bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New BFS Retrieval Technique for Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis Sensor System
Authors: Wei Haoyu , Wang Yongjun , Wang Qiming , Lu Xiya , Wu Hongxin , Fan Lei , Li Chao , Xin Xiangjun
Published: June 2021

In this paper, Gaussian smoothing (GS), non-local means (NLM), and Quaternion Wavelet Transform (QWT) have been described in detail. Furthermore, a Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) experimental system was built to verify the denoising algorithms. The principal and experimental analyses show that the QWT algorithm is a more efficient image denoising method. The results indicate that the GS algorithm can obtain the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), frequency uncertainty, and Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) accuracy, and can be executed in an imperceptible time, but the GS algorithm has the lowest spatial resolution. After being denoised by using NLM algorithm, although SNR, frequency uncertainty, BFS accuracy, and spatial resolution significantly improved, it takes 40 min to implement the NLM denoising algorithm for a BGS image with 200 × 100,000 points. Processed by the QWT denoising algorithm, although SNR increases to 17.26 dB and frequency uncertainty decreases to 0.24 MHz, a BFS accuracy of only 0.2 MHz can be achieved. Moreover, the spatial resolution is 3 m, which is not affected by the QWT denoising algorithm. It takes less than 32 s to denoise the same raw BGS data. The QWT image denoising technique is suitable for BGS data processing in the BOTDA sensor system.
Digital Control of a Stepping Motor for Eliminating Rotation Speed Fluctuations Using Adaptive Gains
Authors: Isobe Daishin , Hori Noriyuki , Kawai Shin , Yagi Keisuke , Nguyen-Van Triet
Published: June 2021

Nowadays, stepping motors are usually used as precise actuators in various new scientific fields, such as syringe pumps, blood analyzers, and bio-3D printers. Controlling rotation of the stepping motor without speed fluctuation under no-load conditions plays an important role in improving the accuracy of the machine’s drive. This paper proposes a digital control method for a five-phase hybrid stepping motor. The proposed controller includes an original control loop and a PI adaptive integration gain control loop. The original digital control loop is redesigned from the analog controller by using the direct PIM method. The PI adaptive control loop is added to the original control loop in a parallel way to remove a steady deviation of the motor and suppress a physical saturation factor inside the plant. Lyapunov stability theory is used to prove a stability condition of the PI regulator gains. Experimental results show that the proposed controller can suppress the chattering caused by the switching structure and gives performances as good as that of the commercial analog controller in a high rotation speed range without fluctuation.
Multi-Sensory Color Expression with Sound and Temperature in Visual Arts Appreciation for People with Visual Impairment
Authors: Bartolome Jorge Iranzo , Cho Gilsang , Cho Jun-Dong
Published: June 2021

For years the HCI community’s research has been focused on the hearing and sight senses. However, in recent times, there has been an increased interest in using other types of senses, such as smell or touch. Moreover, this has been accompanied with growing research related to sensory substitution techniques and multi-sensory systems. Similarly, contemporary art has also been influenced by this trend and the number of artists interested in creating novel multi-sensory works of art has increased substantially. As a result, the opportunities for visually impaired people to experience artworks in different ways are also expanding. In spite of all this, the research focusing on multimodal systems for experiencing visual arts is not large and user tests comparing different modalities and senses, particularly in the field of art, are insufficient. This paper attempts to design a multi-sensory mapping to convey color to visually impaired people employing musical sounds and temperature cues. Through user tests and surveys with a total of 18 participants, we show that this multi-sensory system is properly designed to allow the user to distinguish and experience a total of 24 colors. The tests consist of several semantic correlational adjective-based surveys for comparing the different modalities to find out the best way to express colors through musical sounds and temperature cues based on previously well-established sound-color and temperature-color coding algorithms. In addition, the resulting final algorithm is also tested with 12 more users.
Body Size Measurement Using a Smartphone
Authors: Foysal Kamrul Hasan , Chang Hyo-Jung (Julie) , Bruess Francine , Chong Jo-Woon
Published: June 2021

Measuring body sizes accurately and rapidly for optimal garment fit detection has been a challenge for fashion retailers. Especially for apparel e-commerce, there is an increasing need for digital and convenient ways to obtain body measurements to provide their customers with correct-fitting products. However, the currently available methods depend on cumbersome and complex 3D reconstruction-based approaches. In this paper, we propose a novel smartphone-based body size measurement method that does not require any additional objects of a known size as a reference when acquiring a subject’s body image using a smartphone. The novelty of our proposed method is that it acquires measurement positions using body proportions and machine learning techniques, and it performs 3D reconstruction of the body using measurements obtained from two silhouette images. We applied our proposed method to measure body sizes (i.e., waist, lower hip, and thigh circumferences) of males and females for selecting well-fitted pants. The experimental results show that our proposed method gives an accuracy of 95.59% on average when estimating the size of the waist, lower hip, and thigh circumferences. Our proposed method is expected to solve issues with digital body measurements and provide a convenient garment fit detection solution for online shopping.
Impedance Modeling and Stability Analysis of DFIG-Based Wind Energy Conversion System Considering Frequency Coupling
Authors: Song Shaojian , Guan Peichen , Liu Bin , Lu Yimin , Goh Huihwang
Published: June 2021

Impedance-based stability analysis is an effective method for addressing a new type of SSO accidents that have occurred in recent years, especially those caused by the control interaction between a DFIG and the power grid. However, the existing impedance modeling of DFIGs is mostly focused on a single converter, such as the GSC or RSC, and the influence between the RSC and GSC, as well as the frequency coupling effect inside the converter are usually overlooked, reducing the accuracy of DFIG stability analysis. Hence, the entire impedance is proposed in this paper for the DFIG-based WECS, taking coupling factors into account (e.g., DC bus voltage dynamics, asymmetric current regulation in the dq frame, and PLL). Numerical calculations and HIL simulations on RT-Lab were used to validate the proposed model. The results indicate that the entire impedance model with frequency coupling is more accurate, and it is capable of accurately predicting the system’s possible resonance points.
Importance of the Long-Term Seasonal Component in Day-Ahead Electricity Price Forecasting Revisited: Parameter-Rich Models Estimated via the LASSO
Authors: Jędrzejewski Arkadiusz , Marcjasz Grzegorz , Weron Rafał
Published: June 2021

Recent studies suggest that decomposing a series of electricity spot prices into a trend-seasonal and a stochastic component, modeling them independently, and then combining their forecasts can yield more accurate predictions than an approach in which the same parsimonious regression or neural network-based model is calibrated to the prices themselves. Here, we show that significant accuracy gains can also be achieved in the case of parameter-rich models estimated via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Moreover, we provide insights as to the order of applying seasonal decomposition and variance stabilizing transformations before model calibration, and propose two well-performing forecast averaging schemes that are based on different approaches for modeling the long-term seasonal component.
Nitrogen Addition Exacerbates the Negative Effect of Throughfall Reduction on Soil Respiration in a Bamboo Forest
Authors: Wang Yi , Liu Shirong , Luan Junwei , Chen Chen , Cai Chunju , Zhou Fan , Di Yaping , Gao Xiaomin
Published: June 2021

Impacts of drought events and nitrogen (N) deposition on forests are increasingly concerning in the context of global climate change, but their effects, in particular, their interactive effects on soil respiration and its components remain unclear. A two-factor random block field experiment was conducted at a subtropical Moso bamboo forest in Southwest China to explore the response of soil respiration (Rs), autotrophic respiration (Ra), and heterotrophic respiration (Rh) to throughfall re-duction and N addition. Our results showed that throughfall reduction significantly decreased Rs, which is mainly attributed to the decrease in Ra as a result of the decline in fine roots biomass. The N addition led to microbial carbon limitation hence significantly decreased Rh, and thus Rs. We also observed the negative effect of throughfall reduction on Rs was exacerbated by N addition, which is attributed to the significant reduction in Ra under the interaction between throughfall reduction N addition. Our findings suggest that Ra tended to respond more sensitively to potential drought, while Rh responds more sensitively to N deposition, and consequently, increased soil N availability caused by N deposition might aggravate the negative effect of expected drought on soil carbon cycling.
Genetic, Physiological, and Industrial Aspects of the Fructophilic Non-Saccharomyces Yeast Species, Starmerella bacillaris
Authors: Raymond Eder María Laura , Rosa Alberto Luis
Published: June 2021

Starmerella bacillaris (synonym Candida zemplinina) is a non-Saccharomyces yeast species, frequently found in enological ecosystems. Peculiar aspects of the genetics and metabolism of this yeast species, as well as potential industrial applications of isolated indigenous S. bacillaris strains worldwide, have recently been explored. In this review, we summarize relevant observations from studies conducted on standard laboratory and indigenous isolated S. bacillaris strains.
Properties of Scalable Chirped-Pulse Optical Comb in Erbium-Doped Ultrafast All-Fiber Ring Laser
Authors: Orekhov Ilya O. , Dvoretskiy Dmitriy A. , Sazonkin Stanislav G. , Ososkov Yan Z. , Chernutsky Anton O. , Fedorenko Aleksander Y. , Denisov Lev K. , Karasik Valeriy E.
Published: June 2021

We report on a scalable chirped-pulse Er-doped all-fiber laser, passively mode-locked by single-wall carbon nitride nanotubes. The average output power is ~15 mW, which corresponds to a peak power of ~77 W, and pulse energy of ~1.9 nJ and was achieved using a single amplification stage. We observed chirped-pulse generation with a duration of ~24.6 ps at a relatively low repetition rate of ~7.9 MHz, with a signal-to-noise ratio of ~69 dB. To characterize the short-term stability of the obtained regime, we have measured the relative intensity noise of the laser, which is <−107 dBc/Hz in the range of 3 Hz–1000 kHz. It should be noted that the standard deviation of root mean square of average power does not exceed a magnitude of 0.9% for 3 h of measurement.
Anti-Obesity Effect of Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. Extract Containing Phenolic Acids
Authors: Zheng Yulong , Choi Yoon-Hee , Lee Ji-Hyun , Lee So-Yeon , Kang Il-Jun
Published: June 2021

Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. water extract (EAW) was investigated for its anti-obesity effects in C57BL/6J mice on a high-fat diet. Mice were divided into groups fed normal and high-fat diets (ND and HFD, respectively), and HFD mice were treated with EAW (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Inhibition of HFD-induced obesity by EAW was evaluated using biochemical parameters, immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, and immunoblot assay. EAW supplementation significantly diminished the final body weight, adipose tissue size, and epididymal adipose tissue volume compared with mice with obesity induced by HFD (p < 0.05 for all). EAW also decreased serum triglyceride (TG) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) levels in obese mice. EAW attenuated HFD-induced obesity by down-regulating C/EBPα, PPARγ, and SREBP-1c to suppress adipogenesis. Moreover, this study indicated that EAW activates the AMPK pathway and increases ACC phosphorylation and downstream CPT1 expression in HFD-induced obese mice. Furthermore, several phenolic acids with anti-obesity properties have been identified in EAW, including quinic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid. Based on these data, EAW has anti-obesity effects in vivo, which indicates that it is an excellent candidate for the development of anti-obesity functional foods.
Mapping B-Cell Epitopes for Nonspecific Lipid Transfer Proteins of Legumes Consumed in India and Identification of Critical Residues Responsible for IgE Binding
Authors: Mishra Ankita , Kumar Ashok
Published: June 2021

Nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) have been categorized as panallergens and display widespread occurrence across plant-kingdom. Present study, investigated B-cell epitopes for LTPs from chickpea, mung-bean, cowpea, pigeon-pea, and soybean via in silico methods. In-silico predicted regions were evaluated for epitope-conservancy and property-based peptide similarity search by different allergen databases. Additionally, the in-silico predicted regions were compared with the experimentally validated epitopes of peach-LTP. Sequence-homology studies showed that chickpea and mung-bean LTPs shared significant homology, i.e., >70% and >60%, respectively, with other LTP allergens from lentil, garden-pea, peanut, etc. Phylogenetic-analysis also showed chickpea and mung-bean LTPs to be closely related to allergenic LTPs from lentil and peanut, respectively. Epitope-conservation analysis showed that two of the predicted B-cell epitopic regions in chickpea and mung-bean LTPs were also conserved in other allergenic LTPs from peach, peanut, garden-pea, lentil, and green-bean, and might serve as conserved B-cell epitopes of the LTP protein family. Property-distance index values for chickpea and mung-bean LTPs also showed that most of the epitopes shared similarity with the reported allergens like-lentil, peanut, apple, plum, tomato, etc. Present findings, may be explored for identification of probable allergenicity of novel LTPs, on the basis of the reported conserved B-cell epitopes, responsible for potential cross-reactivity.
Physical Aspects of Organogelation: A Point of View
Authors: Guenet Jean-Michel
Published: June 2021

The physics side of organogelation is broached through three main aspects, thermodynamics (formation and melting), structure (morphology and molecular organization), and rheology. A definition of a gel is first discussed so as to delimit the field of investigation; namely, systems constituted of fibril-like entities. It is again highlighted that gel formation occurs through first-order transitions, chiefly by homogeneous nucleation. A deeper knowledge of the system is thus achieved by mapping out the temperature–concentration phase diagram. Some experimental diagrams are shown, while diagrams likely to pertain to these systems are presented. The molecular arrangement is basically crystallization that occurs in a preferred direction, hence the formation of fibrils. The effects of the solvent type, the quenching process of the solution are discussed with respect to the morphology and the crystal structure. Finally, the rheological properties are tackled. Notions of critical gelation concentration and percolation are debated. The interest of mapping out the temperature–concentration phase diagram is emphasized, particularly for understanding the variation of the gel modulus with temperature.
Heat Flow Measurements at the Danube Deep-Sea Fan, Western Black Sea
Authors: Riedel Michael , Bialas Jörg , Villinger Heinrich , Pape Thomas , Haeckel Matthias , Bohrmann Gerhard
Published: June 2021

Seafloor heat flow measurements are utilized to determine the geothermal regime of the Danube deep-sea fan in the western Black Sea and are presented in the larger context of regional gas hydrate occurrences. Heat flow data were collected across paleo-channels in water depths of 550–1460 m. Heat flow across levees ranges from 25 to 30 mW m−2 but is up to 65 mW m−2 on channel floors. Gravity coring reveals sediment layers typical of the western Black Sea, consisting of three late Pleistocene to Holocene units, notably red clay within the lowermost unit cored. Heat flow derived from the bottom-simulating reflector (BSR), assumed to represent the base of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ), deviates from seafloor measurements. These discrepancies are linked either to fast sedimentation or slumping and associated variations in sediment physical properties. Topographic effects account of up to 50% of heat flow deviations from average values. Combined with climate-induced variations in seafloor temperature and sea-level since the last glacial maximum large uncertainties in the prediction of the base of the GHSZ remain. A regional representative heat flow value is ~30 mW m−2 for the study region but deviations from this value may be up to 100%.
Healthcare Professionals’ Role in Social Media Public Health Campaigns: Analysis of Spanish Pro Vaccination Campaign on Twitter
Authors: Herrera-Peco Ivan , Jiménez-Gómez Beatriz , Peña Deudero Juan José , Benitez De Gracia Elvira , Ruiz-Núñez Carlos
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a great impact worldwide both on the population health but also on an economic and social level. In this health emergency, a key element has been and still is the need for information, which has become a daily concern for many people. Social media represent powerful tools for searching and gathering health-related information, thus becoming a new place where health authorities need to be present to disseminate information of preventive measures like vaccines against COVID-19, as well as try to block information against these public health measures. The main goal of this study was to analyze the role that healthcare professionals have in Twitter to support the campaign of public institutions on vaccination against COVID-19. To address this study, an analysis of the messages sent on Twitter containing the hashtag #yomevacuno, between 12 December 2020 was developed using the NodeXL software (Social Media Research Foundation, Redwood, CA, USA), focusing on content analysis of tweets and users’ accounts to identify healthcare professionals. The results show that healthcare professionals represent only 11.38% of users, being responsible for 6.35% of impressions generated by the network #yomevacuno. We can observe that traffic information generated by healthcare professionals is not significant in comparison with institutions (p = 0.633), but it is compared to common users (p = 0.0014). The most active healthcare professionals were pharmacists (40.17%), nurses (27.17%), and physicians (12.14%). Their activity (90.43% of messages) was mainly focused on sharing messages generated by other users’ accounts. From original content generated by healthcare professionals, only 78.95% had a favorable storytelling on the vaccine, but without sharing information about vaccines or vaccination. As a conclusion for this study, the participation of healthcare professionals in the dissemination and generation of information within the #yomevacuno communication strategy, led by the Spanish Ministry of Health, has been scarce. We emphasize the need to enhance communication skills in social networks to support public health campaigns through these increasingly important social media.
Arrhythmias and Cardiogenic Shock: A Rare Disease Presentation of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma with Cardiac Involvement
Authors: Mariani Sabrina , Pelliccia Sabrina , Bianchi Maria Paola , Piedimonte Monica , Bongiovanni Martina , Testa Marco , Di Napoli Arianna , Tafuri Agostino
Published: June 2021

Extranodal involvement of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been reported in 20–40% of patients and has been typically observed in the skin, bones, gastrointestinal tract, liver and brain. Cardiac involvement has been reported in up to 20% of autopsy cases of patients with NHL and accounts for about 2% of all cardiac malignancies. Here, we report a peculiar case of a secondary cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), occurring with an abrupt hemodynamic instability, characterized by a sudden ventricular tachycardia and cardiogenic shock. The patient promptly started the first cycle of chemotherapy and was admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) of our institution to prevent potential cardiovascular complications during treatment. We applied a fractionated treatment approach, progressively reaching standard doses, to decrease the risk of early death and ensure a successful management.
Body Composition Symmetry in Long-Term Active Middle-Aged and Older Individuals
Authors: Stagi Silvia , Moroni Alessia , Micheletti Cremasco Margherita , Marini Elisabetta
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to analyze body composition and strength symmetry in a sample of 165 middle-aged and elderly Italian volunteers, which included 97 active (67 men and 30 women; 61.17 ± 7.56 years) individuals regularly engaged in Tai Chi Chuan, tennis, or running, and a control group of 59 age-matched sedentary (27 men and 32 women) individuals. Anthropometric and bioelectrical measurements and hand grip strength of both sides were collected. Segmental body composition was analyzed through specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. The body composition of the right and left limbs was similar among active individuals (arms: T2 = 6.3, n.s.; legs: T2 = 5.0, n.s.), with a similar pattern in the three different disciplines. By contrast, the control group showed bilateral asymmetry (arms: T2 = 6.8, p < 0.001; legs: T2 = 8.8, p < 0.001), mainly because of the higher values of specific reactance (t = 2.4; p = 0.018) and phase angle (t = 2.0; p = 0.054) in the dominant arm, and the higher specific vector length (t = −3.0; p = 0.027) in the left leg. All of the groups showed a higher hand grip strength in the dominant arm (active: t = 7.0, p < 0.001; control: t = 2.9; p < 0.01). In conclusion, the active individuals showed stronger body composition symmetry than the controls, thus indicating a previously undetected positive effect of sport in middle-aged and older adults.
Association between the Number of Prosthetic Crowns and Periodontitis: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNANES VII) from 2016–2018
Authors: Kim Yun-Jeong , Lee Jae-Young , Ku Young , Cho Hyun-Jae
Published: June 2021

Although the presence of prosthetic restorations has been associated with plaque accumulation, gingivitis, and periodontitis, there is a lack of large epidemiological investigations providing evidence on the association of prosthetic crowns with periodontitis. This study aimed to analyze the association between the number of prosthetic crowns and the presence of periodontitis. This study was based on the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016–2018). A total of 12,689 participants over the age of 19 years were surveyed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the association between the number of prosthetic crowns and periodontitis after adjusting for potential confounders, including demographic variables, socio-economic characteristics, oral health-related variables, and oral and systemic clinical variables. The odds ratio of periodontitis showed statistically significant differences in the anterior and posterior regions, and the prevalence of periodontal disease increased as the number of crown prostheses increased. Participants with 6–10 and 11 prosthetic crowns had 1.24 and 1.28 times higher prevalence of periodontitis, respectively, than patients with no prosthetic crown. The results of this study show that the number of prosthetic crowns present in adults is related to the prevalence of periodontitis.
A Velostat-Based Pressure-Sensitive Mat for Center-of-Pressure Measurements: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Martinez-Cesteros Javier , Medrano-Sanchez Carlos , Plaza-Garcia Inmaculada , Igual-Catalan Raul , Albiol-Pérez Sergio
Published: June 2021

Center-of-pressure (CoP) displacements play a key role in studies assessing postural stability. The accepted instrument to measure CoP trajectories is the force platform, but pressure-sensitive mats (PSMs) are an alternative composed of a matrix of sensitive cells. A typical cell comprises two electrodes with piezoresistive material in between, while a force platform has a force sensor at each of its corners. In this paper, we compare a homemade Velostat-based PSM and an affordable commercial mat with a commercial force platform in a test series with 42 healthy volunteers in single-legged trials (29 males, 13 females; height 1.74 (0.09) m, weight 74.3 (16.34) kg, age 31.21 (12.66) years). The aim of the research was to perform a preliminary study of the performance of our prototype to measure CoP, and more specifically, the standard deviation of the CoP path on both axes, the medial–lateral and anterior–posterior. We could thus discover several improvements for future clinical applications. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for agreement in the base experiment showed a moderate value for the prototype (0.38 to 0.63) and lower values for the commercial mat (0.11 to 0.12). However, we identified several factors that were relevant to improve ICC and reduce error by considering several processing options: (i) the known crosstalk problem between cells that appears in this kind of mats must be eliminated; (ii) the response time of the sensor has to be taken into account; and (iii) increasing the mat resolution also improves agreement. Therefore, as future work, we plan to test the improved version of the prototype in a clinical environment.
The Association of Energy Poverty with Health and Wellbeing in Children in a Mediterranean City
Authors: Oliveras Laura , Borrell Carme , González-Pijuan Irene , Gotsens Mercè , López María José , Palència Laia , Artazcoz Lucía , Marí-Dell’Olmo Marc
Published: June 2021

Children have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to energy poverty (EP), but little empirical research has addressed the effect of EP on children’s health and wellbeing, especially in southern Europe. In this work we aimed to provide an in-depth description of the distribution of EP by sociodemographic, socioeconomic and housing characteristics, as well as to analyse the association between EP and health and wellbeing in children in Barcelona. We performed a cross-sectional study using data from the Barcelona Health Survey for 2016 (n = 481 children under 15 years). We analysed the association between EP and health outcomes through prevalence differences and prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence interval (CI), using Poisson regression models with robust variance. In Barcelona, 10.6% of children were living in EP and large inequalities were found by sociodemographic, socioeconomic and housing characteristics. EP was strongly associated with poor health in children (PR (95% CI): 7.70 (2.86, 20.72)). Living in EP was also associated with poor mental health (PR (95% CI): 2.46 (1.21, 4.99)) and with more cases of asthma (PR (95% CI): 4.19 (1.47, 11.90)) and overweight (PR (95% CI): 1.50 (1.05, 2.15)) in children. It is urgent to develop specific measures to avoid such serious and unfair health effects on children.
Profile of the Change in Depression during Proton-Pump Inhibitor Therapy in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Influence of the Mucosal Break
Authors: Wu Chia-Liang , Chen Chien-Lin , Wen Shu-Hui
Published: June 2021

Given the frequent concomitance between depression and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), it is important to evaluate the change of depression in patients with GERD, especially considering the presence of esophageal mucosal breaks (MB). This study aimed to examine the change in the levels of depression in patients with GERD during proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy. We designed a prospective cohort study to explore the profile of the alteration in depression with respect to the impact of esophageal MB. This study recruited 172 eligible patients with GERD between February 2016 and May 2018. The change in depression was defined as the difference between the respective Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) scores obtained at baseline and after PPI therapy. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate the factors associated with the change in depression. The results revealed statistically significant improvements in the TDQ score (mean score: baseline = 13.2, after PPI therapy = 10.9, p < 0.01, Cohen’s d = 0.30) during PPI therapy for GERD. Moreover, the MB was an independent variable associated with changes in the TDQ score [B = 3.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.12, 5.51), p < 0.01] and the improvement in depression [odds ratio = 0.38, 95% CI: (0.17, 0.86), p = 0.02]. Our findings revealed that depressive symptoms improved slightly following PPI therapy. Moreover, MB was an unfavorable prognostic factor for the improvement in depression.
Gender Differences in the Prevalence of and Factors Related to Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Middle and High School Students in South Korea
Authors: Jeong Jin-Young , Kim Dong-Hyun
Published: June 2021

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)—the most severe mental health problem among South Korean adolescents in 2019. The participants were students from 12 middle and seven high schools in a single city in the metropolitan area in South Korea. A cluster-random sampling method was used—one class per school year at each middle and high schools. Every student in the selected classes was investigated. The final number of selected classes and students were as follows: 36 classes, 1074 students at middle schools; 35 classes, 873 students at high school. Data were obtained using a self-administered online questionnaire. The 12-month prevalence of NSSI was 8.8% among Korean adolescents, 2.85 times higher for female than male students (13.4% vs. 4.7%). For the school grade, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio [mOR] was 3.89 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35–11.26) higher for the group with the highest school records compared with the middle group for male students, while such pattern was not observed among female students (mOR 1.11, 95% CI 0.54–2.26). The risks for NSSI were higher among female students with lower economic status, compared with those with higher economic status (mOR 4.16, 95% CI 1.43–12.05). In contrast, economic status did not indicate higher risk among male students (mOR 1.43, 95% CI 0.42–4.84). This study suggests that the risk for NSSI among adolescent students may be different according to gender and comprehensive interventions from schools against NSSI may need a gender-sensitive approach in South Korea.
Nutritional, Cardiovascular Health and Lifestyle Status of ‘Health Conscious’ Adult Vegans and Non-Vegans from Slovenia: A Cross-Sectional Self-Reported Survey
Authors: Jakše Boštjan , Jakše Barbara , Godnov Uroš , Pinter Stanislav
Published: June 2021

The study aim was to investigate differences in nutritional, cardiovascular and lifestyle status of ‘health conscious’ subjects. In a partial ‘lock-down’ during the COVID-19 pandemic period, we performed a web-based, cross-sectional study. We compared 80 self-selected subjects (51 vegans, 67% females, and 29 non-vegans, 55% females, p = 0.344). Nutritional status was assessed by bio-electrical impedance and standardized food frequency questionnaires (i.e., contribution of nutrients from foods and supplementation, combined and separate). Serum lipid concentrations and blood pressure (BP) were assessed from annual or initial examination reports, while sociodemographic, economic, and lifestyle statuses were obtained by standardized questionnaires. Finally, a multivariate linear regression model was used to estimate the relationship between total fiber and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) values. The vegans had a significantly lower body mass index (22.8 ± 2.4 vs. 26.6 ± 3.6 kg/m2, p < 0.001) and body fat % (19.3 ± 7.3 vs. 25.8 ± 8.2%, p < 0.001) than the non-vegans. There were significant differences between vegans and non-vegans in energy intake, and most macronutrient (10/12) and micronutrient (15/23) intakes in units/day. Both diets were well designed, with high fiber and low SFA and free sugar intake but remained insufficient in n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (for vegans), vitamin D, calcium, sodium (for vegans) and iodine. Vegans also had a significantly lower lipid profile and BP than non-vegans, except for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. However, both groups met targeted recommendations. Furthermore, fiber and SFA intake and age explained 47% of the variance in LDL cholesterol. In conclusion, ‘health conscious’ vegans and non-vegans with comparable lifestyle statuses had significant differences in dietary intake, body composition and cardiovascular health status.
Factors Affecting the Academic Achievement of Nursing College Students in a Flipped Learning Simulation Practice
Authors: Gu Minkyung , Sok Sohyune
Published: June 2021

A flipped learning simulation practice is composed of two parts. First, it involves learning a practical subject in advance via video in a place other than the classroom, then performing a simulation practice consisting of pre-learning, simulation, and debriefing sections. This study was performed to determine and confirm the factors affecting the level of academic achievement of nursing college students in a flipped learning simulation practice. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. The participants were 160 nursing students who had experience of a flipped learning simulation practice in a nursing college in South Korea. The factors measured were the general characteristics of the participants, the participants’ academic achievement, the analysis ability of the flipped learning class, the participants’ self-directed learning preparation, the participants’ self-efficacy, and the participants’ learning satisfaction. Data were collected from September to November, 2019. As a result of the analysis, we found that the factor that had the greatest influence on the academic achievement of nursing students was self-efficacy, followed by gender, flipped learning education experience, learning satisfaction, age, and the analysis ability of the flipped learning class. In the nursing practicum, nursing educators need to pay attention to the use of flipped learning simulation practice and the factors affecting the academic achievement of nursing college students. In flipped learning simulation practice, specific interventions and strategies are required to improve the academic achievement of nursing college students.
Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on People with Pre-Existing Chronic Disease
Authors: Budu Michael Owusu , Rugel Emily J. , Nocos Rochelle , Teo Koon , Rangarajan Sumathy , Lear Scott A.
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in anxiety and depression levels across broad populations. While anyone can be infected by the virus, the presence of certain chronic diseases has been shown to exacerbate the severity of the infection. There is a likelihood that knowledge of this information may lead to negative psychological impacts among people with chronic illness. We hypothesized that the pandemic has resulted in increased levels of anxiety and depression symptoms among people with chronic illness. We recruited 540 participants from the ongoing Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study in British Columbia, Canada. Participants were asked to fill out an online survey that included the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) to assess anxiety and depression symptoms. We tested our hypothesis using bivariate and multivariable linear regression models. Out of 540 participants, 15% showed symptoms of anxiety and 17% reported symptoms of depression. We found no significant associations between having a pre-existing chronic illness and reporting higher levels of anxiety or depression symptoms during COVID-19. Our results do not support the hypothesis that having a chronic illness is associated with greater anxiety or depression symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results were similar to one study but in contrast with other studies that found a positive association between the presence of chronic illness and developing anxiety or depression during this pandemic.
Nutrition, a Tenet of Lifestyle Medicine but Not Medicine?
Authors: Frame Leigh A.
Published: June 2021

Nutrition is a foundation of health and one of six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine. The importance of nutrition in clinical care is now widely recognized by health care professionals and the public. However, clinicians are not comfortable counselling their patients on nutrition due to inadequate or lack of training, leaving a significant need in patient care. This gap can be closed with evidence-based curricula in medical schools and in the trainings of other health care professionals. This communication presents the current state of nutrition knowledge in health care, emphasizing nutrition education for physicians, and presents a model of how pre- through post-professional health care providers may become proficient in nutrition counseling including appropriate referral to more specialized providers. With these skills, health care professionals will be able to initiate patient-centered lifestyle plans. This includes improving diet and utilization of team-based medicine and referrals.
Indoor Environmental Quality in Dwellings and Lifestyle Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Russian Perspective
Authors: Reshetnikov Vladimir , Mitrokhin Oleg , Belova Elena , Mikhailovsky Victor , Mikerova Maria , Alsaegh Ali , Yakushina Irina , Royuk Valery
Published: June 2021

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern, and as a response, public health authorities started enforcing preventive measures like self-isolation and social distancing. The enforcement of isolation has consequences that may affect the lifestyle-related behavior of the general population. Quarantine encompasses a range of strategies that can be used to detain, isolate, or conditionally release individuals or populations infected or exposed to contagious diseases and should be tailored to circumstances. Interestingly, medical students may represent an example of how the COVID-19 pandemic can form new habits and change lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a web-based survey to assess changes in lifestyle-related behavior of self-isolated medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then we analyzed the sanitary-hygienic regulations of the Russian Federation to determine the requirements for healthy buildings. Results showed that during the pandemic, the enforcement of isolation affects medical students’ lifestyle-related behavior and accompanies an increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and healthy buildings are cutting-edge factors in preventing COVID-19 and NCDs. The Russian sanitary-hygienic regulations support improving this factor with suitable requirements for ventilation, sewage, waste management, and disinfection. Herein, assessing isolation is possible through the hygienic self-isolation index.
Can Adverse Childhood Experiences Heighten Risk for Problematic Internet and Smartphone Use? Findings from a College Sample
Authors: Forster Myriam , Rogers Christopher J. , Sussman Steven , Watts Jonathan , Rahman Tahsin , Yu Sheila , Benjamin Stephanie M.
Published: June 2021

Background: College students are among the heaviest users of smartphones and the Internet, and there is growing concern regarding problematic Internet (PIU) and smartphone use (PSU). A subset of adverse childhood experiences, household dysfunction [(HHD) e.g.; parental substance use, mental illness, incarceration, suicide, intimate partner violence, separation/divorce, homelessness], are robust predictors of behavioral disorders; however, few studies have investigated the link between HHD and PIU and PSU and potential protective factors, such as social support, among students. Methods: Data are from a diverse California student sample (N = 1027). The Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version and Internet Addiction Test assessed dimensions of addiction. Regression models tested associations between students’ level of HHD (No HHD, 1–3 HHD, ≥4 HHD) and PSU and PIU, and the role of extrafamilial social support in these relationships, adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, SES, employment loss due to COVID-19, and depression. Results: Compared to students reporting no HHD, students with ≥4 HHD had twice the odds (AOR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.21–3.40) of meeting criteria for PSU, while students with 1–3 HHD and ≥4 HHD had three and six times the odds of moderate to severe PIU (AORs: 2.03–2.46, CI:1.21–3.96) after adjusting for covariates. Extrafamilial social support was inversely associated with PIU and moderated the HHD–PSU association for students with 1–3 HHD. Conclusion: Students exposed to HHD may be especially vulnerable to developing behavioral addictions such as PSU and PIU. Extrafamilial social support offset the negative effects of HHD for PSU among the moderate risk group; implications for prevention efforts are discussed.
Comparison of Official and Friendly Matches through Acceleration, Deceleration and Metabolic Power Measures: A Full-Season Study in Professional Soccer Players
Authors: Nobari Hadi , Khalili Sara Mahmoudzadeh , Oliveira Rafael , Castillo-Rodríguez Alfonso , Pérez-Gómez Jorge , Ardigò Luca Paolo
Published: June 2021

Soccer is a popular team sport and highly demanding activity that requires high effort and long-term training plans. The goals of this study were to compare the accelerations, decelerations and metabolic power between official and friendly full matches, between the first and second halves of the matches, and between both halves of official and friendly matches. Twelve professional soccer players (age, 28.6 ± 2.7 years; height, 182.1 ± 8.6 cm; body mass, 75.3 ± 8.2 kg; BMI, 22.6 ± 0.7 kg/m2) participated in this study. A total of 33 official and 10 friendly matches were analyzed from the Iranian Premier League. All matches were monitored using GPSPORTS systems Pty Ltd. The following variables were selected: total duration of the matches, metabolic power, accelerations Zone1 (<2 m·s−2) (AccZ1), accelerations Zone2 (2 to 4 m·s−2) (AccZ2), accelerations Zone3 (>4 m·s−2) (AccZ3), decelerations Zone1 (<−2 m·s−2) (DecZ1), decelerations Zone2 (−2 to −4 m·s−2) (DecZ2) and decelerations Zone3 (>−4 m·s−2) (DecZ3). The major finding was shown in metabolic power, where higher values occurred in friendly matches (p < 0.05 with small effect size). Furthermore, total duration, AccZ3, DecZ1, DecZ2, and DecZ3 were revealed to be higher in official matches, while AccZ1 and AccZ2 were higher in friendly matches. The second half of the official matches revealed higher values for total duration compared to friendly matches (p < 0.05, moderate effect size). In conclusion, this study observed higher values of metabolic power in friendly matches compared to official matches. AccZ3, DecZ1, DecZ2, and DecZ3 were higher in official matches, while AccZ1 and AccZ2 were higher in friendly matches.
The Association of Meteorological Factors with Cognitive Function in Older Adults
Authors: Qiu Yuehong , Wei Kaigong , Zhu Lijun , Wu Dan , Jiao Can
Published: June 2021

Individual and meteorological factors are associated with cognitive function in older adults. However, how these two factors interact with each other to affect cognitive function in older adults is still unclear. We used mixed effects models to assess the association of individual and meteorological factors with cognitive function among older adults. Individual data in this study were from the database of China Family Panel Studies. A total of 3448 older adults from 25 provinces were included in our analysis. Cognitive functions were measured using a memory test and a logical sequence test. We used the meteorological data in the daily climate dataset of China’s surface international exchange stations, and two meteorological factors (i.e., average temperature and relative humidity) were assessed. The empty model showed significant differences in the cognitive scores of the older adults across different provinces. The results showed a main impact of residence (i.e., urban or rural) and a significant humidity–residence interaction on memory performance in older adults. Specifically, the negative association between humidity and memory performance was more pronounced in urban areas. This study suggested that meteorological factors may, in concert with individual factors, be associated with differences in memory function in older adults.
The Dark Triad Traits of Firefighters and Risk-Taking at Work. The Mediating Role of Altruism, Honesty, and Courage
Authors: Roșca Andra Cătălina , Burtăverde Vlad , Dan Cristina-Ioana , Mateizer Alexandru , Petrancu Carol Robert , Iriza Adrian Ionuț , Ene Cristina Adina
Published: June 2021

Firefighting is considered a dangerous profession that imposes unique safety hazards. In this research, we investigated the relationship between the Dark Triad traits of firefighters (N = 1434, Mage = 39.03, SD = 6.9) and their risk-taking at work, considering the mediation role of altruism, honesty, and courage. We showed that firefighters high on Machiavellianism and psychopathy reported high risk-taking. Altruism, honesty, and courage mediated the relationship between Machiavellianism and risk-taking in firefighters. Honesty and courage mediated the association between psychopathy and risk-taking. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Evaluating and Visualizing Drivers of Coastline Change: A Lake Ontario Case Study
Authors: Caspell Meredith , Vasseur Liette
Published: June 2021

Environmental and climatic changes are disproportionately felt in coastal communities, where drivers of coastline change are complicated with continued development. This study analyzed the coastline change of Lake Ontario in the Town of Lincoln, Ontario, Canada, using a mixed-methods two-phased approach that is novel to the study area. The first phase of the methodology included a coastline change analysis using historical aerial photographs in a geographic information system to identify the most vulnerable sections of the coastline. To better understand the calculated changes, the second phase explored the roles of select climatic and non-climatic drivers of coastline change, such as historic storms and land use changes. The results indicated that four main areas of Lincoln’s coast were more vulnerable, with rates of erosion between −0.32 and −0.66 m/yr between 1934 and 2018. Sections of coastline that had less erosion included those that were more heavily vegetated, attempted a cooperative protection approach, or utilized revetment stones in areas without steep banks. This methodology can help municipalities understand coastline change in a more holistic way to increase their adaptive capacity and allows for the creation of useful visualizations that better communicate to residents and town staff the level of vulnerability of their coasts.