bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep patterns, emotions, and behaviors of children and adolescents in Taiwan
Authors: Chin Wei-Chih , Yao Tsung-Chieh , Tang I , Lee Pin-Yi , Huang Yu-Shu 
Published: August 2022

BackgroundThe lockdown in May 2021 was the first and only lockdown implemented in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The epidemic in Taiwan has been maintained under relatively better control and this study aimed to examine the impact of the lockdown on sleep and emotional and behavior disturbances in children and adolescents in Taiwan.Material and methodsParticipants over 6 years old were recruited retrospectively from a cohort study, and their parents completed questionnaires including the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham-IV Teacher and Parent Rating Scale (SNAP-IV), and the function assessment. A total of 217 children and adolescents whose parents completed questionnaires during both the lockdown period and the pre-lockdown period were included. We used paired t-test and independent t test; to analyze the differences between the lockdown and pre-lockdown periods and between different subgroups.ResultsThe mean age of all participants was 11.87 ± 3.97 years, with 69.6% male. The results of CSHQ indicated that our participants had significantly increased total sleep time (p = 0.000), more sleep onset delay (p = 0.011), fewer sleep duration problems (p = 0.029), less parasomnia (p = 0.018), fewer sleep breathing problems (p = 0.028), and less daytime sleepiness (p = 0.000) during the lockdown, especially males and children. We observed trends but no significant changes of all participants in CBCL and SNAP during the lockdown. The change of the inattention index reached a significant level between children and adolescents (p2 = 0.017). The results of the functional assessment showed more interferences in home living (p = 0.021) of all participants, especially males (p1 = 0.002).ConclusionsThe lockdown significantly impacted children and adolescents' sleep and functioning. We also observed trends of increased emotion, behavior and inattention problems, and significantly increased interference in home living. Male gender and younger age may be associated factors for sleep and functional disturbances of the lockdown.
Validation of the Social Media Disorder Scale using network analysis in a large representative sample of Czech adolescents
Authors: Šablatúrová Nika , Rečka Karel , Blinka Lukas 
Published: August 2022

BackgroundThe importance of studying the excessive use of social media in adolescents is increasing and so is the need for in-depth evaluations of the psychometric properties of the measurement tools. This study investigated the properties of the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS) in a large representative sample of Czech adolescents.MethodsWe analyzed the representative sample of 13,377 Czech adolescents (50.9% boys), 11–16 years old, who participated in the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey (2017–18), using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network models. Furthermore, we evaluated the measurement invariance and constructed the validity of the SMDS.ResultsWe found support for a single dominant factor but not for strict unidimensionality. Several residual correlations were identified. The strongest were for: problems–conflicts–deceptions; persistence–escape; and preoccupation–tolerance–withdrawal. Girls, particularly 13- and 15-year-olds, scored higher than boys in the same age group, and 13- and 15-year-olds achieved higher scores than 11-year-olds, although some items were not invariant between the groups. The SMDS was positively related to other online activities, screen time, and falling asleep late, but negatively related to well-being and mental health.Discussion and conclusionsThe SMDS showed solid psychometric properties and construct validity. However, small violations of measurement invariance were detected. Furthermore, the network analysis showed important residual relationships between the items.
Menopause symptoms in women and its relation with using complementary and alternative medicines: A survey in southeast Iran
Authors: Dehghan Mahlagha , Isari Zahra , Abbaszadeh Mohammad Hossein , Ghonchehpour Asma 
Published: August 2022

BackgroundPostmenopausal women are interested in using complementary and alternative medicine because of their menopausal symptoms and the side effects of chemical medications and hormone therapy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the use of complementary medicine (CAM) and menopausal symptoms among postmenopausal women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 288 postmenopausal women who were referred to health centers in Kerman, southeastern Iran, from 2020 to 2021. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the CAM questionnaire, and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS).ResultsThe mean score for the menopausal symptoms of the participants was 8.73 ± 6.11. Only 28.8% of the participants had no/little symptoms. About 65.3% of the participants used at least one type of CAM in the previous year. The most commonly used types of CAM were nutritional supplements, prayer, and medicinal herbs. A significant association was found between the use of medicinal herbs, dry cupping, relaxation and meditation, prayer, and menopausal symptoms. Women experiencing menopausal symptoms used more CAM methods than those without menopausal symptoms (Odds ratio = 2.25, 95% confidence interval = 1.33–3.80).ConclusionThe study results indicated that the severity of menopausal symptoms and scores in somatic-vegetative and urogenital domains were higher in CAM users compared to non-CAM users. But there was no significant difference in the psychological domain between CAM and non-CAM users. Based on the results, it is suggested that more research be done in different communities with different healthcare systems to find out how complementary and alternative medicine affects menopausal symptoms in women.
Does an active lifestyle matter? A longitudinal study of physical activity and health-related determinants in older adults
Authors: Teraž Kaja , Pišot Saša , Šimunic Boštjan , Pišot Rado 
Published: August 2022

IntroductionIt is well-known that regular physical activity, and thus an active lifestyle, has positive effects on aging and general wellbeing. However, the question remains as to whether regular or increased physical activity can improve self-perception of health status and quality of life in older adults.MethodsWe conducted a longitudinal study on a group of active older adults between 2013 and 2021. At baseline, i.e., the 1st measurements (baseline), 147 participants were enrolled (mean age 68.4 ± 5.6). After 8 years, in 2021 (follow up), 52 older adults (mean age 75.9 ± 5.3 years) were measured. For the purpose of this study, we included 52 older adults participated at both time-points. For both measurements, participants reported their physical activity and sedentary behavior using the Global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ), socio-demographic and environmental determinants, recording their self-perception in terms of overall wellbeing. Furthermore, we conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to obtain subjective data on the changes and events that may have affected physical abilities and general health over an 8-year period.ResultsAt the follow up, participants reported lower physical activity and sedentary behavior compared to baseline, but still met health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) standards for total self-reported physical activity (&gt;3,000 METmin/week). In addition, they rated their overall health (p &lt; 0.001), physical fitness (p &lt; 0.001), psychological wellbeing (p &lt; 0.001) and overall quality of life (p &lt; 0.001) as better. The qualitative data confirmed that the 8-year period involved changes in physical activity. Specifically, they have continued to carry out physical work (gardening, working in the vineyards, olive groves), but previously organized physical activities were replaced by walks in nature, which probably also influenced the reduction of sedentary behavior.ConclusionAfter 8 years, as expected, participants reported a decrease in physical activity and a lower level of sedentary behavior. It appears from the interview that healthy older adults filled their days with daily tasks and found more time for walking. Individuals who were more active in the past 8 years also reported better overall health and wellbeing. Selected variables correlated with an active lifestyle and better perceptions of quality of life.
Safety of exercise for adults with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections
Authors: Li Jesse , Boyd Alexandra , Huang Michael , Berookhim Joshua , Prakash Siddharth K. 
Published: August 2022

BackgroundCurrent guidelines for patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms or dissections (TAD) restrict vigorous exertion with the intention to prevent acute aortic dissections. However, a safe threshold for exercise intensity has not been established for TAD patients. In this study, we measured exertional changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure during isometric and dynamic exercises in a cohort of TAD patients to determine safety of moderate intensity exercise.MethodsThirty-one adults with TAD and 14 controls were recruited from UTHealth outpatient clinics. All participants completed an exercise protocol consisting of two circuits of five moderate intensity exercises: hand grips, leg raises, bicep curls, stationary cycling, and wall sits. Blood pressure values were recorded during exercise using Spacelabs OnTrak Ambulatory Blood Pressure monitors. Perceived exertion during each exercise was measured using the Borg CR-10 scale.ResultsNo significant differences in the maximum exertional systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, or change from baseline was found between the TAD and control groups. Higher amounts of self-reported weekly moderate activity level (MAL) in TAD correlated with lower exertional SBP during exercise. Higher Borg scores were associated with a greater change in systolic pressure.ConclusionModerate intensity exercise is safe and feasible for many TAD patients. Our data confirms that the Borg score may be a useful proxy for exercise intensity. In this study, we establish a reproducible exercise protocol that can be adapted to create individualized exercise regimens for TAD patients as part of a care plan to improve long-term cardiovascular health.
Four Mx Genes Identified in Andrias davidianus and Characterization of Their Response to Chinese Giant Salamander Iridovirus Infection
Authors: Meng Yan , Fan Yuding , Jiang Nan , Xue Mingyang , Li Yiqun , Liu Wenzhi , Zeng Lingbing , Zhou Yong 
Published: August 2022

Amphibians, including Andrias davidianus, are declining worldwide partly due to infectious diseases. The Myxovirus resistance (Mx) gene is a typical interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene (ISG) involved in the antiviral immunity. Therefore, knowledge regarding the antiviral immunity of A. davidianus can be used for improved reproduction in captivity and protection in the wild. In this study, we amplified and characterized four different A. davidianus Mx genes (adMx) and generated temporal mRNA expression profiles in healthy and Chinese giant salamander iridovirus (GSIV) infected A. davidianus by qualitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The four adMx genes ranged in length from 2008 to 2840 bp. The sequences revealed conserved protein domains including the dynamin superfamily signature motif and the tripartite guanosine-5-triphosphate (GTP)-binding motif. Gene and deduced amino acid sequence alignment revealed relatively high sequence identity with the Mx genes and proteins of other vertebrates. In phylogenetic analysis, the adMx genes clustered together, but also clustered closely with those of fish species. The four adMx genes were broadly expressed in healthy A. davidianus, but were differentially expressed in the spleen during the GSIV infection. Our results show that the adMx genes share major structural features with their homologs, suggesting similar functions to those in other species.
On the Resonant Vibrations Control of the Nonlinear Rotor Active Magnetic Bearing Systems
Authors: Saeed Nasser A. , El-Shourbagy Sabry M. , Kamel Magdi , Raslan Kamal R. , Awrejcewicz Jan , Gepreel Khaled A. 
Published: August 2022

Nonlinear vibration control of the twelve-poles electro-magnetic suspension system was tackled in this study, using a novel control strategy. The introduced control algorithm was a combination of three controllers: the proportional-derivative (PD) controller, the integral resonant controller (IRC), and the positive position feedback (PPF) controller. According to the presented control algorithm, the mathematical model of the controlled twelve-poles rotor was established as a nonlinear four-degree-of-freedom dynamical system coupled to two first-order filters. Then, the derived nonlinear dynamical system was analyzed using perturbation analysis to extract the averaging equations of motion. Based on the extracted averaging equations of motion, the efficiency of different control strategies (i.e., PD, PD+IRC, PD+PPF, and PD+IRC+PPF) for mitigating the rotor’s undesired vibrations and improving its catastrophic bifurcation was investigated. The acquired analytical results demonstrated that both the PD and PD+IRC controllers can force the rotor to respond as a linear system; however, the controlled system may exhibit the maximum oscillation amplitude at the perfect resonance condition. In addition, the obtained results demonstrated that the PD+PPF controller can eliminate the rotor nonlinear oscillation at the perfect resonance, but the system may suffer from high oscillation amplitudes when the resonance condition is lost. Moreover, we report that the combined control algorithm (PD+IRC+PPF) has all the advantages of the individual control algorithms (i.e., PD, PD+IRC, PD+PPF), while avoiding their drawbacks. Finally, the numerical simulations showed that the PD+IRC+PPF controller can eliminate the twelve-poles system vibrations regardless of both the excitation force magnitude and the resonant conditions at a short transient time.
Mean Phase Voltages and Duty Cycles Estimation of a Three-Phase Inverter in a Drive System Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Anđelić Nikola , Lorencin Ivan , Glučina Matko , Car Zlatan 
Published: August 2022

To achieve an accurate, efficient, and high dynamic control performance of electric motor drives, precise phase voltage information is required. However, measuring the phase voltages of electrical motor drives online is expensive and potentially contains measurement errors, so they are estimated by inverter models. In this paper, the idea is to investigate if various machine learning (ML) algorithms could be used to estimate the mean phase voltages and duty cycles of the black-box inverter model and black-box inverter compensation scheme with high accuracy using a publicly available dataset. Initially, nine ML algorithms were trained and tested using default parameters. Then, the randomized hyper-parameter search was developed and implemented alongside a 5-fold cross-validation procedure on each ML algorithm to find the hyper-parameters that will achieve high estimation accuracy on both the training and testing part of a dataset. Based on obtained estimation accuracies, the eight ML algorithms from all nine were chosen and used to build the stacking ensemble. The best mean estimation accuracy values achieved with stacking ensemble in the black-box inverter model are R¯2=0.9998, MAE¯=1.03, and RMSE¯=1.54, and in the case of the black-box inverter compensation scheme R¯2=0.9991, MAE¯=0.0042, and RMSE¯=0.0063, respectively.
Efficient Anchoring of Erianthus arundinaceus Chromatin Introgressed into Sugarcane by Specific Molecular Markers
Authors: Wu Jiayun , Zhang Mingxiao , Liu Jiarui , Huang Yongji , Xu Liangnian , Deng Zuhu , Zhao Xinwang 
Published: August 2022

Erianthus arundinaceus is a valuable gene reservoir for sugarcane improvement. However, insufficient molecular markers for high-accuracy identification and tracking of the introgression status of E. arundinaceus chromatin impede sugarcane breeding. Fortunately, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technology provides an excellent opportunity for the development of high-throughput E. arundinaceus-specific molecular markers at a reasonable cost. In this study, we constructed a SSH library of E. arundinaceus. In total, 288 clones of E. arundinaceus-specific repetitive sequences were screened out and their distribution patterns on chromosomes were characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). A subtelomeric repetitive sequence Ea086 and a diffusive repetitive sequence Ea009, plus 45S rDNA-bearing E. arundinaceus chromosome repetitive sequence EaITS were developed as E. arundinaceus-specific molecular markers, namely, Ea086-128, Ea009-257, and EaITS-278, covering all the E. arundinaceus chromosomes for high-accuracy identification of putative progeny. Both Ea086-128 and Ea009-257 were successfully applied to identify the authenticity of F1, BC1, BC2, BC3, and BC4 progeny between sugarcane and E. arundinaceus. In addition, EaITS-278 was a 45S rDNA-bearing E. arundinaceus chromosome-specific molecular marker for rapid tracking of the inherited status of this chromosome in a sugarcane background. Three BC3 progeny had apparently lost the 45S rDNA-bearing E. arundinaceus chromosome. We reported herein a highly effective and reliable SSH-based technology for discovery of high-throughput E. arundinaceus-specific sequences bearing high potential as molecular markers. Given its reliability and savings in time and efforts, the method is also suitable for development of species-specific molecular markers for other important wild relatives to accelerate introgression of wild relatives into sugarcane.
Exploring Biocontrol of Unwanted Fungi by Autochthonous Debaryomyces hansenii Strains Isolated from Dry Meat Products
Authors: Chacón-Navarrete Helena , Ruiz-Pérez Francisco , Ruiz-Castilla Francisco J. , Ramos José 
Published: August 2022

The exploration of alternatives to the use of chemical preservatives in food is a topic that has attracted great attention. The implementation of regulations associated with the reduction of these elements directly affects the production of cured meat products, with the premise of looking for more “natural” alternatives. From a previously identified collection of 24 strains of Debaryomyces hansenii, isolated from dry meat products of the “Valle de los Pedroches” (Córdoba), a screening was carried out to determine which strains had inhibitory potential against a battery of fungi belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Candida. After a series of general trials, four strains showing the greatest potential were selected by a streak inhibition assay performed at several concentrations of NaCl. The inhibitory activity of the selected D. hansenii strains was later evaluated by measuring their fungal antagonistic diffusible and volatile compound production following radial inhibition and mouth-to-mouth approaches, respectively. Growth aspects, sporulation, and morphology changes were also considered during these assays. The results support ideas already raised in previous studies, such as the presence of D. hanseniii could imply a reduction of pathogenic fungi in food. Autochthonous yeast strains inhibited not only the mycelial growth, but also sporulation, which strengthens the biocontrol activity of this yeast. Our results show that, under certain conditions, all tested D. hansenii strains were able to alter the growth/development of fungi, being especially evident in the cases of Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus niger. Finally, our research can facilitate the future comparison of results in this area, since we contributed to standardize the methodology described to date, we quantified the number of yeast cells and spores used during the experiments, we homogenized growth conditions for both, yeasts, and molds, and applied an image analyzer software to quantify the growth of the studied microorganisms in solid media.
The Biotics Family: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives in Metabolic Diseases
Authors: Palade Codrina-Madalina , Vulpoi Georgiana-Anca , Vulpoi Radu-Alexandru , Drug Vasile Liviu , Barboi Oana-Bogdana , Ciocoiu Manuela 
Published: August 2022

Globally, metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease pose a major public health threat. Many studies have confirmed the causal relationship between risk factors and the etiopathogenesis of these diseases. Despite this, traditional therapeutic management methods such as physical education and diet have proven insufficient. Recently, researchers have focused on other potential pathways for explaining the pathophysiological variability of metabolic diseases, such as the involvement of the intestinal microbiota. An understanding of the relationship between the microbiome and metabolic diseases is a first step towards developing future therapeutic strategies. Currently, much attention is given to the use of biotics family members such as prebiotics (lactolose, soy oligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides or inulin) and probiotics (genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus, Streptococcus or Enterococcus). They can be used both separately and together as synbiotics. Due to their direct influence on the composition of the intestinal microbiota, they have shown favorable results in the evolution of metabolic diseases. The expansion of the research area in the biotics family has led to the discovery of new members, like postbiotics. In the age of personalized medicine, their use as therapeutic options is of great interest to our study.
EVALUASI PENGELOLAAN SAMPAH DI KOTA GORONTALO
Authors: Thamrin Hazairin , Dunggio Iswan , Rahim Sukirman 
Published: August 2022

Pertambahan penduduk terutama di wilayah perkotaan berdampak pada meningkatnya laju timbulan sampah. Buruknya penanganan sampah, umumnya disebabkan oleh buruknya tata kelola sampah. Tata Kelola sampah tersebut meliputi perencanaan, penganggaran, evaluasi dan monitoring. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengevaluasi kebijakan pengelolaan sampah yang telah dilakukan oleh pemerintah kota Gorontalo. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dimana data yang dikumpulkan berasal dari responden masyarakat. Pemilihan responden merupakan kombinasi antara purposive sampling dan snowball sampling. Parameter yang dianalisis meliputi tata Kelola, sumberdaya manusia, sarana dan prasarana serta pembiayaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan, pada aspek tata kelola pengelolaan sampah, respon masyarakat terhadap kebijakan berada pada kategori tinggi. Pemahaman yang tinggi masyarakat terhadap kebijakan ini karena pemerintah Kota Gorontalo aktif melakukan sosialisasi terkait system pengangkutan sampah. Secara keseluruhan aspek sarana prasarana pengangkutan sampah di Kota Gorontalo berada pada kategori sedang, namun untuk sub kriteria sarana pendukung pengangkutan sampah mendapat penilaian rendah. Masyarakat memberikan penilaian rendah pada aspek kategori sumber daya manusia pengangkut sampah terutama kinerja petugas kebersihan dalam mengumpulkan sampah. Tingkat Pendidikan rendah dan rendahnya kapasitas masyarakat menyebabkan kinerja petugas sampah dinilai rendah Kategori kebijakan pembiayaan pengelolaan sampah di Kota Gorontalo berada pada kategori sedang