bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FPGA Design of Enhanced Scale-Invariant Feature Transform with Finite-Area Parallel Feature Matching for Stereo Vision
Authors: Kuo Chien-Hung , Huang Erh-Hsu , Chien Chiang-Heng , Hsu Chen-Chien
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we propose an FPGA-based enhanced-SIFT with feature matching for stereo vision. Gaussian blur and difference of Gaussian pyramids are realized in parallel to accelerate the processing time required for multiple convolutions. As for the feature descriptor, a simple triangular identification approach with a look-up table is proposed to efficiently determine the direction and gradient of the feature points. Thus, the dimension of the feature descriptor in this paper is reduced by half compared to conventional approaches. As far as feature detection is concerned, the condition for high-contrast detection is simplified by moderately changing a threshold value, which also benefits the reduction of the resulting hardware in realization. The proposed enhanced-SIFT not only accelerates the operational speed but also reduces the hardware cost. The experiment results show that the proposed enhanced-SIFT reaches a frame rate of 205 fps for 640 × 480 images. Integrated with two enhanced-SIFT, a finite-area parallel checking is also proposed without the aid of external memory to improve the efficiency of feature matching. The resulting frame rate by the proposed stereo vision matching can be as high as 181 fps with good matching accuracy as demonstrated in the experimental results.
Approximation of Hysteresis Changes in Electrical Steel Sheets
Authors: Mazgaj Witold , Sierzega Michal , Szular Zbigniew
Published: July 2021

This paper describes a simple method of approximating hysteresis changes in electrical steel sheets. This method is based on assumptions that flux density or field strength changes are a sum or a difference of functions that describe one curve of the limiting hysteresis loop and a certain ‘transient’ component. Appropriate formulas that present the flux density as functions of the field strength and those that present inverse dependencies are proposed. An application of this approximation requires knowledge of the measured limiting hysteresis loop and a few minor loops. Algorithms for determining changes in the flux density or field strength are proposed and discussed. The correctness of the proposed approximation of hysteresis changes was verified through a comparison of measured hysteresis loops with the loops calculated for several different excitations of the magnetic field occurring in dynamo and transformer steel sheets. Additionally, an example of the application of the proposed approximation of hysteresis changes is discussed in the paper. The proposed approximation of hysteresis changes is recommended for numerical calculations of the magnetic field distribution in dynamo and transformer steel sheets.
Dynamic Stability of Wind Power Flow and Network Frequency for a High Penetration Wind-Based Energy Storage System Using Fuzzy Logic Controller
Authors: Rahman Md Jahidur , Tafticht Tahar , Doumbia Mamadou Lamine , Mutombo Ntumba Marc-Alain
Published: July 2021

Major changes in the technologies of power generation and distribution systems have been introduced in recent years due to concern over rapid climate change. Therefore, disturbances in the large-scale generation, transmission, and distribution of energy are expected to occur in the near future. This is due to the difficulty in controlling the transmission and distribution of energy produced from renewable energy sources (RESs), caused by the instability of these sources and the intermittent nature of their energy. As a result, maintaining the dynamic stability of wind power flow and control of the network frequency is becoming more challenging due to the high penetration impacts of RESs. In this paper, a control algorithm using the power-sharing method is proposed for a wind-based energy storage system to maintain the dynamic stability of wind power flow and control of frequency in the power network. To maintain the network stability, a storage system (battery) was installed to store the excess wind power without throwing it into the Secondary/Dump Load (SL) and minimize losses in power generated by the wind turbine. The results show, the transient time of wind power flow and the fluctuation rate of frequency are reduced significantly using a Fuzzy Logic (FL) controller compared to the Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller.
Continuous Control Set Model Predictive Control for an Indirect Matrix Converter
Authors: Di Zhengfei , Xu Demin , Zhang Kehan
Published: July 2021

A continuous control set model predictive power control strategy for an indirect matrix converter is proposed in this paper. The load reactive power, the load active power, and the input reactive power are controlled simultaneously. This control strategy can obtain output waveforms with fixed switching frequency. Additionally, an optimal switching sequence is proposed to simplify the commutations of the indirect matrix converter. To suppress the input filter resonance, an active damping method is proposed. Experimental results prove that the proposed method features controllable input reactive power, controllable load active and reactive power, fixed switching frequency output waveforms, zero-current switching operations, and effectively suppresses input filter resonance.
The Proposal of a New Tool for Condition Assessment of Medium Voltage Power Cable Lines
Authors: Siodla Krzysztof , Rakowska Aleksandra , Noske Slawomir
Published: July 2021

A medium voltage (MV) cable network is a substantial component of the distribution network. Present management of this grid segment is mainly based on the failure rate analysis, i.e., a rise in the number and kind of faults on the actual line means that its technical condition is getting worse. The efficiency of the power system is low and additional costs of repair works, supply interruption, difficulties in the investment planning and operation and maintenance works are necessary. The aim of the R&D works done in the realised project is to implement the management of the MV cable network based on the estimated condition of the individual cable line, obtained from diagnostic measurements. The diagnostic investigations of the cable lines are the reference. Many years of research work have led to the development of the Health Index based on diagnostic, technical and service data.
The Impact of Carbon Disclosure on Financial Performance under Low Carbon Constraints
Authors: Lu Wenting , Zhu Naiping , Zhang Jing
Published: July 2021

In the context of low-carbon constrained development, in order to avoid the risk brought by climate change, more and more companies choose to disclose carbon information, respond to the national policy of carbon emission reduction and focus on the sustainable development of enterprises. This paper will investigate the impact of carbon disclosure on financial performance based on the 2011–2018 CDP report, taking the Fortune 500 companies as a sample. The study finds that for carbon-intensive industries, carbon disclosure cannot significantly contribute to the improvement of financial performance in the current period, but for carbon-non-intensive industries, carbon disclosure can significantly contribute to the improvement of financial performance in the current period, and the positive impact of carbon disclosure on financial performance in the current period can be extended to the next period. Finally, based on the findings of the empirical study, this paper puts forward policy recommendations for the construction of China’s carbon disclosure system.
Reinforcement Learning Based Peer-to-Peer Energy Trade Management Using Community Energy Storage in Local Energy Market
Authors: Zang Hannie , Kim JongWon
Published: July 2021

Many studies have proposed a peer-to-peer energy market where the prosumers’ actions, including energy consumption, charge and discharge schedule of energy storage systems, and transactions in local energy markets, are controlled by a central operator. In this paper, prosumers’ actions are not controlled by an operator, and the prosumers freely participate in the local energy market to trade energy with other prosumers. We designed and modeled a local energy market with a management algorithm that uses community energy storage for prosumers who competitively participate in trade in the real-time energy market. We propose an energy-trade management algorithm that manages the trades of prosumers in two phases based on bids and offers submitted by prosumers. The first phase is to manage the trade of prosumers who have submitted fair prices to trade with other prosumers in the real-time energy market. The second phase is managing the trade of prosumers that could not trade in the first phase. Community energy storage is employed in the second phase and controlled by a reinforcement learning-based trading algorithm to decide whether to buy, sell, or do nothing with the prosumers. The action of buying and selling means charging and discharging the community energy storage, respectively. Numerical results show that the proposed trading algorithm gains a near-maximum profit. Besides, we verified that community energy storage yields more profit than the battery wear-out cost.
A Framework for Fairness Evaluation and Improvement of Urban Green Space: A Case of Wuhan Metropolitan Area in China
Authors: Cheng Peng , Min Min , Hu Weiyan , Zhang Anlu
Published: July 2021

Urban green space (UGS) provides a wide range of ecosystem services for human beings. The fairness of UGS distribution has important implications for sustainable urban development and human well-being. However, many current studies on green space fairness are limited to within specific cities, and UGS fairness in rapidly developing metropolitan areas is still largely neglected. This study quantifies the change in green space fairness in the Wuhan metropolitan area from 2000 to 2020 based on a long time series of land cover and population spatial distribution products. We incorporated green space types and population distribution into the fairness evaluation framework, quantified the value of green space ecosystem services available to people through nested buffers, and analyzed the spatial and temporal variation of green space fairness in the study area based on the Gini coefficient of each city. The results show that the supply of green space services in most cities has shown a trend of “decreasing and then increasing” in the past 20 years. The fairness of green space in three cities has shown an improving trend, and the Gini coefficient in four cities is still above 0.50 in 2020. Based on the current green space and related indicators in each city, we propose future greening policies for each city. The methodology and conclusions of this study will help improve future green space planning recommendations in metropolitan areas and urban agglomerations, thus promoting regional public infrastructure coproduction and sharing.
Reforestation Impacted Soil Heavy Metal Fractionation and Related Risk Assessment in the Karst Area, Southwest China
Authors: Zhang Qian , Han Guilin , Xu Xingliang
Published: July 2021

Human agricultural activities have resulted in widespread land degradation and soil contamination in the karst areas. However, the effects of reforestation after agricultural abandonment on the mobility risks and contamination of heavy metals have been rarely reported. In the present study, six soil profiles were selected from cropland and abandoned cropland with reforestation in the Puding karst regions of Southwest China. The Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction method was used to evaluate the compositions of different chemical fractions of soil heavy metals, including Fe, Mn, Cr, Zn, Ni, and Cd. The total contents of Cr, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Mn in the croplands were significantly higher than those in the abandoned croplands. For all soils, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Fe were mainly concentrated in the residual fractions (>85%), whereas Mn and Cd were mostly observed in the non-residual fractions (>65%). The non-residual fractions of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Zn in the croplands were higher than those in the abandoned croplands. These results indicated that the content and mobility of soil heavy metals decreased after reforestation. The individual contamination factor (ICF) and risk assessment code (RAC) showed that Cd contributed to considerable contamination of karst soils. The global contamination factor (GCF) and potential ecological risk index (RI) suggested low contamination and ecological risk of the investigated heavy metals in the croplands, moreover they can be further reduced after reforestation.
From Acid Rain to Low Precipitation: The Role Reversal of Norway Spruce, Silver Fir, and European Beech in a Selection Mountain Forest and Its Implications for Forest Management
Authors: Uhl Enno , Hilmers Torben , Pretzsch Hans
Published: July 2021

Research Highlights: We make use of long term observation data from a selection forest in Bavaria. Despite the changing environmental conditions, stand level productivity remains constant over time. Maintaining species and structural diversity by forest management can contribute to resilient forest ecosystems. Background and Objectives: Forests in mountains are similarly affected by environmental changes like those in northern latitudes as species are closer to the edge of their ecological niche. There are recent studies that report species-specific responses to climate change in unmanaged, mono-layered mountain mixed forests. We analyze how environmental changes modify the growth of multi-layered, managed selection forest, which are often targeted for stabilization and risk prevention. We pose the central hypothesis that different species-specific susceptibility to disturbances and structural diversity contribute to ecosystem stability. Materials and Methods: Based on the long-term experiment Freyung 129 in the montane zone of the Bavarian Forest, Germany we analyze long term chronologies of periodic single tree and stand growth of Norway Spruce, silver fir, and European beech in dependence of environmental factors and forest management. Results: First, we show that despite environmental changes in terms of air pollution and drought stress, productivity at stand level persists constantly because of structural diversity and species traits. Second, we show that the species-specific contribution to total stand growth and growth distribution among stem diameter classes may change over time; the species interactions balance total growth. Third, we reveal a role reversal of tree species growth pattern. N. spruce was superior in growth in the first half and was replaced by s. fir in the second half of the survey period. Fourth, we identify the interplay of different stress factors on species-specific growth as the main cause for species-specific asynchronous but growth stabilizing reaction pattern. Finally, we show that density regulation was limited in its impacts to mitigate prevailing stress factors. Conclusions: We discuss the reasons for the observed stability of productivity. We interpret results, where especially the diversity of species and structure typical for selection forests result in stable productivity and wider plateau of the density-productivity relationship, and the suitability of the selection forest concept for risk prevention and stress resilience. We conclude that species composition and stand structure of selection forestry in mixed mountain contribute to climate smart forestry.
Mesostructured Silica-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles to Extract Six Opium Alkaloids in Poppy Seeds Prior to Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Authors: Casado-Hidalgo Gema , Pérez-Quintanilla Damián , Morante-Zarcero Sonia , Sierra Isabel
Published: July 2021

In recent years, health authorities have become increasingly concerned about preventing consumer exposure to opium alkaloids present in Papaver somniferum L. poppy seeds. In this study, a simple, rapid and efficient method has been optimised to determine all main opioids in poppy seeds (morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, noscapine and oripavine) by UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS. For this purpose, solid-liquid extraction (SLE) of samples was optimised and six magnetic adsorbent materials with a core of Fe3O4 coated with amorphous and mesostructured silica, both functionalised with octadecyl-silane or octyl-silane were characterised and evaluated for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE). The material with the best results was non-functionalised mesostructured silica and, with it, the MSPE procedure was optimised. This method was validated and used to quantify six opioids in 14 edible seed samples (eleven poppy seeds and three seed mixes). Considerable amounts were found (1.5–249.0 mg/kg morphine, <0.2 µg/kg–45.8 mg/kg codeine, <2.4 µg/kg–136.2 mg/kg thebaine, <0.2 µg/kg–27.1 mg/kg papaverine, <0.2 µg/kg–108.7 mg/kg noscapine and <240 µg/kg–33.4 mg/kg oripavine), exceeding maximum limits established in some EU countries and the reference level of morphine in the EU. Furthermore, in some commercial samples for human consumption, inadequate labelling was found because significant amounts of alkaloids were detected even though Papaver rhoeas L. seeds were declared on the product label.
A Case Report of a Colorectal and Caudal Duplication Syndrome Associated with Caudal Regression Syndrome
Authors: Iozsa Dan-Alexandru , Tulin Adrian , Slavu Iulian , Ivanov Monica , Constantin Vlad , Georgescu Dragos , Tulin Raluca , Socea Bogdan
Published: July 2021

We describe an uncommon clinical presentation of caudal duplication syndrome and features of caudal regression syndrome in a female infant with complex urogenital and colorectal duplication associated with lipomyleomeningocele and left lower limb hypoplasia. A staged surgical treatment plan was carried out to maintain fecal and urine continence, potential fertility, and cosmetic appearance.
Transcriptome-Wide Association Study of Blood Cell Traits in African Ancestry and Hispanic/Latino Populations
Authors: Wen Jia , Xie Munan , Rowland Bryce , Rosen Jonathan D. , Sun Quan , Chen Jiawen , Tapia Amanda L. , Qian Huijun , Kowalski Madeline H. , Shan Yue , Young Kristin L. , Graff Marielisa , Argos Maria , Avery Christy L. , Bien Stephanie A. , Buyske Steve , Yin Jie , Choquet Hélène , Fornage Myriam , Hodonsky Chani J. , Jorgenson Eric , Kooperberg Charles , Loos Ruth J. F. , Liu Yongmei , Moon Jee-Young , North Kari E. , Rich Stephen S. , Rotter Jerome I. , Smith Jennifer A. , Zhao Wei , Shang Lulu , Wang Tao , Zhou Xiang , Reiner Alexander P. , Raffield Laura M. , Li Yun
Published: July 2021

Background: Thousands of genetic variants have been associated with hematological traits, though target genes remain unknown at most loci. Moreover, limited analyses have been conducted in African ancestry and Hispanic/Latino populations; hematological trait associated variants more common in these populations have likely been missed. Methods: To derive gene expression prediction models, we used ancestry-stratified datasets from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA, including n = 229 African American and n = 381 Hispanic/Latino participants, monocytes) and the Depression Genes and Networks study (DGN, n = 922 European ancestry participants, whole blood). We then performed a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) for platelet count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and white blood cell count in African (n = 27,955) and Hispanic/Latino (n = 28,324) ancestry participants. Results: Our results revealed 24 suggestive signals (p < 1 × 10−4) that were conditionally distinct from known GWAS identified variants and successfully replicated these signals in European ancestry subjects from UK Biobank. We found modestly improved correlation of predicted and measured gene expression in an independent African American cohort (the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) study (n = 802), lymphoblastoid cell lines) using the larger DGN reference panel; however, some genes were well predicted using MESA but not DGN. Conclusions: These analyses demonstrate the importance of performing TWAS and other genetic analyses across diverse populations and of balancing sample size and ancestry background matching when selecting a TWAS reference panel.
Geologist in the Loop: A Hybrid Intelligence Model for Identifying Geological Boundaries from Augmented Ground Penetrating Radar
Authors: Ball Adrian , O’Connor Louisa
Published: July 2021

Common industry practice means that geological or stratigraphic boundaries are estimated from exploration drill holes. While exploration holes provide opportunities for accurate data at a high resolution down the hole, their acquisition is cost-intensive, which can result in the number of holes drilled being reduced. In contrast, sampling with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is cost-effective, non-destructive, and compact, allowing for denser, continuous data acquisition. One challenge with GPR data is the subjectivity and challenges associated with interpretation. This research presents a hybrid model of geologist and machine learning for the identification of geological boundaries in a lateritic deposit. This model allows for an auditable, probabilistic representation of geologists’ interpretations and can feed into exploration planning and optimising drill campaigns in terms of the density and location of holes.
Distributed Fiber Optic Strain Sensing for Geomechanical Monitoring: Insights from Field Measurements of Ground Surface Deformation
Authors: Amer Rasha , Xue Ziqiu , Hashimoto Tsutomu , Nagata Takeya
Published: July 2021

In recent years, distributed fiber optic strain sensing (DFOSS) technology has demonstrated a solution for continuous deformation monitoring from subsurface to surface along the wellbore. In this study, we installed a single-mode optical fiber cable in a shallow trench to establish an effective technique for ground surface deformation mapping. We conducted three experimental field tests (iron plate load, water tank filling up load, and airbag inflation) in order to confirm the strain sensitivity of DFOSS for static loads, dynamic overload, excavation, subsidence, and uplift. This paper also presents two installation methods to couple the fiber cable with the ground under various environmental conditions; here, the fiber cable was installed in a shallow trench with one part buried in the soil and another part covered with cement. Our results suggest that covering the cable with cement is a practical approach for installing a fiber cable for ground surface deformation monitoring. By combining this approach with wellbore DFOSS, accurate surface–subsurface deformation measurements can be obtained for three-dimensional geomechanical monitoring of CO2 storage and oil and gas fields in the future.
Pharmacist Workforce at Primary Care Clinics: A Nationwide Survey in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Wei-Ho , Lee Pei-Chen , Chiang Shu-Chiung , Chang Yuh-Lih , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Chou Li-Fang , Hwang Shinn-Jang
Published: July 2021

Although dispensing is usually separated from prescribing in healthcare service delivery worldwide, primary care clinics in some countries can hire pharmacists to offer in-house dispensing or point-of-care dispensing for patients’ convenience. This study aimed to provide a general overview of pharmacists working at primary care clinics in Taiwan. Special attention was paid to clarifying the relationship by location, scale, and specialty of clinics. The data source was the Government’s open database in Taiwan. In our study, a total of 8688 pharmacists were hired in 6020 (52.1%) 11,546 clinics. The result revealed significant differences in the number of pharmacists at different specialty clinics among levels of urbanization. Group practices did not have a higher probability of hiring pharmacists than solo practices. There was a higher prevalence of pharmacists practicing in clinics of non surgery-related specialties than in surgery-related specialties. Although the strict separation policy of dispensing and prescribing has been implemented for 2 decades in Taiwan, most primary care clinics seem to circumvent the regulation by hiring pharmacists to maintain dominant roles in dispensing drugs and retaining the financial benefits from drugs. More in-depth analyses are required to study the impact on pharmacies and the quality of pharmaceutical care.
The Impact of Community Housing Characteristics and Epidemic Prevention Measures on Residents’ Perception of Epidemic Prevention
Authors: Kuo Chi-Tz , Sue Hsiao-Jui , Chen Po-Han
Published: July 2021

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many parts of the world have fallen into deep recession. Governments in every country have adopted various measures to restrict social gatherings due to the need to control the pandemic. This includes restrictions on activities in homes and communities. Fundamentally, epidemic prevention relies on the measures individuals take. A community’s epidemic prevention measures become more critical as activities are held in houses or communities once again. From the perspective of the theory of planned behavior, this study investigates whether the various epidemic prevention measures and characteristics of a community affect residents’ perception of epidemic prevention. We use the truncated regression model as the primary research method. The empirical results show that the community’s epidemic prevention measures can change residents’ awareness of the importance of epidemic prevention. Moreover, the scale of the community and management committee are also found to have a partial impact.
Physical Activity Level and Self-Esteem in Middle-Aged Women
Authors: Dąbrowska-Galas Magdalena , Dąbrowska Jolanta
Published: July 2021

Background: Physical activity (PA) is a behavioral modality that may help decrease negative symptoms of menopause and enhance some positive aspects of mental health, including self-esteem. Reduced self-esteem may put menopausal women at higher risk of negative outcomes of menopause and result in a more unpleasant and stressful menopausal experience. The objective of this study was to examine the role of physical activity level on self-esteem in middle-aged women. Methods: Women aged 45–60 from Poland took part in this study. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Menopause Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory were used in this study. Results: Among the 111 women, the mean age was 51.7 ± 4.7. The most severe symptoms among studied women concerned sexual problems (1.71 ± 1.5), irritability (1.58 ± 1.37) and joint and muscular discomfort (1.56 ± 1.55). Women with higher total PA level had better self-esteem (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that physical activity levels can be associated with self-esteem. Most middle-aged women reported high physical activity levels. These results have clinical implications for the inclusion of PA in the lives of middle-aged women to improve self-esteem and mental health.
Impact of the Paralympic Games on the Beliefs of Children with Physical Disabilities Engaging in Sports and Physical Activities: A Chinese Perspective
Authors: Qi Jing , Cai Jin-He , Meng Xun
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the beliefs of Chinese children with physical disabilities engaging in sports and physical activity (PA), and the impact of the Paralympic Games on these beliefs. Five Chinese children with physical disabilities (female = 2, male = 3) were recruited for participating in the workshops of the Paralympic Games and PA, and received individual semi-structured interviews before and after the workshop implementations. Interview transcripts were analysed and presented as descriptive summaries. Three themes emerged based on the analysis of the participants’ interview data: (1) shocked, knowledgeable, and useful; (2) willingness to try, and (3) hope to obtain support. Results indicated that children with physical disabilities in this study acknowledged the positive outcomes of participating in the workshops of the Paralympic Games on the sports and PA engagement attitude change. However, children with disabilities also expressed that they need more related knowledge and information. The results of the study revealed that impairment and contextual factors (i.e., lack of support from family and physical education teachers, unsafe environments, and negative attitudes of peers without disabilities) were barriers to sports and PA engagement among children with physical disabilities in this study.
Impact of Coffee/Green Tea/Soft Drink Consumption on the Risk of Hyperuricemia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lee Joong Seob , Kim Tae Jun , Hong Sung Kwang , Min Chanyang , Yoo Dae Myoung , Wee Jee Hye , Choi Hyo Geun
Published: July 2021

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between hyperuricemia and the frequency of coffee, tea, and soft drink consumption, based on data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) (2004–2016). We used the KoGES health examinee data, obtained from urban residents aged ≥ 40 years. Information on the participants’ medical history, nutrition (total calorie, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake), frequency of alcohol consumption, smoking status, household income, and frequency of coffee/green tea/soft drink intake was collected. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the participant’s age and sex. Among 173,209 participants, there were 11,750 and 156,002 individuals with hyperuricemia and non-hyperuricemia controls, respectively. In an adjusted model, frequent coffee and green tea consumption did not increase the risk of hyperuricemia, compared to the “no intake” reference group. However, an adjusted odds ratio of hyperuricemia was 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.35, p < 0.001) for participants who reported consuming soft drinks ≥ 3 times per day, compared to the respective “no drink” reference group. Even after adjusting for nutritional and sociodemographic factors, frequent soft drink intake was associated with an increased risk of hyperuricemia. Meanwhile, neither coffee nor green tea intake was associated with an increased risk of hyperuricemia.
Psychological Flexibility Is Key for Reducing the Severity and Impact of Fibromyalgia
Authors: Vallejo Miguel A. , Vallejo-Slocker Laura , Offenbaecher Martin , Hirsch Jameson K. , Toussaint Loren L. , Kohls Niko , Sirois Fuschia , Rivera Javier
Published: July 2021

Fibromyalgia has a significant impact on the lives of patients; symptoms are influenced by psychological factors, such as psychological flexibility and catastrophizing. The objective of this study was to determine the importance of these variables in moderating the association between the severity and impact of fibromyalgia symptoms. A total of 187 patients from a general hospital population were evaluated using the Combined Index of Severity of Fibromyalgia (ICAF), the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). A series of multiple regression analyses were carried out using the PROCESS macro and decision tree analysis. The results show that psychological flexibility modulates the relation between severity and the impact of fibromyalgia symptoms. Catastrophism has residual importance and depends on the interaction with psychological flexibility. Interaction occurs if the severity of the disease is in transition from a mild to a moderate level and accounts for 40.1% of the variance in the sample. These aspects should be considered for evaluation and early intervention in fibromyalgia patients.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Physical Activity in a Community Setting
Authors: Gil-Lacruz Marta , Gil-Lacruz Ana Isabel , Domingo-Torrecilla Paola , Cañete-Lairla Miguel Angel
Published: July 2021

This article analyses how physical activity reinforces each of the dimensions (mental, physical, social, etc.) of the health-related quality of life concept. To that end, we determined whether this relationship is moderated by educational level and area of residence. The empirical part was based on data obtained from a cross-sectional survey carried out in the Casablanca neighbourhood (Zaragoza, Spain). The sample comprised 1083 participants aged between 25 and 84 years residing in the three residential areas of this neighbourhood: Viñedo Viejo, Las Nieves and Fuentes Claras. These three areas exhibit significant socio-economic differences in their population. The self-reported questionnaire included the following key information for this study: socio-economic characteristics (sex, age, educational level and area of residence) and health-related quality of life (WHOQOL-Brief: mental health, physical health, social relations and environment). The main results obtained from the descriptive statistics and regression systems were added. Playing a sport or undertaking some physical activity brings many health benefits, both physical and mental. The educational level and area of residence affect this relationship, such that the effects of physical activity are greater for those residents of Casablanca who have a higher educational level and/or live in more favoured areas of this neighbourhood. The results have also been discussed by sex and age group. Investing in innovative programmes in educational institutions and communities to acquire healthy habits and behaviour patterns that take into account socioeconomic differences in the population would be an advisable public health strategy.
Social Support between Diabetes Patients and Non-Diabetes Persons in Yangon, Myanmar: A Study Applying ENRICHD Social Support Instrument
Authors: Khin Ei Thinzar , Aung Myo Nyein , Ueno Satomi , Ahmad Ishtiaq , Latt Tint Swe , Moolphate Saiyud , Yuasa Motoyuki
Published: July 2021

Diabetes patients, due to the chorionic nature of the disease, need complex and long-term care for control and prevention of complications. The patients themselves find it difficult to adopt appropriate disease management after diagnosis and they need social support from family, friends, and their environment, especially in lower- and middle-income countries where medical service is limited, and they need self-care of disease and lifestyle modification. In Myanmar, however, the study for social support among diabetes patients is still limited. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study to investigate the social support among diabetes patients and the association between socioeconomic factors in Yangon, which has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Myanmar. Social support between diabetes patients who came to diabetes special clinics and non-diabetes community control was assessed by applying transculturally translated ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI). Among the diabetes patients’ group, more than 70% had high perceived social support, specifically higher level of informational and emotional social support. Robust multiple regression models revealed significant positive associations between total social support and independent variables: p value < 0.001 for monthly household income and being married, and p value < 0.05 for household number and frequency of having meals together with family. These findings suggest that perceived social support among patients with diabetes may be mainly affected by the patients’ family conditions, such as household income and living with a spouse, in Myanmar culture.
Escape Rooms as a Learning Strategy for Special Education Master’s Degree Students
Authors: Manzano-León Ana , Rodríguez-Ferrer José M. , Aguilar-Parra José Manuel , Martínez Martínez Ana María , Luque de la Rosa Antonio , Salguero García Darío , Fernández Campoy Juan Miguel
Published: July 2021

Escape rooms and breakout are learning strategies that can facilitate motivation of learning through challenges. In these strategies, students must work as a team and use their reasoning, knowledge, and skills to solve puzzles and challenges related to the content of the curriculum, allowing them to solve the game in a limited time. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the implementation of an escape room on classroom flow, academic performance, school motivation, and prosocial and antisocial behaviours with higher students in a Special Education master’s degree course. The quantitative results show a significant improvement in classroom flow, academic performance, and classroom climate, and a better score in prosocial and antisocial behaviours. The qualitative findings provide a better understanding of these results, and support the conclusion that the use of escape rooms is fun and motivating for students, and facilitates their learning achievement.
Cigar-Smoking-Cessation Interest and Experience among Black Young Adults: A Semi-Structured In-Depth Interview Investigation
Authors: Ajith Aniruddh , Broun Aaron , Duarte Danielle A. , Jewett Bambi , Phan Lilianna , Mead-Morse Erin L. , Guy Mignonne C. , Choi Kelvin , Chen-Sankey Julia
Published: July 2021

Although Black/African American populations have high cigar-smoking prevalence, little is known about cigar-smoking cessation among this group. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of cigar-smoking cessation and assistance received from healthcare providers among forty Black young-adult cigar smokers (ages 21–29). Semi-structured in-depth phone interviews were transcribed and coded. Qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. Participants mostly smoked cigarillos, large cigars, and blunts. Overall, many regular cigarillo smokers reported interest in quitting eventually, while large-cigar and blunt smokers shared less interest in quitting because they perceived low harm from smoking these products. The reasons for cigar-smoking cessation were health concerns and financial constraints. Most of the participants who attempted to quit cigars did not use any cessation aids. The reasons for relapse included nicotine withdrawal, stress, and easy access. Additionally, most participants reported their healthcare providers did not ask whether they smoked cigars, and even when they knew, little assistance for cigar-smoking cessation was provided. Informing Black cigar smokers of the harm of cigar smoking and encouraging healthcare providers to screen for and assist with cigar-smoking cessation may alleviate the health burden of cigar smoking in this population.
The Impact of Village Rules and Formal Environmental Regulations on Farmers’ Cleaner Production Behavior: New Evidence from China
Authors: Du Shichun , Liu Jing , Fu Zetian
Published: July 2021

Village rules and formal environmental regulations are of great significance for standardizing farmers’ cleaner production behavior, promoting green transformation of agriculture and realizing sustainable development of agriculture. Based on the survey data of 946 farmers in five provinces of China, taking seed coating technology, soil testing and formulated fertilization technology, subsoiling tillage technology, green technology for pest and disease control and straw returning technology as examples, this article empirically analyzes the impact of village rules and formal environmental regulations on farmers’ cleaner production behavior by using the multivariate probit model. When formal environmental regulations are relatively lacking or weak, village rules can be used as a useful supplement to formal environmental regulations to promote farmers’ participation in cleaner production. Based on this, this article argues that the important reason for formal environmental regulations falling into relative system failure is that village rules have not been paid enough attention in promoting farmers’ cleaner production behavior. In the future, we should not only continue to strengthen the role of formal environmental regulations in farmers’ cleaner production, but also cultivate the informal institution represented by the village rules, and build the regulatory system of mutual support between informal institution and formal institution.
Mental Health Difficulties and Countermeasures during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic in Japan: A Nationwide Questionnaire Survey of Mental Health and Psychiatric Institutions
Authors: Nakao Tomohiro , Murayama Keitaro , Takahashi Sho , Kayama Mami , Nishi Daisuke , Horinouchi Toru , Oya Nozomu , Kuga Hironori
Published: July 2021

The number of people with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been increasing worldwide. Anxiety about potential infection, fear of severe illness, death, economic problems, and loneliness and isolation brought on by social distancing are increasingly being experienced by people. Therefore, it is imperative to address and improve such mental health-related problems during COVID-19. We aimed to investigate the current mental health care and psychological intervention statuses related to COVID-19 in Japan. In a questionnaire survey, 55 of 69 (80%) mental health and welfare centers and 194 of 931 (21%) psychiatric institutions across Japan responded. COVID-19 patients, their family members, and the general public often consulted the mental health and welfare institutions through telephone. The questionnaire included various information of mental health difficulties related to COVID-19 such as the numbers and contents of the consultations, and the type of the interventions. The contents of consultation included psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, insomnia, and alcohol problems) and psychosocial problems (interpersonal problems, prejudice, and discrimination). Overall, 9% of mental health and welfare centers provided psychological first aid as psychological intervention and 28% of consultations involved cases requiring urgent care. In Japan, consultations about COVID-19-related mental health problems occurred mainly in mental health and welfare centers. There is urgent need to establish a system that enables mental health triage and brief psychological interventions that are feasible in the centers.
Design and Validation of an Instrument for Evaluating Training and Education for Health and Proper Use of Vaccines “VACUNASEDUCA”
Authors: García-Toledano Eduardo , Palomares-Ruiz Ascensión , Cebrián-Martínez Antonio , López-Parra Emilio
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the design and validation of a questionnaire, to study the importance of vaccines in the health of children. It is based on the analysis of a complete conceptual framework, considering the factors that show the current situation of vaccines, in the context of education for health and coexistence on the international scene. One thousand subjects from 76 countries participated in the study. The validity of the questionnaire was carried out with 15 experts, resulting in a content validity index (IVC) for each high dimension, with the mean IVC being the questionnaire with a Fleiss’ kappa result of 0.96. The process led to a final design consisting of 12 items. The statistic used to identify the degree of consistency in the estimates and calculate the value of the match between the evaluators was the index Fleiss’ kappa, which yielded an overall result of 0.57, which was considered moderate. The results obtained make it possible to conclude that the VACUNASEDUCA questionnaire is valid for understanding the status of vaccines, the importance of teacher training on health prevention, and the influence of student vaccination on the health of peers and teachers, from a gender perspective.
Health, Work, and Social Problems in Spanish Informal Caregivers: Does Gender Matter? (The CUIDAR-SE Study)
Authors: Peña-Longobardo Luz María , Río-Lozano María Del , Oliva-Moreno Juan , Larrañaga-Padilla Isabel , García-Calvente María del Mar
Published: July 2021

(1) Background: The aim of this study was (i) to analyze problems faced by informal caregivers in three areas of their life: health, work and finances, and family and social relationships, (ii) to investigate the main determinants of these problems, and (iii) to explore differences between men and women. (2) Methods: The study population consisted of people aged ≥18 years living in a family home who were providing unpaid care to a dependent person in the same or another home and who were registered as caregivers with the Primary Health Care District of Granada or the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. Several logistic regression models were built to analyze the likelihood of caregivers experiencing health, work-related, or social problems as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. (3) Results: Informal female caregivers were more likely to experience problems attributed to caregiving than their male counterparts, particularly in the areas of health and work. Additional factors associated with an increased likelihood of problems were low perceived social support, performance of ungratifying tasks, and fewer years as a caregiver. (4) Conclusions: Informal caregivers in Spain face significant problems as a result of their caregiving duties, and the impact on men and women is different. Policies and interventions to mitigate the negative effects of unpaid caregiving should incorporate differential strategies to meet the specific needs of male and female caregivers in different caregiving contexts.
Testing the Energy-Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis in the Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy Consumption Models in Egypt
Authors: Mahmood Haider , Alkhateeb Tarek Tawfik Yousef , Tanveer Muhammad , Mahmoud Doaa H. I.
Published: July 2021

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) association between income and pollution emissions proxies has been extensively tested in the environmental literature. However, testing of the energy-EKC is scanty. This present research examined the energy–EKC in the cubic relationship of economic growth and different renewable and nonrenewable energy proxies in Egypt from 1965–2019. In the long run, we corroborate the N-shaped relationships in the case of primary energy, oil, and coal consumption models, and confirm the long run energy–EKC association in these energy proxies. Moreover, we find turning points of the N-curve for these energy sources in 1998, 2000, and 1979–2005, in primary energy, oil, and coal consumption models, respectively. Hence, economic growth is responsible for increasing nonrenewable energy consumption and has environmental consequences in Egypt. In the short run, we find N-shaped relationships in the case of primary energy, oil, and coal consumption. Further, we find an inverted U-shaped relationship in the case of natural gas consumption. In addition, we corroborate an inverted N-shaped relationship in the case of hydroelectricity consumption, a renewable energy source. Hence, we confirm the short-run energy–EKC relationship in all investigated renewable and nonrenewable energy proxies.