bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pengaruh Kualitas Pelayanan terhadap Kepuasan Pasien pada Rumah Sakit Sari Asih di Wilayah Ciamis
Authors: Paminto Saptaning Ruju , Lisarini Endah , Syaddad Hasbu Naim
Published: January 2022

This study aims to determine the effect of Service Quality on Patient Satisfaction at Sari Asih Hospital in Ciamis Region. The method used is explanatory research with a sample of 96 respondents. The analysis technique uses statistical analysis with regression testing, correlation, determination and hypothesis testing. The results of this research variable Service Quality obtained an average score of 3.409 with good criteria. Patient Satisfaction Variable obtained an average score of 3,831 with good criteria. Service quality has a significant effect on patient satisfaction with the regression equation Y = 9.311 + 0.851X, and a correlation value of 0.774 or strong with a determination of 59.9%. Hypothesis testing obtained a significance of 0.000 <0.05.
PENGARUH IKLIM ORGANISASI TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN PADA ALFAMART DI BINTARO
Authors: Nufus Hayatun
Published: January 2022

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh iklim organisasi terhadap kinerja karyawan pada Alfamart di Bintaro. Metode yang digunakan adalah explanatory research dengan sampel sebanyak 57 responden. Teknik analisis menggunakan analisis statistik dengan pengujian regresi, korelasi, determinasi dan uji hipotesis. Hasil penelitian ini variabel iklim organisasi diperoleh nilai rata-rata skor sebesar 5,726 dengan kriteria baik. Variabel kinerja karyawan diperoleh nilai rata-rata skor sebesar 5,779 dengan kriteria baik. Iklim organisasi berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan nilai persamaan regresi Y = 17,765 + 0,699X, dan nilai koefisien korelasi 0,819 atau memiliki tingkat hubungan yang kuat dengan nilai determinasi 67,0%. Uji  hipotesis diperoleh signifikansi 0,000 < 0,05.
Pengaruh Lokasi dan Promosi Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Pada Produk Manset Safety di Toko Tawakal Pondok Aren – Tangerang Selatan
Authors: Hulasoh Ela , Riki Riki
Published: January 2022

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui seberapa besar pengaruh lokasi terhadap keputusan pembelian pada produk Manset Safety di Toko Tawakkal Pondok Aren – Tangerang Selatan, untuk mengentahui seberapa besar pengaruh promosi terhadap keputusan pembelian pada produk Manset Safety di Toko Tawakkal Pondok Aren – Tangerang Selatan, dan untuk mengetahui seberapa besar pengaruh lokasi dan promosi terhadap terhadap keputusan pembelian pada produk Manset Safety di Toko Tawakkal Pondok Aren – Tangerang Selatan. Metode yang digunakan adalah pendekatan asosiatif kuantitatif, digunakan accidental sampling dengan 89 responden sebagai sampel dari 776 populasi yang kemudian dianalisis pengaruhnya  secara parsial dan simultan dengan menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda, koefisien determinasi serta pengujian hipotesis dengan uji t dan uji f dan uji R2. Hasil penelitian variabel lokasi memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap keputusan pembelian, dimana diperoleh nilai t hitung > t table (2,608 < 1,988) dan sig < 0,05 (0,011 < 0,05). Promosi memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap keputusan pembelian, dimana diperoleh nilai t hitung > t table (2,382 < 1,988) dan sig < 0,05 (0,019 > 0,05). Lokasi dan promosi memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan secara silmultan terhadap keputusan pembelian, dimana diperoleh nilai f hitung > f table (5,085 < 3,11) dan sig > 0,05 (0,008 > 0,05. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan antara lokasi dan promosi terhadap keputusan pembelian.
ENFOQUE CRÍTICO DE LAS CIENCIAS: Perspectivas y Veracidades
Authors: Fraga Guido Gustavo , Caichug Rivera Daniela Margoth , Heredia Agustina
Published: January 2022

En este libro se realiza un análisis crítico y social de las perspectivas, definiciones, términos, puntos de vista y enfoques que ha tenido las ciencias a lo largo de la historia, se empieza relatando los antecedentes de las ciencias y analizando la investigación científica, además se hace un debate de las diferentes definiciones que autores relevantes han expuesto sobre la ciencia. En el segundo capítulo "Una sola ciencia" se explica y se interpreta la clasificación más acertada por la ciencia propuesta por Mario Bunge. En el tercer capítulo se muestra las veracidades de las ciencias ¿Por qué unas ciencias si y otras no? Se pretende plantear la duda metódica y un enfoque critico en los lectores. Como punto central del cuarto capitulo se presenta una reflexión de la química como ciencia, que elementos comprueban que la química es calificada como una ciencia experimental, posteriormente en el quinto capitulo se presenta las veracidades de las ciencias en la cual se analiza por qué las ciencias son verídicas, comprobables y fiables. Finalmente, en el último capitulo se exponen las conclusiones puntuales de este trabajo.
Income situation and the level of public assistance for commercial farms in selected EU countries
Authors: Płonka Renata
Published: January 2022

The main objective of a commercial farm is to achieve the highest possible income from agricultural activity. The level of this income is influenced by both external and internal conditions. The agriculture sector in the EU receives significant money transferes in the form of various types of subsidies. The aim of the article is to assess the income situation of commercial farms in Poland and the importance of public assistance in shaping their economic results compared to selected EU countries. The study presents the income ranking of Polish farms covered by the FADN system in 2004–2019 and the level of public assistance for them in comparison to German and French farms and all EU farms. The study employed ratio analysis based on the measures and indicators describing the macroeconomic situation as well as the elements of the potential of farms, their income situation and the level of public assitance for them. The performed analysis demonstrates that the results of Polish farms were dependent on subsidies to a lesser extent than those of the German and French farms, and that the ratio of subsidies for Polish farms to their output per unit of agricultural area neared the same ratio in the other analysed countries. The conclusion of the study is that public asssitance extended to farms in the framework of the CAP stabilises farmers’ income, but on the other hand makes them dependent on budget transfers.
Theorie der Imperiumsbildung im 21. Jahrhundert
Authors: Johann Rami
Published: January 2022

Against the background of the current geopolitical constellations, the author looks at various empire models, which are discussed and compared with each other with regard to their stability and functioning. The focus is on the fifth concept as a possible new world order in the 21st century. The fusion of democratic states without war is the core idea and thus realizes the formation of a sustainable world order without competition. It serves the guarantee of eternal peace, global stability as well as the preservation of democratic values.

After twenty years in Germany, Iraqi-born Rami Johann is focused on world peace. As an integral part of life, it has become inescapable to him that the stability of the world order is a matter of theory and practice, precisely because the impossible is an illusion.
Wide Spectrum of Thyroid Function Tests in COVID-19: From Nonthyroidal Illness to Isolated Hyperthyroxinemia
Authors: Hashemipour Sima , Shahsavari Pouria , Kiani Somaieh , Badri Milad , Ghobadi Arefeh , Hadizadeh Khairkhahan Seyyed Mohammad Reza , Tariverdi Alireza
Published: January 2022

Background: Changes in thyroid function test (TFT) in COVID-19 patients have been reported in several studies. However, some features such as thyrotoxicosis are inconsistent in these studies. In addition, some drugs such as heparin interfere with the free T4 assay. Objectives: This study was designed to examine TFT abnormalities in COVID-19, utilizing direct and indirect methods of free T4 assay. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 131 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Serum levels of total T3, TSH, T3RU, and total T4 were measured. The free T4 assay was performed using direct (free T4) and indirect (free thyroxin index or FT4I) methods. The patients were categorized into different TFT groups. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: The frequencies of nonthyroidal illness (NTI), subclinical/overt hypothyroidism and subclinical/overt thyrotoxicosis were 51.7, 6.9, and 6.9%, respectively. Besides, 6 and 8.1% of the patients had isolated high free T4 and isolated high FT4I without any other TFT abnormality, respectively. The lymphocyte percent was lower in the subclinical/overt group than in other TFT groups (P = 0.002). Atrial Fibrillation (AF) was found in 37.5% of subclinical/overt thyrotoxicosis patients versus 1.7% in the NTI and nil in the other three groups (P < 0.001). Conclusions: In addition to the reported TFT abnormalities in COVID-19 in previous studies, some new features like isolated hyperthyroxinemia were found in our study. We found a strong association between subclinical/overt thyrotoxicosis and AF. Regarding the high prevalence of AF in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, request for thyroid function test is rational in COVID-19 patients with this arrhythmia.
Comparative Antibacterial Efficacy of Orthodontic Brackets Coated with Titanium Dioxide, Copper Oxide, and Hydroxyapatite-Silver Nanoparticles Against Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Ameli Nazila , Asadi Sanaz , Ghorbani Raheb , Mohebi Shadi , Hans Mark
Published: January 2022

Background: The development of dental caries around orthodontic brackets is a common complication of orthodontic treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the antibacterial efficacy of stainless steel (SS) brackets coated with copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs), titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), and hydroxyapatite silver nanoparticles (HA-SNPs) against Streptococcus mutans. Methods: In this in vitro, experimental study, 20 orthodontic brackets were assigned to four groups (n = 5, each group). One group served as the no-intervention control group, and the brackets in the remaining three groups underwent dip coating with CuO-NPs, TiO2-NPs, and HA-SNPs < 100 nm. The number of S. mutans colonies was counted after 24 h, one week, and one and three months. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro Wilk test, repeated measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni multiple comparisons test. Results: All three experimental groups exhibited similar antibacterial properties after 90 days of trial (P > 0.05). Moreover, CuO-NPs had a greater inhibitory effect than TiO2-NPs on S. mutans after 24 h (P = 0.007). However, the inhibitory effect of HA-SNPs was not significantly different from that of TiO2-NPs (P = 0.259) or CuO-NPs (P = 0.224). Conclusions: Considering the similar antibacterial properties of all three coatings in the long term, all three types of nanoparticles can be used to coat orthodontic brackets to prevent caries. However, due to the high cost and difficult preparation of HA-SNPs and the slightly higher efficacy of CuO-NPs in the short-term, the latter may be preferred for this purpose.
Diversity and structure of the microbial community in rhizosphere soil of Fritillaria ussuriensis at different health levels
Authors: Jiao Ning , Song Xiaoshuang , Song Ruiqing , Yin Dachuan , Deng Xun
Published: January 2022

Fritillaria wilt is a kind of soil-borne disease that causes a large reduction in the yield of Fritillaria ussuriensis. The diversity and structure of the soil microbial community are important factors affecting the health of Fritillaria ussuriensis. The analysis of the microbial community in the diseased and healthy soils provided a theoretical basis for revealing the pathological mechanism and prevention of Fritillaria wilt disease. In the present study, we sequenced the soil microorganisms from healthy (H), pathology (P) and blank (B) soil samples by Illumina MiSeq. Determined the soil physicochemical properties respectively, analyzed the soil microbial diversity and structure, and constructed single factor co-correlation networks among microbial genera. The results showed that Ascomycota (48.36%), Mortierellomycota (23.06%), Basidiomycota (19.00%), Proteobacteria (31.74%), and Acidobacteria (20.95%) were dominant in the soil. The diversity of healthy soil was significantly greater than that of diseased soil samples (P and B) (P < 0.05). The populations of Fusarium and Humicola significantly increased in the diseased soil sample (P and B) (P < 0.05). RB41 (4.74%) and Arthrobacter (3.30%) were the most abundant genera in the healthy soil. Total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), total potassium (TK), available potassium (AK), and inorganic salt (salt) were significantly correlated with soil microbial communities (P < 0.05). The relationship between fungi and the plant was mostly positive, whereas bacteria showed the opposite trend. In conclusion, the diversity and structure of the soil microbial community were closely related to the health level of Fritillaria ussuriensis. Fusarium and Humicola affect the severity of Fritillaria wilt disease, while RB41 and Arthrobacter are the important indicators for maintaining the health of Fritillaria ussuriensis. Moreover, environmental factors greatly affect the abundance and formation of soil microbial community. The interactions in microbial communities also influence the healthy growth of Fritillaria ussuriensis.
Impact on Quality of Life among Females with Diffuse Hair Loss at a Tertiary Care Centre: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Lalu Meera , Manickam Navakumar , Gopalan Kannan , Vellaisamy Seethalakshmi Ganga
Published: January 2022

Introduction: There is an important link between hair and identity, especially for women. Although, hair loss is a benign problem, experience of alopecia or hair loss is psychologically damaging, causing intense emotional suffering and personal, social and work related problems. Aim: To assess the impact of diffuse hair loss on the Quality of Life (QoL) among females with the help of Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based cross- sectional study conducted over a period of one year from February 2019 to February 2020. All female patients more than 18 years with complaints of diffuse hair loss attending the Dermatology Outpatient Department (OPD) of Vinayaka Mission’s Kirupananda Variyar Medical College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India, were recruited and QoL was assessed in them using the DLQI scale. For statistical analysis, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to compare quantitative variables, while Fisher’s-exact test was used to analyse qualitative data. Post- hoc ANOVA was used to test the statistical significance within the groups and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 100 female patients with diffuse hair loss, out of which most commonly seen was Acute Telogen Effluvium (ATE) in 52 patients followed by Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) in 30 patients and Chronic Telogen Effluvium (CTE) in 18 patients. Majority of the study subjects were in the age group of 18-39 years (64%). The mean age of the study population was 35.36±10.30 years. The mean duration of hair loss was 8.14±8.639 months. Majority (92%) of females had moderate to severe effect on the QoL. The mean DLQI was significantly higher in FPHL (8.77±1.83) and ATE (8.73±1.98) as compared to CTE (p-value=0.014). The mean DLQI was highest (8.70±2.253) in the younger age range of 18-29 years (p-value=0.027) and also in those with duration of hair loss more than one year (9±1.76) (p-value=0.0381). Conclusion: Diffuse hair loss in females has a moderate to severe impact on the QoL as assessed by the DLQI. There is a strong association seen between DLQI and age, duration of disease and type of hair loss.
High‐Strength and Injectable Supramolecular Hydrogel Self‐Assembled by Monomeric Nucleoside for Tooth‐Extraction Wound Healing
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhang Yanan , Yin Yijia , Liu Jiang , Li Peiran , Zhao Yuxi , Bai Ding , Zhao Hang , Han Xianglong , Chen Qianming
Published: January 2022

Hydrogels with high mechanical strength and injectability have attracted extensive attention in biomedical and tissue engineering. However, endowing a hydrogel with both properties is challenging because they are generally inversely related. In this work, by constructing a multi‐hydrogen‐bonding system, a high‐strength and injectable supramolecular hydrogel is successfully fabricated. It is constructed by the self‐assembly of a monomeric nucleoside molecular gelator (2‐amino‐2′‐fluoro‐2′‐deoxyadenosine (2‐FA)) with distilled water/phosphate buffered saline as solvent. Its storage modulus reaches 1 MPa at a concentration of 5.0 wt%, which is the strongest supramolecular hydrogel comprising an ultralow‐molecular‐weight (MW < 300) gelator. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent shear‐thinning injectability, and completes the sol–gel transition in seconds after injection at 37 °C. The multi‐hydrogen‐bonding system is essentially based on the synergistic interactions between the double NH2 groups, water molecules, and 2′‐F atoms. Furthermore, the 2‐FA hydrogel exhibits excellent biocompatibility and antibacterial activity. When applied to rat molar extraction sockets, compared to natural healing and the commercial hemorrhage agent gelatin sponge, the 2‐FA hydrogel exhibits faster degradation and induces less osteoclastic activity and inflammatory infiltration, resulting in more complete bone healing. In summary, this study provides ideas for proposing a multifunctional, high‐strength, and injectable supramolecular hydrogel for various biomedical engineering applications.
Thermodynamic equilibrium analysis on the dehydration of glycerol with monohydric alcohols to alkyl glyceryl ethers
Authors: Jia Guangxin , He Beibei , Li Yu , Liu Laishuan , Zhao Jiantao , Lv Baoliang
Published: January 2022

Under the conditions of the feed of 400 moles of alcohol + 100 moles of glycerol, 313–573 K and 0.1 MPa, based on Gibbs free energy global minimization, an improved genetic algorithm was used for the thermodynamic equilibrium analysis on the synthesis processes of alkyl glyceryl ethers, respectively, from methanol + glycerol, ethanol + glycerol, isobutanol + glycerol, and tert‐butanol + glycerol. The columnar stacking charts and three‐dimensional contour graphs were used to compare the effects of temperature, pressure, and the feed ratio to the equilibrium conversion, product selectivity, and equilibrium composition. The basic laws of the synthesis processes of alkyl glycerol ethers in homogeneous and heterogeneous states were investigated in a wide temperature range. Through comparison, it was found that the isopropanol + glycerol system is easier to convert into alkyl glycerol ethers, followed by the ethanol + glycerol system. The methanol + glycerol system and tert‐butanol + glycerol system are greatly affected by pressure and temperature, and their conversions and selectivities are relatively low.
Surgical versus medical management of infective endocarditis after TAVR
Authors: Bansal Agam , Jaber Wael A. , Reed Grant W. , Puri Rishi , Krishnaswamy Amar , Yun James , Unai Shinya , Kapadia Samir R.
Published: January 2022

We assessed the incidence of aortic valve surgery intervention in the treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and compared the characteristics and outcomes of surgical intervention versus medical management alone in this cohort using a nationwide data set. We identified all the hospitalizations in patients undergoing TAVR who developed IE within 1‐year (i.e., early IE) of the procedure from 2014 to 2017 using the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD). The primary outcomes of the study were in‐hospital mortality. A total of 906 hospitalizations were identified for IE amongst the TAVR patients from 2014 to 2017 of which 20 (2.21%) underwent aortic valve surgery during the hospitalization. Patients undergoing surgery were younger, more likely to have Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, cardiogenic shock, and acute kidney injury (AKI) during the hospitalization. There were no significant differences in in‐hospital mortality (9.9% vs. 12.4%, p = 0.824; adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.26 (0.01–1.58), p = 0.223) and 30‐day readmissions. However, the length of stay and hospitalization costs were higher in surgical intervention group. The important predictors of in‐hospital mortality in TAVR‐related IE patients were dialysis during IE hospitalization, AKI, cardiogenic shock, Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, stroke, and female sex. The utilization of surgical management for IE post‐TAVR during the index hospitalization is low, and there is no significant mortality benefit with surgical intervention as compared with the medical management.
Studying the rhodopsin‐like G protein‐coupled receptors by atomic force microscopy
Authors: Fang Bin , Zhao Li , Du Xiaowei , Liu Qiyuan , Yang Hui , Li Fangzuo , Sheng Yaohuan , Zhao Weidong , Zhong Haijian
Published: January 2022

Rhodopsin‐like G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs), widely distributed in microorganisms, invertebrates, and vertebrates, are the largest class in GPCRs, and are involved in many important physiological and pathological processes, including the photosensitivity, regulation of behavior and emotion, and so on. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful and multifunctional toolkit in bionanotechnology, as it can image the morphology of membrane proteins at subnanometer spatial resolution and detect forces related with membrane proteins down to piconewton level by single‐molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) mode under physiological conditions. Herein, the achievements of AFM in the study of rhodopsin‐like GPCRs, including observing the high‐resolution topography and structural changes, revealing the interaction forces, binding kinetics, and mechanical properties (such as modulus), are reviewed and summarized. Finally, the challenges, outlook, and prospects of AFM in the study of rhodopsin‐like GPCRs are discussed.
Habitat management for stopover and breeding songbird communities along rights‐of‐way in forest‐dominated landscapes
Authors: Margenau Eric L. , Wood Petra B. , Rota Christopher T.
Published: January 2022

The proliferation of energy rights‐of‐way (pipelines and powerlines; ROWs) in the central Appalachian region has prompted wildlife management agencies to consider ways to use these features to manage and conserve at‐risk songbird species. However, little empirical evidence exists regarding best management strategies to enhance habitat surrounding ROWs for the songbird community during stopover or breeding periods. We used a before–after–control–impact design to study cut‐back border (linear tree cuttings along abrupt forest edges) harvest width (15, 30, and 45 m wide into the forest), and harvest intensity (14 and 4.5 m2/ha basal area retention) prescriptions along ROWs and assessed their effects on mature forest and young forest songbird species and avian guilds (forest gap habitat, forest interior habitat, young forest habitat, and species of regional conservation priority) up to 2 years after treatment throughout West Virginia. Species richness during the spring stopover period initially decreased at the 1‐year post‐treatment period but returned to pre‐treatment levels by 2 years post‐treatment. Breeding season responses to cut‐back border treatments varied across harvest width, harvest intensity, and time, but all responses of focal species abundance and guild richness were neutral or positive. Cut‐back border harvest intensity had a stronger influence (i.e., more positive responses) than harvest width on breeding focal species abundances and guild richness. For harvest intensity, the more intense, 4.5 m2/ha retention treatment had a stronger influence (i.e., more positive responses) than the less intense, 14 m2/ha retention treatment. For harvest width, the narrowest treatment (15‐m wide) had the strongest influence (i.e., more positive responses) of all width treatments, followed by the widest (45‐m wide treatment) with the least influence from the 30‐m wide treatment. Abundances and richness increased from pre‐treatment to 2 years post‐treatment across all species and guilds that exhibited a response. These results suggest that cut‐back borders increase breeding season habitat suitability along ROWs for the mature forest and young forest songbird community as well as for species of regional conservation priority in the short‐term. These findings can aid the development of management guidelines for the forest songbird community along abrupt forest edges of man‐made habitat features in forest‐dominated landscapes.
Designing Advanced Liquid Electrolytes for Alkali Metal Batteries: Principles, Progress, and Perspectives
Authors: Teng Wanming , Wu Junxiong , Liang Qinghua , Deng Jiaojiao , Xu Yu , Liu Qiong , Wang Biao , Ma Ting , Nan Ding , Liu Jun , Li Baohua , Weng Qingsong , Yu Xiaoliang
Published: January 2022

The ever‐growing pursuit of high energy density batteries has triggered extensive efforts toward developing alkali metal (Li, Na, and K) battery (AMB) technologies owing to high theoretical capacities and low redox potentials of metallic anodes. Typically, for new battery systems, the electrolyte design is critical for realizing the battery electrochemistry of AMBs. Conventional electrolytes in alkali ion batteries are generally unsuitable for sustaining the stability owing to the hyper‐reactivity and dendritic growth of alkali metals. In this review, we begin with the fundamentals of AMB electrolytes. Recent advancements in concentrated and fluorinated electrolytes, as well as functional electrolyte additives for boosting the stability of Li metal batteries, are summarized and discussed with a special focus on structure–composition–performance relationships. We then delve into the electrolyte formulations for Na‐ and K metal batteries, including those in which Na/K do not adhere to the Li‐inherited paradigms. Finally, the challenges and the future research needs in advanced electrolytes for AMB are highlighted. This comprehensive review sheds light on the principles for the rational design of promising electrolytes and offers new inspirations for developing stable AMBs with high performance.
The effect of aging out of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program on food insecurity
Authors: Cho Seung Jin
Published: January 2022

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are designed to increase food security and reduce hunger for children from low‐income households. Since the cutoff age for WIC is five, and school enrollment is required for receiving free or reduced‐price NSLP, some children from low‐income households cannot receive both WIC and free or reduced‐price NSLP. Using data from the Current Population Survey, the partial identification method developed in this paper addresses the problems of self‐selection into WIC and systematic underreporting of program participation. Due to this loophole in food assistance programs for children, aging out of WIC is found to increase child food insecurity by at least 1.1 percentage points. This result indicates that the prevalence of child food insecurity would decline by 15% if WIC extended its cutoff age until children enroll in kindergarten.
Diffused reflectance measurements to detect tattoo ink location in skin using the crossover point
Authors: Rudraiah Pavitra Sokke , Duadi Hamootal , Fixler Dror
Published: January 2022

Tattoos are highly trendy in western culture, but many people regret their tattoos for many reasons. It is essential to be aware of the ink location in advance to reduce the long and short‐term side effects. In this study, diffuse reflectance (DR) experiments were conducted on two‐layer (2L) tissue‐mimicking phantoms, where ink was sandwiched between the layers. An appreciable difference in the DR profile was found between the 2L phantom with and without the tattoo ink using the crossover point (Cp) method. Our technique was applied to ex vivo porcine skin. A point of intersection was found, between the skin and the tattooed skin. In the shorter wavelengths (500‐600 nm), a distinguishable 2L behavior was found, and in longer wavelengths (600‐850 nm), a single layer behavior was found between the tattooed skin before and after the intersection. In biological tissue, this Cp indeed finds the tattoo ink without harm to the surrounding skin.
The effect of transportation vibration on the microbiological status of bottled mineral water
Authors: Tihanyi‐Kovács Renáta , Böröcz Péter , Ásványi Balázs
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Microbiological status and stability are important in mineral waters because of increased global demand. An increase in distribution and supply chains has led to prolonged periods of transportation, causing microbiological changes. Therefore, this study examines the effect of vibration on mineral water quality. Freshly bottled and previously sterilized mineral waters inoculated with microbes isolated from freshly bottled water were tested. The water samples were exposed to random vibration using ASTM (D4169) truck level I, II and III standard vibration protocol for truck transportation at 4 × 1 h at 22 ± 1 °C. After agitation their microbiological status was determined.

RESULTS

Under the influence of low‐intensity mechanical impact, the growth rate of autochthonous species in the freshly bottled natural mineral water tripled (μcontrol = 0.036 h−1, μvibrated = 0.093 h−1) and that of allochthonous species doubled (μcontrol = 0.035 h−1, μvibrated = 0.069 h−1). The latter was also observed in the case of high‐intensity vibration (μcontrol = 0.102 h−1, μvibrated = 0.200 h−1). The effect of the medium intensity of the standard was manifested in the delay in microbial growth.

CONCLUSION

The impact of transportation vibrations on microbiological status changes in mineral water could be observed when subjected to vibration. The native and allochthonous species of mineral water respond differently to changes in intensity. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
A study of lipolysis induced by adjuncts from edible Aspergillus sp. solid culture products on ripened semi‐hard cheese
Authors: Chintagavongse Napaporn , Takiguchi Hayate , Ming‐Hsuan Chi , Tamano Koichi , Hayakawa Toru , Wakamatsu Jun‐ichi , Mitani Tomohiro , Kumura Haruto
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Aspergillus sp. has been used in traditional Japanese fermented foods. Protease‐containing culture products of A. oryzae have been applied as the adjunct enzyme source to enrich the flavor in ripened cheese. Although proteolysis was stimulated, the increase of free fatty acids (FFA) was recognized in some products. Since an excess amount of FFA accumulation can cause rancidity in cheese products, the assessment of lipase activity was considered to be essential for the cheese adjunct preparation.

RESULTS

Although an equal lipase activity from the adjunct materials of A. kawachii NBRC 4308, A. luchuensis RIB 2604 and A. oryzae AHU 7139 was applied to semi‐hard cheese, the FFA level was significantly higher in A. oryzae cheese than in the others. Furthermore, the profiles of volatile components were different in experimental cheeses. An in vitro study with experimental curds demonstrated that the high FFA might not depend on the lipase retainability on curds. On the contrary, the pronounced activation of the lipases occurred in A. oryzae after incubation with the curds. Moreover, incubation of the insoluble lipase that had been attached to the cells with skim milk curd extracts allowed the release of lipases from the cells into the medium with remarkable activation.

CONCLUSION

A. oryzae AHU 7139 possessed a complex lipolytic system comprising extracellular and cell‐binding lipases that were attributed to the increase in FFA in A. oryzae cheese. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
ROS‐Sensitive Polymer Micelles for Selective Degradation in Primary Human Monocytes from Patients with Active IBD
Authors: Gardey Elena , Sobotta Fabian H. , Quickert Stefanie , Bruns Tony , Brendel Johannes C. , Stallmach Andreas
Published: January 2022

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in inflamed areas of the gastrointestinal tract and in circulating immune cells, providing novel opportunities for targeted drug delivery. In the recent experiments, oxidation‐responsive polymeric nanostructures selectively degrade in the presence of H2O2. Based on these results, it is hypothesized that such degradation process can be triggered in a similar way by the incubation with stimulated monocytes isolated from patients with IBD. A first indication is given by a significant correlation between excessive ROS and degradation of micelles in monocytes isolated from healthy individuals after phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) stimulation. But even if the ROS‐sensitive micelles are incubated with nonstimulated monocytes from patients with active IBD, a spontaneous degradation is observed in contrast to micelles incubated with monocytes from healthy donors. The findings indicate that the thioether‐based micelles are indeed promising for selective drug release in the presence of activated immune cells.
Long-term masticatory performance and ability following closed treatment for unilateral mandibular condylar neck or base fractures: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Weinberg Florine M. , Rosenberg Antoine J. W. P. , Muller Barbara S. , Speksnijder Caroline M.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study was to find explanatory variables for objective and patient-reported long-term masticatory functioning in patients treated with maxillomandibular fixation for unilateral condylar neck or base fractures. These outcomes were compared to healthy control subjects.

Methods

Patients treated between 1996 and 2013 were enrolled in the study. Objective measurements included the mixing ability test (MAT) for masticatory performance, and range of motion of the mandible. Patient-reported measurements included the mandibular function impairment questionnaire (MFIQ) for masticatory ability, and the visual analogue scale for pain. Healthy subjects were recruited between October 2018 and January 2019, and performed the MAT and MFIQ.

Results

Twenty-one patients and 30 healthy subjects were included. The average follow-up period was 11.67 years. In adjusted regression analysis, the amount of occlusal units (OU) was associated with the MAT (P = 0.020; R2 = 0.253) and MFIQ (P = 0.001, R2 = 0.454). The MAT outcome was similar in both groups when correcting for OU (P = 0.001; R2 = 0.201). The MFIQ was inferior in the patient group (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Long-term masticatory performance was similar in patients with a history of condylar neck or base fracture and healthy subjects; however, masticatory ability was inferior in patients compared to healthy subjects.
Moral Dilemmas in Foster Care Due to Religious Differences Between Birth Parents, Foster Parents, and Foster Children
Authors: van Bergen Diana D. , Saharso Sawitri , Degener Clementine J. , Bartelink Brenda E. , Vanderfaeillie Johan
Published: January 2022

Many ethnoreligious-minority foster children in several western countries, including the Netherlands, are placed and permanently live with ethnically and religiously non-matched foster families (i.e., in trans-religious foster care). We examine whether and which moral dilemmas exist around the issue of how religion should be weighted in trans-religious foster care to provide ethnoreligious-minority foster children with healthy identity development. We applied a thematic analysis to 17 qualitative interviews (seven foster parent/foster child dyads and three foster parents) taken from two pre-existing datasets. We retrieved five moral dilemmas in trans-religious foster care placements, which are discussed in relation to the following ethical arguments: (1) pressure from birth parents and parents of foster children to abide by their religious praxis; (2) objections of the foster family to the faith of the birth family; (3) a switch to the faith of the foster family by the foster child; (4) challenges to the religious identity searches of foster children due to ethnoreligious boundary drawing between majority and minority groups; and (5) the impact of religious traditions on the bodily integrity of foster children. We argue that it is in the best interest of foster children to have a foster family who, when making (some) religious choices on their behalf, is sensitive to the particular child and their developing identity with regard to their religious ideas and beliefs. Foster families need support regarding religious reflection and religious self-determinism in their foster children.
Digital Rock Reconstruction with User-Defined Properties Using Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Zheng Qiang , Zhang Dongxiao
Published: January 2022

Uncertainty is ubiquitous with multiphase flow in subsurface rocks due to their inherent heterogeneity and lack of in-situ measurements. To complete uncertainty analysis in a multi-scale manner, it is a prerequisite to provide sufficient rock samples. Even though the advent of digital rock technology offers opportunities to reproduce rocks, it still cannot be utilized to provide massive samples due to its high cost, thus leading to the development of diversified mathematical methods. Among them, two-point statistics (TPS) and multi-point statistics (MPS) are commonly utilized, which feature incorporating low-order and high-order statistical information, respectively. Recently, generative adversarial networks (GANs) are becoming increasingly popular since they can reproduce training images with excellent visual and consequent geologic realism. However, standard GANs can only incorporate information from data, while leaving no interface for user-defined properties, and thus may limit the representativeness of reconstructed samples. In this study, we propose conditional GANs for digital rock reconstruction, aiming to reproduce samples not only similar to the real training data, but also satisfying user-specified properties. In fact, the proposed framework can realize the targets of MPS and TPS simultaneously by incorporating high-order information directly from rock images with the GANs scheme, while preserving low-order counterparts through conditioning. We conduct three reconstruction experiments, and the results demonstrate that rock type, rock porosity, and correlation length can be successfully conditioned to affect the reconstructed rock images. The randomly reconstructed samples with specified rock type, porosity and correlation length will contribute to the subsequent research on pore-scale multiphase flow and uncertainty quantification.
API-GNN: attribute preserving oriented interactive graph neural network
Authors: Zhou Yuchen , Shang Yanmin , Cao Yanan , Li Qian , Zhou Chuan , Xu Guandong
Published: January 2022

Attributed graph embedding aims to learn node representation based on the graph topology and node attributes. The current mainstream GNN-based methods learn the representation of the target node by aggregating the attributes of its neighbor nodes. These methods still face two challenges: (1) In the neighborhood aggregation procedure, the attributes of each node would be propagated to its neighborhoods which may cause disturbance to the original attributes of the target node and cause over-smoothing in GNN iteration. (2) Because the representation of the target node is derived from the attributes and topology of its neighbors, the attributes and topological information of each neighbor have different effects on the representation of the target node. However, this different contribution has not been considered by the existing GNN-based methods. In this paper, we propose a novel GNN model named API-GNN (Attribute Preserving Oriented Interactive Graph Neural Network). API-GNN can not only reduce the disturbance of neighborhood aggregation to the original attribute of target node, but also explicitly model the different impacts of attribute and topology on node representation. We conduct experiments on six public real-world datasets to validate API-GNN on node classification and link prediction. Experimental results show that our model outperforms several strong baselines over various graph datasets on multiple graph analysis tasks.
Influence of solidification rates and heat treatment on the mechanical performance and joinability of the cast aluminium alloy AlSi10Mg
Authors: Neuser M. , Grydin O. , Frolov Y. , Schaper M.
Published: January 2022

In modern vehicle chassis, multi-material design is implemented to apply the appropriate material for each functionality. In spaceframe technology, both sheet metal and continuous cast are joined to castings at the nodal points of the chassis. Since resistance spot welding is not an option when different materials are joined, research is focusing on mechanical joining methods for multi-material designs. To reduce weight and achieve the required strength, hardenable cast aluminium alloys of the AlSi-system are widely used. Thus, 85–90% of aluminium castings in the automotive industry are comprised of the AlSi-system. Due to the limited weldability, mechanical joining is a suitable process. For this application, various optimisation strategies are required to produce a crack-free joint, as the brittle character of the AlSi alloy poses a challenge. Thus, adapted castings with appropriate ductility are needed. Hence, in this study, the age-hardenable cast aluminium alloy AlSi10Mg is investigated regarding the correlation of the different thicknesses, the microstructural characteristics as well as the resulting mechanical properties. A variation of the thicknesses leads to different solidification rates, which in turn affect the microstructure formation and are decisive for the mechanical properties of the casting as well as the joinability. For the investigation, plates with thicknesses from 2.0 to 4.0 mm, each differing by 0.5 mm, are produced via sand casting. Hence, the overall aim is to evaluate the joinability of AlSi10Mg and derive conclusions concerning the microstructure and mechanical properties.
Inclusion of groundwater and socio-economic factors for assessing comprehensive drought vulnerability over Narmada River Basin, India: A geospatial approach
Authors: Swain Sabyasachi , Mishra Surendra Kumar , Pandey Ashish , Kalura Praveen
Published: January 2022

Drought is amongst the most precarious natural hazards associated with severe repercussions. The characterization of droughts is usually carried out by the sector-specific (meteorological/agricultural/hydrological) indices that are mostly based on hydroclimatic variables. Groundwater is the major source of water supply during drought periods, and the socio-economic factors control the aftermaths of droughts; however, they are often ignored by the sector-specific indices, thereby failing to capture the overall impacts of droughts. This study aims to circumvent this issue by incorporating hydroclimatic, socio-economic and physiographic information to assess the overall drought vulnerability over Narmada River Basin, India, which is an agriculture-dominated basin highly dependent on groundwater resources. A Comprehensive Drought Vulnerability Indicator (CDVI) is proposed that assimilates the information on meteorological fluctuations, depth to groundwater level, slope, distance from river reach, population density, land use/land cover, soil type, and elevation through a geospatial approach. The CDVI showed a remarkable geospatial variation over the basin, with a majority (66.4%) of the area under highly to extremely vulnerable conditions. Out of 35 constituent districts of the basin, 9, 22, and 4 districts exhibited moderate, high, and extreme vulnerability to droughts, respectively. These results urge an immediate attention towards reducing drought vulnerability and enhancing resilience towards drought occurrences. The proposed multi-dimensional approach for drought vulnerability mapping would certainly help policy-makers to proactively plan and manage water resources over the basin, especially to ameliorate the pernicious impacts of droughts.
Evaluation of guidance provided by international standards on metrics and timelines for run-life estimation of oil and gas equipment
Authors: Selvik Jon T. , Alhanati Francisco J. S. , Signoret Jean-Pierre
Published: January 2022

Run-life is a concept used in the oil and gas industry to express time to failure for running equipment. When estimating this as part of reliability engineering activities, different metrics and time periods are considered. One metric is the traditional ‘mean time to failure’ (MTTF), but alternatives such as ‘average run-time’ or ‘average run-life’ can also be considered. For calculating these metrics, different time periods can be used. For example, when estimating the MTTF of well completion equipment, operating times or running times are normally used. However, the periods can also include idle time, where the item is technically available, but associated parts of the production facility might not be. For consistency across the industry, on how to interpret the metrics and what to include in calculating them when performing estimations, ISO 14224 (2016) and IEC 60050-192 (2015) in tandem provide guidance to ensure quality in reliability data collection and analysis. While MTTF is defined and a theoretical basis is given, guidance on when to use the different timelines for the estimation is sparse. Neither ‘run-time’ nor ‘run-life’ is explicitly defined in these standards. They provide no guidance on how to interpret and use the metrics ‘average run-time’ and ‘average run-life’, despite these sometimes replacing the MTTF in reliability analyses. In this article, we discuss the variation in metrics and associated timeline definitions. A main purpose is to identify improvement potentials in the international standards and suggest how to achieve appropriate guidance for consistent interpretation and use of time-to-failure metrics in the oil and gas industry. An additional purpose is to clarify whether all these metrics are really needed. There is particularly confusion around ‘run-time’, which some interpret as a reliability metric and some as an item’s cumulative running time. One suggestion is that the standards focus more on ‘running time’, by adding a formal definition, and clarify how it compares with operating time and run-time, and when to use it. We also suggest introducing ‘running time to failure’ and ‘operating time to failure’, which would be consistent with existing terminology, while clarifying the timeline being referred to. We use examples from well drilling and completion systems, to show the reliability implications for modeling and calculations.