bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salespeople Performance Evaluation with Predictive Analytics in B2B
Authors: Calixto Nelito , Ferreira João
Published: June 2020

Performance Evaluation is a process that occurs multiple times per year on a company. During this process, the manager and the salesperson evaluate how the salesperson performed on numerous Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). To prepare the evaluation meeting, managers have to gather data from Customer Relationship Management System, Financial Systems, Excel files, among others, leading to a very time-consuming process. The result of the Performance Evaluation is a classification followed by actions to improve the performance where it is needed. Nowadays, through predictive analytics technologies, it is possible to make classifications based on data. In this work, the authors applied a Naive Bayes model over a dataset that is composed by sales from 594 salespeople along 3 years from a global freight forwarding company, to classify salespeople into pre-defined categories provided by the business. The classification is done in 3 classes, being: Not Performing, Good, and Outstanding. The classification was achieved based on KPI’s like growth volume and percentage, sales variability along the year, opportunities created, customer base line, target achievement among others. The authors assessed the performance of the model with a confusion matrix and other techniques like True Positives, True Negatives, and F1 score. The results showed an accuracy of 92.50% for the whole model.
Investigations of the Energy Transfer in the Phycobilisome Antenna of Arthrospira platensis Using Femtosecond Spectroscopy
Authors: Fălămaș Alexandra , Porav Sebastian A. , Tosa Valer
Published: June 2020

Understanding the energy transfer in phycobilisomes extracted from cyanobacteria can be used for building biomimetic hybrid systems for optimized solar energy collection and photocurrent amplification. In this paper, we applied time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate the ultrafast dynamics in a hemidiscoidal phycobilisome obtained from Arthrospira platensis. We obtained the steady-state and time-resolved optical properties and identified the possible pathways of the excitation energy transfer in the phycobilisome and its components, phycocyanin and allophycocyanin. The transient absorption data were studied using global analysis and revealed the existence of ultrafast kinetics down to 850 fs in the phycobilisome. The fluorescence lifetimes in the nanosecond time-scale assigned to the final emitters in each sample were obtained from the time-correlated single photon counting fluorescence experiments.
Central Heating Cost Optimization for Smart-Homes with Fuzzy Logic and a Multi-Agent Architecture
Authors: Jiménez-Bravo Diego M. , Lozano Murciego Álvaro , de la Iglesia Daniel H. , De Paz Juan F. , Villarrubia González Gabriel
Published: June 2020

Recent years have defined the need to reduce gas emissions to fight climate change, and society’s move to green energies is important to make responsible use of non-renewable energies. Therefore, it is now important to use technologies to optimize the use of actual energy sources. In this aspect, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology has had a great impact on society. Hence, this research work aims to use IoT technology and multi-agent systems to optimize the use of central heating installation in buildings. It is intended to improve the user’s comfort, reduce the consumption of energy and reduce the financial costs. Therefore, a multi-agent system is proposed to collect data from sensors located in a smart-home and obtain the best action to perform in a central heating system. The decisions will be taken by an intelligent agent based on fuzzy logic. This technology will allow for generating the control action with a fuzzy controller. The results obtained show that the proposal improves the actual system in terms of users’ comfort and financial and energy savings.
Computer-Aided Bacillus Detection in Whole-Slide Pathological Images Using a Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Lo Chung-Ming , Wu Yu-Hung , Li Yu-Chuan (Jack) , Lee Chieh-Chi
Published: June 2020

Mycobacterial infections continue to greatly affect global health and result in challenging histopathological examinations using digital whole-slide images (WSIs), histopathological methods could be made more convenient. However, screening for stained bacilli is a highly laborious task for pathologists due to the microscopic and inconsistent appearance of bacilli. This study proposed a computer-aided detection (CAD) system based on deep learning to automatically detect acid-fast stained mycobacteria. A total of 613 bacillus-positive image blocks and 1202 negative image blocks were cropped from WSIs (at approximately 20 × 20 pixels) and divided into training and testing samples of bacillus images. After randomly selecting 80% of the samples as the training set and the remaining 20% of samples as the testing set, a transfer learning mechanism based on a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) was applied with a pretrained AlexNet to the target bacillus image blocks. The transferred DCNN model generated the probability that each image block contained a bacillus. A probability higher than 0.5 was regarded as positive for a bacillus. Consequently, the DCNN model achieved an accuracy of 95.3%, a sensitivity of 93.5%, and a specificity of 96.3%. For samples without color information, the performances were an accuracy of 73.8%, a sensitivity of 70.7%, and a specificity of 75.4%. The proposed DCNN model successfully distinguished bacilli from other tissues with promising accuracy. Meanwhile, the contribution of color information was revealed. This information will be helpful for pathologists to establish a more efficient diagnostic procedure.
The Contribution of Geomagnetic Activity to Ionospheric foF2 Trends at Different Phases of the Solar Cycle by SWM
Authors: Li Haimeng , Wang Jing-Song , Chen Zhou , Xie Lianqi , Li Fan , Zheng Tongji
Published: June 2020

Solar activity dominates the temporal variability of ionospheric properties, which makes it difficult to identify and isolate the effects of geomagnetic activity on the ionosphere. Therefore, the latter effects on the ionosphere are still unclear. Here, we use the spectral whitening method (SWM)—a proven approach to extract ionospheric perturbations caused by geomagnetic activity—to directly obtain, in isolation, the effects of geomagnetic activity. We study its contribution to the ionosphere for different phases of the solar cycle. The time lag between the solar and geomagnetic activities provides an opportunity to understand the contribution of geomagnetic activity to the perturbation of the ionosphere. The results suggest that this contribution to the ionosphere is significant when geomagnetic activity is at its maximum level, which usually happens in the declining phase of the solar cycle, but the contribution is very weak at the solar minimum and during the ascending phase. Then, by analyzing the contributions in different months, we find that the role of geomagnetic activity is larger around winter but smaller around summer.
Dose-Independent Therapeutic Benefit of Bone Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation after MI in Mice
Authors: Zarniko Nicole , Skorska Anna , Steinhoff Gustav , David Robert , Gaebel Ralf
Published: June 2020

Several cell populations derived from bone marrow (BM) have been shown to possess cardiac regenerative potential. Among these are freshly isolated CD133+ hematopoietic as well as culture-expanded mesenchymal stem cells. Alternatively, by purifying CD271+ cells from BM, mesenchymal progenitors can be enriched without an ex vivo cultivation. With regard to the limited available number of freshly isolated BM-derived stem cells, the effect of the dosage on the therapeutic efficiency is of particular interest. Therefore, in the present pre-clinical study, we investigated human BM-derived CD133+ and CD271+ stem cells for their cardiac regenerative potential three weeks post-myocardial infarction (MI) in a dose-dependent manner. The improvement of the hemodynamic function as well as cardiac remodeling showed no therapeutic difference after the transplantation of both 100,000 and 500,000 stem cells. Therefore, beneficial stem cell transplantation post-MI is widely independent of the cell dose and detrimental stem cell amplification in vitro can likely be avoided.
Alternative Bioremediation Agents against Haloacids, Haloacetates and Chlorpyrifos Using Novel Halogen-Degrading Bacterial Isolates from the Hypersaline Lake Tuz
Authors: Oyewusi Habeebat Adekilekun , Wahab Roswanira Abdul , Kaya Yilmaz , Edbeib Mohamed Faraj , Huyop Fahrul
Published: June 2020

The indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides alongside the expansion of large-scale industries globally can critically jeopardize marine ecology and the well-being of mankind. This is because the agricultural runoffs and industrial effluents eventually enter waterways before flowing into highly saline environments i.e., oceans. Herein, the study assessed two novel bacterial isolates, Bacillus subtilis strain H1 and Bacillus thuringiensis strain H2 from the hypersaline Lake Tuz in Turkey to degrade recalcitrant haloalkanoic acids, haloacetates and chlorpyrifos, and consequently, identify their optimal pollutant concentrations, pH and temperature alongside salt-tolerance thresholds. Bacillus strains H1 and H2 optimally degraded 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (2,2-DCP) under similar incubation conditions (pH 8.0, 30 °C), except the latter preferred a higher concentration of pollutants as well as salinity at 30 mM and 35%, respectively, while strain H1 grew well on 20 mM at <30%. While both isolates could degrade all substrates used, the dehalogenase gene from strain H1 could not be amplified. Capacity of the H2 bacterial isolate to degrade 2,2-DCP was affirmed by the detection of the 795 bp putative halotolerant dehalogenase gene after a successful polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Hence, the findings envisage the potential of both isolates as bio-degraders of recalcitrant halogenated compounds and those of the same chemical family as chlorpyrifos, in saline environments.
Electro-Absorbers: A Comparison on Their Performance with Jet-Absorbers and Absorption Columns
Authors: Castañeda-Juárez Monserrat , Muñoz-Morales Martín , Souza Fernanda Lourdes , Sáez Cristina , Cañizares Pablo , Almazán-Sánchez Perla Tatiana , Linares-Hernández Ivonne , Rodrigo Manuel Andrés
Published: June 2020

This work focuses on the removal of perchloroethylene (PCE) from gaseous streams using absorbers connected with electrolyzers. Two types of absorption devices (jet absorber and absorption column) were compared. In addition, it has been evaluated the different by-products generated when a simultaneous electrolysis with diamond anodes is carried out. PCE was not mineralized, but it was transformed into phosgene that mainly derivates into carbon tetrachloride. Trichloroacetic acid was also formed, but in much lower amounts. Results showed a more efficient absorption of PCE in the packed column, which it is associated to the higher gas–liquid contact surface. Jet absorber seems to favor the production of carbon tetrachloride in gaseous phase, whereas the packed column promotes a higher concentration of trichloroacetic acid in liquid. It was also evaluated the scale up of the electrolytic stage of these electro-absorption devices by using a stack with five perforated electrode packages instead of a single cell. Clarification of the effect of the applied current density on the speciation attained after the electrolysis of the absorbent has been attempted. Experiments reveal similar results in terms of PCE removal and a reduced generation of gaseous intermediates at lower current densities.
Enhanced Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction over TiO2 Using Metalloporphyrin as the Cocatalyst
Authors: Wang Ziyi , Zhou Wei , Wang Xin , Zhang Xueliang , Chen Huayu , Hu Huilin , Liu Lequan , Ye Jinhua , Wang Defa
Published: June 2020

The photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into CO and hydrocarbon fuels has been considered as an ideal green technology for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. The separation/transport of photoinduced charge carriers and adsorption/activation of CO2 molecules play crucial roles in photocatalytic activity. Herein, tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (H2TCPP) was incorporated with different metal atoms in the center of a conjugate macrocycle, forming the metalloporphyrins TCPP-M (M = Co, Ni, Cu). The as-obtained metalloporphyrin was loaded as a cocatalyst on commercial titania (P25) to form TCPP-M@P25 (M = Co, Ni, Cu) for enhanced CO2 photoreduction. Among all of the TCPP-M@P25 (M = Co, Ni, Cu), TCPP-Cu@P25 exhibited the highest evolution rates of CO (13.6 μmol⋅g−1⋅h−1) and CH4 (1.0 μmol⋅g−1⋅h−1), which were 35.8 times and 97.0 times those of bare P25, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the improved photogenerated electron-hole separation efficiency, as well as the increased adsorption/activation sites provided by the metal centers in TCPP-M (M = Co, Ni, Cu). Our study indicates that metalloporphyrin could be used as a high-efficiency cocatalyst to enhance CO2 photoreduction activity.
Trends and Outlook of Computational Chemistry and Microkinetic Modeling for Catalytic Synthesis of Methanol and DME
Authors: Park Jongmin , Kim Hyo Seok , Lee Won Bo , Park Myung-June
Published: June 2020

The first-principle modeling of heterogeneous catalysts is a revolutionarily approach, as the electronic structure of a catalyst is closely related to its reactivity on the surface with reactant molecules. In the past, detailed reaction mechanisms could not be understood, however, computational chemistry has made it possible to analyze a specific elementary reaction of a reaction system. Microkinetic modeling is a powerful tool for investigating elementary reactions and reaction mechanisms for kinetics. Using a microkinetic model, the dominant pathways and rate-determining steps can be elucidated among the competitive reactions, and the effects of operating conditions on the reaction mechanisms can be determined. Therefore, the combination of computational chemistry and microkinetic modeling can significantly improve computational catalysis research. In this study, we reviewed the trends and outlook of this combination technique as applied to the catalytic synthesis of methanol (MeOH) and dimethyl ether (DME), whose detailed mechanisms are still controversial. Although the scope is limited to the catalytic synthesis of limited species, this study is expected to provide a foundation for future works in the field of catalysis research based on computational catalysis.
Phylogenomic Study of Monechma Reveals Two Divergent Plant Lineages of Ecological Importance in the African Savanna and Succulent Biomes
Authors: Darbyshire Iain , Kiel Carrie A. , Astroth Corine M. , Dexter Kyle G. , Chase Frances M. , Tripp Erin A.
Published: June 2020

Monechma Hochst. s.l. (Acanthaceae) is a diverse and ecologically important plant group in sub-Saharan Africa, well represented in the fire-prone savanna biome and with a striking radiation into the non-fire-prone succulent biome in the Namib Desert. We used RADseq to reconstruct evolutionary relationships within Monechma s.l. and found it to be non-monophyletic and composed of two distinct clades: Group I comprises eight species resolved within the Harnieria clade, whilst Group II comprises 35 species related to the Diclipterinae clade. Our analyses suggest the common ancestors of both clades of Monechma occupied savannas, but both of these radiations (~13 mya crown ages) pre-date the currently accepted origin of the savanna biome in Africa, 5–10 mya. Diversification in the succulent biome of the Namib Desert is dated as beginning only ~1.9 mya. Inflorescence and seed morphology are found to distinguish Groups I and II and related taxa in the Justicioid lineage. Monechma Group II is morphologically diverse, with variation in some traits related to ecological diversification including plant habit. The present work enables future research on these important lineages and provides evidence towards understanding the biogeographical history of continental Africa.
Programmed Death Ligand 1: A Poor Prognostic Marker in Endometrial Carcinoma
Authors: Chew Mianxin , Wong Yin Ping , Karim Norain , Mustangin Muaatamarulain , Alfian Nurwardah , Tan Geok Chin
Published: June 2020

Endometrial carcinoma is the only gynaecologic malignancy with a raising incidence and mortality, posing a major health concern worldwide. The upregulation of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumour cells causes T-cell suppression, which impedes antitumour immunity, promotes immune cell evasion and enhances tumour survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate PD-L1 expression in endometrial carcinoma and to correlate it with survival rate. A total of 59 cases of endometrial carcinoma were evaluated. Thirty-two cases of non-neoplastic endometrial tissue were included as control. PD-L1 immunohistochemistry was performed on all cases. PD-L1 expression was evaluated on tumour cells and immune cells. PD-L1 was positive in 62.7% (37/59) and 28.8% (17/59) of immune cells and tumour cells, respectively. PD-L1 expression in immune cells was significantly higher in endometrial carcinoma than in non-neoplastic endometrium (p < 0.001). Among the patients with endometrial carcinoma, PD-L1 expression in tumour cells was significantly higher in patients who died (10/15, 66.7%) compared to those who survived (7/44, 15.9%) (p < 0.001). It is noteworthy to point out that the expression of PD-L1 in tumour cells was significantly associated with a poor survival. This suggests that immunomodulation using PD-L1 inhibitors may be useful in advanced endometrial carcinoma.
COVID-19 Infection Diagnosis: Potential Impact of Isothermal Amplification Technology to Reduce Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: James Ameh , Alawneh John
Published: June 2020

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is largely driven by community transmission, after 2019 novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV-2) crosses the borders. To stop the spread, rapid testing is required at community clinics and hospitals. These rapid tests should be comparable with the standard PCR technology. Isothermal amplification technology provides an excellent alternative that is highly amenable to resource limited settings, where expertise and infrastructure to support PCR are not available. In this review, we provide a brief description of isothermal amplification technology, its potential and the gaps that need to be considered for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Among this emerging technology, loop-mediated amplification (LAMP), recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and Nicking enzyme-assisted reaction (NEAR) technologies have been identified as potential platforms that could be implemented at community level, without samples referral to a centralized laboratory and prolonged turnaround time associated with the standard COVID-19 RT-PCR test. LAMP, for example, has recently been shown to be comparable with PCR and could be performed in less than 30 min by non-laboratory staff, without RNA extractions commonly associated with PCR. Interestingly, NEAR (ID NOW™ COVID-19 (Abbott, IL, USA) was able to detect the virus in 5 min. More so, isothermal platforms are cost effective and could easily be scaled up to resource limited settings. Diagnostics developers, scientific community and commercial companies could consider this alternative method to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Dynamic OverCloud: Realizing Microservices-Based IoT-Cloud Service Composition over Multiple Clouds
Authors: Han Jungsu , Park Sun , Kim JongWon
Published: June 2020

With the expansion of cloud-leveraged Information and Communications Technology (ICT) convergence trend, cloud-native computing is starting to be the de-facto paradigm together with MSA(Microservices Architecture)-based service composition for agility and efficiency. Moreover, by bridging the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud together, a variety of cloud applications are explosively emerging. As an example, the so-called IoT-Cloud services, which are cloud-leveraged inter-connected services with distributed IoT devices, dynamically utilize geographically-distributed multiple clouds since mobile IoT devices can selectively connect to the near-by cloud resources for low-latency and high-throughput connectivity. In comparison, most public cloud providers may cause vendor lock-in problems that limit the inter-operable service compositions. Thus, in this paper, we propose a new overlay approach to address the above limitations, denoted as Dynamic OverCloud, which is a specially-arranged razor-thin overlay layer that provides users with an inter-operable and visibility-supported environment for MSA-based IoT-Cloud service composition over the existing multiple clouds. Then, we design a software framework that dynamically builds the proposed concept. We also describe a detailed implementation of the software framework with workflows. Finally, we verify its feasibility by realizing a smart energy IoT-Cloud service with the suggested operation lifecycle.
Two Open Solutions for Industrial Robot Control: The Case of PUMA 560
Authors: Jokić Dejan , Lubura Slobodan , Rajs Vladimir , Bodić Milan , Šiljak Harun
Published: June 2020

In this paper we present two different, software and reconfigurable hardware, open architecture approaches to the PUMA 560 robot controller implementation, fully document them and provide the full design specification, software code and hardware description. Such solutions are necessary in today’s robotics and industry: deprecated old control units render robotic installations useless and allow no upgrades, advancements, or innovation in an inherently innovative ecosystem. For the sake of simplicity, just the first robot axis is considered. The first approach described is a PC solution with data acquisition I/O board (Humusoft MF634). This board is supported with Matlab Real-Time Windows Toolbox for real-time applications and thus whole controller was designed in Matlab environment. The second approach is a robot controller developed on field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) board. The complexity of FPGA design can be overcome by using a third party software package, such as self-developed Matlab FPGA Real Time Toolbox. In both cases, parameters of motion controller are calculated by using simulation of the PUMA 560 robot first axis motion. Simulations were conducted in Matlab/Simulink using Robotics Toolbox.
A Segmentation Enhancement Method for the Low-Contrast and Narrow-Banded Substances in CBCT Images
Authors: Dao-Ngoc Lam , Liu Ching-Feng , Du Yi-Chun
Published: June 2020

Due to its low contrast, narrow banded, and emerged to the output imaging attribute scale, facial skin tissue is difficult to extract from dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstructions. Furthermore, there is a challenge of balancing the indication and patient-specific factors and imaging dosage to make it both safe and diagnostically effective for successful treatment planning. These issues make a new frontier for facial skin and soft tissue diagnostic applications driven by sparse dental and low-dose CBCT data. In this study, a new segmentation enhancement method for low-contrast and narrow-banded substances is proposed based on our previous work on selective anatomy analysis iterative reconstruction (SA2IR). The purpose of the proposed method is to segment facial skin tissue based on combinatorial optimization and previously known facial soft tissue structure anatomy. Our results using this method indicated that the skin thickness was much more easily and more quickly identified than with conventional ultrasonic scanning methods. This method holds the potential to be an assisting tool for studying linage of anthropometrics, forensics, human archaeology, and some narrow medico-dental applications.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles—Platforms, Applications, Security and Services
Authors: Calafate Carlos T. , Tropea Mauro
Published: June 2020

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has attracted prominent attention from researchers, engineers, and investors in multidisciplinary fields such as agriculture, signal coverage, emergency situations, disaster events, farmland and environment monitoring, 3D-mapping, and so forth [...]
Optimal Planning of Wood Harvesting and Timber Supply in Russian Conditions
Authors: Shabaev Anton , Sokolov Anton , Urban Alexander , Pyatin Dmitry
Published: June 2020

This paper describes an approach to the optimal planning of wood harvesting and timber supply for forest companies of Russia. Software and tools successfully used in other countries (e.g., Finland, Sweden, Canada, etc.) are not as effective in Russian conditions for a number of reasons. This calls for the development of an original approach to solve this problem with respect to Russia’s specific conditions. The main factors affecting the operation of wood harvesting companies in Russia were determined. The optimization problem was formulated taking into account all important features of wood harvesting specific to the country. The mathematical model of the problem was formulated and analyzed. An important requirement is that the solution algorithm should find high-quality plans within short computation times. The original problem was reduced to a block linear programming problem of large dimension, for which an effective numerical solution method was proposed. It is based on the multiplicative simplex method with column generation within Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition and uses heuristics to determine feasible solutions based on the branch and bound method. We tested the solution approach on real production data from a forest company in southern Karelia with a planning horizon up to a year. This case study involved 198 sites and 14 machines harvesting up to 200,000 cubic meters from an available stock volume of about 300,000 cubic meters. An increase in profit by 5% to 10% was observed, measured as revenue from the sale of products, net of harvesting and transportation costs.
Aboveground Carbon Storage and Cycling of Flooded and Upland Forests of the Brazilian Pantanal
Authors: Borges Pinto Osvaldo , Marques Ana Carolina Amorim , Vourlitis George L.
Published: June 2020

Tropical forests and savanna (cerrado) are important carbon (C) sinks; however, few data exist for seasonally flooded forests. We quantified the annual rates of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) over a five-year period for two forests, an upland mixed forest and a seasonally flooded cerrado forest, located in the northern Pantanal region of Brazil. We hypothesized that rates of ANPP would be higher for the mixed forest than the cerrado forest because seasonal flooding can limit rates of tree growth. ANPP was calculated as the sum of the annual litter production measured from litterfall traps and the stem growth increment measured from dendrometers and tree density. ANPP varied between 3.8–5.5 MgC ha−1 y−1 for the flooded forest and 1.6–4.6 MgC ha−1 y−1 for the upland forest. Litter production accounted for 57% of the ANPP, and the difference in ANPP between the upland and flooded forests was due to consistently higher litter production in the flooded forest. Annual variations in ANPP were not correlated with annual precipitation, presumably because the hydrology of these sites is driven more by the flood stage of the Cuiaba River than by local precipitation. However, consistent declines in forest floor litter mass occurred at both sites, suggesting that C storage may be responding to some unknown disturbance that occurred prior to our sampling campaign. Seasonal variation in rainfall exerted an important control on litter production dynamics, with leaf litter production increasing during the dry season and stem and reproductive litter production increasing during the wet season. While there are few studies of seasonally flooded tropical forests, our data suggest that the seasonally flooded and upland forests of the northern Pantanal can act as appreciable aboveground C sinks.
The Role of Cover Thickness in the Rainfall-Induced Landslides of Nocera Inferiore 2005
Authors: Coppola Lucia , Reder Alfredo , Rianna Guido , Pagano Luca
Published: June 2020

In the context of rainfall-induced landslides involving pyroclastic soils, the present work analyzes the influence of cover thickness on slope stability conditions. To this aim, the slope failure that occurred in Nocera Inferiore (4th March 2005) is selected as a reference test case, providing the actual weather forcing history that preceded the event, the hydraulic characterization of the soil involved, and the lowermost boundary condition (variously fractured calcareous bedrock underlying the cover). By maintaining unchanged soil hydraulic properties, the relationship between domain thickness, initial soil suction distribution, and slope instability induced by critical rainfall is investigated by numerical analyses. These refer to a rigid unsaturated domain subject to one dimensional flow conditions under the effects of incoming (precipitation) and outcoming (evaporation) fluxes applied at the uppermost boundary. The main outcomes indicate that critical event duration increases significantly with increasing the domain thickness. This relationship is strongly influenced by initial suction distribution. A linear relationship results for soil suction that is assumed to be constant at the beginning of the critical event. However, this relationship is quadratic if, by simulating the actual antecedent meteorological conditions, suction at the beginning of the critical event is the main function of the domain thickness. Additional numerical analyses were carried out to characterize the influence of a different lowermost boundary condition. Outcomes indicate that, for the same thickness, critical duration is substantially longer if the cover contact is with the same material as that of the cover.
Influence of Music on Closed Motor Skills: A Controlled Study with Novice Female Dart-Throwers
Authors: Arbinaga Félix , Romero-Pérez Nehemías , Torres-Rosado Lidia , Fernández-Ozcorta Eduardo J. , Mendoza-Sierra María Isabel
Published: June 2020

The influence of music heard at different tempos is analyzed during the execution of a dart-throwing task. The sample consisted of 56 female university students (Mean age = 23.38, SD = 6.773). The participants were randomly assigned to GC (group control without music; n = 18), GS (group with slow-paced music at a tempo of 60 BPM; n = 19) and GF (group with fast-paced music at a tempo of 105 BPM; n = 19). All participants performed a dart-throwing task in two phases. Analysis of the scores obtained during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of dart throwing (examining both between-group differences and within-group differences, i.e., changes in scores from Phase 1 to Phase 2 using a mixed factorial ANOVA) revealed no differences in dart-throwing scores. There were, however, differences in execution time, where the participants in GS needed more time to complete the task than those in GF (F(2,55) = 4.426, p = 0.017) with a large effect size (ŋ2p = 0.143), although neither of these groups differed from GC. The results are discussed in terms of the role of music in precision tasks and the synchronization of the task with the pace of the music.
Factors Associated with Urban Risk-Taking Behaviour during 2018 Typhoon Mangkhut: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Shang Evan Su Wei , Lo Eugene Siu Kai , Huang Zhe , Hung Kevin Kei Ching , Chan Emily Ying Yang
Published: June 2020

Although much of the health emergency and disaster risk management (Health-EDRM) literature evaluates methods to protect health assets and mitigate health risks from disasters, there is a lack of research into those who have taken high-risk behaviour during extreme events. The study’s main objective is to examine the association between engaging in high-risk behaviour and factors including sociodemographic characteristics, disaster risk perception and household preparedness during a super typhoon. A computerized randomized digit dialling cross-sectional household survey was conducted in Hong Kong, an urban metropolis, two weeks after the landing of Typhoon Mangkhut. Telephone interviews were conducted in Cantonese with adult residents. The response rate was 23.8% and the sample was representative of the Hong Kong population. Multivariable logistic regressions of 521 respondents adjusted with age and gender found education, income, risk perception and disaster preparedness were insignificantly associated with risk-taking behaviour during typhoons. This suggests that other factors may be involved in driving this behaviour, such as a general tendency to underestimate risk or sensation seeking. Further Health-EDRM research into risk-taking and sensation seeking behaviour during extreme events is needed to identify policy measures.
Process Evaluation of a Clustered Randomized Control Trial of a Comprehensive Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Primary Health Care in Rural China
Authors: Zou Guanyang , Zhang Wei , King Rebecca , Zhang Zhitong , Walley John , Gong Weiwei , Yu Min , Wei Xiaolin
Published: June 2020

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major public health challenge in China. This study aims to understand the processes of implementing a comprehensive intervention to reduce CVD events in areas of drug therapy, lifestyle changes, and adherence support in a clustered randomized controlled trial (cRCT). This trial consisted of 67 clusters spanning over 3 years in Zhejiang Province, China. Method: A qualitative process evaluation was nested within the cRCT conducted in 9 township hospitals with 27 healthcare providers, 18 semi-structured interviews, and 23 observational studies of clinical practices within the intervention arm. Results: Effective and repeated trainings using an interactive approach were crucial to improve the prescribing behaviour of family doctors and their patient communication skills. However, the awareness of patients remained limited, thus compromising their use of CVD preventive drugs and adoption of healthy lifestyles. Health system factors further constrained providers’ and patients’ responses to the intervention. Financial barrier was a major concern because of the low coverage of health insurance. Other barriers included limited doctor–patient trust and suboptimal staff motivation. Conclusion: Our study suggests the feasibility of implementing a comprehensive CVD risk reduction strategy in China’s rural primary care facilities. However, health system barriers need to be addressed to ensure the success and sustainability of the intervention.
First Occurrence of Eustrongylides spp. (Nematoda: Dioctophymatidae) in a Subalpine Lake in Northwest Italy: New Data on Distribution and Host Range
Authors: Menconi Vasco , Riina Maria Vittoria , Pastorino Paolo , Mugetti Davide , Canola Serena , Pizzul Elisabetta , Bona Maria Cristina , Dondo Alessandro , Acutis Pier Luigi , Prearo Marino
Published: June 2020

The genus Eustrongylides includes nematodes that infect fish species and fish-eating birds inhabiting freshwater ecosystems. Nematodes belonging to the genus Eustrongylides are potentially pathogenic for humans; infection occurs after the consumption of raw or undercooked fish. In the two-year period 2019–2020, a total of 292 fish belonging to eight species were examined for the occurrence of Eustrongylides spp. from Lake San Michele, a small subalpine lake in northwest Italy. The prevalence of infestation was 18.3% in Lepomis gibbosus, 16.7% in Micropterus salmoides, and 10% in Perca fluviatilis. The other five fish species (Ameiurus melas, Ictalurus punctatus, Squalius cephalus, Carassius carassius, and Scardinius erythrophthalmus) were all negative for parasite presence. There were no significant differences in prevalence between the three fish species (Fisher’s exact test; p = 0.744). The mean intensity of infestation ranged from 1 (M. salmoides and P. fluviatilis) to 1.15 (L. gibbosus), and the mean abundance ranged from 0.1 (P. fluviatilis) to 0.28 (L. gibbosus). There were significant differences in the infestation site between the four muscle quadrants (anterior ventral, anterior dorsal, posterior ventral, and posterior dorsal) and the visceral cavity (Kruskal–Wallis test; p = 0.0008). The study findings advance our knowledge about the distribution and host range of this parasite in Italy.
Consolidation of Aedes albopictus Surveillance Program in the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, Spain
Authors: Collantes Francisco , Méndez Manuel José , Soto-Castejón Caridad , Muelas Eva María
Published: June 2020

Background: Due to the Spanish legal framework, the national program for vector-borne diseases results from the agreement between national and regional governments, and it is the basis for the development of the regional programs, which should include the regional entomological surveillance program. Aedes albopictus was recorded for the first time in the Region of Murcia, in 2011. It gave rise to a new epidemiological scenario due to the presence of a competent vector of several arboviruses, which resulted in autochthonous cases of dengue in 2018. Methods: 40 out of 45 municipalities participated in the regional entomological surveillance program, and 266 sampling points were established, with two ovitraps at each site as pseudo-replications. The study period was from April 16th to November 26th, with bi-weekly sample collections: 16 regional samplings were carried out. Results: Regional participation was high, and data loss was low (1.26%). Ae. albopictus was detected in 4.9% of samples and 89.4% of points, located in 39 of the 40 municipalities. The intensity of the presence of Ae. albopictus was estimated by a positivity index, that is, the percentage of positive samples over time. The vector phenology was obtained at a regional level, using the number of eggs as estimation of population density and the positivity values of points and municipalities. Every two weeks, real-time results were provided to the municipalities, which could use them as a vector management tool. Conclusion: The regional entomological surveillance program for Ae. albopictus in the Region of Murcia was consolidated in 2019, with standardized and comparable methods. Almost all the municipalities of the region have observed the presence of Ae. albopictus, although intensity and spatial and temporal cover vary among them.
Age Structural Transitions and Copayment Policy Effectiveness: Evidence from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance System
Authors: Lin Ya-Ling , Chen Wen-Yi , Shieh Shwn-Huey
Published: June 2020

Background: Population ageing is a worldwide phenomenon that could influence health policy effectiveness. This research explores the impact of age structural transitions on copayment policy responses under Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system. Methods: The time-varying parameter vector autoregressive model was applied to create two measures of the copayment policy effectiveness, and multiple linear regression models were used to verify the nonlinear effect of age structural transitions on copayment policy responses. Results: Our results show that copayment policy effectiveness (in terms of the negative response of medical center outpatient visits to upward adjustments in copayment) is positively correlated with the proportions of the population in two older age groups (aged 55–64 and ≥ 65) and children (age < 15), but negatively correlated with the proportion of the population that makes up most of the workforce (aged 15‒54). These tendencies of age distribution, which influence the responses of medical center outpatient visits to copayment policy changes, predict that copayment policy may have a greater influence on medical center outpatient utilization in an ageing society. Conclusions: Policymakers should be concerned about the adverse effects of copayment adjustments on the elderly, such as an increasing financial burden and the effect of pricing some elderly patients out of Taiwan’s NHI system.
Use of the Smartphone and Self-Concept in University Students According to the Gender Variable
Authors: Cachón-Zagalaz Javier , Sanabrias-Moreno Déborah , Sánchez-Zafra María , Zagalaz-Sánchez María Luisa , Lara-Sánchez Amador Jesús
Published: June 2020

The university stage comprises a very important and vital period in the modification of students’ lifestyles, and these changes can affect their self-concept. The excessive use of technology today can also influence the formation of their identity. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between self-concept and the use of the smartphone by university students in terms of gender. The sample included 253 students (mean age 21.39 ± 3.27) of the Primary Education Degree of the University of Jaén (106 men and 147 women). A questionnaire was used to unify several instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire, a Self-Concept Form-5 questionnaire (AF-5), and a questionnaire on cell phone-related experiences (CERM). The results show the existence of significant differences between both genders in the academic, emotional, and social dimensions of self-concept, with women showing a greater academic self-concept and men showing an emotional and physical one. Regarding the use of the smartphone in relation to self-concept, significant differences are found in the academic and emotional dimensions depending on the degree of use. In addition, in relation to the use of the smartphone, it has been detected that half of the students present potential problems. It is concluded that there is a relationship between both constructs, especially the academic and emotional self-concept.
Body Satisfaction, Weight Stigma, Positivity, and Happiness among Spanish Adults with Overweight and Obesity
Authors: Godoy-Izquierdo Débora , González-Hernández Juan , Rodríguez-Tadeo Alejandra , Lara Raquel , Ogallar Adelaida , Navarrón Estefanía , Ramírez María J. , López-Mora Clara , Arbinaga Félix
Published: June 2020

Although previous evidence suggests that happiness is lower among individuals with obesity, research on the correlates of subjective well-being (SWB) is warranted to increase our knowledge. We aim to explore excess weight (i.e., measured and self-reported body mass index (BMI)), body image and satisfaction, self-stigma, positivity, and happiness among Spanish adults with overweight or obesity. We further aim to investigate the predictors of SWB in this sample. A convenience sample of 100 individuals with excess weight completed self-reports on the study variables and were weighed and their height measured. On average, the participants reported body perceptions revealing minor excessive weight, moderate body satisfaction, low-to-moderate weight-related stigma, and elevated positivity and happiness. BMI and gender/sex independently affected these variables, but there were no significant interaction effects. Furthermore, individuals with overweight or obesity with higher body satisfaction and elevated positivity were more likely to report being happy, independent of their age, gender/sex, weight, and weight-related stigma. Mediation effects were found for body satisfaction and positivity in the relationship between weight and happiness. Moreover, positive orientation suppressed the pervasive influence of stigma on SWB. Our findings confirm the key role of body image dimensions and weight-related stigma for happiness and add support to the relevance of positivity for overall well-being of individuals with excess weight. These results may inform obesity management actions focused on inclusive aesthetic models, combating social stigmatization and enhancing positivity for a flourishing and fulfilling life.
Emotional Burden and Perceived Social Support in Male Partners of Women with Cancer
Authors: Jabłoński Marcin J. , García-Torres Francisco , Zielińska Paulina , Bułat Alicja , Brandys Piotr
Published: June 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the correlations between the psychosocial burden on male caregivers and their perception of social support, as well as distress, anxiety, and depression among their partners in the first six months after a cancer diagnosis. Methods: A cross-sectional, longitudinal and observational study was conducted on a group of 61 couples, with the use of Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), Berlín Social Support Scales (BSSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Distress Thermometer (DT). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica v.13. Results: A strong positive correlation between the ZBI and CBS, as well as between support-seeking and the emotional involvement of male partners, was documented. The negative correlation between the lack of instrumental support and a much greater burden on caregivers, in emotional, social, and family life was documented. The level of distress, anxiety, and depression, as well as family problems reported by female patients, were positively correlated with the male caregiver′s burden. A demographic analysis showed significant relationships between the number of offspring and the negative health indicators of patients and their partners. Implications: The obtained results encourage deeper reflection on the need to improve the availability of instrumental support for male caregivers and support for families with an oncological ill parent in caring for minor children, and to maintain the social activity of the caregiver.
Cost of Blood and Body Fluid Occupational Exposure Management in Beijing, China
Authors: Wang Daifang , Ye Yan , Zheng Qiang
Published: June 2020

(1) Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the cost of blood and body fluid (BBF) occupational exposure management in healthcare facilities in Beijing, China. (2) Methods: A survey was conducted from August to October 2018, seeking general information concerning the management of occupational exposure to BBF and the cost of the management process. In total, 216 healthcare facilities were surveyed, using a stratified-selection method. The collected information included BBF management protocols, direct costs such as laboratory testing fees, drug costs and medical service fees, as well as indirect costs, such as wages, lost working time, injury compensation, and psychological counseling time. (3) Results: The cost of post-BBF exposure management varied according to the infection status of the exposure source patients, the immune status of exposed employees, and the location and level of healthcare facilities. The mean values of management cost were determined to be hepatitis B (HBV)-positive source (RMB 5936/USD 897), hepatitis C (HCV)-positive source (RMB 5738/USD 867), Treponema pallidum (TP)-positive source (RMB 4508/USD 681), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive source (RMB 12,709/USD 1920), and unknown sources (RMB 7441/USD 1124). The survey also revealed that some healthcare facilities have insufficient post-exposure management. (4) Conclusions: A better post-exposure management system is needed in Beijing to reduce both infection risk after exposure and costs.