bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job Satisfaction among Occupational Therapists Employed in Primary Care Services in Norway
Authors: Bonsaksen Tore , Horghagen Sissel , Arntzen Cathrine , Gramstad Astrid , Stigen Linda
Published: March 2023

The aging population will place healthcare services under considerable strain in the years ahead. Occupational therapists play a vital role in securing sustainable healthcare services and are increasingly employed by municipalities. To promote sustainable services, the job satisfaction among core professional groups needs monitoring. A comprehensive cross-sectional survey was distributed among municipality-employed occupational therapists in Norway during May–June 2022, to which 617 responded. Job satisfaction was assessed with the Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS), and factors associated with job satisfaction were assessed with linear regression analysis. The mean JSS score in the sample was 51.4. The regression model explained 14.4% of the variance in job satisfaction scores. Having more work experience as an occupational therapist (β = 0.16, p = 0.02) and having higher perceived influence on the work unit’s goals (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) were significantly related to higher job satisfaction. The study implies that job satisfaction in the occupational therapy profession increases with years of experience and also with the ability to engage with and influence the larger work environment. Thus, to promote job satisfaction, occupational therapists should seek to engage not only with their own work at hand but also with the larger goals and strategies of the organization they work for.
Ecological Implications in a Human-Impacted Lake—A Case Study of Cyanobacterial Blooms in a Recreationally Used Water Body
Authors: Napiórkowska-Krzebietke Agnieszka , Dunalska Julita Anna , Bogacka-Kapusta Elżbieta
Published: March 2023

This study was aimed primarily at describing the planktonic assemblages with special attention to invasive and toxin-producing cyanobacterial species in the context of ecological and health threats. The second aim was to analyze the aspect of recreational pressure, which may enhance the cyanobacterial blooms, and, as a consequence, the negative changes and loss of planktonic biodiversity. This study was carried out in recreationally used Lake Sztynorckie throughout the whole growing season of 2020 and included an assessment of the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton (cyanobacteria and algae) in relation to environmental variables. The total biomass was in the range of 28–70 mg L−1, which is typical for strong blooms. The dominant filamentous cyanobacteria were Pseudanabaena limnetica, Limnothrix redekei, Planktolyngbya limnetica, and Planktothrix agarhii, and three invasive nostocalean species Sphaerospermopsis aphanizomenoides, Cuspidothrix issatschenkoi, and Raphidiopsis raciborskii. They can pose a serious threat not only to the ecosystem but also to humans because of the possibility of cyanobacteria producing cyanotoxins, such as microcystins, saxitoxins, anatoxin-a, and cylindrospermopsins, having hepatotoxic, cytotoxic, neurotoxic, and dermatoxic effects. The water quality was assessed as water bodies had bad ecological status (based on phytoplankton), were highly meso-eutrophic (based on zooplankton), and had very low trophic efficiency and low biodiversity.
Psychiatric Morbidity, Utilization and Quality of Mental Health Care in Long-Term Unemployed People
Authors: Meiler Birgit , Franke Andreas , Scherbaum Norbert , Rabl Josef
Published: March 2023

Research has shown complex interactions between unemployment and mental health. However, the prevalence of specific mental disorders, utilization of mental health care services and influences on help-seeking behavior have been investigated surprisingly little in the past. In this study, we investigated a sample of long-term unemployed people in a cooperation program of the local unemployment agency and a psychiatric university hospital in a larger city in Germany. Mental disorders, treatment history, accordance of treatment to national treatment guidelines and factors influencing previous treatment were assessed. Participants (n = 879; male 56%, female 44%, mean age 43.9 years) showed a high psychiatric morbidity, mostly with diagnoses from the ICD-10 categories F1 (22%), F3 (61%) and F4 (68%). Currently, 18% were in psychiatric treatment, 6% were in psychotherapeutic treatment, and 28% received psychopharmacological treatment. Mostly young men underutilized the psychiatric–psychotherapeutic system, with middle-aged men and women being most frequently in psychopharmacological treatment. Of those treated, only about 10% of the subjects currently received a treatment according to national guidelines. The utilization of psychotherapeutic treatment was strikingly poor. This study identified high psychiatric morbidity and severe treatment gaps in unemployed people. These results can help to target subjects with specific needs for interventions and to modify counseling programs.
A Multicenter Study to Assess a Systematic Screening of Occupational Exposures in Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Pérol Olivia , Lepage Nadège , Noelle Hugo , Lebailly Pierre , de Labrusse Benoit , Clin Bénédicte , Boulanger Mathilde , Praud Delphine , Fournié Françoise , Galvaing Géraud , Dutheil Frédéric , Le Meur Brigitte , Serin Daniel , Dansin Eric , Nisse Catherine , Charbotel Barbara , Fervers Beatrice
Published: March 2023

Occupational lung cancer cases remain largely under-reported and under-compensated worldwide. In order to improve the detection and compensation of work-related lung cancers, we implemented a systematic screening of occupational exposures, combining a validated self-administered questionnaire to assess occupational exposures and a specialized occupational cancer consultation. After a pilot study, the present prospective, open-label, scale-up study aimed to assess this systematic screening of occupational exposures in lung cancer patients in five sites in France by associating university hospitals with cancer centers. Patients with lung cancer were sent a self-administered questionnaire to collect their job history and potential exposure to lung carcinogens. The questionnaire was assessed by a physician to determine if a specialized occupational cancer consultation was required. During the consultation, a physician assessed if the lung cancer was occupation-related and, if it was, delivered a medical certificate to claim for compensation. Patients were offered help from a social worker for the administrative procedure. Over 15 months, 1251 patients received the questionnaire and 462 returned it (37%). Among them, 176 patients (38.1%) were convened to the occupational cancer consultation and 150 patients attended the consultation. An exposure to occupational lung carcinogen was identified in 133 patients and a claim for compensation was judged possible for 90 patients. A medical certificate was delivered to 88 patients and 38 patients received compensation. Our national study demonstrated that a systematic screening of occupational exposures is feasible and will bring a significant contribution to improve the detection of occupational exposures in lung cancer patients.
Impacts of Land-Use Change on Ecosystem Services Value in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, China
Authors: Zhuge Jing , Zeng Jie , Chen Wanxu , Zhang Chi
Published: March 2023

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWD) in China is a trans-basin water transfer project for water resource optimization that affects ecosystem services functions along its main transfer line. Exploring the effects of land-use change on ecosystem services in the headwater and receiving areas along the SNWD is conducive to improving the protection of the surrounding ecological environment. However, previous research lacks a comparative analysis of ecosystem services values (ESVs) in these areas. In this study, the land-use dynamic degree index, land-use transfer matrix, and spatial analysis method were used to comparatively analyze the impact of land-use changes on ESVs in the headwater and receiving areas of the SNWD. The results show that cultivated land was the main land use type in the receiving areas and HAER. From 2000 to 2020, CLUDD in the headwater areas was faster than that in the receiving areas. Spatially, in general, the land-use change areas of the receiving areas were larger. During the study period, cultivated land in the headwater areas of the middle route mainly transferred to water areas and forestry areas, while built-up areas mainly occupied cultivated land in the headwater areas of the east route, receiving areas of the middle route, and receiving areas of the east route. From 2000 to 2020, the ESV increased only in the headwater areas of the middle route, while the ESV in the other three sections decreased. The variation extent of ESV in the receiving areas was greater than that in the headwater areas. The results of this study have important policy significance for land use and ecological protection in the headwater and receiving areas of the SNWD in the future.
Mortality Trends due to Falls in the Group of People in Early (65–74 Years) and Late (75+) Old Age in Poland in the Years 2000–2020
Authors: Burzyńska Monika , Kopiec Tomasz , Pikala Małgorzata
Published: March 2023

The aim of the study was to assess mortality trends due to falls in early (65–74 years) and late (75+) old age groups in Poland in 2000–2020. The study used a database of all deaths due to falls in two age groups. Per 100,000 men in early old age, the crude death rate (CDR) increased from 25.3 in 2000 to 25.9 in 2020. After 2012, a statistically significant decrease was observed (annual percentage change (APC) = −2.3%). Similar trends were noted for standardized death rates (SDR). Among men 75 years and older, the CDR values between the years 2000 and 2005 decreased (APC = −5.9%; p < 0.05), while after 2005, they increased (1.3%; p < 0.05). The SDR value decreased from 160.6 in 2000 to 118.1 in 2020. Among women aged 65–74, the CDRs values between 2000–2020 decreased from 13.9 and 8.2 per 100,000 women. The SDR value decreased from 14.0 to 8.3, respectively (2000–2007: APC = −7.2%; p < 0.05). Among women aged 75+, the CDR value decreased from 151.5 to 111.6 per 100,000 but after 2008, they began to increase (APC = 1.9%; p < 0.05). SDR decreased from 188.9 to 98.0 per 100,000 women. Further research on the mortality in falls is needed in order to implement preventive programs.
Comment on Abdul Jabbar et al. Air Quality, Pollution and Sustainability Trends in South Asia: A Population-Based Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 7534
Authors: Bilal Muhammad , de Leeuw Gerrit , Nichol Janet E. , Bleiweiss Max P. , Yang Leiku , Chai Huabin , Mhawish Alaa , Ali Md. Arfan
Published: March 2023

This comment discusses the use of PM2.5 (mass concentration of fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns) data in the recently published article entitled “Air Quality, Pollution and Sustainability Trends in South Asia: A Population-Based Study” by Abdul Jabbar et al. [...]
The Organization of Home Palliative Cancer Care by Primary Health Care: A Systematic Review Protocol
Authors: da Silva Marcelle Miranda , Barros Thayna , Baixinho Cristina Lavareda , Costa Andreia , Sá Eunice , Henriques Maria Adriana
Published: March 2023

Greater longevity and chronic diseases, such as cancer, require (re)organization of care for the sustainability of health systems and better quality of life. Palliative care organized by primary health care has positive outcomes, changing standards of care at the end of life, reducing hospitalizations and health costs and contributing to people’s autonomy to stay at home with controlled symptoms. However, in many countries, this is not possible because the provision of palliative cancer care is isolated or generalized, concentrated in the hospital, and without the strategic participation of primary care. In many developed countries, where palliative care is offered in an integrated way, home care has increased the people’s chances of receiving dignified care at the end of life. The aim of this review is to evaluate the organization of home palliative cancer care by primary care to improve the use of health resources and the quality of life of such patients. This systematic review protocol follows the Cochrane methodology to provide a narrative synthesis, with the resulting report guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA).
Monkeypox (Mpox) and Occupational Exposure
Authors: Szkiela Marta , Wiszniewska Marta , Lipińska-Ojrzanowska Agnieszka
Published: March 2023

Recently, there has been a significant increase in interest in biological risk factors, which are increasingly perceived as an important problem in occupational medicine. Exposure to harmful biological agents may be associated with the deliberate use of microorganisms in the work process or with unintentional exposure resulting from the presence of biological risk factors in the work environment. Monkeypox (mpox) is a viral infectious disease that may afflict humans and non-human primates. Since May 2022, mpox has occurred in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and Africa, with some 76,713 cases (75,822 in locations that have not historically reported mpox) and 29 total deaths reported to date. Between 2018 and 2021, several cases of mpox were reported worldwide in high-income countries (Israel, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States: Texas and Maryland). We conducted a literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar web databases for occupational exposure to mpox. The highest work-related risk for mpox transmission has been noted among healthcare professionals, people working with animals, and sex workers. There is general agreement that a paramount issue to avoid transmission of infection in occupational settings is an appropriate decontamination of often-touched surfaces and usage of appropriate personal protective equipment by the workers at high risk of infection. The group that should especially protect themselves and be educated in the field of early symptoms of the disease and prevention are dentists, who are often the first to detect the symptoms of the disease on the oral mucosa.
Government Emergency Response Assessment from a Novel Perspective of GB/T37228-2018—A Case Study in China
Authors: Bao Jiangdong , Bao Yu
Published: March 2023

With the development of the economy and science and technology, the threat of various emergencies has brought severe governance challenges to governments. In order to minimize the harm and loss of emergencies and further improve the authority and credibility of government, this study uses the two-tuple linguistic information method to assess the indicator system of H Government of China constructed according to the GB/T37228-2018 standard (Societal security—Emergency management—Requirements). The result shows that the management of emergency resource management, information collection methods, response and guarantee plans, and other aspects is relatively standardized. However, the middle and late stages of emergency management are relatively weak, which is mainly reflected in the continuity of situation assessment, in information sharing and feedback, and in the coordination process. The current work implies that the GB/T37228-2018 standard broadens the approach of government emergency response assessment and strengthens the standardization process of emergency response. It also challenges the implicit knowledge of emergency response, the integration of time and space variables, and other issues.
Food Selectivity in Children with Autism: Guidelines for Assessment and Clinical Interventions
Authors: Esposito Marco , Mirizzi Paolo , Fadda Roberta , Pirollo Chiara , Ricciardi Orlando , Mazza Monica , Valenti Marco
Published: March 2023

Autisms Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by core symptoms (social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors) and related comorbidities, including sensory anomalies, feeding issues, and challenging behaviors. Children with ASD experience significantly more feeding problems than their peers. In fact, parents and clinicians have to manage daily the burden of various dysfunctional behaviors of children at mealtimes (food refusal, limited variety of food, single food intake, or liquid diet). These dysfunctional behaviors at mealtime depend on different factors that are either medical/sensorial or behavioral. Consequently, a correct assessment is necessary in order to program an effective clinical intervention. The aim of this study is to provide clinicians with a guideline regarding food selectivity concerning possible explanations of the phenomenon, along with a direct/indirect assessment gathering detailed and useful information about target feeding behaviors. Finally, a description of evidence-based sensorial and behavioral strategies useful also for parent-mediated intervention is reported addressing food selectivity in children with ASD.
Prioritising Climate Change Mitigation Behaviours and Exploring Public Health Co-Benefits: A Delphi Study
Authors: Ratwatte Priyanjali , Wehling Helena , Phalkey Revati , Weston Dale
Published: March 2023

Climate change requires urgent action; however, it can be challenging to identify individual-level behaviours that should be prioritised for maximum impact. The study aimed to prioritise climate change mitigation behaviours according to their impacts on climate change and public health, and to identify associated barriers and facilitators—exploring the impact of observed behaviour shifts associated with COVID-19 in the UK. A three-round Delphi study and expert workshop were conducted: An expert panel rated mitigation behaviours impacted by COVID-19 in relation to their importance regarding health impacts and climate change mitigation using a five-point Likert scale. Consensus on the importance of target behaviours was determined by interquartile ranges. In total, seven target behaviours were prioritised: installing double/triple glazing; installing cavity wall insulation; installing solid wall insulation; moving away from meat/emission heavy diets; reducing the number of cars per household; walking shorter journeys; and reducing day/weekend leisure car journeys. Barriers related to the costs associated with performing behaviours and a lack of complementary policy-regulated subsidies. The target behaviours are consistent with recommendations from previous research. To ensure public uptake, interventions should address behavioural facilitators and barriers, dovetail climate change mitigation with health co-benefits and account for the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on these behaviours.
Self-Identity Matters: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Decode Tourists’ Waste Sorting Intentions
Authors: Cao Jian , Qiu Hongliang , Morrison Alastair M.
Published: March 2023

Waste sorting is a practical way of handling the garbage and an effective strategy for facilitating sustainable waste management. This research extended the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with self-identity and moral norms to predict waste sorting intentions in a heritage context of tourism. A total of 403 valid self-administrated questionnaires were achieved at a heritage destination in China. The results indicated that: (1) TPB variables (i.e., attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control), self-identity, and moral norms were all directly and positively linked to tourists’ waste sorting intentions, respectively; (2) self-identity indirectly influenced tourists’ waste sorting intentions through the mediation of moral norms; and (3) the integrated model exhibited better predictive utility than any single model. This research contributes to the literature on waste management in the context of tourism by extending TPB with identity and personal normative constructs. It also provides practical implications for destination managers to leverage tourists’ self-identity and moral norms for sustainable management.
The Child as Vulnerable Victim: Humanitarianism Constructs Its Object
Authors: Hart Jason
Published: March 2023

Over the last one hundred years, humanitarian agencies have considered children primarily through the lens of vulnerability. Advocacy for attention to children’s agency and for their participation has burgeoned since the 1980s without shifting the powerful hold that assumptions of vulnerability have had over the policy and practices of humanitarians. This article seeks to denaturalise the conceptualisation of children in contexts of emergency as primarily vulnerable (would-be) victims, placing it in historical and geopolitical contexts. It offers a critical analysis of both conventional humanitarian thinking about vulnerability per se and the reasons for its continued invocation in settings of displacement and political violence. Drawing upon examples from the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule in 1950s Kenya, and current humanitarian response to the situation of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation, this article relates the continued dominance of the vulnerability paradigm to the pursuit of self-interest by elites and the survival strategies of humanitarian agencies. It pays particular attention to the uses to which mental health thinking and programming is put in what may be called the ‘politics of pathologisation’.
Intelligent Fuzzy System to Predict the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Dataset
Authors: Hernández-Julio Yamid Fabián , Díaz-Pertuz Leonardo Antonio , Prieto-Guevara Martha Janeth , Barrios-Barrios Mauricio Andrés , Nieto-Bernal Wilson
Published: March 2023

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) are solutions that serve decision-makers in their decision-making process. For the development of these intelligent systems, two primary components are needed: the knowledge database and the knowledge rule base. The objective of this research work was to implement and validate diverse clinical decision support systems supported by Mamdani-type fuzzy set theory using clustering and dynamic tables. The outcomes were evaluated with other works obtained from the literature to validate the suggested fuzzy systems for categorizing the Wisconsin breast cancer dataset. The fuzzy Inference Systems worked with different input features, according to the studies obtained from the literature. The outcomes confirm that most performance’ metrics in several cases were greater than the achieved results from the literature for the output variable for the different Fuzzy Inference Systems—FIS, demonstrating superior precision.
Factors Associated with Avoiding Referrals by Dental Teleconsulting Sessions in Brazil
Authors: Paixão Lígia C. , Abreu Mauro Henrique N. G. , Ribeiro-Sobrinho Antônio P. , Martins Renata C.
Published: March 2023

This cross-sectional analytical study assessed the frequency of avoided referrals of primary care to other care levels by dental teleconsulting and its association with individual and contextual variables using a multilevel approach. It appraised asynchronous dental teleconsulting sessions from the secondary database of the Monitoring and Evaluation System of the Telehealth Results during 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outcome was “whether referral to secondary care was avoided”. Individual variables were related to teleconsulting and professionals that requested it: sex, dental specialty, and dentistry field. Contextual variables were related to each municipality that requested responses: Municipal Human Development Index, oral health teams (OHTs) in primary health care coverage, dental specialty centers coverage, illiteracy rate, Gini index, longevity, and per capita income. A descriptive analysis was made using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Hierarchical Linear and Nonlinear Modeling software was used to perform multilevel analyses to assess the association of individual and contextual variables with avoiding patient referral to other care levels. Most teleconsulting sessions avoided patient referral to other care levels (65.1%). Contextual variables explained 44.23% of the variance in the outcome. Female dentists were more likely to avoid patient referrals than male dentists (OR = 1.74; CI = 0.99–3.44; p = 0.055). In addition, an increase of one percentage point in OHT/PHC coverage of municipalities increased the likelihood of avoiding patient referral by 1% (OR = 1.01; CI = 1.00–1.02; p = 0.02). Teleconsulting sessions efficiently avoided patient referral to other care levels. Both contextual and individual factors were associated with avoided referrals by teleconsulting sessions.
SARS-CoV-2 Emergency Management in the ASL 1 Abruzzo Companies, Italy: An Autumn 2022 Cross-Sectional Investigation
Authors: Mastrodomenico Marianna , Monaco Maria Grazia Lourdes , Spacone Antonio , Inglese Enrica , Cioffi Arcangelo , Fabiani Leila , Garzillo Elpidio Maria
Published: March 2023

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still represents a public health emergency that affects workplaces and forces employers to develop technical, organizational and procedural measures safeguarding workers’ health, particularly ‘fragile’ ones. This research aimed to assess employers’ adherence to the emergency measures planned by the Italian government to hinder COVID-19 during Autumn 2022. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Autumn 2022, with an 18-item questionnaire derived from the Italian State’s governmental indications, sent by email to 51 companies of Marsica and Peligna Valley, L’Aquila, Southern Italy. Results: A total of 20 recruited companies (65% were micro-enterprises, belonging to the food and financial sector) responded to the questionnaire within a mean time of 18 days (±11.64), which was lower for medium- and large-sized companies as well as for banking sector ones (p < 0.05). As regards intervention strategies, sanitization (92.7% of positive answers) and specific training (83.3%) showed almost full compliance in contrast to working organization (47.5%) and social distancing (61.7%). The companies that reported managing fragility (50%) belong almost exclusively to the banking sector, with predominantly office-based tasks. Conclusions: The study provided insight into critical issues relating to compliance with national legislative directives and the crucial role of occupational physicians as global advisors for all workplaces.
Analysis of the Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Urban Resilience in Four Southern Regions of Xinjiang
Authors: Li Ying , Ma Yonggang , Liu Junjie , Yang Jianjun
Published: March 2023

Resilience theory plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainable urban development and the long-term stable development of the national economy. Based on the “scale-density-form” model of urban resilience, this paper shifts the perspective of urban resilience from the eastern region with higher level of economic development and better infrastructure construction to the arid northwest region with more fragile ecological environment and weaker urban development potential, which enriches the connotation and mechanism of urban resilience to a certain extent. Using ArcGIS platforms, statistical data and remote sensing data as data sources, this paper analyzes the urban resilience of four southern Xinjiang regions (Aksu Administrative Office, Kashgar Administrative Office, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture and Hotan Administrative Office) in time and space from 2000 to 2020 using a three-dimensional resilience analysis framework based on scale, density and morphology. The results show that the urban de-development of the study area faces a strong scale safety constraint due to the small available land area in the study area, which leads to its small urban construction land area. The county- and city-scale elasticity levels of Aksu Administrative Office and Kashgar Administrative Office are higher than the average level of the study area, while most of the counties and cities in Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture and Hotan Administrative Office are lower than the average level of the study area, with large differences between counties and cities. The geographical location of the study area determines the backwardness of the region in terms of ideology, production methods and technology, which seriously restricts the development of local society and economy. In terms of density resilience, there are large differences among counties and cities in the study area, and the density resilience of Aksu, Kashgar and Kucha is much higher than that of other counties and cities. In terms of morphological resilience, with the increasing prominence of ecological status, the urban landscape layout of the study area has changed significantly, leading to changes in the distance between its blue-green landscape and gray-white landscape, which in turn causes changes in morphological resilience. Based on the above findings, initiatives and paths for resilience regulation in the study area are proposed in terms of scale, density and morphology. The study also has a reference value for local urban safety development.
Engaging Youth and Young Adults in the COVID-19 Pandemic Response via the “It’s Our Turn” Crowdsourcing Contest
Authors: Evans Linnea A. , Gomez Omar , Jiménez Dulce J. , Williamson Heather J. , Carver Ann Turnlund , Parthasarathy Sairam , Sabo Samantha
Published: March 2023

As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic continued to progress into 2021, appeals were made to take a stronger focus on the perceptions and practices of youth and young adults (YYAs) regarding COVID-19 mitigation, as well as the impact of mitigation strategies on the overall wellbeing of YYAs. In this paper, we describe our efforts to increase YYA engagement in Arizona’s COVID-19 response by pairing embedded values from youth participatory action research (YPAR) with a crowdsourcing challenge contest design. The research protocol and implementation are described, followed by a thematic analysis of YYA-led messaging portrayed in 23 contest submissions and reflections formed by 223 community voters after viewing contest submissions. The authors conclude that a YYA-led crowdsourcing contest presented an opportunity to (a.) investigate the perceptions and behaviors of YYAs and their networks regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation efforts and (b.) amplify the voices of YYAs in the pandemic response. Perhaps even more importantly, this approach also offered insight into the exacerbated impact of the pandemic on YYA mental health and wellbeing, and the utility of YPAR in raising awareness of these effects among the contexts and social networks of YYAs.
Risk/Benefit Evaluation of Chia Seeds as a New Ingredient in Cereal-Based Foods
Authors: Mesías Marta , Gómez Pablo , Olombrada Elena , Holgado Francisca , Morales Francisco J.
Published: March 2023

Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) is a food rich in protein, fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. Consequently, its incorporation in food formulations may be desirable from a nutritional and healthy point of view. However, there is concern regarding the formation of process contaminants when they are subjected to thermal processing. The objective of this study was to incorporate different amounts of ground chia seeds in a biscuit model to evaluate the effect on the antioxidant capacity and formation of acrylamide and furfurals. Seven standard “Maria-type” biscuit formulations were prepared, replacing wheat flour with different amounts of ground chia seeds (defatted and non-defatted), from 0% (control biscuit) to 15% (respect to total solids in the recipe). Samples were baked at 180 °C for 22 min. Compared with the control biscuit, chia formulations increased the content of nutrients, antioxidant capacity (ABTS) and phenolic compounds (Folin–Ciocalteau method) but also doubled acrylamide levels and even raised more than 10 times furanic compound concentrations. Results indicate that the use of chia seeds as ingredients in new cereal-based formulations would improve the nutritional profile but also increase the occurrence of chemical process contaminants. This paradox should be carefully considered in the context of risk/benefit analysis.
How Fast to Avoid Carbon Emissions: A Holistic View on the RES, Storage and Non-RES Replacement in Romania
Authors: Bâra Adela , Oprea Simona-Vasilica , Oprea Niculae
Published: March 2023

The European Union targets aim to replace the non-renewable energy sources (non-RES) of coal, oil and gas (COG) generation with RES and storage (RES-S). The replacement of COG-generating units will lead to a decrease in CO2 emissions and a better living environment. Starting from this desideratum, in this paper, we create several scenarios to replace COG in Romania with RES-S, reconsider future energy mixes and engage with a more creative planning in order to meet the clean energy transition path. The energy shortages, especially in European countries after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, led many governments (including the Romanian, Polish, etc.) to think more about short-term supply issues and less about medium- and long-term power system planning. However, the decision makers of the European power systems have to decide how fast to avoid firing coal, how fast to adopt RES and how fast to invest in flexibility sources, including storage stations to enable a higher integration of RES. Therefore, in this paper, a holistic view to envision the RES and non-RES contribution to the load coverage in Romania for a smooth transition to a low-carbon economy is provided. The results show that an initial mix of wind, photovoltaic (PV) and storage systems is preferable to substitute 600 MW of installed power in coal-based power plants. Furthermore, the case of Poland—the European country with over 70% coal in its generation portfolio—is also presented as it can serve as a good example.
Empirical Evidence of Environmental Technologies, Renewable Energy and Tourism to Minimize the Environmental Damages: Implication of Advanced Panel Analysis
Authors: Aziz Ghazala , Sarwar Suleman
Published: March 2023

The motivation behind this research is to investigate the determinants of the ecological footprint in MENA countries and find appropriate solutions. We updated the STIRPAT model and applied sophisticated panel techniques to data from 1996 to 2020. According to the findings, economic expansion along with urbanization and tourism is to blame for these countries’ huge environmental footprints. In addition, when it comes to environmental degradation remedies, environmental innovation and the use of renewable energy play an important role in minimizing these environmental externalities. The results of post Saudi Vison 2030 analysis confirmed the significance of urban population and renewable energy in minimizing the environmental footprint. In light of the findings, it is advised that policymakers should revise the legislative framework to attract not only private sector investment, but also foreign investment to utilize the full potential of renewable energy generation.
Aspartate β-Hydroxylase Serves as a Prognostic Biomarker for Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Gan Xuejun , Li Shen , Wang Yiding , Du Hong , Hu Ying , Xing Xiaofang , Cheng Xiaojing , Yan Yan , Li Ziyu
Published: March 2023

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been established as being an effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer (GC), while the predictive biomarker of NACT efficacy remains under investigation. Aspartate β-hydroxylase (ASPH) represents an attractive target which is a highly conserved transmembrane enzyme overexpressed in human GC, and participates in the malignant transformation by promoting tumor cell motility. Here, we evaluated the expression of ASPH by immunohistochemistry in 350 GC tissues (including samples for NACT) and found that ASPH expression was higher in patients undergoing NACT compared with patients without NACT pre-operation. The OS and PFS time of ASPH-intensely positive patients was significantly shorter than that of the negative patients in the NACT group, while the difference was not significant in patients without NACT. We showed that ASPH knockout enhanced the inhibitory effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and suppressed tumor progression in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that ASPH might interact with LAPTM4B to perform chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Our results suggested that ASPH might serve as a candidate biomarker to predict prognosis and a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Usui Noriyoshi , Kobayashi Hikaru , Shimada Shoichi
Published: March 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) characterized by impairments in social communication, repetitive behaviors, restricted interests, and hyperesthesia/hypesthesia caused by genetic and/or environmental factors. In recent years, inflammation and oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD. In this review, we discuss the inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of ASD, particularly focusing on maternal immune activation (MIA). MIA is a one of the common environmental risk factors for the onset of ASD during pregnancy. It induces an immune reaction in the pregnant mother’s body, resulting in further inflammation and oxidative stress in the placenta and fetal brain. These negative factors cause neurodevelopmental impairments in the developing fetal brain and subsequently cause behavioral symptoms in the offspring. In addition, we also discuss the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs and antioxidants in basic studies on animals and clinical studies of ASD. Our review provides the latest findings and new insights into the involvements of inflammation and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of ASD.
Advances in Cartilage Tissue Engineering Using Bioinks with Decellularized Cartilage and Three-Dimensional Printing
Authors: Stone Roxanne N. , Reeck Jonathon C. , Oxford Julia Thom
Published: March 2023

Osteoarthritis, a chronic, debilitating, and painful disease, is one of the leading causes of disability and socioeconomic burden, with an estimated 250 million people affected worldwide. Currently, there is no cure for osteoarthritis and treatments for joint disease require improvements. To address the challenge of improving cartilage repair and regeneration, three-dimensional (3D) printing for tissue engineering purposes has been developed. In this review, emerging technologies are presented with an overview of bioprinting, cartilage structure, current treatment options, decellularization, bioinks, and recent progress in the field of decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)–bioink composites is discussed. The optimization of tissue engineering approaches using 3D-bioprinted biological scaffolds with dECM incorporated to create novel bioinks is an innovative strategy to promote cartilage repair and regeneration. Challenges and future directions that may lead to innovative improvements to currently available treatments for cartilage regeneration are presented.
Petals Reduce Attachment of Insect Pollinators: A Case Study of the Plant Dahlia pinnata and the Fly Eristalis tenax
Authors: Gorb Elena V. , Gorb Stanislav N.
Published: March 2023

In order to understand whether the petal surface in “cafeteria”-type flowers, which offer their nectar and pollen to insect pollinators in an open way, is adapted to a stronger attachment of insect pollinators, we selected the plant Dahlia pinnata and the hovering fly Eristalis tenax, both being generalist species according to their pollinator’s spectrum and diet, respectively. We combined cryo scanning electron microscopy examination of leaves, petals, and flower stems with force measurements of fly attachment to surfaces of these plant organs. Our results clearly distinguished two groups among tested surfaces: (1) the smooth leaf and reference smooth glass ensured a rather high attachment force of the fly; (2) the flower stem and petal significantly reduced it. The attachment force reduction on flower stems and petals is caused by different structural effects. In the first case, it is a combination of ridged topography and three-dimensional wax projections, whereas the papillate petal surface is supplemented by cuticular folds. In our opinion, these “cafeteria”-type flowers have the petals, where the colour intensity is enhanced due to papillate epidermal cells covered by cuticular folds at the micro- and nanoscale, and exactly these latter structures mainly contribute to adhesion reduction in generalist insect pollinators.
Alternative Chemistries for Free Radical-Initiated Targeting and Immobilization
Authors: DiMartini Emily T. , Lowe Christopher J. , Shreiber David I.
Published: March 2023

Stimuli-responsive biomaterials are an emerging strategy that leverage common pathophysiological triggers to target drug delivery to limit or avoid toxic side effects. Native free radicals, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), are widely upregulated in many pathological states. We have previously demonstrated that native ROS are capable of crosslinking and immobilizing acrylated polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) networks and coupled payloads in tissue mimics, providing evidence for a potential targeting mechanism. To build on these promising results, we evaluated PEG dialkenes and dithiols as alternative polymer chemistries for targeting. The reactivity, toxicity, crosslinking kinetics, and immobilization potential of PEG dialkenes and dithiols were characterized. Both the alkene and thiol chemistries crosslinked in the presence of ROS, generating high molecular weight polymer networks that immobilized fluorescent payloads in tissue mimics. Thiols were especially reactive and even reacted with acrylates in the absence of free radicals, and this motivated us to explore a two-phase targeting approach. Delivering thiolated payloads in a second phase, after the initial polymer net formation, allowed greater control over the payload dosing and timing. Two-phase delivery combined with a library of radical-sensitive chemistries can enhance the versatility and flexibility of this free radical-initiated platform delivery system.
By Bits and Pieces: The Contributions of Zoos and Aquariums to Science and Society via Biomaterials
Authors: Powell David M. , Meyer Theodore G. , Duncan Mary
Published: March 2023

Scientific research has long been recognized as one of the four pillars of the zoo or aquarium mission, alongside recreation, conservation, and education. This study sought to quantify a sample of zoos’ participation in scientific research via the provision of biomaterials from animals to outside scientists and the associated training of undergraduate and graduate students that resulted from these projects. A convenience sample of zoos provided data on their participation in biomaterials-related projects and a focused analysis of biomaterials-related research facilitated by the Saint Louis Zoo was conducted. In addition, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ conservation & science database was queried to uncover what research projects AZA members engaged in over the last five years that likely involved biomaterials research and training of students. Results demonstrate that zoos are making significant contributions to science by agreeing to participate in large numbers of biomaterials-related projects across different areas of focus involving a variety of animal species annually, with results applicable to human and non-human animals. Support of such research often involves student thesis projects, thus contributing to the education of future scientists.
Tribological Properties of Nanoparticles in the Presence of MoDTC
Authors: Wang Weiwei , Yu Miao , Ma Jiandong , Jia Yuanming
Published: March 2023

Nanoparticles can reduce the friction coefficient and present a self-restorative effect and MoDTC is important as a friction-reducing additive. Both are important for improving lubricating performance. In this study, the tribological performances of nanoparticles in the presence of MoDTC were studied. The chemical synthetic and ball-milled nanoparticles were selected as test samples, and tribological performances were evaluated by a block-ring friction test rig. Experimental results show that the synthetic serpentine particle with a 200–800 nm diameter exhibits the lowest friction coefficient and wear, while the ball-milled kaolin particle shows the highest friction and wear. A synergistic lubricating effect has been shown when mixing the synthetic nano serpentine particle and MoDTC. The friction coefficient of “BD + synthetic serpentine” reduced from 0.011 to 0.055 after the compound with MoDTC. At 150 °C, the “BD + synthetic serpentine + MoDTC” improves the production of MoS2 on the friction surface, which further reduced the friction coefficient and wear, while the ball-milled kaolin reduced the production of MoS2, which leads to a high friction coefficient. The synthetic serpentine shows a round surface without any sharp edge, which shows the minimal ploughing effect on the friction surface. Based on the experimental results, the synthetic nanoparticles have the best antiwear and friction reduction performance when compounded with MoDTC.
Effect of Fractal Ceramic Structure on Mechanical Properties of Alumina Ceramic–Aluminum Composites
Authors: Zeng Xianjun , Jing Qiang , Sun Jianwei , Zhang Jinyong
Published: March 2023

In conventional ceramic–metal matrix composites, with the addition of the ceramic phase, although it can significantly improve the performance of the material in one aspect, it tends to weaken some of the excellent properties of the metal matrix as well. In order to meet the high toughness and high strength requirements of composites for practical production applications, researchers have searched for possible reinforcing structures from nature. They found that fractal structures, which are widely found in nature, have the potential to improve the mechanical properties of materials. However, it is often not feasible to manufacture these geometric structures using conventional processes. In this study, alumina ceramic fractal structures were prepared by 3D printing technology, and aluminum composites containing fractal ceramic structures were fabricated by spark plasma sintering technology. We have studied the effect of the fractal structure of alumina ceramics on the mechanical properties of composites. The compression strength of samples was measured by a universal testing machine and the torsional properties of samples were measured by a torsional modulus meter. The results show that a fractal structure improves the compressive strength of aluminum/alumina ceramic composites by 10.97% and the torsional properties by 17.45%. The results of the study will provide a new method for improving the mechanical properties of materials.