bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Limberg Flap Reconstruction in Treating Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal Sinus
Authors: Faruk Md Omar , Sheikh Md Shahadot Hossain , Parvin Mst Maksuda , Siddiquee Muhammad Ali , Bhuiyan Md Jahangir Hossain , Aziz Mohammad Mohibul
Published: November 2019

Background: Pilonidal sinus is the relatively common condition affecting men almost twice as often as the women we experienced. The estimated incidence is 0.26 per thousand populations in general. The management of pilonidal sinus disease remains controversial, and gold standard treatment modality has yet to be established. Limberg procedure is a safe and reliable technique in the treatment of the sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease, with a low complication and recurrence rates if performed according to the appropriate surgical principles.

Methods: This is a Prospective study on 24 patients between the period from July 2014 to Dec 2018 in the Department of Surgery in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) as well as other different hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The patients having primary or recurrent pilonidal sinus disease underwent the foresaid surgical treatment.

Results: Twenty four patients underwent this operation. Among them, the picture was that 20(83.3%) were males and 4(16.7%) were female. The mean age was 31, (Range: 17-45 years). 6(25%) patients were presented with recurrent sinus and 5 of them had one or more occasion previous surgery. Twenty one patients (87.5%) had full primary healing without any complication. But 1(4.2%) patient had minimal sarcoma, 1(4.2%) patient had superficial infection and the remaining other 1(4.2%) had partial flap necrosis. However, all three healed completely with conservative treatment. The mean length of hospital stay was 2.45 (Range: 1-5) days and the most patients returned to their work within 3 weeks.

Conclusion: Limberg flap is very effective for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus disease with low complication rates, shorter hospital stay, low recurrence rates, earlier healing and reduced off-work period. The surgery can be easily mastered. We recommend Limberg flap as preferred surgery in the cases of Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal sinus.

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(1) 2020 p.105-109
The Low umbilical cord Zinc levels Lead to Atopic Allergic Infants : a Cohort study during 0-4 months of Age
Authors: Priyantini Sri , Suprihati - , Widyastiti Nyoman Suci , Soemantri -
Published: November 2019

Background: The research on association between differentiation of Th1 and Th2 were previously conducted on experimental animals. The study on association between umbilical cord zinc and the risk of allergy symptoms during early stage of life has not been conducted in Indonesia. Studies on zinc and allergies are commonly investigated during adulthood and the results are still contradictive.

Objective: The aim of the study is to determine the extent of zinc’s role in the emergence of atopic allergy symptoms during the first 4 months age

Methods: This prospective cohort study includes consecutive 80 healthy newborns followed up for 4 months after birth at Semarang Sultan Agung Islamic Hospital and Bangetayu Primary Health Care. Hypothesis testing were analyzed with unpaired t-test , chi-square test or fisher’s test

Results: The mean value of cord blood zinc in allergic infants were significantly lower when compared with non atopic allergy (74.1 ± 17.3 μg / dL vs 91.5 ± 22.6 μg / dL, p=0.029). Very early formula feeding were 4.4 times more at risk of suffering from allergies(p=0.023).

Conclusion: Umbilical cord zinc levels are associated with atopic allergy symptoms for the first 4 months of life. Formula feeding before 1 month of age was associated with atopic allergic infants

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(1) 2020 p.114-121
Comprehensive approach for assessment of internal control efficiency system
Authors: Loishyn Anatolii
Published: November 2019

The article will be beneficial for professionals and managers of all levels, whether indirectly or directly involved in the process of organizing and implementing risk-based internal control in various fields of activity. The article summarizes the results of research in the direction of developing a scientific and methodological apparatus for assessing the effectiveness of the functioning of the internal control system of a budgetary institution within the system of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The study empirically confirms and theoretically proves that the approaches proposed in the comprehensive approach must be taken into account when assessing the effectiveness of the internal control system by representatives of internal audit, not only within the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, but also in other central executive authorities.

The study presents the results of an empirical analysis of the choice and justification of indicators, which confirmed the possibility of taking them into account in further studies.

The article presents the algorithm of performing consecutive scientifically substantiated stages, which in its complexity makes it possible to distinguish a complex method of solving a scientific problem in assessing the effectiveness of the functioning of the internal control system of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The Adventures of Miss Sophia Berkley: Piracy, Print Culture, and Irish Gothic Fiction
Authors: Morin Christina
Published: November 2019

Published in Dublin by the prominent Catholic printing firm of James Hoey, The Adventures of Miss Sophia Berkley (1760) has been identified in recent years as an earlier Irish gothic fiction than Horace Walpole's putatively pioneering gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764). The discovery that Sophia Berkley is, in fact, a re-print of an earlier London publication, The History of Amanda (1758), casts significant doubt on the novel's contribution to the development of Irish gothic literature. This article argues that attention to the particulars of the novel's publication history as well as its later misidentification paints a revealing picture of popular publishing in Dublin in the latter half of the eighteenth century. It further contends that Sophia Berkley's identification as early Irish gothic – although mistaken – has proven instrumental in scholarly re-evaluations of late-eighteenth century Irish gothic literary production.
Crisis y resiliencia en género y salarios: el sector manufacturero en México y la frontera norte
Authors: Huesca Reynoso Luis , Llamas Rembao Linda Irene
Published: November 2019

This study analyzes men’s and women’s wages in the manufacturing sector on Mexico’s northern border, with a specific focus on the years 2005, 2009, and 2017. Salary profiles are estimated with spline regressions corrected for selection bias, based on disaggregated data from various issues of the National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE). The findings explain how women on the border enjoy an advantage over those from the rest of the country in terms of human capital. However, their wages are subject to certain glass ceilings. Men are resilient in this process and their wages recover faster than women’s.
RESTORATION OF THE INNER STYRUCTURE OF AN OBJECT FROM INTEGRAL DATA ON CONES
Authors: Begmatov Akbar
Published: November 2019

We consider the problem of determining the internal structure of the three-dimensional object from integral data obtained by tomografic scanning using a cone scheme over a family of right circular cones. Stability estimates are proven and inversion formula is obtained.
OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM ACCURACY AND STABILITY STUDY OF AVOA INVERSION OF PP+PS REFLECTIONS IN AZIMUTHALLY ANISOTROPIC MEDIA
Authors: Dugarov Geser , Nefedkina Tatyana
Published: November 2019

The article investigates the accuracy and stability of the optimization algorithm for joint nonlinear AVOA inversion of PP+PS reflections in an anisotropic HTI medium. Algorithm was tested using synthetic seismograms. The analysis of objective functions is performed in order to study the sensitivity of the method to the determination of different parameters of the anisotropic model. Using two types of waves significantly increases the noise robustness of the method and the accuracy of all parameters estimation.
FEATURES OF LABORATORY NMR STUDY OF DRILL CUTTINGS
Authors: Shumskayte Mariya , Revva Mikhail , Golikov Nikita , Glinskikh Vyacheslav
Published: November 2019

NMR studies of core samples of different disintegration degrees were carried out to determine their reservoir properties depending on the degree of size reduction. It was established that the results do not depend on the particle size of the measured sample and are consistent with the results of standard petrophysical studies performed on core samples. It is shown that the data operatively obtained on the drill cuttings by the NMR method can be used as initial information in interpreting production well logging before conducting detailed petrophysical core studies. The results of studying drill cuttings allow to obtain reservoir properties of productive layers even at intervals without core sampling.
SOFTWARE AND ALGORITHMIC SUPPORT OF GEOMAGNETIC TOMOGRAPHY TECHNOLOGY
USING DATA FROM UAV MEASUREMENTS
Authors: Maksimov Mikhail , Surodina Irina , Glinskikh Vyacheslav
Published: November 2019

A data inversion high-performance algorithm is proposed for an unmanned magnetometer complex. We give the testing results of the numerical algorithm for tomographic inversion of data of different-height magnetic survey. We show the results of calculations for the test mode.
ALÜVYAL VE SIVILAŞABİLEN ZEMİNLERDE TÜNELLERİN DEPREM RİSK ANALİZİ: ADAPAZARI ÖRNEĞİ
Authors: SAÇAR Ayşe , VURAL İsa
Published: November 2019

Yaşanan son büyük depremlerde 1995 Kobe, Japonya depremi, 1999 Chi-Chi, Tayvan depremi ve 1999 Kocaeli, Türkiye depreminde mevcut yeraltı yapılarında hasarlar oluşmuştur. Bu durum yeraltı yapılarının sismik tasarımının önemini ve gerekliğini bir kez daha gözler önüne sermiştir. Bu çalışmada tünellerin sismik performansını değerlendirilmesi için, nümerik modelleme yapılarak, sıvılaşma ve oturma parametrelerine bağlı hasarlar incelenmiştir. Yapılan çalışmada Adapazarı zeminlerinde inşa edilebilecek bir tünel için farklı derinlik, farklı çap ve farklı kalınlık değerlerinin sıvılaşma eğilimi, maksimum yer ivmesi ve zemin deformasyonları araştırılmıştır. Adapazarı bölgesinde gerekli geoteknik çalışmalar yapılması koşulu ile tünel inşa edilebileceği sonucuna varılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda Adapazarı zeminlerinde bir tünel 15 m derinlikte, 4 m çapta ve 1 m kalınlıkta inşa edilebilir.
Improving the Adhesion of BFRP Strips to the Concrete Surface
Authors: Akbalık Hasan Hüseyin , Sarıbıyık Ali
Published: November 2019

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites are widely used in repair and strengthening of reinforced concrete structural elements. The FRP composite adhered to the concrete surface may be separated from the concrete surface in the form of debonding before reaching the ultimate strength. Epoxy resin, concrete strength, fiber properties and application method have an important role in bonding of FRP composites to concrete surfaces. In this study, concrete beam specimens were produced in order to investigate the adhesion of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) composites to the concrete surface using conventional concretes. Stress distribution between concrete and BFRP was investigated by opening a gap in the bottom center of the samples. Unidirectional basalt fiber fabric was used in the production of the test specimens. The effects of concrete surface properties and U winding method on the end of fiber adhesion ability were investigated by bonding BFRP composite to the lower surfaces of the Specimens. Specimens were tested by four point bending experiment. According to the results obtained, the grinding of the concrete surface and the U-winding method significantly improve the adhesion.”
Condensation Test and Simulation of Superhydrophobic Coatings
Authors: He Yunhua , Yang Yuling , Guo Xinliang , Xia Huanhuan
Published: November 2019

Pollution flashover accidents pose a great threat to the safe and stable operation of a power system, and superhydrophobic materials have broad application prospects in the field of pollution flashover prevention of the external insulation of transmission and transformation equipment. In this paper, PVDF@PMMA/SiO2 superhydrophobic coatings were prepared using a spraying method. Superhydrophobicity is defined as an angle larger than 150° and a small roll-off angle smaller than 10°. The static contact angle of the coatings reached 155°, which meant they had excellent superhydrophobic properties. The distribution characteristics of water droplets on superhydrophobic surface were analyzed through a live condensation test, and simulation analysis was carried out. It was found that the distance between water droplets on the superhydrophobic surface was larger, which increased the distance of the arc development; the static contact angle was larger; and the electric field strength at the three-phase junction was lower. Both of them worked together to enhance the pollution flashover voltage of the coating.
Towards Overcoming the Curse of Dimensionality: The Third-Order Adjoint Method for Sensitivity Analysis of Response-Coupled Linear Forward/Adjoint Systems, with Applications to Uncertainty Quantification and Predictive Modeling
Authors: Cacuci Dan Gabriel
Published: November 2019

This work presents the Third-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (3rd-ASAM) for response-coupled forward and adjoint linear systems. The 3rd-ASAM enables the efficient computation of the exact expressions of the 3rd-order functional derivatives (“sensitivities”) of a general system response, which depends on both the forward and adjoint state functions, with respect to all of the parameters underlying the respective forward and adjoint systems. Such responses are often encountered when representing mathematically detector responses and reaction rates in reactor physics problems. The 3rd-ASAM extends the 2nd-ASAM in the quest to overcome the “curse of dimensionality” in sensitivity analysis, uncertainty quantification and predictive modeling. This work also presents new formulas that incorporate the contributions of the 3rd-order sensitivities into the expressions of the first four cumulants of the response distribution in the phase-space of model parameters. Using these newly developed formulas, this work also presents a new mathematical formalism, called the 2nd/3rd-BERRU-PM “Second/Third-Order Best-Estimated Results with Reduced Uncertainties Predictive Modeling”) formalism, which combines experimental and computational information in the joint phase-space of responses and model parameters, including not only the 1st-order response sensitivities, but also the complete hessian matrix of 2nd-order second-sensitivities and also the 3rd-order sensitivities, all computed using the 3rd-ASAM. The 2nd/3rd-BERRU-PM uses the maximum entropy principle to eliminate the need for introducing and “minimizing” a user-chosen “cost functional quantifying the discrepancies between measurements and computations,” thus yielding results that are free of subjective user-interferences while generalizing and significantly extending the 4D-VAR data assimilation procedures. Incorporating correlations, including those between the imprecisely known model parameters and computed model responses, the 2nd/3rd-BERRU-PM also provides a quantitative metric, constructed from sensitivity and covariance matrices, for determining the degree of agreement among the various computational and experimental data while eliminating discrepant information. The mathematical framework of the 2nd/3rd-BERRU-PM formalism requires the inversion of a single matrix of size Nr Nr, where Nr denotes the number of considered responses. In the overwhelming majority of practical situations, the number of responses is much less than the number of model parameters. Thus, the 2nd-BERRU-PM methodology overcomes the curse of dimensionality which affects the inversion of hessian matrices in the parameter space.
Assessment of Overvoltage and Insulation Coordination in Mixed HVDC Transmission Lines Exposed to Lightning Strikes
Authors: Asif Mansoor , Lee Ho-Yun , Park Kyu-Hoon , Shakeel Ayesha , Lee Bang-Wook
Published: November 2019

Many geographical constraints and aesthetic concerns necessitate the partial use of cable sections in the High Voltage DC (HVDC) transmission line, resulting in a mixed transmission line. The overhead sections of mixed lines are exposed to lightning strikes. The lightning strikes can not only result in flashover of overhead line (OHL) insulators but can enter the cable and permanently damage its insulation if adequate insulation coordination measures are not taken. In this work, we have analyzed the factors that affect the level of overvoltage inside the cable by simulating a fast front model in PSCAD. It has been determined that surge arresters must be provided at cable terminals when the length of cable sections is less than 16 km to limit the core-ground overvoltage within the lightning impulse protective level (LIPL). The level of sheath-ground overvoltage is independent of the length of cable; however, it can be limited within LIPL by lowering the sheath grounding impedance to 1.2 Ω. Insulation coordination measures do not impact the likelihood of OHL insulators’ flashover. The flashover performance of OHL can be improved by lowering the footing impedance of the second tower closest to the cable terminals, which is otherwise most likely to flashover.
Investigation on an Injection Strategy Optimization for Diesel Engines Using a One-Dimensional Spray Model
Authors: Naruemon Intarat , Liu Long , Mei Qihao , Ma Xiuzhen
Published: November 2019

Common rail systems have been widely used in diesel engines due to the stricter emission regulations. The advances in injector technology and ultrahigh injection pressure greatly promote the development of multiple-injection strategy, leading to the shorter injection duration and more variable injection rate shape, which makes the mixing process more significant for the formation of pollutant emission. In order to study the mixing process of diesel sprays under variable injection rate shapes and find the optimized injection strategy, a one-dimensional spray model was modified in this paper. The model was validated by the measured spray penetrations based on shadowgraphy experiments with the varying injection rate. The simulations were performed with five injection rate shapes, triangle, ramping-up, ramping-down, rectangle and trapezoid. Their spray penetrations, entrainment rates and equivalence ratios along spray axial distance are compared. The potentials of multiple-injection and gas-jet after end-of-injection (EOI) to improve mixing process and emission reduction are discussed finally. The results indicated that ramping-up injection rate obtains the highest entrainment rate after EOI, and it needs 1.5 times of injection duration for the entrainment wave to arrive at the spray tip. For the other four injection rates, the sprays can be treated as a steady-like state, needing twice of injection duration from EOI to the time the entrainment wave reaches the spray tip. The multiple-injection with proper injection rate shape enhanced the entrainment rate, and the gas-jet after EOI affected the mixture distribution and entrainment rate in spray tail under ramping-down injection rate.
Informed Citizen Panels on the Swiss Electricity Mix 2035: Longer-Term Evolution of Citizen Preferences and Affect in Two Cities
Authors: Dubois Alexane , Holzer Simona , Xexakis Georgios , Cousse Julia , Trutnevyte Evelina
Published: November 2019

For a successful transition to low-carbon electricity supply, public support is essential. Citizen preferences are best understood in the process of informed citizen panels, where citizens are informed about the pros and cons of various electricity technologies and spend time reflecting on the trade-offs. We investigated how information about electricity technologies and their sustainability impacts can change citizens’ preferences and affect for the complete Swiss electricity mix 2035. The citizens received information as factsheets and, during workshops, discussed in groups and built their preferred electricity mix using an interactive tool. The informed citizen panel (N = 33) in the Swiss city of Geneva showed high support for domestic renewable technologies and end-use efficiency, as well as low support for net electricity import, natural gas, and nuclear power. Preferences and affect for unfamiliar technologies changed after receiving information and remained stable even in the longer term four weeks after. Preferences and affect for already familiar technologies, like hydropower, barely changed. The same procedure in the two Swiss cities of Geneva and Zurich (N = 46) enabled the identification of robust support for renewable technologies and efficiency with only minor context-specific differences.
Probabilistic Load Flow Algorithm of Distribution Networks with Distributed Generators and Electric Vehicles Integration
Authors: Zhou Bowen , Yang Xiao , Yang Dongsheng , Yang Zhile , Littler Tim , Li Hua
Published: November 2019

Probabilistic Load Flow (PLF) calculations are important tools for analysis of the steady-state operation of electrical energy networks, especially for electrical energy distribution networks with large-scale distributed generators (DGs) and electric vehicle (EV) integration. Traditional PLF has used the Cumulant Method (CM) and Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) method. However, traditional CM requires that each input variable be independent of one another, and the Cholesky decomposition adopted by the traditional LHS has limitations in that it is only applicable for positive definite matrices. To solve these problems, taking into account the Q-MCS theory of LHS, this paper proposes a CM PLF algorithm based on improved LHS (ILHS-CM). The cumulants of the input variables are obtained based on sampling results. The probability distribution of the output variables is obtained according to the Gram-Charlier series expansion. Moreover, DGs, such as wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV) arrays, and EVs integrated into the electrical energy distribution networks are comprehensively considered, including correlation analysis and dynamic load flow analysis for EV-coordinated charging. Four scenarios are analyzed based on the IEEE-30 node network, including with/without DGs and EVs, error analysis and performance evaluation of the proposed algorithm, correlation analysis of DGs and EVs, and dynamic load flow analysis with EV integration. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the effectiveness, accuracy, and practicability of the proposed algorithm.
Electrochemical Assessment of As-Deposited Co(OH)2 by Electrochemical Synthesis: The Effect of Synthesis Temperature on Performance
Authors: Parra-Elizondo Vladimir , Cuentas-Gallegos Ana Karina , Escobar-Morales Beatriz , Baas-López José Martín , Uribe-Calderón Jorge Alonso , Pacheco-Catalán Daniella Esperanza
Published: November 2019

In this paper, the influence of an electrolytic temperature bath was used in the electrodeposition process on the size, color, and shape of the as-deposited Co(OH)2, and the electrochemical performance was investigated. Three different temperatures of 25, 60, and 95 °C were evaluated for the electrodeposition of Co(OH)2 on stainless steel plates (SSP). The electrochemical performance of the as-deposited electrodes (SSP) was measured in a symmetric electrochemical cell (EC) arrangement. XRD, SEM, and N2 physisorption analyses were carried out to evaluate the structure and morphological composition, along with the textural properties. Results showed that the hexagonal platelet micro-clusters of Co(OH)2 are formed in a mixed composition of both α-Co(OH)2 and β-Co(OH)2 phases, with the α-Co(OH)2 phase being the major phase formed in the electrodeposition process at temperatures below 95 °C, as suggested by the XRD analysis. Electrochemical cell performances were evaluated by galvanostatic cycling, results showed maximum areal capacity values of 1.97, 2.69, and 4.34 mA h cm−2 at a charge/discharge current of 6.25 mA cm−2, for the as-deposited materials at 25, 60 and 95 °C, respectively. The specific power of the EC reached up to 19 kW kg−1 for the EC obtained material at 60 °C, with a specific energy of 2.8 W h kg−1. The maximum specific energy was reached at a current density of 6.25 mA cm−2, with a value of 10.79 W h kg−1 for the EC at 60 °C. These results offer some insight into how the morphology and composition of thin films can be tuned by the electrochemical synthesis temperature, yielding different electrochemical performances and areal capacity behaviors.
Nonlinear Analysis and Performance of Electret-Based Microcantilever Energy Harvesters
Authors: Hammad Bashar , Abdelmoula Hichem , Abdel-Rahman Eihab , Abdelkefi Abdessattar
Published: November 2019

An energy harvester composed of a microcantilever beam with a tip mass and a fixed electrode covered with an electret layer is investigated when subject to an external harmonic base excitation. The tip mass and fixed electrode form a variable capacitor connected to a load resistance. A single-degree-of-freedom model, derived based on Newton’s and Kirshoff’s laws, shows that the tip mass displacement and charge in the variable capacitor are nonlinearly coupled. Analysis of the eigenvalue problem indicates the influence of the electret surface voltage and electrical load resistance on the harvester linear characteristics, namely the harvester coupled frequency and electromechanical damping. Then, the frequency–response curves are obtained numerically for a range of load resistance, electret voltage and base excitation amplitudes. A softening nonlinear effect is observed as a result of decreasing the load resistance and increasing the electret voltage. It is found that there is an optimal electret voltage with the highest harvested electrical power. Below this optimal value, the bandwidth is very small, whereas the bandwidth is large when the electret voltage is above this optimal value. In addition, it is noted that for a certain excitation frequency, the harvested power decreases or increases as a function of electrical load resistance when the coupled frequency is closer to short- or open-circuit frequency, respectively. However, when the coupled frequency is between the short-circuit and open-circuit frequencies, the harvested power has an optimal resistance with the highest power. Increasing the excitation amplitude to raise the harvested power could be accompanied with dynamic pull-in instability and/or softening behavior depending on the electrical load resistance and electret voltage. However, large softening behavior would prevent the pull-in instability, increase the level of the harvested power, and broaden the bandwidth. These observations give a deeper insight into the behavior of such energy harvesters and are of great importance to the designers of electrostatic energy harvesters.
Tree Water Use, Water Use Efficiency, and Carbon Isotope Discrimination in Relation to Growth Potential in Populus deltoides and Hybrids under Field Conditions
Authors: Maier Christopher A. , Burley Joel , Cook Rachel , Ghezehei Solomon B. , Hazel Dennis W. , Nichols Elizabeth G.
Published: November 2019

We explored the relationship between tree growth, water use, and related hydraulic traits in Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.and hybrid clones, to examine potential trade-offs between growth and water use efficiency. Nine genotypes, six P. deltoides and three hybrid clones, that represented genotypes with high (Group H), intermediate (Group I), and low (Group L) growth performance were selected for study, based on year-two standing stem biomass in a replicated field trial. In year four, tree growth, transpiration (Et), canopy stomatal conductance (Gs), whole-tree hydraulic conductance (Gp), and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) were measured. Tree sap flux was measured continuously using thermal dissipation probes. We hypothesized that Group H genotypes would have increased growth efficiency (GE), increased water use efficiency of production (WUEp, woody biomass growth/Et), lower Δ13C, and greater Gp than slower growing genotypes. Tree GE increased with relative growth rate (RGR), and mean GE in Group H was significantly greater than L, but not I. Tree WUEp ranged between 1.7 and 3.9 kg biomass m3 H2O−1, which increased with RGR. At similar levels of Et, WUEp was significantly greater in Group H (2.45 ± 0.20 kg m−3), compared to I (2.03 ± 0.18 kg m−3) or L (1.72 ± 0.23 kg m−3). Leaf and wood Δ13C scaled positively with stem biomass growth but was not correlated with WUEp. However, at a similar biomass increment, clones in Group H and I had significantly lower leaf Δ13C than Group L. Similarly, Group H clones had a significantly lower wood Δ13C than Group L, supporting our hypothesis of increased WUE in larger trees. Tree physiological and hydraulic traits partially explain differences in WUEp and Δ13C, and suggest that clone selection and management activities that increase tree biomass production will likely increase tree and stand WUE. However, more research is needed to discern the underlying hydraulic mechanisms responsible for the higher WUE exhibited by large trees and distinct clones.
The Unexpected Fractal Signatures in Fibonacci Chains
Authors: Fang Fang , Aschheim Raymond , Irwin Klee
Published: November 2019

In this paper, a new fractal signature possessing the cardioid shape in the Mandelbrot set is presented in the Fourier space of a Fibonacci chain with two lengths, L and S, where L / S = ϕ . The corresponding pointwise dimension is 1.7. Various modifications, such as truncation from the head or tail, scrambling the orders of the sequence and changing the ratio of the L and S, are done on the Fibonacci chain. The resulting patterns in the Fourier space show that that the fractal signature is very sensitive to changes in the Fibonacci order but not to the L / S ratio.
Permafrost Landscapes: Classification and Mapping
Authors: Fedorov Alexander N.
Published: November 2019

Permafrost landscapes occupy 25% of the world’s land area. The formation, dynamics, and evolution of these landscapes are greatly controlled by permafrost processes and thus require special approaches to classification and mapping. Alases, pingoes, edoma, thermokarst mounds, stone streams, low-centre polygonal tundra, and other surface features are associated with the presence of permafrost. Permafrost degradation and greenhouse gas emission due to global climate warming are among the major potential dangers facing the world. Improvements in knowledge about permafrost landscapes are therefore increasingly important. This special issue, titled “Permafrost Landscapes: Classification and Mapping”, presents articles on classification, mapping, monitoring, and stability assessment of permafrost landscapes, providing an overview of current work in the most important areas of cold regions research.
Is Health Literacy of Dialyzed Patients Related to Their Adherence to Dietary and Fluid Intake Recommendations?
Authors: Skoumalova Ivana , Kolarcik Peter , Madarasova Geckova Andrea , Rosenberger Jaroslav , Majernikova Maria , Klein Daniel , van Dijk Jitse P. , Reijneveld Sijmen A.
Published: November 2019

Non-adherence to dietary and fluid intake recommendations (NADFIR) is an important factor for the effective treatment of dialyzed patients and may be hindered by low health literacy (HL). Therefore, we assessed whether low HL of dialyzed patients is associated with their NADFIR. We performed a multicentric cross-sectional study in 20 dialysis clinics in Slovakia (n = 452; response rate: 70.1%; mean age = 63.6 years; males: 60.7%). We assessed the association between nine domains of HL and non-adherence (high serum potassium, high serum phosphate, relative overhydration, and self-reported NADFIR) using general linear models adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, we assessed the moderation by socioeconomic status (SES). We found higher NADFIR among patients with less sufficient information for health management (high serum phosphate level; odds ratio (OR): 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63–0.94), with a lower ability to actively manage their health (self-reported diet non-adherence; OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.62–0.89), and those less able to actively engage with healthcare providers (overhydrated; OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65–0.94). Moreover, SES modified this relation. Low HL affects the adherence of dialyzed patients. This shows a need to support patients with low HL and to train healthcare providers to work with these patients, taking into account their SES.
Heavy Metals in Sediment from the Urban and Rural Rivers in Harbin City, Northeast China
Authors: Cui Song , Zhang Fuxiang , Hu Peng , Hough Rupert , Fu Qiang , Zhang Zulin , An Lihui , Li Yi-Fan , Li Kunyang , Liu Dong , Chen Pengyu
Published: November 2019

The concentrations and ecological risk of six widespread heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb) were investigated and evaluated in sediments from both urban and rural rivers in a northeast city of China. The decreasing trend of the average concentration of heavy metals was Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cd in Majiagou River (urban) and was Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd in Yunliang River (rural). The results showed that the concentrations of Cd and Zn were significantly elevated compared to the environmental background value (p < 0.05). Half of all sampling locations were deemed ‘contaminated’ as defined by the improved Nemerow pollution index (PN’ > 1.0). Applying the potential ecological risk index (RI) indicated a ‘high ecological risk’ for both rivers, with Cd accounting for more than 80% in both cases. Source apportionment indicated a significant correlation between Cd and Zn in sediments (R = 0.997, p < 0.01) in Yunliang River, suggesting that agricultural activities could be the major sources. Conversely, industrial production, coal burning, natural sources and traffic emissions are likely to be the main pollution sources for heavy metals in Majiagou River. This study has improved our understanding of how human activities, industrial production, and agricultural production influence heavy metal pollution in urban and rural rivers, and it provides a further weight of evidence for the linkages between different pollutants and resulting levels of heavy metals in riverine sediments.
A Study of Different Types of Air Pollutants on the Efficiency of China’s Hotel Industry
Authors: Guo Xiaoying , Wei Wei , Li Yang , Wang Lei-Ya
Published: November 2019

This study focuses on visible and invisible air pollutants and their impacts on China’s hotel industry. Overall, visible air pollutants may block the sights and sceneries and worsen the quality of visitors’ sensory experiences, and invisible air pollutants are unlikely to result in the same perceptions and sensations. Hence, different types of air pollutants may have various impacts on the hotel industry’s operational performance. We employed a bootstrapped truncated regression model to investigate whether different types of air pollutants had distinctive impacts on the hotel industry. The dataset consisted of 31 provinces of China for the period 2012–2015. Empirical results indicate that visible air pollutants significantly decrease the operational efficiency of China’s hotel industry, while invisible air pollutants insignificantly affect the hotel industry.
Concentrations of Atmospheric Culturable Bioaerosols at Mountain and Seashore Sites
Authors: Lee Byung Uk , Lee Gunwoong , Heo Ki Joon , Jung Jaeho
Published: November 2019

Concentrations of atmospheric culturable bioaerosols at mountain and seashore sites were measured in field investigations by using a bio-culture sampler. The eastern Korean peninsula was selected for the measurements because of the short distance between the mountain site and the seashore site. Detectable concentrations of culturable fungal and bacterial bioaerosols (maximum 1065 CFU/m3) were quantitatively measured at the mountain and seashore sites. In addition, measurement of bioaerosols was conducted at an urban area as reference data. Significantly higher concentrations of bioaerosols were found at the mountain site. However, several fold smaller levels of bioaerosols were detected at the seashore site (t-test p-value < 0.05).
Assessing Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements Marketed to Children in Canada
Authors: Elliott Charlene
Published: November 2019

Given the growth of supplements specifically designed for children in Canada, this study examines the nutrient levels of these products, and evaluates them in light of the US Health and Medical Division (HMD)—formerly the Institute of Medicine—and Health Canada’s recommendations. Content analysis was used to document the nutrient levels of child-targeted vitamins, minerals and fish oils/omega-3s (n = 80) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Products were assessed according to HMD and Health Canada dosage recommendations for children, and the percentage of Estimate Average Requirements (EAR), Adequate Intakes (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intakes Level (UL) calculated. Median EAR/AI/UL percentages and quartiles were calculated for each nutrient, and estimates for the adequate intake recommendations plotted with box plots. Sixty five percent of the products assessed were multivitamins; the median dose was higher than AI recommendations for vitamins A, B6, B12, and C, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and biotin. Substantial variation in vitamin, mineral, or fish oil dosage was found between similar supplements—with nutrients such as vitamin B12 ranging from 83% to 5557% of AI. Such findings matter because the very existence of these products suggests that children should be taking them, yet more research is needed on their potential (adverse) effects over both the short and long term. The substantial variation in dosages between products also raises questions about the (perhaps unnecessary) fortification of our children, as well as the expectations that parents know—or are even aware of—appropriate nutrient levels for their kids.
The Association Between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Sleep Duration: Where Are We after nearly Two Decades of Epidemiological Research?
Authors: Garfield Victoria
Published: November 2019

Over the past twenty years we have seen a vast number of epidemiological studies emerge on the topic of obesity and sleep duration, with a focus on body mass index, as it is easy and cheap to measure and analyse. Such studies largely observe that cross-sectionally a higher BMI is associated with shorter sleep and that in longitudinal studies shorter sleep duration is associated with increases in BMI over time, but some research has found no relationship between the two. This narrative review is not exhaustive, but appraises the literature on sleep duration and BMI from perspectives that have previously been unexplored in a single paper. As such, I discuss research in these important areas: bidirectionality, objective vs. subjective sleep duration, how meaningful the effect sizes are and how we have begun to address causality in this area. From the evidence appraised in this review, it is clear that: (i) there is some modest evidence of a bidirectional relationship between BMI and sleep duration in both children and adults; (ii) objective measurements of sleep should be used where possible; (iii) it remains difficult to confirm whether the effect sizes are conclusively meaningful in a clinical setting, but at least in adults this so far seems unlikely; (iv) to date, there is no solid evidence that this relationship (in either direction) is in fact causal. In the near future, I would like to see triangulation of these findings and perhaps a move towards focusing on distinct aspects of the relationship between obesity and sleep that have not previously been addressed in detail, for various reasons.
Eye–Hand Coordination Impairment in Glaucoma Patients
Authors: Zwierko Teresa , Jedziniak Wojciech , Lesiakowski Piotr , Śliwiak Marta , Kirkiewicz Marta , Lubiński Wojciech
Published: November 2019

This study examined whether patients with glaucoma exhibit differences in eye–hand coordination tasks compared to age-matched normal-sighted control subjects. Twenty-eight patients with moderate-to-advanced stages of glaucoma and 28 subjects with no ocular disease participated in the study. The Motor Performance Series (MLS) of the Vienna Test System including aiming, linear tracking, tremor, and tapping tests were used to assess eye–hand coordination. Monocular Humphrey Visual Field and binocular Humphrey Esterman Visual Field tests were used to estimate visual field (VF) defect severity. Correlation between MLS scores and VF defects, visual acuity, and patient age were assessed. Glaucoma patients performed slower aiming at targets, committed more errors, and took longer to complete linear tracking and tremor tasks compared to the normal-sighted control group. Furthermore, tapping test scores indicated reduced hand movements at maximum frequency. The presence of asymmetrical monocular VF defects were associated with longer error durations in linear tracking tasks. Furthermore, MLS scores decline with advancing age and reduced visual acuity. Glaucoma patients had lower values for most MLS parameters compared to controls. However, monocular and binocular VF defects cannot fully explain the impartments in eye–hand coordination associated with glaucoma.
Efficacy of an Ethanol-Based Hand Sanitizer for the Disinfection of Blood Pressure Cuffs
Authors: Grandiere Perez Lucia , Ramanantsoa Céline , Beaudron Aurélie , Hoche Delchet Cyril , Penn Pascale , Comacle Pauline
Published: November 2019

Blood pressure cuffs (BP cuffs) have been implicated in some nosocomial outbreaks. We compared the efficacy of an ethanol-based hand sanitizer (EBHS) with a detergent/disinfectant for the disinfection of BP cuffs. The inner sides of 30 BP cuffs were sampled for bacterial culture. Then, the same area was divided into halves. One half was disinfected by a detergent/disinfectant and the other was disinfected by an EBHS. The bacterial count decreased significantly with both disinfectants (p < 0.0001 compared with before disinfection). The bacterial count decrease seemed greater with the EBHS compared with the detergent/disinfectant, but the difference was not significant. Therefore, within the limits of a single application, the EBHS was an efficacious means of BP cuff disinfection. However, the repeated exposure to emollients contained in EBHS may require further studies before validating these results.
Prediction of Indoor Air Temperature Using Weather Data and Simple Building Descriptors
Authors: Aguilera José Joaquín , Korsholm Andersen Rune , Toftum Jørn
Published: November 2019

Non-optimal air temperatures can have serious consequences for human health and productivity. As the climate changes, heatwaves and cold streaks have become more frequent and intense. The ClimApp project aims to develop a smartphone App that provides individualised advice to cope with thermal stress outdoors and indoors. This paper presents a method to predict indoor air temperature to evaluate thermal indoor environments. Two types of input data were used to set up a predictive model: weather data obtained from online weather services and general building attributes to be provided by App users. The method provides discrete predictions of temperature through a decision tree classification algorithm. The data used to train and test the algorithm was obtained from field measurements in seven Danish households and from building simulations considering three different climate regions, ranging from temperate to hot and humid. The results show that the method had an accuracy of 92% (F1-score) when predicting temperatures under previously known conditions (e.g., same household, occupants and climate). However, the performance decreased to 30% under different climate conditions. The approach had the highest performance when predicting the most commonly observed indoor temperatures. The findings suggest that it is possible to develop a straightforward and fairly accurate method for indoor temperature estimation grounded on weather data and simple building attributes.
Can Heart Rate Variability Determine Recovery Following Distinct Strength Loadings? A Randomized Cross-Over Trial
Authors: Thamm Antonia , Freitag Nils , Figueiredo Pedro , Doma Kenji , Rottensteiner Christoph , Bloch Wilhelm , Schumann Moritz
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to compare the acute effects of hypertrophic (HYP) and maximum strength (MAX) loadings on heart rate variability (HRV) and to compare possible loading-specific alterations with other markers of recovery. Ten young men with strength training experience performed two leg press loadings (HYP: five times 10 repetitions at 70% of one repetition maximum (1RM) with 2 minutes inter-set rest; MAX: 15 times one repetition at 100% of 1RM with 3 minutes inter-set rest) in a randomized order. The root mean square of successive differences statistically decreased after both protocols (HYP: 65.7 ± 26.6 ms to 23.9 ± 18.7 ms, p = 0.026; MAX: 77.7 ± 37.0 ms to 55.3 ± 22.3 ms, p = 0.049), while the frequency domains of HRV remained statistically unaltered. The low frequency (LF) band statistically increased at 48h post-MAX only (p = 0.033). Maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MVC) statistically decreased after HYP (p = 0.026) and returned to baseline after 24h of recovery. Creatine kinase (CK) statistically increased above baseline at 1h post-loadings (HYP p = 0.028; MAX p = 0.020), returning to baseline at 24h post. Our findings indicate no distinct associations between changes in HRV and MVC or CK.
Correlates of Commuter Cycling in Three Norwegian Counties
Authors: Nordengen Solveig , Ruther Denise Christina , Riiser Amund , Andersen Lars Bo , Solbraa Ane
Published: November 2019

Globally, there is an increasing challenge of physical inactivity and associated diseases. Commuter cycling is an everyday physical activity with great potential to increase the health status in a population. We aimed to evaluate the association of self-reported factors and objectively measured environmental factors in residence and along commuter routes and assessed the probability of being a commuter cyclist in Norway. Our study included respondents from a web-based survey in three Norwegian counties and we used a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to evaluate the natural and built environment. Of the 1196 respondents, 488 were classified as commuter cyclists. Self-reported factors as having access to an e-bike (OR 5.99 [CI: 3.71–9.69]), being physically active (OR 2.56 [CI: 1.42–4.60]) and good self-rated health (OR 1.92 [CI: 1.20–3.07]) increased the probability of being a cyclist, while being overweight or obese (OR 0.71 [CI: 0.54–0.94]) reduced the probability. Environmental factors, such as high population density (OR 1.49 [CI: 1.05–2.12]) increased the probability, while higher slope (trend p = 0.020), total elevation along commuter route (trend p = 0.001), and >5 km between home and work (OR 0.17 [CI: 0.13–0.23]) decreased the probability of being a cyclist. In the present study, both self-reported and environmental factors were associated with being a cyclist. With the exception of being in good health, the characteristics of cyclists in Norway, a country with a low share of cyclists, seem to be similar to countries with a higher share of cyclists. With better knowledge about characteristics of cyclists, we may design better interventions and campaigns to increase the share of commuter cyclists.