bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chaos and Predictability in Ionospheric Time Series
Authors: Materassi Massimo , Alberti Tommaso , Migoya-Orué Yenca , Radicella Sandro Maria , Consolini Giuseppe
Published: February 2023

Modelling the Earth’s ionosphere is a big challenge, due to the complexity of the system. Different first principle models have been developed over the last 50 years, based on ionospheric physics and chemistry, mostly controlled by Space Weather conditions. However, it is not understood in depth if the residual or mismodelled component of the ionosphere’s behaviour is predictable in principle as a simple dynamical system, or is conversely so chaotic to be practically stochastic. Working on an ionospheric quantity very popular in aeronomy, we here suggest data analysis techniques to deal with the question of how chaotic and how predictable the local ionosphere’s behaviour is. In particular, we calculate the correlation dimension D2 and the Kolmogorov entropy rate K2 for two one-year long time series of data of vertical total electron content (vTEC), collected on the top of the mid-latitude GNSS station of Matera (Italy), one for the year of Solar Maximum 2001 and one for the year of Solar Minimum 2008. The quantity D2 is a proxy of the degree of chaos and dynamical complexity. K2 measures the speed of destruction of the time-shifted self-mutual information of the signal, so that K2−1 is a sort of maximum time horizon for predictability. The analysis of the D2 and K2 for the vTEC time series allows to give a measure of chaos and predictability of the Earth’s ionosphere, expected to limit any claim of prediction capacity of any model. The results reported here are preliminary, and must be intended only to demonstrate how the application of the analysis of these quantities to the ionospheric variability is feasible, and with a reasonable output.
Using Educational Robotics in Pre-Service Teacher Training: Orchestration between an Exploration Guide and Teacher Role
Authors: Silva Ricardo , Martins Fernando , Cravino José , Martins Paulo , Costa Cecília , Lopes J. Bernardino
Published: February 2023

The proper integration of technology in teaching and learning processes must consider the role of teachers and students, as well as the design of tasks and the context in which they are implemented. Teachers’ perceived self-efficacy significantly influences their willingness to integrate educational robotics (ER) into their practice, so initial teacher training should provide opportunities for teachers to participate in structured activities that integrate ER. In this study, a class of pre-service teachers from an initial teacher training programme were provided with their first contact with an ER platform through the use of a simulator. We present the design process of a student exploration guide and teacher guide, developed over three iterative cycles of implementation, assessment and redesign. The analysis of the data collected allowed for improvements in the design of the tasks, the graphic component of the student exploration guide, and more precise indications for the teacher’s actions. The main contribution of this study is the chain orchestration between the simulator, student exploration guide and teacher guide, which allowed pre-service teachers to solve a set of challenges of increasing complexity, thereby progressively decreasing their difficulties and contributing to an adequate integration of ER in their future teaching practices.
A Hybrid STA Based on Nelder–Mead Simplex Search and Quadratic Interpolation
Authors: Zhou Liwei , Zhou Xiaojun , Yi Chenhao
Published: February 2023

State transition algorithm (STA) is a metaheuristic method for global optimization. However, due to the insufficient utilization of historical information, it still suffers from slow convergence speed and low solution accuracy on specific problems in the later stages. This paper proposes a hybrid STA based on Nelder–Mead (NM) simplex search and quadratic interpolation (QI). In the exploration stage, NM simplex search utilizes the historical information of STA to generate promising solutions. In the exploitation stage, QI utilizes the historical information to enhance the local search capacity. The proposed method uses an eagle strategy to maximize the efficiency and stability. The proposed method successfully combines the merits of the three distinct approaches: the powerful exploration capacity of STA, the fast convergence speed of NM simplex search and the strong exploitation capacity of QI. The hybrid STA is evaluated using 15 benchmark functions with dimensions of 20, 30, 50 and 100. Moreover, the results are statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test. In addition, the applicability of the hybrid STA to solve real-world problems is assessed using the wireless sensor network localization problem. Compared with six state-of-the-art metaheuristic methods, the experimental results demonstrate the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Power and Element Allocation Design for RIS–NOMA IoV Networks
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Duan Wei , Ji Yancheng , Zhang Guoan
Published: February 2023

In this paper, a cooperative, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)-based internet of vehicles (IoV) network is proposed, which is assisted by a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) to enhance signal transmission. Due to the intelligent control of RISs, the channel condition of our proposed IoV system is more diversified compared to conventional NOMA–RIS schemes, and thus two power allocation schemes are considered to tackle this issue, providing better channel gain to transmit signals. In this proposed scheme, power allocation schemes are discussed for a diverse number of reflecting elements, and a number of elements are obtained serving users near or far. To further improve system capacity and guarantee quality of service (QoS), we derive the number of elements to guarantee the same transmission data sum-rate under different channel qualities. Numerical and simulation results verify the correctness as well as superiority of our proposed scheme.
Highly Dispersive Optical Solitons in Birefringent Fibers of Complex Ginzburg–Landau Equation of Sixth Order with Kerr Law Nonlinear Refractive Index
Authors: Zayed Elsayed M. E. , Gepreel Khaled A. , El-Horbaty Mahmoud , Alngar Mohamed E. M.
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we derived optical soliton solutions with a highly dispersive nonlinear complex Ginzburg–Landau (CGL) equation in birefringent fibers that have Kerr law nonlinearity. We applied two mathematical methods, namely the addendum Kudryashov’s method and the unified Riccati equation expansion method. Straddled solitary solutions, bright soliton, dark soliton and singular soliton solutions were obtained.This model represents the propagation of a dispersive optical soliton through a birefringent fiber. This happens when pulses propagating through an optical fiber split into two pulses.
Identification of lncRNAs and Their Regulatory Network Involved in Oil Biosynthesis in Developing Seeds of Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium)
Authors: Hong Yuhui , Ruan Chengjiang , Luan Yushi , Li Jingbin
Published: February 2023

Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) seeds can have as high as 67% oil content and are especially rich in oleic acid, linoleic acid, and nervonic acid. Exploration of the lipid biosynthesis regulatory network is essential for increasing the yellowhorn oil content. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various plant biological processes; however, there is no report on the identification of lncRNAs involved in yellowhorn seed development and lipid biosynthesis affecting oil production. We performed whole transcriptome sequencing of yellowhorn seeds at four developmental stages and identified 16,920 putative lncRNAs. Among them, 325 lncRNAs were revealed to trans-regulate 58 key genes in fatty acid (FA) and triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis pathways. Of these, ECR-2–LNC_009778 was found to be involved in nervonic acid biosynthesis and DGAT-1–LNC_009778 was beneficial to TAG accumulation. sRNA-seq was performed, and 55 microRNAs (miRNAs) were found to target 26 genes involved in FA and TAG biosynthesis; miR396a-4 targets FAD2, affecting linoleic acid biosynthesis, and miR156f-5p targets PDAT-2, contributing to TAG accumulation. Interestingly, 30 lncRNA–miRNA–gene modules involved in FA and TAG biosynthesis were identified, in which the KCS11-1–miR156g-2–LNC_000849 module was found to participate in nervonic acid synthesis, and the DGAT-2–miR172j–LNC_005874 module was assumed to contribute to the accumulation of TAG. Our results constitute the first comprehensive identification of lncRNAs in developing seeds of yellowhorn and serve as a new theoretical reference for improving oil content in the future.
Forest Structure and Fine Root Biomass Influence Soil CO2 Efflux in Temperate Forests under Drought
Authors: Apostolakis Antonios , Schöning Ingo , Michalzik Beate , Ammer Christian , Schall Peter , Hänsel Falk , Nauss Thomas , Trumbore Susan , Schrumpf Marion
Published: February 2023

Soil respiration is rarely studied at the landscape scale where forest and soil properties can be important drivers. We performed forest and soil inventories in 150 temperate forest sites in three German landscapes and measured in situ soil CO2 efflux with the soda-lime method in early summer 2018 and 2019. Both years were affected by naturally occurring summer droughts. Our aim was to investigate the impact of forest structural and compositional properties, soil properties and climate on soil CO2 efflux at the landscape. Forest properties explained a large portion of soil CO2 efflux variance (i.e., 14% in 2018 and 20% in 2019), which was comparable or larger than the portion explained by soil properties (i.e., 15% in 2018 and 6% in 2019), and much larger than that of climate. Using Structural Equation Modeling, we found that forest structural properties, i.e., tree density and basal area, were negatively linked to soil CO2 efflux, while forest composition, i.e., conifer share and tree species richness, was not important. Forest structure effects on soil CO2 efflux were either direct or mediated by fine root biomass under dry summer conditions. Summer soil CO2 efflux was positively linked to fine root biomass but not related to total soil organic carbon stocks or climate. Forest structural properties influence soil CO2 efflux under drought events and should be considered when predicting soil respiration at the landscape scale.
Assessing Phenological Shifts of Deciduous Forests in Turkey under Climate Change: An Assessment for Fagus orientalis with Daily MODIS Data for 19 Years
Authors: Şenel Tuğçe , Kanmaz Oğuzhan , Bektas Balcik Filiz , Avcı Meral , Dalfes H. Nüzhet
Published: February 2023

Understanding how natural ecosystems are and will be responding to climate change is one of the primary goals of ecological research. Plant phenology is accepted as one of the most sensitive bioindicators of climate change due to its strong interactions with climate dynamics, and a vast number of studies from all around the world present evidence considering phenological shifts as a response to climatic changes. Land surface phenology (LSP) is also a valuable tool in the absence of observational phenology data for monitoring the aforementioned shift responses. Our aim was to investigate the phenological shifts of Fagus orientalis forests in Turkey by means of daily MODIS surface reflectance data (MOD09GA) for the period between 2002 and 2020. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated for the entire Turkey extent. This extent was then masked for F. orientalis. These “Fagus pixels” were then filtered by a minimum of 80% spatial and an annual 20% temporal coverage. A combination of two methods was applied to the time series for smoothing and reconstruction and the start of season (SOS), end of season, and length of season parameters were extracted. Trends in these parameters over the 19-year period were analyzed. The results were in concert with the commonly reported earlier SOS pattern, by a Sen’s slope of −0.8 days year−1. Lastly, the relationships between SOS and mean, maximum and minimum temperature, growing degree days (GDD), and chilling hours (CH) were investigated. Results showed that the most significant correlations were found between the mean SOS trend and accumulated CH and accumulated GDD with a base temperature of 2 °C, both for the February–March interval. The immediate need for a phenological observation network in Turkey and its region is discussed.
Assessment of Starters of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Killer Yeasts: Selected Strains in Lab-Scale Fermentations of Table Olives (Olea europaea L.) cv. Leccino
Authors: Bencresciuto Grazia Federica , Mandalà Claudio , Migliori Carmela Anna , Cortellino Giovanna , Vanoli Maristella , Bardi Laura
Published: February 2023

Olives debittering, organoleptic quality and safety can be improved with yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LABs) selected strain starters, that allow for better fermentation control with respect to natural fermentation. Two selected killer yeasts (Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and Lactobacillus plantarum strains were tested for olive (cv. Leccino) fermentation to compare different starter combinations and strategies; the aim was to assess their potential in avoiding pretreatments and the use of excessive salt in the brines and preservatives. Lactobacilli, yeasts, molds, Enterobacteriaceae and total aerobic bacteria were detected, as well as pH, soluble sugars, alcohols, organic acids, phenolic compounds, and rheological properties of olives. Sugars were rapidly consumed in the brines and olives; the pH dropped quickly, then rose until neutrality after six months. The oleuropein final levels in olives were unaffected by the treatments. The use of starters did not improve the LABs’ growth nor prevent the growth of Enterobacteriaceae and molds. The growth of undesirable microorganisms could have been induced by the availability of selective carbon source such as mannitol, whose concentration in olive trees rise under drought stress. The possible role of climate change on the quality and safety of fermented foods should be furtherly investigated. The improvement of olives’ nutraceutical value can be induced by yeasts and LABs starters due to the higher production of hydroxytyrosol.
Precise Authenticity of Quinoa, Coix Seed, Wild Rice and Chickpea Components Using Optimized TaqMan Real-Time PCR
Authors: Zheng Qiuyue , Yin Xinying , Yang Aifu , Yu Ning , Xing Ranran , Chen Ying , Deng Ruijie , Cao Jijuan
Published: February 2023

Functional food such as, quinoa, coix seed, wild rice and chickpea have experienced rapidly increasing demand globally and exhibit high economic values. Nevertheless, a method for rapid yet accurate detection of these source components is absent, making it difficult to identify commercially available food with labels indicating the presence of relevant components. In this study, we constructed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for rapid detection of quinoa, coix seed, wild rice and chickpea in food to identify the authenticity of such food. Specific primers and probes were designed with 2S albumin genes of quinoa, SAD genes of coix seed, ITS genes of wild rice and CIA-2 genes of chickpea as the target genes. The qPCR method could specifically identify the four wild rice strains, yielding, LODs of 0.96, 1.14, 1.04 and 0.97 pg/µL quinoa, coix seed, wild rice and chickpea source components, respectively. Particularly, the method allowed the identification of the target component with content below 0.01%. A total of 24 commercially available food samples of different types were detected by using the method and the results indicate that the developed method is applicable to the detection of different food matrices, as well as authenticity verification in deeply processed food.
Bidirectional Effects of Mao Jian Green Tea and Its Flavonoid Glycosides on Gastrointestinal Motility
Authors: Wu Lei , Jin Xiang , Zheng Canwen , Ma Fengjing , Zhang Xue , Gao Pengfei , Gao Jianhua , Zhang Liwei
Published: February 2023

Mao Jian Tea (MJT) has been generally consumed as a digestive aid for more than a hundred years in the Shanxi province of China. However, determination of its efficacy still remains elusive. This study investigated the effect of Mao Jian Green Tea (MJGT) on gastrointestinal motility. The biphasic effects of the hydro extracts of MJGT on gastric emptying and small intestinal propulsion of rats were identified in vivo; namely, the low (MJGT_L) and medium (MJGT_M) concentrations promoted gastrointestinal motility (p < 0.05), whereas the high concentration (MJGT_H) showed the opposite effect (p < 0.01). The expression levels of the gastric hormones, GAS, MTL and VIP (p < 0.05) were consistent with the gastrointestinal motility variation, with the exception of MTL in MJGT_H group (p > 0.01). Two flavonoids, eriodictyol (0.152 mg/mL) and luteolin (0.034 mg/mL), and the corresponding glycosides eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside (0.637 mg/mL) and luteolin-7-O-glucoside (0.216 mg/mL), dominated the hydro extracts identified by HPLC and UPLC-ESI-MS. These compounds can regulate the muscle strip contractions isolated from the gastrointestinal tissues. Additionally, the different concentrations also influenced the gut microbiota accordingly characterized by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The MJGT_L boosted several probiotic bacteria, such as Muribaculaceae (1.77-fold), Prevotellaceae (1.85-fold) and Lactobacillaceae (2.47-fold), and suppressed the pathogenic species such as Staphylococcaceae (0.03-fold) that, conversely, was enriched in the MJGT_H group (1.92-fold). Therefore, the biphasic effect indicated that the dosage of the herbal tea should not be overlooked.
Effect of Agaricus bisporus Polysaccharides on Human Gut Microbiota during In Vitro Fermentation: An Integrative Analysis of Microbiome and Metabolome
Authors: Duan Hui , Yu Qun , Ni Yang , Li Jinwei , Fan Liuping
Published: February 2023

Agaricus bisporus polysaccharide (ABP) is an important active component in edible mushrooms, but its interaction with gut microbiota is unclear. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of ABP on the composition and metabolites of human gut microbiota by in vitro batch fermentation. The main degrading bacteria for ABP were Bacteroides, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Paraprevotella, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus, Megamonas, and Eubacterium, whose relative abundances increased during 24 h of in vitro fermentation. The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content also increased more than 15-fold, accordingly. Moreover, the effects of ABP on the relative abundance of Bacteroides (Ba.) and Bifidobacterium (Bi.) at the species level were further determined. ABP can enrich Ba. thetaiotaomicron, Ba. intestinalis, Ba. uniformis, and Bi. longum. PICRUSt analysis revealed that the catabolism of ABP was accompanied by changes in the metabolism of carbohydrates, nucleotides, lipids and amino acids, which were also supported by metabonomic results. It is worth mentioning that, after 24 h fermentation, the relative amounts of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), nicotinamide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) had 14.43-, 11.34- and 15.36-fold increases, respectively, which were positively related to Bacteroides (Ba. thetaiotaomicron, Ba. intestinalis), Streptococcus, and Bi. longum (|r| > 0.98). These results laid the research foundation for exploring ABP as a potential prebiotic or dietary supplement for the targeted regulation of gut microbiota or metabolites.
Investigation of the Acid/Basic Sites of Zeolite Trough Some Catalysed Nucleophilic Reactions
Authors: Verdoliva Valentina , Saviano Michele , De Luca Stefania
Published: February 2023

Zeolites, both natural and synthetic, are certainly some of the most versatile minerals for their applications. Since the 1940s, they have been used in the chemical industry as catalysts, adsorbents and ion exchanger extensively, and the development of their practical usage is expected to continue upon years. Their versatility is the result of the combination of peculiar and indispensable properties, each of which can be found in other material as a single property, but seldom all of them are found in combination. However, despite the success of their employment, the mechanisms of many important catalytic processes involving zeolites remained elusive. In particular, the comprehension of the structure–property relationships for emerging applications are highly required. In this perspective article we focus on the role of zeolites as solid acid-base catalysts. We go deeply into the structural properties of the LTA kind (Zeolite-Na A 4 Ångstrom) that was successfully employed as basic catalyst for several nucleophilic substitution reactions.
Design, Hardware Implementation on FPGA and Performance Analysis of Three Chaos-Based Stream Ciphers
Authors: Dridi Fethi , El Assad Safwan , El Hadj Youssef Wajih , Machhout Mohsen
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we come up with three secure chaos-based stream ciphers, implemented on an FPGA board, for data confidentiality and integrity. To do so, first, we performed the statistical security and hardware metrics of certain discrete chaotic map models, such as the Logistic, Skew-Tent, PWLCM, 3D-Chebyshev map, and 32-bit LFSR, which are the main components of the proposed chaotic generators. Based on the performance analysis collected from the discrete chaotic maps, we then designed, implemented, and analyzed the performance of three proposed robust pseudo-random number generators of chaotic sequences (PRNGs-CS) and their corresponding stream ciphers. The proposed PRNGs-CS are based on the predefined coupling matrix M. The latter achieves a weak mixing of the chaotic maps and a chaotic multiplexing technique or XOR operator for the output function. Therefore, the randomness of the sequences generated is expanded as well as their lengths, and divide-and-conquer attacks on chaotic systems are avoided. In addition, the proposed PRNGs-CS contain polynomial mappings of at least degree 2 or 3 to make algebraic attacks very difficult. Various experimental results obtained and analysis of performance in opposition to different kinds of numerical and cryptographic attacks determine the high level of security and good hardware metrics achieved by the proposed chaos system. The proposed system outperformed the state-of-the-art works in terms of high-security level and a high throughput which can be considered an alternative to the standard methods.
Stability of p(·)-Integrable Solutions for Fractional Boundary Value Problem via Piecewise Constant Functions
Authors: Souid Mohammed Said , Refice Ahmed , Sitthithakerngkiet Kanokwan
Published: February 2023

The goal of this work is to study a multi-term boundary value problem (BVP) for fractional differential equations in the variable exponent Lebesgue space (Lp(·)). Both the existence, uniqueness, and the stability in the sense of Ulam–Hyers are established. Our results are obtained using two fixed-point theorems, then illustrating the results with a comprehensive example.
Attention-Based Graph Neural Network for Label Propagation in Single-Cell Omics
Authors: Bhadani Rahul , Chen Zhuo , An Lingling
Published: February 2023

Single-cell data analysis has been at forefront of development in biology and medicine since sequencing data have been made available. An important challenge in single-cell data analysis is the identification of cell types. Several methods have been proposed for cell-type identification. However, these methods do not capture the higher-order topological relationship between different samples. In this work, we propose an attention-based graph neural network that captures the higher-order topological relationship between different samples and performs transductive learning for predicting cell types. The evaluation of our method on both simulation and publicly available datasets demonstrates the superiority of our method, scAGN, in terms of prediction accuracy. In addition, our method works best for highly sparse datasets in terms of F1 score, precision score, recall score, and Matthew’s correlation coefficients as well. Further, our method’s runtime complexity is consistently faster compared to other methods.
Application of a Generic Participatory Decision Support System for Irrigation Management for the Case of a Wine Grapevine at Epirus, Northwest Greece
Authors: Tsirogiannis Ioannis L. , Malamos Nikolaos , Baltzoi Penelope
Published: February 2023

In southern Europe, irrigation is the major water user and thus, development of operational tools that support decisions aiming to improve irrigation management, is of great importance. In this study, a web-based participatory decision support system for irrigation management (DSS), based on the principles of UN FAO’s paper 56, without requirement for any special monitoring hardware to be installed in each field, is evaluated for the case of a commercial wine grapevine (Vitis vinifera ‘Vertzami’) located at Epirus (northwest Greece), for two successive years (2021 and 2022). The soil moisture time series that were generated by the DSS’s model were compared to those measured by soil moisture sensors. The Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranged between 2.98–3.22% and 3.63–4.06%, respectively, under various irrigation practices and goals. Irrigation resulted very high yields and Crop Water Productivity (WPC) was 20–44% improved when following the DSS’s recommendations. The results also confirm potential pitfalls of sensor-based soil moisture monitoring and rainfall estimations using mathematical models. Finally, the value of water meters as practical sensors, which could support efficient irrigation management, is underlined. In every case, mindful application of decision support systems that require minimum or no hardware to be installed in each field, could extensively support growers and agronomic consultants to test, document and disseminate good practices and calculate environmental indices.
Highly Effective Pt-Co/ZSM-5 Catalysts with Low Pt Loading for Preferential CO Oxidation in H2-Rich Mixture
Authors: Shilina Marina , Krotova Irina , Nikolaev Sergey , Gurevich Sergey , Yavsin Denis , Udalova Olga , Rostovshchikova Tatiana
Published: February 2023

New Pt-Co catalysts of hydrogen purification from CO impurities for fuel cells were fabricated via the deposition of monodispersed 1.7 nm Pt nanoparticles using laser electrodispersion on Co-modified ZSM-5 prepared by the Co(CH3COO)2 impregnation. The structure of prepared Pt-Co zeolites was studied by low-temperature N2 sorption, TEM, EDX, and XPS methods. The comparative analysis of samples with different Pt (0.01–0.05 wt.%) and Co (2.5–4.5 wt.%) contents on zeolites with the ratio of Si/Al = 15, 28, and 40 was performed in the CO-PROX reaction in H2-rich mixture (1%CO + 1%O2 + 49%H2 + 49%He). The synergistic catalytic action of Pt and Co on zeolite surface makes it possible to completely remove CO from a mixture with hydrogen in a wide temperature range from 50 to 150 °C; the high efficiency of designed composites with low Pt loading is maintained for a long time. The enhancement of PROX performance originates from the formation of new active sites for the CO oxidation at the Pt-Co interfaces within zeolite channels and at the surface. In terms of their activity, stability, and selectivity, such composites are significantly superior to known supported Pt-Co catalysts.
SPACEE Protocol: “Spiritual Care Competence” in PAlliative Care Education and PracticE: Mixed-Methods Research in the Development of Iberian Guidelines
Authors: Laranjeira Carlos , Benito Enric , Dixe Maria Anjos , Dones Monica , Specos Marcela , Querido Ana
Published: February 2023

Spiritual care requires understanding the spiritual experiences of patients and recognizing their resources and needs. Therefore, educators and practitioners should develop their knowledge and understanding in this regard. Spiritual care helps people overcome their anxieties, worries, and suffering; reduces stress; promotes healing; and encourages patients to find inner peace. To provide comprehensive and appropriate care while upholding human/ethical virtues, the spiritual dimension must be a priority. We aim to develop spiritual care competence guidelines for Palliative Care (PC) education and practice in Portugal and Spain. The study detailed in this protocol paper will include three phases. In phase I, the phenomenon will be characterized and divided into two tasks: (1) a concept analysis of “spiritual care competence”; and (2) a systematic review of interventions or strategies used to integrate spiritual care in PC education and practice. Phase II will entail a sequential explanatory approach (online survey and qualitative interviews) to deepen understanding of the perceptions and experiences of educators, practitioners, and patients/family carers regarding spiritual care in PC education and practice and generate ideas for the next steps. Phase III will comprise a multi-phased, consensus-based approach to identify priority areas of need as decided by a group of experts. Results will be used to produce guidelines for integrating spirituality and spiritual care competence within PC education and practice and synthesized in a white book for PC professionals. The value of this improved examination of spiritual care competence will ultimately depend on whether it can inform the development and implementation of tailored educational and PC services. The project will promote the ‘spiritual care’ imperative, helping practitioners and patients/family carers in their preparedness for End-of-Life care, as well as improving curricular practices in this domain.
Screening for and Disclosure of Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the PRICOV-19 Cross-Sectional Study in 33 Countries
Authors: Fomenko Elizaveta , Keygnaert Ines , Van Poel Esther , Collins Claire , Gómez Bravo Raquel , Korhonen Päivi , Laine Merja K. , Murauskiene Liubove , Tatsioni Athina , Willems Sara
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic left no one untouched, and reports of domestic violence (DV) increased during the crisis. DV victims rarely seek professional help, yet when they do so, they often disclose it to their general practitioner (GP), with whom they have a trusting relationship. GPs rarely screen and hence rarely take the initiative to discuss DV with patients, although victims indicate that offering this opportunity would facilitate their disclosure. This paper aims to describe the frequency of screening for DV by GPs and disclosure of DV by patients to the GP during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify key elements that could potentially explain differences in screening for and disclosure of DV. The PRICOV-19 data of 4295 GP practices from 33 countries were included in the analyses, with practices nested in countries. Two stepwise forward clustered ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Only 11% of the GPs reported (much) more disclosure of DV by patients during COVID-19, and 12% reported having screened for DV (much). Most significant associations with screening for and disclosure of DV concerned general (pro)active communication. However, (pro)active communication was performed less frequently for DV than for health conditions, which might indicate that GPs are insufficiently aware of the general magnitude of DV and its impact on patients and society, and its approach/management. Thus, professional education and training for GPs about DV seems highly and urgently needed.
Internet Use and the Happiness of Rural Residents: The Role of Education and Health
Authors: Mei Yan , Lin Nuoyan
Published: February 2023

The rapid development of the Internet in China in recent years has greatly penetrated into all aspects of people’s lives and production. In rural areas of China, little is known from previous studies about the relationship between the Internet and happiness. Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) collected in 2016 and 2018, this study investigates the impact of the Internet use on the happiness of rural residents and its mechanism. The results show that, first, the fixed-effects model indicates that the Internet significantly increases the happiness of rural residents. Second, the multiple mediating effects analysis shows that Internet use can improve rural residents’ happiness by promoting the household education human capital. To be more specific, excessive Internet use leads to lower levels of household health human capital. However, a lower level of health does not necessarily bring about a lower level of happiness. In this paper, the mediating effects of household education human capital and household health human capital are 17.8% and 9.5%, respectively. Third, the heterogeneity analysis found that there was a significant positive correlation between Internet use and rural residents’ happiness in western regions of China, while it is insignificant in the eastern and central regions; for households with a huge labor force, Internet use dramatically improves their happiness by enhancing their household education human capital. Education and health have different roles to play in terms of the happiness of rural residents. Therefore, this suggests that the physical and psychological health of rural residents should be taken into account when the Internet strategies to improve general well-being are under development.
Effectiveness of a Person-Centered Prescription Model in Hospitalized Older People at the End of Life According to Their Disease Trajectories and Frailty Index
Authors: Ferro-Uriguen Alexander , Beobide-Telleria Idoia , Gil-Goikouria Javier , Peña-Labour Petra Teresa , Díaz-Vila Andrea , Herasme-Grullón Arlovia Teresa , Echevarría-Orella Enrique
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to comparatively analyze the effect of the person-centered prescription (PCP) model on pharmacotherapeutic indicators and the costs of pharmacological treatment between a dementia-like trajectory and an end-stage organ failure trajectory, and two states of frailty (cut-off point 0.5). A randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients aged ≥65 years admitted to a subacute hospital and identified by the Necessity of Palliative Care test to require palliative care. Data were collected from February 2018 to February 2020. Variables assessed included sociodemographic, clinical, degree-of-frailty, and several pharmacotherapeutic indicators and the 28-day medication cost. Fifty-five patients with dementia-like trajectory and 26 with organ failure trajectory were recruited observing significant differences at hospital admission in the mean number of medications (7.6 vs. 9.7; p < 0.004), the proportion of people on more than 10 medications (20.0% vs. 53.8%; p < 0.002), the number of drug–drug interactions (2.7 vs. 5.1; p < 0.006), and the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) (25.7 vs. 33.4; p < 0.006), respectively. Also, regarding dementia-like patients, after application of the PCP model, these patients improved significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group in the mean number of chronic medications, STOPP Frail Criteria, MRCI and the 28-day cost of regular medications (p < 0.05) between admission and discharge. As for the PCP effect on the control and the intervention group at the end-stage organ failure, we did not observe statistically significant differences. On the other hand, when the effect of the PCP model on different degrees of frailty was evaluated, no unequal behavior was observed.
Mortality and Years of Life Lost Due to Brain and Other Central Nervous System Cancer in Wuhan, China, from 2010 to 2019
Authors: Chen Jiahao , Liu Yan , Wen Haoyu , Yan Yaqiong , Yang Niannian , Guo Yan , Dai Juan , Yu Chuanhua
Published: February 2023

Background: Brain cancer is one of the worst types of cancer worldwide. Understanding the epidemiology of CNS cancer is critical for properly allocating healthcare resources. Methods: We collected data on CNS cancer deaths in Wuhan, China, during 2010–2019. We constructed the cause-eliminated life tables to calculate life expectancy (LE), mortality, and years of life lost (YLLs) by age and sex. The BAPC model was used to forecast the future trends of age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR). Decomposition analysis was adopted to explore the contribution of population growth, population aging, and age-specific mortality to the change in total CNS cancer deaths. Results: In 2019, the ASMR of CNS cancer was 3.75, and the ASYR was 135.70 in Wuhan, China. ASMR was expected to decrease to 3.43 in 2024. The age distribution of deaths due to CNS cancer was concentrated in the middle-aged and older population, with a peak in the 65–69 age group. Caidian, Jianghan, and Qingshan had the greatest ASMRs in 2019 in Wuhan, with ASMRs of 6.32, 4.78, and 4.75, respectively. Population aging is critical to the change in total CNS cancer deaths. Conclusion: We analyzed the current status, temporal trends, and gender and age distributions of the burden of CNS cancer in Wuhan, during 2010–2019, providing a valuable reference for better lessening the CNS cancer burden.
Psychiatric Clinical Placement: Agony for College Nursing Students in South Africa
Authors: Masutha Thingahangwi Cecilia , Maluleke Mary , Raliphaswa Ndidzulafhi Selina , Thabathi Takalani Eldah , Rangwaneni Mphedziseni Esther , Lavhelani Ndivhaleni Robert , Manyuma Duppy , Kharivhe Lufuno Martha , Thandavhathu Tshinanne Gladys
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Clinical placements in psychiatric nursing science (PNS) are as important as other placements in any discipline in nursing education as they allow students to correlate theory to practice. Nursing students’ absenteeism has become a grave concern in psychiatric institutions in South Africa. This study investigated the clinical factors leading to student nurses’ absenteeism in the Limpopo College of Nursing during the psychiatric nursing science clinical placement. (2) Methods: A quantitative approach using a descriptive design was followed, where 206 students were purposively sampled. The study was conducted at the Limpopo College of Nursing situated in Limpopo Province, with five campuses offering a four-year nursing program. College campuses were used to access students since this was an easy way of accessing them. Data were collected through questionnaires of structured questions and analyzed using SPSS version 24. Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout. (3) Results: The correlation between clinical factors and absenteeism was determined. The main reported factors for absenteeism were student nurses being treated as a workforce in the clinical areas; shortage of staff in the clinical areas; inadequate supervision of student nurses by professional nurses; and being inconsiderate of student nurses requests for days off in the clinical area. (4) Conclusions: The findings revealed that student nurses’ absenteeism is caused by different factors. The Department of Health should find a way of not overworking students due to a shortage of staff in the wards but consider them for experiential learning. A further qualitative study should be conducted to develop strategies to mitigate student nurses’ absenteeism in psychiatric clinical placement.
Trends of Incidence, Mortality, and Risk Factors for Lower Respiratory Infections among Children under 5 Years in China from 2000 to 2019
Authors: Shi Xuezhong , Wu Meina , Jia Xiaocan , Bao Junzhe , Wang Yuping , Yang Chaojun , Yu Mengdie , Yang Yongli
Published: February 2023

Background: Understanding the temporal trends in the burden of lower respiratory tract infections (LRI) and their attributable risk factors in children under 5 years is important for effective prevention strategies. Methods: We used incidence, mortality, and attributable risk factors of LRI among children under 5 years from the Global Burden of Diseases database to analyze health patterns in 33 provincial administrative units in China from 2000 to 2019. Trends were examined using the annual average percentage change (AAPC) by the joinpoint regression method. Results: The rates of incidence and mortality for under-5 LRI in China were 18.1 and 4134.3 per 100,000 children in 2019, with an AAPC decrease of 4.1% and 11.0% from 2000, respectively. In recent years, the under-5 LRI incidence rate has decreased significantly in 11 provinces (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, and Zhejiang) and remained stable in the other 22 provinces. The case fatality ratio was associated with the Human Development Index and the Health Resource Density Index. The largest decline in risk factors of deaths was household air pollution from solid fuels. Conclusions: The burden of under-5 LRI in China and the provinces has declined significantly, with variation across provinces. Further efforts are needed to promote child health through the development of measures to control major risk factors.
Exercise Promotion in Saudi Arabia: Understanding Personal, Environmental, and Social Determinants of Physical Activity Participation and Well-Being
Authors: Albujulaya Naif , Stevinson Clare
Published: February 2023

Physical activity promotion has received increasing attention globally due to the considerable benefits of regular activity for population health and well-being. In Saudi Arabia, government strategy explicitly aims to increase physical activity participation among residents. This study assessed the barriers to physical activity among the general Saudi population including any age and gender differences and examined the contribution of contextual factors and nature relatedness to health and well-being. A representative sample of 1046 Saudi adults (aged 18 years and above) completed an online survey that included four validated scales: the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—short form, the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale, the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index and the Nature Relatedness Scale. Analyses indicated that young Saudi adults perceived more barriers than middle-aged and older adults, but few gender differences were observed. Furthermore, exercising outdoors, with other people and via sport predicted higher levels of mental well-being, as did nature relatedness. Therefore, developing a comprehensive strategy package that includes the development of outdoor environments for all age groups across regions and fostering a connection with nature may be particularly effective to improve the health and well-being of Saudi adults.
Disease-Specific Quality of Life among Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease in Hungary
Authors: Horváth Lilla , Boncz Imre , Kívés Zsuzsanna , Fehér Gergely , Németh Noémi , Kajos Fanni Luca , Biró Katalin , Fendrik Krisztina , Koltai Katalin , Késmárky Gábor , Endrei Dóra
Published: February 2023

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a progressive atherosclerotic disease significantly impacting functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to investigate HRQoL among PAD patients in Hungary using the validated Hungarian version of the PADQoL questionnaire. Patients with symptomatic PAD were consecutively recruited from the Department of Angiology, Clinical Center, University of Pécs, Hungary. Demographics, risk factors, and comorbidities were registered. Disease severity was measured by Fontaine and WIFI stages. Descriptive statistical analysis, Chi-square test, and non-parametric tests were performed (p < 0.05). Overall, 129 patients (mean age 67.6 ± 11.9 years, men 51.9%) participated in our study. The Hungarian PADQoL demonstrated good internal consistency (α range: 0.745–0.910). Factors on intimate and social relationships gave the best (89.15 ± 20.91; 63.17 ± 26.05) and sexual function (28.64 ± 27.42), and limitations in physical functioning (24.68 ± 11.40) the worst scores. PAD had a significant negative impact on the social relationships of patients aged 21–54 years (51.6 ± 25.4). Fontaine stage IV patients experienced significantly lower HRQoL due to fear and uncertainty (46.3 ± 20.9) and limited physical functioning (33.2 ± 24.8). The Hungarian PADQoL identified central aspects of HRQoL. Advanced PAD was found to impact several areas of HRQoL, primarily physical functioning and psycho-social well-being, drawing attention to the importance of early diagnosis and management.
Visiting Urban Green Space and Orientation to Nature Is Associated with Better Wellbeing during COVID-19
Authors: Lin Brenda B. , Chang Chia-chen , Andersson Erik , Astell-Burt Thomas , Gardner John , Feng Xiaoqi
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely challenged mental health and wellbeing. However, research has consistently reinforced the value of spending time in green space for better health and wellbeing outcomes. Factors such as an individual’s nature orientation, used to describe one’s affinity to nature, may influence an individual’s green space visitation behaviour, and thus influence the wellbeing benefits gained. An online survey in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia (n = 2084), deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2021), explores if nature experiences and nature orientation are positively associated with personal wellbeing and if increased amounts of nature experiences are associated with improvement in wellbeing in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that both yard and public green space visitation, as well as nature orientation scores, were correlated with high personal wellbeing scores, and individuals who spent more time in green space compared to the previous year also experienced a positive change in their health and wellbeing. Consistently, people with stronger nature orientations are also more likely to experience positive change. We also found that age was positively correlated to a perceived improvement in wellbeing over the year, and income was negatively correlated with a decreased change in wellbeing over the year, supporting other COVID-19 research that has shown that the effects of COVID-19 lifestyle changes were structurally unequal, with financially more established individuals experiencing better wellbeing. Such results highlight that spending time in nature and having high nature orientation are important for gaining those important health and wellbeing benefits and may provide a buffer for wellbeing during stressful periods of life that go beyond sociodemographic factors.
Reducing the Risk of Benthic Algae Outbreaks by Regulating the Flow Velocity in a Simulated South–North Water Diversion Open Channel
Authors: Sun Longfei , Wu Leixiang , Liu Xiaobo , Huang Wei , Zhu Dayu , Wang Zhuowei , Guan Ronghao , Liu Xingchen
Published: February 2023

The reduction in open-channel flow velocity due to China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNP) increases the risk of benthic algal community blooms resulting in drinking water safety issues. Consequently, it has attracted attention from all walks of life. However, regulatory measures to mitigate the risk of algal blooms and the main risk-causing factors are unclear. This study simulated the river ecosystem of the SNP channel through water diversion. Simulated gradient-increasing river flow velocity affects environmental factors and benthic algal alterations, and can be used to explore the feasibility of regulating the flow velocity to reduce the risk of algal blooms. We found that the algal biomasses in the velocity environments of 0.211 and 0.418 m/s decreased by 30.19% and 39.88%, respectively. Community structure alterations from diatoms to filamentous green algae were 75.56% and 87.53%, respectively. We observed significant differences in biodiversity, especially in terms of richness and evenness. The α diversity index of a species is influenced by physical and chemical environmental factors (especially flow velocity). Our study revealed that flow velocity is the main factor affecting the growth and outbreak of benthic algae. The risk of algal blooms in open channels can be effectively mitigated by regulating the flow velocity. This provides a theoretical basis for ensuring the water safety of large-scale water conservancy projects.