) after Bonferroni correction in participants without diabetes, while none of the SNPs were associated with sodium excretion. We investigated whether these variants had a directionally consistent effect on sodium excretion, HbA1c levels, and SLC5A2 expression. None of the variants met these criteria. Likewise, we identified no common missense variants, and although four SNPs could be defined as 5′ or 3′ prime untranslated region variants of which rs45612043 was predicted to be deleterious, these SNPs were not annotated to SLC5A2. In conclusion, no genetic variant was found mimicking SGLT2i based on their location near SLC5A2 and their association with sodium excretion or HbA1c and SLC5A2 expression or function.
Muscle Work and Its Relationship with ACE and ACTN3 Polymorphisms Are Associated with the Improvement of Explosive Strength
Authors: Melián Ortiz Alberto , Laguarta-Val Sofía , Varillas-Delgado David
Published: July 2021

Background: The potential influence of genetics in athletic performance allows the search for genetic profiles associated with muscular work for the orientation of strength training and sports selection. The purpose of the study was to analyze four muscular exercises for effectiveness in improving explosive strength variables, associated to the genetics in Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) and α-actinin-3 (ACTN3) polymorphisms. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on a sample of 80 subjects allocated into four groups: concentric muscle work (CMW), eccentric muscle work (EMW), concentric-eccentric muscle (C-EMW) work and isometric muscular work (IMW), by block and gender randomization. Vertical jump, long jump, power jump, and speed were measured to study explosive strength. Genotypic frequencies of ACE (rs4646994) and ACTN3 (rs1815739) were obtained by polymerase chain reaction. Results: ACE gen showed significant improvements regarding the DD genotype in the Sargent test (p = 0.003) and sprint velocity test (p = 0.017). In the ACTN3 gene, the RR variable obtained improvement results with regard to RX and XX variables in long jump (p < 0.001), Sargent test (p < 0.001) and power jump (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The selected genes demonstrated an influence on the muscle work and the improvement in explosive strength variables with a decisive role regarding the type of muscle work performed.
Why Are Turkish University Students Addicted to the Internet? A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Koçak Orhan , Yılmaz İlayda , Younis Mustafa Z.
Published: July 2021

Internet addiction has become a significant problem that primarily affects young people. It has an essential effect on the individual’s self-perception and assessment of their competencies. This study aimed to reveal whether there is a significant relationship between the level of internet addiction of university students and their age and self-esteem. For this purpose, internet addiction and self-esteem scales were used in addition to questions such as age, gender, the purpose of internet use, and internet daily usage time. We used a quantitative research method to obtain cross-sectional data from 400 Turkish young people using online surveys. Correlation, regression, mediation, and moderation analyses were performed using SPSS and the PROCESS macro plugin for data analysis. Internet addiction was significantly associated with self-esteem, gender, age, and daily internet usage. In addition, we discovered that self-esteem and daily usage time played a mediation role in the effect of the age variable on internet addiction. Moreover, the moderation roles of social networks, gender, and location in the impact of self-esteem on internet addiction were determined. With this study, we understood that as age increases, self-esteem triggers the decrease of internet addiction. In this sense, policies should be developed to increase self-esteem among young people to ensure the conscious use of the internet.
Healthcare Human Resources: Trends and Demand in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alnowibet Khalid , Abduljabbar Adel , Ahmad Shafiq , Alqasem Latifah , Alrajeh Nabil , Guiso Luigi , Zaindin Mazin , Varanasi Madhusudhan
Published: July 2021

This paper estimates the impact of policies on the current status of Healthcare Human Resources (HHR) in Saudi Arabia and explores the initiatives that will be adopted to achieve Saudi Vision 2030. Retrospective time-series data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and statistical yearbooks between 2003 and 2015 are analyzed to identify the impact of these policies on the health sector and the number of Saudi and non-Saudi physicians, nurses and allied health specialists employed by MOH, Other Government Hospitals (OGH) and Private Sector Hospitals (PSH). Moreover, multiple regressions are performed with respect to project data until 2030 and meaningful inferences are drawn. As a local supply of professional medical falls short of demand, either policy to foster an increase in supply are adopted or the Saudization policies must be relaxed. The discrepancies are identified in terms of a high rate of non-compliance of Saudization in the private sector and this is being countered with alternative measures which are discussed in this paper. The study also analyzed the drivers of HHR demand, supply and discussed the research implications on policy and society. The findings suggest that the 2011 national Saudization policy yielded the desired results mostly regarding allied health specialists and nurses. This study will enable decision-makers in the healthcare sector to measure the effectiveness of the new policies and, hence, whether to continue in implementing them or to revise them.
Calprotectin and SARS-CoV-2: A Brief-Report of the Current Literature
Authors: Giuffrè Mauro , Vetrugno Luigi , Di Bella Stefano , Moretti Rita , Berretti Debora , Crocè Lory Saveria
Published: July 2021

In late December 2019, a novel coronavirus (lately referred to as SARS-CoV-2) spread in the city of Wuhan, China, causing an outbreak of unusual viral pneumonia. In many people, the disease is mild and self-limiting, but in a considerable number of patients, the disease may present more severe or even fatal. Therefore, determining which patients are at higher risk of developing a more severe disease is critical. Some studies have been focused on serum and fecal calprotectin to evaluate COVID-19 disease progression and possible complications. Some assumptions can be made: (1) serum calprotectin may efficiently predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients; (2) fecal calprotectin may appear high in COVID-19 patients due to the double hit mechanism to the intestine (inflammatory and ischemic); (3) a relationship between the complement system and neutrophil activation contributes to the procoagulant status seen in COVID-19 patients; (4) some patients may develop severe gastro-intestinal complications and fecal calprotectin can be used to monitor intestinal disease activity levels.
Impact of Physicians’ Competence and Warmth on Chronic Patients’ Intention to Use Online Health Communities
Authors: Zhang Xijing , Zhang Runtong
Published: July 2021

In China, medical resources are unevenly distributed, and hospitals are very congested. Online health communities (OHCs) provide a new way for patients to communicate and obtain health-related information, thereby alleviating the pressure of treatment in hospitals. However, little is known about how to increase individuals’ use intention for OHCs from the perspective of physicians. This study aims to investigate the impact of physicians’ competence and warmth on chronic patients’ intention to use physician-centered OHCs based on the technology acceptance model. A formal investigation was anonymously conducted through a web-based questionnaire survey addressed to participants, and 710 valid responses were received. A research model was constructed and the hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling. The findings suggest that competence and warmth positively affect chronic patients’ behavioral intention to use (BIU) OHCs through the mediation of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). All hypotheses were supported at the 0.05 significant level. Compared with competence, warmth has a slightly stronger impact on PU and PEOU. PEOU has a stronger impact on chronic patients’ BIU OHCs than PU. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of physicians’ characteristics in physician-driven OHCs. Compared with competence, physicians’ warmth should be paid more attention to motivate more chronic patients to use OHCs. Enhancing physicians’ warmth and the ease of use are the preferred ways to improve chronic patients’ intention to use OHCs.
The Associations between Self-Determined Motivation, Multidimensional Self-Efficacy, and Device-Measured Physical Activity
Authors: Chu I-Hua , Chen Yu-Ling , Wu Pei-Tzu , Wu Wen-Lan , Guo Lan-Yuen
Published: July 2021

Self-determined motivation (SDT) and self-efficacy theory have been widely used for understanding individuals’ physical activity motivation and self-efficacy. However, there is a gap of evidence on the relations between SDT and multidimensional self-efficacy with device-measured physical activity in healthy adults. Questionnaires including the behavior regulation in exercise questionnaire version 2 (BREQ-2) and the multidimensional self-efficacy for exercise scale (MSES) were completed by the participants at baseline. All participants wore an accelerometer for seven days to record their physical activities at baseline and eight-week follow up. In total, thirty healthy adults completed the study (12 men, 18 women). The results showed that intrinsic motivation and scheduling self-efficacy had significantly positive associations with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity energy expenditure and duration. Multiple regression analysis showed that the relative autonomy index, task and scheduling efficacy could predict physical activity at baseline, but no SDT or self-efficacy variable could predict physical activity behavior after eight weeks. These results showed that the associations between motivation and self-efficacy with physical activity might change within a short period of time, which suggests that the regular assessment of motivation and self-efficacy might be needed in interventional programs to promote continued physical activity participation in healthy adults.
Factors Associated with Mortality among Elderly People in the COVID-19 Pandemic (SARS-CoV-2): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Alves Vicente Paulo , Casemiro Francine Golghetto , Araujo Bruno Gedeon de , Lima Marcos André de Souza , Oliveira Rayssa Silva de , Fernandes Fernanda Tamires de Souza , Gomes Ana Vitória Campos , Gregori Dario
Published: July 2021

The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the factors associated with the mortality of elderly Italians diagnosed with coronavirus who resided in institutions or who were hospitalized because of the disease. Methods: A systematic review following the recommendations of The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) was carried out, utilizing the PEO strategy, i.e., Population, Exposure and Outcome. In this case, the population was the elderly aged over 65 years old, the exposure referred to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the outcome was mortality. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI/PubMed), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were used until 31 July 2020. Results: Five Italian studies were included in this meta-analysis, with the number of elderly people included varying between 18 and 1591 patients. The main morbidities presented by the elderly in the studies were dementia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and hypertension. Conclusions: The factors associated with the mortality of elderly Italian people diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 who lived in institutions or who were hospitalized because of the disease were evaluated. It was found that dementia, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and hypertension were the main diagnosed diseases for mortality in elderly people with COVID-19.
Detection of Salivary miRNAs That Predict Chronic Periodontitis Progression: A Cohort Study
Authors: Fujimori Kohei , Yoneda Toshiki , Tomofuji Takaaki , Ekuni Daisuke , Azuma Tetsuji , Maruyama Takayuki , Sugiura Yoshio , Morita Manabu
Published: July 2021

The aim of this two-year cohort study was to investigate salivary microRNAs (miRNAs) that predict periodontitis progression. A total of 120 patients who underwent supportive periodontal therapy were recruited. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected at baseline. Two years later, 44 patients were followed up (median age, 67.1 years) and divided into two groups: progression group (n = 22), with one or more sites with clinical attachment level (CAL) progression (>3 mm compared with baseline) or tooth extraction due to periodontitis progression; and the control group (n = 22), which did not exhibit CAL progression. In the microarray analysis of salivary miRNAs, hsa-miR-5571-5p, hsa-miR-17-3p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-4724-3p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-200a-3p, hsa-miR-28-5p, hsa-miR-320d, and hsa-miR-31-5p showed fold change values <0.5 or ≥2.0 in the progression group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, areas under the curves of hsa-miR-5571-5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-28-5p, and hsa-miR-320d were >0.7, indicating fair discrimination power. The expressions of salivary hsa-miR-5571-5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-99a-5p, hsa-miR-28-5p, and hsa-miR-320d were associated with periodontitis progression in patients with chronic periodontitis. These salivary miRNAs may be new biomarkers for progression of periodontitis, and monitoring them may contribute to new diagnostics and precision medicine for periodontitis.
Effects of Exercise and Diet on Body Composition and Physical Function in Older Hispanics with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Vieira Edgar Ramos , Cavalcanti Fabricia Azevedo da Costa , Civitella Fernanda , Hollifield Monica , Caceres Stephanie , Carreno Jorge , Gaillard Trudy , Huffman Fatma G. , Mora Jorge Camilo , Queiroga Marcos Roberto
Published: July 2021

Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (DM2) affects 9.3% of the U.S. population. Health disparities are evident in DM2; twice as many Hispanics as non-Hispanic Whites have DM2. The objective of this study was to pilot test the feasibility of implementing and evaluating trends of nutrition and exercise interventions to improve diabetes management and physical function in 29 disadvantaged older Hispanics with DM2. We delivered combined diet and exercise (n = 8) and diet-only (n = 6) interventions and compared the results to a control/no intervention group (n = 15). We cluster-randomized the participants into the three arms based on the senior center they attended. The interventions were delivered twice a week for 3 months (24 sessions) and assessments were conducted pre and post intervention. The results indicate the feasibility of implementing the interventions and slight improvements in both intervention groups compared to the control group. The diet-only group tended to have larger improvements on body composition measures (especially in muscle mass), while the diet + exercise group tended to have larger improvements on physical function (especially in chair stands). There was a high rate of attrition, especially in the diet + exercise group, but those who completed the intervention tended to have improvements in body composition and physical function.
Adolescents’ Empowerment for Mental Health Literacy in School: A Pilot Study on ProLiSMental Psychoeducational Intervention
Authors: Morgado Tânia , Loureiro Luís , Rebelo Botelho Maria Antónia , Marques Maria Isabel , Martínez-Riera José Ramón , Melo Pedro
Published: July 2021

Adolescence is a critical life phase for mental health and anxiety an emerging challenge for adolescents. Psychoeducational interventions to promote mental health literacy (MHL) on anxiety in adolescents are needed. This study aimed to test the primary outcome of a future full-scale trial: improvement of adolescents’ anxiety MHL components on recognition, prevention strategies, and self-help strategies. A sample of 38 adolescents, 24 (63.2%) females and 14 (36.8%) males, with an average age of 14.50 years (SD = 0.89) participated in this study. Each class was allocated to the intervention group (IG, n = 21) or the waiting list control group (WLCG, n = 17) with single-blinded randomization. MHL was assessed using the QuALiSMental. The ProLiSMental psychoeducational intervention consists of four or eight weekly sessions of 90 or 45 min for adolescents, using different active pedagogical methods and techniques. There also are initial and final sessions with adolescents, legal guardians, and teachers. There was a significant improvement with a small to relatively strong effect size in many dimensions of anxiety MHL components. This study suggests the progression to the full-scale trial and values the important role of mental health and psychiatric nurses in the adolescents’ empowerment for MHL in schools.
Psychosocial Determinants of HIV Stigma among Men Who Have Sex with Men in San Francisco, California
Authors: Bhatta Dharma N. , Hecht Jennifer , Facente Shelley N.
Published: July 2021

Background: Stigma and discrimination are major challenges faced by people living with HIV (PLWH), and stigma continues to be prevalent among PLWH. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 584 men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV between July 2018 and December 2020, designed to better understand which demographic and behavioral characteristics of MSM living with HIV in San Francisco, California are associated with experience of stigma, so that programs and initiatives can be tailored appropriately to minimize HIV stigma’s impacts. Methods: This analysis was conducted with data from San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) encompassing services from multiple different locations in San Francisco. Data about the level of HIV-related stigma experienced were collected through a single question incorporated into programmatic data collection forms at SFAF as part of the client record stored in SFAF’s electronic health record. We performed linear regression to determine the associations between self-reported experiences of HIV stigma and other characteristics among MSM living with HIV. Results: HIV stigma was low overall among MSM living with HIV who are actively engaged in HIV care in San Francisco; however, it was significantly higher for the age groups of 13–29 years (adjusted risk difference (ARD): 0.251, 95% CI: 0.012, 0.489) and 30–49 years (ARD: 0.205, 95% CI: 0.042, 0.367) when compared to the age group of 50 years and older, as well as people who were homeless (ARD: 0.844, 95% CI: 0.120, 1.568), unstably housed (ARD: 0.326, 95% CI: 0.109, 0.543) and/or having mental health concerns (ARD: 0.309, 95% CI: 0.075, 0.544), controlling for race, injection history, and viral load. Conclusions: These findings highlight an opportunity to develop culturally, socially, and racially appropriate interventions to reduce HIV stigma among MSM living with HIV, particularly for younger men and those struggling with housing stability and/or mental health.
Using a 24 h Activity Recall (STAR-24) to Describe Activity in Adolescent Boys in New Zealand: Comparisons between a Sample Collected before, and a Sample Collected during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Peddie Meredith C. , Scott Tessa , Haszard Jillian J.
Published: July 2021

Background: Tools that assess all three components of 24 h movement guidelines (sleep, physical activity, and screen use) are scarce. Our objective was to use a newly developed Screen Time and Activity Recall (STAR-24) to demonstrate how this tool could be used to illustrate differences in time-use across the day between two independent samples of male adolescents collected before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: Adolescent boys aged 15–18 years (n = 109) each completed the STAR-24 twice, n = 74 before lockdown and n = 35 during lockdown. Results: During lockdown more than 50% of the sample reported gaming between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, transport was not reported as an activity, and activities of daily living spiked at mealtimes. Gaming and screen time were more prevalent in weekends than weekdays, with the highest prevalence of weekday screen use (before lockdown) occurring between 8 and 9 p.m. Differences in estimates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity prior to and during lockdown (mean difference (95% CI); 21 (−9 to 51) min) and sleep (0.5 (−0.2 to 1.2) h) were small. Total and recreational screen time were higher during lockdown (2 h (0.7 to 3.3 h) and 48 min (−36 to 132 min), respectively). Conclusions: The STAR-24 holds promise as a single tool that assesses compliance with 24 h movement guidelines. This tool also allows clear illustration of how adolescent boys are using their time (instead of only providing summary measures), providing richer data to inform public health initiatives.
Urinary Bisphenol A Concentrations and Parameters of Ovarian Reserve among Women from a Fertility Clinic
Authors: Czubacka Ewelina , Wielgomas Bartosz , Klimowska Anna , Radwan Michał , Radwan Paweł , Karwacka Anetta , Kałużny Paweł , Jurewicz Joanna
Published: July 2021

Background: Human exposure to environmentally widespread endocrine disruptors, especially bisphenol A (BPA), has been suggested to affect reproductive health. Animal studies indicate that BPA may play a role in the process of reproduction and impact on maturing oocytes, meiotic cell division or fertilization rate. Nevertheless, data regarding the effects of exposure to BPA on women’s ovarian function are still limited. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess the effects of environmental exposure to BPA on ovarian reserve. Methods: The study participants consisted of 511 women in reproductive age (25–39 years) who attended an infertility clinic for diagnosis, due to the couples’ infertility. BPA urinary concentrations were assessed by the validated gas chromatography ion-trap mass spectrometry method. The ovarian reserve was assessed using ovarian reserve parameters: Hormones concentrations: E2 (estradiol), FSH (follicle stimulating hormone), AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone), and AFC (antral follicle count). Results: In the present study, the negative association between BPA urinary concentrations and AMH (p = 0.02) and AFC (p = 0.03) levels was found. Exposure to BPA was not related to other examined parameters of ovarian reserve (FSH, E2). Conclusions: Our results suggest that BPA exposure may affect women ovarian reserve parameters and reduce ovarian reserve. As this is one of the first studies of its kind, the findings need confirmation in a further investigation.
Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Human Consumption and Irrigation in Relation to Arsenic Concentration in Flow Systems in a Semi-Arid Mexican Region
Authors: Ortiz-Letechipia Jennifer , González-Trinidad Julián , Júnez-Ferreira Hugo Enrique , Bautista-Capetillo Carlos , Dávila-Hernández Sandra
Published: July 2021

The supply of drinking water to the population is an important challenge facing humanity, since both surface and underground sources present a great variability of water storage with respect to space and time. This problem is further aggravated in arid and semi-arid areas where rainfall is low and torrential, which makes groundwater the main source of supply; therefore, it is necessary to carry out studies that allow evaluating the evolution of the quantity and quality of water. This study addresses the behavior of groundwater in a semi-arid region, considering the theory of flow systems to identify movement as well as water quality, es determined by a water quality index (WQI), calculated considering arsenic and fluorine. In addition, a quality irrigation classification is used, employing the norms in accordance with international standards and the Mexican Norm, which allows for a comparison. Local, regional, intermediate and mixed flow systems are identified, and the evolution of cations and anions in addition to temperature is examined. It is observed that the drinking water quality index classifies them as excellent in most of the monitored wells (<50), but with a negative evolution. Regarding irrigation, most of the water samples are classified without restriction for the establishment of any type II crop (C2S1) and with restrictions for horticultural crops. It is observed that arsenic had values between 0.49 and 61.40 (µg/L) in 2005, while in 2015 they were between 0.10 and 241.30 (µg/L). In addition, fluoride presented values between 0.00 and 2.6 (mg/L) in 2005, while in 2015 they were between 0.28 and 5.40 (mg/L). The correlations between arsenic and fluorine are noted as well as WQI and SAR. A finding in this research was to include arsenic and fluorine in the calculation of the WQI allowing a better interpretation of the quality of water for both human consumption and for agricultural use to based on this make the best decision to control any harmful effects for the population, in addition to identifying the appropriate purification treatment required to control pollutants. It is concluded that arsenic is an element of utmost importance when considering water quality, so it is necessary to examine its evolution and continue to monitor its levels constantly.