bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement of tensile mechanical properties of fiber reinforced plastic rebars by 3D digital image correlation
Authors: Zhu Feipeng , Bai Pengxiang , Lei Dong
Published: April 2020

Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) plays an increasingly important role in many engineering fields due to its advantages of light weight, low cost, simple maintenance, and excellent corrosion resistance. The conventional contact methods for deformation measurement, such as strain gauge and mechanical extensometer, have some shortcomings in measuring the strain of FRP rebar specimens with spiral curved surfaces. Therefore, the non-contact three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) technique was employed to determine the tensile mechanical properties of two types of FRP rebar specimens, i. e. glass FRP (GFRP) and carbon FRP (CFRP) specimens. Uniaxial tensile tests with three different loading rates were conducted to obtain the stress-strain curves, elastic modulus, tensile strength and percentage total extension at maximum force of these two FRP specimens. Experimental results indicate that the axial-strain field of all FRP rebar specimens present nonuniform distribution and that the stress of GFRP and CFRP rebars varies linearly with the strain. Moreover, no yielding phenomenon was observed from the stress-strain curves, which indicates that both GFRP and CFRP rebars belong to the group of typical brittle materials. The dispersion of elastic moduli obtained using 3D-DIC is better than that using a clip-on extensometer, which demonstrates the validity of 3D-DIC for the determination of tensile mechanical properties of FRP rebars with spiral curved surfaces.
Teaching to the Test or Testing to Teach? Educational
Assessment in British Columbia, 1872-2002
Authors: Glegg Alastair , Fleming Thomas
Published: April 2020

Over the years educational assessment in British Columbia
has served many purposes in addition to recording student
progress. Initially it helped provide evidence that the novel
idea of a publicly funded school system was a worthwhile
financial and social investment. As schooling expanded so did
public examinations, ensuring that content and standards were
consistent throughout the province. Between the wars educational
priorities dominated assessment, as reformers challenged the
validity of traditional testing and the popularity of
large-scale assessment and mental testing increased. Recently
schooling has become more politicized, and the purposes and
methods of assessment have become subjects of public debate,
often reflecting the priorities and philosophies of the
government in power. Current attitudes to formal assessment
appear to be determined by a combination of the factors that
have influenced it over the years, and what started as a fairly
straightforward concept has become increasingly complex and
controversial.
Open access: how to ensure systematic searching?
Authors: Hirt Julian , Nordhausen Thomas
Published: April 2020

Open access publications are free for everyone to read and download without financial, legal or technical barriers. Various political approaches support the increasing tendency for open access publishing. Due to increasing availability of open access articles, there is a need for systematic search options related to this publication model in databases. As there are various options for searching specifically open access publications, it is important to know which sources are included in a database. This brief communication provides an overview of databases with regard to options for searching open access content in a systematic way.
Implementation of High-Performance EEG Based Seizure Detection And Analysis On Multicore Platform
Authors: Nagashyam P. , Vijay Kumar T.
Published: April 2020

About 50 million people worldwide su?er from epilepsy, the neurological disorder characterized by seizures. The primary tool for diagnosis of an epileptic seizure is an electroencephalography (EEG) which records the brain’s spontaneous electrical activity. This requires the placement of a minimum of 16 electrodes on the scalp with each electrode being interpreted as a channel. The classification of seizure detection and analysis techniques mainly work in two stages , where features are extracted from raw EEG data in the first stage and then the obtained features are used as input for the classification process in the second stage. Traditionally the Seizure detection algorithms were implemented using DSP Processor or FPGAs. But these single core platforms are constrained with respect to speed of operation and power consumption. There is a greater need to reduce the power consumption as well to increase the speed of EEG seizure detection system. This problem can be addressed using the Multicore Processors, which process data simultaneously. This project presents a high performance multicore platform for EEG based seizure detection and analysis. This platform performs continuous multichannel detection and analysis of seizures for epilepsy patients. The detection unit detects seizures based on feature extraction process once seizure detection is done enables the analysis circuit that process the data based Uridva Triyabhakyam based 128 point FFT and transmits energy and frequency contents of EEG data. All proposed blocks are simulated and synthesized using Xilinx ISE and coding is done in Verilog.
Identification of Poison using C4.5 Algorithm
Authors: Yee Lai Lai , Ma Ma Myo
Published: April 2020

Data mining is the task of discovering interesting patterns from large amounts of data where the data can be stored in databases, data warehouses or other information repositories. This can be viewed as a result of the natural evolution of information technology. The key point is that data mining is the application of these and other AI and statistical techniques to common business problems in a fashion that makes these techniques available to the skilled knowledge worker as well as the trained statistics professional. This paper is classification system for Toxicology using C4.5. Firstly, the input data are randomly partitioned into two independent data, a training data and a test data. And then two third of the data are allocated to the training data and the remaining one third is allocated to the test data. Final step is C4.5 Algorithm Process, the training data is used to derive C4.5 algorithm. Classification Process, test data are used to estimate the accuracy of the classification rules. If the accuracy is considered acceptable the rules can be applied to the classification of new data.
TANGGUNG JAWAB DEVELOPER PERUMAHAN TERHADAP PENYEDIAAN TEMPAT PEMAKAMAN
Authors: Wiyono Andi Pontjo
Published: April 2020

Housing is one of the basic needs for human beings. For most people ofIndonesia, the word "home" becomes a necessity that is very expensive, but thehouse is a basic need, fundamentals, and also a prerequisite for everyone tosurvive and live and enjoy life dignified, peaceful, safe, and comfortable. it is theresponsibilityDeveloper Housing Provision Against Cemetery to support publicfacilities.key words: Responsibilities Developer Housing Provision Of Cemetery
GAMBARAN PENGETAHUAN REMAJA TENTANG LESBIAN, GAY, BISEKSUAL, DAN TRANSGENDER (LGBT) DI SMA X GARUT
Authors: Nugraha Nunu , Widianti Efri , Senjaya Sukma
Published: April 2020

Tercapainya kematangan seksual pada remaja akhir memunculkan dorongan seksual yang memicu remaja untuk memenuhi kebutuhan seksualnya bahkan melakukan hal yang tidak pantas untuk dilakukan. Apabila tidak tercapai akan terjadi kebingungan peran pada masa remaja yang akan menyebabkan remaja mengembangkan perilaku menyimpang. Salah satu perilaku menyimpang yang mungkin terjadi adalah perilaku lesbian, gay, biseksual, dan transgender. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui gambaran pengetahuan remaja tentang lesbian, gay, biseksual, dan transgender. Penelitian ini deskriptif kuantitatif. Populasi pada penelitian ini siswa-siswi kelas XI-XII di SMA X Garut. Sampel pada penelitian ini menggunakan stratified random sampling sebanyak 266 siswa. Data dikumpulkan dengan instrumen yang terdiri dari 26 item pertanyaan. Data dianalisis dengan analisa deskriptif dan disajikan dalam bentuk presentase. Hasil penelitian ini diketahui bahwa tingkat pengetahuan remaja tentang lesbian, gay, biseksual dan transgender adalah sebagian besar responden pengetahuan baik sejumlah 221 responden (83,1%). Simpulan penelitian ini bahwa sebagian besar responden dalam kategori pengetahuan yang baik.
From Theodicy to The Idea of God
Authors: Zaitsev Igor N.
Published: April 2020

In the spectrum of possible objections to theodicy, we distinguish two of them: doubts about the morality of a successful theodicy and argument of sceptical theism against the possibility of a successful theodicy (because our cognitive ability is limited, so it is doubtful our ability to understand what God wants to make good in the world and how the existing evil due to their offspring). Experience of undeserved suffering of Job, in conjunction with the answer Yahweh gives us the opportunity for a productive dialogue with the specified points of view. In the theodicy of the book of Job, a difference arises between the name of God and God The name of God indicates the essential definition of God. The result of theodicy is a more fundamental concept of God. We come to the other idea of God than the one which began theodicy.
Diversity and Structure of an Arid Woodland in Southwest Angola, with Comparison to the Wider Miombo Ecoregion
Authors: Godlee John L. , Gonçalves Francisco Maiato , Tchamba José João , Chisingui Antonio Valter , Muledi Jonathan Ilunga , Shutcha Mylor Ngoy , Ryan Casey M. , Brade Thom K. , Dexter Kyle G.
Published: April 2020

Seasonally dry woodlands are the dominant land cover across southern Africa. They are biodiverse, structurally complex, and important for ecosystem service provision. Species composition and structure vary across the region producing a diverse array of woodland types. The woodlands of the Huíla plateau in southwest Angola represent the extreme southwestern extent of the miombo ecoregion and are markedly drier than other woodlands within this ecoregion. They remain understudied, however, compared to woodlands further east in the miombo ecoregion. We aimed to elucidate further the tree diversity found within southwestern Angolan woodlands by conducting a plot-based study in Bicuar National Park, comparing tree species composition and woodland structure with similar plots in Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We found Bicuar National Park had comparatively low tree species diversity, but contained 27 tree species not found in other plots. Plots in Bicuar had low basal area, excepting plots dominated by Baikiaea plurijuga. In a comparison of plots in intact vegetation with areas previously disturbed by shifting-cultivation agriculture, we found species diversity was marginally higher in disturbed plots. Bicuar National Park remains an important woodland refuge in Angola, with an uncommon mosaic of woodland types within a small area. While we highlight wide variation in species composition and woodland structure across the miombo ecoregion, plot-based studies with more dense sampling across the ecoregion are clearly needed to more broadly understand regional variation in vegetation diversity, composition and structure.
Host-related Morphological Variation of Dwellings Inhabited by the Crab Domecia acanthophora in the Corals Acropora palmata and Millepora complanata (Southern Caribbean)
Authors: Hoeksema Bert W. , García-Hernández Jaaziel E.
Published: April 2020

Brachyuran crabs of various families are known as obligate associates of stony corals, with many of these species living as endosymbionts inside the skeleton of their hosts [...]
Differences in Near Isohydric and Anisohydric Behavior of Contrasting Poplar Hybrids (I-101 (Populus alba L.) × 84K (Populus alba L. × Populus glandulosa Uyeki)) under Drought-Rehydration Treatments
Authors: Zhang Li , Liu Li , Zhao Han , Jiang Zaimin , Cai Jing
Published: April 2020

Carbon starvation and hydraulic failure are considered important factors in determining the mechanisms associated with tree mortality. In this study, iso/anisohydric classification was used to assess drought resistance and mortality mechanisms in two contrasting poplar species, as it is generally believed that isohydric species are more susceptible to carbon starvation, while anisohydric species are more susceptible to hydraulic failure. However, these assumptions are rarely tested in poplar genotypes with contrasting growth strategies. Thus, we subjected potted poplar genotypes (I-101 (Populus alba L.) × 84K (Populus alba L. × Populus glandulosa Uyeki)) with fast and slow growth rates to drought–rehydration treatments. The slow-growing genotype maintained higher stomatal conductance and lower predawn leaf water potential than the fast-growing genotype, thus exhibiting a near-anisohydric stomatal behavior throughout the treatment period. The nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content indicated that the two genotypes had the same trend of carbon change (e.g., the NSC content in the leaves increased with drought and then decreased). However, when NSC content data were combined with the growth and photosynthetic data, it was observed that the slow-growing genotype mobilized carbon to maintain hydraulic safety, while the NSC content of the fast-growing genotype among tissues was static. The percent loss of hydraulic conductivity in the branches during treatments indicated that the fast-growing genotype could recover more quickly from xylem embolism than the slow-growing genotype. The slow-growing genotype with a slow growth recovery after rehydration showed a significant increase in carbon consumption, combined with a significant increase in the hydraulic safety threshold value, indicating that there may be drought tolerance. In comparison, the fast-growing genotype showed a faster hydraulic recovery ability that had no effect on the NSC content in the leaves and roots. Our findings demonstrate intraspecific isohydric behavior in poplar; however, the trade-off between carbon distribution and stomatal regulation should be considered separately within genotypes of the same species. In addition, NSC plays an important role in water–carbon balance in the drought–rehydration cycle.
Taper Function for Pinus nigra in Central Italy: Is a More Complex Computational System Required?
Authors: Marchi Maurizio , Scotti Roberto , Rinaldini Giulia , Cantiani Paolo
Published: April 2020

Stem tapers are mathematical functions modelling the relative decrease of diameter (rD) as the relative height (rH) increase in trees and can be successfully used in precision forest harvesting. In this paper, the diameters of the stem at various height of 202 Pinus nigra trees were fully measured by means of an optical relascope (CRITERION RD 1000) by adopting a two-steps non-destructive strategy. Data were modelled with four equations including a linear model, two polynomial functions (second and third order) and the Generalised Additive Model. Predictions were also compared with the output from the TapeR R package, an object-oriented tool implementing the β-Spline functions and widely used in the literature and scientific research. Overall, the high quality of the database was detected as the most important driver for modelling with algorithms almost equivalent each other. The use of a non-destructive sampling method allowed the full measurement of all the trees necessary to build a mathematical function properly. The results clearly highlight the ability of all the tested models to reach a high statistical significance with an adjusted-R squared higher than 0.9. A very low mean relative absolute error was also calculated with a cross validation procedure and small standard deviation were associated. Substantial differences were detected with the TapeR prediction. Indeed, the use of mixed models improved the data handling with outputs not affected by autocorrelation which is one of the main issues when measuring trees profile. The profile data violate one of the basic assumptions of modelling: the independence of sampled units (i.e., autocorrelation of measured values across the stem of a tree). Consequently, the use of simple parametric equations can only be a temporary resource before more complex built-in apps are able to allow basic users to exploit more powerful modelling techniques.
Comparison of GF2 and SPOT6 Imagery on Canopy Cover Estimating in Northern Subtropics Forest in China
Authors: Zhou Jingjing , Dian Yuanyong , Wang Xiong , Yao Chonghuai , Jian Yongfeng , Li Yuan , Han Zeming
Published: April 2020

Canopy cover is an important vegetation attribute used for many environmental applications such as defining management objectives, thinning and ecological modeling. However, the estimation of canopy cover from high spatial resolution imagery is still a difficult task due to limited spectral information and the heterogeneous pixel values of the same canopy. In this paper, we compared the capacity of two high spatial resolution sensors (SPOT6 and GF2) using three ensemble learning models (Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), Gradient Boosting (GDBoost), and random forest (RF)), to estimate canopy cover (CC) in a Chinese northern subtropics forest. Canopy cover across 97 plots was measured across 41 needle forest plots, 24 broadleaf forest plots, and 32 mixed forest plots. Results showed that (1) the textural features performed more importantly than spectral variables according to the number of variables in the top ten predictors in estimating canopy cover (CC) in both SPOT6 and GF2. Moreover, the vegetation indices in spectral variables had a lower relative importance value than the band reflectance variables. (2) GF2 imagery outperformed SPOT6 imagery in estimating CC when using the ensemble learning model in our data. On average across the models, the R2 was almost 0.08 higher for GF2 over SPOT6. Likewise, the average RMSE and average MAE were 0.002 and 0.01 lower in GF2 than in SPOT6. (3) The ensemble learning model showed good results in estimating CC, yet the different models performed a little differently in the results. Additionally, the GDBoost model performed the best of all the ensemble learning models with R2 = 0.92, root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.001 and mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.022.
Dust Events and Indoor Air Quality in Residential Homes in Kuwait
Authors: Yuan Yufei , Alahmad Barrak , Kang Choong-Min , Al-Marri Fhaid , Kommula Venkateswarlu , Bouhamra Walid , Koutrakis Petros
Published: April 2020

Kuwait is a developed Middle Eastern country that is impacted by frequent dust storms from regional and/or remote deserts. The effectiveness of keeping homes tightly closed during these events to reduce dust exposures was assessed using indoor and outdoor particle samples at 10 residences within the metropolitan Kuwait City area. Specifically, this study compared indoor and outdoor levels of black carbon and 19 trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Sr, and Zr) during dust and non-dust events and found that particle penetration efficiencies were lower during dust storm events (less than 20–30%) than during non-dust storm events (40–60%). Coarse particles had lower penetration efficiency compared to fine particles, which is due to differences in infiltration rates and settling velocities between these two size fractions. Our findings suggest that increasing home insulation could be an effective strategy to reduce indoor exposure to crustal particles from dust storm events in residential houses of Kuwait City.
An Enhanced Social Networking Intervention for Young People with Active Suicidal Ideation: Safety, Feasibility and Acceptability Outcomes
Authors: Bailey Eleanor , Alvarez-Jimenez Mario , Robinson Jo , D’Alfonso Simon , Nedeljkovic Maja , Davey Christopher G. , Bendall Sarah , Gilbertson Tamsyn , Phillips Jessica , Bloom Lisa , Nicholls Laura , Garland Nicola , Cagliarini Daniela , Phelan Mark , McKechnie Ben , Mitchell Jessica , Cooke Melanie , Rice Simon M.
Published: April 2020

Online social networking interventions have potential to support young people who experience suicidal thoughts by specifically addressing interpersonal risk factors for suicide, but may also pose a risk of harm. This uncontrolled, single-group pilot study aimed to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and acceptability of an enhanced online social networking intervention (“Affinity”) among a sample of young people who experienced active suicidal ideation, and to explore potential changes in clinical outcomes and the therapeutic targets of the intervention. Twenty young people with current or recent suicidal ideation who were receiving treatment for depression at a tertiary-level mental health service were given access to Affinity for two months. Participants were assessed at baseline and 8-week follow-up; 90 percent reported clinical suicidal ideation at baseline. A priori criteria related to feasibility, safety and acceptability were satisfied. In terms of potential clinical effects, significant and reliable pre-post improvements were found on self-report outcomes including suicidal ideation. This study provides initial world-first evidence to support the use of an online intervention incorporating social networking as an adjunct to treatment for young people who experience suicidal ideation. The effectiveness of Affinity needs to be evaluated in a randomised controlled trial.
“When I Retire, I’ll Move Out of the City”: Mental Well-being of the Elderly in Rural vs. Urban Settings
Authors: Alcañiz Manuela , Riera-Prunera Maria-Carme , Solé-Auró Aïda
Published: April 2020

This study examines the influence of risk factors on mental well-being at older ages focusing on the level of rurality of the living environment. We used cross-sectional, nationally representative survey data for Catalonia (Spain) from 2015 to 2017 to explain the mental well-being of the population aged 65 years and over. Based on a sample of 2621 individuals, we created a score of current mental well-being using the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS). Using logistic regression and non-parametric tests, we identified the sociodemographic, health and lifestyle variables which, in combination with the features of the rural and urban settings of the living space, were associated with poor SWEMWBS scores. Our results reveal that adequate social support is linked to expectations of good mental well-being in later life. Poor self-perceived health and ageing limitations are associated with less deterioration of the well-being for the elderly living in rural areas, whereas living in urban areas is linked to a higher risk of suffering from emotional distress attributable to economic difficulties or low educational attainment. Incentivizing older people to live in rural environments could result in greater well-being in the last stages of life; appropriate prospective studies are needed to test this positive outcome.
Consumption of a Branched-Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) during Days 2–10 of Pregnancy Causes Abnormal Fetal and Placental Growth: Implications for BCAA Supplementation in Humans
Authors: To Chiu Yuen , Freeman Muriel , Van Winkle Lon J.
Published: April 2020

A relatively large branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplement, consumed for more than 10 days, appears to be especially effective at alleviating muscle damage and soreness during intense human training. However, perturbations in amino acid and protein consumption could have unwanted transgenerational effects on male and female reproduction. This paper hypothesizes that isoleucine consumption by female mice from days 2 to 10 of pregnancy will alter fetal and placental growth later in gestation. Mice that had received 118 mM isoleucine in their drinking water delivered pups on day 19 of pregnancy that were 9% larger than normal, whereas the reverse was true for pups born on day 20. Moreover, the inverse correlation between birth weight and litter size was lost in mice that previously consumed excess isoleucine. Similarly, the normal correlations between fetal and placental weights were lost by day 18 of pregnancy in mice that had consumed excess isoleucine. Mice that consumed excess isoleucine had placentas smaller than, and fetuses larger than normal on day 18 of pregnancy, but the reverse was true on day 15. Other unintended and unexpected effects of BCAA consumption should be studied more thoroughly due to the increasing use of BCAAs to alleviate muscle damage and soreness in athletes.
The Innovative and Sustainable Use of Dental Panoramic Radiographs for the Detection of Osteoporosis
Authors: Yeung Andy Wai Kan , Mozos Ioana
Published: April 2020

This bibliometric study evaluated the scientific impact of papers dealing with osteoporosis detected by dental panoramic radiographs by performing citation analysis and cited reference analysis. Retrospective data was extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection database and imported into VOSviewer, CRExplorer, and CitNetExplorer for analyzing semantic contents, cited references, and temporal citation network. The 280 relevant papers identified were cited 4874 times, having an h-index of 38 and 17.4 citations per paper. The top five major contributing countries were Japan (n = 54, 19.3%), USA (n = 43, 15.4%), Brazil (n = 38, 13.6%), Turkey (n = 38, 13.6%), and the UK (n = 32, 11.4%). Citation per paper correlated with publication count among the authors and institutions. Mandibular cortical width was the most frequently used and most cited measurement index. References published during the 1970s and 1980s have built the foundation for the development of research that investigates the potential associations between osteoporosis and radiographic measurements on panoramic radiographs. Osteoporosis detection by dental panoramic radiographs is a perennially investigated research topic with global contributions. Panoramic radiographs are considered early detection and screening tools for osteoporosis by worldwide research.
Rethinking Food Production: Nexus of Mobile Phones and Production Cost Minimization
Authors: Mwalupaso Gershom Endelani , Tian Xu , Geng Xianhui
Published: April 2020

Information and communication technologies are a ready tool for all strata of society and are indeed redefining the way almost everything is done. Mobile phone technology, in particular, plays a vital role in expediting improvement in the efficiency of the household resource through access to information on various available technologies. Can mobile phones improve the cost efficiency of agricultural production? Comprehension of such effect is critical, especially in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. We addressed this topic using cross-sectional data from smallholder maize producers in Zambia. The Stochastic Frontier Analysis was applied to estimate cost efficiency. The results indicate that mobile phone use improves the cost efficiency of maize production significantly and as such, adopters have made a rational decision to adopt mobile phone use for information access. Precisely, we found a 10.2% efficiency gap in favor of users. Nevertheless, if non-users were to adopt mobile phones for agricultural information access, maize production per hectare would increase by 21.38%. Eventually, food production would be increased in an environmentally friendly manner and the price of maize would be set at a competitive price within the region because agricultural inputs would be allocated cost efficiently. Therefore, in an attempt to minimize production cost in food production, this study strongly endorses the use of mobile phones for agricultural information access.
Sexually Transmitted Infection Knowledge among Older Adults: Psychometrics and Test–Retest Reliability
Authors: Smith Matthew Lee , Bergeron Caroline D. , Goltz Heather H. , Coffey Tammy , Boolani Ali
Published: April 2020

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) among older adults have dramatically increased in recent years, especially among those who are widowed and divorced. The purposes of this study were to: (1) identify STI-related knowledge among older adults; (2) report the psychometric properties of a tool commonly used to assess STI-related knowledge among younger populations using data from adults 65 years and older; and (3) determine test-retest reliability of the tool. Data were analyzed from 43 adults, aged 65–94 years, using the 27-item Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ). Participants completed identical instruments on two separate days with approximately two weeks between. After responses were coded for correctness, composite scores were created. Cronbach’s reliability coefficients were calculated to determine response consistency, and Pearson’s r coefficients were used to assess test–retest reliability. Of 27 possible correct answers, participants reported an average of 11.47 (±6.88) correct responses on Day 1 and 11.67 (±7.33) correct responses on Day 2. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the 27-item composite scale were high for both days (0.905 and 0.917, respectively), which indicates strong response consistency. Pearson’s r coefficients were high between responses for the 27-item composite scale on Days 1 and 2 (r = 0.882, P < 0.01), which indicates strong test–retest reliability. Pearson’s r coefficients were high between responses for all but three of the 27 items when assessed separately. Findings suggest the utility of the STD-KQ to assess STI knowledge among older adults. However, the consistently low knowledge scores highlight the need for educational interventions among this population.
Oncological-Therapy Related Oral Mucositis as an Interdisciplinary Problem—Literature Review
Authors: Kusiak Aida , Jereczek-Fossa Barbara Alicja , Cichońska Dominika , Alterio Daniela
Published: April 2020

Oral mucositis is a toxic side effect of non-surgical cancer treatments: chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which strongly impair quality of life and can not only cause strong pain, but also lead to problems with basic physiological needs as eating and swallowing. Development of oral mucositis is associated with type, dosage, and schedule of radiation or chemotherapy and other factors related to patients. Management of oral mucositis is a valid problem, requiring topical application of anesthetics, coating agents, cryotherapy, low level laser therapy, pharmacological methods as usage of keratinocyte growth factors, supplementation of vitamins, and a proper diet. Another approach to oral mucositis measurement includesphotobiomodulation, which brings analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.Although oral mucositis is a general health issues, the role of proper dental care is essential. It should include elimination of all potential sources of mucosal injury and microorganisms inhabiting theoral cavity through oral hygiene education, professional management ofdental plaque, and treatment of the caries and periodontium, which are necessary to reduce the risk of inflammation in the oral cavity. This paper describes the possibilities of monitoring oral mucositis, taking into account the latest therapeutic achievements.
Sources of Potentially Toxic Elements in Sediments of the Mussulo Lagoon (Angola) and Implications for Human Health
Authors: Dinis Pedro , Armando Amílcar , Pratas João
Published: April 2020

The Mussulo lagoon is a coastal environment located near Luanda, one of the SW African cities that has been growing more rapidly during the last decades. Geochemical, mineralogical, and grain-size data obtained for the lagoon sediments are analyzed together, in order to establish the factors that control the distribution of some potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Sediments from northern location tend to be enriched in feldspar and, despite some variability in grain-size distributions, in fine-grained detrital minerals; southern lagoon sediments display very homogenous grain-size distribution and are enriched in minerals associated with salt precipitation (halite and gypsum). Multivariate statistics reveal a close link between some PTEs, namely Co, Hg, Ni, and Pb, for which an anthropogenic source can be postulated. On the other end, As seems to be associated with natural authigenic precipitation in southern lagoon sectors. Sediments enriched in clay also tend to yield more Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, but it is unclear whether their sources are natural or anthropogenic. Hazard indexes calculated for children are higher than 1 for As and Co, indicating potential non-carcinogenic risk. For the other elements, and for adults, there is no potential carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic risk.
Incidence of Respiratory Symptoms for Residents Living Near a Petrochemical Industrial Complex: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chang Wen-Wen , Boonhat Hathaichon , Lin Ro-Ting
Published: April 2020

The air pollution emitted by petrochemical industrial complexes (PICs) may affect the respiratory health of surrounding residents. Previous meta-analyses have indicated a higher risk of lung cancer mortality and incidence among residents near a PIC. Therefore, in this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the degree to which PIC exposure increases the risk of the development of nonmalignant respiratory symptoms among residents. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to systematically identify, select, and critically appraise relevant research. Finally, we identified 16 study groups reporting 5 types of respiratory symptoms: asthma, bronchitis, cough, rhinitis, and wheezing. We estimated pooled odds ratios (ORs) using random-effect models and investigated the robustness of pooled estimates in subgroup analyses by location, observation period, and age group. We determined that residential exposure to a PIC was significantly associated with a higher incidence of cough (OR = 1.35), wheezing (OR = 1.28), bronchitis (OR = 1.26), rhinitis (OR = 1.17), and asthma (OR = 1.15), although the latter two associations did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup analyses suggested that the association remained robust across different groups for cough and bronchitis. We identified high heterogeneity for asthma, rhinitis, and wheezing, which could be due to higher ORs in South America. Our meta-analysis indicates that residential exposure to a PIC is associated with an increased risk of nonmalignant respiratory symptoms.
Xerostomia and Salivary Flow in Patients Taking Antihypertensive Drugs
Authors: Ramírez Martínez-Acitores Lucía , Hernández Ruiz de Azcárate Fernando , Casañas Elisabeth , Serrano Julia , Hernández Gonzalo , López-Pintor Rosa María
Published: April 2020

The aims of this systematic review are (1) to compare the prevalence of xerostomia and hyposalivation between patients taking antihypertensive drugs with a control group (CG), (2) to compare salivary flow rate between patients treated with a CG, and (3) to identify which antihypertensives produce xerostomia. This systematic review was carried out according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To evaluate methodological quality of the eligible studies Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing the risk of bias for clinical trials and the modified Newcastle–Ottawa scale case-control studies were used. The databases were searched for studies up to November 19th 2019. The search strategy yielded 6201 results and 13 publications were finally included (five clinical trials and eight case-control studies). The results of the included studies did not provide evidence to state that patients taking antihypertensives suffer more xerostomia or hyposalivation than patients not taking them. With regard to salivary flow, only two clinical studies showed a significant decrease in salivary flow and even one showed a significant increase after treatment. The case–control studies showed great variability in salivary flow, but in this case most studies showed how salivary flow is lower in patients medicated with antihypertensive drugs. The great variability of antihypertensive drugs included, the types of studies and the outcomes collected made it impossible to study which antihypertensive drug produces more salivary alterations. The quality assessment showed how each of the studies was of low methodological quality. Therefore, future studies about this topic are necessary to confirm whether antihypertensive drugs produce salivary alterations.
Economic Crisis and Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Comparison Between Native and Immigrant Populations in a Specialised Centre in Granada, Spain
Authors: Pérez-Morente María Ángeles , Martín-Salvador Adelina , Gázquez-López María , Femia-Marzo Pedro , Pozo-Cano María Dolores , Hueso-Montoro César , Martínez-García Encarnación
Published: April 2020

This study aimed to analyse the influence of the economic crisis on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the immigrant population compared to the native population. A cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing 441 clinical records (329 Spanish nationals and 112 non-Spanish nationals) of individuals who, between 2000 and 2014, visited an STI clinic in Granada and tested positive for an infection. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed, and infection rates, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The mean age was 28.06 years (SD = 8.30; range = 16–70). During the period 2000–2014, the risk of being diagnosed with an STI was higher among non-Spanish nationals than among Spanish nationals (odds ratio (OR) = 5.33; 95% CI = 4.78–6.60). Differences between both populations were less marked during the crisis period (2008–2014: OR = 2.73; 95% CI = 2.32–3.73) than during the non-crisis period (2000–2007: OR = 12.02; 95% CI = 10.33–16.17). This may be due to underreporting of diagnoses in the immigrant population. Immigrants visiting the STI clinic in Granada are especially vulnerable to positive STI diagnoses compared to the native population.
Effect of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on the Chemical Speciation of Heavy Metals and Micronutrient Bioavailability in Paddy Soil
Authors: Zhang Wei , Long Jinghua , Li Jie , Zhang Meng , Ye Xingyin , Chang Wenjing , Zeng Hui
Published: April 2020

The effects of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) on heavy metal fate and biotoxicity in farmland soil are mostly unknown. A flooding–drying simulation experiment was conducted to study the effects of three typical metal oxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs, ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs) on the chemical speciation of heavy metals and micronutrient bioavailability in paddy soil. The results showed that the addition of ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs caused significant increases in soil pH, Eh and EC after a 90-d flooding–drying process. ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs addition caused clearly increase in the Zn and Cu concentrations in the acid-soluble fraction, Fe/Mn oxides-bound fraction and organic-bound fraction, leading to higher bioavailability in the soil. DTPA-extractable Zn and Cu increased to 184.6 mg kg−1 and 145.3 mg kg−1 in the maximum ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs concentration treatments (500 mg kg−1). TiO2-NPs promoted the transformation of Mn from a Fe/Mn oxides-bound fraction to an acid-soluble fraction. Soil Cd bioavailability obviously decreased in the TiO2-NPs treatment but increased in the ZnO-NPs and CuO-NPs treatments.
Effects of Acute Exercise on Cutaneous Thermal Sensation
Authors: Thomas Samuel D. , Carter Howard H. , Jones Helen , Thijssen Dick H.J. , Low David A.
Published: April 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of exercise intensity on the thermal sensory function of active and inactive limbs. In a randomised and counterbalanced manner, 13 healthy young male participants (25 ± 6 years, 1.8 ± 0.1 m, 77 ± 6 kg) conducted: (1) 30-min low-intensity (50% heart rate maximum, HRmax; LOW) and (2) 30-min high-intensity (80% HRmax; HIGH) cycling exercises, and (3) 30 min of seated rest (CONTROL). Before, immediately after, and 1 h after, each intervention, thermal sensory functions of the non-dominant dorsal forearm and posterior calf were examined by increasing local skin temperature (1 °C/s) to assess perceptual heat sensitivity and pain thresholds. Relative to pre-exercise, forearm heat sensitivity thresholds were increased immediately and 1 hr after HIGH, but there were no changes after LOW exercise or during CONTROL (main effect of trial; p = 0.017). Relative to pre-exercise, calf heat sensitivity thresholds were not changed after LOW or HIGH exercise or during CONTROL (main effect of trial; p = 0.629). There were no changes in calf (main effect of trial; p = 0.528) or forearm (main effect of trial; p = 0.088) heat pain thresholds after exercise in either LOW or HIGH or CONTROL. These results suggest that cutaneous thermal sensitivity function of an inactive limb is only reduced after higher intensity exercise but is not changed in a previously active limb after exercise. Exercise does not affect heat pain sensitivity in either active or inactive limbs.
Nursing Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Medical Marijuana: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Pereira Laura , Núñez-Iglesias María Jesús , Domínguez-Martís Eva María , López-Ares David , González-Peteiro Mercedes , Novío Silvia
Published: April 2020

Marijuana use for medical purposes dates back to ancient times. Despite its high therapeutic potential, its adverse effects have raised important legal restrictions. However, this situation in Spain may soon undergo significant changes, without anyone so far having studied the knowledge and/or the level of acceptance of medical marijuana by future healthcare professionals. The aim of the present study was to determine nursing students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards medical marijuana. A cross-sectional design was used. A total of 578 nursing students from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), ≥18 years old and of both sexes, were invited to complete the Spanish version of the questionnaire “Medical Marijuana” between January and May 2019. A total of 364 students decided to participate in the study. More than 75% of the students agreed with the legalization of medical marijuana, although their knowledge and confidence levels regarding efficacy, safety and drug interactions of medical marijuana were low. Nursing students showed a clear lack of knowledge about medical marijuana and thus, in light of possible regulatory changes, it would be necessary to strengthen the training of nurses with respect to medical marijuana in order to make responsible use of it.
Predictive Factors of Toddlers’ Sleep and Parental Stress
Authors: De Stasio Simona , Boldrini Francesca , Ragni Benedetta , Gentile Simonetta
Published: April 2020

Background: Although most infants consolidate their sleep habits during the first year of life, for many children, sleep is described as disrupted during toddlerhood. Along with individual child variables such as temperamental characteristics, parenting behaviors play a key role in determining children’s sleep–wake patterns. The aims of the current study were to evaluate the relationship among toddlers’ sleep quality, emotion regulation, bedtime routines, parental bedtime involvement, parental perceived social support and stress, and to integrate a novel combination of the aforementioned dimensions into predictive models of toddlers’ sleep quality and parental stress. Methods: One hundred and sixty parents with 2–3-year-old children filled out the following self-report questionnaires: the Parent–Child Sleep Interaction Scale; the Emotion Regulation Checklist; the Social Provisions Scale; and an ad-hoc questionnaire to assess parental involvement in everyday and bedtime care for children. Three multiple regression analyses were conducted by regressing maternal and paternal parenting stress and infant’s quality sleep onto the independent variables described above. Results: Toddlers’ emotion regulation and parental psychosocial functioning were related to parental stress. Toddlers’ night awakenings and the time required by toddlers to fall asleep were related to parental distress. Conclusions: The findings evidenced the bidirectional associations among the studied variables, highlighting the protective role of social support in reducing parenting stress and of paternal bedtime involvement in improving toddlers’ sleep quality.
Resilient Properties of Soil-Rock Mixture Materials: Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Composition and Structure
Authors: Qian Junfeng , Yao Yongsheng , Li Jue , Xiao Hongbin , Luo Shenping
Published: April 2020

The physical composition and stress state of soil-rock mixture (SRM) materials have a crucial influence on their mechanical properties, and play a vital role in improving the performance of subgrade. To reveal the resilient behavior and mesostructure evolution of SRM materials, triaxial tests and discrete element method (DEM) numerical analysis have been carried out. In the triaxial test section, the mechanical response of SRM materials was investigated by preparing samples under different stress states and physical states and conducting triaxial tests on samples. Simultaneously, a new irregular particle modeling method was developed and applied to the discrete element modeling process to analyze the mesostructure evolution of SRM materials under cycling loading. First, a cyclic triaxial test of SRM material is performed on the SRM material, and the effects of bulk stress, octahedral shear stress and rock content on the resilient modulus of the SRM material are analyzed. It is revealed that the resilient modulus increases with increasing bulk stress and rock content, and decreases with increasing octahedral shear stress. Based on a new resilient modulus prediction model, the relationships among the rock content, stress state and resilient modulus are established. Then, based on an improved DEM modeling method, a discrete element model of the SRM is established, and the influence of rock content on coordination number and mesostructure evolution of the SRM is analyzed. The results show that in SRM materials, the increase of crushed rock changes the mesostructure of the SRM material. With the increase of rock content, the internal contact force changes from “between soil and rock” to “between rocks”, and the skeleton formed in the rocks gradually develops overall stiffness. Under the condition of low stress, the anisotropy of the SRM material is mainly caused by the shape and grade distribution of crushed rock. The induced anisotropy caused by the change of stress state has little effect on its mechanical behavior, which may lead to the greater dispersion of multiple SRM test results.
A Novel Algorithm for the Determination of Walker Damage in Loaded Disc Springs
Authors: Geilen Max Benedikt , Klein Marcus , Oechsner Matthias
Published: April 2020

In this paper, a novel algorithm for the determination of Walker damage in loaded disc springs is presented. The algorithm takes a 3D-scan of a disc spring, measured residual stresses, material parameters, and spring loads as inputs. It outputs a distribution of Walker damage over the surface area of the input disc spring. As the algorithm allows a fully automated determination of the Walker damage, it can be used by disc spring manufacturers to reduce the working time spent on this task by specialized engineers significantly. Compared to spreadsheet applications using analytical formulas and finite element models using idealized geometry, this approach offers a superior description of the stress states in disc springs.