bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Identification of Discriminative Genetic Variations in Beef and Dairy Cattle via an Information-Theoretic Approach
Authors: Kim Soo-Jin , Ha Jung-Woo , Kim Heebal
Published: June 2020

Analyzing the associations between genotypic changes and phenotypic traits on a genome-wide scale can contribute to understanding the functional roles of distinct genetic variations during breed development. We performed a whole-genome analysis of Angus and Jersey cattle breeds using conditional mutual information, which is an information-theoretic method estimating the conditional independency among multiple factor variables. The proposed conditional mutual information-based approach allows breed-discriminative genetic variations to be explicitly identified from tens of millions of SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) positions on a genome-wide scale while minimizing the usage of prior knowledge. Using this data-driven approach, we identified biologically relevant functional genes, including breed-specific variants for cattle traits such as beef and dairy production. The identified lipid-related genes were shown to be significantly associated with lipid and triglyceride metabolism, fat cell differentiation, and muscle development. In addition, we confirmed that milk-related genes are involved in mammary gland development, lactation, and mastitis-associated processes. Our results provide the distinct properties of Angus and Jersey cattle at a genome-wide level. Moreover, this study offers important insights into discovering unrevealed genetic variants for breed-specific traits and the identification of genetic signatures of diverse cattle breeds with respect to target breed-specific properties.
Coat Color Roan Shows Association with KIT Variants and No Evidence of Lethality in Icelandic Horses
Authors: Voß Katharina , Tetens Julia , Thaller Georg , Becker Doreen
Published: June 2020

Roan (Rn) horses show a typical seasonal change of color. Their body is covered with colored and white hair. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis of breeding records of Icelandic horses to challenge the hypothesis of roan being lethal in utero under homozygous condition. The roan to non-roan ratio of foals from roan × roan matings revealed homozygous roan Icelandic horses to be viable. Even though roan is known to be inherited in a dominant mode and epistatic to other coat colors, the causative mutation is still unknown. Nevertheless, an association between roan phenotype and the KIT gene was shown for different horse breeds. In the present study, we identified KIT variants by Sanger sequencing, and show that KIT is also associated with roan in the Icelandic horse breed.
Novel Insights into the Protective Properties of ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax) Peptide at the Transcriptome Level Following Cerebral Ischaemia–Reperfusion in Rats
Authors: Filippenkov Ivan B. , Stavchansky Vasily V. , Denisova Alina E. , Yuzhakov Vadim V. , Sevan’kaeva Larisa E. , Sudarkina Olga Y. , Dmitrieva Veronika G. , Gubsky Leonid V. , Myasoedov Nikolai F. , Limborska Svetlana A. , Dergunova Lyudmila V.
Published: June 2020

Cerebral ischaemia is the most common cause of impaired brain function. Biologically active peptides represent potential drugs for reducing the damage that occurs after ischaemia. The synthetic melanocortin derivative, ACTH(4-7)PGP (Semax), has been used successfully in the treatment of patients with severe impairment of cerebral blood circulation. However, its molecular mechanisms of action within the brain are not yet fully understood. Previously, we used the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model to study the damaging effects of ischaemia–reperfusion on the brain transcriptome in rats. Here, using RNA-Seq analysis, we investigated the protective properties of the Semax peptide at the transcriptome level under tMCAO conditions. We have identified 394 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (>1.5-fold change) in the brains of rats at 24 h after tMCAO treated with Semax relative to saline. Following tMCAO, we found that Semax suppressed the expression of genes related to inflammatory processes and activated the expression of genes related to neurotransmission. In contrast, ischaemia–reperfusion alone activated the expression of inflammation-related genes and suppressed the expression of neurotransmission-related genes. Therefore, the neuroprotective action of Semax may be associated with a compensation of mRNA expression patterns that are disrupted during ischaemia–reperfusion conditions.
Immunoreactive Proteins in the Esophageal Gland Cells of Anisakis Simplex Sensu Stricto Detected by MALDI-TOF/TOF Analysis
Authors: Robertson Lee , C. Arcos Susana , Ciordia Sergio , Carballeda-Sanguiao Noelia , Mena María del Carmen , Sánchez-Alonso Isabel , Gonzalez-Muñoz Miguel , Careche Mercedes , Navas Alfonso
Published: June 2020

In plant and animal nematode parasites, proteins derived from esophageal gland cells have been shown to be important in the host-nematodes relationship but little is known about the allergenic potential of these proteins in the genus Anisakis. Taking into account the increase of anisakiasis and allergies related to these nematodes, immunoreactive properties of gland cell proteins were investigated. Two hundred ventricles were manually dissected from L3 stage larvae of Aniskakis simplex s.s. to allow direct protein analysis. Denaturing gel electrophoresis followed by monochromatic silver staining which revealed the presence of differential (enriched) proteins when compared to total nematode extracts. Such comparison was performed by means of 1D and 2D electrophoresis. Pooled antisera from Anisakis spp.-allergic patients were used in western blots revealing the presence of 13 immunoreactive bands in the ventricular extracts in 1D, with 82 spots revealed in 2D. The corresponding protein bands and spots were excised from the silver-stained gel and protein assignation was made by MALDI-TOF/TOF. A total of 13 (including proteoforms) were unambiguously identified. The majority of these proteins are known to be secreted by nematodes into the external environment, of which three are described as being major allergens in other organisms with different phylogenetic origin and one is an Anisakis simplex allergen.
Array-Based Epigenetic Aging Indices May Be Racially Biased
Authors: Philibert Robert , Beach Steven R.H. , Lei Man-Kit , Gibbons Frederick X. , Gerrard Meg , Simons Ronald L. , Dogan Meeshanthini V.
Published: June 2020

Epigenetic aging (EA) indices are frequently used as predictors of mortality and other important health outcomes. However, each of the commonly used array-based indices has significant heritable components which could tag ethnicity and potentially confound comparisons across racial and ethnic groups. To determine if this was possible, we examined the relationship of DNA methylation in cord blood from 203 newborns (112 African American (AA) and 91 White) at the 513 probes from the Levine PhenoAge Epigenetic Aging index to ethnicity. Then, we examined all sites significantly associated with race in the newborn sample to determine if they were also associated with an index of ethnic genetic heritage in a cohort of 505 AA adults. After Bonferroni correction, methylation at 50 CpG sites was significantly associated with ethnicity in the newborn cohort. The five most significant sites predicted ancestry with a receiver operator characteristic area under the curve of 0.97. Examination of the top 50 sites in the AA adult cohort showed that methylation status at 11 of those sites was also associated with percentage European ancestry. We conclude that the Levine PhenoAge Index is influenced by cryptic ethnic-specific genetic influences. This influence may extend to similarly constructed EA indices and bias cross-race comparisons.
Sequence Composition Underlying Centromeric and Heterochromatic Genome Compartments of the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas
Authors: Tunjić Cvitanić Monika , Vojvoda Zeljko Tanja , Pasantes Juan J. , García-Souto Daniel , Gržan Tena , Despot-Slade Evelin , Plohl Miroslav , Šatović Eva
Published: June 2020

Segments of the genome enriched in repetitive sequences still present a challenge and are omitted in genome assemblies. For that reason, the exact composition of DNA sequences underlying the heterochromatic regions and the active centromeres are still unexplored for many organisms. The centromere is a crucial region of eukaryotic chromosomes responsible for the accurate segregation of genetic material. The typical landmark of centromere chromatin is the rapidly-evolving variant of the histone H3, CenH3, while DNA sequences packed in constitutive heterochromatin are associated with H3K9me3-modified histones. In the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas we identified its centromere histone variant, Cg-CenH3, that shows stage-specific distribution in gonadal cells. In order to investigate the DNA composition of genomic regions associated with the two specific chromatin types, we employed chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput next-generation sequencing of the Cg-CenH3- and H3K9me3-associated sequences. CenH3-associated sequences were assigned to six groups of repetitive elements, while H3K9me3-associated-ones were assigned only to three. Those associated with CenH3 indicate the lack of uniformity in the chromosomal distribution of sequences building the centromeres, being also in the same time dispersed throughout the genome. The heterochromatin of C. gigas exhibited general paucity and limited chromosomal localization as predicted, with H3K9me3-associated sequences being predominantly constituted of DNA transposons.
Ground Surface Deformation Detection in Complex Landslide Area—Bobonaro, Timor-Leste—Using SBAS DInSAR, UAV Photogrammetry, and Field Observations
Authors: Martins Benjamim Hopffer , Suzuki Motoyuki , Yastika Putu Edi , Shimizu Norikazu
Published: June 2020

During the past 10 years, Timor-Leste has concentrated all its efforts on infrastructure development. However, it has not achieved enough due to unexpected ground deformation in mountainous areas that is seriously affecting road constructions, etc. In order to design roads and other infrastructure under such difficult conditions, it is important to know the present and future ground conditions. Continuous monitoring is a significant methods of detecting ground deformation and providing essential information to realize an effective design. The problem arises of “How can ground deformation be monitored in extensive areas, which are generally located in mountain areas that are difficult to access?” Differential Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) has recently been applied to monitor displacement in extensive areas. In addition, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry is useful for detecting the deformation in detail. Both methods are advantageous in that they do not require any sensors. Therefore, the combination of DInSAR and UAV photogrammetry is one of the solutions for monitoring the ground deformation in Timor-Leste. In this paper, DInSAR and UAV photogrammetry are applied to unstable ground in the Bobonaro region of Timor-Leste to find the recent ground deformation, since 2007, due to earthquakes and hard rainfall events. It is found that DInSAR is useful for screening usual and unusual ground behavior and that UAV photogrammetry is flexible to use and can detect displacements with cm accuracy after the DInSAR screening.
The 1730 Great Metropolitan Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Commemoration: Joint Efforts to Increase the Country’s Awareness
Authors: Zamora Natalia , Gubler Alejandra , Orellana Víctor , León Jorge , Urrutia Alejandro , Carvajal Matías , Cisternas Marco , Catalán Patricio , Winckler Patricio , Cienfuegos Rodrigo , Karich Cristóbal , Vogel Stefan , Galaz José , Pereira Sebastián , Bertin Celeste
Published: June 2020

On 8 July 1730, a great earthquake struck metropolitan Chile, causing extensive damage 1000 km along the country and focused in Valparaíso. Due to the date of occurrence of this event, large uncertainties about the earthquake’s magnitude have been discussed among the scientific community, and the earthquake and tsunami have remained unknown for most of the population. The purpose of this paper is to describe joint efforts undertaken by organizations, academia, and authorities to rescue the forgotten memory of an event that occurred almost three centuries ago and that may be repeated in the near future. In line with the Sendai Framework, we focus on one of the four priorities for action, which is to understand disaster risk, with the premise that the memory activation and raising awareness can save lives in the future. We designed outreach strategies to communicate this knowledge to the community in a participatory way. The latter involves scientific talks, earthquake simulators, tsunami projection mapping on relief scaled models (mock-up), and a public debate including the participation of academia, politicians, authorities, and the local community. The emulation of such activities and the constant work of regional and national authorities, academia, and non-governmental organizations dealing with risk mitigation encourage involving the community to build safer cities against the tsunami hazard.
Environmental and Occupational Risk Factors Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology in West Javanese Rice Farmers, Indonesia
Authors: Fitria Laila , Prihartono Nurhayati Adnan , Ramdhan Doni Hikmat , Wahyono Tri Yunis Miko , Kongtip Pornpimol , Woskie Susan
Published: June 2020

Chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in agricultural population is an increasing issue. This study aims to obtain a prevalence estimate of CKDu in male rice farmers in West Java, Indonesia; and analyze the relationship between CKDu and environmental and occupational factors. The study design was cross-sectional. This study included 354 healthy male farmers in two rice agriculture areas in West Java with different altitudes (low altitude and high-altitude location). This research included blood and urine sampling from the farmers for serum creatinine (SCr) level and proteinuria; questionnaire on demographic information, occupational factors and other risk factors for CKDu. We measured ambient temperature and humidity in both study locations for environmental factors. From SCr level and proteinuria, we categorized the farmers into five stages of CKD; then we distinguished CKDu from CKD if the farmers had stage 1–4 of CKD but without diabetes, hypertension and other traditional causes. Data were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression to get prevalence odd ratios of CKDu and its relationship with environmental and occupational factors, adjusted with other risk factors of CKDu. The overall prevalence of CKD was 24.9% and CKDu was 18.6%. For the environmental factors, farm location (high altitude versus low altitude location) was associated with CKDu (Prevalence Odds Ratio (POR): 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2–3.5). For the occupational factors, although not significant, the risk of CKDu increased with the longer use of insecticide and with the more frequent of insecticide use. We suggested that there was a need to conduct future research to investigate more on the association of those environmental and occupational factors with CKDu.
Chronic Regulatory Focus and Work-Family Conflict among Chinese Workers
Authors: Zhao Xinyuan (Roy) , Namasivayam Karthik , Beutell Nicholas J. , Liu Jingyan , Wang Fujin
Published: June 2020

Survey data from 226 service employees were used to test the hypothesized moderating role of chronic self-regulatory focus on the relationships between work–family conflict (WFC) and challenge/hindrance strain. A follow-up scenario-based experiment (N = 93 executives) confirmed the results of the hypothesized model. Results from the two studies together demonstrated the moderating role of self-regulatory processes: chronic promotion-focused individuals perceived WFC as a challenge-type strain, while chronic prevention-focused individuals viewed WFC as a hindrance-type strain. Individuals use self-regulation strategically: in work domains, they regulate themselves so that family does not interfere with work. Individuals’ stress perceptions differ depending on the two dimensions of WFC as they regard interferences from (WIF) as a personal challenge, perhaps affording them an opportunity to balance work and life and to refine their abilities, but interferences from family to work (FIW) act as a barrier preventing them from achieving career success. When two-way interactions between WIF/FIW and chronic promotion/prevention foci were taken into consideration, the WIF/FIW main effects on challenge/hindrance stress became insignificant, suggesting that chronic self-regulation fully moderated the relationship. The results extend the current work–family research by incorporating self-regulatory processes as an important moderating variable, suggesting new research directions. The findings can help human resource management establish policies and benefit programs that take individual differences into account.
Understanding the Barriers and Opportunities for Effective Management of Shared Sanitation in Low-Income Settlements—The Case of Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Antwi-Agyei Prince , Dwumfour-Asare Bismark , Amaning Adjei Kwaku , Kweyu Raphael , Simiyu Sheillah
Published: June 2020

Improved sanitation for all is a daunting task for low-income countries, and shared toilets often provide an alternative to private household sanitation for most urban residents. This study sought to provide better understanding of the existing barriers and opportunities for improved management of shared sanitation. The study used focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with 70 users (landlords and tenants) of shared sanitation in Kumasi, Ghana to assess barriers and opportunities of “high-quality” shared sanitation. The commonly used toilet facilities were dry toilets—Kumasi Ventilated Improved Pit latrine and Ventilated Improved Pit latrines; and flush systems—water closet and pour flush connected to septic tanks. Between 2 and 21 households, or 4 and 84 people, shared one facility. Participants’ description of “high-quality” (Ideal) shared sanitation was centred on cleanliness, user behaviour, smell, and user crowding. They also identified challenges of shared sanitation as overcrowded users, poor user behaviours, conflicts among users, and high cost associated with frequent desludging. However, opportunities for improvement included users’ preference for shared toilets due to enjoyed benefits, existing facility management practices, and mutual understanding among users (tenants and landlords). Interventions and policy guidelines to influence behaviour change of shared sanitation users are proposed and are intended to be delivered by local government and users.
Integrated Family Planning and Immunization Service Delivery at Health Facility and Community Sites in Dowa and Ntchisi Districts of Malawi: A Mixed Methods Process Evaluation
Authors: Cooper Chelsea M. , Wille Jacqueline , Shire Steven , Makoko Sheila , Tsega Asnakew , Schuster Anne , Hausi Hannah , Gibson Hannah , Tappis Hannah
Published: June 2020

The Government of Malawi’s Health Sector Strategic Plan II highlights the importance of service integration; however, in practice, this has not been fully realized. We conducted a mixed methods evaluation of efforts to systematically implement integrated family planning and immunization services in all health facilities and associated community sites in Ntchisi and Dowa districts during June 2016–September 2017. Methods included secondary analysis of service statistics (pre- and postintervention), focus group discussions with mothers and fathers of children under age one, and in-depth interviews with service providers, supervisors, and managers. Results indicate statistically significant increases in family planning users and shifts in use of family planning services from health facilities to community sites. The intervention had no effect on immunization doses administered or dropout rates. According to mothers and fathers, benefits of service integration included time savings, convenience, and improved understanding of services. Provision and use of integrated services were affected by availability of human resources and commodities, community linkages, data collection procedures and availability, sociocultural barriers, organization of services, and supervision and commitment of health surveillance assistants. The integration approach was perceived to be feasible and beneficial by clients and providers.
Regional Heterogeneity of Application and Effect of Telemedicine in the Primary Care Centres in Rural China
Authors: Xu Wanchun , Pan Zijing , Lu Shan , Zhang Liang
Published: June 2020

The increasing concerns of the geographical maldistribution of medical resources have sparked worldwide interests in exploring the potential of telemedicine in the rural health system. This study aimed to investigate the application and effect of telemedicine as well as their regional heterogeneity in the primary care centres in rural China. Based on the stratified multistage cluster sampling, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 358 township health centres (THCs) from eastern, central and western China. A self-administered questionnaire was used and the data of the Health Statistical Annual Reports in 2017 were collected to investigate the implication of telemedicine as well as the performance and other characteristics of each THCs. Propensity score matching was used to estimate the effect of telemedicine application on the bed occupancy rate and the number of annual outpatient visits of the THCs, with comparison among the regions. The overall prevalence of telemedicine application was 58.66% in 2017, and it was found to increase the bed occupancy rate of the THCs in the national range (p < 0.1). When divided into different regions, telemedicine was found to improve the number of annual outpatient visits in western China (p < 0.05) and the bed occupancy rate in eastern China (p < 0.1). Disparities in the degree of remoteness and the capability of THCs among the regions were also found in this study, which may be the reasons for the regional heterogeneous effects of telemedicine. These findings suggested the potential of telemedicine in improving the utilization of primary care centres in rural areas. Further studies were needed to investigate the underlying reasons for its regional heterogeneous effects.
Should Waste Separation Be Mandatory? A Study on Public’s Response to the Policies in China
Authors: Hou Jing , Jin Yujing , Chen Feiyu
Published: June 2020

The implementation of effective waste separation policy is an important pathway to guide the public to actively participate in the waste separation action. This study focused on exploring the Chinese public’s response to the rigid and flexible waste separation policies from the perspectives of understanding, willingness to support, and willingness to implement. We used a big data mining technique to obtain 10,057 entries of the Chinese public’s response to the mandatory waste separation policy. The results showed that “public’s understanding–support willingness-implement willingness” regarding mandatory waste separation policy was characterized by a U-shaped response. Specifically, the public’s understanding and willingness to implement the rigid waste separation policy were relatively high in the short term, but their willingness to support this policy was relatively low and became increasingly low over time. Particularly, “troublesome” implementation was deemed to the main reason for the public’s low willingness to support the rigid waste separation policy. In addition, we further obtained the sample data of the Chinese public regarding the flexible waste separation policy through the situational survey. Contrary to the response characteristics of mandatory waste separation policy, the results showed that “public’s understanding-support willingness-implement willingness” regarding flexible waste separation policy was characterized by an inverted U-shaped response, and the Chinese public showed more positive sentiment regarding the willingness to support and implement. The results have important implications for guiding the public to actively participate in the waste separation action.
Computational Forecasting Methodology for Acute Respiratory Infectious Disease Dynamics
Authors: Gónzalez-Bandala Daniel Alejandro , Cuevas-Tello Juan Carlos , Noyola Daniel E. , Comas-García Andreu , García-Sepúlveda Christian A
Published: June 2020

The study of infectious disease behavior has been a scientific concern for many years as early identification of outbreaks provides great advantages including timely implementation of public health measures to limit the spread of an epidemic. We propose a methodology that merges the predictions of (i) a computational model with machine learning, (ii) a projection model, and (iii) a proposed smoothed endemic channel calculation. The predictions are made on weekly acute respiratory infection (ARI) data obtained from epidemiological reports in Mexico, along with the usage of key terms in the Google search engine. The results obtained with this methodology were compared with state-of-the-art techniques resulting in reduced root mean squared percentage error (RMPSE) and maximum absolute percent error (MAPE) metrics, achieving a MAPE of 21.7%. This methodology could be extended to detect and raise alerts on possible outbreaks on ARI as well as for other seasonal infectious diseases.
Does Interpersonal Interaction Really Improve Emotion, Sleep Quality, and Self-Efficacy among Junior College Students?
Authors: Wang Po-Yu , Lin Pin-Hsuan , Lin Chung-Ying , Yang Shang-Yu , Chen Kai-Li
Published: June 2020

This study discusses the correlation between teenagers’ real-life interpersonal interactions and teenagers’ online interpersonal interactions with regards to emotion, sleep quality, and self-efficacy. This study adopted a cross-sectional design that included a survey using a structured questionnaire which included demographic data, the Chinese version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Real Interpersonal Interaction Scale (RIIS), and the Internet Interpersonal Interaction Scale (IIIS). This study enlisted 917 teenage students (age = 17.16 ± 1.48 years). The study found that RIIS had significant negative correlations with DASS and PSQI scores and a significant positive correlation with GSE. Namely, the greater the degree of real-life interpersonal interaction, the lower the degree of negative emotion. Likewise, the more satisfactory sleep quality is, the higher self-efficacy is. In addition, IIIS scores demonstrate significantly positive correlations with DASS and PSQI scores. Therefore, the greater the degree of online interpersonal interaction, the greater the levels of negative emotion, and the poorer the sleep quality is. This study showed that online interpersonal interaction may not improve emotions, sleep quality, or self-efficacy among junior college students. However, real-life interpersonal interaction may improve those three parameters.
Associations between Multimorbidity and Physical Performance in Older Chinese Adults
Authors: Yao Shan-Shan , Meng Xiangfei , Cao Gui-Ying , Huang Zi-Ting , Chen Zi-Shuo , Han Ling , Wang Kaipeng , Su He-Xuan , Luo Yan , Hu Yonghua , Xu Beibei
Published: June 2020

Background: Evidence on the association between physical performance and multimorbidity is scarce in Asia. This study aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns and their association with physical performance among older Chinese adults. Methods: Individuals aged ≥60 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011–2015 (N = 10,112) were included. Physical performance was measured by maximum grip strength (kg) and average gait speed (m/s) categorized as fast (>0.8 m/s), median (>0.6–0.8 m/s), and slow (≤0.6 m/s). Multimorbidity patterns were explored using exploratory factor analysis. Generalized estimating equation was conducted. Results: Four multimorbidity patterns were identified: cardio–metabolic, respiratory, mental–sensory, and visceral–arthritic. An increased number of chronic conditions was associated with decreased normalized grip strength (NGS). Additionally, the highest quartile of factor scores for cardio–metabolic (β = −0.06; 95% Confidence interval (CI) = −0.07, −0.05), respiratory (β = −0.03; 95% CI = −0.05, −0.02), mental–sensory (β = −0.04; 95% CI = −0.05, −0.03), and visceral–arthritic (β = −0.04; 95% CI = −0.05, −0.02) patterns were associated with lower NGS compared with the lowest quartile. Participants with ≥4 chronic conditions were 2.06 times more likely to have a slow gait speed. Furthermore, the odds ratios for the highest quartile of factor scores of four patterns with slow gait speed compared with the lowest quartile ranged from 1.26–2.01. Conclusion: Multimorbidity was related to worse physical performance, and multimorbidity patterns were differentially associated with physical performance. A shift of focus from single conditions to the requirements of a complex multimorbid population was needed for research, clinical guidelines, and health-care services. Grip strength and gait speed could be targeted to routinely measure clinical performance among older adults with multimorbidity, especially mental–sensory disorders, in clinical settings.
The Mediating Effects of Marital Intimacy and Work Satisfaction in the Relationship between Husbands’ Domestic Labor and Depressive Mood of Married Working Women
Authors: Choi Su-Yeon , Kim Hyoung-Ryoul , Myong Jun-Pyo
Published: June 2020

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships between the husbands’ domestic labor and marital intimacy, work satisfaction, and depressive mood in married working women. We used the sixth (2016) dataset from the Women and Families Panel Survey conducted by the Korean Women’s Development Institute (KWDI). The subjects were 791 married working women who lived with a wage-earner husband and who did not have a housework assistant. The correlations between variables were measured and the fit of the structural equation model was assessed. We used a mediation model in which the husbands’ domestic labor affected the depressive mood of married working women through mediation of marital intimacy and work satisfaction. Bootstrapping was used to verify the significance of the indirect effects of the mediating variables. Husbands’ domestic labor had a significant effect on married women’s marital intimacy and work satisfaction, but no significant direct effect on depressive mood. Marital intimacy had a significant effect on work satisfaction, and these two variables were significantly related to reductions in the depressive mood score. Husbands’ domestic labor was found to be a complete mediator of depressive mood through its effects on marital intimacy and work satisfaction. Husbands’ domestic labor did not directly reduce married working women’s depressive mood scores, but instead reduced them indirectly through effects on marital intimacy and work satisfaction.
Residential Radon in Central and South America: A Systematic Review
Authors: Giraldo-Osorio Alexandra , Ruano-Ravina Alberto , Varela-Lema Leonor , Barros-Dios Juan M. , Pérez-Ríos Mónica
Published: June 2020

Radon gas is a pulmonary carcinogen and the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. There are many countries that have not implemented measures to reduce the risk it poses to the general population. The aim of this study was to locate available evidence on exposure to residential radon and the regulations to monitor and control this across Central and South America, by conducting a review of the scientific literature and government documents in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This review included 31 studies which had taken measurements of radon in these countries. While Brazil, Argentina, and Peru have undertaken most research, no country in Central and South America has a national map of exposure to residential radon. The prevalence of exposure to radon was uneven, both among the different countries and within individual countries. No country has regulations to prevent the entry of radon into homes, and nine countries have not set maximum permissible concentrations for residential radon. There is a limited number of studies in South and Central America, with a limited spatial coverage, and there is a need to improve knowledge on exposure to residential radon and its effects, and for governments to take the necessary actions to introduce preventive measures in their statutory regulations.
Towards Inclusive Healthcare Delivery: Potentials and Challenges of Human-Centred Design in Health Innovation Processes to Increase Healthy Aging
Authors: Sandholdt Catharina Thiel , Cunningham Jason , Westendorp Rudi G.J. , Kristiansen Maria
Published: June 2020

National healthcare systems need to adjust services and operations to accommodate the needs of complex, aging populations living with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. This paper suggests the use of a human-centred design as a method to engage older adults and key professionals in innovation processes aiming to design person-centred healthcare services and improve quality of life in older adults. We outline three innovation phases and highlight how such processes can create engagement and new insights on how life experiences of older adult’s shape preferences, beliefs, and habits. It is important to incorporate these insights into the design of successful strategies for ensuring age-friendly healthcare services. Our viewpoint is contextualised through a small-scale case study focusing on polypharmacy in older adults. From this case study, we extracted three challenges to producing co-designed health research: recruitment, time and resources, and funding. We discuss how to address these challenges. We argue for the involvement of older adults and professional stakeholders at an early stage in the design process to align expectations and to increase the likelihood of successful implementation of healthcare innovations that improve the quality of life for older adults.
Examining the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown in Wuhan and Lombardy: A Psycholinguistic Analysis on Weibo and Twitter
Authors: Su Yue , Xue Jia , Liu Xiaoqian , Wu Peijing , Chen Junxiang , Chen Chen , Liu Tianli , Gong Weigang , Zhu Tingshao
Published: June 2020

Many countries are taking strict quarantine policies to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) around the world, such as city lockdown. Cities in China and Italy were locked down in the early stage of the pandemic. The present study aims to examine and compare the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on individuals’ psychological states in China and Italy. We achieved the aim by (1) sampling Weibo users (geo-location = Wuhan, China) and Twitter users (geo-location = Lombardy, Italy); (2) fetching all the users’ published posts two weeks before and after the lockdown in each region (e.g., the lockdown date of Wuhan was 23 January 2020); (3) extracting the psycholinguistic features of these posts using the Simplified Chinese and Italian version of Language Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) dictionary; and (4) conducting Wilcoxon tests to examine the changes in the psycholinguistic characteristics of the posts before and after the lockdown in Wuhan and Lombardy, respectively. Results showed that individuals focused more on “home”, and expressed a higher level of cognitive process after a lockdown in both Wuhan and Lombardy. Meanwhile, the level of stress decreased, and the attention to leisure increased in Lombardy after the lockdown. The attention to group, religion, and emotions became more prevalent in Wuhan after the lockdown. Findings provide decision-makers timely evidence on public reactions and the impacts on psychological states in the COVID-19 context, and have implications for evidence-based mental health interventions in two countries.
Predicting Health-Related Quality of Life in Trauma-Exposed Male Veterans in Late Midlife: A 20 Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Stevens Samantha M. , Gustavson Daniel E. , Fang Bin , Tu Xin , Logue Mark , Lyons Michael J. , Reynolds Chandra A. , Kremen William S. , Franz Carol E.
Published: June 2020

Trauma-exposed adults with high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) report poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL), but less is known about the persistence of this relationship over time. Participants from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging reported on PTSS, health, and sociodemographic characteristics at average age 38; 775 participants reported having been exposed to trauma. Later, at average ages 56 and 62, mental and physical HRQOL were assessed with the Short-Form 36. Premorbid risk for anxiety/neuroticism was evaluated with a polygenic risk score derived from a large genome-wide association study meta-analysis. In multivariate mixed models, having higher levels of PTSS, poorer self-rated health, lower income, and less education at age 38 were associated with worse physical and mental HRQOL two decades later. Chronic health problems at age 38 predicted midlife physical but not mental HRQOL. Although genetic risk for neuroticism was correlated with HRQOL and PTSS, it was no longer significant in multivariate models. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) predicts morbidity and mortality independently of objective health measures; early interventions may help to mitigate the ongoing impact of trauma on quality of life.
Association between Mixing Ability of Masticatory Functions Measured Using Color-Changing Chewing Gum and Frailty among Japanese Older Adults: The Kyoto–Kameoka Study
Authors: Watanabe Daiki , Yoshida Tsukasa , Yokoyama Keiichi , Yoshinaka Yasuko , Watanabe Yuya , Kikutani Takeshi , Yoshida Mitsuyoshi , Yamada Yosuke , Kimura Misaka ,   Kyoto-Kameoka Study Group
Published: June 2020

The relationship between mixing ability of masticatory functions and frailty has not been well evaluated. This study investigated the prevalence of physical and comprehensive frailty and its association with mixing ability in 1106 older adults aged ≥65 years who underwent physical examination as part of the Japanese Kyoto–Kameoka Study. Mixing ability was assessed using color-changing chewing gum (1–5 points, 5 representing the best mixing ability). Participants were divided into four groups (5 points, 4 points, 3 points, and 1 or 2 points). The modified Japanese versions of the Cardiovascular Health Study (mJ-CHS) criteria and the validated Kihon Checklist (KCL) were used to assess physical and comprehensive frailty, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between frailty and mixing ability. The prevalence of physical and comprehensive frailty was 11.8% and 27.9%, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, the odds ratios of physical and comprehensive frailty comparing the highest to the lowest chewing gum score groups were 3.64 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.62 to 8.18; p for trend = 0.001) and 2.09 (95% CI: 1.09 to 4.03; p for trend = 0.009), respectively. Mixing-ability tests involving chewing gum may be an indicator associated with both physical and comprehensive frailty.
Exploring the Key Antecedents Influencing Consumer’s Continuance Intention toward Bike-Sharing Services: Focus on China
Authors: Kim Byoungsoo , Kim Daekil
Published: June 2020

This study investigates the key antecedents affecting consumers’ continuance intention toward bike-sharing services in China. The theoretical framework clarifies the role of perceived value and trust in a service provider in enhancing customer’s continuance intention toward bike-sharing services. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment are considered vital factors in forming perceived value and trust in a service provider. Financial risk and privacy risk serve as inhibitors to consumers’ continuance intention. Our research model is validated using data from 224 bike-sharing consumers in China. Both perceived value and trust in a service have a significant impact on consumers’ continuance intention. However, financial risk significantly affects customer’s continuance intention, although privacy risk does not have a significant impact on it. The analysis results show that perceived usefulness has no significant effect on both perceived value and trust in a service provider. The results demonstrate that perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment play a significant role in enhancing both perceived value and trust in a service provider. Our results are expected to provide academic and practical implications for bike-sharing services.
Modeling Emission Flow Pattern of a Single Cruising Vehicle on Urban Streets with CFD Simulation and Wind Tunnel Validation
Authors: Shi Xueqing , Sun Daniel (Jian) , Zhang Ying , Xiong Jing , Zhao Zhonghua
Published: June 2020

Transportation has become one of the primary sources of urban atmospheric pollutants and it causes severe diseases among city residents. This study focuses on assessing the pollutant dispersion pattern using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation, with the effect and results validated by the results from wind tunnel experiments. First, the wind tunnel experiment was carefully designed to preliminarily assess the flow pattern of vehicle emissions. Next, the spatiotemporal distribution of pollutant concentrations around the motor vehicle was modeled using a CFD numerical simulation. The pollutant concentration contours indicated that the diffusion process of carbon monoxide mainly occurred in the range of 0−2 m above the ground. Meanwhile, to verify the correctness of the CFD simulation, pressure distributions of seven selected points that were perpendicular along the midline of the vehicle surface were obtained from both the wind tunnel experiment and the CFD numerical simulation. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the numerical simulation and the wind tunnel measurement was 0.98, indicating a strong positive correlation. Therefore, the distribution trend of all pressure coefficients in the numerical simulation was considered to be consistent with those from the measurements. The findings of this study could shed light on the concentration distribution of platoon-based vehicles and the future application of CFD simulations to estimate the concentration of pollutants along urban street canyons.
Cadmium Is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in a Superfund Site Lead Smelter Community in Dallas, Texas
Authors: Little Bert B. , Reilly Robert , Walsh Brad , Vu Giang T.
Published: June 2020

Objective: To test the hypothesis that cadmium (Cd) exposure is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: A two-phase health screening (physical examination and laboratory tests) was conducted in a lead smelter community following a Superfund Cleanup. Participants were African Americans aged >19 years to <89 years. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze T2DM regressed on blood Cd level and covariates: body mass index (BMI), heavy metals (Ar, Cd, Hg, Pb), duration of residence, age, smoking status, and sex. Results: Of 875 subjects environmentally exposed to Cd, 55 were occupationally exposed to by-products of lead smelting and 820 were community residents. In addition, 109 T2DM individuals lived in the community for an average of 21.0 years, and 766 non-T2DM individuals for 19.0 years. T2DM individuals (70.3%) were >50 years old. Blood Cd levels were higher among T2DM subjects (p < 0.006) compared to non-T2DM individuals. Logistic regression of T2DM status identified significant predictors: Cd level (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.14–2.99, p < 0.01), age >50 years (OR = 3.10; 95% CI: 1.91–5.02, p < 0.0001), and BMI (OR = 1.07; CI: 1.04–1.09, 0.0001). In meta-analysis of 12 prior studies and this one, T2DM risk was OR = 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03–1.15, p < 0.004) fixed effects and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.04–1.44, p < 0.02) random effects. Discussion: Chronic environmental Cd exposure was associated with T2DM in a smelter community, controlling for covariates. T2DM onset <50 years was significantly associated with Cd exposure, but >50 years was not. Meta-analysis suggests that Cd exposure is associated with a small, but significant increased risk for T2DM. Available data suggest Cd exposure is associated with an increased propensity to increased insulin resistance.
Can Aromatherapy Make People Feel Better Throughout Exercise?
Authors: Kwon Sungho , Ahn Jihoon , Jeon Hyunsoo
Published: June 2020

We analyzed participants’ feelings and arousal before, during, and after exercise as per whether they receive aromatherapy. Twenty university students who regularly took part in health exercises were selected through purposive sampling. Changes in feelings were measured through a 2D circumplex model and an in-depth interview. The effects on exercisers who received aromatherapy were more positive than for those who did not receive any treatment. Specifically, it induced positive feelings during exercise, reduced fatigue during exercise, and improved participants’ feelings during the recovery period. Aroma has a key influence on exercisers’ feelings, and it can positively influence exercise satisfaction and persistence.
Validation of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire for Physical Education (AEQ-PE)
Authors: Fierro-Suero Sebastián , Almagro Bartolomé J. , Sáenz-López Pedro
Published: June 2020

The fundamental role of emotions in education has been revealed in recent years. The control-value theory of achievement emotions has been postulated as one of the most used theories in this field. Thanks to the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ), achievement emotions have been measured in different subjects and countries. The purpose of this research was to adapt and validate this questionnaire to assess achievement emotions in physical education. The sample of participants consisted of 902 (Mage = 13.15, SD = 1.17) secondary education students from various secondary schools in Spain. The psychometric properties of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire for Physical Education (AEQ-PE) indicate that the scales are reliable and valid, as demonstrated by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, temporal stability, internal consistency and regression analysis. Considering the results achieved in the present study, the AEQ-PE opens a range of possibilities for both teachers and researchers. This instrument will help to understand the role of emotions in student learning and their motivation towards physical education.