bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current Scenario of Solar Energy Applications in Bangladesh: Techno-Economic Perspective, Policy Implementation, and Possibility of the Integration of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Miskat Monirul Islam , Sarker Protap , Chowdhury Hemal , Chowdhury Tamal , Rahman Md Salman , Hossain Nazia , Chowdhury Piyal , Sait Sadiq M.
Published: February 2023

Bangladesh is blessed with abundant solar resources. Solar power is considered the most desirable energy source to mitigate the high energy demand of this densely populated country. Although various articles deal with solar energy applications in Bangladesh, no detailed review can be found in the literature. Therefore, in this study, we report on the current scenario of renewable energy in Bangladesh and the most significant potential of solar energy’s contribution among multiple renewable energy resources in mitigating energy demand. One main objective of this analysis was to outline the overall view of solar energy applications in Bangladesh to date, as well as the ongoing development of such projects. The technical and theoretical solar energy potential and the technologies available to harvest solar energy were also investigated. A detailed techno-economic design of solar power applications for the garment industry was also simulated to determine the potential of solar energy for this specific scenario. Additionally, renewable energy policies applied in Bangladesh to date are discussed comprehensively, with an emphasis on various ongoing projects undertaken by the government. Moreover, we elaborate global insight into solar power applications and compare Bangladesh’s current solar power scenario with that of other regions worldwide. Furthermore, the potential of artificial intelligence to accelerate solar energy enhancement is delineated comprehensively. Therefore, in this study, we determined the national scenarios of solar power implementation in Bangladesh and projected the most promising approaches for large-scale solar energy applications using artificial intelligence approaches.
Exploring the PV Power Forecasting at Building Façades Using Gradient Boosting Methods
Authors: Polo Jesús , Martín-Chivelet Nuria , Alonso-Abella Miguel , Sanz-Saiz Carlos , Cuenca José , de la Cruz Marina
Published: February 2023

Solar power forecasting is of high interest in managing any power system based on solar energy. In the case of photovoltaic (PV) systems, and building integrated PV (BIPV) in particular, it may help to better operate the power grid and to manage the power load and storage. Power forecasting directly based on PV time series has some advantages over solar irradiance forecasting first and PV power modeling afterwards. In this paper, the power forecasting for BIPV systems in a vertical façade is studied using machine learning algorithms based on decision trees. The forecasting scheme employs the skforecast library from the Python environment, which facilitates the implementation of different schemes for both deterministic and probabilistic forecasting applications. Firstly, deterministic forecasting of hourly BIPV power was performed with XGBoost and Random Forest algorithms for different cases, showing an improvement in forecasting accuracy when some exogenous variables were used. Secondly, probabilistic forecasting was performed with XGBoost combined with the Bootstrap method. The results of this paper show the capabilities of Random Forest and gradient boosting algorithms, such as XGBoost, to work as regressors in time series forecasting of BIPV power. Mean absolute error in the deterministic forecast, using the most influencing exogenous variables, were around 40% and close below 30% for the south and east array, respectively.
Review of Core Annular Flow
Authors: Xie Baoshan , Jiang Fan , Lin Huajian , Zhang Mingcong , Gui Zhenzhen , Xiang Jianhua
Published: February 2023

With the increasing demand for heavy oil, core annular flow (CAF) is an economical method to transport heavy oil, and many researchers have explored the energy-saving aspects of the CAF method. This paper presents a review of CAF energy saving and factors affecting CAF energy saving. Among them, the energy saving of CAF mainly concerns the changes in pressure drop and drag reduction efficiency; the factors affecting the energy saving of CAF mainly concern the problem of stability, the issue of restarting the pipeline system, the impact of a nozzle, the impact of fouling on the flow in the pipe, and the problem of oil–water accumulation. The aim of this paper is to provide a reference for the practical application of CAF in heavy oil transportation.
Life Cycle Assessment of Various PMSG-Based Drivetrain Concepts for 15 MW Offshore Wind Turbines Applications
Authors: Moghadam Farid Khazaeli , Desch Nils
Published: February 2023

There are different configurations selected by both industry and academia as the drivetrain for wind turbines in the power range of 10 to 16 MW. The choice of drivetrain system influences the levelized cost of energy, and, as the turbines become larger, and, therefore, costlier, there is more potential for the optimization of cost critical systems, like the drivetrain. The latter motivates the utilization of a life cycle assessment approach to profoundly influence the choice of drivetrain technology such that it offers a better compromise between the different aspects in the drivetrain life cycle. To this end, in this paper, various permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)-based drivetrain technologies for 15 MW bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind turbine applications are designed and compared. The technologies under investigation are based on direct-drive, medium- and high-speed generators. The conceptual design of the drivetrain for the three technologies under consideration is investigated and the pros and cons of each technology are assessed and explained by looking, simultaneously, into the design, manufacturing, operation and maintenance.
Modeling and Control-Tuning of a Single-Stage MMC-Based BESS
Authors: Pinto Jonathan H. D. G. , Cupertino Allan Fagner , Pereira Heverton Augusto , Seleme Seleme Issac
Published: February 2023

In recent years, the integration of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) with multilevel modular converters (MMCs) has received interest in power system applications. In this work, this configuration is called a MMC-based BESS. The batteries are connected directly to the MMCs on submodules (SMs), called the single-stage approach. Several control strategies have been proposed to guarantee the proper operation of a MMC-based BESS. This system is complex due to the control strategy. Another challenge is in obtaining the controller gains for a MMC-based BESS converter. In this sense, there is a gap in the methodology used to calculate the controller gains. Thus, this work aimed to tune the analytical expressions of a MMC-based BESS by considering the single-stage approach. The methodology is validated through detailed simulation models of 10.9 MVA/5.76 MWh connected to a 13.8 kV power system. Finally, to validate the dynamics of the controllers, the simulation results in the PLECS software for the charging and discharging processes are presented.
Effect of Fly Ash and Steel Fiber Content on Workability and Mechanical Properties of Roadway Side Backfilling Materials in Deep Mine
Authors: Zhang Shujuan , Che Chiyuan , Zhao Changzheng , Du Shuyu , Liu Yang , Li Jiang , Yang Shengqiang
Published: February 2023

The stable bearing capacity of roadside backfill body (RBB) is the key to control the surrounding rock deformation of gob-side entry retaining (GER) in deep mining. In this paper, slump and uniaxial compressive strength tests were conducted to study the changes of the slump and RBB mechanical properties of RBB fresh mixture under the influence of different percentages of fly ash (FA), river sand, and amounts of steel fiber (SF) admixture. The results show that (1) the slump first increases and then decreases with the increase of the FA proportion, while 20% of FA proportion is the critical point. In addition, SF has little influence on slump. However, when the proportion of FA is 60% and the content of SF is 0.4%, the slump reaches the minimum value of 130 mm. (2) The peak strength and residual strength increase with the increase of the FA proportion, and the strength gain starts to decrease when the FA proportion exceeds 40%. Moreover, SF only has a small effect on the peak strength when the dosage is 0.8%. (3) The post-peak strain difference decreases with the increase of the FA proportion and increases with the increase of the SF content. The addition of SF can make up for the reduced capacity of RBB to post-peak deformation caused by the addition of FA to a certain extent. (4) The addition of fly ash does not change the brittle failure mode of RBB. Furthermore, after the addition of SF, RBB changes from brittle to ductile failure mode. This study can provide experimental and theoretical basis for improving the bearing capacity of RBB and maintaining the stability of GER.
Economic Analysis of a Hydrogen Power Plant in the Portuguese Electricity Market
Authors: Rodrigues Luís Manuel , Soares Tiago , Rezende Igor , Fontoura João Paulo , Miranda Vladimiro
Published: February 2023

Hydrogen is regarded as a flexible energy carrier with multiple applications across several sectors. For instance, it can be used in industrial processes, transports, heating, and electrical power generation. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable sources, can have a crucial role in the pathway towards global decarbonization. However, the success of green hydrogen production ultimately depends on its economic sustainability. In this context, this work evaluates the economic performance of a hydrogen power plant participating in the electricity market and supplying multiple hydrogen consumers. The analysis includes technical and economical details of the main components of the hydrogen power plant. Its operation is simulated using six different scenarios, which admit the production of either grey or green hydrogen. The scenarios used for the analysis include data from the Iberian electricity market for the Portuguese hub. An important conclusion is that the combination of multiple services in a hydrogen power plant has a positive effect on its economic performance. However, as of today, consumers who would wish to acquire green hydrogen would have to be willing to pay higher prices to compensate for the shorter periods of operation of hydrogen power plants and for their intrinsic losses. Nonetheless, an increase in green hydrogen demand based on a greater environmental awareness can lead to the need to not only build more of these facilities, but also to integrate more services into them. This could promote the investment in hydrogen-related technologies and result in changes in capital and operating costs of key components of these plants, which are necessary to bring down production costs.
Multi-Method Simulation and Multi-Objective Optimization for Energy-Flexibility-Potential Assessment of Food-Production Process Cooling
Authors: Howard Daniel Anthony , Jørgensen Bo Nørregaard , Ma Zheng
Published: February 2023

Process cooling for food production is an energy-intensive industry with complex interactions and restrictions that complicate the ability to utilize energy-flexibility due to unforeseen consequences in production. Therefore, methods for assessing the potential flexibility in individual facilities to enable the active participation of process-cooling facilities in the electricity system are essential, but not yet well discussed in the literature. Therefore, this paper introduces an assessment method based on multi-method simulation and multi-objective optimization for investigating energy flexibility in process cooling, with a case study of a Danish process-cooling facility for canned-meat food production. Multi-method simulation is used in this paper: multi-agent-based simulation to investigate individual entities within the process-cooling system and the system’s behavior; discrete-event simulation to explore the entire process-cooling flow; and system dynamics to capture the thermophysical properties of the refrigeration unit and states of the refrigerated environment. A simulation library is developed, and is able to represent a generic production-flow of the canned-food process cooling. A data-driven symbolic-regression approach determines the complex logic of individual agents. Using a binary tuple-matrix for refrigeration-schedule optimization, the refrigeration-cycle operation is determined, based on weather forecasts, electricity price, and electricity CO2 emissions without violating individual room-temperature limits. The simulation results of one-week’s production in October 2020 show that 32% of energy costs can be saved and 822 kg of CO2 emissions can be reduced. The results thereby show the energy-flexibility potential in the process-cooling facilities, with the benefit of overall production cost and CO2 emissions reduction; at the same time, the production quality and throughput are not influenced.
Energy Performance, Environmental Impacts and Costs of a Drying System: Life Cycle Analysis of Conventional and Heat Recovery Scenarios
Authors: Urbano Dario Giuseppe , Aquino Andrea , Scrucca Flavio
Published: February 2023

High energy consumption is one of the main problems of drying, a critical process for many industrial sectors. The optimization of drying energy use results in significant energy saving and has become a topic of interest in recent decades. We investigate benefits of heat recovery in a convective drying system by comparing two different scenarios. The Baseline Scenario is a conventional industrial dryer, and Scenario 1 includes the preheating of drying air by exhausts from the drying chamber. We show that the energy efficiency of the drying cycle is strictly related to the properties of the dried material and operative conditions, and performance improves significantly (by 59% to 87%) when installing a heat recovery unit (Scenario 1). Additionally, the temperature of drying air affects performance. We assess both scenarios by LCA analysis, measuring the environmental impacts and externalities of four different fuels (natural gas, light fuel oil, biomethane, and hardwood chips). Our findings indicate that heat recovery reduces environmental impacts, both when fossil and renewable fuels feed the system, but unexpected impact arises for some categories when renewable fuels are used.
Benefits and Limitations of Winch-Assist Technology for Skidding Operations
Authors: Visser Rien M. , Spinelli Raffaele
Published: February 2023

Skidders are very cost-effective extraction machines, and winch-assist systems may extend their operating range to increasingly steep terrain. The use of winch-assist skidder systems is relatively new, and little information is available about their operational efficiency and potential soil impact. A productivity and soil disturbance study was carried out in Southland (New Zealand) to gauge the benefits of winch assistance by comparing the performance of the same two-axle skidder with and without winch assistance on increasingly steep trails (30 and 40% gradients). The delay-free productivity approached 100 m3 solid volume over bark per productive machine hour (PMH) under the best conditions and declined with the extraction distance, reducing to approximately 40 m3 PMH−1 at 300 m. On the 30% slope trail, winch assistance allowed an 8% productivity gain through a significant increase in the payload size. However, on the 40% slope trail, the increased payload size allowed by winch assistance was unable to offset the much lower empty speed and, therefore, the control treatment (no winch assistance) performed better. A preliminary soil disturbance assessment was carried out over the whole harvest site using a line transect method. The assessment was conducted at the end of the harvest and reflected the impact of all the operational activities, including mechanised felling and skid trail construction, not just skidding. Soil disturbance appeared to be low, as ruts deeper than 15 cm covered only 2% of the inspected surface.
Evaporation of Promising Fire Extinguishing Agent Droplets
Authors: Zhdanova Alena , Islamova Anastasia , Kurapov Roman , Volkov Roman
Published: February 2023

Woodland fires are a major issue worldwide. The aviation method of extinguishing forest fires is one of the main ones. However, the use of the latter is carried out according to the results of experiments, bench or flight tests in the absence of models that adequately describe the mechanisms for suppressing the combustion of forest combustible materials with specific fire extinguishing compositions (solutions, emulsions or suspensions). Therefore, the task of studying the evaporation and interaction of single drops with the surfaces of combustible materials is relevant and practically significant in the field of fire hazards. The paper presents the experimental research findings on the evaporation of specialized composition droplets for extinguishing fires under different heat supply schemes. The compositions under study included a group of widely used fire extinguishing agents: water; flame retardant FR-Les (5% solution); FR-Les (20% solution); bentonite slurry (1%); bentonite slurry (5%); bischofite solution (5%); bischofite solution (10%); fire extinguishing agent OS-5 (5% solution); fire extinguishing agent OS-5 (10% solution); fire extinguishing agent OS-5 (15% solution); foaming agent emulsion (1%); foaming agent emulsion (5%); fire retardant (5% solution). Specialized composition droplets were heated using conductive, convective and radiant heating. Empirical coefficients were obtained.
Estimating Climate-Sensitive Wildfire Risk and Tree Mortality Models for Use in Broad-Scale U.S. Forest Carbon Projections
Authors: Pokharel Raju , Latta Gregory , Ohrel Sara B.
Published: February 2023

This study utilizes forest inventory and climate attributes as the basis for estimating models of wildfire risk and associated biomass loss (tree mortality) and then demonstrates how they can be applied in calculating CO2 emissions related to the incidence of wildfires from U.S. forests. First, we use the full set of over 150,000 FIA plots of national forest inventory and climatic parameters to estimate models of the annual probability of wildfire occurrence and loss of live tree biomass. Then, maps of the spatial allocation of both the model-derived probability of wildfire occurrences and tree mortality are presented at the national level. The probability of wildfire occurrences and tree mortality were defined by a complex non-linear association of climatic conditions and forest ownerships, available aboveground biomass, and the age of the stand. Then, we provide an example of how these models can estimate potential CO2 emissions from wildfires by using FIA inventory data. We estimated 6.10, 16.65, 22.75, and 31.01 million metric tons of annual CO2 emissions with low, medium, high, and catastrophic combustion rates, respectively, from forests due to wildfire in the continental U.S. The wildfire risk and biomass loss due to tree mortality maps can be used by landowners, managers, public agencies, and other stakeholders in identifying high-risk wildfire zones and the potential CO2 emissions. These equations can also help estimate fire risk and associated CO2 emissions for future climate conditions to provide insight into climate change-related wildfire occurrences.
Genetic Structure and Phylogeography of Commercial Mytilus unguiculatus in China Based on Mitochondrial COI and Cytb Sequences
Authors: Wei Xuelian , Fu Zeqin , Li Jiji , Guo Baoying , Ye Yingying
Published: February 2023

In order to study the genetic structure and population geographic distribution pattern of coastal mussel populations in the coast of China, mitochondrial DNA (COI and Cytb genes) were used to analyze the genetic diversity, genetic structure, and population history dynamics of Mytilus unguiculatus in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. We detected high levels of genetic diversity in seven populations of M. unguiculatus. A total of 34 haplotypes of COI genes and 29 haplotypes of Cytb were obtained. The haplotype diversity of COI ranged from around 0.77 to 0.93 (Cytb: 0.83~0.91). The nucleotide diversity of COI ranged from around 0.0044 to 0.0064 (Cytb: 0.0049~0.0063). The coefficient of genetic differentiation (FST) of COI ranged from around 0.031 to 0.080, and Cytb ranged from around 0.028 to 0.039. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and a phylogenetic tree showed that the genetic structure was relatively weak, and there was no clear population differentiation. The neutrality test results showed that Tajima’s D value and Fu’s Fs value were not significant, and no significant population demographic events, including population expansion or population bottleneck, were detected in the samples. The Bayesian skyline graph analysis showed that the effective population size has been relatively stable for nearly 10,000 years, without any large population fluctuations. It was speculated that the seven populations in the present study should belong to the same group. This study provides a comprehensive survey of the genetic characteristics of M. unguiculatus, filling the gaps among related studies. It provides theoretical support and material accumulation for seed selection and breeding, genetic resources’ protection, and breeding management in the future.
Linguistic Indicators of Psychopathy and Malignant Narcissism in the Personal Letters of the Austrian Killer Jack Unterweger
Authors: Marko Karoline , Leibetseder Ida
Published: February 2023

Forensic authorship profiling aims to extract socio-demographic information about the authors of anonymous texts based on linguistic features found in their written texts. One aspect of such a profile that is not usually considered is an analysis of the author’s personality traits. The present study intends to provide a starting point for research into this area. This will be achieved through the investigation of linguistic features reflective of the conditions of psychopathy and malignant narcissism in 14 personal letters of the killer Jack Unterweger. Previous research in the field of psychology has largely examined “psychopathic” and “narcissistic” language in spoken conversations rather than written ones, or in texts produced for the respective study rather than in naturally occurring texts. The findings of the present study thus diverge from previous findings in some aspects (e.g., the use of first-person pronouns), while they provide support for others (e.g., the incoherence of thoughts and changes in topics).
A Novel Implementation of Dhage’s Fixed Point Theorem to Nonlinear Sequential Hybrid Fractional Differential Equation
Authors: Awadalla Muath , Hannabou Mohamed , Abuasbeh Kinda , Hilal Khalid
Published: February 2023

In this work, the existence and uniqueness of solutions to a sequential fractional (Hybrid) differential equation with hybrid boundary conditions were investigated by the generalization of Dhage’s fixed point theorem and Banach contraction mapping, respectively. In addition, the U-H technique is employed to verify the stability of this solution. This study ends with two examples illustrating the theoretical findings.
Calibration of the Microsimulation Traffic Model Using Different Neural Network Applications
Authors: Ištoka Otković Irena , Tollazzi Tomaž , Šraml Matjaž , Varevac Damir
Published: February 2023

The efficacy of the application of traffic models depends on a successful process of model calibration. Microsimulation models have a significant number of input parameters that can be optimized in the calibration process. This paper presents the optimization of input parameters that are difficult to measure or unmeasurable in real traffic conditions and includes parameters of the driver’s behavior and parameters of Wiedemann’s psychophysical car-following model. Using neural networks, models were generated for predicting travel time and queue parameters and were used in the model calibration procedure. This paper presents the results of a comparison of five different applications of neural networks in calibrating the microsimulation model. The VISSIM microsimulation traffic model was selected for calibration and field measurements were carried out on two roundabouts in a local urban transport network. The applicability of neural networks in the process of calibrating the microsimulation models was confirmed by comparison of the modelled and measured data of traffic indicators in real traffic conditions. Methods of calibration were validated with two sets of new measured data at the same intersection where the calibration of the model was carried out. The third validation was made at the intersection in a different location. The selection of the optimal calibration methodology is based on the model accuracy between the simulated and measured data of traveling time, as well as queue parameters. The microsimulation model provides access to the raw data of observed traffic parameters for each vehicle in the simulation. The dataset of the calibrated model simulation results of all travel times of the selected traffic flow was compared with the dataset of the measured field data to determine whether the data are statistically significantly different or not.
Detecting Melanocortin 1 Receptor Gene’s SNPs by CRISPR/enAsCas12a
Authors: Yang Wei , Tao Dagang , Xu Bingrong , Zheng Yueting , Zhao Shuhong
Published: February 2023

Beyond its powerful genome-editing capabilities, the CRISPR/Cas system has opened up a new era of molecular diagnostics due to its highly specific base recognition and trans-cleavage activity. However, most CRISPR/Cas detection systems are mainly used to detect nucleic acids of bacteria or viruses, while the application of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection is limited. The MC1R SNPs were investigated by CRISPR/enAsCas12a and are not limited to the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence in vitro. Specifically, we optimized the reaction conditions, which proved that the enAsCas12a has a preference for divalent magnesium ion (Mg2+) and can effectively distinguish the genes with a single base difference in the presence of Mg2+, and the Melanocortin l receptor (MC1R) gene with three kinds of SNP sites (T305C, T363C, and G727A) was quantitatively detected. Since the enAsCas12a is not limited by PAM sequence in vitro, the method shown here can extend this extraordinary CRISPR/enAsCas12a detection system to other SNP targets, thus providing a general SNP detection toolbox.
Community Environment Co-Production and Environmental Satisfaction of Older Urban Residents in Shanghai, China
Authors: Jiang Feng , Wang Jing , Zhang Lufa , Luo Jin , Li Li , Wu Ruilong
Published: February 2023

Objective: Many factors may affect the environmental satisfaction of elderly people, including their sense of involvement. This study examined the associations between community environment co-production and environmental satisfaction in older urban residents in China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four age-friendly communities in Shanghai, China. Co-production and environmental satisfaction were assessed through a self-developed questionnaire. General health status was measured through the EuroQol-Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). Data on affective commitment for the community demographic and health-related factors were also collected. Multilevel linear regression was used to detect the associations. Results: In total, 480 older urban residents completed the survey. On average, the environment satisfaction score was 76.82/90, 8/10 for co-production, and 87.5/100 for EQ-VAS. Univariate analysis demonstrated environmental satisfaction was associated with educational background, party membership, physical activity, community location, age, sleep hours, co-production, affective commitment, and EQ-VAS. After controlling for confounding factors, the co-production score was significantly associated with higher environmental satisfaction (β = 4.68, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression revealed that effective commitment for the community (β = 6.17, p < 0.001) and EQ-VAS (β = 0.06, p = 0.002) were also significantly associated with environment satisfaction. Conclusion: Community environment co-production was positively associated with environmental satisfaction among older urban residents in Shanghai. Environmental co-production should be encouraged when developing age-friendly communities for the elderly.
Body Mass Index and Late Adverse Outcomes after a Carotid Endarterectomy
Authors: Vukašinović Danka , Maksimović Miloš , Tanasković Slobodan , Marinković Jelena M. , Radak Đorđe , Maksimović Jadranka , Vujčić Isidora , Prijović Nebojša , Vlajinac Hristina
Published: February 2023

A cohort study was conducted to examine the association of an increased body mass index (BMI) with late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). It comprised 1597 CEAs, performed in 1533 patients at the Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade, from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2017. The follow-up lasted four years after CEA. Data for late myocardial infarction and stroke were available for 1223 CEAs, data for death for 1305 CEAs, and data for restenosis for 1162 CEAs. Logistic and Cox regressions were used in the analysis. The CEAs in patients who were overweight and obese were separately compared with the CEAs in patients with a normal weight. Out of 1223 CEAs, 413 (33.8%) were performed in patients with a normal weight, 583 (47.7%) in patients who were overweight, and 220 (18.0%) in patients who were obese. According to the logistic regression analysis, the compared groups did not significantly differ in the frequency of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, as late major adverse outcomes (MAOs), or in the frequency of restenosis. According to the Cox and logistic regression analyses, BMI was neither a predictor for late MAOs, analyzed separately or all together, nor for restenosis. In conclusion, being overweight and being obese were not related to the occurrence of late adverse outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy.
Physician-Specific Symptoms of Burnout Compared to a Non-Physicians Group
Authors: Usas Hermanas , Weilenmann Sonja , Princip Mary , Fuchs Walther J. , van Nuffel Marc , von Känel Roland , Spiller Tobias R.
Published: February 2023

Physician burnout is a systemic problem in health care due to its high prevalence and its negative impact on professional functioning and individual well-being. While unique aspects of the physician role contributing to the development burnout have been investigated recently, it is currently unclear whether burnout manifests differently in physicians compared to the non-physician working population. We conducted an individual symptom analysis of burnout symptoms comparing a large sample of physicians with a non-physician group. In this cross-sectional online study, burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Survey. We matched physicians with non-physicians regarding their age, gender, educational level, occupational status, and total burnout level using a “nearest neighbour matching” procedure. We then conducted a series of between-groups comparisons. Data of 3846 (51.0% women) participants including 641 physicians and 3205 non-physicians were analysed. The most pronounced difference was that physicians were more satisfied with their work performance (medium effect size (r = 0.343). Our findings indicate minor yet significant differences in burnout phenomenology between physicians and non-physicians. This demonstrates unique aspects of physician burnout and implies that such differences should be considered in occupational research among physicians, particularly when developing burnout prevention programs for physicians.
Clinical Decision Support Systems to Predict Drug–Drug Interaction Using Multilabel Long Short-Term Memory with an Autoencoder
Authors: Alrowais Fadwa , Alotaibi Saud S. , Hilal Anwer Mustafa , Marzouk Radwa , Mohsen Heba , Osman Azza Elneil , Alneil Amani A. , Eldesouki Mohamed I.
Published: February 2023

Big Data analytics is a technique for researching huge and varied datasets and it is designed to uncover hidden patterns, trends, and correlations, and therefore, it can be applied for making superior decisions in healthcare. Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) are a main concern in drug discovery. The main role of precise forecasting of DDIs is to increase safety potential, particularly, in drug research when multiple drugs are co-prescribed. Prevailing conventional method machine learning (ML) approaches mainly depend on handcraft features and lack generalization. Today, deep learning (DL) techniques that automatically study drug features from drug-related networks or molecular graphs have enhanced the capability of computing approaches for forecasting unknown DDIs. Therefore, in this study, we develop a sparrow search optimization with deep learning-based DDI prediction (SSODL-DDIP) technique for healthcare decision making in big data environments. The presented SSODL-DDIP technique identifies the relationship and properties of the drugs from various sources to make predictions. In addition, a multilabel long short-term memory with an autoencoder (MLSTM-AE) model is employed for the DDI prediction process. Moreover, a lexicon-based approach is involved in determining the severity of interactions among the DDIs. To improve the prediction outcomes of the MLSTM-AE model, the SSO algorithm is adopted in this work. To assure better performance of the SSODL-DDIP technique, a wide range of simulations are performed. The experimental results show the promising performance of the SSODL-DDIP technique over recent state-of-the-art algorithms.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Constipation Assessment Scale among Chinese Adult Psychiatric Patients
Authors: Wong Wai Kit , Qin Jing , Bressington Daniel , Yeung Wing Fai , Liu Ning , Ho Bryan Ying Wai , Liang Surui , Li Yan
Published: February 2023

Background: Constipation is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that presents with signs and symptoms, which are typically assessed subjectively. Various measurement scales, such as the Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS), are commonly used to evaluate constipation among the general population. However, the instruments should be culturally and contextually relevant in adult psychiatric patients to generate valid and reliable evidence. Purpose: This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and psychometrically validate the traditional Chinese version of the CAS among adult psychiatric patients in Hong Kong. Method: Using the Brislin protocol and Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines, the CAS was translated into traditional Chinese and tested for internal consistency, test–retest reliability, content validity, and construct validity among psychiatric patients in Hong Kong. Results: The CAS was successfully translated into CAS-TC. The CAS-TC version demonstrated good content validity (scale level CVI = 97%), internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.79), and test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.722 [95% CI, 0.587–0.812]). The CAS-TC showed a two-factor loading for the construct validity, which explained 54% of the total variance. Conclusions: The CAS-TC is valid and reliable and can be employed to assess constipation among adult psychiatric patients.
Sexual Behavior and Perceived Loneliness in Elderly People Living with HIV in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Hou Yushan , Cai Chang , Tang Houlin , Jin Yichen , Chen Fangfang , Niu Dandan , Lv Fan
Published: February 2023

Background: The proportion of elderly people living with HIV (PLHIV) is increasing in China. To advance targeted interventions and substantially improve their quality of life, we investigate indicators of loneliness and sexual behavior among elderly PLHIV in 10 districts/counties in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The demographic information and laboratory test results of the potential respondents were initially collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling was used. The questionnaire survey was individually provided to all PLHIV aged +60. Results: We recruited 1017 valid respondents with a median age of 66 years (interquartile range of 63–71), of which 776 (76.3%) were male. Overall, 341 respondents (33.5%) lived alone, and 304 (29.9%) felt lonely. A total of 726 respondents (71.4%) informed others of their HIV diagnosis. Among the 726 respondents, children were the most common group with whom the older people shared their HIV infection status, accounting for 82.9%. Approximately 20% of the older PLHIV engaged in sexual behavior in the last year, and 70% reported not using condoms. A significantly greater risk of loneliness was found among the females (AOR = 1.542, CI: 1.084, 2.193), those who suffered discrimination from informed people (AOR = 4.719, CI: 2.986, 7.459), were diagnosed <1 year prior (AOR = 2.061, CI: 1.345, 3.156), those living alone (AOR = 2.314, CI: 1.632, 3.280), those having no friends (AOR = 1.779, CI: 1.327, 2.386), and those who had a divorced or widowed marital status (AOR = 1.686, CI: 1.174, 2.421). Conclusions: Compared with non-lonely participants, the lonely participants were more likely to have a rural registered residence, a lower education level, no friends, be divorced or widowed, live alone, and lack knowledge of smartphones and reproductive health. The influence of COVID-19 had caused social activities to be more confined to the community, which impacts elderly HIV patients suffering from severe discrimination within families and communities.
Dental Malocclusion in Mixed Dentition Children and Its Relation to Podal System and Gait Parameters
Authors: Różańska-Perlińska Dorota , Jaszczur-Nowicki Jarosław , Kruczkowski Dariusz , Bukowska Joanna Magdalena
Published: February 2023

Background: Dental malocclusion is an increasingly frequent stomatognathic disorder in children and adolescents nowadays. The purpose of this study was to confirm or deny the correlations between body posture and malocclusion. Methods: In the study, gait, distribution of foot pressure on the ground, and body balance were examined. The research group consisted of 76 patients aged 12–15 years. The research group was obtained from patients attending periodic dental check-ups at Healthcare Center Your Health EL who agreed to participate in the study. The patients were divided into two groups without malocclusion and with malocclusion, using Angle classification, which enabled determination of the anteroposterior relationship of the first molars. The pedobarographic mat was used to analyze the distribution of foot forces on the ground, the diagnostic system Wiva® Science was used for gait analysis, and Kineod 3D was used for posture analysis. The Shapiro–Wilk test used for analysis showed inconsistency with normal distribution for all measurement parameters. The Mann–Whitney U test was used for the analysis, and the significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Examination of the relationship between stabilometric and gait parameters showed that the position of the mandible in relation to maxilla has an important effect on gait rhythm, gait cycle duration, and right step duration time. Patients diagnosed with malocclusion showed high-speed walking rhythm in comparison to patients with Angle’s class I (p = 0.010). The duration of the whole gait cycle (p = 0.007) and the duration of right step (p = 0.027) were prolonged in students without orthodontic disorders compared to the other. Conclusions: The conducted study proved that there is correlation between the presence of a stomatognathic disorder and gait cycle parameters. There is a statistically noticeable correspondence between the position of the mandible in relation to maxilla and walking rhythm, gait cycle duration, and right step duration time. Namely, students who presented malocclusion had a high-speed walking rhythm and decreased duration of the gait cycle and of the right step. On the other hand, students without disorders (Angle’s class I) showed low-speed rhythm and increased duration of the gait cycle and of the right step in comparison to Angle’s classes II and III.
Factors Associated with Fatigued Driving among Australian Truck Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ren Xinyi , Pritchard Elizabeth , van Vreden Caryn , Newnam Sharon , Iles Ross , Xia Ting
Published: February 2023

Background: Fatigued driving is one of the leading factors contributing to road crashes in the trucking industry. The nature of trucking, prolonged working time, and irregular sleep patterns can negatively impact drivers’ health and wellbeing. However, there is limited research in Australia investigating the impact of demographic, occupational, or lifestyle factors on fatigue among truck drivers. Objective: This cross-sectional study examines the role of demographic, occupational, lifestyle, and other health risk factors associated with fatigue among Australian truck drivers. Method: This study was part of a larger study that used a short online survey with a follow-up telephone survey to capture in-depth information on a wide range of determinants related to truck drivers’ physical and mental health outcomes. Fatigue was measured by three questions, including the frequency of fatigue, fatigue management training, and strategies used to combat fatigue. Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the specific impact of demographics, occupational factors, lifestyle factors, and other health risk factors on fatigue. Results: In total, 332 drivers completed both the online and telephone surveys; 97% were male, representing drivers from broad age groups and professional experience. The odds of being in the high-risk fatigue group were nearly three times higher in drivers who worked 40–60 h compared to those who worked < 40 h. Poor sleep increased the odds of high-risk fatigue by seventimes (95% CI: 2.26–21.67, p = 0.001). Drivers who reported experiencing loneliness also had double the odds of being at high risk of fatigued driving. Conclusions: The increased risk of fatigue in truck drivers is associated with prolonged working hours, poor sleep, and social aspects such as loneliness. Further interventions seeking to reduce driver fatigue should consider the impact of work schedules, the availability of quality sleeping spaces, and the level of social connections.
Health Risk Assessment of Informal Food Vendors: A Comparative Study in Johannesburg, South Africa
Authors: Sepadi Maasago Mercy , Nkosi Vusumuzi
Published: February 2023

According to the best of our knowledge, there are no critical studies to date about associations between the work environment and prevalence of respiratory diseases and their symptoms among urban informal vendors in South Africa. This study followed a risk assessment methodology to assess the risks associated with the occurrence of respiratory health problems among 617 indoor and outdoor market vendors in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa. A walkthrough survey using a checklist was conducted in 16 Markets for identification of respiratory risk factors and description of sanitary conditions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted amongst informal food vendors using a previously validated questionnaire to collect information on demographics and occupational and respiratory health. In addition, a single day area air pollution monitoring of PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, and CO2 was conducted in two stalls (indoor and outdoor). The Chi-squared test of association and frequency distribution were used to analyse data. Female vendors aged between 30 to 39 years dominated the trade. The results revealed that a majority of the vendors’ work shifts are longer than the recommended eight hours per day (73%), six to seven days per week (90%), and most of them have been working for six to ten years (41%). Poor sanitary conditions were observed in 75% of the markets. The concentrations of air pollutants at the outdoor markets were much greater than those in the indoor markets. All air pollution concentrations were below the recommended national and international standards. The risk of outdoor vendors developing any symptoms were extremely greater than those of indoor vendors, especially cooking vendors. Upper respiratory symptoms were the highest amongst the vendors. The results demonstrated a significant association between work-related risk factors, such as type of work location, duration, type of cooking fuel or heat, vendor training, frequency of hand hygiene practice, and using of a mask, and the upper respiratory symptoms. Based on the findings, there is a need for formalization of the trade, improvement in infrastructure, respiratory health care assessments, and sustainable educational programs.
De Novo Assembly and Annotation of 11 Diverse Shrub Willow (Salix) Genomes Reveals Novel Gene Organization in Sex-Linked Regions
Authors: Hyden Brennan , Feng Kai , Yates Timothy B. , Jawdy Sara , Cereghino Chelsea , Smart Lawrence B. , Muchero Wellington
Published: February 2023

Poplar and willow species in the Salicaceae are dioecious, yet have been shown to use different sex determination systems located on different chromosomes. Willows in the subgenus Vetrix are interesting for comparative studies of sex determination systems, yet genomic resources for these species are still quite limited. Only a few annotated reference genome assemblies are available, despite many species in use in breeding programs. Here we present de novo assemblies and annotations of 11 shrub willow genomes from six species. Copy number variation of candidate sex determination genes within each genome was characterized and revealed remarkable differences in putative master regulator gene duplication and deletion. We also analyzed copy number and expression of candidate genes involved in floral secondary metabolism, and identified substantial variation across genotypes, which can be used for parental selection in breeding programs. Lastly, we report on a genotype that produces only female descendants and identified gene presence/absence variation in the mitochondrial genome that may be responsible for this unusual inheritance.
What Are the Neurotoxins in Hemotoxic Snake Venoms?
Authors: Osipov Alexey , Utkin Yuri
Published: February 2023

Snake venoms as tools for hunting are primarily aimed at the most vital systems of the prey, especially the nervous and circulatory systems. In general, snakes of the Elapidae family produce neurotoxic venoms comprising of toxins targeting the nervous system, while snakes of the Viperidae family and most rear-fanged snakes produce hemotoxic venoms directed mainly on blood coagulation. However, it is not all so clear. Some bites by viperids results in neurotoxic signs and it is now known that hemotoxic venoms do contain neurotoxic components. For example, viperid phospholipases A2 may manifest pre- or/and postsynaptic activity and be involved in pain and analgesia. There are other neurotoxins belonging to diverse families ranging from large multi-subunit proteins (e.g., C-type lectin-like proteins) to short peptide neurotoxins (e.g., waglerins and azemiopsin), which are found in hemotoxic venoms. Other neurotoxins from hemotoxic venoms include baptides, crotamine, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, sarafotoxins and three-finger toxins. Some of these toxins exhibit postsynaptic activity, while others affect the functioning of voltage-dependent ion channels. This review represents the first attempt to systematize data on the neurotoxins from “non-neurotoxic” snake venom. The structural and functional characteristic of these neurotoxins affecting diverse targets in the nervous system are considered.