bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heart Rate Response and Match Repeated-Sprint Performance in Chinese Elite Youth Soccer Players
Authors: WONG Del P. , CHAMARI Karim , CHAOUACHI Anis , LUK Tze Chung , LAU Patrick Wing Chung
Published: March 2021

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the heart rate (HR) repose and repeated-sprint performance throughout the match among Chinese elite youth soccer players. Two elite youth soccer teams each consisted of 11 players participated in the study. The HR measurement and repeated-sprint test were conducted (age: 17.1±0.85, height: 173± 5.2cm; weight: 64.2± 8.1kg). HR was recorded every 5s throughout the match, while repeated-sprint consisted of three 30m sprints separated by a 25s active recovery period that was conducted: 5min before the match (T1), 5min before the end of the first half (T2), 5min before the start of the second half (T3), and 5min before the end of the second half (T4). HR was in the range of 160-169bpm for 25% of total play time, followed by 170-179bpm for 23.6%. HR during the 46-60min was significantly lower than other intervals (P<0.05), and repeated-sprint time at T3 was significantly slower than others. The intensity of the match was lower than those found in European players, indicating the cardiovascular fitness and repeated-sprint performance are needed among the players. High-intensity and low-volume interval training, and re-warm up before the start of second half are suggested in the training program.
本研究旨在測定中國青年足球運動員比賽時的心率及重覆衝跑測試表現。對兩支分由11人組成的足球隊運動員(年齡17.1±0.85歲，身高：173±5.2釐米，體重; 64.2±8.1公斤)進行了心率測量以及重覆衝跑測試。比賽時每5秒鍾記錄一次心率。重覆衝跑測試由3次30米衝跑組成，每次有25秒動態休息。重覆衝跑測試共進行四次，分別在：賽前5分鐘(T1)，中場前5分鐘(T2)，下半場開始前5分鐘(T3)及比賽結束前5分鐘(T4)進行。結果在25%的比賽時間內，運動員的心率在每分鐘160-169之間，其次是23.6%的時間內為每分鐘170-179。在46-60分鐘的比賽中，運動員的心率顯著低於其他時段(P<0.05),而運動員在第三次重覆衝跑測試時的速度顯著低於其他三次測試。本次研究結果顯示比賽強度低於歐洲青年足球員進行的同類測試，說明中國青年足球運動員需要加強心肺功能及提高重覆衝跑的表現。建議訓練時進行大強度低密度的間歇訓練，及在比賽中場開始前再次進行熱身。
Improved Data Post-Processing in Quantum Key Distribution and Application to Loss Thresholds in device independent QKD
Authors: Ma Xiongfeng , Lutkenhaus Norbert
Published: March 2021

Security proofs of quantum key distribution (QKD) often require post-processing schemes to simplify the data structure, and hence the security proof. We show a generic method to improve resulting secure key rates by partially reversing the simplifying post-processing for error correction purposes. We apply our method to the security analysis of device-independent QKD schemes and of detection-device-independent QKD schemes, where in both cases one is typically required to assign binary values even to lost signals. In the device-independent case, the loss tolerance threshold is cut down by our method from 92.4% to 90.9%. The lowest tolerable transmittance of the detection-device-independent scheme can be improved from 78.0% to 65.9%
Effect on Mental Health Due to COVID 19
Authors: Akshay Shrama  , Sunil Kumar
Published: March 2021

Corona has been a major cause of psychological, mental health all over affecting billions of people affecting mental abilities creating panic all over the world. China suffered first than this virus spread to more than 180countries. Although it’s a new virus but has caused tremendous mortality, morbidity also affecting the mental health of a person and people are getting more panic which has shown to delay recovery also delay testing due to fear of corona increases the disease severity involving lungs which are a major concern for death among many. Mental health is wealth staying positive in any situation is the key to fight any illness. Moral of a person should be high to defeat such diseases. It has already affected thousands of civilians. Dealing with mental health is a major issue in today’s date as recovery is getting delayed due to mental load taken all over. Happiness is key to tackle and fight any situation of life, be it infection or any other issues. Through this article aiming to tackle corona by creating positivity and spreading awareness that no need to panic but to stay happy taking precautions and keeping once own care .life is precious and depression in life should have no role in it. Together we will win. Ray of hope ray of positivity is all needed in this time. More than 91 lakhs cases in India still chances the second wave may come many have been jobless, many lost their beloved ones all over negative energy is spreading proper concealing, awareness regarding mental health is a must.
Design and production automation for the A16 tunnel in Rotterdam
Authors: Roovers Kelvin , Raucroix Xavier , Wyns Kenneth , Meerkerk Arco , van Steirteghem Jan
Published: March 2021

Within joint venture De Groene Boog, BESIX will design and construct a 2.2 km long tunnel in the North of Rotterdam for a new highway connection. Its design process entails the structural design of many similar tunnel sections and thousands of foundation and sheet piles, as well as the production of a detailed 3D Building Information Model and numerous technical drawings. To effectively perform these tasks and efficiently cope with design changes, an automation strategy has been developed that benefits from the tunnel’s repetitive geometry. The digital models are set up parametrically, while software innovations allow to dynamically transfer data between and combine the strengths of multiple software packages. Through standardization we aim to automate structural calculations and drawing production.

This paper will present the proposed automation strategy for the ongoing design process of the tunnel and will evaluate its benefit during the detailed design phase compared to traditional methods. The present project forms the first application of parametric design and automation of such magnitude being developed in-house at the BESIX Engineering Department. It reflects our ambition to use these techniques for tackling the ever increasing challenges within the construction industry and simultaneously boosting productivity and the quality of the final product.
Information and analytical content marketing tools
Authors:   Belarusian State Economic University, Grinko Oleg , Golik Vadim
Published: March 2021

The wide popularity of content marketing among commercial organizations, growing competition between them for of target audience requires more rigorous planning and evaluation of the results of its implementation. As this tool is a part of Internet marketing, informational and analytical resources from leading developers in web analytics can be used for these purposes. But they also compete with each other to attract leads from professional marketers. This article provides guidelines on how the most relevant information platforms that meet the goals of content marketing can be chosen.
The Effect of Public Speaking Program for Students at Nurussalam Islamic Modern Boarding School
Authors: Komarudin Komarudin , Zulaikah Zulaikah , Kuspiyah Hastuti Retno
Published: March 2021

This research is a study of the public speaking program conducted at  Nurussalam Islamic Boarding School. The purpose of this study is to know about how the Public Speaking program at Nurussalam Islamic Modern Boarding School and this research is qualitative research, in this research writer used the purposive sample, The writer only took the male students as the sample of research and with managers of the program that called as LAC and CLI, and the writer took the sample just for the students who are compulsory to speak English in public speaking, they are from class 3 until class 5, and The techniques of collecting the data used interview, observation, and documentation. The result of this study is an interest of the student in following that program, where public speaking programs are divided into 10 clubs and conducted only in two days it's Friday and Saturday with three languages are English, Arabic, Indonesian.
Treatment technology of carbon fibers under electromagnetic effects of different nature for production of high-durable carbon-filled plastics
Authors:   Bauman Moscow State Technical University (National Research University), Nelyub V. A. , Komarov I. A. ,   Bauman Moscow State Technical University (National Research University)
Published: March 2021

The effect of pretreatment technologies of carbon fibers by different electromagnetic methods on their mechanical characteristics has been examined. The methods of cold plasma and ultraviolet radiation were used. Such a treatment improves adhesion strength of a metal coating with fibers for production of carbon-filled plastics with high interfacial shear durability. By experiments it has been found out that the plasma treatment method is the most effective. The study and experiment results are presented.
Repair of parts of road-building machines operating under wet environment conditions
Authors:   Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University (MADI), Mukhin V. V.
Published: March 2021

Components of road-building machines operating under wet environment conditions, and defects characterized for them are discussed. It is shown that most defects for such machines are connected with corrosion. Traditional methods of the reconditioning of the defects are considered on the example of an excavator eye. It has been found out that the promising technique is an application of polymer composite materials.
Tracking Keypoints from Consecutive Video Frames Using CNN Features for Space Applications
Authors: H. Borse Janhavi , D. Patil Dipti , Kumar Vinod
Published: March 2021

Hard time constraints in space missions bring in the problem of fast video processing for numerous autonomous tasks. Video processing involves the separation of distinct image frames, fetching image descriptors, applying different machine learning algorithms for object detection, obstacle avoidance, and many more tasks involved in the automatic maneuvering of a spacecraft. These tasks require the most informative descriptions of an image within the time constraints. Tracking these informative points from consecutive image frames is needed in flow estimation applications. Classical algorithms like SIFT and SURF are the milestones in the feature description development. But computational complexity and high time requirements force the critical missions to avoid these techniques to get adopted in real-time processing. Hence a time conservative and less complex pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model is chosen in this paper as a feature descriptor. 7-layer CNN model is designed and implemented with pre-trained VGG model parameters and then these CNN features are used to match the points of interests from consecutive image frames of a lunar descent video. The performance of the system is evaluated based on visual and empirical keypoints matching. The scores of matches between two consecutive images from the video using CNN features are then compared with state-of-the-art algorithms like SIFT and SURF. The results show that CNN features are more reliable and robust in case of time-critical video processing tasks for keypoint tracking applications of space missions.
Trust Management Approach for Detection of Malicious Devices in SIoT
Authors: Hankare Priyanka , Babar Sachin , Mahalle Parikshit
Published: March 2021

Internet of Things (IoT) is an innovative era of interrelated devices to provide services to other devices or users. In Social Internet of Thing (SIoT), social networking aspect is used for building relationships between devices. For providing or utilizing services, devices need to trust each other in complex and heterogeneous environments. Separating benign and malicious devices in SIoT is a prime security objective. In literature, several works proposed trust computation models based on trust features. But these models fail to identify malicious devices. This paper focuses on detection of malicious devices. In this paper, basic fundamentals, properties, models and attacks of trust in SIoT are discussed. Up-to-date research distributions on trust management and trust attacks are reviewed and idea of Trust Management using Machine Learning Algorithm (TM-MLA) is proposed for identification of malicious devices.
Impact of Local Site Conditions on Simulation of Non-stationary Spatial Variable Seismic Motions
Authors: Benmansour Nassima , Derbal Rachid , Djafour Mustapha , Ivorra Salvador , Matallah Mohammed
Published: March 2021

It is commonly accepted that multi-scale structures are subject to spatially variable seismic motions. This spatial variability of seismic motions is described by different intensities at different locations due to the coherency loss effect, wave passage effect and local site conditions. For multi-scale structures, the estimation of seismic excitations must consider these factors. Often, the influence of the spatial variability of seismic motion on the dynamic response of structures is performed by neglecting the site effect. In several cases, it has been observed that the high intensities of seismic motion are caused by the site amplification besides coherency loss and wave passage effects. This study aims to analyze the impact of local site conditions on seismic motions. For this purpose, a method of simulation of spatially variable seismic motions is performed. The seismic signals on the bedrock are defined by considering a target power spectral density and a coherency loss model. According to the seismic wave propagation theory, the projection of these seismic motions on the surface is realized. The results of this study show that neglecting the local site conditions induces an undervaluation of spatially variable seismic excitations.
Improvement of sub-level caving mining methods during high-grade iron ore mining
Authors: Kosenko A.V.
Published: March 2021

Purpose. To improve of the sub-level caving mining methods during mining of deposits of high-grade iron ores by applying a rational mode and intensifying the ore drawing. Methodology. It included an analysis of scientific literature, design documentation and the practice of mining of deposits of high-grade iron-ores in complex geomechanical conditions of deep horizons of mines, to establish the formation of fundamentally new foundations of scientific-and-design solutions for the rational extraction of minerals; numerical (application a special computer software package PFC 3D) and physical (based on the application of volumetric physical models and equivalent materials) modeling of ore drawing, aimed at identifying regularities of recovery process depending on the mining-geological and mining conditions of the mining of deposits, and also the physical- and-mechanical properties of the loosened ore mass. Findings. Regularities of changes in the qualitative and quantitative recovery percentages depending on the intensity of the ore drawing and physical-and-mechanical properties of the ore have been established using numerical and physical simulation. The obtained regularities made it possible to substantiate the rational parameters of the structural elements of the technological scheme for drawing and delivery of ore. A linear-alternating condition of ore drawing was developed, which will ensure an increase in the extraction of pure ore up to 10% and, as a result, up to 4.6% of quantitative and up to 5.2% of qualitative indicators of ore percentages, as well as up to 1.5% of absolute quality of mined ore mass. Originality. Power-law dependencies of the change in the angle of ore tapping on the intensity of the ore drawing and the ultimate strength of the ore for uniaxial compression have been established as well as dependencies of the increase in the volume of the tapping figure, when a linear-alternating condition of ore drawing is applied, on the intensity of the ore drawing, the height of the collapsed ore layer and the ultimate strength of the ore for uniaxial compression. Practical value. A linear-alternating condition of ore drawing has been developed, the implementation of which in practice makes it possible to increase the qualitative and quantitative recovery percentages and eliminate the human factor while observing the ore drawing planograms.
Biochemical and hematological biomarkers of reproductive failure in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Authors: Barratclough A , Gomez FM , Morey JS , Meegan JM , Parry C , Schwacke L , Jensen ED , Smith CR
Published: March 2021

The physiological demands of pregnancy inevitably result in alterations in both biochemical and hematological parameters as fetal development occurs. The shifts observed in successful pregnancy in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus to support both fetal physiological needs and maternal basal requirements have been established according to each trimester. Detecting aberrations in blood-based biomarkers could help facilitate diagnosis of gestational abnormalities, improve our understanding of factors influencing reproductive outcomes and aid in prediction of reproductive failure. This study retrospectively analyzed 263 blood samples from 15 bottlenose dolphins in 21 failed pregnancies over 28 yr (1989-2017). Most samples remained within normal pregnancy reference ranges; however, significant shifts were observed between trimesters. Hematological alterations, compared to successful pregnancy reference ranges from previously published data, were consistent across failed pregnancies and included an increased prevalence of elevated 2nd and 3rd trimester neutrophils, elevated 2nd trimester monocytes and decreased 3rd trimester eosinophils. In addition, low hematocrit and low red blood cells were more prevalent in the 2nd trimester. Biochemical shifts included an increased prevalence of elevated creatine phosphokinase in the 3rd trimester outside of the normal reference ranges. Across failed pregnancies, calcium and iron were decreased in the 3rd trimester. Significantly decreased progesterone in the 3rd trimester was a negative prognostic indicator of pregnancy outcome with decreasing 3rd trimester progesterone associated with failed pregnancy. This study demonstrates the use of blood-based biomarkers as possible predictors of pregnancy outcome in bottlenose dolphins.
Exploring the Properties of the Electron Strahl at 1 AU as an Indicator of the Quality of the Magnetic Connection Between the Earth and the Sun
Authors: Borovsky Joseph E.
Published: March 2021

In this report some properties of the electron strahl at 1 AU are examined to assess the strahl at 272 eV as an indicator of the quality of the magnetic connection of the near-Earth solar wind to the Sun. The absence of a strahl has been taken to represent either a lack of magnetic connection to the corona or the strahl not surviving to 1 AU owing to scattering. Solar-energetic-electron (SEE) events can be used as indicators of good magnetic connection: examination of 216 impulsive SEE events finds that they are all characterized by strong strahls. The strahl intensity at 1 AU is statistically examined for various types of solar-wind plasma: it is found that the strahl is characteristically weak in sector-reversal-region plasma. In sector-reversal-region plasma and other slow wind, temporal changes in the strahl intensity at 1 AU are examined with 64 s resolution measurements and the statistical relationships of strahl changes to simultaneous plasma-property changes are established. The strahl-intensity changes are co-located with current sheets (directional discontinuities) with strong changes in the magnetic-field direction. The strahl-intensity changes at 1 AU are positively correlated with changes in the proton specific entropy, the proton temperature, and the magnetic-field strength; the strahl-intensity changes are anti-correlated with changes in the proton number density, the angle of the magnetic field with respect to the Parker-spiral direction, and the alpha-to-proton number-density ratio. Reductions in the strahl intensity are not consistent with expectations for a simple model of whistler-turbulence scattering. Reductions in the strahl intensity are mildly consistent with expectations for Coulomb scattering, however the strongest-observed plasma-change correlations are unrelated to Coulomb scattering and whistler scattering. The implications of the strahl-intensity-change analysis are that the change in the magnetic-field direction at a strahl change represents a change in the magnetic connection to the corona, resulting in a different strahl intensity and different plasma properties. An outstanding question is: Does an absence of an electron strahl represent a magnetic disconnection from the Sun or a poor strahl source in some region of the corona?
Typhoon Intensity Forecasting Based on LSTM Using the Rolling Forecast Method
Authors: Yuan Shijin , Wang Cheng , Mu Bin , Zhou Feifan , Duan Wansuo
Published: March 2021

A typhoon is an extreme weather event with strong destructive force, which can bring huge losses of life and economic damage to people. Thus, it is meaningful to reduce the prediction errors of typhoon intensity forecasting. Artificial and deep neural networks have recently become widely used for typhoon forecasting in order to ensure typhoon intensity forecasting is accurate and timely. Typhoon intensity forecasting models based on long short-term memory (LSTM) are proposed herein, which forecast typhoon intensity as a time series problem based on historical typhoon data. First, the typhoon intensity forecasting models are trained and tested with processed typhoon data from 2000 to 2014 to find the optimal prediction factors. Then, the models are validated using the optimal prediction factors compared to a feed-forward neural network (FNN). As per the results of the model applied for typhoons Chan-hom and Soudelor in 2015, the model based on LSTM using the optimal prediction factors shows the best performance and lowest prediction errors. Thus, the model based on LSTM is practical and meaningful for predicting typhoon intensity within 120 h.
A Compositional Model of Consciousness Based on Consciousness-Only
Authors: Signorelli Camilo Miguel , Wang Quanlong , Khan Ilyas
Published: March 2021

Scientific studies of consciousness rely on objects whose existence is assumed to be independent of any consciousness. On the contrary, we assume consciousness to be fundamental, and that one of the main features of consciousness is characterized as being other-dependent. We set up a framework which naturally subsumes this feature by defining a compact closed category where morphisms represent conscious processes. These morphisms are a composition of a set of generators, each being specified by their relations with other generators, and therefore co-dependent. The framework is general enough and fits well into a compositional model of consciousness. Interestingly, we also show how our proposal may become a step towards avoiding the hard problem of consciousness, and thereby address the combination problem of conscious experiences.
Testing Jump-Diffusion in Epileptic Brain Dynamics: Impact of Daily Rhythms
Authors: Kurth Jutta G. , Rings Thorsten , Lehnertz Klaus
Published: March 2021

Stochastic approaches to complex dynamical systems have recently provided broader insights into spatial-temporal aspects of epileptic brain dynamics. Stochastic qualifiers based on higher-order Kramers-Moyal coefficients derived directly from time series data indicate improved differentiability between physiological and pathophysiological brain dynamics. It remains unclear, however, to what extent stochastic qualifiers of brain dynamics are affected by other endogenous and/or exogenous influencing factors. Addressing this issue, we investigate multi-day, multi-channel electroencephalographic recordings from a subject with epilepsy. We apply a recently proposed criterion to differentiate between Langevin-type and jump-diffusion processes and observe the type of process most qualified to describe brain dynamics to change with time. Stochastic qualifiers of brain dynamics are strongly affected by endogenous and exogenous rhythms acting on various time scales—ranging from hours to days. Such influences would need to be taken into account when constructing evolution equations for the epileptic brain or other complex dynamical systems subject to external forcings.
Biomass and Lipid Productivity by Two Algal Strains of Chlorella sorokiniana Grown in Hydrolysate of Water Hyacinth
Authors: Dahiya Swati , Chowdhury Raja , Tao Wendong , Kumar Pradeep
Published: March 2021

Hydrolysate prepared from the chemical hydrolysis of water hyacinth biomass contains a high amount of solubilised carbohydrate and nutrients. This hydrolysate was utilised as a medium for the cultivation of two strains of Chlorella sorokiniana, isolated from a municipal wastewater treatment plant using two different media, i.e., BG-11 and Knop’s medium. Different light intensities, light–dark cycles, and various concentrations of external carbon sources (monosaccharides and inorganic carbon) were used to optimise the microalgal growth. For the accumulation of lipids and carbohydrates, the microalgal strains were transferred to nutrient amended medium (N-amended and P-amended). It was observed that the combined effect of glucose, inorganic carbon, and a 12:12 h light–dark cycle proved to be the optimum parameters for high biomass productivity (~200 mg/L/day). For Chlorella sorokiniana 1 (isolated from BG-11 medium), the maximum carbohydrate content (22%) was found in P-amended medium (N = 0 mg/L, P: 3 mg/L), whereas, high lipid content (17.3%) was recorded in N-amended medium (N = 5 mg/L, P = 0 mg/L). However, for Chlorella sorokiniana 2 (isolated from the Knop’s medium), both lipid (17%) and carbohydrate accumulation (12.3%) were found to be maximum in the N-amended medium. Chlorella sorokiniana 2 showed a high saturated lipid accumulation compared to other strains. Kinetic modelling of the lipid profile revealed that the production rate of fatty acids and their various constituents were species dependent under identical conditions.
Inductive Power Transfer Subsystem for Integrated Motor Drive
Authors: Kaczmarczyk Zbigniew , Kasprzak Marcin , Ruszczyk Adam , Sowa Kacper , Zimoch Piotr , Przybyła Krzysztof , Kierepka Kamil
Published: March 2021

An inductive power transfer subsystem for an integrated motor drive is presented in this paper. First, the concept of an integrated motor drive system is overviewed, and its main components are described. Next, the paper is focused on its inductive power transfer subsystem, which includes a magnetically coupled resonant circuit and two-stage energy conversion with an appropriate control method. Simplified complex domain analysis of the magnetically coupled resonant circuit is provided and the applied procedure for its component selection is explained. Furthermore, the prototype of the integrated motor drive system with its control is described. Finally, the prototype based on the gallium nitride field effect transistors (GaN FET) inductive power transfer subsystem is experimentally tested, confirming the feasibility of the concept.
Hydrolysis-Based Hydrogen Generation Investigation of Aluminum System Adding Low-Melting Metals
Authors: Gao Zeng , Ji Fei , Cheng Dongfeng , Yin Congxin , Niu Jitai , Brnic Josip
Published: March 2021

In this age of human civilization, there is a need for more efficient, cleaner, and renewable energy as opposed to that provided by nonrenewable sources such as coal and oil. In this sense, hydrogen energy has been proven to be a better choice. In this paper, a portable graphite crucible metal smelting furnace was used to prepare ten multi-element aluminum alloy ingots with different components. The microstructure and phase composition of the ingots and reaction products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The reaction was carried out in a constant temperature water bath furnace at 60 °C, and the hydrogen production performance of the multi-element aluminum alloys in different proportions was compared by the drainage gas collection method. The experimental results show that the as-cast microstructure of Al–Ga–In–Sn aluminum alloy is composed of a solid solution of Al and part of Ga, and a second phase of In3Sn. After the hydrolysis reaction, the products were dried at 150 °C and then analyzed by XRD. The products were mainly composed of AlOOH and In3Sn. Alloys with different compositions react at the same hydrolysis temperature, and the hydrogen production performance is related to the ratio of low-melting-point metal elements. By comparing two different ratios of Ga–In–Sn (GIS), the hydrogen production capacity and production rate when the ratio is 6:3:1 are generally higher than those when the ratio is 7:2:1. The second phase content affects the hydrogen production performance.
A Classification Method for Academic Resources Based on a Graph Attention Network
Authors: Yu Jie , Li Yaliu , Pan Chenle , Wang Junwei
Published: March 2021

Classification of resource can help us effectively reduce the work of filtering massive academic resources, such as selecting relevant papers and focusing on the latest research by scholars in the same field. However, existing graph neural networks do not take into account the associations between academic resources, leading to unsatisfactory classification results. In this paper, we propose an Association Content Graph Attention Network (ACGAT), which is based on the association features and content attributes of academic resources. The semantic relevance and academic relevance are introduced into the model. The ACGAT makes full use of the association commonality and the influence information of resources and introduces an attention mechanism to improve the accuracy of academic resource classification. We conducted experiments on a self-built scholar network and two public citation networks. Experimental results show that the ACGAT has better effectiveness than existing classification methods.
Vegetation Dynamic Assessment by NDVI and Field Observations for Sustainability of China’s Wulagai River Basin
Authors: Chen Panpan , Liu Huamin , Wang Zongming , Mao Dehua , Liang Cunzhu , Wen Lu , Li Zhiyong , Zhang Jinghui , Liu Dongwei , Zhuo Yi , Wang Lixin
Published: March 2021

Accurate monitoring of grassland vegetation dynamics is essential for ecosystem restoration and the implementation of integrated management policies. A lack of information on vegetation changes in the Wulagai River Basin restricts regional development. Therefore, in this study, we integrated remote sensing, meteorological, and field plant community survey data in order to characterize vegetation and ecosystem changes from 1997 to 2018. The residual trend (RESTREND) method was utilized to detect vegetation changes caused by human factors, as well as to evaluate the impact of the management of pastures. Our results reveal that the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of each examined ecosystem type showed an increasing trend, in which anthropogenic impact was the primary driving force of vegetation change. Our field survey confirmed that the meadow steppe ecosystem increased in species diversity and aboveground biomass; however, the typical steppe and riparian wet meadow ecosystems experienced species diversity and biomass degradation, therefore suggesting that an increase in NDVI may not directly reflect ecosystem improvement. Selecting an optimal indicator or indicator system is necessary in order to formulate reasonable grassland management policies for increasing the sustainability of grassland ecosystems.
Adverse Events in Home-Care Nursing Agencies and Related Factors: A Nationwide Survey in Japan
Authors: Morioka Noriko , Kashiwagi Masayo
Published: March 2021

Despite the importance of patient safety in home-care nursing provided by licensed nurses in patients’ homes, little is known about the nationwide incidence of adverse events in Japan. This article describes the incidence of adverse events among home-care nursing agencies in Japan and investigates the characteristics of agencies that were associated with adverse events. A cross-sectional nationwide self-administrative questionnaire survey was conducted in March 2020. The questionnaire included the number of adverse event occurrences in three months, the process of care for patient safety, and other agency characteristics. Of 9979 agencies, 580 questionnaires were returned and 400 were included in the analysis. The number of adverse events in each agency ranged from 0 to 47, and 26.5% of the agencies did not report any adverse event cases. The median occurrence of adverse events was three. In total, 1937 adverse events occurred over three months, of which pressure ulcers were the most frequent (80.5%). Adjusting for the number of patients in a month, the percentage of patients with care-need level 3 or higher was statistically significant. Adverse events occurring in home-care nursing agencies were rare and varied widely across agencies. The patients’ higher care-need levels affected the higher number of adverse events in home-care nursing agencies.
Alcohol Consumption among Freshman College Students in Spain: Individual and Pooled Analyses of Three Cross-Sectional Surveys (2005, 2012 and 2016)
Authors: Busto Miramontes Alicia , Moure-Rodríguez Lucía , Mallah Narmeen , Díaz-Geada Ainara , Corral Montserrat , Cadaveira Fernando , Caamaño-Isorna Francisco
Published: March 2021

Objective: We aimed to evaluate changes in the prevalence of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) and Risky Consumption (RC) in freshman college students between 2005, 2012 and 2016; and to identify the explanatory variables of these patterns of consumption using individual and pooled analyses. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 5260 students was carried out in Spain in 2005, 2012 and 2016. HED and RC were determined using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Another questionnaire was used to measure parental education level and alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, age of onset of alcohol use and alcohol-related expectancies. Adjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) of RC and HED and their 95% Confidence Intervals were estimated using logistic regression. Results: An increase in the prevalence rates of HED and RC was observed among women during the three-study periods, nonetheless there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence rates among men. High maternal educational level, living away from parental home, initiating drinking before the age of 15 and having positive expectancies about drinking are associated with higher prevalence of RC in both genders. High positive expectancies and early onset of alcohol use are associated with higher rates of HED among men and women. Students recruited in 2012 and 2016 are protected against RC in comparison to those recruited in 2005. Conclusions: The age of alcohol consumption onset is the most influencing factor on HED and RC for both genders in the three-study periods. Alcohol prevention campaigns targeting youth at early ages can reduce risky drinking behaviors.
Body Image and Voluntary Gaze Behaviors towards Physique-Salient Images
Authors: Karlinsky April , Howe Holly , de Jonge Melissa , Kingstone Alan , Sabiston Catherine M. , Welsh Timothy N.
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this study was to explore body image correlates of voluntary consumption of physique-salient media. A secondary aim was to assess changes in affect following media consumption. Young adult men (n = 47; mean age = 20.2 years) and women (n = 87; mean age = 19.5 years) were discretely exposed to images of same-sex models with idealized- and average-physiques while completing an irrelevant computer task. Voluntary gaze at the images was covertly recorded via hidden cameras. Participants also completed measures of affect before and after the computer task. Measures of body-related envy, body appreciation, and self-perceptions of attractiveness, thinness, and physical strength were completed. Men and women did not differ in how often nor for how long they looked at the images overall, but body image variables were differentially associated with their voluntary gaze behaviors. For men, higher body-related envy and lower body appreciation were correlated with more looks at the average-physique model. Although women reported higher body-related envy than men, envy and body appreciation were not significant correlates of gaze behaviors for women. Both men and women experienced a general affective decrease over time, but only for men was the change in negative affect associated with their time spent looking at the ideal-physique image. Overall, these findings suggest that body-related envy and body appreciation influence how men choose to consume physique-salient media, and that media consumption may have negative consequences for post-exposure affect. Body image factors appear to be more strongly associated with behavior in men, perhaps because men are generally less often exposed to physique-salient media and, in particular, to average-physique images.
COVID-19 Preventive Behaviours in Cameroon: A Six-Month Online National Survey
Authors: Siewe Fodjo Joseph Nelson , Ngarka Leonard , Njamnshi Wepnyu Y. , Nfor Leonard N. , Mengnjo Michel K. , Mendo Edwige L. , Angwafor Samuel A. , Basseguin Jonas Guy Atchou , Nkouonlack Cyrille , Njit Edith N. , Ahidjo Nene , Chokote Eric Samuel , Dema Fidèle , Fonsah Julius Y. , Tatah Godwin Y. , Palmer Nancy , Seke Etet Paul F. , Palmer Dennis , Nsagha Dickson S. , Etya’ale Daniel E. , Perrig Stephen , Sztajzel Roman , Annoni Jean-Marie , Bissek Anne-Cécile Zoung-Kanyi , Leke Rose G. F. , Obama Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa , Nkengasong John N. , Colebunders Robert , Njamnshi Alfred K.
Published: March 2021

Since March 2020, the Cameroonian government implemented nationwide measures to stall COVID-19 transmission. However, little is known about how well these unprecedented measures are being observed as the pandemic evolves. We conducted a six-month online survey to assess the preventive behaviour of Cameroonian adults during the COVID-19 outbreak. A five-point adherence score was constructed based on self-reported observance of the following preventive measures: physical distancing, face mask use, hand hygiene, not touching one’s face, and covering the mouth when coughing or sneezing. Predictors of adherence were investigated using ordinal logistic regression models. Of the 7381 responses received from all ten regions, 73.3% were from male respondents and overall mean age was 32.8 ± 10.8 years. Overall mean adherence score was 3.96 ± 1.11 on a scale of 0–5. Mean weekly adherence scores were initially high, but gradually decreased over time accompanied by increasing incidence of COVID-19 during the last study weeks. Predictors for higher adherence included higher age, receiving COVID-19 information from health personnel, and agreeing with the necessity of lockdown measures. Meanwhile, experiencing flu-like symptoms was associated with poor adherence. Continuous observance of preventive measures should be encouraged among Cameroonians in the medium- to long-term to avoid a resurgence in COVID-19 infections.
Sex Education in the Spotlight: What Is Working? Systematic Review
Authors: Lameiras-Fernández María , Martínez-Román Rosana , Carrera-Fernández María Victoria , Rodríguez-Castro Yolanda
Published: March 2021

Adolescence, a period of physical, social, cognitive and emotional development, represents a target population for sexual health promotion and education when it comes to achieving the 2030 Agenda goals for sustainable and equitable societies. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of what is known about the dissemination and effectiveness of sex education programs and thereby to inform better public policy making in this area. Methodology: We carried out a systematic review based on international scientific literature, in which only peer-reviewed papers were included. To identify reviews, we carried out an electronic search of the Cochrane Database Reviews, ERIC, Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, Scopus and PsycINFO. This paper provides a narrative review of reviews of the literature from 2015 to 2020. Results: 20 reviews met the inclusion criteria (10 in school settings, 9 using digital platforms and 1 blended learning program): they focused mainly on reducing risk behaviors (e.g., VIH/STIs and unwanted pregnancies), whilst obviating themes such as desire and pleasure, which were not included in outcome evaluations. The reviews with the lowest risk of bias are those carried out in school settings and are the ones that most question the effectiveness of sex education programs. Whilst the reviews of digital platforms and blended learning show greater effectiveness in terms of promoting sexual and reproductive health in adolescents (ASRH), they nevertheless also include greater risks of bias. Conclusion: A more rigorous assessment of the effectiveness of sexual education programs is necessary, especially regarding the opportunities offered by new technologies, which may lead to more cost-effective interventions than with in-person programs. Moreover, blended learning programs offer a promising way forward, as they combine the best of face-to-face and digital interventions, and may provide an excellent tool in the new context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Effect of Changes in Cost Sharing on the Consumption of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medicines in Catalonia
Authors: Martínez-Jiménez Mario , García-Gómez Pilar , Puig-Junoy Jaume
Published: March 2021

Many universal health care systems have increased the share of the price of medicines paid by the patient to reduce the cost pressure faced after the Great Recession. This paper assesses the impact of cost-sharing changes on the propensity to consume prescription and over-the-counter medicines in Catalonia, a Spanish autonomous community, affected by three new cost-sharing policies implemented in 2012. We applied a quasi-experimental difference-in-difference method using data from 2010 to 2014. These reforms were heterogeneous across different groups of individuals, so we define three intervention groups: (i) middle-income working population—co-insurance rate changed from 40% to 50%; (ii) low/middle-income pensioners—from free full coverage to 10% co-insurance rate; (iii) unemployed individuals without benefits—from 40% co-insurance rate to free full coverage. Our control group was the low-income working population whose co-insurance rate remained unchanged. We estimated the effects on the overall population as well as on the group with long-term care needs. We evaluated the effect of these changes on the propensity to consume prescription or over-the-counter medicines, and explored the heterogeneity effects across seven therapeutic groups of prescription medicines. Our findings showed that, on average, these changes did not significantly change the propensity to consume prescription or over-the-counter medicines. Nonetheless, we observed that the propensity to consume prescription medicines for mental disorders significantly increased among unemployed without benefits, while the consumption of prescribed mental disorders medicines for low/middle-income pensioners with long-term care needs decreased after becoming no longer free. We conclude that the propensity to consume medicines was not affected by the new cost-sharing policies, except for mental disorders. However, our results do not preclude potential changes in the quantity of medicines individuals consume.
The Trend of HIV/AIDS Incidence and Risks Associated with Age, Period, and Birth Cohort in Four Central African Countries
Authors: Martial Nodjimadji Tamlengar , Mubarik Sumaira , Yu Chuanhua
Published: March 2021

The HIV/AIDS incidence rates have decreased in African countries although the rates are still high in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our study aimed to examine the long-term trend of the overall HIV/AIDS incidence rates in four countries of the central region of Africa, using data from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2019 study. The Age–Period–Cohort statistical model analysis was used to measure the trends of HIV/AIDS incidence rates in each of the four countries. HIV/AIDS incidence rates decreased slowly in Cameroon (CAM), Chad, and Central African Republic (CAR), but considerably in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 1990–2019. HIV/AIDS incidence rates in the four countries were at their peaks in the age group of 25–29 years. According to the age relative risks, individuals aged between 15 and 49 years old are at high risk of HIV/AIDS incidence in the four countries. The period and cohort relative risks have decreased in all four countries. Although CAM recorded an increase of 59.6% in the period relative risks (RRs) between 1990 and 1999, HIV/AIDS incidence has decreased dramatically in all four countries, especially after 2000. The decrease of the period RRs (relative risk) by nearly 20.6-folds and the decrease of the cohort RRs from 147.65 to almost 0.0034 in the DRC made it the country with the most significant decrease of the period and cohort RRs compared to the rest. HIV/AIDS incidence rates are decreasing in each of the four countries. Our study findings could provide solid ground for policymakers to promptly decrease HIV/AIDS incidence by strengthening the prevention policies to eliminate the public health threat of HIV/AIDS by 2030 as one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Parent-Assisted Children’s Friendship Training to Improve Social Skills and Friendship Quality in Children with Autism in Malaysia
Authors: Ong Sing Yee , Roslan Samsilah , Ahmad Nor Aniza , Ayub Ahmad Fauzi Mohd , Ping Chen Lee , Zaremohzzabieh Zeinab , Ahrari Seyedali
Published: March 2021

Background: This study evaluates the effectiveness of parent-assisted children’s friendship training intervention for enhancing friendship quality and social skills among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a quasi-experimental study to investigate the effective outcomes of social skills and friendship quality in the pre-and post-parent-assisted CFT intervention phases; Methods: to conduct a 12-week field session, 30 children with their parents were selected. The Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales and the Quality of Play Questionnaire-Parent were used to assess the effectiveness of the parent-assisted children’s friendship training during pre-and post-intervention. A semi-structured interview with parents was conducted at the end of the session; Results: findings revealed that intervention improved the social skills of these children. Additionally, the friendship quality of children with ASD improved before and after the intervention, however, engagement remained unchanged. Parents also showed some sort of improvement after the session as they reported a heightened sense of fear and resistance, awareness, learning and adjustment, change is not easy, and identifying support; Conclusions: there was clear evidence that children with ASD benefitted from parent-assisted CFTs in terms of social skills and friendship quality. However, larger and controlled studies are required to draw firm conclusions about this kind of intervention.