bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Evolution and Fossil Record of Palaeognathous Birds (Neornithes: Palaeognathae)
Authors: Widrig Klara , Field Daniel J.
Published: February 2022

The extant diversity of the avian clade Palaeognathae is composed of the iconic flightless ratites (ostriches, rheas, kiwi, emus, and cassowaries), and the volant tinamous of Central and South America. Palaeognaths were once considered a classic illustration of diversification driven by Gondwanan vicariance, but this paradigm has been rejected in light of molecular phylogenetic and divergence time results from the last two decades that indicate that palaeognaths underwent multiple relatively recent transitions to flightlessness and large body size, reinvigorating research into their evolutionary origins and historical biogeography. This revised perspective on palaeognath macroevolution has highlighted lingering gaps in our understanding of how, when, and where extant palaeognath diversity arose. Towards resolving those questions, we aim to comprehensively review the known fossil record of palaeognath skeletal remains, and to summarize the current state of knowledge of their evolutionary history. Total clade palaeognaths appear to be one of a small handful of crown bird lineages that crossed the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary, but gaps in their Paleogene fossil record and a lack of Cretaceous fossils preclude a detailed understanding of their multiple transitions to flightlessness and large body size, and recognizable members of extant subclades generally do not appear until the Neogene. Despite these knowledge gaps, we combine what is known from the fossil record of palaeognaths with plausible divergence time estimates, suggesting a relatively rapid pace of diversification and phenotypic evolution in the early Cenozoic. In line with some recent authors, we surmise that the most recent common ancestor of palaeognaths was likely a relatively small-bodied, ground-feeding bird, features that may have facilitated total-clade palaeognath survivorship through the K-Pg mass extinction, and which may bear on the ecological habits of the ancestral crown bird.
Agricultural Land-Use Increases Floral Species Richness in Tropical Dry Forest and Savannah Ecosystems in West Africa
Authors: Akodéwou Amah , Godron Michel
Published: February 2022

The diversity and structure of plant communities are valuable indicators for assessing landscape quality. Land-use change is one of the main factors considered to affect and have the strongest impacts on biodiversity. In this study, we assessed the effects of the conversion of tropical dry forests and savannahs into agricultural lands on the floral diversity and the structure of the vegetation. For this purpose, we carried out vegetation surveys in 198 plots of 50 m × 50 m. Within each plot, we documented all herbaceous, shrubby, and tree species present. We calculated total, spatial, and local floral diversities by land-use types and characterized the structure of the plant communities. Our results show that the overall floral diversity of the study area remains quite high (483 species of vascular plants from 298 genera and 71 families) and was not strongly impacted by agricultural land use (Pareto inequality index is 23–77). Croplands had the highest spatial (9.4) and local diversities. There was no significant difference between the land-use types in terms of the native species richness while croplands harbored significantly the most alien species. Agricultural land use significantly affected the structure of the plant communities. Trees are very rare in croplands and are frequent in forests and savannahs. The clearing of Guinean dry forests and savannahs for cropping did not automatically lead to a loss of some aspects of ordinary floral diversity. For a better understanding of the effects of land-use change on biodiversity, it would then be more suitable to specify in the studies whether the species concerned are native, alien, generalist, or specialist.
Breaking Barriers in Emerging Biomedical Applications
Authors: Katzis Konstantinos , Berbakov Lazar , Gardašević Gordana , Šveljo Olivera
Published: February 2022

The recent global COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that the current healthcare system in modern society can hardly cope with the increased number of patients. Part of the load can be alleviated by incorporating smart healthcare infrastructure in the current system to enable patient’s remote monitoring and personalized treatment. Technological advances in communications and sensing devices have enabled the development of new, portable, and more power-efficient biomedical sensors, as well as innovative healthcare applications. Nevertheless, such applications require reliable, resilient, and secure networks. This paper aims to identify the communication requirements for mass deployment of such smart healthcare sensors by providing the overview of underlying Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Moreover, it highlights the importance of information theory in understanding the limits and barriers in this emerging field. With this motivation, the paper indicates how data compression and entropy used in security algorithms may pave the way towards mass deployment of such IoT healthcare devices. Future medical practices and paradigms are also discussed.
Stochastic Theory of Discrete Binary Fragmentation—Kinetics and Thermodynamics
Authors: Matsoukas Themis
Published: February 2022

We formulate binary fragmentation as a discrete stochastic process in which an integer mass k splits into two integer fragments j, k−j, with rate proportional to the fragmentation kernel Fj,k−j. We construct the ensemble of all distributions that can form in fixed number of steps from initial mass M and obtain their probabilities in terms of the fragmentation kernel. We obtain its partition function, the mean distribution and its evolution in time, and determine its stability using standard thermodynamic tools. We show that shattering is a phase transition that takes place when the stability conditions of the partition function are violated. We further discuss the close analogy between shattering and gelation, and between fragmentation and aggregation in general.
Monitoring, Detection and Locating of Transient Earth Fault Using Zero-Sequence Current and Cable Screen Earthing Current in Medium Voltage Cable and Mixed Feeders
Authors: Łowczowski Krzysztof , Olejnik Bartosz
Published: February 2022

This paper presents the final development of an expert system utilizing a measurement of cable screen earthing transient current. The developed system allows for identification and location of earth fault in underground cable and mixed lines (underground cable and overhead line) and monitoring of an earthing system and cable screen connections. The unique feature of the developed earth fault locating system is the possibility of identification of line type and branch of the MV underground cable or mixed feeder under earth fault conditions. As a result, the time to remove failure can be greatly reduced and the number of earth fault indicators installed in the distribution network can also be reduced. Unfortunately, in order to operate properly, the previously developed system requires a fundamental—50 Hz component of the measured zero-sequence cable core current and cable screen earthing current; therefore, short transient earth faults without steady-state earth fault currents cannot be localized and categorized even though the transient earth faults have a negative impact on the power system. According to measurements performed by the authors, transient earth faults are relatively frequent, which causes stress to insulation. The number of transient earth faults may be reduced by ensuring proper maintenance of the distribution system. Unfortunately, because of the very large area of the distribution feeder, often in the range of tens of kilometers or even around a hundred kilometers, and many potential causes of earth faults, it is very difficult to localize the transient earth fault and determine the cause of the earth fault. Herein, we present the possible causes of transient earth faults and methods developed for the analysis of transient earth faults. Moreover, the novel algorithm for transient earth fault detection and location is proposed. The proposed algorithm has a self-learning capability and can identify branches of the distribution feeder under transient earth fault conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is confirmed thanks to the performed network experiment.
Metal Additive Manufacturing for Electrical Machines: Technology Review and Latest Advancements
Authors: Selema Ahmed , Ibrahim Mohamed N. , Sergeant Peter
Published: February 2022

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) has been growing remarkably in the past few years. Thanks to the advantages of unmatched flexibility and zero material waste, this clean technology opens the door for new design solutions with greater material efficiency, which are not possible through conventional machining techniques. In this paper, we provide a technology overview of metal AM techniques that can be utilized in a wide range of applications, including constructing electrical machines. Different techniques of metal AM are discussed and compared. Additionally, the impact of the material forms (powder/wire) on printing speed and quality are studied. Based on the industrial and technical literature, this paper provides a comprehensive review of metal AM in the fabrication of electrical machines and their applications. This includes the current state of the art and associated benefits of AM in these applications.
A Comprehensive Review on Modular Multilevel Converters, Submodule Topologies, and Modulation Techniques
Authors: Barros Luis A. M. , Martins António P. , Pinto José Gabriel
Published: February 2022

The concept of the modular multilevel converter (MLC) has been raising interest in research in order to improve their performance and applicability. The potential of an MLC is enormous, with a great focus on medium- and high-voltage applications, such as solar photovoltaic and wind farms, electrified railway systems, or power distribution systems. This concept makes it possible to overcome the limitation of the semiconductors blocking voltages, presenting advantageous characteristics. However, the complexity of implementation and control presents added challenges. Thus, this paper aims to contribute with a critical and comparative analysis of the state-of-the-art aspects of this concept in order to maximize its potential. In this paper, different power electronics converter topologies that can be integrated into the MLC concept are presented, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each topology. Nevertheless, different modulation techniques used in an MLC are also presented and analyzed. Computational simulations of all the modulation techniques under analysis were developed, based on four cascaded full-bridge topologies. Considering the simulation results, a comparative analysis was possible to make regarding the symmetry of the synthesized waveforms, the harmonic content, and the power distribution in each submodule constituting the MLC.
The Effect of Resorcinol on the Kinetics of Underpotentially Deposited Hydrogen and the Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Studied on Polycrystalline Pt in a 0.5 M H2SO4 Solution
Authors: Kuczyński Mateusz , Łuba Mateusz , Mikołajczyk Tomasz , Pierożyński Bogusław
Published: February 2022

This article reports on the influence of resorcinol (RC) on the kinetics of underpotential deposition of hydrogen (UPD of H) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), studied on a polycrystalline Pt electrode in a 0.5 M sulphuric acid supporting solution. It is well known that both PEM fuel cells and water electrolysers’ electrodes often contain significant amounts of nanostructured Pt or other types of noble metal particles. These materials provide the superior catalytic activity of electrochemical reactions such as OER (oxygen evolution reaction), HER (hydrogen evolution reaction) and ORR (oxygen reduction reaction). The trace amounts of phenolic substances contained in air or water could be harmful (when in contact with a fuel cell/water electrolyser’s working environment) to the abovementioned catalytic surfaces. Hence, they could potentially have severe detrimental effects on the kinetics of these processes. The results obtained in this work provided evidence for the detrimental role of Pt surface-adsorbed resorcinol molecules (or their electrodegradation products) on the kinetics of UPD of H and the oxygen evolution reaction. The above was revealed through evaluation of the associated charge-transfer resistance and capacitance parameters, comparatively derived on a platinum electrode, for the initial and the resorcinol-modified H2SO4 electrolyte.
Tsunami Alert Efficiency
Authors: Yahav Amir , Salamon Amos
Published: February 2022

“Tsunami Alert Efficiency” is the rapid, accurate and reliable conduct of tsunami warning messaging, from the detection of potential tsunamigenic earthquakes to dissemination to all people under threat, and the successful survival of every person at risk on the basis of prior awareness and preparedness.
Creating a Millennial-Long Chronology in Northern Canada: Dendroarchaeological Dating of the Moose Horn Pass Caribou Fence (KjRx-1), Mackenzie Mountains, NT
Authors: Beckhusen Gary , Stuart Glenn , Andrew Leon , MacKay Glen , Andrews Thomas , Laroque Colin
Published: February 2022

The Moose Horn Pass Caribou Fence site (KjRx-1) consists of three wooden fences located in a remote area of the Mackenzie Mountains in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Situated in the traditional homeland of the Shúhtagot’ine (Mountain Dene), they were used to assist past hunters to harvest northern mountain caribou by channeling multiple animals toward kill zones. The main fence is nearly 800 m in length and terminates in a corral structure after descending from high ground into a valley. The two smaller fences are located north and south of the main fence, and they do not descend into the valley. Standard dendrochronological methods were employed to determine the ages of wood taken from the fence structures. Seventy-five living white spruce (Picea glauca) trees in the area were cored to determine the overall tree-ring growth patterns in the local environment. The chronology of living trees was supplemented by the inclusion of 29 standing-dead trees to establish a longer chronology of dated ring widths. Sixty-two of 89 cross-sections cut from the fence timbers were crossdated and added to the overall chronology, which created a well-replicated chronology of ring-widths from 972 to 2016 C.E. The terminal dates of material from the three fence systems suggest that the complex was built from trees that died over a wide temporal period, spanning the years 1314 to 1876 C.E, with clusters of dates between ca. 1420–1480 and 1580–1750 C.E. The millennial-long chronology developed in this study can now be used as a base to assist in dendroarchaeological dating of many more artifacts from the region.
Influences of Landscape Configuration on River Water Quality
Authors: Aalipour Mehdi , Antczak Elżbieta , Dostál Tomáš , Jabbarian Amiri Bahman Jabbarian
Published: February 2022

The present study investigated the effects of changes in landscape configuration on river water quality, which is calculated by chemical export coefficients, using spatial data onto 31 catchments in the southwestern part of the Caspian Sea basin by applying stepwise multivariate regression models. The water quality modeling has been carried out applying the chemical export coefficients of sulfate, bicarbonate, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, and eight landscape metrics (including interspersion juxtaposition index, percentage of like adjacencies, aggregation index, clumpiness index, normalized landscape shape index, patch cohesion index, landscape division index, and splitting index), by which landscape configuration is analyzed. The results indicated that the sulfate (0.25 ± 0.33 gr ha−1yr−1), bicarbonate (0.61 ± 0.87 gr ha−1 yr−1), chlorine (0.17 ± 0.23 gr ha−1 yr−1), calcium (0.16 ± 0.21 gr ha−1 yr−1), magnesium (0.05 ± 0.07 gr ha−1 yr−1), and sodium (0.16 ± 0.21 gr ha−1 yr−1) are annually exported from the study catchments into the rivers. The change in landscape configuration has significantly explained the chemical export coefficients of sulfate, bicarbonate, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. The findings showed the cohesion and coherence of the permanently irrigated land patches resulting in the discontinuity of the broad-leaved forest and grassland ecosystems degraded river water quality.
Phosphorus Limitation of Trees Influences Forest Soil Fungal Diversity in China
Authors: Zheng Lamei , Song Wenchen
Published: February 2022

Fungal-biogeography studies have shown global patterns of biotic interactions on microbial biogeography. However, the mechanisms underlying these patterns remain relatively unexplored. To determine the dominant factors affecting forest soil fungal diversity in China, soil and leaves from 33 mountain forest reserves were sampled, and their properties were measured. We tested three hypotheses and established the most realistic one for China. The results showed that the soil fungal diversity (Shannon index) varied unimodally with latitude. The relative abundance of ectomycorrhizae was significantly positively correlated with the leaf nitrogen/phosphorus. The effects of soil available phosphorus and pH on fungal diversity depended on the ectomycorrhizal fungi, and the fungal diversity shifted by 93% due to available phosphorus, potassium, and pH. Therefore, we concluded that latitudinal changes in temperature and the variations in interactions between different fungal guilds (ectomycorrhizal, saprotrophic, and plant pathogenic fungi) did not have a major influence. Forest soil fungal diversity was affected by soil pH, available phosphorus, and potassium, which are driven by the phosphorus limitation of trees.
Effects of Magnesium Application on Tipburn Incidence and Calcium Acquisition in Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) Cultivars
Authors: Kuronuma Takanori , Ishikawa Kanami , Watanabe Hitoshi
Published: February 2022

The occurrence of tipburn is a severe problem in horticulture crop production. A previous study suggested that, in lisianthus, tipburn is caused by imbalanced calcium (Ca) distribution. However, there are few studies on the effects of other cations on tipburn incidence in lisianthus cultivars. In this study, to determine the effect of Magnesium (Mg) concentration in nutrient solution on tipburn incidence and Ca and Mg acquisition, three lisianthus cultivars (‘Celeb Wine’: CW, ‘Reina White’: RW, and ‘Voyage Peach’: VP) were cultivated under different Mg concentrations in nutrient solution (12 ppm, 34.7 ppm, and 75.4 ppm). Under high nutritional Mg concentrations, CW and RW had significantly decreased tipburn severity, while VP showed no significant differences in tipburn severity among the treatments. Total Ca concentrations in all cultivars significantly increased at higher nutritional Mg concentrations, which indicated that Mg application in lisianthus cultivars promoted Ca acquisition. Furthermore, it was suggested that CW and RW had the ability to distribute increased Mg to the tip of the upper leaves, thereby promoting Ca distribution. Thus, a decrease in tipburn severity in CW and RW at higher nutritional Mg concentrations appeared to occur.
Identifying the Major Hydrogeochemical Factors Governing Groundwater Chemistry in the Coastal Aquifers of Southwest Bangladesh Using Statistical Analysis
Authors: Sarker Md. Mizanur Rahman , Hermans Thomas , Van Camp Marc , Hossain Delwar , Islam Mazeda , Ahmed Nasir , Bhuiyan Md. Abdul Quaiyum , Karim Md. Masud , Walraevens Kristine
Published: February 2022

People in the southwestern (SW) coastal part of Bangladesh are suffering from a severe freshwater crisis due to saline groundwater at a shallow depth. Fresh groundwater below a 200 m depth is an option, but it is costly to construct deep tubewells for the local inhabitants. The processes of salinization and freshening were previously identified using conventional methods. In this study, we brought new insight into these processes by analyzing existing datasets using multivariate statistics to identify the factors affecting groundwater chemistry. Cluster analysis (CA) revealed three major clusters. Cluster A corresponded to saline (NaCl-type) water. Cluster B was also saline (NaCl-type) water but showed mixing effects. Cluster C was fresh groundwater (NaHCO3-type) and isolated. The hydrochemical characteristics of clusters A, B and C compared remarkably well with the groundwaters from the upper shallow aquifer (USA), lower shallow aquifer (LSA) and deep aquifer (DA), respectively. Factor analysis (FA) showed that 75% of the total variance was influenced by evaporate dissolution, carbonate dissolution/precipitation, cation exchange and anthropogenic pollution to some extent. Therefore, the integrated approach showed the validity of applying multivariate statistical techniques to infer the dominant hydrochemistry and to characterize and understand a complicated hydrogeological system.
Through the Second Wave: Analysis of the Psychological and Perceptive Changes in the Italian Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Guazzini Andrea , Pesce Andrea , Marotta Lorena , Duradoni Mirko
Published: February 2022

More than a year has passed since “patient 0” was found and COVID-19 is now an established reality that a lot of people have had to accept and coexist with. In Italy, the pandemic hit in “waves”, but the studies assessing the longitudinal impact of the pandemic in the general population are not many. In this paper, we compared data collected during the first wave with data gathered during the second one, so that we can provide insights about the Italian population’s psychological adaptation to the pandemic also by comparing them with pre-pandemic normative scores. From our results, it seemed that people were seeking a compromise: indeed, despite the still-relevant risk perception, people apparently “learned” how to deal with the pandemic as indicated by an increase in self-efficacy and a more internal locus of control.
17 Is the New 15: Changing Alcohol Consumption among Swedish Youth
Authors: Raninen Jonas , Livingston Michael , Ramstedt Mats , Zetterqvist Martina , Larm Peter , Svensson Johan
Published: February 2022

To examine and compare trends in drinking prevalence in nationally representative samples of Swedish 9th and 11th grade students between 2000 and 2018. A further aim is to compare drinking behaviours in the two age groups during years with similar drinking prevalence. Data were drawn from annual surveys of a nationally representative sample of students in year 9 (15–16 years old) and year 11 (17–18 years old). The data covered 19 years for year 9 and 16 years for year 11. Two reference years where the prevalence of drinking was similar were extracted for further comparison, 2018 for year 11 (n = 4878) and 2005 for year 9 (n = 5423). The reference years were compared with regard to the volume of drinking, heavy episodic drinking, having had an accident and quarrelling while drunk. The prevalence of drinking declined in both age groups during the study period. The rate of decline was somewhat higher among year 9 students. In 2018, the prevalence of drinking was the same for year 11 students as it was for year 9 students in 2005. The volume of drinking was lower among year 11 students in 2018 than year 9 students in 2005. No differences were observed for heavy episodic drinking. The decline in drinking has caused a displacement of consumption so that today’s 17–18-year-olds have a similar drinking behaviour to what 15–16-year-olds had in 2005.
Does Use of Solid Cooking Fuels Increase Family Medical Expenses in China?
Authors: Lin Boqiang , Wei Kai
Published: February 2022

China has tried to replace solid fuels with cleaner energy in households. The benefits of fuel switching need to be identified. This article shows that households using solid cooking fuels suffer heavier medical expenses than those using non-solid cooking fuels. After accounting for family characteristics, using solid fuels is associated with 1.4–1.9% increases in medical care. Through the analysis of the impact mechanism, we found that solid cooking fuels harm the health conditions of family members and increase the probability of illness, thereby increasing medical expenses, while the ratio of fuel fees does not change significantly if switching cooking fuels. Furthermore, we explored heterogeneity to better understand the underlying relationship. For urban and higher-educated families with house ownership, the impact of solid fuels on medical expenses was weaker compared to rural and lower-educated households without owned houses. Therefore, considering the costs and benefits, we recommend continuing the conversion from solid fuels to non-solid fuels. In the fuel transition process, it is beneficial to raise residents’ awareness and improve behavior to avoid indoor air pollution.
Social Bots’ Involvement in the COVID-19 Vaccine Discussions on Twitter
Authors: Zhang Menghan , Qi Xue , Chen Ze , Liu Jun
Published: February 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media served as an important channel for the public to obtain health information and disseminate opinions when offline communication was severely hindered. Yet the emergence of social bots influencing social media conversations about public health threats will require researchers and practitioners to develop new communication strategies considering their influence. So far, little is known as to what extent social bots have been involved in COVID-19 vaccine-related discussions and debates on social media. This work selected a period of nearly 9 months after the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccines to detect social bots and performed high-frequency word analysis for both social bot-generated and human-generated tweets, thus working out the extent to which social bots participated in the discussion on the COVID-19 vaccine on Twitter and their participation features. Then, a textual analysis was performed on the content of tweets. The findings revealed that 8.87% of the users were social bots, with 11% of tweets in the corpus. Besides, social bots remained active over three periods. High-frequency words in the discussions of social bots and human users on vaccine topics were similar within the three peaks of discourse.
S-Fertilizer (Elemental Sulfur) Improves the Phytoextraction of Cadmium through Solanum nigrum L.
Authors: Alatawi Aishah , Wang Xiukang , Maqbool Arosha , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Usman Kamal , Rizwan Muhammad , Yasmeen Tahira , Arif Muhammad Saleem , Noreen Shamaila , Hussain Afzal , Ali Shafaqat
Published: February 2022

Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals [such as cadmium (Cd)] is becoming a serious global problem due to the rapid development of the social economy. This study was carried out to assess the beneficial role of two different kinds of (S)-fertilizer in the phytoremediation of Cd contaminated soil through Solanum nigrum L. Gypsum (Gyp) and Elemental sulfur (ES) was applied alone and in combination with different ratios (0, 100:0, 0:100, 50:50 mg kg−1) accompanied by different Cd levels (0, 25, 50 mg kg−1). After seventy days of sowing, plants were harvested for determination of growth, physiological characteristics, oxidants and antioxidants, along with Cd uptake from different parts of the plant. Cd toxicity significantly inhibited growth, physiology and plant defence systems, and also increased Cd uptake in the roots and shoots of Solanum nigrum L. The application of Gyp 100 mg kg−1 boosted plant growth and physiology along with oxidants and antioxidants activity as compared to ES 100 mg kg−1 alone, and combine application of GYP+ES 50 + 50 mg kg−1. The application of ES 100 mg kg−1 showed an effective approach to decreasing Cd uptake as compared to Gyp 100 mg kg−1. Overall results showed that the combined application of GYP+ES 50 + 50 mg kg−1 significantly enhanced the phytoremediation potential of S. nigrum in Cd contaminated soil. Thus, it is highly recommended to apply the combined application of GYP+ES for phytoremediation of Cd contaminated soil.
Prevalence of Disability among the Chinese Older Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zheng Pian-Pian , Guo Zi-Le , Du Xiao-Jing , Yang Han-Mo , Wang Zhen-Jie
Published: February 2022

Background: Disability is an important problem in aging societies globally. However, the research findings of the prevalence of disability have been inconsistent. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of disability and its influencing factors among the Chinese older population from 1979 to 31 July 2021. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using both international (PubMed, Web of Science, CBMdisc, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE) and Chinese (CNKI, CQVIP, and WanFang) databases. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to account for heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses were also done. Results: The pooled prevalence of disability across all 97 studies was 26.2% (95% CI: 23.7–28.6%). The estimates varied according to the types of activities of daily living (ADL), gender, age, and region. Studies based on the identification of cases by using the complete ADL scale showed a higher prevalence than those using the basic ADL scale. The prevalence was slightly higher among female older individuals than among male older individuals. The highest rates were seen in older individuals aged 80 years or older. Elders in central China, southwest China, and northwest China were more likely to be BADL-disabled. Conclusion: Prevalence of disability among the Chinese older population is high, around 26%. Using standardized diagnostic systems to correctly estimate the prevalence of disability would be helpful for public health professionals in China.
Parasitological Assessment of Sewage Sludge Samples for Potential Agricultural Reuse in Tunisia
Authors: Sabbahi Sonia , Ben Ayed Layla , Trad Monia , Berndtsson Ronny , Karanis Panagiotis
Published: February 2022

Wastewater sludge represents an important resource for reuse in agriculture. However, potentially harmful pathogens are a main threat in this context. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the presence of helminth ova and protozoan cysts in dried sewage sludge samples collected from ten wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in eight governorates in Tunisia. Based on morphological criteria, protozoan cysts of Giardia spp., Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii, and Entamoeba coli, were detected in all dried sludge composite samples (N = 116) from the investigated WWTPs. The mean concentration ranged from 1.4 to 10.7 cysts per 100 g dry matter (DM). The identified helminth eggs were Ascaris spp., Strongyles, Taeniid eggs, Hymenolepis nana, Enterobius vermicularis, and hookworm species. Ascaris spp. and Taeniid eggs were detected in 56.9 and 74.1% of analyzed samples, respectively. The presence of Trichuris spp., Hymenolepis diminuta, and Toxocara spp. eggs in dried sewage sludge samples was low (0.9, 1.7, and 2.6%, respectively). The mean concentration of helminth eggs during the three-year study was less than 1 egg/100 g DM. All examined dried sewage sludge sample contents were below the WHO (2006) and US EPA (2003) recommendations, and thus, the sludge can potentially be reused in agriculture.
Natural Bioactive Compounds in the Management of Oral Diseases in Nephropathic Patients
Authors: Basilicata Michele , Di Lauro Manuela , Campolattano Vincenzo , Marrone Giulia , Celotto Roberto , Mitterhofer Anna Paola , Bollero Patrizio , Di Daniele Nicola , Noce Annalisa
Published: February 2022

Among the chronic non-communicable degenerative diseases (CDNCDs), chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a global public health problem. Recent studies demonstrate a mutual cause–effect relationship between CKD and oral diseases, in which the presence of one induces the onset and faster progression of the other. In particular, the oral cavity alterations more frequent in CKD patients are: chronic periodontitis diseases, bone lesions, oral infections, and oral cancer lesions. Currently, a standardized therapy for the treatment of oral diseases is lacking. For this reason, natural bioactive compounds (NBCs), characterized by several health effects, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer actions, represent a new possible adjuvant therapy in the management of these pathological conditions. Among NBCs, polyphenols play a leading role due to positive modulation of oral microbiota, preventing and correcting oral dysbiosis. Moreover, these compounds exert anti-inflammatory effects, such as inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of cycloxigenase-2. In this light, the formulation of a new mouthwash/gel/gingival paste, with a high content of polyphenols in association with NBCs characterized by antimicrobial action, could represent a future therapy of oral disease in CKD patients.
A Scoping Review of Moral Stressors, Moral Distress and Moral Injury in Healthcare Workers during COVID-19
Authors: Riedel Priya-Lena , Kreh Alexander , Kulcar Vanessa , Lieber Angela , Juen Barbara
Published: February 2022

Ethical dilemmas for healthcare workers (HCWs) during pandemics highlight the centrality of moral stressors and moral distress (MD) as well as potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) and moral injury (MI). These constructs offer a novel approach to understanding workplace stressors in healthcare settings, especially in the demanding times of COVID-19, but they so far lack clear identification of causes and consequences. A scoping review of moral stressors, moral distress, PMIEs, and MI of healthcare workers during COVID-19 was conducted using the databases Web of Science Core Collection and PsycINFO based on articles published up to October 2021. Studies were selected based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) the measurement of either moral stress, MD, PMIEs, or MI among HCWs; (2) original research using qualitative or quantitative methods; and (3) the availability of the peer-reviewed original article in English or German. The initial search revealed n = 149,394 studies from Web of Science and n = 34 studies from EBSCOhost. Nineteen studies were included in the review. Conditions representing moral stressors and PMIEs as well as MD and MI as their potential outcomes in healthcare contexts during COVID-19 are presented and discussed. Highlighting MD and MI in HCWs during COVID-19 brings attention to the need for conceptualizing the impact of moral stressors of any degree. Therefore, the development of a common, theoretically founded model of MD and MI is desirable.
The Systematic Workplace-Improvement Needs Generation (SWING): Verifying a Worker-Centred Tool for Identifying Necessary Workplace Improvements in a Nursing Home in Japan
Authors: Hidaka Tomoo , Sato Sei , Endo Shota , Kasuga Hideaki , Masuishi Yusuke , Kakamu Takeyasu , Fukushima Tetsuhito
Published: February 2022

This study developed and tested a new measurement instrument, the Systematic Workplace-Improvement Needs Generation (SWING), to identify workplace-improvement needs. The participants were 53 workers in a Japanese nursing home for the elderly. The respondents used the SWING questionnaire to self-generate five ‘cues’ they considered important to improve the workplace. The workers determined each cue’s sufficiency level and weight balance (importance), and then we summarised the 265 cues into 21 categories for workplace improvements. The respondents identified the following items as the most important and the least sufficiently provided areas for workplace improvement: ‘interaction with customers’, ‘physical and psychological harassment’, ‘rewarding and challenging work’, and ‘sharing goals and objectives’. Although the workplace-improvement recommendations differed greatly from person to person, SWING prioritised the items by weight (importance) and sufficiency (current status), allowing organisations to address the needed improvements systematically. The SWING tool effectively elicited and prioritised respondents’ recommendations for improving the workplace. Because its items are self-generated by the respondents, SWING can be used for any occupation or workplace. Visualisation with bubble plots to clarify the improvement needs is incorporated into SWING.
Food Insecurity Is Associated with Mental–Physical Comorbidities among U.S. Adults: NHANES 2013 to 2016
Authors: O’Neal LaToya J. , Jo Ara , Scarton Lisa , Bruce Marino A.
Published: February 2022

The co-occurrence of mental and physical conditions has increased significantly during the last decade. However, research examining the influence of social factors such as food insecurity is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between food insecurity and mental–physical comorbidity status among U.S. adults. Data for this analysis were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2013–2016. Respondents ages 18 and older who reported at least one of three chronic conditions (i.e., type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia) and responded to a nine-item depression scale were included in the analytic sample. The prevalence of food insecurity among those with depression and a cardiometabolic condition was 34% compared to 13% among those with a cardiometabolic condition only. Findings from multinomial logistic regression models indicated that food insecurity was associated with higher risk of mental–physical comorbidity (OR: 3.6, 95% CI: 2.26–5.76). Respondents reporting poor diet and poor self-reported health had higher odds of comorbid depression and cardiometabolic conditions. Female respondents had increased odds of comorbid depression and cardiometabolic conditions. Food insecurity is associated with co-occurring depression and cardiometabolic disease and may have implications for disease management.
Electronic Cigarettes or Vaping: Are There Any Differences in the Profiles, Use and Perceptions between a Developed and a Developing Country?
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Aziz , Joseph Bindu , Nimmi Naima
Published: February 2022

The use of electronic cigarettes or vaping is currently increasing in popularity globally. Debate continues regarding their potential role for smoking cessation. We aimed to compare the profiles, use and perceptions of using e-cigarettes amongst online forum users in a developed and a developing country. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among members of different popular online forums in Australia and Bangladesh who were current or ex-users of e-cigarettes. There were 422 study participants, 261 (62%) from Australia and 161 (38%) from Bangladesh. The mean age was 36.3 (±12) years and 83% were men. Australians were more likely to be exclusive users of e-cigarettes (70% vs. 30%, AOR 3.05 [95% CI 1.63–5.71]), but less likely to be dual users of smoking and e-cigarettes (43% vs. 57%, 0.36 [0.19–0.69]); they were also more likely to mention that the perceived reasons for using were their low cost, good taste/flavour, safety and assistance in reducing or quitting smoking (66% vs. 34%, 5.10 [2.04–12.8]), but less likely to mention a social/cool image as a reason for use (23% vs. 77%, 0.11 [0.01–0.87]) compared with Bangladeshi participants. About two-thirds of the participants in both countries perceived the use of e-cigarettes as less addictive than cigarettes and more than three-quarters perceived them as less harmful. E-cigarette users in Australia were more likely to use them to reduce or quit cigarettes compared with those in Bangladesh, and dual use was common in Bangladesh. These findings warrant the consideration of precautions for promoting e-cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for smoking cessation in developing countries, such as Bangladesh.
Factors Affecting Citizen Trust and Public Engagement Relating to the Generation and Use of Real-World Evidence in Healthcare
Authors: Horgan Denis , Borisch Bettina , Cattaneo Ivana , Caulfield Mark , Chiti Arturo , Chomienne Christine , Cole Amanda , Facey Karen , Hackshaw Allan , Hendolin Minna , Georges Nadia , Kalra Dipak , Tumienė Birutė , von Meyenn Martina
Published: February 2022

The potential for the use of real-world data (RWD) to generate real-world evidence (RWE) that can inform clinical decision-making and health policy is increasingly recognized, albeit with hesitancy in some circles. If used appropriately, the rapidly expanding wealth of health data could improve healthcare research, delivery of care, and patient outcomes. However, this depends on two key factors: (1) building structures that increase the confidence and willingness of European Union (EU) citizens to permit the collection and use of their data, and (2) development of EU health policy to support and shape data collection infrastructures, methodologies, transmission, and use. The great potential for use of RWE in healthcare improvement merits careful exploration of the drivers of, and challenges preventing, efficient RWD curation. Literature-based research was performed to identify relevant themes and discussion topics for two sets of expert panels, organized by the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine. These expert panels discussed steps that would enable a gradual but steady growth in the quantity, quality, and beneficial deployment of RWE. Participants were selected to provide insight based on their professional medical, economic, patient, industry, or governmental experience. Here, we propose a framework that addresses public trust and access to data, cross-border governance, alignment of evidence frameworks, and demonstrable improvements in healthcare decisions. We also discuss key case studies that support these recommendations, in accordance with the discussions at the expert panels.
The Role of Parenting Practices on the Parent Perceived Impact of Child Oral Health on Family Wellbeing
Authors: Aurlene Nesa , Tadakamadla Jyothi , Arora Amit , Sun Jing , Tadakamadla Santosh Kumar
Published: February 2022

Background: Family characteristics and parenting practices could significantly influence child oral health and the impact of child oral health on family wellbeing. Aim: To determine the association between parenting practices and parent-perceived impact of children’s oral health condition on family wellbeing. Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1539 school children in India. Parents answered the short form of FIS (Family Impact Scale), and PCRQ (parent–child relationship questionnaire) to assess the impact of the child’s oral health on family and parenting practices, respectively. Two factors emerged on factor analysis of PCRQ: ‘Positive parenting’ and ‘Power assertive parenting’. The intra-oral examination was conducted for children to assess their dental caries experience and gingival health status. Unadjusted linear regression and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to determine the influence of parenting practices on FIS. Results: An increase in power assertion (B = 1.16) parenting was associated with increased FIS scores indicating a higher adverse impact of the child’s oral health on family wellbeing when parents used more power assertive parenting practices. On the other hand, an increase in positive parenting (B = −1.27) was associated with decreased FIS scores, indicating a lesser impact of child’s oral health on family wellbeing when parents used more positive parenting practices. Conclusions: Parenting practices were associated with parents’ perceptions of the effect of children’s oral health on family wellbeing.
Factors Associated with Postoperative Rehospitalization in Patients with Cervical Disc Herniation
Authors: Lin Pei-I , Chen Tai-Hsiang , Chung Hsien-Hui , Su Tsung-Ming , Ma Chen-Chung , Ou Tzu-Chi
Published: February 2022

Cervical disc herniation (CDH) is a prevalent disease because of the poor living habits of and great pressure in modern society. Patients experience hand numbness, neck stiffness, soreness, and weakness due to neck nerve root compression, which leads to a gradual increase of neurosurgery outpatients. Although poor posture by the overuse of computers is possibly the origin of CDH, analysis of related factors causing the rehospitalization for CDH patients after surgery in Taiwan is not commonly reported. Thus, the present study focused on the demographics and surgery-related treatment on the relevance of rehospitalization for CDH patients after surgery. The design of the study was retrospective, and we collected data by medical record review, which was derived from the inpatient surgery data of patients at a medical center in southern Taiwan. The study lasted two years from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2018, and a total of 248 patients underwent surgery for intervertebral disc protrusion in the neck. The retrospective study adopted narrative statistics, the chi-squared test, and binary logistic regression analysis to identify factors affecting postoperative rehospitalization. Among 248 postoperative patients with intervertebral disc protrusion, 178 underwent cervical fusion surgery, and 32 were rehospitalized after surgery for one-year follow up, accounting for an overall prevalence rate of 12.9%. There were no significant differences in sex, age, occupation, hypertension, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, artificial disc replacement, hybrid surgery, and postoperative cervical coil use (p > 0.05). The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed statistically significant differences in abnormal body mass index (p = 0.0187, 95% CI = 1.238–10.499), diabetes (p = 0.0137, 95% CI = 1.288–9.224) and cervical vertebral surgery hospital days (p = 0.0004, 95% CI = 1.028–1.102), predicting the outcome of rehospitalization for CDH patients after surgery. The above results showed that abnormal body mass index, diabetes, and cervical vertebral surgery hospitalization days impacted rehospitalization in CDH patients after surgery. Thus, to prevent diabetes, weight control must be monitored, and maintaining correct posture can reduce CDH and decrease the rate of rehospitalization after surgery, which provides a critical reference for hospital managers and clinical staff.
Long Non-Coding RNA LINC02802 Regulates In Vitro Sprouting Angiogenesis by Sponging microRNA-486-5p
Authors: Rosano Stefania , Parab Sushant , Noghero Alessio , Corà Davide , Bussolino Federico
Published: February 2022

In the last several years, accumulating evidence indicates that noncoding RNAs, especially long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs, play essential roles in regulating angiogenesis. However, the contribution of lncRNA-mediated competing-endogenous RNA (ceRNA) activity in the control of capillary sprouting from the pre-existing ones has not been described so far. Here, by exploiting the transcriptomic profile of VEGF-A-activated endothelial cells in a consolidate three-dimensional culture system, we identified a list of lncRNAs whose expression was modified during the sprouting process. By crossing the lncRNAs with a higher expression level and the highest fold change value between unstimulated and VEGF-A-stimulated endothelial cells, we identified the unknown LINC02802 as the best candidate to take part in sprouting regulation. LINC02802 was upregulated after VEGF-A stimulation and its knockdown resulted in a significant reduction in sprouting activity. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that LINC02802 acts as a ceRNA in the post-transcriptional regulation of Mastermind-like-3 (MAML3) gene expression through a competitive binding with miR-486-5p. Taken together, these results suggest that LINC02802 plays a critical role in preventing the miR-486-5p anti-angiogenic effect and that this inhibitory effect results from the reduction in MAML3 expression.