bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
(Re)Designing Urban Parks to Maximize Urban Heat Island Mitigation by Natural Means
Authors: Barradas Victor L. , Miranda Jennifer A. , Esperón-Rodríguez Manuel , Ballinas Monica
Published: July 2022

Urban trees play a key role in mitigating urban heat by cooling the local environment. However, the cooling benefit that trees can provide is influenced by differences in species traits and site-specific environmental conditions. Fifteen dominant urban tree species in parks from Mexico City were selected considering physiological traits (i.e., transpiration and stomatal conductance) and aesthetic and morphological characteristics. Species’ physiological performance was measured to explore the potential of trees to reduce urban heat load. Data were collected over a 4-week period in the months of April and May 2020, the warmest and driest months of the year in Mexico City. We used the Thermal UrbaN Environment Energy (TUNEE) balance model to calculate the cooling benefit of each species and the number of individuals necessary to reduce local air temperature. The highest midday transpiration was registered for Liquidambar styraciflua L. (0.0357 g m−2 s−1) and the lowest for Buddleja cordata H.B.K (0.0089 g m−2 s−1), representing an energy consumption and cooling potential of 87.13 and 21.69 J m−2 s−1, respectively. Similarly, the highest stomatal conductance was recorded for L. styraciflua., whereas the lowest was recorded for B. cordata. Based on the species transpiration rates and aesthetic characteristics, we developed a proposal and outline for a 50 × 50 m urban park (i.e., park community) consisting of six species with 19 individuals, and according to the TUNEE model, the proposed arrangement can reduce air temperature up to 5.3 °C. Our results can help urban planners to (re)design urban parks to mitigate urban heat while increasing urban tree diversity in parks.
Comparative Study of Plywood Boards Produced with Castor Oil-Based Polyurethane and Phenol-Formaldehyde Using Pinus taeda L. Veneers Treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate
Authors: Sugahara Estefani , Casagrande Bruno , Arroyo Felipe , De Araujo Victor , Santos Herisson , Faustino Emerson , Christoforo Andre , Campos Cristiane
Published: July 2022

Plywood is widely used in civil construction. Due to the importance of preservation and gluing in bio-composites, this study compares the influence of a chemical treatment with CCA (chromated-copper-arsenate) on Pinus taeda L. wood veneers to produce two plywood types using phenol-formaldehyde (PF) and castor oil-based polyurethane (PU). Four different treatments were performed to analyze both varieties’ physical and mechanical properties. As a result, an improvement in the properties of the treated panels was observed. Lower moisture contents and better interactions caused by less thickness swelling and water absorption were identified in the PU-based plywoods. The treatment with CCA was efficient, improving these properties when they were compared to the reference panels. Most treatments evidenced increases in the modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture for both adhesives when the CCA treatment was applied to the veneers. Comparing the resins, the PF showed the best values of modulus of elasticity. All treatments met the requirements defined by the Brazilian standard document for the glue line shear.
A Survey on Monitoring Quality Assessment for Wireless Visual Sensor Networks
Authors: Jesus Thiago C. , Costa Daniel G. , Portugal Paulo , Vasques Francisco
Published: July 2022

Wireless visual sensor networks have been adopted in different contexts to provide visual information in a more flexible and distributed way, supporting the development of different innovative applications. Although visual data may be central for a considerable set of applications in areas such as Smart Cities, Industry 4.0, and Vehicular Networks, the actual visual data quality may be not easily determined since it may be associated with many factors that depend on the characteristics of the considered application scenario. This entails several aspects from the quality of captured images (sharpness, definition, resolution) to the characteristics of the networks such as employed hardware, power consumption, and networking efficiency. In order to better support quality analysis and performance comparisons among different wireless visual sensor networks, which could be valuable in many monitoring scenarios, this article surveys this area with special concern on assessment mechanisms and quality metrics. In this context, a novel classification approach is proposed to better categorize the diverse applicable metrics for quality assessment of visual monitoring procedures. Hence, this article yields a practical guide for analyzing different visual sensor network implementations, allowing fairer evaluations and comparisons among a variety of research works. Critical analysis are also performed regarding the relevance and usage of the proposed categories and identified quality metrics. Finally, promising open issues and research directions are discussed in order to guide new developments in this research field.
Impact of Vertical Atmospheric Structure on an Atypical Fire in a Mountain Valley
Authors: Ozaki Mitsuhiro , Harris Rebecca M. B. , Love Peter T. , Aryal Jagannath , Fox-Hughes Paul , Williamson Grant J.
Published: July 2022

Wildfires are not only a natural part of many ecosystems, but they can also have disastrous consequences for humans, including in Australia. Rugged terrain adds to the difficulty of predicting fire behavior and fire spread, as fires often propagate contrary to expectations. Even though fire models generally incorporate weather, fuels, and topography, which are important factors affecting fire behavior, they usually only consider the surface wind; however, the more elevated winds should also be accounted for, in addition to surface winds, when predicting fire spread in rugged terrain because valley winds are often dynamically altered by the interaction of a layered atmosphere and the topography. Here, fire spread in rugged terrain was examined in a case study of the Riveaux Road Fire, which was ignited by multiple lightning strikes in January 2019 in southern Tasmania, Australia and burnt approximately 637.19 km2. Firstly, the number of conducive wind structures, which are defined as the combination of wind and temperature layers likely to result in enhanced surface wind, were counted by examining the vertical wind structure of the atmosphere, and the potential for above-surface winds to affect fire propagation was identified. Then, the multiple fire propagations were simulated using a new fire simulator (Prototype 2) motivated by the draft specification of the forthcoming new fire danger rating system, the Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS). Simulations were performed with one experiment group utilizing wind fields that included upper-air interactions, and two control groups that utilized downscaled wind from a model that only incorporated surface winds, to identify the impact of upper air interactions. Consequently, a detailed analysis showed that more conducive structures were commonly observed in the rugged terrain than in the other topography. In addition, the simulation of the experiment group performed better in predicting fire spread than those of the control groups in rugged terrain. In contrast, the control groups based on the downscaled surface wind model performed well in less rugged terrain. These results suggest that not only surface winds but also the higher altitude winds above the surface are required to be considered, especially in rugged terrain.
Comparative Evaluations to Enhance Chemical and Microbial Quality of Salted Grey Mullet Fish
Authors: Khalifah Ayman M. , Badr Ahmed N. , El-Khadragy Manal F. , Shehata Mohammed G. , Abdalla Sara A. , Yehia Hany M. , Ali Hatem S.
Published: July 2022

Salted fish preparations are popular and widely eaten across the world. Salting is a preservation strategy to enhance shelf life by decreasing water activity in fish muscles. Salted fish demand increases with less regard for preservation characteristics, and novel strategies are required for healthy production. Lysozyme, EDTA, their mixture, and black cumin oil nanoemulsion (BCN) were used for dipping treatments to make preservative films before salting. A medium-sized mullet were classified into six groups: fresh, commercial salted mullet, and four treatments. Stored salted mullet groups were evaluated for chemical composition changes, lipid profile changes, nitrogen profile changes, and microbial contamination. The results were reflected by nonsignificant changes in protein content (21.08 ± 1.05%) of the BCN compared to the fresh (22.41 ± 1.41%), with the lowest salt penetration to the flesh (11.11 ± 0.74%). The lowest value recorded was the BCN for the pH (5.53 ± 0.06) and water activity (0.447 ± 0.019). The changes in lipid profile compared to the fresh were very low, which does not happen in a commercial salted sample. The changes in total volatile and non-protein nitrogen represented very low for the BCN compared to the commercial salted one. Coliform, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Clostridium were not detected in the BCN salted mullet. The overall acceptability for the BCN mullet was the best in the test panel list evaluation, followed by the mixture treatment. This research indicated that the BCN treatment before mullet fish salting was optimal, with greater food safety properties and no consumer acceptance alterations.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of tlr1, tlr5s, tlr5m, and tlr14 Genes in the Swamp Eel, Monopterus albus
Authors: Xiang Jing , Zhang Zhehua , Guo Huizhi , Xu Qiaoqing , Yang Daiqin , Yuan Hanwen
Published: July 2022

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a critical family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that are tightly regulated by complex mechanisms involving many molecules to ensure a good response to foreign invaders. In this study, we identified and analyzed the sequence characteristics and homology of four TLR genes (tlr1, tlr5s, tlr5m, and tlr14) from the swamp eel. Sequence similarity analysis, functional domain prediction, and phylogenetic analysis supported their annotation and orthologies. Their relative expression levels in different tissues were assessed. The four TLRs were expressed in all tested tissues. tlr5m was highly expressed in the spleen, whereas tlr5s was highly expressed in the kidney and spleen. High expression levels of tlr1 and tlr14 were detected in the spleen and muscle. These results indicated that the TLRs are related to host immunity. Moreover, the differential expression of TLRs was examined after Aeromonas veronii infection, which showed that all the TLR genes were induced with diverse patterns. tlr1 was significantly downregulated in the spleen after A. veronii challenge. In the kidneys and intestines, tlr1 expression decreased initially and then increased, with its lowest level at 4 h. tlr5s expression was upregulated significantly in three tissues at 1, 4, and 12 h, with the maximum expression at 1 h, indicating that tlr5s actively responded to bacterial invasion in the early stage of the challenge. tlr5m showed tissue specific expression: it was slightly upregulated in the intestines and spleen and downregulated in the kidneys. The expression pattern of tlr14 was similar to that of tlr5s, and both reached maximum expression at 1 h after infection. Collectively, our results indicated that TLRs might play important roles in the innate immune response against Gram negative bacteria in the swamp eel.
Physicochemical Characteristics, Fatty Acids Profile and Lipid Oxidation during Ripening of Graviera Cheese Produced with Raw and Pasteurized Milk
Authors: Ioannidou Maria D. , Maggira Martha , Samouris Georgios
Published: July 2022

The production of cheese can be made from either pasteurized or non-pasteurized milk, depending on the country or dietary habits. In this work, the effect of pasteurization of milk on the progress of the physicochemical properties, fatty acids profile and lipid oxidation of cheese throughout a maturation period of 90 days is presented. This research was carried out on two types of Graviera cheese produced in Greece, one made from raw milk and the other from pasteurized milk. The proximal composition of each sample was evaluated, the fatty acids profile was analyzed by Gas Chromatography, whereas lipid oxidation was determined on the basis of the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA). Significant differences (p < 0.05) in the values of pH, fat and density between raw and pasteurized milk were observed. The physicochemical parameters during the ripening of the cheeses showed significant differences according to the type and the stage of maturation. Specifically, the two types of cheese differed significantly (p < 0.05) in terms of pH, protein, fat in dry matter (FDM), and water-soluble nitrogen/total nitrogen (WSN/TN). Although the fatty acids profile was similar for the two types of cheese, differences were observed during the ripening stages as well as between the milk and the final product. The lipid oxidation levels increased during maturation, whereas they seemed to be lower in the pasteurized cheeses. Therefore, it can be concluded that the use of raw or pasteurized milk affects the physicochemical characteristics, fatty acids profile and lipid oxidation of Graviera cheese during ripening.
Whole Wheat Bread Enriched with Cricket Powder as an Alternative Protein
Authors: Mafu Ampaka , Ketnawa Sunantha , Phongthai Suphat , Schönlechner Regine , Rawdkuen Saroat
Published: July 2022

The current market trends in modern sedentary lifestyles drive the development of new functional products able to fulfill consumers’ demand for a healthy diet. Whole wheat bread contains more protein and fiber than white bread; however, it could be improved in terms of protein content and quality. Cricket powder, which contains high protein (55.11, wt%), could be used as an alternative source to tackle those deficiencies in such bread. Hence, the study aimed to apply cricket powder in the whole wheat bread formula to enrich protein content, indispensable amino acids and determine their physico-chemical properties, consumers’ acceptance, and shelf-life storage. The results showed that all enriched bread presented high protein (18.97–25.94, wt%), fat (10.91–15.07, wt%), and ash (2.09–2.33, wt%) with the increment of the cricket powder than those of the control bread. Enriched breads’ crust colors were not significantly different (p > 0.05), while crumb colors were darker (L* = 55.64–64.48) compared to the control (L* = 69.98). Enriched bread had a hard texture and required a lot of chewing force compared to the control. Furthermore, all samples yielded a shelf-life of 5 days when monitoring the mold growth. From the results, the bread enriched with 20% cricket powder yielded the best consumers’ acceptance score of 77%. It was predominantly high in indispensable amino acids such as leucine, phenylalanine, lysine, and arginine. Therefore, cricket powder could be a novel alternative protein source and successfully utilized in whole wheat bread to enhance its protein content and indispensable amino acids with consumers’ acceptance responding to the current market trend.
A New Electrochemical Method to Determine Tryptophan in Fruit Juices: Development and Validation
Authors: Takele Assefa , Palacios-Santander José María , Palma Miguel
Published: July 2022

Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid usually found in fruit juices. Its determination is necessary for food companies because of its relation to human health. In this work, a new electrochemical method based on sonogel–carbon electrodes (SNGCEs) was developed and validated using an ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method as a reference method for the determination of Trp in fruit juices. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry, and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques were applied to investigate the oxidation of Trp on a previously polarized SNGCE surface in a Britton–Robinson (BR) buffer solution at pH 3.6. The operating conditions for electroanalysis were optimized using a Box–Behnken design (BBD), obtaining an oxidation peak for Trp at 0.749 V. The linear range for this method was from 0.1 to 5 mg/L. The intraday and interday precision, expressed as a relative standard deviation (RSD), were 3.1% and 2.7%, respectively. The average recovery was 99.01%, and the limit of detection and quantitation were 0.33 and 1.09 mg/L, respectively. Therefore, from the quality analytical parameters obtained, it can be concluded that the new electrochemical method can be successfully used for the routine analysis of Trp in fruit juices. As far as we are concerned, this is the first time that a methodology for Trp determination was performed in this kind of real food matrices.
On the Lower and Upper Box Dimensions of the Sum of Two Fractal Functions
Authors: Yu Binyan , Liang Yongshun
Published: July 2022

Let f and g be two continuous functions. In the present paper, we put forward a method to calculate the lower and upper Box dimensions of the graph of f+g by classifying all the subsequences tending to zero into different sets. Using this method, we explore the lower and upper Box dimensions of the graph of f+g when the Box dimension of the graph of g is between the lower and upper Box dimensions of the graph of f. In this case, we prove that the upper Box dimension of the graph of f+g is just equal to the upper Box dimension of the graph of f. We also prove that the lower Box dimension of the graph of f+g could be an arbitrary number belonging to a certain interval. In addition, some other cases when the Box dimension of the graph of g is equal to the lower or upper Box dimensions of the graph of f have also been studied.
Cervical Cancer Screening among Female Refugees in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Muhaidat Nadia , Alshrouf Mohammad A. , Alshajrawi Roaa N. , Miqdadi Zeina R. , Amro Raghad , Rabab’ah Abedalaziz O. , Qatawneh Serena A. , Albandi Alaa M. , Fram Kamil
Published: July 2022

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is mainly linked to infection with a high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), with 85% of deaths occurring in developing countries. Refugees are less likely to be aware of screening methods and to have routine gynecological examinations. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving a total of 359 women aged 19–64 living in the Jerash camp in Jordan. Data were collected using a carefully developed and validated questionnaire. Results: A total of 359 participants were included in the study, with a mean age of 38.99 ± 10.53. Participants demonstrated fair knowledge of CC risk factors (4.77 ± 2.85 out of 11). Among the participants, 73.5% had heard of the cervical smear test; however, only 12.8% had actually undergone the test, with a mean total number of smear tests performed of 1.48 ± 0.79 and the mean age at the time of the first test was 32.5 ± 7.89. Conclusions: Refugee women have a fair level of knowledge of CC risk factors but are unmotivated to have a Pap smear test to screen for CC. Efforts should be made to raise awareness about the issue and promote testing for underrepresented women in refugee camps.
Palliative Care Landscape in the COVID-19 Era: Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research
Authors: Abu-Odah Hammoda , Su Jingjing , Wang Mian , Lin Sin-Yi (Rose) , Bayuo Jonathan , Musa Salihu Sabiu , Molassiotis Alex
Published: July 2022

Despite the increasing number of publications globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored significant research gaps that should be resolved, including within PC-related research. This study aimed to map and understand the global trends in palliative care (PC)-related COVID-19 research and provide quantitative evidence to guide future studies. We systematically searched four databases between 1st January 2020 and 25th April 2022. The VOSviewer, Gephi, and R software were utilized for data analysis and results visualization. A total of 673 articles were identified from the databases between 1st January 2020 and 25th April 2022. Canada (6.2%), Australia (5.4%), and the United Kingdom (3.8%) were the most productive countries regarding articles published per million confirmed COVID-19 cases. A lack of international collaborations and an uneven research focus on PC across countries with different pandemic trajectories was observed. The PC research in question focused on cancer, telehealth, death and dying, and bereavement. This study’s conclusions support the recommendation for international collaboration to facilitate knowledge and practice transformation to support countries with unmet PC needs during the pandemic. Further studies are required on the grief and bereavement support of families, healthcare professionals and patients with other life-threatening illnesses.
Ethical Challenges Regarding Cosmetic Surgery in Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Authors: Hostiuc Sorin , Isailă Oana-Maria , Rusu Mugurel Constantin , Negoi Ionut
Published: July 2022

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive-compulsive disease, associated with increased addressability to plastic surgeons; however, as patients perceive body defects due to decreased insight, they are often unsatisfied with their appearance after cosmetic surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ethical reasoning that should be performed before accepting these patients as cosmetic surgery candidates. We will focus our analysis on three main areas of interest: autonomy, which in these patients is significantly decreased, beneficence as satisfaction, which in these particular patients does not justify performing the intervention, and loyalty, which should render cosmetic procedures immoral in patients with body dysmorphic disorder.
Cell Division Controls Final Fruit Size in Three Apple (Malus x domestica) Cultivars
Authors: Karim Siti Khadijah A. , Allan Andrew C. , Schaffer Robert J. , David Karine M.
Published: July 2022

Apple (Malus x domestica) fruit size is dependent on cell division and cell expansion, processes that are subsequently regulated by plant hormones such as auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins. In this study, we investigated the role of cell division and cell expansion in apple growth and identified which of the two was more deterministic of final fruit size. Three cultivars of different sizes were selected, namely, “Twenty Ounce” (large-sized), “Royal Gala” (medium-sized), and “Crabapple” (small-sized). Gene expression and cell size analyses were conducted over the course of two consecutive seasons. The expression patterns of three classes of genes were markedly similar across all cultivars. Two cell division markers, namely MdCDKB2;2 and MdANT2, were discovered to be correlatively expressed, as both displayed initially high expression levels, which gradually declined from the early to late stages of the growth time course. For cell expansion markers, MdEXP3 was upregulated as the cells expanded, while MdARF106 was expressed in both the cell division and expansion stages. Meanwhile, the ripening-related gene MdACO1 was expectedly expressed only during the ending stages associated with ripening. Interestingly, the cell measurements taken regularly from each cultivar throughout the same experimental timespan showed that cell sizes were unaltered and remained constant from initial pollination at the zeroth Day After Pollination (DAP) to ripening at 120 Days After Full Bloom (DAFB).
The Xenia Effect Promotes Fruit Quality and Assists in Optimizing Cross Combinations in ‘O’Neal’ and ‘Emerald’ Blueberry
Authors: Liu Jinlian , Xu Jinjian , Wang Yujing , Li Ke , Zong Yu , Yang Li , Chen Wenrong , Liao Fanglei , Guo Weidong
Published: July 2022

Cross-pollination can improve the fruit set and quality of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) for growers and consumers. However, the xenia effect in southern highbush blueberry remains unclear. Therefore, we selected eight cultivars of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L., interspecific hybrids) and applied pollination treatments (i.e., artificial self-pollination, artificial pollination with mixed pollen, or artificial pollination with individual cultivar pollen) to explore the xenia effects on the fruit set and quality of ‘O’Neal’ and ‘Emerald’. Pollen viability tests indicated that all of the cultivars are capable of fertilization. The highest fruit set came from ‘Bluerain’ pollen for ‘O’Neal’, while ‘Gulfcoast’ pollen increased fruit set the most in ‘Emerald’. Principal component analysis revealed that the cross combinations ‘Emerald’ × ‘Gulfcoast’ and ‘O’Neal’ × ‘Gulfcoast’ optimized the external and interior quality of the fruit. SSR was applied to determine which pollen source yielded the most seedlings. Results indicated that ‘Emerald’ × ‘Gulfcoast’ and ‘O’Neal’ × ‘Bluerain’ increased seedling production. Our results demonstrate that the xenia effects of ‘Gulfcoast’ pollen may increase ‘Emerald’ yields and promote fruit quality, while pollen from ‘Bluerain’ or ‘Jewel’ can improve ‘O’Neal’ fruit quality and seed number. Hence, these cross combinations may be utilized in blueberry production to increase fruit set, yield, and quality.
Karst Brackish Springs of Albania
Authors: Eftimi Romeo , Parise Mario , Liso Isabella Serena
Published: July 2022

The territory of Albania presents wide outcrops of soluble rocks, with typical karst landforms and the presence of remarkable carbonate aquifers. Many karst areas are located near the coasts, which results in a variety of environmental problems, mostly related to marine intrusion. This paper focuses on the brackish springs of Albania, which exhibit temperatures approximately equal to the yearly air temperature at their location. Total dissolved solids of the springs are higher than 1000 mg/L, their waters are not drinkable, and they are rarely used for other purposes. The groundwater of the alluvial aquifers of Albania, particularly those of Pre-Adriatic Lowland, are often brackish too, but these will not be addressed here. Brackish springs of Albania are mainly of karst origin and can be classified into two groups: springs in evaporitic rock, mainly gypsum, and springs in carbonate rock. The hydro-chemical facies of the first group are usually Ca-SO4, locally with increased concentrations of Na-Cl, whereas springs belonging to the second group usually exhibit Na-Cl facies. The largest brackish springs of Albania are described in detail, including their hydro-chemical correlations.
Implications of Adipose Tissue Content for Changes in Serum Levels of Exercise-Induced Adipokines: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Humińska-Lisowska Kinga , Mieszkowski Jan , Kochanowicz Andrzej , Bojarczuk Aleksandra , Niespodziński Bartłomiej , Brzezińska Paulina , Stankiewicz Błażej , Michałowska-Sawczyn Monika , Grzywacz Anna , Petr Miroslav , Cięszczyk Paweł
Published: July 2022

Human adipocytes release multiple adipokines into the bloodstream during physical activity. This affects many organs and might contribute to the induction of inflammation. In this study, we aimed to assess changes in circulating adipokine levels induced by intense aerobic and anaerobic exercise in individuals with different adipose tissue content. In the quasi-experimental study, 48 male volunteers (aged 21.78 ± 1.98 years) were assigned to groups depending on their body fat content (BF): LBF, low body fat (<8% BF, n = 16); MBF, moderate body fat (8–14% BF, n = 19); and HBF, high body fat (>14% BF, n = 13). The volunteers performed maximal aerobic effort (MAE) and maximal anaerobic effort (MAnE) exercises. Blood samples were collected at five timepoints: before exercise, immediately after, 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h after each exercise. The selected cytokines were analyzed: adiponectin, follistatin-like 1, interleukin 6, leptin, oncostatin M, and resistin. While the participants’ MAnE and MAE performance were similar regardless of BF, the cytokine response of the HBF group was different from that of the others. Six hours after exercise, leptin levels in the HBF group increased by 35%. Further, immediately after MAnE, resistin levels in the HBF group also increased, by approximately 55%. The effect of different BF was not apparent for other cytokines. We conclude that the adipokine exercise response is associated with the amount of adipose tissue and is related to exercise type.
Land Use Change Simulation in Rapid Urbanizing Regions: A Case Study of Wuhan Urban Areas
Authors: Zhang Jinling , Hou Ying , Dong Yifan , Wang Cun , Chen Weiping
Published: July 2022

Until now, few studies have used the mainstreaming models to simulate the land use changes in the cities of rapid urbanizing regions. Therefore, we aimed to develop a methodology to simulate the land use changes in rapid urbanizing regions that could reveal the land use change trend in the cities of the regions. Taking the urban areas of Wuhan, a typical rapid urbanizing region in China, as the study area, this study built a Markov chain–artificial neural network (ANN)–cellular automaton (CA) coupled model. The model used land use classification spatial data with a spatial resolution of 5 m in 2010 and 2020, obtained by remote sensing image interpretation, and data on natural and socio-economic driving forces for land use change simulation. Using the coupled model, the land use patterns of Wuhan urban areas in 2020 were simulated, which were validated in comparison with the actual land use data in 2020. Finally, the model was used to simulate the land uses in the study area in 2030. The model validation indicates that the land use change simulation has a high accuracy of 90.7% and a high kappa coefficient of 0.87. The simulated land uses of the urban areas of Wuhan show that artificial surfaces will continue to expand, with an area increase of approximately 7% from 2020 to 2030. Moreover, the area of urban green spaces will also increase by approximately 7%, while that of water bodies, grassland, cropland, and forests will decrease by 12.6%, 13.6%, 34.9%, and 1.3%, respectively, from 2020 to 2030. This study provides a method of simulating the land use changes in the cities of rapid urbanizing regions and helps to reveal the patterns and driving mechanisms of land use change in Wuhan urban areas.
Prevalence, Management, and Associated Factors of Obesity, Hypertension, and Diabetes in Tibetan Population Compared with China Overall
Authors: Peng Wen , Li Ke , Yan Alice F. , Shi Zumin , Zhang Junyi , Cheskin Lawrence J. , Hussain Ahktar , Wang Youfa
Published: July 2022

Tibetans’ life expectancy lags behind China’s average. Obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to health disparity, but NCD patterns among Tibetans are unknown. To examine the prevalence, management, and associated factors for obesity, hypertension, and diabetes among Tibetans, compared with China’s average, we systematically searched PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for studies between January 2010 and April 2021. Thirty-nine studies were included for systematic review, among thirty-seven that qualified for meta-analysis, with 115,403 participants. Pooled prevalence was 47.9% (95% CI 38.0–57.8) for overweight/obesity among adults (BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2) and 15.4% (13.7–17.2) among children using Chinese criteria, which are lower than the national rates of 51.2% and 19.0%, respectively. The estimate for hypertension (31.4% [27.1–35.7]) exceeded China’s average (27.5%), while diabetes (7.5% [5.2–9.8]) was lower than average (11.9%). Men had a higher prevalence of the three conditions than women. Residents in urban areas, rural areas, and Buddhist institutes had monotonically decreased prevalence in hypertension and diabetes. Awareness, treatment, and control rates for hypertension and diabetes were lower than China’s average. Urban residence and high altitude were consistent risk factors for hypertension. Limited studies investigated factors for diabetes, yet none exist for obesity. Tibetans have high burdens of obesity and hypertension. Representative and longitudinal studies are needed for tailored interventions. There are considerable variations in study design, study sample selection, and data-analysis methods, as well as estimates of reviewed studies.
Benefits and Risks of Sharing Genomic Data for Research: Comparing the Views of Rare Disease Patients, Informal Carers and Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Amorim Mariana , Silva Susana , Machado Helena , Teles Elisa Leão , Baptista Maria João , Maia Tiago , Nwebonyi Ngozi , de Freitas Cláudia
Published: July 2022

Assessing public and patients’ expectations and concerns about genomic data sharing is essential to promote adequate data governance and engagement in rare diseases genomics research. This cross-sectional study compared the views of 159 rare disease patients, 478 informal carers and 63 healthcare professionals in Northern Portugal about the benefits and risks of sharing genomic data for research, and its associated factors. The three participant groups expressed significantly different views. The majority of patients (84.3%) and informal carers (87.4%) selected the discovery of a cure for untreatable diseases as the most important benefit. In contrast, most healthcare professionals revealed a preference for the development of new drugs and treatments (71.4%), which was the second most selected benefit by carers (48.3%), especially by the more educated (OR (95% CI): 1.58 (1.07–2.34)). Lack of security and control over information access and the extraction of information exceeding research objectives were the two most often selected risks by patients (72.6% and 50.3%, respectively) and carers (60.0% and 60.6%, respectively). Conversely, professionals were concerned with genomic data being used to discriminate citizens (68.3%), followed by the extraction of information exceeding research objectives (54.0%). The latter risk was more frequently expressed by more educated carers (OR (95% CI): 1.60 (1.06–2.41)) and less by those with blue-collar (OR (95% CI): 0.44 (0.25–0.77) and other occupations (OR (95% CI): 0.44 (0.26–0.74)). Developing communication strategies and consent approaches tailored to participants’ expectations and needs can benefit the inclusiveness of genomics research that is key for patient-centred care.
Subtypes of Asthma and Cold Weather-Related Respiratory Symptoms
Authors: Hyrkäs-Palmu Henna , Jaakkola Maritta S. , Mäkikyrö Elina M. S. , Jaakkola Jouni J. K.
Published: July 2022

(1) Poor asthma control increases the occurrence of cold weather-related symptoms among adult asthmatics. We assessed whether the subtype of asthma, taking into account the severity of the asthma, plays a role in these symptoms. (2) We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of 1995 adult asthmatics (response rate 40.4%) living in northern Finland using a questionnaire that asked about cold weather-related respiratory symptoms including (1) shortness of breath, (2) prolonged cough, (3) wheezing, (4) phlegm production, and (5) chest pain, as well as questions related to the subtype of asthma. For women, the subtypes identified using latent class analysis were: (1) Controlled, mild asthma, (2) Partly controlled, moderate asthma, (3) Uncontrolled, unknown severity, and (4) Uncontrolled, severe asthma, and for men: (1) Controlled, mild asthma, (2) Uncontrolled, unknown severity, and (3) Partly controlled, severe asthma. (3) According to the subtypes of asthma, more severe and more poorly controlled asthma were related to the increased prevalence of cold weather-related respiratory symptoms when compared with those with mild, controlled asthma. This trend was especially clear for wheezing and chest pain. For example, in men, the adjusted prevalence ratio of wheezing was 1.55 (95% CI 1.09–2.19) in uncontrolled asthma with unknown severity and 1.84 (95% CI 1.26–2.71) in partly controlled severe asthma compared with controlled, mild asthma. (4) Our study provides evidence for the influence of subtypes of asthma on experiencing cold weather-related respiratory symptoms. Both women and men reported more cold weather-related symptoms when their asthma was more severe and uncontrolled compared with those who had mild and well-controlled asthma.
Hearing Impairment in French Merchant Seafarers: Retrospective Study on Data from 8308 Audiometric Tests
Authors: Lucas David , Sauvage Thierry , Forestier Anne Sophie , Pougnet Richard , Gourier Greta , Loddé Brice , Jégaden Dominique
Published: July 2022

Background: A high level of occupational noise exposure has been noted in the fishing sector. Yet, less is known regarding other navigation groups, such as merchant seafarers, since a French study in the 1980s. This study assesses hearing impairment (HI) in a French merchant seafarers’ population. Methods: We collected data of all audiograms performed in 2018 and 2019 for French merchant seafarers. For each seafarer, hearing ability was measured in both ears using pure-tone audiometry at the following frequencies: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz. Hearing threshold levels (HTLs), or the intensity of sound below which no sound is detected, were measured in decibels Sound Pressure Level (dB SPL) at each frequency and recorded in 5 dB increments. For HI, we used the validated definition of the American Speech–Language–Hearing Association (ASHA). Results: We were able to include statistical analysis results of 8308 audiograms. In a multiple logistic regression adjusted for age, experience, and class of navigation, we found that experience of more than 14 years Odds Ratio OR 1.28 (CI 95% 1.07–1.53), age 31–40 OR 2.2 (CI 95% 1.4–3.4), and >40 years OR 14, 3 (IC 95% 9.7–21) and marine engineers OR 1.26 (IC 95% 1.01–1.57) were still risk factors for HI. Conclusion: In 2018, Marine engineers were still the workers’ group with a higher risk of HI in merchant seafarers but, notch at 4 Hz, specific of noise-induced hearing loss, has improved. They have an HI close to the definition of socioacousis and mean deficit differences with deck and services’ merchant seafarers improved. Our results could be interpreted as a limitation of occupational noise exposure impact in a merchant seafarers’ population, needing an improvement in prevention measures and also encouraged to continue to improve onboard working conditions.
Osteoporosis among Postmenopausal Women in Jordan: A National Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Saadeh Rami , Jumaa Duaa , Elsalem Lina , Batieha Anwar , Jaddou Hashem , Khader Yousef , El-Khateeb Mohammed , Ajlouni Kamel , Allouh Mohammed Z.
Published: July 2022

Osteoporosis is considered a widespread health problem that affects senior citizens, particularly older women, after the menopause. This national study aimed to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis among Jordanian postmenopausal women and to determine the association of demographic and nutritional factors, such as calcium and vitamin D supplement intake, with osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 884 postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years. A multistage sampling technique was used to select participants from three geographic regions of Jordan (north, middle, and south). The data were collected from the participants by a team of field researchers comprising men and women through a standard questionnaire. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 19.8% among postmenopausal Jordanian women. The study results showed that age (p ˂ 0.001), geographic region (p = 0.019), occupation (p = 0.002), and educational level (p = 0.001) were significantly associated with osteoporosis. Moreover, osteoporosis was significantly associated with calcium and vitamin D supplement intake (p < 0.05). There is a high prevalence of osteoporosis among postmenopausal Jordanian women. Therefore, there is a need to educate women at this age, and probably at an earlier age, to prevent or reduce the development of osteoporosis.
Changes in Health Care Access during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Estimates of National Japanese Data, June 2020–October 2021
Authors: Tanoue Yuta , Ghaznavi Cyrus , Kawashima Takayuki , Eguchi Akifumi , Yoneoka Daisuke , Nomura Shuhei
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health care access around the world, both for inpatients and outpatients. We applied a quasi-Poisson regression to national, monthly data on the number of outpatients, number of inpatients, length of average hospital stay, and the number of new hospitalizations from March 2015 to October 2021 to assess how these outcomes changed between June 2020 to October 2021. The number of outpatient visits were lower-than-predicted during the early phases of the pandemic but normalized by the fall of 2021. The number of inpatients and new hospitalizations were lower-than-predicted throughout the pandemic, and deficits in reporting continued to be observed in late 2021. The length of hospital stays was within the predicted range for all beds, but when stratified by bed type, was higher than predicted for psychiatric beds, lower-than-predicted for tuberculosis beds, and showed variable changes in long-term care insurance beds. Health care access in Japan was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Children’s Effortful Control Skills, but Not Their Prosocial Skills, Relate to Their Reactions to Classroom Noise
Authors: Massonnié Jessica , Frasseto Philippe , Ng-Knight Terry , Gilligan-Lee Katie , Kirkham Natasha , Mareschal Denis
Published: July 2022

Environmental noise is one of the main sources of pollution in today’s modern world. Health effects associated with noise depend on both environmental exposure and individuals’ noise sensitivity. However, still little is known as to why some children are more noise sensitive than others. Studies to date have focused on adult populations and have not considered both cognitive and personality factors when explaining noise sensitivity. The current research investigates individual differences in noise sensitivity among elementary school children, with the aim of shedding light on its underlying mechanisms. Study 1 (n = 112) validated a novel questionnaire assessing children’s reactions to classroom noise against two measures of noise sensitivity that are commonly used in adult populations. Study 2 (n = 237) investigated how children’s reactions to classroom noise covaried with their effortful control and prosocial skills, both measured through a teacher report. Prosocial skills were not related to children’s reactions to noise. However, children with lower effortful control skills reported more negative reactions to classroom noise. Given the importance of effortful control skills to succeed at school, children at risk of school difficulty might also be the ones who are particularly vulnerable to noise.
Family Structure, Unstructured Socializing, and Heavy Substance Use among Adolescents
Authors: Hoffmann John P.
Published: July 2022

Background: Psychoactive substance use is a transient behavior among many adolescents and diminishes as they mature, but some engage in heavy forms of substance use, which increases their risk of health and behavioral challenges. A consistent predictor of substance use among youth is family structure, with adolescents living in single-parent, stepparent, or no-parent families at higher risk than others of several forms of substance use. The objective of this research was to investigate whether unstructured socializing mediated the association between family structure and heavy alcohol or substance use. Methods: Data from 30 nations (n = 65,737) were used to test the hypothesis using a generalized structural equation model and tests of mediation. Results: The analysis furnished clear support for a mediation effect among adolescents living with a single parent but less support among those living with a stepparent or neither parent. Conclusion: The association between living in a single-parent household and heavy alcohol or other substance use was mediated largely by time spent outside the home with friends in unsupervised activities. Additional research that uses longitudinal data and more nuanced measures of family structure is needed to validate this finding.
Sustainable Economic Development, Digital Payment, and Consumer Demand: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Rui
Published: July 2022

In this era, the global COVID-19 pandemic has hit the economy hard. In the context of great challenges to sustainable economic development, it is of great practical significance to study how digital payment can promote consumer demand and sustainable economic development. From the perspective of sustainable economic development, this paper selects panel data of various provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 to test the correlation between digital payment and consumer demand by constructing econometric models and selecting relevant indicators, so as to reveal the impact of digital payment on consumer demand and sustainable economic development. Research shows that: (1) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital payments play a special and very important role in promoting household consumption and sustainable economic development; (2) the empirical results show that digital payment has a significant positive impact on consumer demand, which indicates that digital payment has an obvious promotion effect on consumer demand; (3) further research shows that the impact of digital payment on consumer demand has obvious heterogeneity. From the perspective of regional differences, digital payment has a significant positive impact on consumer demand in the eastern and western regions, while the impact is not obvious in the northeast and central regions, even though it also has a positive impact. From the perspective of urban-rural differences, digital payment has a significant impact on consumer demand in both urban and rural areas, and this impact is greater in rural areas than in urban areas. However, from the perspective of development stage, the stage characteristics of digital payment’s impact on consumer demand in each region are not obvious, which may be caused by the short sample range. In addition, this paper also puts forward relevant suggestions for other countries to learn from.
Validation of Vectra 3D Imaging Systems: A Review
Authors: De Stefani Alberto , Barone Martina , Hatami Alamdari Sam , Barjami Arjola , Baciliero Ugo , Apolloni Federico , Gracco Antonio , Bruno Giovanni
Published: July 2022

Aim: Three-dimensional facial imaging systems are a useful tool that is gradually replacing two-dimensional imaging and traditional anthropometry with calipers. In this varied and growing landscape of new devices, Canfield (Canfield Scientific, Parsippany, NJ, USA) has proposed a series of static and portable 3D imaging systems. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current literature regarding the validation of Canfield’s Vectra imaging systems. Materials and Methods: A search strategy was developed on electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus by using specific keywords. After the study selection phase, a total of 10 articles were included in the present review. Results: A total of 10 articles were finally included in the present review. For six articles, we conducted a validation of the Vectra static devices, focusing especially on the Vectra M5, Vectra M3 and Vectra XT. For four articles, we validated the Vectra H1 portable system. Conclusions: All of the reviewed articles concluded that Canfield’s Vectra 3D imaging systems are capable of capturing accurate and reproducible stereophotogrammetric images. Minor errors were reported, particularly in the acquisition of the perioral region, but all the evaluated devices are considered to be valid and accurate tools for clinicians.