bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diversity of Spring Invertebrates and Their Habitats: A Story of Preferences
Authors: Cîmpean Mirela , Șuteu Anca-Mihaela , Berindean Alexia , Battes Karina P.
Published: May 2022

Springs, as unique ecotonal habitats between surface and hypogean areas, are considered endangered aquatic ecosystems due to direct and indirect human impacts and climate change issues. They are distinctive water habitats that are often inhabited by a diverse but mostly stenotypic group of organisms. The present study considered 31 springs from the Apuseni Mountains (the Romanian Carpathians) that were classified as rheocrene, helocrene, and limnocrene based on their geomorphology and hydrology. Samples from three substrate types (rocks, sand, and bryophytes) were collected using standard methods for crenic invertebrates. A total of 64,462 individuals belonging to 17 invertebrate taxa were identified: aquatic worms, mollusks, crustaceans, water mites, and insects. Amphipoda and Diptera–Chironomidae were the dominant taxa in most springs. At a community level, patterns of habitat preference were demonstrated for 12 invertebrate groups using the standardized selection index (B) and expressed as the number of springs where a certain group selected rocks, sand, and/or bryophytes: Four groups exhibited preferences for bryophytes (Coleoptera, Diptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera), Ephemeroptera exhibited preferences for rocks, and Copepoda exhibited preferences for sand. Amphipoda, Platyhelminthes, and Ostracoda displayed preferences for all three substratum types, while Gastropoda, Hydrachnidia, and Oligochaeta recorded lower percentages in springs where habitat preferences were significant. In addition, crenic invertebrates were divided into three guilds, depending on their dispersion abilities in any stage of their life cycle: sedentary (not-winged groups), mobile (winged groups), and ectoparasites (water mites that were able to leave the springs on their winged hosts). Sedentary taxa recorded higher percentages of abundances and habitat preferences towards rocks and sand, while ectoparasites (Hydrachnidia) and the mobile guilds tended to prefer bryophytes. This segregation might be explained by individual adaptations to the particularities of each type of substratum, such as the bodily form of the copepods, which are well suited for sand interstices, a habitat that our data showed that they preferred. Our results represent novel contributions to the knowledge of habitat preferences of spring invertebrates from the Apuseni Mountains, adding value to similar data from the Western Carpathians, the Alps, and the Dinaric region.
Gender Differences in Migration
Authors: Ena Francesca
Published: May 2022

There are about 200 million people on the move in the world, and approximately 50% of them are women. There are no clear migration plans for women leaving as a result of persecution, war, famine, climatic disasters or moving away from contexts of external abuse and even intrafamily violence. Gender-related violence, to which women are exposed in cultural contexts characterized by a patriarchal social organization, is manifested through different ways including, but not limited to, early marriages and genital mutilation, with reproductive health already being seriously impaired at an early age. To this must be added the consideration that low-income countries are not able to deal with chronic degenerative diseases with a multidisciplinary approach such as diabetes. Fragile or non-existent health systems are not prepared for this need, which now affects a third of all deaths from this cause. Compared to Italian mothers, women from high-migration pressure countries had a higher risk of gestational diabetes; in addition, young women of Ethiopian ethnicity are more exposed to increased diabetes risk, in an age- and BMI-dependent way. Gender inequalities are also more evident in migrants for other non-communicable diseases besides diabetes. A major effort is needed in terms of training practitioners and reorganization of basic health services, making them competent in an intercultural sense. Health education of the population as a whole and of women specifically is also needed to contain risk behavior and prevent the early onset of metabolic syndromes in general and of type 2 diabetes in particular.
Is Bitcoin’s Carbon Footprint Persistent? Multifractal Evidence and Policy Implications
Authors: Ghosh Bikramaditya , Bouri Elie
Published: May 2022

The Bitcoin mining process is energy intensive, which can hamper the much-desired ecological balance. Given that the persistence of high levels of energy consumption of Bitcoin could have permanent policy implications, we examine the presence of long memory in the daily data of the Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index (BECI) (BECI upper bound, BECI lower bound, and BECI average) covering the period 25 February 2017 to 25 January 2022. Employing fractionally integrated GARCH (FIGARCH) and multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) models to estimate the order of fractional integrating parameter and compute the Hurst exponent, which measures long memory, this study shows that distant series observations are strongly autocorrelated and long memory exists in most cases, although mean-reversion is observed at the first difference of the data series. Such evidence for the profound presence of long memory suggests the suitability of applying permanent policies regarding the use of alternate energy for mining; otherwise, transitory policy would quickly become obsolete. We also suggest the replacement of ‘proof-of-work’ with ‘proof-of-space’ or ‘proof-of-stake’, although with a trade-off (possible security breach) to reduce the carbon footprint, the implementation of direct tax on mining volume, or the mandatory use of carbon credits to restrict the environmental damage.
PCP: A Pseudonym Change Scheme for Location Privacy Preserving in VANETs
Authors: Deng Xinyang , Gao Tianhan , Guo Nan , Zhao Cong , Qi Jiayu
Published: May 2022

In vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs), pseudonym change is considered as the vital mechanism to support vehicles’ anonymity. Due to the complicated road conditions and network environment, it is a challenge to design an efficient and adaptive pseudonym change protocol. In this paper, a pseudonym change protocol for location privacy preserving (PCP) is proposed. We first present the requirements of pseudonym change in different scenarios. According to variable network states and road conditions, vehicles are able to take different pseudonym change strategies to resist the tracking by global passive adversaries. Furthermore, the registration protocol, authentication protocol, pseudonym issuance protocol, and pseudonym revocation protocol are introduced for the pseudonym management mechanism. As a consequence, it is not feasible for global passive adversaries to track a vehicle for a long time and obtain the trajectory of the vehicle. The analysis results show that the security and performance of PCP are improved compared with the traditional ones.
Quantum Non-Markovian Environment-to-System Backflows of Information: Nonoperational vs. Operational Approaches
Authors: Budini Adrián A.
Published: May 2022

Quantum memory effects can be qualitatively understood as a consequence of an environment-to-system backflow of information. Here, we analyze and compare how this concept is interpreted and implemented in different approaches to quantum non-Markovianity. We study a nonoperational approach, defined by the distinguishability between two system states characterized by different initial conditions, and an operational approach, which is defined by the correlation between different outcomes associated to successive measurement processes performed over the system of interest. The differences, limitations, and vantages of each approach are characterized in detail by considering diverse system–environment models and dynamics. As a specific example, we study a non-Markovian depolarizing map induced by the interaction of the system of interest with an environment characterized by incoherent and coherent self-dynamics.
Impact of Spray Cone Angle on the Performances of Methane/Diesel RCCI Engine Combustion under Low Load Operating Conditions
Authors: Hamdi Fathi , Agrebi Senda , Idrissi Mohamed Salah , Mondo Kambale , Labiadh Zeineb , Sadiki Amsini , Chrigui Mouldi
Published: May 2022

The behaviors of spray, in Reactivity Controlled Combustion Ignition (RCCI) dual fuel engine and subsequent emissions formation, are numerically addressed. Five spray cone angles ranging between 5° and 25° with an advanced injection timing of 22° Before Top Dead Center (BTDC) are considered. The objective of this paper is twofold: (a) to enhance engine behaviors in terms of performances and consequent emissions by adjusting spray cone angle and (b) to outcome the exergy efficiency for each case. The simulations are conducted using the Ansys-forte tool. The turbulence model is the Renormalization Group (RNG) K-epsilon, which is selected for its effectiveness in strongly sheared flows. The spray breakup is governed by the hybrid model Kelvin–Helmholtz and Rayleigh–Taylor spray models. A surrogate of n-heptane, which contains 425 species and 3128 reactions, is used for diesel combustion modeling. The obtained results for methane/diesel engine combustion, under low load operating conditions, include the distribution of heat transfer flux, pressure, temperature, Heat Release Rate (HRR), and Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD). An exergy balance analysis is conducted to quantify the engine performances. Output emissions at the outlet of the combustion chamber are also monitored in this work. Investigations show a pressure decrease for a cone angle θ = 5° of roughly 8%, compared to experimental measurement (θ = 10°). A broader cone angle produces a higher mass of NOx. The optimum spray cone angle, in terms of exergy efficiency, performance, and consequent emissions is found to lie at 15° ≤ θ ≤ 20°.
Examining the Capacity of Text Mining and Software Metrics in Vulnerability Prediction
Authors: Kalouptsoglou Ilias , Siavvas Miltiadis , Kehagias Dionysios , Chatzigeorgiou Alexandros , Ampatzoglou Apostolos
Published: May 2022

Software security is a very important aspect for software development organizations who wish to provide high-quality and dependable software to their consumers. A crucial part of software security is the early detection of software vulnerabilities. Vulnerability prediction is a mechanism that facilitates the identification (and, in turn, the mitigation) of vulnerabilities early enough during the software development cycle. The scientific community has recently focused a lot of attention on developing Deep Learning models using text mining techniques for predicting the existence of vulnerabilities in software components. However, there are also studies that examine whether the utilization of statically extracted software metrics can lead to adequate Vulnerability Prediction Models. In this paper, both software metrics- and text mining-based Vulnerability Prediction Models are constructed and compared. A combination of software metrics and text tokens using deep-learning models is examined as well in order to investigate if a combined model can lead to more accurate vulnerability prediction. For the purposes of the present study, a vulnerability dataset containing vulnerabilities from real-world software products is utilized and extended. The results of our analysis indicate that text mining-based models outperform software metrics-based models with respect to their F2-score, whereas enriching the text mining-based models with software metrics was not found to provide any added value to their predictive performance.
Rural Children’s Perceptions of Parental Involvement in Their Education in Pakistan
Authors: Ahmed Qazi Waqas , Rönkä Anna , Perälä-Littunen Satu
Published: May 2022

Drawing from focus group discussions, this study reports 40 school-aged children’s (12–14 years, boys and girls) perceptions of parental involvement in the context of a developing country with a collectivist culture. The results indicate that despite parental interference, adherence to local customs, poverty, and illiteracy, children felt encouraged by their parents through strategies that reinforced their motivation to continue their education. Extended families’ educated members can also compensate for parents being unable to support their children in learning. The study highlights the role of the socio-cultural context in understanding parental involvement.
Helping Learners Become Their Own Teachers: The Beneficial Impact of Trained Concept-Mapping-Strategy Use on Metacognitive Regulation in Learning
Authors: Welter Virginia Deborah Elaine , Becker Lukas Bernhard , Großschedl Jörg
Published: May 2022

Several empirical studies have shown that, during COVID-19-caused distance learning, many learners were struggling to realize the extent of self-regulated learning activities that were required to ensure the ongoing learning progress. Due to the significance of self-regulated learning regarding students’ learning success, the construct of metacognition also gained in importance, since corresponding skills are closely related to successful self-direction in learning. In our study, we focused on the learning strategy of concept mapping (CM), which is (1) directly related to beneficial effects on learning and retention performance, as well as (2) considered to cause constructive side-effects regarding metacognitive skills and, thus, self-regulated learning. To grasp CM’s full potential in terms of improving cognition-related learning performance, however, appropriate training of this learning strategy seems to be required. This raised the question of whether and to what extent appropriate CM training is also necessary to improve the metacognitive skills of our participants (N = 73 university students of different majors) in terms of the accuracy of their judgments of learning (JOLs). Although we were able to show, in a previous study, that the CM-training intensity did not affect the absolute level of these JOLs, the results of our current study show that there is, nevertheless, a significant effect in terms of the JOLs’ accuracy when considering their relationships to objective learning performance. Thus, CM training intensity affects the competence of metacognitive monitoring. In addition, we found that scaffolding- and feedback-including training conditions tend to counteract systematic misjudgments regarding the domain of conceptual knowledge, in particular. Practical implications and recommendations that can be derived from these results are discussed.
Constant Power Load Stabilization in DC Microgrids Using Continuous-Time Model Predictive Control
Authors: Alidrissi Youssef , Ouladsine Radouane , Elmouatamid Abdellatif , Errouissi Rachid , Bakhouya Mohamed
Published: May 2022

Despite its advantages over its AC counterparts, DC microgrids present a lot of challenges. One of these challenges is the instability issues caused by constant power loads (CPLs). CPLs deteriorate the system’s performance due to their incremental negative impedance characteristics. In this paper, a DC microgrid composed of a PV/battery system feeding a pure CPL was considered. A continuous-time model predictive control combined with a disturbance observer was applied to the DC–DC bidirectional converter. The purpose of the composite controller is to address the nonlinearity of the CPL and to maintain the stability of the system in a large operating region under load and PV generation variations. To show the performance of the system, several tests were performed under PV power and CPL power variations. Simulation results show good performance in terms of transient response, optimal tracking, and stability in a large operating region.
Effect of Stator Slots on Electromagnetic Performance of a High-Voltage Line-Start Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Authors: Li Dongming , Feng Guihong , Li Wei , Zhang Bingyi , Zhang Jiaxu
Published: May 2022

It is well known that the use of slotted stators in motors produces undesirable effects, such as magnetic flux distortion, additional losses, ripple torque, and vibration. However, a large number of studies pay more attention to stator slots and magnetic slot wedges (MSW) in asynchronous motors and permanent magnet motors, ignoring the same problems in large capacity high voltage line start permanent magnet synchronous motors (HVLSPMSM). In order to disclose the effect of the stator slot on HVLSPMSMs, the no-load air gap magnetic field distribution and stator leakage reactance are studied. Meanwhile, the differences in the starting torque, pull-in torque and pull-out torque of four slot models are compared, and the starting performance is more affected by stator slot. In practical manufacturing, the application of MSWs is the main way to change the electromagnetic performance of stator slots, so the influence of MSWs under different permeabilities on the performance of HVLSPMSMs is investigated. Finally, the effect of a stator slot on the motor starting performance and the rated performance are verified by prototypes and experimental tests, which provide a reference for the application of MSWs in HVLSPMSMs.
Breakup Mechanism of a Jet in the L-Shape Crossflow of a Gas Turbine Combustor
Authors: Choi Myeung Hwan , An Jeongwoo , Koo Jaye
Published: May 2022

Experimental investigations are conducted to determine the mechanism and characteristics of a jet in an L-shape crossflow simulating the radial swirl injector of a lean premixed-prevaporized (LPP) combustor. To simplify the radial flow of the actual injector while ignoring the centrifugal effect, the L-shaped 2D-channel is used for the crossflow, and water is used as a fuel simulant. The jet breakup is captured using a high-speed camera, and the density gradient magnitude is post-processed to clarify the spray. The Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of the spray is measured via a laser diffraction method with a helium–neon laser optical system (HELOS). The characteristics of the jet in the L-shape crossflow are compared with the characteristics of the jet in a typical crossflow through the flat channel. The results for different outlet heights of the L-shape channel (H/d0) and different injector positions (L/d0) are presented. A dimensionless number (τ) consisting of a time ratio is introduced to describe the jet characteristics. In a previous work, the spraying tendency was demonstrated for different injector positions. In addition, the effect of the recirculation area on H/d0 was empirically shown. H/d0 determines the size of the recirculation area, and the range of τ determines the jet breakup mechanism inside the L-shape channel. The results of this study present the breakup mechanism of the jet in the L-shape channel flow, which simulates a jet in a radial swirler injector for gas turbine engines. It is expected that these results can be used to assist in designing gas turbine engines with more combustion efficiency.
Single Line/Phase Open Fault-Tolerant Decoupling Control of a Five-Phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor under Different Stator Connections
Authors: Tian Bing , Lu Runze , Hu Jiasongyu
Published: May 2022

Fault-tolerant control (FTC) of a star-connected Five-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (5Φ-PMSM) under open-circuit faults has been extensively studied, among which the decoupled control is attractive and finds a broad application in many fields. Pentacle- and pentagon-connected (generally known as “Penta-connected”) 5Φ-PMSMs are popular due to their low voltage and high-power density, and especially, the demanded DC voltage level for the pentacle-connection mode accounting for merely 1/1.9021 of the star-connection mode, which is very appealing today. On the other hand, as one of the recent advances, the fault-tolerant decoupling control for penta-connections is still yet to be reviewed, and so this study investigates this issue and attempts to find the similarities and dissimilarities between star- and penta-connections under either single-line or single-phase open faults. Torque behavior analysis under, respectively, the fault-tolerant MPPT and id = 0 is conducted to confirm the validity of the presented FTC, and it is expected to provide a reference for selecting a 5Φ-PMSM for practical use.
A Novel Control Technique for Voltage Balancing in Bipolar DC Microgrids
Authors: Doubabi Hajar , Salhi Issam , Essounbouli Najib
Published: May 2022

The bipolar DC microgrid topology is characterized by three voltage levels and is able to transfer power more efficiently than a conventional DC microgrid. This paper proposes an advanced control strategy aiming to ensure the voltage balancing between the upper and lower terminals of a bipolar DC microgrid regardless of the distribution of loads. The proposed controller is based on the backstepping method, which is well known for its the robustness and the global asymptotic stability that can be guaranteed for the system. A particle swarm optimization algorithm has also been adopted for an optimal design of the proposed controller parameters. Simulation results in a Matlab/Simulink environment has been presented to verify the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed voltage-balancing controller.
Electromagnetic and Thermal Analysis of 225 kW High-Speed PMSM for Centrifugal Blower Applications
Authors: Abubakar Usman , Wang Xiaoyuan , Shah Sayyed Haleem , Wang Lixin , Farouk Aminu
Published: May 2022

In order to make centrifugal blowers environmentally friendly, machines with a lighter weight and a more compact size are required. Thus, the axial length of the machine needs to be minimized within the diameter limit. However, in the design methodology, losses and thermal study become very significant; thus, losses increase significantly to achieve the desired output power when the volume is excessively reduced. Moreover, due to the machine’s compact size, heat is concentrated rapidly without adequate cooling. It might lead to a temperature rise of the critical part of the machine above the safe limit, such as winding, thereby affecting its lifespan. This study considers the 225 kW high-speed permanent magnet synchronous machine (HSPMSM) with the forced air cooling axial ventilation system (FACAVS) used in centrifugal blower applications. Firstly, four different analytical models (A2–A5) in the electromagnetic analysis are derived by minimizing the initial machine’s (A1) axial length to achieve a lighter weight and more compact size with better electromagnetic performance. The best among analytical models is chosen as the A4 model with a lighter weight and a more compact structure in addition to higher torque density than A1, A2, and A3 models, and higher efficiency than A1, A2, A3, and A5 models by HSPMSM’s, optimal geometric design, and optimal material choice, respectively. Secondly, LPTN is designed to predict the entire analytical model’s thermal behavior in the thermal analysis. Investigation shows that winding temperature rises from the A4 model is maintained below winding insulation by the determined optimal axial ventilation parameters from the sensitivity analysis. Finally, different analytical models are prototyped and tested. The comparisons between predicted electromagnetic performance, winding temperature rise, and test results were carried out, and the results were found to agree with each other consistently.
Anti-Wind Experiments and Damage Prediction of Transmission Tower under Typhoon Conditions in Coastal Areas
Authors: Guan Ruiyang , Xiang Chuyuan , Jia Zhidong
Published: May 2022

Typhoons are a serious threat to transmission towers and lines in coastal areas. The anti-wind performance of a transmission tower needs to be reinforced and optimized to avoid tower collapse. Here, an improved real-time wind-field mathematical model and a tower-line coupled simulation model were established to reproduce the wind field distribution, mechanical vibration, and interaction between the wind field and tower. The damage prediction of the transmission tower was analyzed. Furthermore, an actual scaled tower-line model was built, which was used to measure the acceleration and displacement responses in the anti-wind experiments. The research results show that the improved model is feasible and correct based on the verification of Typhoon Mujigae. The tower’s vibration response is mainly characterized by low frequencies, whereas the lines indicate a high frequency response. The transmission line has a remarkable impact on tower vibrations in high turbulence. A flow direction angle of 50° and a long span are dangerous conditions for transmission systems in coastal regions. The acceleration and displacement responses of the main bars show opposite trends to that of the auxiliary cross-bars. The contribution of this article is the possibility of tower collapse prediction and prevention.
Fermented Myriophyllum aquaticum and Lactobacillus plantarum Affect the Distribution of Intestinal Microbial Communities and Metabolic Profile in Mice
Authors: Li Yueyang , Ling Yuxi , Liu Jia , Zhang Michael , Li Zuming , Bai Zhihui , Wu Zhenlong , Xia Ran , Wu Zhichao , Wan Yingxin , Zhou Qiyun
Published: May 2022

This research explores the effects of fermented Myriophyllum aquaticum (F) and Lactobacillus plantarum BW2013 (G) as new feed additives on the gut microbiota composition and metabolic profile of mice. Crude protein (p = 0.045), lipid (p = 0.000), and ash (p = 0.006) contents in Myriophyllum aquaticum (N) were improved, whereas raw fiber (p = 0.031) content was decreased after solid-state fermentation by G. Mice were fed with no additive control (CK), 10%N (N), 10%N + G (NG), 10%F (F), and 10%F + G (FG). High-throughput sequencing results showed that, compared with the CK group, Parabacteroides goldsteinii was increased in treatment groups and that Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Bacteroides coprocola were increased in the F and FG groups. Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides coprocola were increased in the F group compared with the N group. Metabolomic results showed that vitamin A, myricetin, gallic acid, and luteolin were increased in the F group compared with the N group. Reduction in LPG 18:1 concentration in the N and F groups could be attenuated or even abolished by supplementation with G. Furthermore, 9-oxo-ODA was upregulated in the FG group compared with the F group. Collectively, N, F, and G have beneficial effects on gut microbiota and metabolic profile in mice, especially intake of FG.
Variation in the Content and Composition of Tocols in a Wheat Population
Authors: Tremmel-Bede Karolina , Szentmiklóssy Marietta , Lampi Anna-Maija , Piironen Vieno , Shewry Peter R. , Vida Gyula , Tömösközi Sándor , Karsai Ildikó , Láng László , Bedő Zoltán , Rakszegi Marianna
Published: May 2022

Wheat is a well-known source of B vitamins but also contains significant amounts of vitamin E and related tocols, which have a number of positive health benefits. However, there are no reports on increasing the tocol content of wheat. A prerequisite for increasing the tocol content is the identification of variation in its amount within wheat and related cereals. We therefore determined the tocol content and composition in the grain of 230 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of a diverse biparental wheat population (Mv Toborzó/Tommi), showing variation in the total content from 13.69 to 45.18 μg/g d.m. The total content also showed transgressive segregation in the population. The effect of the genotype on the variance components of tocols was studied, and the broad-sense heritability was calculated to be 0.71. The lines were also grouped based on their tocol content and analyzed for their chemical composition and breadmaking quality. The high heritability value and the wide variation found in the total amount indicate that increasing the content of tocols is a possible breeding strategy.
Digestibility of Meat Mineral and Proteins from Broilers Fed with Graded Levels of Chlorella vulgaris
Authors: Boskovic Cabrol Marija , Martins Joana C. , Malhão Leonardo P. , Alfaia Cristina M. , Prates José A. M. , Almeida André M. , Lordelo Madalena , Raymundo Anabela
Published: May 2022

The incorporation of sustainable protein sources in animal feeding is a growing trend. So far, no study has investigated in vitro digestion of meat, from broilers fed microalgae, in a human model. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating Chlorella vulgaris in the broilers diet on human protein digestibility, and mineral bioaccessibility. The study used 240 male Ross 308 broilers randomly allocated to groups fed a control diet or a diet where soybean meal was replaced with 10% (CV10%), 15% (CV15%), or 20% (CV15%) of C. vulgaris for 40 days. The microalga supplementation increased the protein and lowered the fat content in the muscle. Results on the percentages of amino acids highlighted that arginine and threonine proportions increased and lysine and cysteine proportions decreased with microalga inclusion. CV15% and CV20% meat had higher amount of K, Ca, Mg, P, and Fe in raw breasts, improving the nutrient composition of the meat. Cooking caused a decrease in Na and K and an increase in other minerals. CV20% had higher bioaccessibility of K, Ca, Mg, P, and Mg, compared to the control. Replacing soybean meal in broiler feed with higher concentrations of C. vugaris could improve the digestibility of meat protein and minerals.
Antioxidative Activity Evaluation of High Purity and Micronized Tartary Buckwheat Flavonoids Prepared by Antisolvent Recrystallization
Authors: Liu Yanjie , Sui Xiaoyu , Zhao Xiuhua , Wang Siying , Yang Qilei
Published: May 2022

Tartary buckwheat, a healthy food, is associated with a reduced risk of certain human chronic diseases. However, the bioactive component flavonoids in Tartary buckwheat have poor solubility and low absorption in vivo. To improve these points, 60.00% Tartary buckwheat total flavonoids (TFs) were obtained by ethanol refluxing method, which were purified and micronized by antisolvent recrystallization (ASR) using methanol as a solvent and deionized water as an antisolvent. By using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and electrospray ionized mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), the main flavonoid in pure flavonoids (PF) were rutin (RU), kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (KA) and quercetin (QU); the content of TF is 99.81% after purification. It is more worthy of our attention that micronized flavonoids contribute more to antioxidant activity because of good solubility. These results provide a theoretical reference for the micronization of other flavonoids.
Self-Assembly of Alkylamido Isophthalic Acids toward the Design of a Supergelator: Phase-Selective Gelation and Dye Adsorption
Authors: Makeiff Darren A. , Cho Jae-Young , Smith Bradley , Carlini Rina , Godbert Nicolas
Published: May 2022

A new series of 5-alkylamido isophthalic acid (ISA) derivatives with varying single and twin alkyl chain lengths were designed and synthesized as potential supramolecular organogelators. 5-alkylamido ISAs with linear or branched alkyl tail-groups of different lengths were effective gelators for low polarity solvents. In particular, among the presented series, a derivative with a branched, 24 carbon atom tail-group behaves as a “supergelator” with up to twenty organic solvents forming gels that are highly stable over time. The gelation behavior was analyzed using Hansen solubility parameters, and the thermal stability and viscoelastic properties of select gels were characterized. Microscopy, spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and computer modeling studies were consistent with a hierarchical self-assembly process involving the formation of cyclic H-bonded hexamers via the ISA carboxylic acid groups, which stack into elementary fibers stabilized by H-bonding of the amide linker groups and π–π stacking of the aromatic groups. These new nanomaterials exhibited potential for the phase-selective gelation of oil from oil–water mixtures and dye uptake from contaminated water. The work expands upon the design and synthesis of supramolecular self-assembled nanomaterials and their application in water purification/remediation.
Controlling Infectious Risk in Transfusion: Assessing the Effectiveness of Skin Disinfection in Blood Donors
Authors: Arghittu Antonella , Dettori Marco , Deriu Grazia Maria , Soddu Serena , Manca Pietro Carmelo , Carboni Anna Angela , Collu Irene , Palmieri Alessandra , Deiana Giovanna , Azara Antonio , Castiglia Paolo , Masia Maria Dolores
Published: May 2022

Bacterial infectious risk is a major problem in transfusion medicine. The type of micro-organisms isolated during bacterial contamination of blood products indicates that the donor’s skin is its main source. In this context, the primary measures to reduce this risk are: (a) optimal disinfection of the donor’s arm and (b) satellite bag diversion of the initial volume of blood collected. This work aimed to verify the effectiveness of skin disinfection of the blood donor’s venipuncture site. Two methodological approaches were used: (a) qualitative and quantitative microbiological testing of the skin at the collection site, before and post-disinfection; (b) qualitative microbiological testing of the first deviated blood. Pre-disinfection testing showed skin microbial load values between 3 and >200 CFU/plate. More than two-thirds of the isolates were Gram-positive bacteria (77.8%) of which 57.7% were staphylococci. Among Gram-negative bacteria, Pseudomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Acinetobacter spp. were isolated from the blood donors (BDs). Post-disinfection, a 100% reduction in microbial load was observed in 84.4% of BDs. Microbiological testing of the first blood diverted sample revealed the presence of microbial flora in 1.9% samples; of the isolates, 83.3% were non-aureus staphylococci. This study highlights the importance of the correct application of skin disinfection procedures in order to ensure blood safety.
Comment on Anwer et al. Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Impairment in Stroke: A Narrative Review on the Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Economic Statistics of Stroke and State of the Art Therapies. Healthcare 2022, 10, 190
Authors: Morone Giovanni , Giansanti Daniele
Published: May 2022

We are writing to you as the corresponding author of the interesting review study entitled “Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Impairment in Stroke: A Narrative Review on the Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Economic Statistics of Stroke and State of the Art Therapies” [...]
Public Knowledge, Beliefs and Attitudes toward the COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: EL Hassan EL Walid , Abu Alhommos Amal Khaleel , Aliadhy Dalal , Alsalman Shaima , Alnafaa Ohoud , Mohamed Ahmed
Published: May 2022

Background: With the help of vaccines, the world has witnessed a substantial decrease and even the eradication of many infectious diseases. Many factors influenced the public’s acceptance and compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire link was distributed through social media platforms. The questionnaire tool assessed the participants’ general knowledge and the barriers to taking the COVID-19 vaccine. All people who are currently living in Saudi Arabia and are at least 16 years old were included in the study and formed the study population. Based on our inclusion criteria, a total of 2,198 individuals were enrolled in this study. Results: Participants who were willing to take the vaccine were 68%. After vaccination, 10% of the participants think they can stop wearing face masks and washing their hands. Two-thirds of the participants think that the vaccine is effective in preventing COVID-19 infection. A total of 44.0% of the participants were afraid of the vaccine. The most common reasons were fear of unknown side effects (53.9%) and believing that the vaccine was not tested enough (27%). More than half of the study participants had a preference for receiving the Pfizer vaccine (52%). Conclusion: The public’s acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia is insufficient. Unknown side effects, widespread misconceptions, and a lack of adequate safety trials are all important reasons for concern among Saudis. More educational materials and awareness efforts will help to alleviate the fear that surrounds it. This will boost the vaccine’s acceptance rate in the long run.
Inequalities in Temporal Effects on Cervical Cancer Mortality in States in Different Geographic Regions of Brazil: An Ecological Study
Authors: Meira Karina Cardoso , Magnago Carinne , Mendonça Angelo Braga , Duarte Stephane Fernanda Soares , de Freitas Pedro Henrique Oliveira , dos Santos Juliano , de Souza Dyego Leandro Bezerra , Simões Taynãna César
Published: May 2022

Cervical cancer is a public health issue with high disease burden and mortality in Brazil. The objectives of the present study were, firstly, to analyze age, period, and cohort effects on cervical cancer mortality in women 20 years old or older from 1980 to 2019 in the North, South, and Southeast Regions of Brazil; and secondly, to evaluate whether the implementation of a national screening program and the expansion of access to public health services impacted the examined period and reduced the risk of death compared with previous years and among younger cohorts. The effects were estimated by applying Poisson regression models with estimable functions. The highest mortality rate per 100,000 women was found in Amazonas (24.13), and the lowest in São Paulo (10.56). A positive gradient was obtained for death rates as women’s age increased. The states in the most developed regions (South and Southeast) showed a reduction in the risk of death in the period that followed the implementation of the screening program and in the cohort from the 1960s onwards. The North Region showed a decreased risk of death only in Amapá (2000–2004) and Tocantins (1995–2004; 2010–2019). The findings indicate that health inequities remain in Brazil and suggest that the health system has limitations in terms of decreasing mortality associated with this type of cancer in regions of lower socioeconomic development.
Self-Adaptive Telemedicine Specialist Recommendation Considering Specialist Activity and Patient Feedback
Authors: Lu Wei , Zhai Yunkai
Published: May 2022

Purpose: With the rapid development of medical informatization, information overload and asymmetry have become major obstacles that limit patients’ ability to find appropriate telemedicine specialists. Although doctor recommendation methods have been proposed, they fail to address data sparsity and cold-start issues, and electronic medical records (EMRs), patient preferences, potential interest of service providers and the changes over time are largely under-explored. Therefore, this study develops a self-adaptive telemedicine specialist recommendation method that incorporates specialist activity and patient utility feedback from the perspective of privacy protection to fill the research gaps. Methods: First, text vectorization, view similarity and probabilistic topic model are used to construct the patient and specialist feature models based on patients’ EMRs and specialists’ long- and short-term knowledge backgrounds, respectively. Second, the recommended specialist candidate set and recommendation index are obtained based on the similarity between patient features. Then, the specialist long-term knowledge feature model is used to update the newly registered specialist recommendation index and the recommended specialist candidate set to overcome the data sparsity and cold-start issues, and the specialist short-term knowledge feature model is adopted to extend the recommended specialist candidate set at the semantic level. Finally, we introduce the specialists’ activity and patients’ perceived utility feedback mechanism to construct a closed-loop adjusted and optimized specialist recommendation method. Results: An empirical study was conducted integrating EMRs of telemedicine patients from the National Telemedicine Center of China and specialists’ profiles and ratings from an online healthcare platform. The proposed method successfully recommended relevant and active telemedicine specialists to the target patient, and increased the recommended opportunities for newly registered specialists to some extent. Conclusions: The proposed method emphasizes the adaptability and acceptability of the recommended results while ensuring their accuracy and relevance. Specialists’ activity and patients’ perceived utility jointly contribute to the acceptability of recommended results, and the recommendation strategy achieves the organic fusion of the two. Several comparative experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and operability of the hybrid recommendation strategy under the premise of data sparsity and privacy protection, enabling effective matching of patients’ demand and service providers’ capabilities, and providing beneficial insights for data-driven telemedicine services.
How the Built Environment Promotes Residents’ Physical Activity: The Importance of a Holistic People-Centered Perspective
Authors: Zhang Yufang , van Dijk Terry , Wagenaar Cor
Published: May 2022

Promoting adequate physical activity (PA) such as walking and cycling is essential to cope with the global health challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Much research has been conducted to analyze how the built environment can promote PA, but the results are not consistent. Some scholars found that certain built environments such as green spaces generated positive impacts on PA, while some other studies showed no correlations. We suspected that the built environment should be measured in a deeply holistic nuanced way in order to properly reflect its impact on PA. Therefore, our research adopted an integral urban-analysis comparing three typical neighborhoods in Beijing, China. Our data show that the highest PA occurs in the neighborhood with the lowest density, amount of green space and street connectivity, apparently compensated by its low-rise housing type and high appreciation of the quality of sidewalks and street safety. This indicates that dimensions impacting PA have to be considered in context, and the peoples’ perception of the built environment matters.
Unsupervised Learning Applied to the Stratification of Preterm Birth Risk in Brazil with Socioeconomic Data
Authors: Lopes Márcio L. B. , Barbosa Raquel de M. , Fernandes Marcelo A. C.
Published: May 2022

Preterm birth (PTB) is a phenomenon that brings risks and challenges for the survival of the newborn child. Despite many advances in research, not all the causes of PTB are already clear. It is understood that PTB risk is multi-factorial and can also be associated with socioeconomic factors. Thereby, this article seeks to use unsupervised learning techniques to stratify PTB risk in Brazil using only socioeconomic data. Through the use of datasets made publicly available by the Federal Government of Brazil, a new dataset was generated with municipality-level socioeconomic data and a PTB occurrence rate. This dataset was processed using various unsupervised learning techniques, such as k-means, principal component analysis (PCA), and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN). After validation, four clusters with high levels of PTB occurrence were discovered, as well as three with low levels. The clusters with high PTB were comprised mostly of municipalities with lower levels of education, worse quality of public services—such as basic sanitation and garbage collection—and a less white population. The regional distribution of the clusters was also observed, with clusters of high PTB located mostly in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. The results indicate a positive influence of the quality of life and the offer of public services on the reduction in PTB risk.
Environmental Exposure to Non-Persistent Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Endometriosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wieczorek Katarzyna , Szczęsna Dorota , Jurewicz Joanna
Published: May 2022

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the presence of the uterine endometrium outside of its normal location. As the etiology of endometriosis is not well known and hormonal imbalance is central to disease pathogenesis, the potential contribution of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been hypothesized in endometriosis. A systematic search of the literature was carried out to identify relevant studies using: PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier, Springer; EBSCO, and Web of Science. A total of 22 studies were considered. Most of the studies reviewed in this paper showed an association between exposure to BPA and phthalates and endometriosis. In the case of phthalate exposure, the reviewed studies found an association between the concentration of at least one phthalate metabolite and endometriosis. Only one study was performed to assess the exposure to parabens and a significant relationship with endometriosis was found. Additionally, only one study assessed the relationship of non-persistent pesticide exposure with endometriosis, observing a significant association between endometriosis and the urinary concentration of diazinon, chlorpyrifos, and chlorpyrifos-methyl. Studies struggled to provide a conclusion on the effect of exposure to benzophenones on endometriosis. Despite the numerous limitations of the results, the reviewed studies suggest that exposure to non-persistent endocrine disruptors, especially bisphenol A and phthalates may affect endometriosis. The results of the studies on exposure to parabens, benzophenones, and non-persistent insecticides are inconclusive.
Predictors of Life Satisfaction in New Zealand: Analysis of a National Dataset
Authors: Jarden Rebecca J. , Joshanloo Mohsen , Weijers Dan , Sandham Margaret H. , Jarden Aaron J.
Published: May 2022

The study aim was to determine prevalence and predictors of life satisfaction in New Zealand. In this observational cross-sectional study, a sample of 10,799 participants from NZ were drawn from the Gallup World Poll from 2006 to 2017. Data were analysed using regression analysis and ANOVA. Prevalence of life satisfaction across time varied little from a high of 7.61 (SD = 1.6) in 2007 to a low of 7.23 (SD = 1.73) in 2011 (range 0–10). Satisfaction with standards of living predicted life satisfaction regardless of age or gender. For males across all age groups and females up to age 40 years, positive experiences and satisfaction with household income were important predictors. Being married was an important predictor for males over 40 years and feeling satisfied with their current city was important for females across all ages and for men under 40. The levels of life satisfaction changed over time, possibly due to major national events. Satisfaction with standards of living was found to predict life satisfaction regardless of age or gender. These results provide a path for policy focus towards increased life satisfaction.