bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Broadband RF Phased Array Design with MEEP: Comparisons to Array Theory in Two and Three Dimensions
Authors: Hanson Jordan C.
Published: February 2021

Phased array radar systems have a wide variety of applications in engineering and physics research. Phased array design usually requires numerical modeling with expensive commercial computational packages. Using the open-source MIT Electrogmagnetic Equation Propagation (MEEP) package, a set of phased array designs is presented. Specifically, one and two-dimensional arrays of Yagi-Uda and horn antennas were modeled in the bandwidth [0.1–5] GHz, and compared to theoretical expectations in the far-field. Precise matches between MEEP simulation and radiation pattern predictions at different frequencies and beam angles are demonstrated. Given that the computations match the theory, the effect of embedding a phased array within a medium of varying index of refraction is then computed. Understanding the effect of varying index on phased arrays is critical for proposed ultra-high energy neutrino observatories which rely on phased array detectors embedded in natural ice. Future work will develop the phased array concepts with parallel MEEP, in order to increase the detail, complexity, and speed of the computations.
Time Series Prediction Method Based on E-CRBM
Authors: Tian Huixin , Xu Qiangqiang
Published: February 2021

To solve the problems of delayed prediction results and large prediction errors in one-dimensional time series prediction, a time series prediction method based on Error-Continuous Restricted Boltzmann Machines (E-CRBM) is proposed in this paper. This method constructs a deep conversion prediction framework, which is composed of two E-CRBMs and a neural network (NN). Firstly, the E-CRBM models of the original input sequence and the target prediction sequence are trained, respectively, to extract the time features of the two sequences. Then the NN model is used to connect and transform the time features. Secondly, the feature sequence H1 is extracted from the original input sequence of test data through E-CRBM1, which is used as input of NN to obtain feature transformation sequence H2. Finally, the target prediction sequence is obtained by reverse reconstruction of feature transformation sequence H2 through E-CRBM2. The E-CRBM in this paper introduces the residual sequence of NN feature transformation in the hidden layer of CRBM, which increases the robustness of CRBM and improves the overall prediction accuracy. The classical time series data (sunspot time series) and the actual operation data of reciprocating compressor are selected in the experiment. Compared with the traditional time series prediction method, the results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method in single-step prediction and multi-step prediction.
Construction and Evaluation of QOL Specialized Dictionary SqolDic Using Vocabulary Meaning and QOL Scale
Authors: Nakagawa Satoshi , Minlie Huang , Kuniyoshi Yasuo
Published: February 2021

Agents that build interactive relationships with people can provide appropriate support and generate behaviors by accurately grasping the state of the person. This study focuses on the quality of life (QOL), which can be assessed multidimensionally, and aims to estimate QOL scores in the process of human interaction. Although vision-based estimation has been the main method for QOL estimation, we proposed a new text-based estimation method. We created a QOL-specific dictionary called SqolDic, which is based on large-scale Japanese textual data. To evaluate the effectiveness of SqolDic, we implemented a system that outputs the time-series variation of a user’s conversation content and the QOL scores based on it. In an experiment for estimating the content of user conversations based on a QOL scale by inputting data from actual human conversations, we achieved a maximum estimation accuracy of 91.2%. Additionally, in an experiment to estimate QOL score variability, we successfully estimated the mental health state and one of the QOL scales with a smaller distribution of error than that in previous studies. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of our system in estimating conversation content and QOL scores as well as the effectiveness of our newly proposed QOL dictionary.
A Tacholess Order Analysis Method for PMSG Mechanical Fault Detection with Varying Speeds
Authors: Etien Erik , Allouche Abdallah , Rambault Laurent , Doget Thierry , Cauet Sebastien , Sakout Anas
Published: February 2021

This article deals with the detection of mechanical faults in synchronous machines from single current measurement at variable speed. The proposed approach is based on an order tracking method in which the analysis signal is sampled as a function of the mechanical angle. In this case, the spectral components become independent of the speed and the frequency analysis can be exploited. Order tracking is generally implemented from a position measurement. In this work we present a method that allows us to estimate this position and the analysis signal from only one current measurement. The proposed approach allows an intuitive adjustment of the algorithm parameters. Secondly, a statistical method is used to finalize the diagnosis. At variable speed, this type of method is difficult to implement and we show that order tracking makes it possible to simplify the analysis. The procedure is tested in simulation and on a experimental test bench.
Machine Learning-Based Vehicle Trajectory Prediction Using V2V Communications and On-Board Sensors
Authors: Choi Dongho , Yim Janghyuk , Baek Minjin , Lee Sangsun
Published: February 2021

Predicting the trajectories of surrounding vehicles is important to avoid or mitigate collision with traffic participants. However, due to limited past information and the uncertainty in future driving maneuvers, trajectory prediction is a challenging task. Recently, trajectory prediction models using machine learning algorithms have been addressed solve to this problem. In this paper, we present a trajectory prediction method based on the random forest (RF) algorithm and the long short term memory (LSTM) encoder-decoder architecture. An occupancy grid map is first defined for the region surrounding the target vehicle, and then the row and the column that will be occupied by the target vehicle at future time steps are determined using the RF algorithm and the LSTM encoder-decoder architecture, respectively. For the collection of training data, the test vehicle was equipped with a camera and LIDAR sensors along with vehicular wireless communication devices, and the experiments were conducted under various driving scenarios. The vehicle test results demonstrate that the proposed method provides more robust trajectory prediction compared with existing trajectory prediction methods.
Design of A Parallel Decoding Method for LDPC Code Generated via Primitive Polynomial
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Zhou Liang , Zhou Zhi Heng
Published: February 2021

An effective way of improving decoding performance of an LDPC code is to extend the single-decoder decoding method to a parallel decoding method with multiple sub-decoders. To this end, this paper proposes a parallel decoding method for the LDPC codes constructed by m-sequence. In this method, the sub-decoders have two types. The first one contains only one decoding module using the original parity-check constraints to implement a belief propagation (BP) algorithm. The second one consists of a pre-decode module and a decoding module. The parity-check matrices for pre-decode modules are generated by the parity-check constraints of the sub-sequences sampled from an m-sequence. Then, the number of iterations of the BP process in each pre-decode module is set as half of the girth of the parity-check matrix, resulting in the elimination of the impact of short cycles. Using maximum a posterior (MAP), the least metric selector (LMS) finally picks out a codeword from the outputs of sub-decoders. Our simulation results show that the performance gain of the proposed parallel decoding method with five sub-decoders is about 0.4 dB, compared to the single-decoder decoding method at the bit error rate (BER) of 10−5.
Model Predictive Current Control with Fixed Switching Frequency and Dead-Time Compensation for Single-Phase PWM Rectifier
Authors: Kang Longyun , Zhang Jianbin , Zhou Hailan , Zhao Zixian , Duan Xinwei
Published: February 2021

The research object of this paper is single-phase PWM rectifier, the purpose is to reduce the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the grid-side current. A model predictive current control (MPCC) with fixed switching frequency and dead-time compensation is proposed. First, a combination of an effective vector and two zero vectors is used to fix the switching frequency, and a current prediction equation based on the effective vector’s optimal action time is derived. The optimal action time is resolved from the cost function. Furthermore, in order to perfect the established prediction model and suppress the current waveform distortion as a consequence of the dead-time effect, the dead-time’s influence on the switching vector’s action time is analyzed, and the current prediction equation is revised. According to the experimental results, the conclusion is that, firstly, compared with finite-control-set model predictive control, proportional-integral-based instantaneous current control (PI-ICC) scheme and model predictive direct power control (MP-DPC), the proposed MPCC has the lowest current THD. In addition, the proposed MPCC has a shorter execution time than MP-DPC and has fewer adjusted parameters than PI-ICC. In addition, the dead-time compensation scheme successfully suppresses the zero-current clamping effects, and reduce the current THD.
A Systematic Approach to Predict the Behavior of Cough Droplets Using Feedforward Neural Networks Method
Authors: Bahiuddin Irfan , Wibowo Setyawan Bekti , Syairaji M. , Putra Jimmy Trio , Pandito Cahyo Adi , Maulana Ahdiar Fikri , Prastica Rian Mantasa Salve , Nazmi Nurhazimah
Published: February 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has been identified as being transmitted among humans with droplets from breath, cough, and sneezes. Understanding the droplets’ behavior can be critical information to avoid disease transmission, especially while designing a device deals with human air respiratory. Although various studies have provided enormous computational fluid simulations, most cases are too specific and quite challenging to combine with other similar studies directly. Therefore, this paper proposes a systematic approach to predict the droplet behavior for coughing cases using machine learning. The approach consists of three models, which are droplet generator, mask model, and free droplet model modeled using feedforward neural network (FFNN). The evaluation has shown that the three FFNNs models’ accuracies are relatively high, with R-values of more than 0.990. The model has successfully predicted the evaporation effect on the diameter reduction and the completely evaporated state, which can be considered unlearned cases for machine learning models. The predicted horizontal distance pattern also agrees with the data in the literature. In summary, the proposed approach has demonstrated the capability to predict the diameter pattern according to the experimental or previous work data at various mask face types.
The Potential of Apulian Olive Biodiversity: The Case of Oliva Rossa Virgin Olive Oil
Authors: Squeo Giacomo , Silletti Roccangelo , Mangini Giacomo , Summo Carmine , Caponio Francesco
Published: February 2021

In this study, the drupes and virgin olive oils extracted from the Oliva Rossa landrace are characterized. Oliva Rossa is an old landrace part of the autochthonous Apulian olive germplasm for which only few data have been reported till now. During the study, the maturity patterns of the drupes had been followed. Four samplings per year were planned, one every 14 days starting from the middle of October. The pigmentation index, the oil content and the total phenolic content of the drupes were measured. Simultaneously, virgin olive oils were extracted at the lab scale and analyzed for the fatty acid composition, the basic quality parameters and the content of minor compounds. The pigmentation pattern of the drupes was different among the years and, despite this trend, at the third sampling time the stage of maximum oil accumulation was always over. The extracted virgin olive oils had a medium to high level of oleic acid. With colder temperatures, a higher level of monounsaturated fatty acids, oleic/linoleic ratio and antioxidants was observed. The phenolic profile was dominated by 3,4-DPHEA-EDA and p-HPEA-EDA while the volatile profile by (E)-2-hexenal and 3-ethyl-1,5-octadiene.
Changes of Physiochemical and Enzymatic Activities of doenjang Prepared with Different Amount of Rice koji during 30 Days of Fermentation
Authors: Jo Yongwoo , Bang Woo-suk , Kim Mina K.
Published: February 2021

Koji is an intermediate fermentation agent, made by inoculating known microorganisms in grains, such as rice, beans, and barley, to hydrolyze starch or protein. The quality of koji can influence the final quality of doenjang. This study aimed to investigate changes in the physiochemical and enzymatic activities of doenjang prepared with different amounts of rice koji during a 30-day fermentation period. Three doenjang samples were prepared with varying levels of rice koji: K1 (11% reduced), K2 (control), K3 (11% increased). Physiochemical characteristics including pH, TA, acid value, moisture content, color, sugar and reducing sugar content, and enzymatic activities including α- and β-Amylase, acidic and neutral protease activities. Samples were taken every 5 days for 30 days of fermentation period. The doenjang with a high content of rice koji had higher levels of total sugars, reducing sugars, alcohol, and protein enzyme activity than the doenjang samples with a lower content of rice koji (p < 0.05). However, no differences in the physiochemical and enzymatic activities were found between the doenjang made with a lower amount of koji and the control doenjang during fermentation (p > 0.05).
Glycation of Plant Proteins Via Maillard Reaction: Reaction Chemistry, Technofunctional Properties, and Potential Food Application
Authors: Kutzli Ines , Weiss Jochen , Gibis Monika
Published: February 2021

Plant proteins are being considered to become the most important protein source of the future, and to do so, they must be able to replace the animal-derived proteins currently in use as techno-functional food ingredients. This poses challenges because plant proteins are oftentimes storage proteins with a high molecular weight and low water solubility. One promising approach to overcome these limitations is the glycation of plant proteins. The covalent bonding between the proteins and different carbohydrates created via the initial stage of the Maillard reaction can improve the techno-functional characteristics of these proteins without the involvement of potentially toxic chemicals. However, compared to studies with animal-derived proteins, glycation studies on plant proteins are currently still underrepresented in literature. This review provides an overview of the existing studies on the glycation of the major groups of plant proteins with different carbohydrates using different preparation methods. Emphasis is put on the reaction conditions used for glycation as well as the modifications to physicochemical properties and techno-functionality. Different applications of these glycated plant proteins in emulsions, foams, films, and encapsulation systems are introduced. Another focus lies on the reaction chemistry of the Maillard reaction and ways to harness it for controlled glycation and to limit the formation of undesired advanced glycation products. Finally, challenges related to the controlled glycation of plant proteins to improve their properties are discussed.
Digital Media Use in Association with Sensory Taste Preferences in European Children and Adolescents—Results from the I.Family Study
Authors: Sina Elida , Buck Christoph , Ahrens Wolfgang , De Henauw Stefaan , Jilani Hannah , Lissner Lauren , Molnár Dénes , Moreno Luis , Pala Valeria , Reisch Lucia , Siani Alfonso , Solea Antonia , Veidebaum Toomas , Hebestreit Antje ,   on behalf of the I.Family Consortium
Published: February 2021

Digital media (DM) influences children’s food choice. We aim to investigate associations between DM use and taste preferences (TP) for sweet, fatty, bitter, and salty in European children and adolescents. Individuals aged 6–17 years (N = 7094) providing cross-sectional data for DM use: television (TV), computer/game console (PC), smartphone and internet, were included. Children (6 to <12 years) and adolescents (≥12 years) completed a Food and Beverage Preference Questionnaire; scores were calculated for sweet, fatty, salty and bitter preference and categorized (high vs. low). Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios as association measures between DM exposure and TP. On average, individuals used media for 2.4 h/day (SD = 1.7). Increasing exposures to DM were associated positively with sweet, fatty and salty TP, while inversely with bitter preference. In female adolescents, DM exposure for >2 h/day was associated with sweet (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.02–1.57) and fatty preference (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.10–1.70). Internet exposure was inversely associated with bitter preference, notably in male adolescents (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50–0.84), but positively associated with salty preference (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.02–1.64). DM exposure was associated with sweet, fatty, salty and bitter TP in children and adolescents, serving as the basis for future longitudinal studies to shed light on the underlying mechanism by which DM exposure may determine eating habits.
The Hydromechanical Interplay in the Simplified Three-Dimensional Limit Equilibrium Analyses of Unsaturated Slope Stability
Authors: Sitarenios Panagiotis , Casini Francesca
Published: February 2021

This paper presents a three-dimensional slope stability limit equilibrium solution for translational planar failure modes. The proposed solution uses Bishop’s average skeleton stress combined with the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion to describe soil strength evolution under unsaturated conditions while its formulation ensures a natural and smooth transition from the unsaturated to the saturated regime and vice versa. The proposed analytical solution is evaluated by comparing its predictions with the results of the Ruedlingen slope failure experiment. The comparison suggests that, despite its relative simplicity, the analytical solution can capture the experimentally observed behaviour well and highlights the importance of considering lateral resistance together with a realistic interplay between mechanical parameters (cohesion) and hydraulic (pore water pressure) conditions.
Case Study of a Heavily Damaged Building during the 2016 MW 7.8 Ecuador Earthquake: Directionality Effects in Seismic Actions and Damage Assessment
Authors: Pinzón Luis A. , Pujades Luis G. , Medranda Irving , Alva Rodrigo E.
Published: February 2021

In this work, the directionality effects during the MW 7.8 earthquake, which occurred in Muisne (Ecuador) on 16 April 2016, were analyzed under two perspectives. The first one deals with the influence of these effects on seismic intensity measures (IMs), while the second refers to the assessment of the expected damage of a specific building located in Manta city, Ecuador, as a function of its azimuthal orientation. The records of strong motion in 21 accelerometric stations were used to analyze directionality in seismic actions. At the closest station to the epicenter (RRup = 20 km), the peak ground acceleration was 1380 cm/s2 (EW component of the APED station). A detailed study of the response spectra ratifies the importance of directionality and confirms the need to consider these effects in seismic hazard studies. Differences between IMs values that consider the directionality and those obtained from the as-recorded accelerograms are significant and they agree with studies carried out in other regions. Concerning the variation of the expected damage with respect to the building orientation, a reinforced concrete building, which was seriously affected by the earthquake, was taken as a case study. For this analysis, the accelerograms recorded at a nearby station and detailed structural documentation were used. The ETABS software was used for the structural analysis. Modal and pushover analyses were performed, obtaining capacity curves and capacity spectra in the two main axes of the building. Two advanced methods for damage assessment were used to obtain fragility and mean damage state curves. The performance points were obtained through the linear equivalent approximation. This allows estimation and analysis of the expected mean damage state and the probability of complete damage as functions of the building orientation. Results show that the actual probability of complete damage is close to 60%. This fact is mainly due to the greater severity of the seismic action in one of the two main axes of the building. The results are in accordance with the damage produced by the earthquake in the building and confirm the need to consider the directionality effects in damage and seismic risk assessments.
Eye-Tracking for Clinical Ophthalmology with Virtual Reality (VR): A Case Study of the HTC Vive Pro Eye’s Usability
Authors: Sipatchin Alexandra , Wahl Siegfried , Rifai Katharina
Published: February 2021

Background: A case study is proposed to empirically test and discuss the eye-tracking status-quo hardware capabilities and limitations of an off-the-shelf virtual reality (VR) headset with embedded eye-tracking for at-home ready-to-go online usability in ophthalmology applications. Methods: The eye-tracking status-quo data quality of the HTC Vive Pro Eye is investigated with novel testing specific to objective online VR perimetry. Testing was done across a wide visual field of the head-mounted-display’s (HMD) screen and in two different moving conditions. A new automatic and low-cost Raspberry Pi system is introduced for VR temporal precision testing for assessing the usability of the HTC Vive Pro Eye as an online assistance tool for visual loss. Results: The target position on the screen and head movement evidenced limitations of the eye-tracker capabilities as a perimetry assessment tool. Temporal precision testing showed the system’s latency of 58.1 milliseconds (ms), evidencing its good potential usage as a ready-to-go online assistance tool for visual loss. Conclusions: The test of the eye-tracking data quality provides novel analysis useful for testing upcoming VR headsets with embedded eye-tracking and opens discussion regarding expanding future introduction of these HMDs into patients’ homes for low-vision clinical usability.
Sport Performance and Manual Therapies: A Review on the Effects on Mitochondrial, Sarcoplasmatic and Ca2+ Flux Response
Authors: Regno Alex , Parisi Attilio , Chiera Marco , Barsotti Nicola , Cerulli Claudia , Grazioli Elisa , Tamburri Alessandra , Bruscolotti Marco
Published: February 2021

The present narrative review aims to highlight the possible effects manual therapies could have on cells and mitochondria, as these effects could improve athletic performance management. To this aim, this review summarizes the relationship between mechanical stimulation, with a special focus on physical activity, and cell response based on the most recent mechanobiology findings. Mechanobiology analyzes how cells respond to mechanical stressors coming from the environment. Indeed, endogenous (e.g., blood pressure, heartbeat and gastrointestinal motility) and exogenous (e.g., physical activity and manual therapies) stimuli can induce biochemical and epigenetic modifications that alter protein synthesis with heavy consequences on cell behavior. Mechanical stress can also influence mitochondrial behavior (i.e., biogenesis, autophagy, fusion, fission and energy production), sarcoplasmic response and calcium ion (Ca2+) flux. Since manual therapies have been shown to affect the extracellular matrix, which represents a primary source of mechanical stress that may alter both the cytoskeleton and mitochondrial metabolism, it is conceivable manual therapies could also affect cellular and mitochondrial behavior. Lastly, by suggesting possible directions for future laboratory and clinical studies, the authors expect this review to inspire further research on how manual therapies could affect bioenergetic metabolism and, thus, athletic performance.
Emotional Changes and Functional Progressions during Postoperative Rehabilitation in Collegiate Student-Athletes: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Lee Seo Young , Park Jihong
Published: February 2021

An interrelationship between psychological and physical health is generally accepted in the field of sports medicine. This preliminary study explored the association between emotional changes and functional outcomes and aimed to describe how each aspect progresses during postoperative rehabilitation. Four collegiate student-athletes (1 female and 3 males) who underwent supervised postoperative rehabilitation due to a lower-extremity injury volunteered for participation in the study. Emotion was quantified using a visual analogue scale prior to and after each session while self-reported function using the Lower-extremity Functional Scale was assessed every eight sessions throughout rehabilitation. There was a moderate correlation between emotional changes and functional outcomes (r = 0.58, p < 0.0001). After the first emotional improvement, patients experienced six emotional deteriorations (28% of the entire rehabilitation period; F49,297 = 2.25, p < 0.0001), while their function consistently increased (F49,147 = 17.39, p < 0.0001). Clinicians should be aware of the relationship between emotional changes and functional progression as well as the occurrence of emotional fluctuations when supervising and consulting patients during postoperative rehabilitation. A larger study is warranted to generalize the results.
Association between Cigarette Smoking and Physical Fitness Level of Korean Adults and the Elderly
Authors: Jeon Hyung Gyu , Kim Gyuri , Jeong Hee Seong , So Wi-Young
Published: February 2021

Although previous studies have examined the relationship between smoking and physical fitness, they only considered current smoking status and the same fitness measurements regardless of age. This study investigated differences in physical fitness based on tobacco smoking habits. A total of 2830 non-elderly adults (NEA; 19–64 years) and 629 elderly (65–89 years) participated in the study, using data extracted from a Korean national database. One-way ANCOVA and ANOVA were conducted to analyze the results. The subjects were classified into three groups (smokers, those who had quit, and never-smokers). In NEA men, a significant difference was observed in 50-m dash (p = 0.003) and 20-m shuttle-run (p < 0.001), while in elderly men differences were only seen in sit-ups (p = 0.015). In the case of NEA and elderly women, no significant differences were observed in physical fitness levels (p > 0.05). The decreased fitness level due to smoking was more noticeable in men than in women, and in NEA more than in elderly persons. A non-smoking policy and customized training based on age or gender are necessary to increase fitness and improve health conditions.
The Awareness of Risks Associated with OTC Drugs Available in Non-Pharmacy Outlets among Polish Patients—A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Dulęba Jacek , Religioni Urszula , Słodka Emilia , Fal Andrzej , Krysiński Jerzy , Merks Piotr
Published: February 2021

Background: Many OTC drugs are available in non-pharmacy outlets, and as such the risk of overuse and/or improper use of this class of drugs is more likely. In light of this observation, our study was conducted with the aim of exploring opinions on non-pharmaceutical distribution among Polish patients. This study was a part of an informative project to educate patients about the possible risks associated with the use of OTC medicines. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Polish patients in which we used an authorial questionnaire, previously tested via content, face validity, and a pilot study. The questionnaire was distributed both electronically and in a traditional form. Results: ‘Time saving’ had a statistically significant role in the patient’s decision about purchasing drugs in a non-pharmacy outlet (p = 0.0052; R = 0.276994). The lack of a pharmacist’s consultation/advice (p = 0.0072; R = −0.3290490), improper storage (p = 0.0044; R = −0.238246), risk of overdose (p = 0.0125; R = −0.189564), and the risk of purchasing out-of-date drugs (p = 0.0125; R = −0.145411), as well as the risk of purchasing falsified drugs (p = 0.0265; R = −0.159428), were all associated with the patient’s non-willingness to purchase drugs in non-pharmacy outlets. Patients supported the idea of the elimination of non-pharmacy outlet distribution (p = 0.0074; R = −0.195932); they also emphasized that they are advocates of purchasing drugs only in community pharmacies (p = 0.0006; R = −0.238625). Conclusion: Patients are aware of the risks associated with buying drugs outside of community pharmacies. They perceived pharmacists as professional health care advisors and supported the fact that OTC drugs should be available only via pharmaceutical distribution.
Relational Quality of Registered Nurses and Nursing Assistants: Influence on Patient Safety Culture
Authors: Campbell Amy , Layne Diana , Scott Elaine
Published: February 2021

Registered nurses (RNs) working within acute care hospitals have an incredible responsibility to provide safe care in a complex environment which requires trust, teamwork, and communication. Nursing assistants (NAs) play a critical role in working with RNs to meet these growing demands of inpatient care. Minimal evidence exists exploring the relational quality between RNs and NAs within hospitals. The aim of this study is to explore RN and NA behaviors and experiences that promote patient safety and teamwork and enhance communication between RNs and NAs within the hospital environment. Qualitative analysis was used, with two focus groups which included six participants within each group (three RNs and three NAs) from two separate inpatient units. Transcripts were reviewed and coded for themes. Collaborative teamwork and two-way communication were commonly reported as behaviors that promote patient safety. Trust between RNs and NAs was identified as a key component of positive relationships between RNs and NAs. Participants identified four common behaviors that build trust, which were accountability, effective conflict resolution, collaborative teamwork, and prioritizing patient needs. Finally, teamwork was identified as a common strategy to increase communication effectiveness between RNs and NAs. High relational quality (RQ) between the RN and NA is an important component of teamwork and patient safety culture.
Characteristics and Trends of Strawberry Cultivars throughout the Cultivation Season in a Greenhouse
Authors: Ahn Min Gyu , Kim Dong Sub , Ahn Su Ran , Sim Ha Seon , Kim Steven , Kim Sung Kyeom
Published: February 2021

Each strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) cultivar has its own growth and yield characteristics. However, the characteristics of many cultivars have not been determined at a consistent time and place, making direct comparative analysis difficult. The objective of this study was to identify characteristics and trends of five Korean strawberry cultivars in the same environment during an entire season. Therefore, environmental factors such as daily average air temperature, daily average relative humidity, daily average solar radiation, daily soil temperature, daily soil water content, daily soil electrical conductivity (EC), plant growth characteristics such as the number of leaves, plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and crown diameter, and productivity characteristics such as flowering and fruiting were measured to investigate the possible correlations of the data over one season. The vegetative growth of “Seolhyang” and “Keumsil” was greater than that of “Jukhyang” and “Maehyang”. The yield of “Arihyang” was greater than that of all other cultivars. “Arihyang” also presented the greatest weight per number of fruits. Among environmental factors, higher variability in air temperature and soil water content was correlated to lower total fresh weight in the following week at different degrees for each cultivar. Among the cultivars, the time to the first flowering was delayed by about seven days when the number of leaves increased by one and was reduced by one day per 1 cm increase in plant height. The total fresh weight was enhanced up to 271 g per experimental unit, while the average number of leaves increased by one. The results indicate that the data can be used by those who need information regarding the characteristics of the strawberry cultivars through direct comparative analysis.
How Does Reciprocal Exchange of Social Support Alleviate Individuals’ Depression in an Earthquake-Damaged Community?
Authors: Pandit Arpana , Nakagawa Yoshinori
Published: February 2021

There is ample evidence to indicate the direct effects of receiving social support on mental health during and after a disaster. However, the importance of reciprocal exchanges of social support (i.e., balanced receipt and provision of social support) in maintaining the mental health status of individuals is not widely recognized. Using equity theory and reciprocity norms as a conceptual base, we distinguished two types of social support, namely, emotional support and instrumental support, and examined the effects of reciprocal exchanges of types of support on depression in survivors of an earthquake-damaged community. To collect data, in 2019, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 295 survivors of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in a rural village in Nepal. Our results showed that the relationship between reciprocal exchange of support and depression varied depending on the types of support. The amount of emotional support received by the individual alleviated his/her depression only when accompanied by giving emotional support. By contrast, the net amount of instrumental support given by the individual increased his/her depression. The practical implications of the study are discussed.
Fuzzy Markovian Bonus-Malus Systems in Non-Life Insurance
Authors: Villacorta Pablo J. , González-Vila Puchades Laura , de Andrés-Sánchez Jorge
Published: February 2021

Markov chains (MCs) are widely used to model a great deal of financial and actuarial problems. Likewise, they are also used in many other fields ranging from economics, management, agricultural sciences, engineering or informatics to medicine. This paper focuses on the use of MCs for the design of non-life bonus-malus systems (BMSs). It proposes quantifying the uncertainty of transition probabilities in BMSs by using fuzzy numbers (FNs). To do so, Fuzzy MCs (FMCs) as defined by Buckley and Eslami in 2002 are used, thus giving rise to the concept of Fuzzy BMSs (FBMSs). More concretely, we describe in detail the common BMS where the number of claims follows a Poisson distribution under the hypothesis that its characteristic parameter is not a real but a triangular FN (TFN). Moreover, we reflect on how to fit that parameter by using several fuzzy data analysis tools and discuss the goodness of triangular approximates to fuzzy transition probabilities, the fuzzy stationary state, and the fuzzy mean asymptotic premium. The use of FMCs in a BMS allows obtaining not only point estimates of all these variables, but also a structured set of their possible values whose reliability is given by means of a possibility measure. Although our analysis is circumscribed to non-life insurance, all of its findings can easily be extended to any of the abovementioned fields with slight modifications.
The Optical Properties of InGaN/GaN Nanorods Fabricated on (-201) β-Ga2O3 Substrate for Vertical Light Emitting Diodes
Authors: Zhao Jie , Li Weijiang , Wang Lulu , Wei Xuecheng , Wang Junxi , Wei Tongbo
Published: February 2021

We fabricated InGaN/GaN nanorod light emitting diode (LED) on (-201) β-Ga2O3 substrate via the SiO2 nanosphere lithography and dry-etching techniques. The InGaN/GaN nanorod LED grown on β-Ga2O3 can effectively suppress quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE) compared to planar LED on account of the strain relaxation. With the enhancement of excitation power density, the photoluminescence (PL) peak shows a large blue-shift for the planar LED, while for the nanorod LED, the peak position shift is small. Furthermore, the simulations also show that the light extraction efficiency (LEE) of the nanorod LED is approximately seven times as high as that of the planar LED. Obviously, the InGaN/GaN/β-Ga2O3 nanorod LED is conducive to improving the optical performance relative to planar LED, and the present work may lay the groundwork for future development of the GaN-based vertical light emitting diodes (VLEDs) on β-Ga2O3 substrate.
Health Benefits of Uses and Applications of Moringa oleifera in Bakery Products
Authors: Milla Paula García , Peñalver Rocío , Nieto Gema
Published: February 2021

Moringa oleifera belongs to the Moringaceae family and is the best known of the native Moringa oleifera genus. For centuries, it has been used as a system of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and has a wide range of nutritional and bioactive compounds, including proteins, essential amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, fibre, vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds, phytosterols and others. These characteristics allow it to have pharmacological properties, including anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, cardioprotective, antimicrobial and hepatoprotective properties. The entire Moringa oleifera plant is edible, including its flowers, however, it is not entirely safe, because of compounds that have been found mainly in the root and bark, so the leaf was identified as the safest. Moringa oleifera is recognised as an excellent source of phytochemicals, with potential applications in functional and medicinal food preparations due to its nutritional and medicinal properties; many authors have experimented with incorporating it mainly in biscuits, cakes, brownies, meats, juices and sandwiches. The results are fascinating, as the products increase their nutritional value; however, the concentrations cannot be high, as this affects the organoleptic characteristics of the supplemented products. The aim of this study is to review the application of Moringa oleifera in bakery products, which will allow the creation of new products that improve their nutritional and functional value.
Genome-Wide Characterization of Lectin Receptor Kinases in Saccharum spontaneum L. and Their Responses to Stagonospora tainanensis Infection
Authors: Wang Zhoutao , Ren Hui , Xu Fu , Lu Guilong , Cheng Wei , Que Youxiong , Xu Liping
Published: February 2021

Sugarcane is an important sugar and bioenergy ethanol crop, and the hyperploidy has led to stagnant progress in sugarcane genome decipherment, which also hindered the genome-wide analyses of versatile lectin receptor kinases (LecRKs). The published genome of Saccharum spontaneum, one of the two sugarcane ancestor species, enables us to study the characterization of LecRKs and their responses to sugarcane leaf blight (SLB) triggered by Stagonospora tainanensis. A total of 429 allelic and non-allelic LecRKs, which were classified into evolved independently three types according to signal domains and phylogeny, were identified based on the genome. Regarding those closely related LecRKs in the phylogenetic tree, their motifs and exon architectures of representative L- and G-types were similar or identical. LecRKs showed an unequal distribution on chromosomes and more G-type tandem repeats may come from the gene expansion. Comparing the differentially expressed LecRKs (DELs) in response to SLB in sugarcane hybrid and ancestor species S. spontaneum, we found that the DEL number in the shared gene sets was highly variable among each sugarcane accession, which indicated that the expression dynamics of LecRKs in response to SLB were quite different between hybrids and particularly between sugarcane hybrid and S. spontaneum. In addition, C-type LecRKs may participate in metabolic processes of plant–pathogen interaction, mainly including pathogenicity and plant resistance, indicating their putative roles in sugarcane responses to SLB infection. The present study provides a basic reference and global insight into the further study and utilization of LecRKs in plants.
QTL Mapping of Heat Tolerance in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) at Adult Stage
Authors: Liu Yanyan , Dong Shaoyun , Wei Shuang , Wang Weiping , Miao Han , Bo Kailiang , Gu Xingfang , Zhang Shengping
Published: February 2021

Heat stress during cucumber production often leads to sunburn of leaves, growth retardation of stems and roots, fruit malformation, and even plant death, which have a great impact on the fruit quality and yield. However, no studies on the genetic inheritance and quantitative trait locus mapping of heat tolerance in cucumber at the adult stage have been reported yet. In this study, a set of 86 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from “99281” (heat-tolerant) and “931” (heat-sensitive) were used to identify the heat tolerance QTL in summer 2018, 2019, and 2020. Eight-week-old plants were exposed to a natural high temperature environment in the field, and the heat injury index was used to indicate the heat tolerance performance. Genetic analysis showed that the heat tolerance of adult cucumber is quantitatively inherited. One QTL named qHT1.1 on chromosome 1 was identified. It was delimited by Indel 3-3 and Indel 1-15 and explained 59.6%, 58.1%, and 40.1% of the phenotypic variation in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. The efficiency of marker HT-1, which is closely linked to the locus, was tested using 62 cucumber germplasm accessions and was found to have an accuracy of 97.8% in heat sensitive plants. The qHT1.1 was delimited to a 694.5-kb region, containing 98 genes, nine of which may be involved in heat tolerance. Further sequence analysis showed that there are three single-base substitutions within the coding sequences of Csa1G004990. Gene expression analyses suggested that the expression of Csa1G004990 was significantly higher in “99281” than “931” at 14d, 35d, 42d, and 49d after transplanting. This study provides practically useful markers for heat tolerance breeding in cucumber and provides a basis for further identifying heat tolerant genes.
Influence of Environmental Factors on the Genetic and Chemical Diversity of Brickellia veronicifolia Populations Growing in Fragmented Shrublands from Mexico
Authors: Pacheco-Hernández Yesenia , Villa-Ruano Nemesio , Lozoya-Gloria Edmundo , Barrales-Cortés César Augusto , Jiménez-Montejo Fabiola Eloisa , Cruz-López María del Carmen
Published: February 2021

Brickellia veronicifolia is a native Asteraceae from Mexico that persists in fragmented habitats. This investigation reports the genetic and chemical diversity of B. veronicifolia. The diversity analysis based on iPBS markers showed an averaged Shannon index (S) of 0.3493, a Nei genetic diversity (h) of 0.2256, and a percentage of polymorphic loci average (P) of 80.7867%. The population structure obtained by AMOVA revealed that the highest variation found within populations was 94.58%. GC-MS profiling of six populations indicated that major volatiles were β–caryophyllene (11.63%), spathulenol (12.85%), caryophyllene oxide (13.98%), α–cadinol (7.04%), cubedol (6.72%) and tau-muurolol (4.81%). Mantel tests suggested a statistically significant relationship between minor volatiles and geographical distance (r = 0.6163; p = 0.0470; p ˂ 0.05). Likewise, major volatiles showed a significant correlation with the soil pH (r = 0.6862; p = 0.0230) and maximum temperature (r = 0.4999; p = 0.0280). Our study suggests that the variation and genetic divergence of B. veronicifolia has no relationship with climatic parameters, whereas the volatiles are probably influenced by environmental factors and not by the genotype per se. Based on the characteristics of B. veronicifolia, this plant could be considered as a candidate for restoring fragmented shrublands in Mexico.
Foliar Application of Different Vegetal-Derived Protein Hydrolysates Distinctively Modulates Tomato Root Development and Metabolism
Authors: Ceccarelli Angela Valentina , Miras-Moreno Begoña , Buffagni Valentina , Senizza Biancamaria , Pii Youry , Cardarelli Mariateresa , Rouphael Youssef , Colla Giuseppe , Lucini Luigi
Published: February 2021

Despite the scientific evidence supporting their biostimulant activity, the molecular mechanism(s) underlying the activity of protein hydrolysates (PHs) and the specificity among different products are still poorly explored. This work tested five different protein hydrolysates, produced from different plant sources using the same enzymatic approach, for their ability to promote rooting in tomato cuttings following quick dipping. Provided that all the different PHs increased root length (45–93%) and some of them increased root number (37–56%), untargeted metabolomics followed by multivariate statistics and pathway analysis were used to unravel the molecular processes at the basis of the biostimulant activity. Distinct metabolomic signatures could be found in roots following the PHs treatments. In general, PHs shaped the phytohormone profile, modulating the complex interaction between cytokinins and auxins, an interplay playing a pivotal role in root development, and triggered a down accumulation of brassinosteroids. Concerning secondary metabolism, PHs induced the accumulation of aliphatic glucosinolates, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids, potentially eliciting crop resilience to stress conditions. Here, we confirm that PHs may have a hormone-like activity, and that their application can modulate plant growth, likely interfering with signaling processes. Noteworthy, the heterogenicity of the botanical origin supported the distinctive and peculiar metabolomic responses we observed across the products tested. While supporting their biostimulant activity, these findings suggest that a generalized crop response to PHs cannot be defined and that specific effects are rather to be investigated.
Germination at Extreme Temperatures: Implications for Alpine Shrub Encroachment
Authors: Venn Susanna E. , Gallagher Rachael V. , Nicotra Adrienne B.
Published: February 2021

Worldwide, shrub cover is increasing across alpine and tundra landscapes in response to warming ambient temperatures and declines in snowpack. With a changing climate, shrub encroachment may rely on recruitment from seed occurring outside of the optimum temperature range. We used a temperature gradient plate in order to determine the germination niche of 14 alpine shrub species. We then related the range in laboratory germination temperatures of each species to long-term average temperature conditions at: (1) the location of the seed accession site and (2) across each species geographic distribution. Seven of the species failed to germinate sufficiently to be included in the analyses. For the other species, the germination niche was broad, spanning a range in temperatures of up to 17 °C, despite very low germination rates in some species. Temperatures associated with the highest germination percentages were all above the range of temperatures present at each specific seed accession site. Optimum germination temperatures were consistently within or higher than the range of maximum temperatures modelled across the species’ geographic distribution. Our results indicate that while some shrub species germinate well at high temperatures, others are apparently constrained by an inherent seed dormancy. Shrub encroachment in alpine areas will likely depend on conditions that affect seed germination at the microsite-scale, despite overall conditions becoming more suitable for shrubs at high elevations.