bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inappropriate Metacognitive Status Increases State Anxiety in Genetic Counseling Clients
Authors: Shibata Yuka , Matsushima Masaaki , Takeuchi Megumi , Kato Momoko , Yabe Ichiro
Published: May 2022

Background

Many genetic counseling (GC) studies have focused on anxiety status because clients of GC often feel anxious during their visits. Metacognition is known to be one of the causes of having an inappropriate thinking style. In this study, we examined the relationship between anxiety and the metacognitive status of GC clients according to their characteristics.

Methods

The participants were 106 clients who attended their first GC session in our hospital from November 2018 to March 2021. The survey items were the clients’ characteristics, anxiety status at the time of the visit, and metacognitive status.

Results

High state anxiety and high trait anxiety were observed in 34.9 and 11.3% of clients, respectively. Clients who were a relative or had a family history were significantly more likely to have high state anxiety. As for metacognitive status, only negative beliefs about thoughts concerning uncontrollability and danger were associated with having an anxiety status. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that negative beliefs about thoughts concerning uncontrollability and danger were an independent determinant of higher state anxiety, but not being a relative or having a family history. Metacognitive status scores were significantly lower in clients than in the control group.

Conclusion

State anxiety was shown to be more dependent on negative beliefs about thoughts concerning uncontrollability and danger of GC clients than their characteristics such as being a relative or having a family history. The results of this study will contribute to the development of new GC psychosocial support measures to address the anxiety of GC clients.
Psychological Capital Relates With Teacher Enjoyment: The Mediating Role of Reappraisal
Authors: Zhou Xiang , Zheng Songyun
Published: May 2022

This study examined the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and teacher enjoyment in the context of online teaching and investigated whether the emotion regulation (ER) strategy of reappraisal mediated their relationship. 221 Chinese university teachers were selected as the research sample through snowball sampling in an online survey. After controlling for age, gender, teaching experience, education level, time and energy input during online teaching and online teaching experience, the results showed that PsyCap and reappraisal positively influence the teachers’ online teaching enjoyment (OTE), and reappraisal significantly mediated the relationship between teachers’ PsyCap and OTE, suggesting that optimistic and resilient teachers with more self-efficacy and hope are more likely to find enjoyment during online teaching, and high PsyCap combined with the use of reappraisal leads to greater OTE. The study not only confirms the positive role of reappraisal as an emotion regulation strategy in online teaching, but also provides practical implications for the realization of enjoyable online teaching experience.
The Effects of Leader Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Styles, Organizational Commitment, and Trust on Job Performance in the Real Estate Brokerage Industry
Authors: Lee Chun-chang , Li Yei-shian , Yeh Wen-chih , Yu Zheng
Published: May 2022

This study examines the effects of leader emotional intelligence, leadership styles (transformational and transactional), organizational commitment, and trust on job performance. A questionnaire was administered to the participants, who were real estate brokers in Kaohsiung City. Of the 980 questionnaires administered, 348 valid responses were received, indicating an effective response rate of 35.5%. Structural equation modeling was used for the analysis. The results show that leader emotional intelligence has a significant and positive effect on trust in supervisors, and transformational leadership and trust within a team have significant and positive effects on job performance. In addition, organizational commitment has a significant and positive effect on job performance. Trust within a team mediates the significant and positive effect of leader emotional intelligence on job performance. Although transactional leadership has no direct, positive, and significant effects on employee job performance, trust in the workplace shaped by a leader’s leadership style will empower a team’s spirit and boost their morale, thereby indirectly affecting their job performance in a positive manner.
The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Compatibility and Authenticity on Brand Trust and Corporate Sustainability Management: For Korean Cosmetics Companies
Authors: Lee Su-Hee , Jeong Gap-Yeon
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities perceived by consumers affect brand trust and corporate sustainability management (CSM). In other words, this study tried to examine whether the compatibility and authenticity of CSR influences brand trust, thereby affecting CSM including economic viability, environmental soundness, and social responsibility. To measure this, an empirical analysis was conducted on 479 consumers who had experience purchasing products from cosmetic companies that are carrying out CSR. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the compatibility and authenticity of CSR have a positive effect on brand trust. Also, it was found that brand trust had a positive effect on social responsibility among the sub-concepts of CSM, but did not affect economic viability and environmental soundness. The results of this study are expected to provide strategic implications for social responsibility performance and brand trust building necessary for cosmetics companies to grow continuously.
Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Revision of the Pitt Wellness Scale for People in the University Environment
Authors: Yan Xiangru , Gao Ye , Zhang Hui , Liang Chunguang , Yu Haitao , Wang Liying , Li Sisi , Li Yanhui , Tong Huijuan
Published: May 2022

Background

The number of students enrolled in higher education in China accounts for more than one-fifth of the world, and universities, as a community of faculty, staff and scholars, currently do not have a scale that specifically assesses the well-being of the population in the environment of Chinese universities. However, the University of Pittsburgh has developed a comprehensive well-being scale, referred to as the Pitt Wellness Scale, specifically to measure people’s well-being in a university environment.

Aims

Investigate the psychometric properties of the Pitt Wellness Scale in Chinese university environmental samples.

Methods

The original scale was culturally adapted and modified through expert consultation, a random sample of 1870 current faculty, staff, and students were selected for the questionnaire survey. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to investigate the potential factor structure of the Chinese Revision of the Pitt Wellness Scale and to measure its reliability and validity. Finally, the factors that affect people’s well-being in the Chinese university environment were explored.

Results

The Chinese Revision of the Pitt Wellness Scale retained 30 items, and the EFA supports a five-factor structure, which differed from the results of the original scale, and the CFA results showed that the model fitted well. The discriminant validity of the modified Chinese scale was excellent. The overall Omega coefficient of the scale was 0.958, and the reliability of the retest after 4 weeks was 0.821.

Conclusion

The Chinese Revision of the Pitt Wellness Scale possesses satisfactory psychometric properties, and it can be considered an instrument for assessing personal well-being in Chinese university environment.
Revisiting the Relationship Between the Strength of Environmental Regulation and Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Bae Moon Gyu , Wang Yi Chen , Liu Na
Published: May 2022

Interest in sustainability is increasing, and research on ESG management continues. The first issue to be discussed in the present situation is the environment. The study between the environment and internationalization was conducted around two conflicting arguments. First, the pollution haven hypothesis states that multinational corporations move to countries with looser regulations depending on environmental regulation. Next is the Porter Hypothesis, which argues that well-designed environmental regulations offset the cost of compliance and ultimately help firms gain a competitive advantage through innovation that enhances performance. However, the two arguments have not yet reached a consensus conclusion. In addition, studies on the national level and studies considering the distance between countries, an important factor in international management, are lacking. This manuscript aims to revisit the relationship between the strength of environmental regulation and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the context of increasing environmental concerns. Differences between countries are an important field of international management, but research on environmental regulations is lacking. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between existing environmental regulations and FDI and to discuss how the distance between countries can affect existing theories.
Research on Improving Online Purchase Intention of Poverty-Alleviation Agricultural Products in China: From the Perspective of Institution-Based Trust
Authors: Li Guangming , Wu Xianghua , Yuan Chao
Published: May 2022

Poverty alleviation by consumption is a powerful way to help the poor people get rid of poverty, which plays a significant role in China's rural revitalization. However, the achievement of poverty alleviation by consumption mostly depends on government procurement, and the enthusiasm of customers to participate is low, facing the severe challenge of poor sustainability. Helping the poor is the most common motivation for customers to buy poverty-alleviation agricultural products (PAAP). However, as the negative events of poverty alleviation such as “tragic marketing” constantly appear in news reports, customers' trust in sellers has been seriously damaged. The psychological protection system for fear of being cheated hinders customers' purchase intention. Therefore, we believed that trust is an important factor in enhancing customers' purchase intention of PAAP. Customers buy PAAP mainly through online channels, and institution-based trust is the most important way to generate trust in online channels. Thus, this study investigated the institutional mechanisms that affect customers' trust in the sellers of PAAP and discussed the influence of trust on the online purchase intention of PAAP. Data were obtained through a questionnaire survey and tested empirically. The results showed that the effectiveness of the user feedback mechanism, platform supervision mechanism, product traceability mechanism, and product certification mechanism can enhance customers' purchase intention by enhancing their trust. Individual trust tendency positively regulated the relationship between the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms and consumer trust. The conclusion can not only provide new theoretical guidance for the practice of poverty alleviation by consumption in China but also offer new ideas for the poverty alleviation undertakings in other countries.
Case Study in Youth Flexible Assertive Community Treatment: An Illustration of the Need for Integrated Care
Authors: Broersen Marieke , Frieswijk Nynke , Coolen Rob , Creemers Daan H. M. , Kroon Hans
Published: May 2022

Youth Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (Youth Flexible ACT) is a client- and family-centered service delivery model for young people up to 24 years of age who have interrelated psychiatric- and social problems across multiple life domains and do not readily engage with office-based mental health services. Youth Flexible ACT teams were set up to meet the multifaceted needs of this subgroup in an integrated manner. In this paper, we present a case study to (1) describe the core principles of Youth Flexible ACT and (2) illustrate the application of the mental healthcare model. Subsequently, we describe the contribution of model elements to a positive care process and discuss the challenges of the team in working with the model. The case study displays the importance of integrated flexible and personalized care services to enable adolescents to remain engaged in care.
Relationship Between Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C Intake and Oral Cancer
Authors: Wang Jing , Fan Yi , Qian Jiawen , Wang Sijie , Li Yanni , Xu Mingming , Chen Fa , Wang Jing , Qiu Yu , Lin Lisong , He Baochang , Liu Fengqiong
Published: May 2022

Background

Dietary fiber and vitamin C has been reported to play a possible role in tumorigenesis. However, few studies have estimated their association with oral cancer risk. In this project, we investigated the relationship between dietary fiber and vitamin C and oral cancer risk in adults in Southern China.

Methods

382 patients newly diagnosed with oral cancer were matched to 382 hospital derived controls by frequency matching in age and sex. Pre-diagnostic consumption of dietary fiber and vitamin C intake were measured through food frequency questionnaire. Association between nutrients intake and oral cancer risk were evaluated by logistic regression. OR value and 95% confidence interval was calculated.

Results

Intake of dietary fiber and vitamin C was significantly lower in oral cancer patients (8.15 g/day) than in control participants (8.88 g/day). Increased dietary fiber or vitamin C intake was linked to a decreased incidence of OC after adjustment of age, marital status, residence, BMI, occupation, education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and family history of cancer Ptrend< 0.001). Compared with the lowest tertile, the adjusted OR of the top tertile of dietary fiber was 0.47 (95 % CI 0.32, 0.68). While the adjusted OR of the highest tertile was 0.60 (95 % CI 0.42, 0.87) compared with the lowest tertile of vitamin C.

Conclusions

Dietary intake of fiber and vitamin C were lower in oral cancer patients than in control participants. Dietary fiber and vitamin C were inversely related to risk of oral cancer risk.
An Efficient Needleless Grasping Suture Technique for Graft Preparation in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Fang Chaohua , Cheng Rongshan , Jiang Jian , Dimitriou Dimitris , Wang Huizhi , Jiang Ziang , Tsai Tsung-Yuan , Cheng Cheng-Kung
Published: May 2022

Objective

Several needleless techniques have been developed to outcome the inherent disadvantages of the traditional needle stitching technique for graft preparation, such as tendon damage through the needle, time consumption, and the potential risk of needlestick injury. The purpose of the present study is to compare the graft preparation time and the biomechanical performance between an efficient needleless technique and the traditional needle stitching technique for graft preparation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).

Methods

The time required to perform a complete suture on 20 hamstring tendons during ACLRs was measured. The grafts from one side were prepared using the needle stitching technique. The grafts from the other side used the needleless grasping suture technique. For the second part of the study, 12 fresh-frozen porcine flexor tendons were divided into two groups using two techniques and were mounted in an electric tensile test system. Each group was pretensioned to 100 N to simulate the maximum initial graft tension. The suturing state of sutures and graft (intact and damaged) and the load-elongation curve were recorded for each group. A Student’s t-test was used to compare the means of the two groups.

Results

In operation, the needleless grasping suture technique group (19.8 ± 4.8, range: 13.5–32.9 s) was significantly faster (p < 0.05) than the needle stitching technique group (52.7 ± 12.7, range: 36.0–87.5 s). The state of sutures in each group was intact. The mean elongation was 11.75 ± 1.38 (range: 9.47–12.99) mm and 10.59 ± 1.02 (range: 9.12–11.76) mm in the needleless stitching technique group and the needle grasping suture technique group, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the elongation between the two groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The needleless grasping suture technique was a convenient and efficient method for graft preparation in ACLR.
Localization of Ectopic Mediastinal Parathyroid Adenomas Using Indigo Carmine Injection for Surgical Management: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Kammori Makoto , Kanazawa Shinsaku , Ogata Hisae , Kanda Natsuki , Nagashima Takashi , Kammori Mahiro , Ogawa Toshihisa
Published: May 2022

An ectopic parathyroid adenoma (EPA) is a rare entity. The aim of this study was to report our experience in the preoperative localization and surgical management of EPAs. This was a multicenter retrospective study involving patients diagnosed with an EPA (three males and seven females) from January 2005 to November 2021. The clinical features, preoperative management, and surgical procedures were analyzed. A cervical neck ultrasound was performed in all patients and showed a focus in eight patients. Cervicothoracic enhanced computed tomography was performed in all patients and showed a focus in nine patients. The 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy was performed in eight patients and showed uptake in six of them. We performed a neck dissection and thoracotomy in one patient, a thoracoscopy in one patient, surgery with a focused approach in seven patients, four of whom were injected with indigo carmine blue, and surgery with a bilateral approach in one patient. 1 h following the parathyroidectomy, the parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration was decreased to 40–80% of the baseline value. Establishing a preoperative diagnosis of an EPA is challenging for the surgeon, despite the progress in the morphologic assessment. An intraoperative PTH assay and injection of indigo carmine have been shown to be valuable tools in the appropriate surgical management of an EPA.
Uterine Involvement in Klippel–Trenaunay Syndrome: A Rare But Relevant Event. Review of the Literature
Authors: Cucinella Gaspare , Di Buono Giuseppe , Geraci Girolamo , Ricupati Federica , Gullo Giuseppe , Maienza Elisa , Romano Giorgio , Bonventre Giulia , Amato Giuseppe , Romano Giorgio , Buscemi Salvatore , Agrusa Antonino
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare vascular congenital disorder characterized by the classical triad of port-wine stains, abnormal growth of soft tissues and bones, and vascular malformations. The involvement of the genitourinary tract and of the uterus in particular is extremely infrequent but relevant for possible consequences.

Methods

We performed an extensive review of the literature using the Pubmed, Scopus and ISI web of knowledge database to identify all cases of KTS with uterine involvement. The search was done using the MeSH term “Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome” AND “uterine” OR “uterus.” We considered publications only in the English language with no limits of time. We selected a total of 11 records of KTS with uterine involvement, including those affecting pregnant women.

Results

Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome was described for the first time in the year 1900 in two patients with hemangiomatous lesions of the skin associated with varicose veins and asymmetric soft tissue and bone hypertrophy. Uterine involvement is a rare condition and can cause severe menorrhagia. Diagnosis is based on physical signs and symptoms. CT scans and MRI are first-choice test procedures to evaluate both the extension of the lesion and the infiltration of deeper tissues before treatment. The management of Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome should be personalized using careful diagnosis, prevention and treatment of complications.

Conclusion

Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome is a rare vascular malformation with a wide variability of manifestations. There are no univocal and clear guidelines that suggest the most adequate monitoring of the possible complications of the disease. Treatment is generally conservative, but in case of recurrent bleeding, surgery may be needed.
Blackleg in Cattle in the Irkutsk Region
Authors: Blokhin Andrei A. , Toropova Nadezhda N. , Burova Olga A. , Iashin Ivan V. , Zakharova Olga I.
Published: May 2022

Blackleg is an acute, toxic, infectious, non-contagious disease of domestic and wild ruminants that occurs while the animals are pastured. This article describes an outbreak of blackleg on a farm in Siberia (Russia) in 2019. We provide a detailed description of the cases based on the results of comprehensive diagnostic and epidemiological investigations. For description of case and evaluation, we used the following methods: owner observations, descriptive epidemiology, clinical diagnostics, pathological examination and bacteriology. The distinctive features (in addition to the characteristic features) were as follows: the outbreak of the disease occurred in early spring when there was abundant snow cover and under unfavorable living conditions of animals and traumas; the disease appeared in both vaccinated and unvaccinated cattle; the characteristic clinical signs were low-grade fever, the absence of crepitus, and the presence of haematomas containing erythrocytes with basophilic granularity; thrombs in vessel and vacuolization in tissue of the adrenal gland. This paper aimed to present classical and new clinical and pathology changes in cattle with blackleg in winter conditions of Russian Siberia.
Atypical Mycosis in Psittacine Birds: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Galosi Livio , Falcaro Christian , Danesi Patrizia , Zanardello Claudia , Berardi Sara , Biagini Lucia , Attili Anna-Rita , Rossi Giacomo
Published: May 2022

A retrospective study was conducted on parrots submitted from necropsy to the Department of Veterinary Pathology, School of Biosciences and Veterinary, University of Camerino, Italy, from 2007 to 2018. From a total of 2,153 parrots examined at post-mortem, four cases were diagnosed with atypical mycosis and were considered for determination of the fungus species by PCR. A Fischer's lovebird (Agapornis fischeri), Peach-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis), and two Blue and Gold Macaws (Ara ararauna) from four different aviaries died after some days of lethargy and ruffled feathers. Records of gross necropsy and histopathological exams (H&E, PAS, and Grocott stain) were described and biomolecular analyses were carried out. No specific gross lesions were appreciated at necropsy, while histopathology evidenced a systemic mycosis in several organs, particularly in the lungs. In affected organs, broad and non-septate hyphae, suggestive of mycoses, were observed. Molecularly, Mucor racemosus (Fischer's lovebird) and M. circinelloides (Peach-faced lovebirds) were identified from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) lung and liver tissue. In addition, Alternaria alternata and Fusicladium spp. (respectively in male and female Blue and Gold macaws) were identified in FFPE tissue from several organs; whereas the role of Mucor spp. as true pathogens is well-demonstrated, and the behavior of A. alternata and Fusicladium spp. in macaws as opportunistic pathogens have been discussed. To our knowledge, this report is the first one reporting mucormycosis caused by M. racemosus and M. circinelloides in lovebirds, and A. alternata and Fusicladium spp. in macaws.
Self-Reported Mental Health and Lifestyle Behaviour During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Czech Population: Evidence From Two Cross-Sectional Surveys
Authors: Dalecká Andrea , Tomášková Hana , Šlachtová Hana , Skýbová Dagmar , Mad’ar Ratislav
Published: May 2022

Objectives: Evidence of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental and physical health behaviours is limited. This study presents results of two cross-sectional surveys on mental health changes and its consequences on healthy and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours.

Methods: An online survey was distributed during Spring 2020 (N = 9,168) and Autumn 2020 (N = 1,042) in the Czech Republic. Differences in mental health observed in both surveys were evaluated using Mann-Whitney test and logistic regressions were used to examine demographic and socio-economic determinants of COVID-19-related mental health issues and resulting healthy and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours.

Results: In multivariable models, the youngest individuals, females, people with increased work demands and participants with a reduced personal income due to the COVID-19 pandemic were all negatively associated with self-reported mental health issues (p < 0.05). A worsened quality of sleep, dietary habits, physical activity and unhealthy behaviours were highly associated with affected mental health in the models adjusted for potential covariates (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Taken together, these findings suggest that health promotion strategies directed to individuals who are at risk should be encouraged to adopt and/or maintain positive health-related behaviours.
Right-Wing Populism, Social Identity Theory, and Resistance to Public Health Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Magnus Kathleen D.
Published: May 2022

Many western democracies experienced significant resistance to public health measures designed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Although there were complex reasons for this resistance, right-wing populist forces seem to have played a significant role in fueling it. Studies show a strong correlation between right-wing populist support and resistance to COVID-19-mitigating measures including vaccination, and those who supported these populist movements were more likely to suffer and die from the virus. The question thus arises: why do people support these movements which openly undermine their own health interests? This paper addresses this question from a social-psychological perspective. Specifically, it draws on social identity theory to explain the considerable success of right-wing populism’s radical anti-health agenda and to offer some suggestions about how this negative influence may be countered.
3,3′-Diindolylmethane Supplementation Maintains Oocyte Quality by Reducing Oxidative Stress and CEP-1/p53-Mediated Regulation of Germ Cells in a Reproductively Aged Caenorhabditis elegans Model
Authors: Lee Mijin , Youn Esther , Kang Kyungsu , Shim Yhong-Hee
Published: May 2022

In recent decades, maternal age at first birth has increased, as has the risk of infertility due to rapidly declining oocyte quality with age. Therefore, an understanding of female reproductive aging and the development of potential modulators to control oocyte quality are required. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), a natural metabolite of indole-3-cabinol found in cruciferous vegetables, on fertility in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. C. elegans fed DIM showed decreased mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chromosomal aberrations in aged oocytes, and thus reduced embryonic lethality, suggesting that DIM, a dietary natural antioxidant, improves oocyte quality. Furthermore, DIM supplementation maintained germ cell apoptosis (GCA) and germ cell proliferation (GCP) in a CEP-1/p53-dependent manner in a reproductively aged C. elegans germ line. DIM-induced GCA was mediated by the CEP-1-EGL-1 pathway without HUS-1 activation, suggesting that DIM-induced GCA is different from DNA damage-induced GCA in the C. elegans germ line. Taken together, we propose that DIM supplementation delays the onset of reproductive aging by maintaining the levels of GCP and GCA and oocyte quality in a reproductively aged C. elegans.
Measurements and Modeling of Optical Turbulence in the Coastal Environment
Authors: Barnett Sasha , Blau Joseph , Frederickson Paul , Cohn Keith
Published: May 2022

The goal of this study was to characterize optical turbulence in the near-coastal environment. Measurements to obtain the refractive index structure parameter and other meteorological data were taken over the course of a month along the shore of Monterey Bay. The results were compared to a new version of the Navy Vertical Surface Layer Model (NAVSLaM), a model of turbulence originally developed for maritime environments but now extended to terrestrial environments. The new version has not been previously validated by comparisons to experiments, particularly in a complex environment such as near the coastline. Our experimental results showed generally good agreement between measured and modeled levels of turbulence. Specifically, the differences between experimental and modeled values of the refractive index structure parameter were less than an order of magnitude in most conditions and followed the same diurnal trend. There were some greater differences during near-neutral conditions, but this is a known limitation of the model. Overall, this extended model appears to do a good job of predicting turbulence in this environment for the observed time period.
Parameter Optimization of Catering Oil Droplet Electrostatic Coalescence under Coupling Field with COMSOL Software
Authors: Xu Danyun , Zhu Ling , Yang Ziyu , Gao Jiale , Jin Man
Published: May 2022

At present, the common cooking fume purification devices are mostly based on electrostatic technology. There are few researches on the microscopic process of coalescence and electric field parameters’ optimization. In this paper, COMSOL MultiphysicsTM was used to simulate the electrostatic coalescence of oil droplets in the coupling field of an electric field and flow field. The degree of deformation of oil droplets (D) and the starting coalescence time (tsc) were used to evaluate the coalescence process. The feasibility of the model was verified through experimental results. The effects of voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius on tsc were investigated, and the parameters were optimized by the response surface method and Matrix correlation analysis. It can be concluded that increasing the voltage, flow speed and oil droplet radius appropriately would be conducive to the coalescence of oil droplets. When the oil droplet radius was in the range of 0–1.5 mm, it promoted the coalescence of oil droplets. The influence of various factors on oil droplet coalescence was flow speed > voltage > oil droplet radius. The optimal result obtained by simulation was that when the radius of the oil droplet was 1.56 mm, the voltage 12 kV and the flow speed 180 mm/ms, the shortest coalescence time of oil droplets was 16.8253 ms.
Predicting Daily PM2.5 Exposure with Spatially Invariant Accuracy Using Co-Existing Pollutant Concentrations as Predictors
Authors: Araki Shin , Shimadera Hikari , Hasunuma Hideki , Yoda Yoshiko , Shima Masayuki
Published: May 2022

The spatiotemporal variation of PM2.5 should be accurately estimated for epidemiological studies. However, the accuracy of prediction models may change over geographical space, which is not conducive for proper exposure assessment. In this study, we developed a prediction model to estimate daily PM2.5 concentrations from 2010 to 2017 in the Kansai region of Japan with co-existing pollutant concentrations as predictors. The overall objective was to obtain daily estimates over the study domain with spatially homogeneous accuracy. We used random forest algorithm to model the relationship between the daily PM2.5 concentrations and various predictors. The model performance was evaluated via spatial and temporal cross-validation and the daily PM2.5 surface was estimated from 2010 to 2017 at a 1 km × 1 km resolution. We achieved R2 values of 0.91 and 0.92 for spatial and temporal cross-validation, respectively. The prediction accuracy for each monitoring site was found to be consistently high, regardless of the distance to the nearest monitoring location, up to 10 km. Even for distances greater than 10 km, the mean R2 value was 0.88. Our approach yielded spatially homogeneous prediction accuracy, which is beneficial for epidemiological studies. The daily PM2.5 estimates will be used in a related birth cohort study to evaluate the potential impact on human health.
Citizens’ Perception of COVID-19 Passport Usefulness: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Andrés-Sánchez Jorge de , Arias-Oliva Mario , Pelegrin-Borondo Jorge
Published: May 2022

This paper assesses the influence on people’s perception of the utility of the immunity passport (IP) program by sociodemographic factors, infectivity status, and the objective of its use. The material of this paper is a cross-sectional survey of 400 residents in Spain. The relation between utility perception and input variables is fitted with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and linear quantile regression (LQR). The principal explanatory variable of usefulness perception is being vaccinated, especially when the objective of the IP is regulating mobility. The OLS estimate of the coefficient regression is (cr) = 0.415 (p = 0.001). We also found a positive and significant influence of that factor in all LQRs (cr = 0.652, p = 0.0026 at level (τ) = 0.75; cr = 0.482, p = 0.0047 at τ = 0.5 and cr = 0.201, p = 0.0385 at τ = 0.25). When the objective of the IP is regulating leisure, being vaccinated is relevant only to explain the central measures of usefulness perception. If the IP is used to regulate traveling, variables related to interviewees’ infectivity have greater relevance than sociodemographic factors. When its objective is ruling assembly, the more important variables than being vaccinated are gender and age. To create an effective implementation of the IP, it is advisable to have a general agreement among the population on its convenience. Therefore, the findings in this study have important implications for public health decision-makers.
Mutation of PTPN11 (Encoding SHP-2) Promotes MEK Activation and Malignant Progression in Neurofibromin-Deficient Cells in a Manner Sensitive to BRAP Mutation
Authors: Harigai Ritsuko , Sato Ryo , Hirose Chikako , Takenouchi Toshiki , Kosaki Kenjiro , Hirose Takanori , Saya Hideyuki , Arima Yoshimi
Published: May 2022

Germline mutations of NF1 cause neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) through the activation of the RAS signaling pathway, and some NF1 patients develop malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). Here, we established subclones of the human NF1-MPNST cell line sNF96.2 that manifest increased tumorigenic activity and increased phosphorylation of the protein kinases MEK and Akt relative to the parental cells. Genomic DNA sequencing identified 14 additional heterozygous mutations within the coding regions of 13 cancer- and other disease-related genes in these subclones. One of these genes, PTPN11, encodes SHP-2, and the forced expression of the identified G503V mutant of SHP-2 increased both tumorigenic activity and MEK phosphorylation in parental sNF96.2 cells, suggesting that the combination of PTPN11 and NF1 mutations induces the pathological activation of the RAS pathway. These effects of SHP-2 (G503V) were inhibited by the coexpression of the G370A mutant of BRAP, which was also detected in the highly malignant subclones, and this inhibition was accompanied by the calpain-dependent cleavage of SHP-2 (G503V). The cleavage of SHP-2 (G503V) and suppression of MEK phosphorylation mediated by BRAP (G370A) were not detected in NF1-intact (HeLa) cells. Tumor promotion by SHP-2 (G503V) and its suppression by BRAP (G370A) may serve as a basis for the development of new treatment strategies for NF1.
Prospects in GSK-3 Signaling: From Cellular Regulation to Disease Therapy
Authors: Arciniegas Ruiz Sara , Rippin Ido , Eldar-Finkelman Hagit
Published: May 2022

Over the last decade, there has been continuous progress in our understanding of the biology of the protein kinase GSK-3 [...]
Impact of Heating Temperature on the Crystallization, Structural, Pasting, and Hydration Properties of Pre-Gelatinized Adlay Flour and Its Implementation in Instant Porridge Product
Authors: Octavia Yusuf Maslichatun Trisnayatie , Dwi Masahid Ardiyan , Ratnawati Lia , Indrianti Novita , Ekafitri Riyanti , Sholichah Enny , Afifah Nok , Sarifudin Achmat , Hikal Dalia M. , Sami Rokayya , Khojah Ebtihal , Aljahani Amani H. , Al-Moalem Maalem H. , Fikry Mohammad
Published: May 2022

Pre-gelatinization by using an autoclave is the simplest lab-scale method for preparing instant flour from adlay. The effect of heating temperatures (60 °C, 80 °C, and 100 °C) on the structural and pasting properties of pre-gelatinized adlay flour was studied. Moreover, the sensory acceptability of instant porridge prepared from this flour was investigated. Results showed that the shapes of starch granules of pre-gelatinized adlay flour started to disappear at a temperature of 80 °C. However, the crystallinity of the flour gelatinized at 60 °C was higher than that of flours gelatinized at other temperatures. The treatment increased water absorption, water solubility, and swelling power of pre-gelatinized adlay flour. It changed the pasting properties of pre-gelatinized adlay flour and decreased the lightness of pre-gelatinized adlay flour. Overall, the panelists preferred the instant porridge made from pre-gelatinized adlay flour prepared from 100 °C
From COVID-19 to Influenza—Real-Life Clinical Practice in a Pediatric Hospital
Authors: Miron Victor Daniel , Bar Gabriela , Filimon Claudiu , Craiu Mihai
Published: May 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic, through the restrictions and the non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented, has importantly impacted the circulation and epidemiology of respiratory viruses. Specifically, the 2020/21 season was entirely dominated by SARS-CoV-2, while influenza activity reached an all-time low, despite initial warnings that a double concurrent epidemic could be possible. The current season, 2021/22, started with the shift of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants from delta to omicron, which then rapidly spread globally, as most countries, including Romania, removed all restrictions and compulsory non-pharmaceutical interventions. In this report we present the clinical reality observed in March 2022 in a tertiary paediatric hospital in Bucharest, Romania, where we observed a sudden surge in influenza cases, after two consecutive years (March 2020 to March 2022) when influenza had stopped circulating in our country. Thus, in March 2022 the positivity rate of rapid influenza antigen tests unexpectedly increased to 33.5%, paralleled by a decrease to 7.5% in the positivity rate of rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests. This significant increase in the influenza attack rate was observed from the first week (14.9% positivity rate), through the fourth week of March (42.1% positivity rate, p < 0.001), while the COVID-19 attack rate displayed a significant decreasing trend (from 11.2% to 4.8%, p < 0.001). These data serve as a warning about relaxing restrictions in a precipitous approach with minimised vigilance. The evolution of these observations needs to be followed very carefully in all countries, particularly in settings where epidemiological interactions and non-pharmaceutical interventions have so far led to the extensive circulation of only one of these viruses, and we should now be prepared to perform a correct differential diagnosis between influenza and COVID-19, in order to ensure the best quality of care and personalized management of each case of respiratory infection. The results of active influenza surveillance studies for the whole 2021/22 season are awaited, in order to quantify the joint influenza—COVID-19 burden among children.
Novel Uses and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence in Diagnosing and Managing Eyes with High Myopia and Pathologic Myopia
Authors: Du Ran , Ohno-Matsui Kyoko
Published: May 2022

Myopia is a global health issue, and the prevalence of high myopia has increased significantly in the past five to six decades. The high incidence of myopia and its vision-threatening course emphasize the need for automated methods to screen for high myopia and its serious form, named pathologic myopia (PM). Artificial intelligence (AI)-based applications have been extensively applied in medicine, and these applications have focused on analyzing ophthalmic images to diagnose the disease and to determine prognosis from these images. However, unlike diseases that mainly show pathologic changes in the fundus, high myopia and PM generate even more data because both the ophthalmic information and morphological changes in the retina and choroid need to be analyzed. In this review, we present how AI techniques have been used to diagnose and manage high myopia, PM, and other ocular diseases and discuss the current capacity of AI in assisting in preventing high myopia.
Bio-Inspired Hybrid Optimization Algorithms for Energy Efficient Wireless Sensor Networks: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Yadav Rajiv , Sreedevi Indu , Gupta Daya
Published: May 2022

Researchers are facing significant challenges to develop robust energy-efficient clustering and routing protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) in different areas such as military, agriculture, education, industry, environmental monitoring, etc. WSNs have made an everlasting imprint on everyone’s lives. The bulk of existing routing protocols has focused on cluster head election while disregarding other important aspects of routing including cluster formation, data aggregation, and security, among others. Although cluster-based routing has made a significant contribution to tackling this issue, the cluster head (CH) selection procedure may still be improved by integrating critical characteristics. Nature-inspired algorithms are gaining traction as a viable solution for addressing important challenges in WSNs, such as sensor lifespan and transmission distance. Despite this, the sensor node batteries cannot be changed when installed in a remote or unsupervised area due to their wireless nature. As a result, numerous researches are being done to lengthen the life of a node span. The bulk of existing node clustering techniques suffers from non-uniform cluster head distribution, an imbalanced load difficulty within clusters, concerning left-out nodes, coverage area, and placement according to a recent study. Metaheuristic algorithms (DE, GA, PSO, ACO, SFO, and GWO) have the advantages of being simple, versatile, and derivation-free, as well as effectively utilizing the network’s energy resource by grouping nodes into clusters to increase the lifespan of the entire network. In this paper, we explore recently used hybridization techniques (DE-GA, GA-PSO, PSO-ACO, PSO-ABC, PSO-GWO, etc.) for bio-inspired algorithms to improve the energy efficiency of WSNs. This paper also discusses how critical issues can be addressed by speeding up the implementation process, how more efficient data can be transferred, as well as how energy consumption can be reduced by using bio-inspired hybrid optimization algorithms.
Power Ripple Control Method for Modular Multilevel Converter under Grid Imbalances
Authors: Alharbi Mohammed , Isik Semih , Alkuhayli Abdulaziz , Bhattacharya Subhashish
Published: May 2022

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) are primarily adopted for high-voltage applications, and are highly desired to be operated even under fault conditions. Researchers focused on improving current controllers to reduce the adverse effects of faults. Vector control in the DQ reference domain is generally adopted to control the MMC applications. Under unstable grid conditions, it is challenging to control double-line frequency oscillations in the DQ reference frame. Therefore, active power fluctuations are observed in the active power due to the uncontrolled AC component’s double line frequency component. This paper proposes removing the active power’s double-line frequency under unbalanced grid conditions during DQ transformation. Feedforward and feedback control methods are proposed to eliminate ripple in active power under fault conditions. An extraction method for AC components is also proposed for the power ripple control to eliminate the phase error occurring with the conventional high-pass filters. The system’s stability with the proposed controller is tested and compared with a traditional MMC controller using the Nyquist stability criterion. A real-time digital simulator (RTDS) and Xilinx Virtex 7-based FPGA were used to verify the proposed control methods under single-line-to-ground (SLG) faults.
Fabrication and Performance of Micro-Tubular Solid Oxide Cells
Authors: Sahu Sulata K. , Panthi Dhruba , Soliman Ibrahim , Feng Hai , Du Yanhai
Published: May 2022

Solid Oxide Cells (SOC) are the kind of electrochemical devices that provide reversible, dual mode operation, where electricity is generated in a fuel cell mode and fuel is produced in an electrolysis mode. Our current work encompasses the design, fabrication, and performance analysis of a micro-tubular reversible SOC that is prepared through a single dip-coating technique with multiple dips using conventional materials. Electrochemical impedance and current-voltage responses were monitored from 700 to 800 °C. Maximum power densities of the cell achieved at 800, 750, and 700 °C, was 690, 546, and 418 mW cm−2, respectively. The reversible, dual mode operation of the SOC was evaluated by operating the cell using 50% H2O/H2 and ambient air. Accordingly, when the SOC was operated in the electrolysis mode at 1.3 V (the thermo-neutral voltage for steam electrolysis), current densities of −311, −487 and −684 mA cm−2 at 700, 750 and 800 °C, respectively, were observed. Hydrogen production rate was determined based on the current developed in the cell during the electrolysis operation. The stability of the cell was further evaluated by performing multiple transitions between fuel cell mode and electrolysis mode at 700 °C for a period of 500 h. In the stability test, the cell current decreased from 353 mA cm−2 to 243 mA cm−2 in the fuel cell mode operation at 0.7 V, while the same decreased from −250 mA cm−2 to −115 mA cm−2 in the electrolysis operation at 1.3 V.
Development of An Analytical Method for Design of Electromagnetic Energy Harvesters with Planar Magnetic Arrays
Authors: Amjadian Mohsen , Agrawal Anil. K. , Nassif Hani H.
Published: May 2022

In this paper, an analytical method is proposed for the modeling of electromagnetic energy harvesters (EMEH) with planar arrays of permanent magnets. It is shown that the proposed method can accurately simulate the generation of electrical power in an EMEH from the vibration of a bridge subjected to traffic loading. The EMEH consists of two parallel planar arrays of 5 by 5 small cubic permanent magnets (PMs) that are firmly attached to a solid aluminum base plate, and a thick rectangular copper coil that is connected to the base plate through a set of four springs. The coil can move relative to the two magnetic arrays when the base plate is subjected to an external excitation caused by the vehicles passing over the bridge. The proposed analytical model is used to formulize the magnetic interaction between the magnetic arrays and the moving coil and the electromechanical coupling between both the electrical and mechanical domains of the EMEH. A finite element model is developed to verify the accuracy of the proposed analytical model to compute the magnetic force acting on the coil. The analytical model is then used to conduct a parametric study on the magnetic arrays to optimize the arrangement of the PM poles, thereby maximize the electrical power outputted from the EMEH. The results of parametric analysis using the proposed analytical method show that the EMEH, under the resonant condition, can deliver an average electrical power as large as 500 mW when the PM poles are arranged alternately along the direction of vibration for a peak base acceleration of 0.1 g. A proof-of-concept prototype of the EMEH is fabricated to test its performance for a given arrangement of PMs subjected to vibration in both the lab and field environments.