bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Addressing Motivations and Barriers to Research Involvement during Medical School among Osteopathic Medical Students in the United States
Authors: Jackson Krista L. , Ogunbekun Oladipupo , Nick Benjamin , Griffin Nicole , Hamby Tyler , Herber Jake , Hum Julia M. , Zahl Sarah , Baumann Michael , Lowery Jonathan W.
Published: June 2022

Involvement in research is regarded as a high-impact educational practice, which, for medical professionals, is associated with sharpened critical thinking and life-long learning skills, greater appreciation for evidence-based medicine, and better clinical competence scores. However, there are limited data regarding the research experience and/or interest among osteopathic medical students in the United States despite a rapidly increasing enrollment and expansion of the number of osteopathic medical schools. Thus, we administered an electronic survey examining prior research experience, interests, and perceptions about research participation during medical school to four successive classes of incoming first-year osteopathic medical students. We also performed focus groups with rising third-year osteopathic medical students around the topic of perceived barriers to and potential enablers of promoting research participation. This yielded a survey addendum where first-year osteopathic medical students provided feedback on the likelihood of specific incentives/enablers to encourage participation in research during medical school. Overall, osteopathic medical students are interested in research, view research experience as valuable, and perceive research experience as beneficial to future career development. Students perceive that the primary barrier to involvement in research is a potential negative impact upon performance in coursework. Feedback on the likelihood of specific enablers/incentives was also garnered. Our findings from a single institution may have important implications in defining the prior experiences and perceptions held by first-year osteopathic medical students. Specifically, our study indicates that research experiences intentionally designed with (1) a strong likelihood of gaining a publication, (2) financial compensation, and (3) the opportunity for short-term involvement, a flexible time commitment, and/or a dedicated time period are most likely to encourage research participation by osteopathic medical students.
Dependence of Temperature Rise on the Position of Catheters and Implants Power Sources Due to the Heat Transfer into the Blood Flow
Authors: Zangooei Hossein , Mirbozorgi Seyed Ali , Mirbozorgi Seyedabdollah
Published: June 2022

This work provides a numerical analysis of heat transfer from medical devices such as catheters and implants to the blood flow by considering the relative position of such power sources to the vessel wall. We have used COMSOL Multiphysics® software to simulate the heat transfer in the blood flow, using the finite element method and Carreau-–Yasuda fluid model (a non-Newtonian model for blood flow). The location of the power source is changed (from the center to near the wall) in the blood vessel with small steps, while the blood flow takes different velocities. The numerical simulations show that when the catheter/implant approaches the vessel wall, the temperature increases linearly for ~90% of the radial displacement from the centerline position to the vessel wall, while for the last 10% of the radial displacement, the temperature increases exponentially. As a result, the temperature is increased significantly, when changing the position of the catheter/implant from the centerline to the area adjacent to the vessel wall.
The Impact of an Extended Gate Field Plate on the DC and RF Characteristics of a Junctionless Thin-Film Transistor
Authors: Hu Hsin-Hui , Huang Chun-Lin , Lin Zong-Yu , Chen Guan-Ting , Chen Kun-Ming
Published: June 2022

In this work, conventional and drain offset junctionless (JL) finlike thin-film transistors (FinTFTs) with and without extended gate field plate (E-GFP) are fabricated. Drain offset JL FinTFTs showed a higher breakdown voltage than that of the conventional one. By extending the GFP over the drain offset region, holes were generated on the surface of the drain offset region that reduce drain resistance. Therefore, the drain offset JL FinTFT with E-GFP exhibited better on-current, breakdown, and high-frequency characteristics than the one without E-GFP. Results also show that all the noise spectral densities of various JL FinTFTs follow a 1/f trend and were similar in the studied frequency range.
Value for Money: Local Authority Action on Clean Energy for Net Zero
Authors: Sugar Katherine , Webb Janette
Published: June 2022

Local authorities are well placed to realise co-benefits of integrated local energy systems; however, in the UK they have no statutory energy mandate. Planning and developing clean energy are discretionary, and persistent budget reductions, combined with the lack of strategic direction from the UK government for more localised energy provision, limit local capacity, expertise and resources. Nevertheless, some local authorities have led energy initiatives but have been unable to stimulate investment at the pace and scale required to align with net zero greenhouse gas targets. Using evidence from such initiatives, this paper discusses the institutional changes needed to enable local authorities to act. It examines existing climate and local energy plans, and their integral socio-economic value. Using this evidence, investment opportunities from locally led net zero programmes are identified. EU technical assistance funds provided a particularly successful route to local energy developments: based on value of investment secured against initial funding, it is estimated that GBP 1 million technical assistance funding to every local authority would lead to GBP 15 billion investment in local energy. Other potential funding innovations are assessed and the paper concludes with recommendations for policy and resource measures needed to convert local ambition into clean energy and energy saving investment at scale.
Impact of Solar Inverter Dynamics during Grid Restoration Period on Protection Schemes Based on Negative-Sequence Components
Authors: Ekic Almir , Wu Di , Jiang John N.
Published: June 2022

The growing penetration of renewable resources such as wind and solar into the electric power grid through power electronic inverters is challenging grid protection. Due to the advanced inverter control algorithms, the inverter-based resources present fault responses different from conventional generators, which can fundamentally affect the way that the power grid is protected. This paper studied solar inverter dynamics focused on negative-sequence quantities during the restoration period following a grid disturbance by using a real-time digital simulator. It was found that solar inverters can act as negative-sequence sources to inject negative-sequence currents into the grid during the restoration period. The negative-sequence current can be affected by different operating conditions such as the number of inverters in service, grid strength, and grid fault types. Such negative-sequence responses can adversely impact the performance of protection schemes based on negative-sequence components and potentially cause relay maloperations during the grid restoration period, thus making system protection less secure and reliable.
LES Simulation of a Model Gas-Turbine Lean Combustor: Impact of Coherent Flow Structures on the Temperature Field and Concentration of CO and NO
Authors: Chikishev Leonid M. , Sharaborin Dmitriy K. , Lobasov Aleksei S. , Dekterev Artem A. , Tolstoguzov Roman V. , Dulin Vladimir M. , Markovich Dmitriy M.
Published: June 2022

The present paper reports on the numerical simulation of flow dynamics in a model gas-turbine combustor by large eddy simulation in order to evaluate the effect of coherent flow structures on the local fluctuations of gas temperature and local concentrations of NO and CO. The simulations were performed for a generic swirler, based on the design by Turbomeca, for a Reynolds number of 15,000 at normal and elevated inlet temperature and pressure (up to 500 K and 3.4 atm). The simulation data were validated based on the velocity measurements by stereoscopic particle image velocimetry. In order to reveal coherent flow structures, the velocity snapshots were processed by the proper orthogonal method. The temporal coefficients of the decomposition were used to evaluate the conditional sampled spatial distributions of the temperature and species concentration. It is shown that the coherent fluctuations of temperature can locally reach up to 200 K with the fluctuations of NO up to 20%. Thus, the results demonstrate that coherent flow structures in a lean swirl combustor can sufficiently contribute to NOx emission.
A Research Trend on Anonymous Signature and Authentication Methods for Privacy Invasion Preventability on Smart Grid and Power Plant Environments
Authors: Je Seung-Mo , Woo Hanchul , Choi Jaehyeon , Jung Se-Hoon , Huh Jun-Ho
Published: June 2022

A smart grid is an intelligent power grid. In recent years, the smart grid environment and its applications are incorporated into a variety of areas. The smart grid environment, however, can expose much more information than the old environments. In the environment, smart devices can be media in the exposure of various and specific pieces of information as well as energy consumption. This poses a huge risk in that it, combined with other pieces of information, may expose much more information. The current smart grid environment raises a need to develop anonymous signature and authentication techniques to prevent privacy breaches. Trying to meet this need, the principal investigator conducted research for three years. This paper discusses both the research trends investigated by him and the limitations of the development research and future research in need. Smart grid security requires the development of encrypted anonymous authentication that is applicable to power plant security, including nuclear power plants as well as expandable test beds.
Feasibility and Techno-Economic Analysis of Electric Vehicle Charging of PV/Wind/Diesel/Battery Hybrid Energy System with Different Battery Technology
Authors: Muna Yirga Belay , Kuo Cheng-Chien
Published: June 2022

Promoting the development of green technologies and replacing fossil fuel vehicles with electric ones can abate the environmental anxieties and issues associated with energy supply security. The increasing demand for electric vehicles requires an upgrade and expansion of the available charging infrastructure to accommodate the fast public adoption of this type of transportation. Ethiopia set a pro-electric cars policy and made them excise-free even before the first electric vehicle charging stations were launched by Marathon Motors Engineering in 2021. This paper presents the first ever technical, economic and environmental evaluation of electric vehicle charging stations powered by hybrid intermittent generation systems in three cities in Ethiopia. This paper tests this model using three different battery types: Lead-acid (LA), Flow-Zince-Bromine (ZnBr) and Lithium-ion (LI), used individually. Using these three battery technologies, the proposed hybrid systems are then compared in terms of system sizing, economy, technical performance and environmental stability. The results show that the feasible configuration of Solar Photovoltaic (PV)/Diesel Generator (DG)/ZnBr battery systems provide the lowest net present cost (NPC), with values of $2.97M, $2.72M and $2.85M, and cost of energy (COE), with values $0.196, $0.18 and $0.188, in Addis Ababa, Jijiga and Bahir Dar, respectively. Of all feasible systems, the Wind Turbine (WT)/PV/LI, PV/LI and WT/PV/LI configurations have the highest values of NPC and COE in Addis Ababa, Jijiga and Bahir Dar. Using this configuration, the results demonstrate that ZnBr battery is the most favorable choice because the economic parameters, including total NPC and COE, are found to be lowest.
A Technical Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy in Mexico: A Case Study in Tehuantepec Gulf
Authors: Bernal-Camacho Diego Fernando , Fontes Jassiel V. H. , Mendoza Edgar
Published: June 2022

The growing energy demand has increased the consumption of hydrocarbons in developing countries such as Mexico, which has contributed to accelerating global warming. Although Mexico has suitable offshore wind energy harvesting sites, technical assessments to identify technologies to be placed in specific locations are scarce. In Mexico, offshore wind resources are found in depths larger than 50 m. There, floating platforms are convenient for harnessing wind energy. This work presents a technical evaluation of offshore wind energy in one of the regions with a higher availability of wind resources on the Mexican coasts, the Tehuantepec Gulf, in the Pacific Ocean. First, a specific location is chosen to evaluate its maritime conditions and theoretical wind energy potential. Next, the performance of a floating offshore wind turbine platform has been investigated numerically using potential flow simulations. The motions of the platform were analyzed for different drafts when subjected to different environmental conditions in the evaluated region. These conditions include wave and wind scenarios with the highest probability of occurrence and the most extreme ones. From the evaluation of the platform dynamics in these scenarios, it was possible to identify the general working conditions of the platform. Results showed that the proposed FOWT could be suitable to be deployed in the region of interest for the most probable environmental conditions, presenting a possible energy production within 3–4 MW, approximately. However, motion stabilization should be required when subjected to extreme environmental conditions as the structure could significantly increase its surge and pitch motions. The simplified approach employed in this work can help perform the following steps in technical or practical resource assessments of wind energy in other places in Mexico or similar developing regions.
Development and Application of an Open-Source Framework for Automated Thermal Network Generation and Simulations in Modelica
Authors: Mans Michael , Blacha Tobias , Schreiber Thomas , Müller Dirk
Published: June 2022

District heating and cooling (DHC) networks, and in particular, the fifth generation of DHC networks, offer great potential in increasing the overall system efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions in the heating and cooling of urban districts. Due to the growing complexity of these energy systems, the use of new planning methods, such as the use of dynamic simulation models based on Modelica, becomes more important. However, especially with large, complex thermal networks, there is a high effort for manual model construction and parameterization. For this reason, we present a framework for automated model generation of DHC networks based on simulation models in Modelica written in Python. The core function of the Python framework is to transform a graph representation of a district heating network into a dynamic simulation model. The authors briefly describe the workflow and demonstrate its applicability with three different use cases. We investigate the impact of different design decisions, e.g., comparing the difference between central and decentral pumps as well as a combination of both in one network. In addition, we present the results of evaluating the impact of different network temperature levels or pipe insulation compared to the overall energy supplied to the network, leading to the conclusion that the presented framework is capable of reducing the manual effort for performing DHC network simulations with Modelica and allows to easily perform parameter studies in an early planning phases in the future.
Semi-3D Analysis of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Considering Bolting and Overhang Structure
Authors: Hong Ji-Su , Lee Hoon-Ki , Nah Junghyo , Kim Kyong-Hwan , Shin Kyung-Hun , Choi Jang-Young
Published: June 2022

This study deals with the characteristic analysis of a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) with a bolting and an overhang structure. Bolting is applied to a PMSG to prevent the defects caused by scattering. To compensate the flux reduction caused by the end effect and bolting material, an overhang structure is used for the permanent magnet machine. Therefore, an overhang structure must be considered in the three-dimensional (3D) analysis of a PMSG; however, such an analysis is time-intensive. To reduce the initial analysis time, we performed a semi-3D analysis of a PMSG considering a bolting and an overhang structure. Subsequently, we compared the output results of the characteristic analysis with a 3D finite element method and experimental results under loading.
Hydrogen Production Cost Forecasts since the 1970s and Implications for Technological Development
Authors: Miyagawa Tomonori , Goto Mika
Published: June 2022

This study reviews the extant literature on hydrogen production cost forecasts to identify and analyze the historical trend of such forecasts in order to explore the feasibility of wider adoption. Hydrogen is an important energy source that can be used to achieve a carbon-neutral society, but the widespread adoption of hydrogen production technologies is hampered by the high costs. The production costs vary depending on the technology employed: gray, renewable electrolysis, or biomass. The study identifies 174 production cost forecast data points from articles published between 1979 and 2020 and makes a comparative assessment using non-parametric statistical tests. The results show three different cost forecast trends across technologies. First, the production cost of gray hydrogen showed an increasing trend until 2015, but started declining after 2015. Second, the renewable electrolysis hydrogen cost was the highest of all, but has shown a gradual declining trend since 2015. Finally, the biomass hydrogen cost has been relatively cheaper up until 2015, after which it became the highest. Renewable electrolysis and biomass hydrogen will be potential candidates (as principal drivers) to reduce CO2 emissions in the future, but renewable electrolysis hydrogen is more promising in this regard due to its declining production cost trend. Gray hydrogen can also be an alternative candidate to renewable electrolysis hydrogen because it can be equipped with carbon capture storage (CCS) to produce blue hydrogen, although we need to consider additional production costs incurred by the introduction of CCS. The study discusses the technological development and policy implications of the results on hydrogen production costs.
Operation Optimization of an Integrated Energy Service Provider with Ancillary Service Provision
Authors: Lai Xinyi , Xie Zhihan , Xu Danlu , Ying Shuyang , Zeng Yiming , Jiang Chenwei , Wang Fei , Wen Fushuan , Palu Ivo
Published: June 2022

During the transition towards a low carbon energy system, and as a result of the increasing penetration of renewable energy generation, ancillary services play an important role in ensuring the security and economics of power system operation. An integrated energy service provider (IESP), with the energy coupling and storage devices inside, can flexibly participate in electric energy markets and ancillary service markets. In this paper, a mixed-integer optimization problem is formulated to determine the optimal operating strategy for the IESP with ancillary service provision. First, the mathematical model of a regional integrated energy system (RIES) is established, including energy coupling devices and energy storage devices. Then, an optimization model for the IESP operation is formulated with the objective of maximizing daily operation profit, and the corresponding optimal capacity of ancillary service provision from the IESP is attained. Finally, case studies of an RIES are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method, and the impacts of the IESP with ancillary service provision on operational characteristics and economic benefits are analyzed.
Pit Lakes Affected by a River Contaminated with Brines Originated from the Coal Mining Industry: Evolution of Water Chemistry in the Zakrzówek Horst Area (Krakow, Southern Poland)
Authors: Motyka Jacek , d’Obyrn Kajetan , Sracek Ondra , Postawa Adam , Źróbek Michał
Published: June 2022

Long-term coal mining activities in the Upper Silesia significantly affect the environment in southern Poland. Discharges of brines (with TDS reaching over 110 g/L) from mines are the main source of pollution of many rivers in Poland, including the Vistula River. The Zakrzówek horst is a small geological structure composed of the Upper Jurassic limestones. These limestones were exploited in several quarries. In the largest one (the “Zakrzówek” quarry), exploitation reached the depth of 36 m below the water table, i.e., about 32 m below the average water level in Vistula River which flows 700 m from the quarry. An important part of this inflow into quarries came from the contaminated Vistula River, with a chloride concentration over 2 g/L. The exploitation ceased in 1991, and dewatering ended in 1992. In the old quarry area, pit lakes appeared, which are unique because they present an example of a post-mining site affected by the riverine water contaminated with brines. Investigations of physicochemical parameters of water in the Zakrzówek area were carried out in the period of 1990–2020. Results showed that the largest pit lake was initially meromictic with a distinct stratification. After several years, holomictic conditions developed due to the surface layer freshening and convective mixing.
Characteristics, Impacts and Trends of Urban Transportation
Authors: Gao Yuan , Zhu Jiaxing
Published: June 2022

Economic growth, urban development and the prosperity of the automobile industry have driven a huge shift in global urban transportation from walking to public transportation and then to automobiles. Private mobility has become an important part of residents’ daily trips. Cities, especially automobile-dependent cities, face a variety of negative impacts such as increased commuting distances, higher congestion costs, traffic accidents, traffic pollution including climate change, etc. Therefore, how to balance the relationship between people’s growing demand for private motorization with the development of urbanization, modernization and motorization and the huge economic, social and environmental costs brought about by them, so as to realize the sustainable development of cities and transportation, is the main problem facing cities around the world. The entry focuses on trends in the sustainable development of urban transportation such as restrictions in private car ownership and use, electrification of urban transportation, intelligent transportation systems (including shared mobility, customized buses and Mobility as a Service/MaaS) and transit-oriented development (TOD). China, as the largest global automobile producer and consumer, represents and leads the growth and evolution of other emerging countries.
The Use of Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) to Reduce Delamination during Drilling into Melamine Faced Chipboard
Authors: Jegorowa Albina , Kurek Jarosław , Kruk Michał , Górski Jarosław
Published: June 2022

Drilling into melamine-faced-wood-based panels is one of the most common processes in modern furniture manufacturing. Delamination is usually the main and the most troublesome quality defect in this case. A lot of scientific studies draw the conclusion that the progress of tool wearing during the cutting of wood-based materials is the key problem. Therefore, tool condition monitoring and the replacement of worn tools at the right time is the most useful and common (in the industrial practice) way to reduce delamination. However, the automation of this process is still a problem due to various issues. There is yet no commercial (even prototypical) offer for the furniture industry in this regard. For this reason, it is considered advisable to try to use the multilayer perceptron (MLP) algorithm to automatically identify a drill’s condition during drilling in a laminated chipboard. It has been established that, for practical purposes, it is important to distinguish between the three different classes of tool conditions, which can be conventionally described as “Green” (keep working), “Red” (implicitly stop and replace) and “Yellow” (warning signal—stop and replace if you want to avoid deterioration in cutting quality). To register the signals generated in the cutting zone and those constituting the basis for the identification of the tool condition in the “on-line” mode, the following elements were used: contact sensor of acoustic emission, accelerometer for vibration, two-component force gauge and a microphone. The classification effects (with an overall accuracy above 70%) were ultimately fairly decent but slightly worse than those of the classification algorithms tested earlier (i.e., “nearest neighbors” or “support vector machine” algorithms). The most troublesome, however, is the fact that serious errors (mistakes between “Green” and “Red” classes) were occasionally noted (for about 1% of the analyzed cases).
Towards the Third Millennium Changes in Siberian Triple Tree-Ring Stable Isotopes
Authors: Churakova (Sidorova) Olga V. , Fonti Marina V. , Barinov Valentin V. , Zharkov Mikhail S. , Taynik Anna V. , Trushkina Tatyana V. , Kirdyanov Alexander V. , Arzac Alberto , Saurer Matthias
Published: June 2022

Significant air temperature and precipitation changes have occurred since the 2000s in vulnerable Siberian subarctic regions and urged updates of available chronologies towards the third millennium. It is important to better understand recent climatic changes compared to the past decades, centuries and even millennia. In this study, we present the first annually resolved triple tree-ring isotope dataset (δ13C, δ18O and δ2H) for the eastern part of the Taimyr Peninsula (TAY) and northeastern Yakutia (YAK) from 1900 to 2021. We found that the novel and largely unexplored δ2H of larch tree-ring cellulose was linked significantly with δ18O for the YAK site, which was affected by averaged April–June air temperatures and evaporation. Simulated by the Land Surface Processes and Exchanges (LPX-Bern 1.0) model, the water fraction per year for soil depths at 0–20 and 20–30 cm was significantly linked with the new eco-hydrological tree-ring δ2H data. Our results suggest increasing evapotranspiration and response of trees’ water relation to rising thaw water uptake from lower (20–30 cm) soil depth. A positive effect of July air temperature on tree-ring δ18O and a negative impact of July precipitation were found, indicating dry conditions. The δ13C in larch tree-ring cellulose for both sites showed negative correlations with July precipitation and relative humidity, confirming dry environmental conditions towards the third millennium.
Growth Response of Nine Tree Species to Water Supply in Planting Soils Representative for Urban Street Tree Sites
Authors: Schütt Alexander , Becker Joscha Nico , Reisdorff Christoph , Eschenbach Annette
Published: June 2022

In urban environments, newly planted street trees suffer from poor site conditions and limited water availability. It is challenging to provide site conditions that allow the trees to thrive in the long term, particularly under climate change. Knowledge about the hydrological properties of artificial urban planting soils related to the response of tree species-specific growth is crucial, but still lacking. Therefore, we established a three-year experimental field setup to investigate the response of nine tree species (135 individuals) to two common urban planting soils and a loamy silt reference. We determined and measured soil hydrological parameters and monitored tree growth. Our results revealed low plant available water capacities (6% and 10% v/v) and hydraulic conductivity restrictions with the drying of the sandy-textured urban planting soils. Therefore, tree species that are investing in fine root growth to extract water from dry soils might be more successful than trees that are lowering their water potential. Tree growth was overall evidently lower in the urban planting soils compared with the reference and differed between and within the species. We showed that using unfavorable planting soils causes severe, species-specific growth deficits reflecting limited above-ground carbon uptake as a consequence of low water availability.
Application of Design of Experiments to the Analysis of Fruit Juice Deacidification Using Electrodialysis with Monopolar Membranes
Authors: Fidaleo Marcello , Ventriglia Giordana
Published: June 2022

Despite the beneficial health effects of fruit juices, the high content of organic acids and low pH of some of them limit their consumption. The aim of this work was to study the deacidification of fruit juices using electrodialysis (ED) with monopolar membranes. Aqueous solutions of citric acid were used in ED deacidification experiments following a factorial design with citric acid concentration and electric current varying in the ranges of 5–25 g/L and 0.5–1 A, respectively. The design runs were characterized by a constant Faraday efficiency of 0.37 ± 0.03, suggesting that the triple-charged citrate ion (Cit3−) carried the electric charge through the anionic membranes. During deacidification, the pH increased in agreement with the decreasing concentration of the acid. Deacidification of pineapple juice or pineapple juice enriched with 20 g/L of citric acid using ED led to similar values of the Faraday efficiency, confirming that Cit3− is the main ion migrating through the anionic membrane. However, the decrease in titratable acidity during ED treatment was accompanied by a decrease in pH. Such behavior, already reported, was explained by considering proton generation during the transformation of the single (H2Cit−) and double-charged (HCit2−) citrate ions into the triple-charged ion (Cit3−) when entering the anionic membrane.
Google Earth Geoscience Video Library (GEGVL): Organizing Geoscience Videos in a Google Earth Environment to Support Fieldwork Teaching Methodology in Earth Science
Authors: Wang Ning , Stern Robert J. , Urquhart Mary L. , Seals Katherine M.
Published: June 2022

Fieldwork teaching methodology (FTM) and active learning are effective strategies for geoscience education. However, traditional field trips require significant resources, time, physical abilities, and the expertise of teachers. In this study, we provide a supplementary virtual field trip experience by showing how different kinds of geoscience videos can be spatially organized into one digital interactive virtual environment. Here, we present the Google Earth Geoscience Video Library (GEGVL) which uses Google Earth and location-specific videos about Earth events, to create a virtual field-based learning experience. Using Google Earth, GEGVL organizes field-based videos by location and links pertinent non-field-based videos, and allows users to roam the globe in search of geoscientific videos that are pertinent to them or their students. Currently, GEGVL contains 150 videos organized into ten different geoscience disciplines: Plate Tectonics, Minerals, Structural Geology, Metamorphism, Magmatism, Hydrology, Environmental Science, Sedimentology, Paleontology, and Paleomagnetism. Despite stability challenges with Google Earth integration, results of user surveys among lower-division undergraduates show that the design logic of GEGVL is a promising virtual field-based learning organizer for increasing students’ interest in and helping them learn about Earth sciences.
Exploring Meal Provision and Mealtime Challenges for Aged Care Residents Consuming Texture-Modified Diets: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Wu Xiaojing , Yousif Lina , Miles Anna , Braakhuis Andrea
Published: June 2022

Dysphagia has become more prevalent with age. Thus, the demand for texture-modified diets (TMDs) has increased. While the nutritional perspectives have been studied, the provision of TMDs and mealtime practice has received less attention. This study aimed to explore the TMD provision and mealtime challenges of residents requiring TMDs in aged care facilities. The study was conducted across five aged care facilities using a mixed methods design involving 14 TMD menu audits by a foodservice dietitian, 15 mealtime observations, and semi-structured interviews with residents and staff (n = 18). TMD menus failed to meet all nutrition requirements and foodservice and clinical standards based on the dietitian NZ foodservice and nutrition audit tool. A content analysis offered three main themes: (1) Foodservice production. Inconsistent quality and meal portions were observed. The variety, choice, and portion size of TMDs required improvement based on the residents’ preferences; (2) Serving procedures. There was a lack of standardisation of meal distribution and feeding assistance; and (3) Dining environment. The dining room set-up varied across facilities, and residents expressed different preferences towards the dining environment. There is a need to improve staff awareness of mealtime consistency and optimise feeding assistance. The dining environment should be individualised to accommodate residents’ psychosocial needs. Standardised policies and continuous training can facilitate quality mealtime implementation.
The Users’ Intention to Participate in a VR/AR Sports Experience by Applying the Extended Technology Acceptance Model (ETAM)
Authors: Lee Kyongmin , Oh Seungwook
Published: June 2022

Since the basic model of technology acceptance model (TAM) was introduced, studies in various fields have been conducted to improve the explanatory power of the TAM. These studies show that there are limitations in explaining the intention to use a new technology with just two variables (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use), and that the intention to use a new technology can be affected by many external variables, in addition to the two variables. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting users’ intention to participate in a virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) sports experience based on the extended technology acceptance model (ETAM). To this end, this study analyzed the results of a survey conducted on 300 university students who are sports majors in Korea, who have experienced VR/AR sports. First, among experience economy factors, education experience, escape experience, and esthetic experience had a positive effect on presence. Second, presence had a positive effect on perceived usefulness and flow. Third, perceived usefulness and flow had a positive effect on the intention to participate. This study has significance in empirically investigating the relationship among variables affecting users’ intention to participate in a VR/AR sports experience using the ETAM. The results can be used as basic data for establishing strategies necessary in vitalizing VR/AR sports in the future.
Alveolar–Arterial Gradient Is an Early Marker to Predict Severe Pneumonia in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Pipitone Giuseppe , Camici Marta , Granata Guido , Sanfilippo Adriana , Di Lorenzo Francesco , Buscemi Calogero , Ficalora Antonio , Spicola Daria , Imburgia Claudia , Alongi Ilenia , Onorato Francesco , Sagnelli Caterina , Iaria Chiara
Published: June 2022

Background: One of the main challenges in the management of COVID-19 patients is to early assess and stratify them according to their risk of developing severe pneumonia. The alveolar–arterial oxygen gradient (D(A-a)O2) is defined as the difference between the alveolar and arteriolar concentration of oxygen, an accurate index of the ventilatory function. The aim of this study is to evaluate D(A-a)O2 as a marker for predicting severe pneumonia in COVID-19 patients, in comparison to the PaO2/FiO2. Methods: This retrospective, multicentric cohort study included COVID-19 patients admitted to two Italian hospitals between April and July 2020. Clinical and laboratory data were retrospectively collected at the time of hospital admission and during hospitalization. The presence of severe COVID-19 pneumonia was evaluated, as defined by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) criteria for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Patients were divided in severe and non-severe groups. Results: Overall, 53 COVID-19 patients were included in the study: male were 30/53 (57%), and 10/53 (19%) had severe pneumonia. Patients with severe pneumonia reported dyspnea more often than non-severe patients (90% vs. 39.5%; p = 0.031). A history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was recalled by 5/10 (50%) patients with severe pneumonia, and only in 6/43 (1.4%) of non-severe cases (p = 0.023). A ROC curve, for D(A-a)O2 >60 mmHg in detecting severe pneumonia, showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.877 (95% CI: 0.675–1), while the AUC of PaO2/FiO2 < 263 mmHg resulted 0.802 (95% CI: 0.544–1). D(A-a)O2 in comparison to PaO2/FiO2 had a higher sensibility (77.8% vs. 66.7%), positive predictive value (75% vs. 71.4%), negative predictive value (94% vs. 91%), and similar specificity (94.4% vs. 95.5%). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the D(A-a)O2 is more appropriate than PaO2/FiO2 to identify COVID-19 patients at risk of developing severe pneumonia early.
Digital Treatment Paths for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)
Authors: Bonfiglio Natale Salvatore , Mascia Maria Lidia , Penna Maria Pietronilla
Published: June 2022

Today, there is a considerable expansion in the number of new digital tools and systems for mental health assessment, intervention, support, prevention, and treatment [...]
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for Cannabis Use Cessation in First-Episode Psychosis Patients: A 1-Year Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: González-Ortega Itxaso , Echeburúa Enrique , Alberich Susana , Bernardo Miguel , Vieta Eduard , de Pablo Gonzalo Salazar , González-Pinto Ana
Published: June 2022

Despite the negative influence of cannabis use on the development and prognosis of first-episode psychosis (FEP), there is little evidence on effective specific interventions for cannabis use cessation in FEP. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for cannabis cessation (CBT-CC) with treatment as usual (TAU) in FEP cannabis users. In this single-blind, 1-year randomized controlled trial, 65 participants were randomly assigned to CBT-CC or TAU. The primary outcome was the reduction in cannabis use severity. The CBT-CC group had a greater decrease in cannabis use severity and positive psychotic symptoms over time, and a greater improvement in functioning at post-treatment than TAU. The treatment response was also faster in the CBT-CC group, reducing cannabis use, anxiety, positive and general psychotic symptoms, and improving functioning earlier than TAU in the follow-up. Moreover, patients who stopped and/or reduced cannabis use during the follow-up, decreased psychotic symptoms and increased awareness of disease compared to those who continued using cannabis. Early intervention based on a specific CBT for cannabis cessation, may be effective in reducing cannabis use severity, in addition to improving clinical and functional outcomes of FEP cannabis users.
Does Non-Food Cultivation of Cropland Increase Farmers’ Income?
Authors: Yang Wencai , Xu Caiyao , Kong Fanbin
Published: June 2022

The production of cash crops is often regarded as an effective way to increase farmers’ income. This study evaluates the impact of non-food cultivation of cropland on farmers’ income by using the least-squares (OLS) model in Zhejiang Province, eastern China. Farmers are further divided into different groups according to their income levels to analyze the different impacts of non-food cultivation on their household income. The result shows that non-food cultivation has a significant negative effect on farmers’ income, with a more pronounced effect on farmers with a relatively low income. Accordingly, the increase in the proportion of cash crops that are grown does not increase the income of farmers in Zhejiang; instead, this harms their income. Therefore, farmers in Zhejiang should not rely on the cultivation of cash crops for their prosperity but must focus on participating in non-farm employment to increase their household income.
The Effectiveness of Planning Interventions for Improving Physical Activity in the General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Peng Sanying , Othman Ahmad Tajuddin , Yuan Fang , Liang Jinghong
Published: June 2022

Planning interventions such as action planning (AP) and coping planning (CP) have been recognized as influential strategies in promoting physical activity (PA), but mixed results of existing evidence have been observed. This study aims to perform a systematical meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of planning interventions for improving PA in the general population. Eight databases, including Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ProQuest, CNKI, and Wanfang Data, were searched to locate relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from their inception to 31 December 2021. In total, 41 trials with 5439 samples were included in this systematic review, and 35 trials were used in our meta-analysis. The results showed that PA was better promoted in the planned intervention group compared to the control group (SMD = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.25–0.44, I2 = 61.4%). Based on the subgroup analyses, we found that planning strategies were more effective among patients, males, when adopting AP intervention, when using the face-to-face sessions delivery mode, and when reinforcements were conducted during the follow-up. The findings of this study indicate that planning interventions significantly improved PA behavior, and, in some contexts, the effects performed better. Future research needs to be conducted to explore the underlying mechanisms of planning interventions and validate their effects more extensively.
Evaluating China Food’s Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Initiative Using a Double Stochastic Meta-Frontier Method
Authors: Chen Xi , Pu Mingzhe , Zhong Yu
Published: June 2022

Improving the efficiency of fertilizer usage is important to achieve sustainable agricultural production. As a major agricultural producer, China formally proposed a national fertilizer reduction and efficiency initiative in 2015. Using the double stochastic meta-frontier method to measure the fertilizer use efficiency of 31 provinces in mainland China from 2005 to 2019, this study evaluates the effectiveness of the said initiative on grain production. The results show that China’s initiative has achieved some success, with the average value of fertilizer use efficiency in national grain production increasing by 2.53 percentage points. However, the changes in fertilizer use efficiency show regional heterogeneity. Specifically, the fertilizer use efficiency of the main grain-producing and marketing regions has increased significantly, while that of grain-producing-and-marketing-balanced regions has declined. Further investigation shows that this phenomenon may be related to the importance attached by local governments to the initiative and the uneven distribution of related resources.
Ensuring Food Safety for Americans: The Role of Local Health Departments
Authors: Shah Gulzar H. , Shankar Padmini , Sittaramane Vinoth , Ayangunna Elizabeth , Afriyie-Gyawu Evans
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: Several agencies in the United States play a primary role in ensuring food safety, yet foodborne illnesses result in about 3000 deaths and cost more than USD 15.6 billion each year. The study objectives included analyzing local health departments’ (LHDs) level of engagement in food safety and other related services, and LHDs’ characteristics associated with those services. (2) Methods: We used data from 1496 LHDs that participated in the 2019 National Profile of Local Health Departments Survey, administered to all 2459 LHDs in the United States. Logistic regression analyses were performed to model multiple dichotomous variables. (3) Results: An estimated 78.9% of LHDs performed food safety inspections, 78.3% provided food safety education, 40.7% provided food processing inspections, and 48.4% engaged in policy and advocacy. The odds for LHDs to directly provide preventive nutrition services were 20 times higher if the LHDs had one or more nutritionists on staff (Adjusted Odds Ratio or AOR = 20.0; Confidence Interval, CI = 12.4–32.2) compared with LHDs with no nutritionists. Other LHD characteristics significantly associated with the provision of nutrition services (p < 0.05) included population size, state governance (rather than local), and LHD having at least one registered, licensed, practical, or vocational nurse. The odds of providing food processing services were lower for locally governed than state-governed LHDs (AOR = 0.5; CI = 0.4–0.7). The odds of performing food safety inspections varied by LHD’s population size, whether a nutritionist was on staff, whether it was state-governed (vs. locally), and whether it completed a community health assessment (CHA) within 5 years. (4) Conclusions: LHDs play a critical role in ensuring safe food for Americans, yet variations exist in their performance based on their specific characteristics. Adequate funding and a competent workforce are essential for LHDs to utilize evidence-based practices and engage in policymaking and advocacy concerning food safety.