bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypothyroidism Diet Plan
Authors: Evseev A.
Published: October 2020

The paper deals with the issue linked with thyroid malfunctions, in particular, the incidence of hypothyroidism. Iodine deficiency statistics is presented; the study proposes the possible ways of solving the issue. The author draws special attention to a specialized hypothyroidism diet plan which may help patients to treat metabolic disorders.
Vitamin A: dietologist’s position
Authors: Orlova S. V. , Nikitina E. A. , Karushina L. I. , Pigaryova Yu. A. , Pronina O. E.
Published: October 2020

Vitamin A (retinol) is one of the key elements for regulating the immune response and controls the division and differentiation of epithelial cells of the mucous membranes of the bronchopulmonary system, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, eyes, etc. Its significance in the context of the COVID‑19 pandemic is difficult to overestimate. However, a number of studies conducted in the past have associated the additional intake of vitamin A with an increased risk of developing cancer, as a result of which vitamin A was practically excluded from therapeutic practice in developed countries. Our review highlights the role of vitamin A in maintaining human health and the latest data on its effect on the development mechanisms of somatic pathology.
Drug-induced liver injuries in practice of primary care physician (review of clinical recommendations)
Authors: Ostroumova O. D. , Borisova E. V. , Piksina G. F. , Pavleeva E. Е.
Published: October 2020

Currently, due to the high availability of drugs and the growing volume of the pharmaceutical market, there is a clear trend towards an increase in the number of drug-induced liver injuries (DILI), which can be associated with the use of almost all classes of prescription or non-prescription drugs including herbal remedies, dietary supplements and biological food supplements, etc. Due to the high relevance of this problem, the article is devoted to the epidemiology and classification of DILI, the principles of management of patients with DILI, prognosis and prevention of DILI, taking into account European and Russian clinical recommendations for the management of patients with DILI – European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL; 2019), Russian Gastroenterological Association (2019), Scientific Society of Gastroenterologists of Russia / Russian Scientific Medical Society of Therapists (NOGR / RNMOT) (2020). The criteria for the diagnosis of DILI are described in detail, a number of classifications of DILI are given (by severity, pathogenetic, clinical and laboratory, by phenotypes and clinical and morphological forms). Risk factors for DILI include age, gender, race, genetic factors, certain concomitant diseases and conditions, polypharmacy, drug-drug interactions, and drug characteristics (dose, duration of administration, lipophilicity, etc.). In the diagnosis of DILI, the central link is the assessment of cause-effect relationships between taking the inducer drug and the development of symptoms of liver damage, for this purpose it is recommended to use the CIOMS-RUCAM scale, and indications for liver biopsy are determined. The diagnosis of exclusion of DILI and its formulation require studies aimed at differentiation with acute viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson’s disease, Bad Chiari syndrome, primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, cholelithiasis, and oncological diseases. Variants of the course of DILI with the selection of favorable and unfavorable prognostic signs are considered. The choice of hepatoprotective therapy has been discussed. The data on the possibilities of the drug Heptrong in the treatment of DILI are given. Particular attention is paid to preventive measures that impede the development of DILI.
STUDY METHODS FOR MONITORING OF TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Authors: Zykin Mikhail M. , Novikov Sergey N.
Published: October 2020

The article describes main steps for centralizing routing table databases. Advantages and disadvantages of databases formed at different levels of centralization are described. Main methods of forming routing tables are described. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are indicated. There are also examples of network protocols that are used to implement a particular method for generating databases about the network state. Possible hybrid methods are identified by combining standard methods for creating databases describing the network state. To ensure optimal operation of the telecommunications network, the optimal monitoring method should be selected based on the degree of centralization and the method for creating a database of routing tables. Depending on the scale of the network and the degree of centralization of its resources, it is needed to choose the best method for monitoring the network.
DEVELOPMENT OF ETHNO-POLITICAL HISTORICAL GIS
Authors: Batalov Roman N. , Radchenko Lyudmila K.
Published: October 2020

The article deals with the development of methods of historical ethnopolitical GIS that integrates information about states, peoples, and localities on the territory of the Novosibirsk region at the end of the III century BC - XVI century AD. The process of implementing the project of this GIS is described on the example of a technological scheme of its creation. The developed database structure is given. The problem of choosing cartographic and literary sources for creating historical GIS is identified. The functions that the developed GIS performs are listed.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ECOLOGICAL PASSPORT PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ON THE EXAMPLE OF A SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Authors: Bondareva Svetlana A. , Baranova Evgenia I.
Published: October 2020

The article substantiates the relevance of developing an environmental passport of public buildings and structures that are nature users, as a result of their activities they use natural resources and can have a negative impact on the environment. The regulatory legal acts that determine the rules of the environmental passport developed for nature users are considered. A brief description of the main parts that make up the environmental passport, designed for public buildings and structures on the example of a secondary educational institution, is given. The structure of the developed environmental passport is presented, which consists of six main sections, including standard data forms. Conclusions on the need for mandatory certification of not only industrial facilities, but also other natural users are drawn.
COMPETENCE MODEL OF AN INFORMATION SECURITY SPECIALIST IN MODERN CONDITIONS
Authors: Vasilieva Diana S. , Shaburova Aelita V.
Published: October 2020

The field of information security is experiencing a shortage of specialists to meet the growing demand for qualified and ready-to-work personnel. The use of competency models as tools for determining and evaluating employee qualifications, and skills needs to be reconsidered. The purpose of the research is to formulate competence a model of a specialist in the field of information security. The article examines the structure of the competence model of a specialist in the field of information security, and the model of competence of a specialist in the field of information security, as well as defines the main competencies that are necessary for an information security specialist. Industry standard competence models can help employers, teachers, and human resources professionals prepare, develop, and advance the workforce for enterprise security and information security in the future.
STUDY OF PROCESSING METHODS OF GEO-SPATIAL DATA TO MANAGE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TERRITORIES
Authors: Vydrin Nikita K.
Published: October 2020

The article discusses the technique for processing satellite images by PlanetScope satellites, implemented as a Planet Analytics Feeds web service. Basic characteristics of the survey equipment of these satellite systems and key steps of automated processing are considered. The obtained information can be used to study and analyze sustainable development of territories, as well as making managerial decisions.
ANALYSIS AND CLASSIFICATION OF MANUFACTURING CENTERS FOCUSED ON MECHANICAL PART OF OPTICAL DEVICES
Authors: Gavrichenko Nikolay E. , Petrov Pavel V.
Published: October 2020

The article deals with the concept of flexible and dynamic classification of metal-cutting machines of the "turning processing center" (TPC) type for the production of complex metal parts of optical devices by cutting. It is intended to create specialized databases with a formalized description of the structural elements of the TPC and automatically perform multiple classifications, relying on various factors. The comprehensive analysis of machine-tool companies is made; the generalized structure of structural elements and parameters of modern TPC is defined.
Full Transcriptome Analysis of Callus Suspension Culture System of Bletilla striata
Authors: Li Lin , Liu Houbo , Wen Weie , Huang Ceyin , Li Xiaomei , Xiao Shiji , Wu Mingkai , Shi Junhua , Xu Delin
Published: October 2020

Background

Bletilla striata has been widely used in the pharmacology industry. To effectively produce the secondary metabolites through suspension cultured cells of B. striata, it is important to exploring the full-length transcriptome data and the genes related to cell growth and chemical producing of all culture stages. We applied a combination of Real-Time Sequencing of Single Molecule (SMRT) and second-generation sequencing (SGS) to generate the complete and full-length transcriptome of B. striata suspension cultured cells.

Methods

The B. striata transcriptome was formed in de novo way by using PacBio isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) on a pooled RNA sample derived from 23 samples of 10 culture stages, to explore the potential for capturing full-length transcript isoforms. All unigenes were obtained after splicing, assembling, and clustering, and corrected by the SGS results. The obtained unigenes were compared with the databases, and the functions were annotated and classified.

Results and conclusions

A total of 100,276 high-quality full-length transcripts were obtained, with an average length of 2530 bp and an N50 of 3302 bp. About 52% of total sequences were annotated against the Gene Ontology, 53,316 unigenes were hit by KOG annotations and divided into 26 functional categories, 80,020 unigenes were mapped by KEGG annotations and clustered into 363 pathways. Furthermore, 15,133 long-chain non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were detected. And 68,996 coding sequences were identified based on SSR analysis, among which 31 pairs of primers selected at random were amplified and obtained stable bands. In conclusion, our results provide new full-length transcriptome data and genetic resources for identifying growth and metabolism-related genes, which provide a solid foundation for further research on its growth regulation mechanisms and genetic engineering breeding mechanisms of B. striata.
Exercise Intensity May Not Moderate the Acute Effects of Functional Circuit Training on Cognitive Function: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Authors: Wilke Jan , Royé Caroline
Published: October 2020

Functional circuit training (FCT) has been demonstrated to acutely enhance cognitive performance (CP). However, the moderators of this observation are unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the role of exercise intensity. According to an a priori sample size calculation, n = 24 healthy participants (26 ± 3 years, 13 females), in randomized order, performed a single 15-min bout of FCT with low (20–39% of the heart rate reserve/HRR), moderate (40–59% HRR) or high intensity (maximal effort). Immediately pre- and post-workout, CP was measured by use of the Digit Span test, Stroop test and Trail Making test. Non-parametric data analyses did not reveal significant differences between conditions (p > 0.05) although parameter-free 95% confidence intervals showed pre-post improvements in some outcomes at moderate and high intensity only. The effort level does not seem to be a major effect modifier regarding short-term increases in CP following HCT in young active adults.
Noisy Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (Stochastic Resonance) Changes Electroencephalography Activities and Postural Control in Patients with Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction
Authors: Ko Li-Wei , Chikara Rupesh Kumar , Chen Po-Yin , Jheng Ying-Chun , Wang Chien-Chih , Yang Yi-Chiang , Li Lieber Po-Hung , Liao Kwong-Kum , Chou Li-Wei , Kao Chung-Lan
Published: October 2020

Patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) often suffer from imbalance, gait problems, and oscillopsia. Noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS), a technique that non-invasively stimulates the vestibular afferents, has been shown to enhance postural and walking stability. However, no study has investigated how it affects stability and neural activities while standing and walking with a 2 Hz head yaw turning. Herein, we investigated this issue by comparing differences in neural activities during standing and walking with a 2 Hz head turning, before and after noisy GVS. We applied zero-mean gaussian white noise signal stimulations in the mastoid processes of 10 healthy individuals and seven patients with BVH, and simultaneously recorded electroencephalography (EEG) signals with 32 channels. We analyzed the root mean square (RMS) of the center of pressure (COP) sway during 30 s of standing, utilizing AMTI force plates (Advanced Mechanical Technology Inc., Watertown, MA, USA). Head rotation quality when walking with a 2 Hz head yaw, with and without GVS, was analyzed using a VICON system (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd., Oxford, UK) to evaluate GVS effects on static and dynamic postural control. The RMS of COP sway was significantly reduced during GVS while standing, for both patients and healthy subjects. During walking, 2 Hz head yaw movements was significantly improved by noisy GVS in both groups. Accordingly, the EEG power of theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands significantly increased in the left parietal lobe after noisy GVS during walking and standing in both groups. GVS post-stimulation effect changed EEG activities in the left and right precentral gyrus, and the right parietal lobe. After stimulation, EEG activity changes were greater in healthy subjects than in patients. Our findings reveal noisy GVS as a non-invasive therapeutic alternative to improve postural stability in patients with BVH. This novel approach provides insight to clinicians and researchers on brain activities during noisy GVS in standing and walking conditions in both healthy and BVH patients.
Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation for Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Scoping Review
Authors: Lin Wei-Sheng , Lin Shan-Ju , Hsu Ting-Rong
Published: October 2020

Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized as an important clinical issue in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). However, variations regarding its assessment and remediation are noted in clinical arena. This scoping review aims to collate available evidence concerning cognitive assessment tool and cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric MS. We performed a systematic search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science) from inception to February 2020. Reference lists of included articles and trial registers were also searched. We included original studies published in English that addressed cognitive assessment tools or cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric-onset MS. Fourteen studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Among them, 11 studies evaluated the psychometric aspects of various cognitive assessment tools in the context of pediatric MS, and different neuro-cognitive domains were emphasized across studies. There were only three pilot studies reporting cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric-onset MS, all of which used home-based computerized programs targeting working memory and attention, respectively. Overall, more systematic research on cognitive assessment tools and rehabilitation for pediatric MS is needed to inform evidence-based practice. Computer-assisted cognitive assessment and rehabilitation appear feasible and deserve further studies.
Interfacial Crystallization within Liquid Marbles
Authors: Bormashenko Edward , Roy Pritam Kumar , Shoval Shraga , Legchenkova Irina
Published: October 2020

We report interfacial crystallization in the droplets of saline solutions placed on superhydrophobic surfaces and liquid marbles filled with the saline. Evaporation of saline droplets deposited on superhydrophobic surface resulted in the formation of cup-shaped millimeter-scaled residues. The formation of the cup-like deposit is reasonably explained within the framework of the theory of the coffee-stain effect, namely, the rate of heterogeneous crystallization along the contact line of the droplet is significantly higher than in the droplet bulk. Crystallization within evaporated saline marbles coated with lycopodium particles depends strongly on the evaporation rate. Rapidly evaporated saline marbles yielded dented shells built of a mixture of colloidal particles and NaCl crystals. We relate the formation of these shells to the interfacial crystallization promoted by hydrophobic particles coating the marbles, accompanied with the upward convection flows supplying the saline to the particles, serving as the centers of interfacial crystallization. Convective flows prevail over the diffusion mass transport for the saline marbles heated from below.
Energy, Entropy, Constraints, and Creativity in Economic Growth and Crises
Authors: Kümmel Reiner , Lindenberger Dietmar
Published: October 2020

The neoclassical mainstream theory of economic growth does not care about the First and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It usually considers only capital and labor as the factors that produce the wealth of modern industrial economies. If energy is taken into account as a factor of production, its economic weight, that is its output elasticity, is assigned a meager magnitude of roughly 5 percent, according to the neoclassical cost-share theorem. Because of that, neoclassical economics has the problems of the “Solow Residual”, which is the big difference between observed and computed economic growth, and of the failure to explain the economic recessions since World War 2 by the variations of the production factors. Having recalled these problems, we point out that technological constraints on factor combinations have been overlooked in the derivation of the cost-share theorem. Biophysical analyses of economic growth that disregard this theorem and mend the neoclassical deficiencies are sketched. They show that energy’s output elasticity is much larger than its cost share and elucidate the existence of bidirectional causality between energy conversion and economic growth. This helps to understand how economic crises have been triggered and overcome by supply-side and demand-side actions. Human creativity changes the state of economic systems. We discuss the challenges to it by the risks from politics and markets in conjunction with energy sources and technologies, and by the constraints that the emissions of particles and heat from entropy production impose on industrial growth in the biosphere.
Study on the Fracture Law of Inclined Hard Roof and Surrounding Rock Control of Mining Roadway in Longwall Mining Face
Authors: Cui Feng , Dong Shuai , Lai Xingping , Chen Jianqiang , Jia Chong , Zhang Tinghui
Published: October 2020

In the inclination direction, the fracture law of a longwall face roof is very important for roadway control. Based on the W1123 working face mining of Kuangou coal mine, the roof structure, stress and energy characteristics of W1123 were studied by using mechanical analysis, model testing and engineering practice. The results show that when the width of W1123 is less than 162 m, the roof forms a rock beam structure in the inclined direction, the floor pressure is lower, the energy and frequency of microseismic (MS) events are at a low level, and the stability of the section coal pillar is better. When the width of W1123 increases to 172 m, the roof breaks along the inclined direction, forming a double-hinged structure, the floor pressure is increased, and the frequency and energy of MS events also increases. The roof gathers elastic energy release, and combined with the MS energy release speed it can be considered that the stability of the section coal pillar is better. As the width of W1123 increases to 184 m, the roof in the inclined direction breaks again, forming a multi-hinged stress arch structure, and the floor pressure increases again. MS high-energy events occur frequently, and are not conducive to the stability of the section coal pillar. Finally, through engineering practice we verified the stability of the section coal pillar when the width of W1123 was 172 m, which provides a basis for determining the width of the working face and section coal pillar under similar conditions.
War People: Punitive Raids, Democracy and the White Family in Australia
Authors: Byrne Paula Jane
Published: October 2020

Apart from descriptions of ideas of race, Australian historiography has not perceived acts of violence to Aboriginal people in their wider social and political context. Analysis of perpetrators has derived from family histories but this, so far, has been limited to studies of emotion. One family’s and one area’s experience of frontier violence shows that it was thought about in terms of ‘volunteering’ and democratic participation. The new technology of the telegraph brought violence and its description closer and ‘brave’ and ‘gallant’ men sought to involve themselves in war. They also recognized political divisions among Aboriginal people and negotiated a complex realm of ‘friendly blacks’.
Evaluation of Genotypes and Association of Traits in Watermelon Across Two Southern Texas Locations
Authors: Correa Edgar , Malla Subas , Crosby Kevin , Avila Carlos
Published: October 2020

Watermelon is the most important horticultural crop in Texas and is grown across the state under diverse environments. Our study was conducted in the southern region of Texas to understand genotype-by-environment interactions and the contribution of yield components to yield. To accomplish this, twenty genotypes were evaluated for important traits and characteristics at two locations, Uvalde and Weslaco TX, for two years, 2018 and 2019. The genotypes were evaluated for total yield, total fruit count, total soluble solids, rind thickness, fruit length, diameter and weight. Genotype-by-environment (G x E) interaction was not significant, possibly due to similarity in climatic conditions and nutrient management practices. In the grouped analysis, cultivars Crimson Diamond, Sunshade and the breeding line TAM 2 had a higher total yield. Path analysis showed a high direct effect for total fruit count and fruit diameter of 0.89 and 0.85, respectively. However, total fruit count had a high indirect effect of −0.44. Fruit weight was the only trait that showed a significant (p < 0.01) correlation towards total yield at r = 0.58. Neither of the high direct effects, total fruit count and fruit diameter, had a significant correlation. The study inferred that breeding resources could be optimized by reducing the testing location to only one representative location for measured traits in southern Texas. The indirect selection of total fruit or fruit diameter could result in better yield. The study suggested selecting for optimum total fruit and fruit diameter for higher yield.
Evaluation of Water Quality Parameters in Shatt AL-Arab, Southern Iraq, Using Spatial Analysis
Authors: Lateef Zahraa Q. , Al-Madhhachi Abdul-Sahib T. , Sachit Dawood E.
Published: October 2020

The present work illustrates the potential application of techniques of spatial analysis via geographic information systems (GIS) to categorize the distribution of temporal and spatial of water prediction characteristics to determine the water quality parameters of the Shatt Al-Arab River (SAA), southern Iraq. Eight main water quality parameters and three heavy metals were measured from December 2018 to October 2019. The total dissolved solids, chloride, sulfate, and total hardness were compared with previous data that were measured from 2014 to 2018 based on data availability. The geochemical characteristics were also investigated to analyze water quality parameters. The study was performed by selecting eleven stations according to the nature areas of SAA. Water samples were acquired from the eleven stations for four seasons (winter of 2018 through autumn of 2019). Results revealed that total dissolved solids ranged between 950 to 8500 mg/L, total hardness varied from 400 to 2394 mg/L as calcium carbonate (CaCO3), the sulfate ranged from 149 to 1602 mg/L, and chloride ranged from 330 to 3687 mg/L. The results showed that SAA had high salinity with a low hazard of sodicity. The SAA waters mainly fall below the Dolomite-Magnesite tie-lines which indicated the dissolution of carbonate rocks. This research also found that the study area confined from Al-Maqal station to Abu Flus port station where the salty marine water coming from the Arabian Gulf remains for longer periods. The SAA is not suitable for drinking and irrigation water according to Iraqi and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. This study suggested building a blocking dam downstream of the SAA to prevent salty water from coming back from Arabian Gulf.
Exploring the Injury Severity Risk Factors in Fatal Crashes with Neural Network
Authors: Jamal Arshad , Umer Waleed
Published: October 2020

A better understanding of circumstances contributing to the severity outcome of traffic crashes is an important goal of road safety studies. An in-depth crash injury severity analysis is vital for the proactive implementation of appropriate mitigation strategies. This study proposes an improved feed-forward neural network (FFNN) model for predicting injury severity associated with individual crashes using three years (2017–2019) of crash data collected along 15 rural highways in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A total of 12,566 crashes were recorded during the study period with a binary injury severity outcome (fatal or non-fatal injury) for the variable to be predicted. FFNN architecture with back-propagation (BP) as a training algorithm, logistic as activation function, and six number of hidden neurons in the hidden layer yielded the best model performance. Results of model prediction for the test data were analyzed using different evaluation metrics such as overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Prediction results showed the adequacy and robust performance of the proposed method. A detailed sensitivity analysis of the optimized NN was also performed to show the impact and relative influence of different predictor variables on resulting crash injury severity. The sensitivity analysis results indicated that factors such as traffic volume, average travel speeds, weather conditions, on-site damage conditions, road and vehicle type, and involvement of pedestrians are the most sensitive variables. The methods applied in this study could be used in big data analysis of crash data, which can serve as a rapid-useful tool for policymakers to improve highway safety.
Parenting Warmth and Strictness across Three Generations: Parenting Styles and Psychosocial Adjustment
Authors: Garcia Oscar F. , Fuentes Maria C. , Gracia Enrique , Serra Emilia , Garcia Fernando
Published: October 2020

Recent emergent research is seriously questioning whether parental strictness contributes to children’s psychosocial adjustment in all cultural contexts. We examined cross-generational differences in parental practices characterized by warmth and practices characterized by strictness, as well as the relationship between parenting styles (authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, and neglectful) and psychosocial adjustment in adulthood. Parenting practices characterized by warmth (affection, reasoning, indifference, and detachment) and strictness (revoking privileges, verbal scolding, and physical punishment) were examined. Psychosocial adjustment was captured with multidimensional self-concept and well-being (life satisfaction and happiness). Participants were 871 individuals who were members of three generations of Spanish families: College students (G3), their parents (G2), and their grandparents (G1). Results showed two different cross-generational patterns in parenting practices, with an increased tendency toward parental warmth (parents use more affection and reasoning but less indifference across generations) and a decreased tendency toward parental strictness (parents use revoking privileges, verbal scolding, and physical punishment less across generations). Interestingly, despite cross-generational differences in parenting practices, a common pattern between parenting styles and psychosocial adjustment was found: indulgent parenting was related to equal or even better self-concept and well-being than authoritative parenting, whereas parenting characterized by non-warmth (authoritarian and neglectful) was related to poor scores.
Quality of Life, Physical and Mental Health of Family Caregivers of Dependent People with Complex Chronic Disease: Protocol of a Cohort Study
Authors: Marfil-Gómez Raquel , Morales-Puerto Marta , León-Campos Álvaro , Morales-Asencio José Miguel , Morilla-Herrera Juan Carlos , Timonet-Andreu Eva , Cuevas-Fernández Gallego Magdalena , Martí-García Celia , López-Leiva Inmaculada , García-Mayor Silvia
Published: October 2020

Background: informal caregivers have a high risk of suffering from diseases derived from the chronic stress to which they are subjected for their dedication to the care of their relatives. Such stress has a direct influence on the person cared for, mainly affecting the quality of their care. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to assess the association of caregiving on physical and mental perceived health in family caregivers of dependent adults with complex chronic diseases. Methods: a prospective longitudinal cohort study, with a follow-up period of 36 months (HUELLA cohort). The exposed cohort will be formed by family caregivers of dependent patients with complex chronic pathologies. The unexposed cohort will be taken from the general population adjusted for age, sex and health. Outcome variables will include attendance to health services, consumption of psychoactive drugs, dedication to care (only in exposed cohort), concession of the Act on Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care for dependent persons (exposed only), perceived physical and mental health, depression level, burden level and new diagnosis of chronic pathology of the caregiver during the study. Results: the expected results will be applicable and will incorporate improvements to the usual health system clinical practice, providing feedback to professionals dedicated to the provision, planning and design of services to family caregivers, as well as to groups and organizations of caregivers. Conclusions: investments in preventing low-quality informal care are key, mainly through early identification and interventions to support caregivers who suffer from stress, anxiety or depression.
Optimization of Regional Water-Energy-Food Systems Based on Interval Number Multi-Objective Programming: A Case Study of Ordos, China
Authors: Chen Junfei , Zhou Ziyue , Chen Lin , Ding Tonghui
Published: October 2020

Water, energy, and food are the most important basic resources for economic and social development. In the context of global population growth, environmental degradation, and resource shortages, the interrelationship between the water, energy, and food has become increasingly important. In this paper, the city of Ordos in China was selected as a study area. Firstly, this paper sorted out relevant research literature and fully understood the concept of water-energy-food (WEF) nexus. Then, an optimization model of WEF system was constructed based on interval number multi-objective programming, which took the comprehensive coordination deviation degree of the WEF system security and carbon dioxide emission minimization as the target. At the same time, the optimization model was constructed with full consideration of constraints such as economic benefit, water resource consumption, energy production, food production and environmental pollution emission. The results showed that the production of coal, thermal power, hydropower, wind power, and food all show an upward trend. Among them, the production of hydropower has the largest change, and the food production has the smallest change. In terms of water resource utilization, food production has the largest allocation of water resources accounting for nearly 80%, followed by coal production, thermal power generation and hydropower generation. The smallest allocation is natural gas. In particular, the allocation of water for coal production and hydroelectric power generation has increased significantly. Finally, the policy recommendations were put forward to promote the sustainable development of WEF system in Ordos. The optimization research on the WEF system can help to ensure the WEF system security in Ordos and promote the sustainable development of WEF system, which also can provide reference for other regions.
We Need You: Influence of Hiring Demand and Modified Applicant Testing on the Physical Fitness of Law Enforcement Recruits
Authors: Lockie Robert G. , Dawes J. Jay , Moreno Matthew R. , McGuire Megan B. , Ruvalcaba Tomas J. , Bloodgood Ashley M. , Dulla Joseph M. , Orr Robin M.
Published: October 2020

A challenge for law enforcement agencies is the many positions that need filling. Agencies may modify their applicant test battery (ATB; multilevelled testing including fitness, background checks, psychological evaluations) to increase the hiring pool of potential recruits by augmenting the utility of testing. This study determined fitness differences of law enforcement recruits hired under two different ATB protocols. Retrospective analysis was conducted on seven academy classes (442 males, 84 females) hired under an older ATB, and one class (45 males, 13 females) hired under a newer ATB. Recruits completed the following before academy: 60 s push-ups and sit-ups (muscular endurance); vertical jump (lower-body power); medicine ball throw (upper-body power); 75 yard pursuit run (75PR; change-of-direction speed); and 20 m multistage fitness test (20MSFT; aerobic fitness). Independent sample t-tests (p ≤ 0.001) and effect sizes (d) evaluated between-group fitness differences for recruits hired under the different ATB protocols (combined sexes, males, and females). There were no significant differences between the ATB groups. However, newer ATB female recruits completed 13% fewer 20MSFT shuttles than the older ATB group, which, although not significant (p = 0.007), did have a moderate effect (d = 0.62). Females hired under the newer ATB had lower aerobic fitness, which could impact physical training performance and graduation.
Translating Molecular Technologies into Routine Newborn Screening Practice
Authors: Furnier Sarah M. , Durkin Maureen S. , Baker Mei W.
Published: October 2020

As biotechnologies advance and better treatment regimens emerge, there is a trend toward applying more advanced technologies and adding more conditions to the newborn screening (NBS) panel. In the current Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP), all conditions but one, congenital hypothyroidism, have well-defined genes and inheritance patterns, so it is beneficial to incorporate molecular testing in NBS when it is necessary and appropriate. Indeed, the applications of molecular technologies have taken NBS to previously uncharted territory. In this paper, based on our own program experience and what has been reported in the literature, we describe current practices regarding the applications of molecular technologies in routine NBS practice in the era of genomic and precision medicine.
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Responses of Rice Plants to Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Caterpillar Infestation
Authors: Wang Yuqi , Liu Qingsong , Du Lixiao , Hallerman Eric M. , Li Yunhe
Published: October 2020

Interactions between plants and insect herbivores are important determinants of plant productivity in cultivated and natural agricultural fields. The rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) causes tremendous damage to rice production in Asian countries. However, little information is available about how rice plants defend themselves against this destructive pest at molecular and biochemical levels. Here, we observed the transcriptomic and metabolomic differences in rice leaves after 0, 1, 6, 12, and 24 h of being fed by C. medinalis using RNA sequencing and metabolome profiling. Transcriptional analyses showed that gene expression responds rapidly to leaf folder infestation, with the most significant transcriptional changes occurring within 6 h after the initiation of feeding. Metabolite abundance changed more slowly than gene expression. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses indicated that the rice transcriptional response to infestation involved genes encoding protein kinases, transcription factors, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, photosynthesis, and phytohormone signaling. Moreover, the jasmonic acid-dependent signaling pathway triggered by leaf folder herbivory played a vital role in rice defense against this pest. Taken together, our results provide comprehensive insights into the defense system of rice to this species and may inform the development of insect-resistant rice varieties.
Flexible Pile Group Interaction Factors under Arbitrary Lateral Loading in Sand
Authors: Marjanović Miloš , Vukićević Mirjana , König Diethard
Published: October 2020

Marine and harbor structures, wind turbines, bridges, offshore platforms, industrial chimneys, retaining structures etc. can be subjected to significant lateral loads from various sources. Appropriate assessment of the foundations capacity of these structures is thus necessary, especially when these structures are supported by pile groups. The pile group interaction effects under lateral loading have been investigated intensively in past decades, and the most of the conducted studies have considered lateral loading that acts along one of the two orthogonal directions, parallel to the edge of pile group. However, because of the stochastic nature of its source, the horizontal loading on the pile group may have arbitrary direction. The number of studies dealing with the pile groups under arbitrary loading is very limited. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of the arbitrary lateral loading on the pile group response, in order to improve (extend) the current design approach for laterally loaded pile groups. Free head, flexible bored piles in sand were analyzed through the extensive numerical study. The main hypothesis of the research is that some critical pile group configurations, loading directions, and soil conditions exist, which can lead to the unsafe structural design. Critical pile positions inside the commonly used pile group configurations are identified with respect to loading directions. The influence of different soil conditions was discussed.
Impact of Neonicotinoids to Aquatic Invertebrates—In Vitro Studies on Mytilus galloprovincialis: A Review
Authors: Pagano Maria , Stara Alzbeta , Aliko Valbona , Faggio Caterina
Published: October 2020

The use of pesticides in agriculture has always had a strong impact on environmental contamination. Since the 1990s, neonicotinoids have grown increasingly more popular, targeting specific receptors for insects, especially bees, which is why the use of some neonicotinoids has been banned. Much is known about the effects they have on insects, but very little about the effect they can have on non-target organisms. Several studies have shown how these neonicotinoids interact negatively with the normal physiology of aquatic organisms. For the genus Mytilus, even though the neonicotinoids did not show an interaction with specific receptors, a chronic and acute exposure to them causes damage. In these animals, a reduced production of byssus, alteration of the normal antioxidant systems and tissue damage have been found. Therefore, an analysis of the entire ecosystem in which the pollutant enters is of great importance in evaluating any possible alterations.
Longitudinal and Transversal Elasticity of Natural and Artificial Materials for Musical Instrument Reeds
Authors: Ukshini Enis , Dirckx Joris Jan Jozef
Published: October 2020

The reed is the primary component in single-reed woodwind instruments to generate the sound. The airflow of the player’s mouth is the energy source and the airflow is modulated by the reed. The oscillations of the reed control the airflow. Traditionally, instrument reeds are made out of natural cane (Arundo Donax), but in efforts to overcome variability problems, synthetic reeds have been introduced. Previous investigations mainly focused on natural cane reeds and direct elasticity measurements did not discriminate between elasticity moduli along different directions. In order to obtain the mechanical properties along the direction of the reed fibres and in the orthogonal direction separately, a three-point bending testing setup was developed, which accommodates the small samples that can be cut from an instrument reed. Static moduli of elasticity were acquired in both directions. Much higher ratios between longitudinal and transversal moduli were seen in the natural cane reed as compared to the artificial reeds. Wet natural reeds showed a strong decrease in moduli of elasticity as compared to dry reeds. Elasticity was significantly higher in artificial reeds. The force–displacement curves of the wet natural reed show hysteresis, whereas the artificial materials did not. In the cane reed, higher energy losses were found in the transversal direction compared to the longitudinal direction
The Effect of MWCNTs Filler on the Absorbing Properties of OPEFB/PLA Composites Using Microstrip Line at Microwave Frequency
Authors: Ibrahim Lakin Ismail , Abbas Zulkifly , Azis Rabaah Syahidah , Ibrahim Nor Azowa , Abd Rahman Mohd Amiruddin
Published: October 2020

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber/polylactic acid (PLA)-based composites filled with 6–22 wt.% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared using a melt blend method. The composites were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the MWCNTs. The composites were characterized for complex permittivity using the coaxial probe at 8–12 GHz range and the transmission/reflection coefficients were measured through micro strip line. The dielectric permittivity measurements carried out at X-band frequency revealed that 22 wt.% MWCNTs nanocomposite display higher dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss (ε″) values of 4.23 and 0.65, respectively. A maximum absorption loss of 15.2 dB was obtained for the 22 wt.% nanocomposites at 11.75 GHz. This result suggests that PLA/OPEFB/MWCNTs composites are a promising cheap and lightweight material for the effective microwave absorption in the X-band frequency range.
Fatigue Behaviour of 7N01-T4 Aluminium Alloy Welded by Ultrasonic-Assisted Friction Stir Welding
Authors: Zhang Zhiqiang , He Changshu , Li Ying , Wei Jingxun , Zhai Menggang , Zhao Su , Zhao Xiang
Published: October 2020

This study investigates the effects of axial ultrasonic vibration on the microstructure evolution, residual stresses distribution and fatigue fracture behaviour of a 7N01-T4 joint, and demonstrates that ultrasonic vibration can significantly promote the flow of plasticised metals, expand the stirred zone (SZ) width and refine the grain size. The longitudinal residual stresses of the joints are dominant, and the peak longitudinal residual stresses of the thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) on the advancing side (AS) (TMAZ-AS) in the ultrasonic-assisted friction stir welding (UAFSW) joint are 31.5 MPa lower than those in the friction stir welding (FSW) joint. Compared to that of FSW joints, the fatigue strength of UAFSW joints increases by 20 MPa at 107 cycles (stress ratio of R = 0.1). At high-stress levels, crack initiation occurs at the TMAZ-AS, and is mainly attributed to high residual stresses and second-phase particles. At low-stress levels, fatigue cracks are likely to initiate in the transition zone (TZ).
On BV-Algebras
Authors: Hwang In Ho , Liu Yong Lin , Kim Hee Sik
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we introduce the notion of a BV-algebra, and we show that a BV-algebra is logically equivalent to several algebras, i.e., BM-algebras, BT-algebras, BO-algebras and 0-commutative B-algebras. Moreover, we show that a BV-algebra with (F) is logically equivalent to several algebras, and we show some relationships between a BV-algebra with (F) and several related algebras.
Approximation Algorithms for the Submodular Load Balancing with Submodular Penalties
Authors: Liu Xiaofei , Xing Peiyin , Li Weidong
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we study the submodular load balancing problem with submodular penalties. The objective of this problem is to balance the load among sets, while some elements can be rejected by paying some penalties. Officially, given an element set V, we want to find a subset R of rejected elements, and assign other elements to one of m sets A1,A2,⋯,Am. The objective is to minimize the sum of the maximum load among A1,A2,⋯,Am and the rejection penalty of R, where the load and rejection penalty are determined by different submodular functions. We study the submodular load balancing problem with submodular penalties under two settings: heterogenous setting (load functions are not identical) and homogenous setting (load functions are identical). Moreover, we design a Lovász rounding algorithm achieving a worst-case guarantee of m+1 under the heterogenous setting and a min{m,⌈nm⌉+1}=O(n)-approximation combinatorial algorithm under the homogenous setting.
Accelerated Life Tests under Pareto-IV Lifetime Distribution: Real Data Application and Simulation Study
Authors: Abd El-Raheem A. M. , Abu-Moussa M. H. , Mohie El-Din Marwa M. , Hafez E. H.
Published: October 2020

In this article, a progressive-stress accelerated life test (ALT) that is based on progressive type-II censoring is studied. The cumulative exposure model is used when the lifetime of test units follows Pareto-IV distribution. Different estimates as the maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) and Bayes estimates (BEs) for the model parameters are discussed. Bayesian estimates are derived while using the Tierney and Kadane (TK) approximation method and the importance sampling method. The asymptotic and bootstrap confidence intervals (CIs) of the parameters are constructed. A real data set is analyzed in order to clarify the methods proposed through this paper. Two types of the progressive-stress tests, the simple ramp-stress test and multiple ramp-stress test, are compared through the simulation study. Finally, some interesting conclusions are drawn.
A Method for Transportation Planning and Profit Sharing in Collaborative Multi-Carrier Vehicle Routing
Authors: Shi Yanjun , Lin Na , Han Qiaomei , Zhang Tongliang , Shen Weiming
Published: October 2020

This paper addresses a collaborative multi-carrier vehicle routing problem (CMCVRP) where carriers tackle their orders collaboratively to reduce transportation costs. First, a hierarchical heuristics algorithm is proposed to solve the transportation planning problem. This algorithm makes order assignments based on two distance rules and solves the vehicle routing problem with a hybrid genetic algorithm. Second, the profit arising from the coalition is quantified, and an improved Shapley value method is proposed to distribute the profit fairly to individual players. Extensive experiment results showed the effectiveness of the proposed hierarchical heuristics algorithm and confirmed the stability and fairness of the improved Shapley value method.