bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generación de las matrices de espín de Paulí a partir de los vectores de Jones
Authors: Hurtado Murcia Brahan Armando , González Sierra Hernando , Mendoza Suárez Jairo Alonso
Published: September 2021

Usando los estados de polarización de la luz representados por vectores de Jones que pertenecen a un espacio vectorial lineal complejo de una dimensión, se elaboran estructuras algebraicas que son conocidas como diadas o tensores de segundo orden que en este caso conforman un espacio vectorial complejo de dos dimensiones. Con estos tensores de segundo orden, que se pueden expresar de forma matricial, se construyen secuencias de relaciones de conmutación con alternancia de los estados de polarización de la luz. Las secuencias de relaciones de conmutación, con la propiedad de alternancia dada por la permutación de los estados de polarización de la luz, se presentan como combinaciones lineales que generan de forma simple las matrices de espín de Pauli. Los estados de polarización de los vectores de Jones utilizados para construir las secuencias de las relaciones de conmutación de las formas diádicas pertenecen a formas de tipo circular, a la izquierda y a la derecha, o lineal. La transición de un espacio vectorial complejo, en la que actúan los vectores de Jones, a un espacio vectorial lineal complejo de dos dimensiones, en el que la base de este último espacio lo conforman la matriz unidad y las matrices de espín de Pauli, es factible a través de relaciones de conmutación empleando vectores de Jones en estados de polarización lineal y circular.
Recovery of Residues of Surface and Emulsion Waste Water Treatment at a Bearing Factory
Authors: Sokolov L.I. , Tyanin A.N.
Published: September 2021

The directions of utilization of production wastes of the second level, namely, residues of surface and emulsion waste waters treatment of a bearing factory, are given. The results of studies of a new composition of asphalt concrete mixture obtained on the basis of foam, sludge from the treatment of surface water and oily sludge from the treatment of emulsion wastewater from a bearing factory are presented. A technological scheme for the reuse of waste water from surface and emulsion wastewater treatment at a bearing factory has been developed.
Methodology for Evaluating the Environmental and Economic Damage While Discharging Chemical and Pharmaceutical Effluents into the Shalovka River Moscow Region
Authors: Karpenko N.P. , Glazunova I.V.
Published: September 2021

The findings of the researches on the geoecological conditions of the natural environmental components if discharging chemical-pharmaceutical effluents into surface watercourse have been given consideration and the methodology of the ecological situation based on geoecological risks has been developped. The effluents composition study of the plant purification facilities has been performed, the pollutants composition and concentration, including heavy metals, oil products, radioactive substances, volatile and semi-volatile compounds have been studied. The quantitive evaluation of the environmental and economic damage to the river Shalovka caused by the poor operational waste discharged has been performed. Compensatory environmental actions to implement innovative modern technologies for deepening purification of contaminated effluents will improve the geoecological situation in the area.
Reducing the Environmental Hazard of Spent Cleaning Masses from the Production of Acetylene Carbide
Authors: Plotnikova R.N. , Korchagin V.I. , Popova L.V. , Maltsev M.V.
Published: September 2021

Methods of reducing the environmental hazard during storage of spent cleaning masses formed in the production of acetylene by the wet method are considered. The optimal conditions for the process of neutralizing the waste of the cleaning mass accumulating at the stage of trapping phosphine and hydrogen sulfide in the process of obtaining acetylene by the carbide method have been established. Ways of regeneration of a solid carrier included in the composition of cleaning masses are proposed. The possibility of secondary use of the regenerated solid support — expanded pearlite — has been investigated. A scheme for the neutralization of wastes from the production of carbide acetylene is presented. Methods for restoring the absorption capacity of a solid carrier are proposed. The prospect of using partially regenerated waste from the stage of washing soluble compounds containing sparingly soluble phosphates for mulching soils and increasing the influx of an important biogenic element for plant nutrition and growth is shown.
Screening and Stability Evaluation of Reference Genes for Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction inAgrilus zanthoxylumi(Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
Authors: Di Chen , Ping Yang , Li Guo , Shou-An Xie , Xue-Fang Gong , Shu-Jie L.V.
Published: September 2021

Selection of suitable reference genes is crucial to accurately evaluate and normalize the relative expression level of target genes for gene function research. Our study selected suitable reference genes for analyzing the gene expression of Agrilus zanthoxylumi Hou (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Six candidate genes were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction: the histone gene, the β-tubulin gene, the actin gene, 18S ribosomal RNA, and 28S-1 and 28S-2 ribosomal RNA. The expression of the candidate reference genes in different tissue samples (head, thorax, abdomen, legs, and wings) of A. zanthoxylumi was evaluated and analyzed by using GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper software programs. Gene expression stability results show that the expression of the 28S-2 gene is the most stable of the six candidate genes in all tissues of female A. zanthoxylumi, followed by the 28S-1 gene. The actin gene has the most stable expression of the six genes in male tissues, followed by the 28S-2 gene. The screening results of reference genes with the most stable expression in different sexes and tissues obtained in this study can be used for the subsequent quantitative expression research of related genes and provide theoretical basis and reference materials for the research of related gene expression levels of A. zanthoxylumi.
Evaluating the expression of key genes involved in resistance to oxidative stress in ALL patients
Authors: Hosseini Bandari Seyedeh Maryam , Allahbakhshian Farsani Mehdi , Khamisipour Gholamreza
Published: September 2021

Background: Leukemia accounts for about 8% of all cancers and causes approximately 7% of mortalities due to malignancies. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer and rare in older subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of oxidative stress resistance genes including Catalase, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), Forkhead Box O3 (Foxo3a), and sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) in ALL patients that may be applied for therapeutic purposes in the future.
Materials and Methods: In this observational case-control study, blood samples were drawn from 60 newly diagnosed ALL patients and 10 healthy individuals as a control group. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification was performed using specific primers for evaluating the expression of Catalase, MnSOD, Foxo3a, and SIRT1 genes.
Results: The expression of all studied genes were significantly higher in ALL patients than in the control group; catalase gene, FOX gene, MnSOD gene, and SIRT1 gene were expressed 4 times (p =0.04), 4.5 times (p =0.001), 2.2 times (p =0.05) and 4.8 (p =0.01) times higher than healthy individuals in the control group respectively. However, no significant relationship between their expression and the stage of the disease and blast percentage was demonstrated (P>0.05).
Conclusion: According to these results, the authors believe that the pathways involved in oxidative stress may be one of the most important causes of ALL disease's development and progression. In this regard, targeting the critical genes of these pathways can be considered a potential treatment with fewer side effects.
Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Bayat Mohammad , Arabi Amirmohammad , Assadi Amirali , Nezami Nia Saina , Mortezazadeh Masoud , Mohamadnia Abdolreza , Bahrami Naghmeh
Published: September 2021

Back ground: Nowadays COVID-19 has become a pandemic in which global society experience multiple difficulties in management. It seems that olfactory dysfunction is one of the early occurring symptoms of this viral infection and many patients just show this symptom after they got infected. Considering so, olfactory dysfunction especially a decline in olfaction could potentially be used for screening purposes and preventing the disease to spread.
Methods: 50 PCR-verified SARS-CoV-2 infected participants were assessed about their olfactory function adequacy using a Modified Version of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) for the Iranian population called Iran Smell Identification Test (Iran-SIT). Participants scores were compared against normal population scores in this test and possible correlations of age and scores were explored as well
Results: Participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection generally obtained lesser scores in the mentioned test which means they experience a decline in olfactory function more, significantly. Aging also has a negative correlation with olfaction adequacy.
Conclusion: Based on this article’s finding, olfactory function decrease is more frequent among SARS-CoV-2 infected people and potentially could be a suggestive indicator for screening programs. This indicator should be interpreted concerning patients’ age.
New Design of Bone Hook for Lefort I Osteotomy
Authors: Hashemi Hamid Mahmmod , Razmara Farnoosh
Published: September 2021

This article discribes a new design by surgical Bone hook that is used for maxillary Le Fort 1 osteotomy. This instrument with high quality ,without damage to surrounding tissues can be used in maxillofacial surgeries.
Esthetic treatment of anterior implants: A case report
Authors: Rouzmeh Nina , Rasouli Ghahroudi Amirali Reza , Akhbarifar Shadi , Atri Faezeh
Published: September 2021

Aesthetic implant treatment in the maxillary anterior area can be challenging, especially in case of insufficient bone volume. In this clinical report, a guided bone regeneration procedure using the combination of xenograft and allograft with non-resorbable membrane was applied in the atrophic edentulous alveolar crest to reconstruct a proper implant bed. Moreover, Prosthetic tissue molding was performed to improve success and optimize aesthetics. This article provides information rele- vant to treatment plans, surgical procedures, and prosthetic management in aesthetically important areas.
Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process )AHP( of Good Governance Components for Health System Policy-Making in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Authors: Azadiyan Marziyeh , Vosoogh Moghaddam Abbas , Farhadi Mahalli Ali
Published: September 2021

Background: Good governance in the last two decades attracted the attention of scientific and international circles around the world. It is a type of governance that is committed to supporting and promoting human health. In order to achieve good governance, components have been identified that knowledge of the weight and importance of each component is undoubtedly necessary to achieve the desired results in the policy-making of the Iranian health system.
Methods: This research is descriptive-survey in terms of goal setting and methodology. The multi-stage stratification and availability method was used for sampling and the theoretical saturation rule was used to determine the sample size. In order to define and explain the concept of components of good governance and health policy-making, the library method and review of reference sources were used. 100 survey managers and experts in the Ministry of Health and Golestan, Mazandaran and Neishabour Universities of Medical Sciences were interviewed using a survey method and using a checklist tool (researcher-made (pairwise comparisons)). To analyze the data, Chang's improved fuzzy AHP method and Expert choice software were used.
Results: Among the components of good governance (for the policy-making process of the Iranian health system), the rule of law included the most important component. After the rule of law, consensus and agreement, transparency, accountability, justice and fairness, effectiveness and efficiency and ethics were in the next ranks.
Conclusion: Good governance is a new narrative of concepts such as democracy, human rights and justice to pursue people-centered human development goals. The rankings obtained from the analyses of this research indicate the need to pay more attention to the rule of law in the health policy-making cycle. It is suggested that in designing the health sector of the seventh economic, social and cultural development plan, executive strategies are paid attention to strengthening the components of good governance, respectively.
Monitoring the transition of patients on biologics in rheumatoid arthritis: Consensus guidance for pharmacists
Authors: Choquette Denis , Chan Jonathan , Bardi Mohammad , Whiskin Carolyn , Torani Gabriel , Smith Brennan K. , Sihota Aaron
Published: September 2021

Background: Recent approvals for novel agents such as the small molecule Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi), combined with the advent of biosimilars has widened the gamut of available therapeutic options in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This combined with the introduction of mandatory non- medical switches to biosimilars in some jurisdictions by both public and private payors has led to a significant increase in the volume of therapeutic changes for patients. Pharmacists are well positioned to ensure effective and safe transitions, however there is a significant unmet need for objective and subjective clinical guidance around therapy as well disease state monitoring in RA that facilitates best practices throughout the patient journey.

Objective: In this paper we aim to create a consensus derived monitoring algorithm for pharmacists to facilitate best practices throughout therapeutic transitions from originator biologic to other originator biologics, biosimilars, and Janus kinase inhibitors in RA.

Methods: The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used to understand if consensus could be found among the participants. Clinically relevant questions were developed to capture solutions to the identified unmet need. The faculty considered the questions as individuals, and privately generated answers/ideas. After discussion and consideration, the participants ranked the ideas and established a consensus.

Results: Based on the outcome of the consensus discussions, an algorithm was created to help guide pharmacists through therapeutic transitions in RA. The tool covers important topics such as pre-transition considerations, avoiding the nocebo effect for biosimilars, specific considerations for each drug or class, monitoring efficacy, and when to refer.

Conclusions: New classes of anti-rheumatic drugs including JAKi, along with the introduction of biosimilars are presenting more opportunity for therapeutic changes and monitoring in patients with RA. We hope our evidence-based consensus derived guidance tool will assist frontline pharmacists in supporting their patients to a successful therapeutic transition in RA.
Flow conditions inside a small hydraulic tank at excessive flow rates
Authors: Lovrec Darko , Biluš Ignacijo
Published: September 2021

The basic purpose of a hydraulic tank is to hold a volume of fluid, transfer heat from the system, allow solid contaminants to settle and facilitate the release of air and moisture from the fluid. To perform these important tasks more efficiently, the tank must be dimensioned properly. Above all, it must have an appropriate size. If the tank is too small the flow conditions inside the tank deteriorate, resulting in inadequate conditioning of the hydraulic fluid. Based on the simulation, the paper presents the difference in the change of flow conditions in the case of adequate and insufficient tank sizes. A small industrial hydraulic tank with a capacity of 30 litres filled with hydraulic mineral oil was used as the example of the study.
Challenges of numerical modelling and simulation of flow inside the hydraulic tank
Authors: Kevorkijan Luka , Biluš Ignacijo
Published: September 2021

The basic purpose of the hydraulic tank is to hold a volume of fluid, transfer heat from the system, allow solid contaminants to settle and facilitate the release of air and moisture from the fluid. To perform these important tasks more efficiently, the tank must be properly dimensioned and it must operate in correct flow rate range. At high flow rates it can be subjected to effects of turbulence, leading to poorer performance of the tank. To predict turbulent effects correctly a numerical simulation, based on RANS approach is prepared and run. Difference between k-ε model and k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) is investigated and results are presented. Impact of choice of turbulence model is discussed.
Identification of root cause based on simulation approach
Authors: Čelik Anže , Rupnik Matjaž , Žust Marko
Published: September 2021

The paper shows and explains customer claim regarding improper functionality of hydraulic brake valve integrated into harvester machine. Further, the paper also presents simulation-based approach to understand and solve the issue. In the first step, fully detailed one-dimensional (1D) lumped model has been made in order to reproduce customer issue. Here, it is essentially to mention that (simplified) customer environment/machine was also part of detailed 1D numerical model – customer engagement in root-cause analysis is important. Thanks to detailed simulation model, deep understanding of the key parameters that affect the machine malfunction was possible in the second step. Model allows performing sensitivity study on key parameters with high fidelity. Lastly, based on detected key parameters, harvester brake valve has been updated/redesigned and sent to customer for final validation. Customer satisfaction along with short and effective response time of Poclain development team convert challenge situation to success.
Design and control of mechatronic systems with pneumatic and hydraulic drive
Authors: Šitum Željko , Benić Juraj , Pejić Klara , Bača Marko Miroslav , Radić Ivan , Semren Dominik
Published: September 2021

This paper presents four handmade laboratory systems with pneumatic and hydraulic drive. The article first presents an example of a pneumatic motor speed control using a proportional directional control valve. Then the paper presents the design and control of a test device with pneumatic drive for determining the dynamic strength of materials, on which the fracture mechanics of materials due to the action of dynamic stress can be experimentally demonstrated and the resistance of materials to cyclic stress can be analyzed. The article then describes the design, construction and control of a pneumatically driven system for sorting products marked with a bar code using a vision system. The final section of the article describes an experimental setup for precise position control of a hydraulic cylinder using 2/2 cartridge valves, which can clearly demonstrate the application possibilities of these valves in industrial plants and mobile systems.
Challenges and pitfalls of time constrained hydraulic projects
Authors: Tašner Tadej , Les Kristian
Published: September 2021

Almost all projects nowadays are fast paced as all industries are trying to shorten time to market and hydraulics is no exception. In order to compete in such environments all the processes in the company from engineering throughout production have to be streamlined, so they are able to effectively follow the ever-changing project requirements. Moreover, increasing lead-times and disrupted supply chains due to pandemic also influence the workflow, as components may not arrive in time. This article addresses all of the above-mentioned problems on a real world hydraulic project – a hydraulic drive of a forklift. It presents the evolution of hydraulic schematic, hydraulic manifold and control algorithms all the way from the first draft to the latest version.
Calculation and analysis hydraulic system for paint mixing machine
Authors: Osmanović Almir , Trakić Elvedin , Omeragić Edin
Published: September 2021

Paint production and for that colour mixing is an important process which has wide applications in several field. There are various kinds of colour mixing that can be done. It can either be additive colour mixing or subtractive colour mixing. Generally, there are various kinds of paint mixing machines available in the market. They vary in their size, shape, technology and methodologies. The aim of this paper is to present a calculation and analyse of hydraulic system for paint mixing machine. The paint mixing machine has the task of mixing the oil paint components in vessel until the finished mass is obtained. As oil paint is a typical representative of rheological materials where the viscosity depends on the shear rate, it is necessary to mix different paint structures during processing at different speeds - the number of revolutions of the propeller must be changes.
The “Authentic” Me
Authors: Vandermaas-Peeler Maureen , Choplin Olivia , Doehler Kirsten , Sturgill Amanda , Namaste Nina , Buckmaster Matthew
Published: September 2021

In this qualitative study, 26 university students reflected on their experiences in domestic or international study away programs. Utilizing a sociocultural developmental framework, we examined perceived changes in identity in relation to salient aspects of the sociocultural context and social interactions during and after study away. Students reported developing an enhanced understanding of who they really are. Their experiences navigating new environments served as a catalyst for personal growth, and, for some, participating in study away ignited new professional pathways and plans. Encountering different perspectives on policies and issues facing the United States (US) afforded opportunities to co-construct new understandings of national identities. Reentry posed particular challenges in communicating with family and friends, and some found it hard to communicate unique personal experiences within an institutional context in which the majority of students study away. The process of reflecting on questions related to identity and reentry in the focus groups was reportedly a unique and valuable intervention. The findings support the need for enhanced opportunities for guided reflection experiences before, during, and after study away.
Rethinking the Traditional Textbook
Authors: Cozart Deanna , Horan Erin Maria , Frome Gavin
Published: September 2021

As college costs have continued to rise, textbooks now average more than $1,200 per student per academic year as of 2020. Traditional textbooks are not only expensive, but also have fixed and frequently outdated content. In this study, we compared pre-service teacher-student outcomes and perceptions of a traditional textbook versus no-cost, online materials such as open educational resources (OER) in an undergraduate Foundations of Education course. Outcomes were measured by comparison of final course grades. Perceptions were determined through quantitative and qualitative survey questions added to existing end-of-course evaluations. Results revealed students found OER and no-cost online materials more useful to their success in the course and more engaging than a traditional textbook. Qualitative analysis further revealed that while students appreciated there was no cost for the online materials, they preferred them to a traditional textbook because of the customized content. Results suggest students find instructor-curated, no-cost online readings more useful and preferable to a traditional textbook without compromising student academic performance.
What Skills are Learned at College?
Authors: Martini Tanya , Frangella Lorenzo , Vandervlist Meghan
Published: September 2021

Though academics and employers have demonstrated increasing interest in the skills learned by university students, less is known about student perceptions of the skills developed during a degree. In the current study, we examined students’ and working adults’ beliefs about the skills learned and not learned during their first degree. We also examined each group’s ability to define four career-related skills (communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership), and their self-evaluations of those skills. Data indicated very few differences in the beliefs of students and working adults about skills learned and not learned at university. In addition, the skills most frequently endorsed as “learned” and “not learned” were very similar to one another. Contrary to expectations, there were few group-based differences in the quality of skill-based definitions. In keeping with the hypotheses, there were no group-based differences in self-assessments of skills. Implications of these results for university courses and programs are discussed.
Teaching & Learning Inquiry Book Reviews
Authors: Hays Lauren
Published: September 2021

Book review of Transforming Digital Learning and Assessment: A Guide to Available and Emerging Practices and Building Institutional Consensus, edited by Peggy L. Maki and Peter Shea.
Statistical Mirroring: A Good Alternative Estimator of Dispersion
Authors: Abdullahi Kabir Bindawa
Published: September 2021

The statistical properties of a good estimator include robustness, unbiasedness, efficiency, and consistency. However, the commonly used estimators of dispersion have lack or are weak in one or more of these properties. In this paper, I proposed statistical mirroring as a good alternative estimator of dispersion around defined location estimates or points. In the main part of the paper, attention is restricted to Gaussian distribution and only estimators of dispersion around the mean that functionalize with all the observations of a dataset were considered at this time. The different estimators were compared with the proposed estimators in terms of alternativeness, scale and sample size robustness, outlier biasedness, and efficiency. Monte Carlo simulation was used to generate artificial datasets for application. The proposed estimators (of statistical meanic mirroring) turn out to be suitable alternative estimators of dispersion that is less biased (more resistant) to contaminations, robust to scale and sample size, and more efficient to a random distribution of variable than the standard deviation, variance, and coefficient of variation. However, statistical meanic mirroring is not suitable with a mean (of a normal distribution) close to zero, and on a scale below ratio level.
Optinalysis: A New Method of Data Analysis and Comparison
Authors: Abdullahi Kabir Bindawa
Published: September 2021

The key concepts in symmetry detection and similarity, identity measures are automorphism and isomorphism respectively. Therefore, methods for symmetry detection and similarity, identity measures should be functionally bijective, inverse, and invariance under a set of mathematical operations. Nevertheless, few or no existing method is functional for these properties. In this paper, a new methodological paradigm, called optinalysis, is presented for symmetry detections, similarity, and identity measures between isoreflective or autoreflective pair of mathematical structures. The paradigm of optinalysis is the re-mapping of isoreflective or autoreflective pairs with an optical scale. Optinalysis is characterized as invariant under a set of transformations and its isoreflective polymorphism behaves on polynomial and non-polynomial models.
Positive Association between the Use of Quinolones in Food Animals and the Prevalence of Fluoroquinolone Resistance in E. Coli and K. Pneumoniae, A. Baumanii and P. Aeruginosa: A Global Ecological Analysis
Authors: Kenyon Chris
Published: September 2021

BackgroundIt is unclear what underpins the large global variations in the prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in gram-negative bacteria. We tested the hypothesis that different intensities in the use of quinolones for food-animals plays a role. MethodsWe used Spearman’s correlation to assess if the country-level prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in human infections with Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was correlated with the use of quinolones for food producing animals. Linear regression was used to assess the relative contributions of country-level quinolone consumption for food-animals and humans on fluoroquinolone resistance in these 4 species. ResultsThe prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in each species was positively associated with quinolone use for food-producing animals (E. coli [ρ=0.55; P<0.001], K. pneumoniae [ρ=0.58; P<0.001]; A. baumanii [ρ=0.54; P=0.004]; P. aeruginosa [ρ=0.48; P=0.008]). Linear regression revealed that both quinolone consumption in humans and food animals were independently associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli and A. baumanii. ConclusionsReducing quinolone use in food-producing animals may help retard the spread of fluoroquinolone resistance in various gram negative bacterial species.
Sensitivity of Reservoir and Operational Parameters on the Energy Extraction Performance of Combined CO2-EGR–CPG Systems
Authors: Ezekiel Justin , Kumbhat Diya , Ebigbo Anozie , Adams Benjamin M. , Saar Martin O.
Published: September 2021

There is a potential for synergy effects in utilizing CO2 for both enhanced gas recovery (EGR) and geothermal energy extraction (CO2-plume geothermal, CPG) from natural gas reservoirs. This “combined CO2-EGR–CPG system” has been introduced as a feasible approach that constitutes a CO2 Capture double-Utilization and Storage (CCUUS) system. In this study, we carry out reservoir simulations, using TOUGH2, to evaluate the sensitivity of the natural gas recovery, pressure buildup, and geothermal power generation performance of the combined system to various key reservoir and operational parameters. The reservoir parameters include horizontal permeability, permeability anisotropy, reservoir temperature, and pore-size-distribution index; while the operational parameters include wellbore diameter and ambient surface temperature. Using an example of a natural gas reservoir model, we also investigate the effects of different strategies of transitioning from the CO2-EGR stage to the CPG stage on the energy-recovery performance metrics and on the two-phase fluid-flow regime in the production well. The simulation results show that overlapping the CO2-EGR and CPG stages and having a relatively brief period of CO2 injection but no production (which we call the CO2-plume establishment stage) achieves the best overall energy (natural gas and geothermal) recovery performance. Permeability anisotropy and reservoir temperature are the parameters the natural gas recovery performance of the combined system is most sensitive to. The geothermal power generation performance is most sensitive to the reservoir temperature and the production wellbore diameter. The results of this study pave the way for future CPG-based geothermal power-generation optimization studies. For a CO2-EGR–CPG project, the results can be a guide regarding the required accuracy of the reservoir parameters during exploration and data acquisition.
Comparison of Vase Life on Treatments with Combinations of Postharvest Solutions of Cut Hydrangea Flowers (Hydrangea macrophylla cv. ‘Verena’) in Distribution Stage
Authors: Yang Haejo , Lim Sooyeon , Lee Ji Hyun , Choi Ji Weon , Shin Il Sheob
Published: September 2021

Vase life is one of the most important factors that determine the marketability of cut flowers and is greatly affected by the water balance. In recent years, cut hydrangea flowers are increasingly consumed as decorations for various events. However, the vase life of cut hydrangea flowers varies greatly depending on the postharvest solution management. Therefore, this study investigated the vase life, solution uptake, water balance, and relative fresh weight of freshly harvested hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Verena’) according to the three types of holding solutions (tap water, 1% chrysal professional Ⅲ (CPⅢ), 2% sucrose + 250 mg/L 8-hydroxquinoline + 100 mg/L citric acid (SHQC)) and the combination solutions (pretreatment; tap water, 0.1% chrysal RVB (RVB), floralife quickdip (FQ), transport; tap water, CPⅢ, floralife clear (FC), preservatives; CPⅢ, FC) for each distribution stage (pretreatment-transport-consumer). In the preservative comparison experiment, compared with the control, CPⅢ treatment and SHQC treatment significantly increased the vase life in 2019 (0.7 days, 3.4 days) and 2020 (1.4 days, 3.1 days), respectively. In the comparative experiment by solution combination, the group (RVB, FQ) using the pretreatment significantly extended the vase life by 4.6 days and 5.9 days compared to the tap water treatment. It was also determined that the same treatment increased overall solution uptake, maintained water balance longer, and increased relative fresh weight. These results confirm the importance of holding solutions and pretreatments, suggesting that appropriate pretreatments and preservatives should be used to improve the marketability of cut hydrangea flowers.
Extending the Role of Technology Continuance Theory and Task Technology Fit with Pre-Technology Adoption and Post-Technology Adoption Behaviors
Authors: Naz Shumaila , Akbar Ahsan , Poulova Petra , Martins Jose Moleiro , Haider Syed Arslan , Mata Mário Nuno , Khan Shabnam , Kumari Kalpina
Published: September 2021

The development in information technology has played an influential role in transforming the restaurant industry services. Therefore, this research’s main agenda is to investigate factors that motivate employees to adopt and continue using information technology services by integrating two famous information system (IS) theories, namely, task technology fit (TTF) and technology continuance theory (TCT). The extant integrative perspective model details the cause-effect relationship between technology adoption and continuance intention. The positivist paradigm forms the basis of this research design, and the approach followed is quantitative research. Using the stratified random sampling technique, the empirical data was collected from 417 restaurant industry employees in the US (United States) on a five-point Likert scale. The PLS-SEM technique was utilized to analyze data while using Smart PLS 3 because of its suitability and wider application currently in the hospitality sector. Results suggest that the recently developed integrated technology continuance research model has considerable influence on predicting pre- and post-adoption behavior with continuance intention for technology usage within the restaurant industry. All hypotheses were found significant except one for the direct association of hedonic motivation and continuance intention of technology adoption. Moreover, the results revealed that factors like perceived security & information privacy and assisting conditions were the most important factors in determining the usage of information technology with continuance intention. Unlike previous research studies that focus majorly only on issues before adoption of informational technology usage, the current focus on investigating continuance intention toward information technology usage by focusing on factors that can also boost post-adoption behavior and pre-adoption usage information technology.
Advanced in Rootstock Breeding of Nut Trees: Objectives and Strategies
Authors: Vahdati Kourosh , Sarikhani Saadat , Arab Mohammad Mehdi , Leslie Charles A. , Dandekar Abhaya M. , Aletà Neus , Bielsa Beatriz , Gradziel Thomas M. , Montesinos Álvaro , Rubio-Cabetas María José , Sideli Gina M. , Serdar Ümit , Akyüz Burak , Beccaro Gabriele Loris , Donno Dario , Rovira Mercè , Ferguson Louise , Akbari Mohammad , Sheikhi Abdollatif , Sestras Adriana F. , Kafkas Salih , PAIZILA AIBIBULA , Roozban Mahmoud Reza , Kaur Amandeep , Panta Srijana , Zhang Lu , Sestras Radu E. , Mehlenbacher Shawn
Published: September 2021

The production and consumption of nuts are increasing in the world due to strong economic returns and the nutritional value of their products. With the increasing role and importance given to nuts (i.e., walnuts, hazelnut, pistachio, pecan, almond) in a balanced and healthy diet and in the prevention of various diseases, breeding of the nuts species has also been stepped up. Most recent fruit breeding programs have focused on scion genetic improvement. However, the use of locally adapted grafted rootstocks also enhanced the productivity and quality of tree fruit crops. Grafting is an ancient horticultural practice use in nut crops to manipulate scion phenotype and productivity and overcome biotic and abiotic stresses. There are complex rootstock breeding objectives and physiological and molecular aspects of rootstock–scion interactions in nut crops. In this review, we provide an overview of these, considering the mechanisms involved in nutrient and water uptake, regulation of phytohormones, and rootstock influences on the scion molecular processes, including long-distance gene silencing and trans-grafting. Understanding the mechanisms resulting from rootstock × scion × environmental interactions will contribute to developing new rootstocks with resilience in the face of climate change, but also of the multitude of diseases and pests and of the possible increase of their aggressiveness. They will also have to offer the premises of economic production, respectively yield and the quality, according to multiple destinations of nuts in the current consumption and food industry, but also the increasing exigencies of the consumer market and the profile industry.
Three-Dimensional Finite Element Investigation Into Effects of Implant Thread Design and Loading Rate on Stress Distribution in Dental Implants and Anisotropic Bone
Authors: Alemayehu Dawit Bogale , Jeng Yeau Ren
Published: September 2021

Variations in the implant thread shape and occlusal load behavior may result in significant changes in the biological and mechanical properties of dental implants and surrounding bone tissue. Most previous studies consider a single implant thread design, an isotropic bone structure, and a static occlusal load. However, the effects of different thread designs, bone material properties, and loading conditions are important concerns in clinical practice. Accordingly, the present study performs Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations to investigate the static, quasi-static and dynamic response of the implant and implanted bone material under various thread designs and occlusal loading directions (buccal-lingual, mesiodistal and apical). The simulations focus specifically on the von Mises stress, displacement, shear stress, compressive stress and tensile stress within the implant and the surrounding bone. The results show that the thread design and occlusal loading rate have a significant effect on the stress distribution and deformation of the implant and bone structure during clinical applications. Overall, the results provide a useful insight into the design of enhanced dental implants for an improved load transfer efficiency and success rate.
Finite Element Analysis-Aided Optimization of Rectangular Coil Assemblies Applied in Electric Vehicle Inductive Chargers
Authors: Zhu Guodong , Gao Dawei
Published: September 2021

Energy efficiency and leakage magnetic field (LMF) are two important issues in electric vehicle inductive chargers. In this work, the maximum achievable coil efficiency and the corresponding LMF strength are formulated as functions of hardware parameters, and figure of merits (FOM) are proposed for assessing the efficiency and LMF performance of the coil assembly pair. The impacts of the coil assemblies’ geometric parameters on both FOMs are examined with the aid of finite element analysis (FEA), and measures to improve the FOMs are extracted from FEA results. A coil assembly pair is manually optimized within given dimensional limits. Compared with the initial design, the optimized one achieves higher efficiency and lower LMF strength while consuming less copper. The performance improvement is verified by FEA results and experimental data measured on an 85 kHz electric vehicle inductive charger prototype. The key measures for coil assembly optimization are summarized.
Drought Stress Described by Transcriptional Responses of Picea Abies under Pathogen Heterobasidion Parviporum Attack
Authors: Yeoh Xenia Hao-Yi , Durodola Blessing , Blumenstein Kathrin , Terhonen Eeva
Published: September 2021

The major threats to the sustainable supply of forest tree products are adverse climate, pests and diseases. Climate change, exemplified by increased drought, poses a unique threat to global forest health. This is attributed to the unpredictable behavior of forest pathosystems, which can favor fungal pathogens over the host under persistent drought stress conditions in the future. Currently, the effects of drought on tree resistance against pathogens are hypothetical, thus research is needed to identify these correlations. Norway spruce (Picea abies) is one of the most economically important tree species in Europe, and is considered highly vulnerable to changes in climate. Dedicated experiments to investigate how disturbances will affect the Norway spruce - Heterobasidion sp. pathosystem are important, in order to develop different strategies to limit the spread of H. annosum s.l. under the predicted climate change. Here, we report a transcriptional study to compare Norway spruce gene expressions to evaluate the effects of water availability and the infection of Heterobasidion parviporum. We performed inoculation studies of three-year-old saplings in a greenhouse (purchased from a nursery). Norway spruce saplings were treated in either high (+) or low (-) water groups: high water group received double the water amount than the low water group. RNA was extracted and sequenced. Similarly, we quantified gene expression levels of candidate genes in biotic stress and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways using qRT-PCR, through which we discovered a unique preferential defense response of H. parviporum-infected Norway spruce under drought stress at the molecular level. Disturbances related to water availability, especially low water conditions can have negative effects on the tree host and benefit the infection ability of the pathogens in the host. From our RNA-seq analysis, 114 differentially expressed gene regions were identified between high (+) and low (-) water groups under pathogen attack. None of these gene pathways were identified to be differentially expressed from both non-treated and mock-control treatments between high (+) and low (-) water groups. Finally, only four genes were found to be associated with drought in all treatments.
Association between Inflammatory Markers and Glycemic Control in Korean Diabetic Patients
Authors: Kang Min , Sohn Seok-Joon
Published: September 2021

Objectives: This study evaluated the association between inflammatory markers and glycemic control in Korean patients with diabetes mellitus.Methods: Using data from the 2007-2018 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination, 4,186 diabetic subjects aged between 19 and 80 years were included in this study. Poor glycemic control was defined as level of HbA1c higher than 7%. Inflammation was measured by inflammatory markers including white blood cell (WBC) count and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and those inflammatory markers were categorized into 4 groups by quartiles. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between quartile of inflammatory markers and poor glycemic control after adjusting for demographic factors, lifestyle, and comorbidities.Results: Levels of WBC count and hsCRP were positively associated with the risk of poor glycemic control even after fully adjusting for potential confounders. For WBC count, compared with the first quartile, the second quartile was 1.50 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.26-1.78), 1.71 (95 % CI:1.43-2.05) for the third, 2.00 (95% CI: 1.67-2.40) for the fourth. In case of hsCRP, compared with the first quartile, the second quartile was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.87-1.53), 1.59 (95% CI: 1.20-2.11) for the third, and 1.59 (95% CI: 1.19-2.12) for the fourth. There was significant age difference in the association between hsCRP and glycemic control. The association was more evident in the younger group than in the elderly group. Conclusions: High level of WBC and hsCRP were positively associated with the risk of poor glycemic control. These results suggest that in a Korean diabetic patient, inflammation was significantly associated with poor glycemic control.
The Associated Factors of Medical Treatment in Diabetic Patients
Authors: Choi Sun Ju , Ryu So Yeon , Park Jong , Choi Seong Woo
Published: September 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify related factors related to the treatment of diabetic patients.Methods: The subjects of this study were 23,772 diabetic patients aged 30 years and older who participated in the 2016 Community Health Survey. The independent variables were sociodemographic factors, lifestyle and health-related characteristics and diabetes-related characteristics and the dependent variables were related to diabetes treatment. The statistical analysis methods used to find factors related to treatment in diabetic patients were the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis.Results: The drug treatment rate of diabetic patients was 88.7%. Among sociodemographic characteristics, drug treatment for diabetes was significantly related to women, increasing age, higher educational level and living in rural area. Among the characteristics related to lifestyle and health status, walking practice and subjective health status were significantly related and among diabetes related characteristics, there were significant correlations in whether it was blood glucose level, self-cognitive blood glucose control, and diabetes management education.Conclusions: Conclusively, gender, age, education level, residential area, walking practice, self-rated health and knowledge of DM were associated with treatment of DM. An effective diabetes management program that reflects the relevant factors should be applied to the treatment of DM.
A Study on the Effectiveness of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Intervention Program for Firefighters by Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Kang Min-Ju , Kim Young-Hwa , Lee Sang-Goo , Han Seung-Woo
Published: September 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for the development of effective post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) intervention programs for firefighters.Methods: Four domestic and four abroad databases were used, and 7 domestic and 4 abroad studies that met the criteria of this study were selected for systematic review and meta-analysis.Results: The overall effect size of the PTSD intervention program was 0.40 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.17-0.64, p<0.05) in domestic and 0.37 (95% CI: 0.02-0.71, p<0.05) in abroad.Conclusions: Various domestic and abroad intervention methods for PTSD of firefighters have low effects. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop and apply a post-traumatic stress disorder intervention program for firefighters.