bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol expectancy effects on women’s memory for consensual and non-consensual sexual activity
Authors: Stevens Laura M. , Monds Lauren Ann , Riordan Benjamin , Hayre Rumandeep K. , Flowe Heather D.
Published: February 2023

Objective

To test whether acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol expectancy affects how accurately women remember consensual and non-consensual sexual activity that occurred during an interactive hypothetical dating scenario.

Design

A balanced placebo randomized study that varied alcohol dose (mean Breath Alcohol Content; BrAC = 0.06%) and alcohol expectancy prior to participants encoding a hypothetical interactive rape scenario was implemented. Participants could elect to consent to sexual activity with a male partner in the hypothetical scenario. If they stopped consenting, non-consensual sexual intercourse (i.e., rape) was described. Seven days later, participants’ memory for consensual and non-consensual sexual activity in the scenario was tested.

Main outcome measures

Memory accuracy, confidence, and feelings of intoxication.

Results

A total of 90 females (M age = 20.5, SD = 2.2) were tested regarding their memory accuracy for the consensual and non-consensual sexual activities in the scenario. A multi-level logistic regression predicting memory accuracy for the perpetrator’s behaviors during the rape indicated no effect of alcohol intoxication. However, a main effect of alcohol expectancy was found, whereby participants who expected to consume alcohol, compared to those who did not, recalled the perpetrator’s behaviors during the rape more accurately. A second regression predicting memory accuracy for consensual sexual activity found no main effects for alcohol intoxication or alcohol expectancy. Participants recalled consensual sexual activity with a high degree of accuracy. Calibration analyses indicated that accuracy increased with confidence level, regardless of intoxication level or alcohol expectancy condition, but that women tended to be overconfident in general.

Conclusion

This study provides an important test of how accurately women remember consensual and non-consensual sexual activities. The accuracy of this information is important for forensic medical examinations and police investigations following an allegation of sexual assault. Increased memory accuracy was found for offence details when participants expected to consume alcohol, suggesting there may be important differences in attentional processes (e.g., hypervigilance) depending on whether threat is present. Further research is necessary to investigate memory for sexual violence in real-world settings and to test methods for ascertaining the most complete and reliable accounts.
Exploring the relationship between perceived social support and college students’ autonomous fitness behavior: Chain mediating effect test
Authors: Li Na , Zhao Shuqiang , Liu Chanjuan , Dai Kun , Huang Wenjian
Published: February 2023

Objective

This study aims to explore the effect of perceived social support on college students’ autonomous fitness behavior, and the mediating role of mental toughness and exercise self-efficacy.

Methodology

A survey participated by 985 college Students (average age, 19.55) was conducted by applying the following scales: The Perceived Social Support Scale, the Adolescent Self-Government Behavior Scale, the Mental Toughness Scale, and the Exercise Self-efficacy Scale (ESES).

Results

(1) Perceived social support can directly and positively predict autonomous fitness behavior, mental toughness, and exercise self-efficacy; mental toughness can directly and positively predict exercise self-efficacy. Likewise, perceived social support, mental toughness, and exercise self-efficacy can positively predict autonomous fitness behavior. (2) The indirect effect of the path with mental toughness as the mediating variable is 0.078, the indirect effect of the path with exercise self-efficacy as the mediating variable is 0.122, and the indirect effect of the path with mental toughness and exercise self-efficacy as the mediating variable is 0.082. (3) The total of all indirect effects is 0.282, and the effects of the three indirect pathways account for 18.25, 28.62, and 19.37% of the total, respectively.

Conclusion

The perceived social support can indirectly predict college students’ autonomous fitness behavior through the independent mediating effect of mental toughness and self-efficacy, as well as the chain mediating effect of the two. The claim that mental toughness and exercise self-efficacy perform a chain-mediate role in the positive effect brought by perceived social support on autonomous fitness behavior has been supported. This study revealed the relationship and mechanism between perceived social support and college students’ autonomous fitness behavior and further improved the research on the impact of perceived social support on college students’ autonomous fitness behavior.
Psychological skills training impacts autonomic nervous system responses to stress during sport-specific imagery: An exploratory study in junior elite shooters
Authors: Lee Gunyoung , Ryu Jihoon , Kim Teri
Published: February 2023

This study investigated the effects of psychological skills training (PST) in shooters psychophysiologically using heart rate variability (HRV) in addition to psychological questionnaires and participant interviews. Five junior pistol shooters participated in an 8-week PST program consisting of a group session per week followed by individual counseling. Before and after PST, we collected electrocardiography data during rest, mental imagery of sport-related crisis situations, and successful performance, to analyze differences in HRV indices. Participants also responded to the Psychological Skills Inventory for Archery and Shooting (PSIAS), Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), Sports Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Trait Sport Confidence Inventory (TSCI). Results showed that the perceived competence (pre: 2.52 ± 0.95, post: 3.36 ± 0.73, p = 0.049) and trait sport confidence (pre: 4.94 ± 1.17, post: 6.60 ± 0.65, p = 0.049) significantly improved after PST. The analysis of HRV indicated that the ratio of low-frequency power to high-frequency power (LF/HF ratio) decreased significantly during imagery of crisis (pre: 3.4 ± 2.3, post: 1.014 ± 0.71, p = 0.038) and success (pre: 1.933 ± 0.917, post: 0.988 ± 0.572, p = 0.046), reflecting a strengthened autonomic nervous system’s responsiveness to stress. Our findings illustrate that PST can help athletes better cope with psychologically disturbed situations during competition, by providing psychophysiological evidence through HRV changes.
Information and communication technologies-assisted after-hours work: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of the relationships with work–family/life management variables
Authors: Santos Alda , Roberto Magda Sofia , Camilo Cláudia , Chambel Maria José
Published: February 2023

The phenomenon of information and communication technology (ICT)-assisted after-hours work has led to rising academic interest in examining its impact on workers’ lives. ICT-assisted after-hours work may intrude on the home domain and contribute to higher work–family/life conflict, lower work–family/life balance, or higher work–family/life enrichment (the last one owing to the acquisition of competencies transferable to the home domain). Additionally, owing to cultural and societal differences in gender roles, the relationships between ICT-assisted after-hours work and work–family/life management variables may differ between female and male workers. To analyze the current empirical findings, this study performed a literature review with 38 articles and a meta-analysis with 37 articles. Our findings showed that ICT-assisted after-hours work was positively related to work–family/life enrichment (r = 0.335, p < 0.001; 95% CI [0.290, 0.406]), but also to work–family/life conflict (r = 0.335, p < 0.001; 95% CI [0.290, 0.406]). However, neither gender nor pre−/post-COVID significantly affect the relationship between ICT-assisted after-hours work and work–family/life conflict. Finally, future research and implications are discussed.
Psychometric properties of the effort-reward imbalance scale in Chinese version for university students
Authors: Kequn Chu , Biao Li , Shaohua She
Published: February 2023

Objective

The main purpose of the study was to translate the Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale for University Students (ERIUS) and assess its psychometric properties in the Chinese cultural context.

Methods

We translated the original English version of the ERIUS into Chinese and undertook exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis using data collected from university students. The Stress Scale for College Students was selected as the criterion measure to examine the association between psychological stress and effort-reward imbalance. The validity and reliability of the translated version of the ERIUS were also assessed, and a sub-sample of participants (n = 120) completed the measure twice, with a two-week interval to assess test–retest reliability.

Result

Results of the exploratory factor analysis using data from 314 students showed that the Chinese version of the ERIUS had 14 items and 3 factors: effort, reward and overcommitment. Confirmatory factor analysis using data from 584 students showed that the Chinese version of the ERIUS had adequate structural validity (χ2 = 107.10, df = 32, RMSEA = 0.08, NFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.91, GFI = 0.90, PGFI = 0.62).

Conclusion

The Chinese version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Scale for University Students has adequate psychometric properties in the Chinese cultural context and can be used as an effective tool to measure psychosocial stress of university students in China.
Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward delirium and subtype assessment among Chinese clinical nurses and determinant factors: A multicentre cross-section study
Authors: Zhou Wen , Zheng Qiulan , Huang Miao , Zhang Chuanlai , Zhang Huan , Yang Li , Wu Taiqin , Gan Xiuni
Published: February 2023

Background

Delirium, a confused transient state of consciousness, can be divided into hyperactive, hypoactive, mixed, and no motor subtypes, according to different clinical manifestations. Several studies have investigated delirium subtypes in the knowledge dimension, but few studies have investigated delirium subtype in the attitude and practice dimensions. The barriers, knowledge sources, and practice details regarding subtype assessment are unclear.

Objectives

This study had three objectives. First, we planned to investigate the KAP status regarding delirium and subtypes for nurses. Second, we wanted to identify factors affecting clinical nurses' KAP scores. Third, this study expected to explore more details regarding delirium and subtypes assessment, including assessment barriers, assessment instruments, and knowledge sources.

Methods

This multicentre cross-section study was conducted in 10 tertiary hospitals in three provinces, China, from January to April 2022. We investigated 477 nurses from six departments with a high prevalence. The self-developed KAP questionnaire regarding delirium and subtypes assessment had four parts: knowledge, attitude, practice, and source. Its reliability and validity were verified effectively by 2-round Delphi expert consultation.

Results

A total of 477 nurses from the general intensive care unit (ICU), specialty ICU, orthopedics, thoracic surgery, operating room, and geriatrics were 28.3, 22.4, 22.2, 10.5, and 5.2%, respectively. The total KAP score regarding delirium and subtypes assessment was 60.01 ± 6.98, and the scoring rate was 73.18%. The scoring rate for knowledge, attitude, and practice was 58.55, 83.94, and 51.70%, respectively. More than half (54.1%) were unaware of the delirium subtypes assessment instruments. A total of 451 (94.6%) participants recognized the importance of nursing work for delirium prevention. A total of 250 (52.4%) nurses occasionally or sometimes assessed delirium subtypes, and 143 (30.0%) never assessed for delirium subtypes. We found that age, department, technical title, familiarity with delirium, familiarity with delirium subtypes, delirium training, and subtype training affected the total KAP scores. ICU nurses achieved the highest scores.

Conclusion

Chinese nurses' KAP status regarding delirium and subtypes assessment were barely acceptable, and the attitude score was positive, but knowledge and practice needed improvement. Meanwhile, the department was one of the significant KAP factors, and ICU nurses did better in delirium and subtype assessment in knowledge and practice dimension than other departments. Systematic and scientific training processes including subtype content and assessment tools are required. Experience still drives nurses' assessments of delirium and subtype. Adding the delirium assessment into routine tasks should be considered.
Feasibility of randomized controlled trials and long-term implementation of interventions: Insights from a qualitative process evaluation of the PEDAL trial
Authors: Bulley Cathy , Koufaki Pelagia , Macdonald Jamie Hugo , Macdougall Iain C. , Mercer Thomas H. , Scullion Jane , Greenwood Sharlene A.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

A multi-site randomized controlled trial was carried out between 2015 and 2019 to evaluate the impacts on quality of life of an intradialytic exercise programme for people living with chronic kidney disease. This included a qualitative process evaluation which gave valuable insights in relation to feasibility of the trial and of the intervention in the long-term. These can inform future clinical Trial design and evaluation studies.

Methods

A constructivist phenomenological approach underpinned face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Purposive recruitment ensured inclusion of participants in different arms of the PEDAL Trial, providers with different roles and trial team members from seven Renal Units in five study regions. Following ethical review, those willing took part in one interview in the Renal Unit. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed (intelligent verbatim) and inductively thematically analyzed.

Results

Participants (n = 65) (Intervention arm: 26% completed; 13% who did not; Usual care arm: 13%; 46% women; 54% men; mean age 60 year) and providers (n = 39) were interviewed (23% PEDAL Trial team members). Three themes emerged: (1) Implementing the Intervention; (2) Implementing the trial; and (3) Engagement of the clinical team. Explanatory theory named “the Ideal Scenario” was developed, illustrating complex interactions between different aspects of intervention and trial implementation with the clinical context. This describes characteristics likely to optimize trial feasibility and intervention sustainability in the long-term. Key aspects of this relate to careful integration of the trial within the clinical context to optimize promotion of the trial in the short-term and engagement and ownership in the long-term. Strong leadership in both the clinical and trial teams is crucial to ensure a proactive and empowering culture.

Conclusion

Novel explanatory theory is proposed with relevance for Implementation Science. The “Ideal Scenario” is provided to guide trialists in pre-emptive and ongoing risk analysis relating to trial feasibility and long-term intervention implementation. Alternative study designs should be explored to minimize the research-to-practice gap and optimize the likelihood of informative findings and long-term implementation. These might include Realist Randomized Controlled Trials and Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation studies.
Relative Orbital Motion Control of Spacecraft Based on Multi-Objective Optimization
Authors: Guo Jieyuan , Miao Haibin , Shao Lizhen
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we consider the relative motion of a follower spacecraft orbiting the Earth in a near circular orbit with respect to a leader spacecraft. The relative orbital motion-control problem of the follower spacecraft is studied here. In order to allow the follower spacecraft to succeed in its target orbital motion maneuver, we proposed a multi-objective optimization method to solve the relative orbital motion-control problem. Firstly, a Hill–Clohessy–Wiltshire equation was used to describe the continuous relative orbital motion-control system. Then, the system was discretized into a discrete system using numerical methods. Next, a multi-objective optimization model of the relative orbital motion-control problem was formulated. In the model, two objectives, i.e., the orbital motion error and the energy consumption, were minimized simultaneously. Furthermore, the ε-constraint method was used to solve the multi-objective optimization problem and the Pareto front, which demonstrates that the trade-off between the two objectives can be achieved. Finally, numerical experiments were carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed multi-objective optimization approach.
Using Deep Neural Networks to Evaluate Leafminer Fly Attacks on Tomato Plants
Authors: Martins Crispi Guilhermi , Valente Domingos Sárvio Magalhães , Queiroz Daniel Marçal de , Momin Abdul , Fernandes-Filho Elpídio Inácio , Picanço Marcelo Coutinho
Published: February 2023

Among the most common and serious tomato plant pests, leafminer flies (Liriomyza sativae) are considered one of the major tomato-plant-damaging pests worldwide. Detecting the infestation and quantifying the severity of these pests are essential for reducing their outbreaks through effective management and ensuring successful tomato production. Traditionally, detection and quantification are performed manually in the field. This is time-consuming and leads to inaccurate plant protection management practices owing to the subjectivity of the evaluation process. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a machine learning model for the detection and automatic estimation of the severity of tomato leaf symptoms of leafminer fly attacks. The dataset used in the present study comprised images of pest symptoms on tomato leaves acquired under field conditions. Manual annotation was performed to classify the acquired images into three groups: background, tomato leaf, and leaf symptoms from leafminer flies. Three models and four different backbones were compared for a multiclass semantic segmentation task using accuracy, precision, recall, and intersection over union metrics. A comparison of the segmentation results revealed that the U-Net model with the Inceptionv3 backbone achieved the best results. For estimation of symptom severity, the best model was FPN with the ResNet34 and DenseNet121 backbones, which exhibited lower root mean square error values. The computational models used proved promising mainly because of their capacity to automatically segment small objects in images captured in the field under challenging lighting conditions and with complex backgrounds.
Theory-Guided Analytics Process: Using Theories to Underpin an Analytics Process for New Banking Product Development Using Segmentation-Based Marketing Analytics Leveraging on Marketing Intelligence
Authors: Lim Tristan , Pan Tao , Ong Chin Sin , Chen Shuaiwei , Chia Jie Jun Jeremy
Published: February 2023

Retail banking is undergoing considerable product competitiveness and disruptions. New product development is necessary to tackle such challenges and reinvigorate product lines. This study presents an instrumental real-life banking case study, where marketing analytics was utilized to drive a product differentiation strategy. In particular, the study applied unsupervised machine learning techniques of link analysis, latent class analysis, and association analysis to undertake behavioral-based market segmentation, in view of attaining a profitable competitive advantage. To underpin the product development process with well grounded theoretical framing, this study asked the research question: “How may we establish a theory-driven approach for an analytics-driven process?” Findings of this study include a theoretical conceptual framework that underpinned the end-to-end segmentation-driven new product development process, backed by the empirical literature. The study hopes to provide: (i) for managerial practitioners, the use of case-based reasoning for practice-oriented new product development design, planning, and diagnosis efforts, and (ii) for researchers, the potentiality to test of the validity and robustness of an analytical-driven NPD process. The study also hopes to drive a wider research interest that studies the theory-driven approach for analytics-driven processes.
Research on Image Denoising in Edge Detection Based on Wavelet Transform
Authors: You Ning , Han Libo , Zhu Daming , Song Weiwei
Published: February 2023

Photographing images is used as a common detection tool during the process of bridge maintenance. The edges in an image can provide a lot of valuable information, but the detection and extraction of edge details are often affected by the image noise. This study proposes an algorithm for wavelet transform to denoise the image before edge detection, which can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the image and retain as much edge information as possible. In this study, four wavelet functions and four decomposition levels are used to decompose the image, filter the coefficients and reconstruct the image. The PSNR and MSE of the denoised images were compared, and the results showed that the sym5 wavelet function with three-level decomposition has the best overall denoising performance, in which the PSNR and MSE of the denoised images were 23.48 dB and 299.49, respectively. In this study, the canny algorithm was used to detect the edges of the images, and the detection results visually demonstrate the difference between before and after denoising. In order to further evaluate the denoising performance, this study also performed edge detection on images processed by both wavelet transform and the current widely used Gaussian filter, and it calculated the Pratt quality factor of the edge detection results, which were 0.53 and 0.47, respectively. This indicates that the use of wavelet transform to remove noise is more beneficial to the improvement of the subsequent edge detection results.
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Zhang Yihang , Wang Jiazhen
Published: February 2023

The respiratory system is a well-organized multicellular organ, and disruption of cellular homeostasis or abnormal tissue repair caused by genetic deficiency and exposure to risk factors lead to life-threatening pulmonary disease including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Although there is no clear etiology as the name reflected, its pathological progress is closely related to uncoordinated cellular and molecular signals. Here, we review the advances in our understanding of the role of lung tissue cells in IPF pathology including epithelial cells, mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells. These advances summarize the role of various cell components and signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is helpful to further study the pathological mechanism of the disease, provide new opportunities for disease prevention and treatment, and is expected to improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients.
Assessing the Protein-Ligand Interaction and Thermally Induced Quality Changes in Tomato-Based Pineapple Beverage
Authors: Kaur Rajinder , Sharma Nitya , Bansal Vasudha , Reenu Reenu , Yadav Dharmendra Kumar , Gupta Akansha , Mahato Dipendra Kumar
Published: February 2023

The intake of tomato in its natural form is comparatively restricted due to its limited shelf-life. Thereby, we investigated the willingness of consumers and optimized the proportions of beverages on the basis of the overall liking of the sensory panel. Further, molecular docking was also performed to evaluate the protein-ligand interactions of vitamin C, lycopene, and β-carotene against CR protein. These compounds showed great interactions with the protein targets leading to the enhancement of antioxidant activity. The most acceptable combination (S4 = 50:50 tomato and pineapple juices) was subjected to thermal processing at 70, 80, and 90 °C, respectively. Biochemical parameters such as acidity, vitamin C, non-enzymatic browning, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolics were found to be optimum in the beverage samples treated at 80 °C. It was revealed that the microbial shelf-life of beverages enhanced with an increase in processing temperatures. The untreated beverage samples could only retain a shelf-life of 4 days, however, samples treated at 80 °C for 60 s were rendered fit for 40 ± 2 days. Therefore, with the help of molecular docking, this manuscript assessed the protein-ligand interaction with the thermally induced quality changes in tomato-based beverages.
Aptasensor for the Detection of Moraxella catarrhalis Adhesin UspA2
Authors: Sande Maria G. , Ferreira Débora , Rodrigues Joana L. , Melo Luís D. R. , Saragliadis Athanasios , Linke Dirk , Moreira Felismina T. C. , Sales Maria Goreti F. , Rodrigues Ligia R.
Published: February 2023

Innovative point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic platforms are desirable to surpass the deficiencies of conventional laboratory diagnostic methods for bacterial infections and to tackle the growing antimicrobial resistance crisis. In this study, a workflow was implemented, comprising the identification of new aptamers with high affinity for the ubiquitous surface protein A2 (UspA2) of the bacterial pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis and the development of an electrochemical biosensor functionalized with the best-performing aptamer as a bioreceptor to detect UspA2. After cell-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (cell-SELEX) was performed, next-generation sequencing was used to sequence the final aptamer pool. The most frequent aptamer sequences were further evaluated using bioinformatic tools. The two most promising aptamer candidates, Apt1 and Apt1_RC (Apt1 reverse complement), had Kd values of 214.4 and 3.4 nM, respectively. Finally, a simple and label-free electrochemical biosensor was functionalized with Apt1_RC. The aptasensor surface modifications were confirmed by impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The ability to detect UspA2 was evaluated by square wave voltammetry, exhibiting a linear detection range of 4.0 × 104–7.0 × 107 CFU mL−1, a square correlation coefficient superior to 0.99 and a limit of detection of 4.0 × 104 CFU mL−1 at pH 5.0. The workflow described has the potential to be part of a sensitive PoC diagnostic platform to detect and quantify M. catarrhalis from biological samples.
Knee Joint Contact Forces during High-Risk Dynamic Tasks: 90° Change of Direction and Deceleration Movements
Authors: Cassiolas Giorgio , Di Paolo Stefano , Marchiori Gregorio , Grassi Alberto , Della Villa Francesco , Bragonzoni Laura , Visani Andrea , Giavaresi Gianluca , Fini Milena , Zaffagnini Stefano , Lopomo Nicola Francesco
Published: February 2023

Pivoting sports expose athletes to a high risk of knee injuries, mainly due to mechanical overloading of the joint which shatters overall tissue integrity. The present study explored the magnitude of tibiofemoral contact forces (TFCF) in high-risk dynamic tasks. A novel musculoskeletal model with modifiable frontal plane knee alignment was developed to estimate the total, medial, and lateral TFCF developed during vigorous activities. Thirty-one competitive soccer players performing deceleration and 90° sidestepping tasks were assessed via 3D motion analysis by using a marker-based optoelectronic system and TFCF were assessed via OpenSim software. Statistical parametric mapping was used to investigate the effect of frontal plane alignment, compartment laterality, and varus–valgus genu on TFCF. Further, in consideration of specific risk factors, sex influence was also assessed. A strong correlation (R = 0.71 ÷ 0.98, p < 0.001) was found between modification of compartmental forces and changes in frontal plane alignment. Medial and lateral TFCF were similar throughout most of the tasks with the exception of the initial phase, where the lateral compartment had to withstand to higher loadings (1.5 ÷ 3 BW higher, p = 0.010). Significant sex differences emerged in the late phase of the deceleration task. A comprehensive view of factors influencing the mediolateral distribution of TFCF would benefit knee injury prevention and rehabilitation in sport activities.
Comparing 3D, 2.5D, and 2D Approaches to Brain Image Auto-Segmentation
Authors: Avesta Arman , Hossain Sajid , Lin MingDe , Aboian Mariam , Krumholz Harlan M. , Aneja Sanjay
Published: February 2023

Deep-learning methods for auto-segmenting brain images either segment one slice of the image (2D), five consecutive slices of the image (2.5D), or an entire volume of the image (3D). Whether one approach is superior for auto-segmenting brain images is not known. We compared these three approaches (3D, 2.5D, and 2D) across three auto-segmentation models (capsule networks, UNets, and nnUNets) to segment brain structures. We used 3430 brain MRIs, acquired in a multi-institutional study, to train and test our models. We used the following performance metrics: segmentation accuracy, performance with limited training data, required computational memory, and computational speed during training and deployment. The 3D, 2.5D, and 2D approaches respectively gave the highest to lowest Dice scores across all models. 3D models maintained higher Dice scores when the training set size was decreased from 3199 MRIs down to 60 MRIs. 3D models converged 20% to 40% faster during training and were 30% to 50% faster during deployment. However, 3D models require 20 times more computational memory compared to 2.5D or 2D models. This study showed that 3D models are more accurate, maintain better performance with limited training data, and are faster to train and deploy. However, 3D models require more computational memory compared to 2.5D or 2D models.
Effects of NADPH Oxidase Isoform-2 (NOX2) Inhibition on Behavioral Responses and Neuroinflammation in a Mouse Model of Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Teixeira-Santos Luísa , Veríssimo Eduardo , Martins Sandra , Sousa Teresa , Albino-Teixeira António , Pinho Dora
Published: February 2023

NADPH oxidase isoform-2 (NOX2) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain (NP), mostly through the modulation of neuroinflammation. Since it is also accepted that some neuroimmune mechanisms underlying NP are sex-dependent, we aimed to evaluate the effects of early systemic treatment with the NOX2-selective inhibitor (NOX2i) GSK2795039 on behavioral responses and spinal neuroinflammation in spared nerve injury (SNI)-induced NP in male and female mice. Mechanical sensitivity was evaluated with the von Frey test, while general well-being and anxiety-like behavior were assessed with burrowing and light/dark box tests. Spinal microglial activation and cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, as well as macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) were evaluated by immunofluorescence and multiplex immunoassay, respectively. NOX2i treatment reduced SNI-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and early SNI-induced microglial activation in both sexes. SNI-females, but not males, showed a transient reduction in burrowing activity. NOX2i treatment did not improve their burrowing activity, but tendentially reduced their anxiety-like behavior. NOX2i marginally decreased IL-6 in females, and increased M-CSF in males. Our findings suggest that NOX2-selective inhibition may be a potential therapeutic strategy for NP in both male and female individuals, with particular interest in females due to its apparent favorable impact in anxiety-like behavior.
The Joint Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors on Adiposity during Adolescence: The 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Cohort Study
Authors: Kwon Soyang , Wehrmeister Fernando C. , Gonçalves Helen , da Silva Bruna Gonçalves C. , Menezes Ana M. B.
Published: February 2023

A prior study conducted in high-income countries demonstrated that specific sedentary behavior, such as TV viewing, is prospectively associated with adiposity in both active and inactive adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the joint associations of sedentary behaviors and moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) with adiposity among Brazilian adolescents. This prospective cohort study included 377 participants of the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Study who completed an accelerometry assessment at age 13 years and a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) assessment at age 18 years. Accelerometer-measured MVPA was dichotomized into high (≥60 min/day) and low (<60 min/day). Accelerometer-measured sedentary time (SED) was dichotomized into low (<49 min/h) and high (≥49 min/h) based on the median. Self-reported TV viewing time was also dichotomized into low (<3 h/day) and high (≥3 h/day) based on the median. We combined the two MVPA groups (high and low) and two SED groups (low and high) to form the four MVPA&SED groups: high&low, high&high, low&low, and low&high. We also created four MVPA&TV groups in the same manner. Fat mass index (FMI; kg/m2) was calculated using DXA-derived fat mass. Multivariable linear regression analyses compared FMI at 18 years among the four MVPA&SED groups and among the four MVPA&TV groups, adjusting for socioeconomic status, energy intake, and baseline adiposity. The analysis results showed that SED or TV viewing time was not prospectively associated with adiposity in both active and inactive Brazilian adolescents. This study suggests that the association between specific sedentary behaviors, such as TV viewing, and adiposity may differ across societal settings—in this case, high-income vs. middle-income countries.
Parental Education and Adolescents’ Asthma: The Role of Ethnicity
Authors: Adinkrah Edward , Najand Babak , Young-Brinn Angela
Published: February 2023

While high parental education is associated with better health, this association may be weaker for ethnic minority than for ethnic majority families. It is unknown whether the association between parental education and adolescents’ asthma also varies by ethnicity. Aim: To study the association between parental education and adolescents’ asthma overall and by ethnicity. Methods: The current study used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH)-Adolescents study. All participants were 12 to 17-year-old non-smokers (n = 8652). The outcome of interest was adolescents’ asthma. The predictor of interest was baseline parental education, the covariates were age, sex, and number of parents present at baseline, and the moderator was ethnicity. Results: According to logistic regression analyses, higher parental education was predictive of adolescents’ asthma; however, this association was weaker for Latino than non-Latino adolescents (OR 1.771; CI 1.282–2.446). We did not find a significant difference in the effect of parental education on asthma of White and African American adolescents. Our stratified models also showed that higher parental education was associated with lower asthma for non-Latino but not for Latino adolescents. Conclusion: The effect of high parental education on adolescents’ asthma prevalence differs between Latino and non-Latino families, with Latino families showing weaker protective effects of parental education on adolescents’ asthma. Future research should test the role of exposure to environmental pollutants, neighborhood quality, and prevalence of smoking in social network members as well as other contextual factors at home, in school, and in the neighborhood that may increase prevalence of asthma in Latino adolescents regardless of their parental education. Given that these potential causes are multi-level, potential causes of such disparities should be tested in future multi-level research.
Religious Identity Construction in Transnational Family Talks: An Autoethnographic Study
Authors: Alasmari Muhammad
Published: February 2023

Studies in Family Language Policy (FLP) have focused more on language patterns and practices in transnational families with little attention to the challenges of multilingualism. Through exploring diverse experiences in dealing with multilingualism, more can be understood about parent language ideology, the enactment of FLP, and factors related to identity construction. Therefore, the study highlights how the family experiences affect the way individual family members perceive social relations and social structures and how they construct and present their own identities. The study is based on an analysis of longitudinal data from children’s family transnational experiences and how the dynamic of FLP affected not only family talk style but also identity construction. The main focus of the study entails an analysis of personal auto-ethnographic accounts. The study explored the emergence of religious identity in the family talks via (1) using referring expressions to talk about religious places related to two different contexts, and (2) frequently using religious phrases in different settings, which, in turn, reveal the interplay between macro and micro factors affecting the parental language ideology, language planning, and identity construction in the FLP. This study contributed to the field of language policy by presenting the different trajectories in identity construction and family language in a transnational families from a less explored religious and ethnic group.
Loneliness and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review
Authors: Farrell Ann H. , Vitoroulis Irene , Eriksson Mollie , Vaillancourt Tracy
Published: February 2023

Concerns have been raised about the loneliness and well-being of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent to which the ongoing pandemic has impacted loneliness and the association between loneliness and well-being is unclear. Therefore, a systematic review of empirical studies on the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to examine the (1) prevalence of loneliness in children and adolescents, (2) associations between loneliness and indicators of well-being, and (3) moderators of these associations. Five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, ERIC) were searched from 1 January 2020 to 28 June 2022 and 41 studies met our inclusion criteria (cross-sectional: n = 30; longitudinal: n = 11; registered on PROSPERO: CRD42022337252). Cross-sectional prevalence rates of pandemic loneliness varied, with some finding that over half of children and adolescents experienced at least moderate levels of loneliness. Longitudinal results reflected significant mean increases in loneliness compared to pre-pandemic levels. Cross-sectional results indicated that higher levels of loneliness were significantly associated with poorer well-being, including higher depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, gaming addiction, and sleep problems. Longitudinal associations between loneliness and well-being were more complex than cross-sectional associations, varying by assessment timing and factors in the statistical analyses. There was limited diversity in study designs and samples, preventing a thorough examination of moderating characteristics. Findings highlight a broader challenge with child and adolescent well-being that predates the pandemic and the need for future research to examine underrepresented populations across multiple timepoints.
CFTR-Related Metabolic Syndrome: Genetic Variants Increasing Pancreatitis Risk in the Pediatric Puerto Rican Population
Authors: Meléndez-Montañez Jesús M. , De Jesús-Rojas Wilfredo
Published: February 2023

CFTR-related metabolic syndrome (CRMS) is a novel diagnosis due to widespread use of and advances in the newborn screening (NBS) process for cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United States of America, allowing for the diagnosis of asymptomatic children with CF. Before 2015, a large Puerto Rican pediatric population was not screened for CF in the NBS test. Studies have shown that patients presenting with idiopathic recurrent or chronic pancreatitis have an increased frequency of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutations. We present a retrospective chart review of 12 pediatric cases (n = 12) that were presented to an outpatient community clinic with clinical manifestations associated with CF. The pancreatic insufficiency prevalence (PIP) score was calculated on CFTR mutations. The mutations considered for the calculation of the PIP score were: F508del (c.1521_1523del), V201M (c.601G > A), I507del (c.1519_1521del), and L1335P (c.4004T > C). V201M mutation was classified as mild in both PIP scores, and a correlation with pancreatitis was noted. Clinical manifestations vary in cases with the V201M variant (c.601G > A). One case was diagnosed with CFTR-related disorder (CRD) and recurrent pancreatitis. It is important to consider CRMS or CRD as a differential diagnosis in the pediatric population of Puerto Rico due to the implications and increased risk of pancreatitis and other CF-related complications.
On Σ-Classes in E8. I. The Neighborhood of E8
Authors: Engel Peter
Published: February 2023

In the cone of positive quadratic forms C8×8, it is shown that there exists in the neighborhood the quadratic form QE8 , a large cluster of non-equivalent S0-subcones of positive volume.
Bio-Modules: Mycelium-Based Composites Forming a Modular Interlocking System through a Computational Design towards Sustainable Architecture
Authors: Abdelhady Omar , Spyridonos Evgenia , Dahy Hanaa
Published: February 2023

In a resource-constrained world, raising awareness about the development of eco-friendly alternative materials is critical for ensuring a more sustainable future. Mycelium-based composites (MBC) and their diverse applications are gaining popularity as regenerative, biodegradable, and lightweight alternatives. This research aims to broaden the design potentials of MBC in order to construct advanced systems towards a novel material culture in architecture. The proposed design method intends to explore the design and fabrication of small-scale components of MBC to be applied in modular systems. Mycelium-based modular components are being developed to fulfill the geometrical requirements that allow for the creation of a lightweight system without additional reinforcement. The modules are linked together using an interlocking system. Through computational design and form-finding methods, various arrangements of the modules are achieved. An initial prototype of five modules is created to demonstrate the ability of the system to form various geometrical configurations as a result of the used workflow. The proposed application aims to expand the scope of the use of mycelium-based composites in modular systems and to promote architectural applications using bio-based composite materials.
Ground-to-Drone Optical Pulse Position Modulation Demonstration as a Testbed for Lunar Communications
Authors: Karpathakis Skevos F. E. , Dix-Matthews Benjamin P. , Walsh Shane M. , McCann Ayden S. , Gozzard David R. , Frost Alex M. , Gravestock Charles T. , Schediwy Sascha W.
Published: February 2023

Free-space optical (FSO) communication promises to bring fibre-like speeds to data transmissions between ground, sky and space. This is becoming more important in light of the increasing volume of data collected by aircraft and spacecraft. The University of Western Australia (UWA) is commissioning optical ground stations to support FSO communications payloads. We propose retroreflected laser links to drones as a useful step towards further ground-to-sky and ground-to-space FSO communications demonstrations. In this paper, we describe the operation of a hardware testbed for a high photon efficiency optical communication physical layer. This testbed was deployed over a slanted free space link to a drone to verify sub-systems required in communication between the ground station and a spacecraft in cis-Lunar space. Accomplishing this verification of the telescope pointing systems and communications systems would have otherwise been much harder or impossible without using a retroreflected drone link.
Comparison of Procedures to Combine Operating Zones of Multiple Units into Plant-Based Operating Zones
Authors: Wu Yang , Xia Wang , Wang Jinwen , Liu Shuangquan , Zhou Binbin , Zhao Zhenyu , Chen Cheng
Published: February 2023

The hydropower unit commitment (HUC) is often indirectly considered by combining individual units in a hydropower plant into a plant-based generator to alleviate the dimensional difficulty in short-term hydropower scheduling of cascaded reservoirs. This work presents three procedures to combine operating zones of units in a hydropower plant into the plant-based operating zones, including an exhaustive method (M01) that enumerates all the possible combinations, a discrete method (M03) that investigates discrete values to see if they are in an operating zone, and a bound oriented method (M04) that explores new operating zones with an optimization solver. The procedures are compared with a previous one (M02) that merges the operating zones of a unit one by one in order. The experiments of the methods in 11 case studies involving a variety of hydropower plants reveal that the second method (M02) should always be recommended due to its strength, which is even more prominent than any other methods in dealing with large-scale problems, and errors occur when using interpolation to estimate the plant-based operating zones at a water head between two sampling water heads.
Engineering Microorganisms to Produce Bio-Based Monomers: Progress and Challenges
Authors: Chen Chenghu , Chen Xiulai , Liu Liming , Wu Jing , Gao Cong
Published: February 2023

Bioplastics are polymers made from sustainable bio-based feedstocks. While the potential of producing bio-based monomers in microbes has been investigated for decades, their economic feasibility is still unsatisfactory compared with petroleum-derived methods. To improve the overall synthetic efficiency of microbial cell factories, three main strategies were summarized in this review: firstly, implementing approaches to improve the microbial utilization ability of cheap and abundant substrates; secondly, developing methods at enzymes, pathway, and cellular levels to enhance microbial production performance; thirdly, building technologies to enhance microbial pH, osmotic, and metabolites stress tolerance. Moreover, the challenges of, and some perspectives on, exploiting microorganisms as efficient cell factories for producing bio-based monomers are also discussed.