by Recent Progress in Materials Editorial Office

Received: 29 August 2022;  Published: 30 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203016

Interview An Interview with Prof. José Ignacio Álvarez GalindoRecent Progress in Materials Editorial OfficeLIDSEN Publishing Inc., 2000 Auburn Drive, One Chagrin Highlands, Suite 200, Beachwood, OH, USA; E-Mail: rpm@lidsen.comRecent Progress in Materials2022, volume 4, issue 3doi:10.21926/rpm.2203016Received: August 29, 2022Accepted: August 29, 2022Published: August 30, 2022

by Tom Deweerdt  and Anais Fabre

Received: 13 May 2022;  Published: 26 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203033

With the growing urbanisation phenomenon, ambitious policy interventions are needed to limit transport-related greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas. Cities are a predominant source of pollution, with urban transport contributing significantly to emissions. To address climate change, decision-makers must implement appropriate and effective mitigation instruments. This literature review focuses on the different approaches and supporting measures of urban transport land-use planning, such as mixed-used zoning plans [...]

by Jessica Walls  , Charlotte V. Farewell  , Kara Traikoff  , Haley Burns  , Joanne Whalen  , Meredith Shefferman  and Jenn A. Leiferman

Received: 31 May 2022;  Published: 26 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203038

Many women experience depression and/or anxiety during pregnancy and/or the postpartum period. Mind-Body Interventions (MBIs) have shown great efficacy in the mitigation of these symptoms; however, there is limited research spanning the postpartum period and exploring long-term sustainability of mindfulness practice. Furthermore, little is known about specific facilitators that contribute to sustainability. The primary objective of this mixed-methods study is to use the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework to [...]

by Dafné Silva  , Laís Nerys  , Carlos Silva  , Elizabeth Borba  , Tonny Leite  , Teresinha Silva  and Amanda Sena

Received: 27 May 2022;  Published: 25 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2203024

Macambira plant (Bromelia laciniosa Mart. Ex Shult. & Schult. f.) is a species belonging to the family Bromeliaceae, which is distributed widely in the hinterlands of northeastern Brazil, from Bahia to Piauí states. The plants of this species contain an enzyme complex named bromelain, which has great potential for therapeutic applications. In the present study, bromelain derived from Bromelia laciniosa leaves was assessed for its thermodynamic properties and in vitro cytotoxic and healing activities. Bro [...]

by Kristin Shrader-Frechette

Received: 02 June 2022;  Published: 24 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203032

Scientific data are almost nonexistent regarding the health-protectiveness of most hazardous-waste-site remediation. Given this data-gap, recently the World Health Organization (WHO) urged scientists to develop methods of "cost-efficient health surveillance" of toxics' cleanups, including any "illegal operations". Following WHO, this article's importance is to develop one such cost-efficient method. Given the assumption that remediators'-redevelopers' public misrepresentations of their cleanups' safety may warrant [...]

by Lucia D. Willems  , Stefania V. Vacaru  , Hannelies Hokke  and Paula S. Sterkenburg

Received: 30 May 2022;  Published: 24 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203037

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at a higher risk of shame and self-criticism and tend to make downward social comparisons. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is commonly used to address these issues in the general population, however, information on the adaptability and effectiveness of CFT for individuals with ID is limited. Thus, we conducted a scoping review of studies on CFT for individuals with ID, to accumulate and consolidate the information and provide a basis for future studies to further [...]

by Joana Sousa

Received: 10 March 2022;  Published: 24 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203015

Exposure to indoor pollutants may exert a significant effect on children health as they spend most of their time in enclosed environments. This research compared the association of biological concentrations with indoor characteristics and building materials in places where children spend significant time indoors. It was compared the results of two autonomous research projects conducted in Porto primary schools and households. Both the projects included a walkthrough inspection and biological measurements in indoor [...]

by Owen Sedej  , Eric Mbonimpa  , Trevor Sleight  and Jeremy Slagley

Received: 18 February 2022;  Published: 18 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203027

Waste-to-Energy technologies have the potential to dramatically improve both the natural and human environment. One type of waste-to-energy technology that has been successful is gasification. There are numerous types of gasification processes and in order to drive understanding and the optimization of these systems, traditional approaches like computational fluid dynamics software have been utilized to model these systems. The modern advent of machine learning models has allowed for accurate and computationally ef [...]

by Tyrone Pretorius  and Anita Padmanabhanunni

Received: 01 May 2022;  Published: 17 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2203132

An important mental health concern arising from the COVID-19 pandemic was the loneliness resulting from the lockdown measures taken by many countries due to the outbreak. Thus, loneliness needs to be studied in detail for intervention purposes. The UCLA Loneliness Scale is the most widely used measure of loneliness. However, the 20-item measure has some drawbacks, including questionnaire fatigue, especially when used with other measures, and a lack of accurate responses to all items. In this study, we evaluated two [...]

by Kristin Shrader-Frechette

Received: 09 February 2022;  Published: 17 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203031

Many multinational retail companies are exposed to financial risk related to climate change. Carbon management is important in keeping global temperature increases below 1.5°C to prevent the exacerbated impacts of climate change. Auchan Retail in Auchan Holding provides a good example of carbon management in the retail sector. Auchan Retail's major emissions are the indirect emissions throughout their value chain (scope 3 emissions). The total estimated emission of scopes 1, 2 and 3 are 37,822,573.9 t CO2e. [...]

by Virginia M.R. Menezes  , Gustavo M. Paula  , Liliane A. Lima  , Meiry G.F. Rodrigues  and Fabiano A.N. Fernandes

Received: 05 May 2022;  Published: 16 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2203023

In this study, we investigated the oligomerization mechanism of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyzed by a cobalt-based catalyst supported by SBA-15. The Co/SBA-15 catalyst contained 20% w/w of cobalt. It was prepared by the wet impregnation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled to X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The FT synthesis was conducted in a slurry bed reactor operating [...]

by Thales Almeida Barbosa  , Marcelo Costa Flores  and Katia Cecília de Souza Figueiredo

Received: 09 May 2022;  Published: 16 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203030

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) consist of a polymeric phase and a dispersed solid filler such as zeolites or carbon nanotubes. We prepared symmetric and asymmetric polysulfone-based MMMs containing functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-O) for CO2/N2 separation. Maxwell’s model was used to predict the permeabilities of MMMs. The permeability achieved using the model exhibited a good fit of the model in symmetric MMMs, especially for CO2. This can be potentially attributed to the high affinity of th [...]

by Johannes Drescher  , Charly Gaul  , Peter Kropp  , Yannic Siebenhaar  , Dirk Reinel  and Jörg Scheidt

Received: 18 May 2022;  Published: 16 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2203131

This citizen science project CLUE compared the attack frequency between school and vacation periods among adolescents. The data collection process adopted in citizen science projects opens up the possibility of conducting analyses by including a large number of participants over a long period and across different regions. The data on 684 migraine attacks reported by 68 adolescents aged 16 to 19 years were collected using an online platform and smartphone apps. A Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the distribut [...]

by Sahar M Afeef  , Laura A Barrett  , Julia K Zakrzewski-Fruer  and Keith Tolfrey

Received: 30 March 2022;  Published: 15 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2203020

Exercise-induced moderation of postprandial glycaemia in adolescents is unclear and has not been examined under free-living conditions. We assessed the effect of moderate-intensity exercise (MIE) and high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) bouts on subsequent postprandial glycaemic responses across three standard school days. Fourteen healthy adolescents (13 ± 1 years) completed three conditions in the following order across consecutive days: MIE, 30-min continuous brisk walking; CON, no-exercise control; HIIE, [...]

by Anita Padmanabhanunni  , Serena Ann Isaacs  , Tyrone Pretorius  and Brendon Faroa

Received: 30 April 2022;  Published: 15 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2203130

Fear has been the most common emotional response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and excessive fear is associated with various indices of psychological distress, particularly loneliness. Although most people have experienced pandemic-related fear and distress, certain groups who are on the front of service provision have experienced the pandemic in distinct ways, owing to its impact on the nature of their work. Schoolteachers represent one such group; therefore, it is imperative to identify resources that can safeguard a [...]

by Luis F. Riquelme  , Sara Diab  , Angela Horyacheva  , Isabel Huribal  , Andreea Shellerud  , Sophia Werden Abrams  and Ashwini M. Namasivayam-MacDonald

Received: 29 April 2022;  Published: 11 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203036

The purpose of this study was to collate and summarize the content covered in published literature describing speech-language pathology management of adult patients with COVID-19 in the acute hospital setting as of February 2022. This review serves as an updated review of the initial recommendations to guide speech-language pathology management for adults with COVID-19 in the acute hospital setting previously provided by Namasivayam-MacDonald and Riquelme in July of 2020. This scoping review followed the Preferred [...]

by Omar Alkhalil

Received: 23 May 2022;  Published: 11 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203029

Multi-rotor and fixed-wing drones are extensively used to collect the data needed for producing large-scale topographic maps and plans. Several types of drone products are available, and the most important one for surveyors is an orthophoto. Flight planning, the quality of the control data, the assessment of drone products, and the image processing software need to be considered when using thes e drones. In this study, we explained these concepts and discussed their theoretical and practical importance in providing [...]

by Rachel Snodgrass  , Joanna Carnell  and Tim Chapman

Received: 31 May 2022;  Published: 10 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203035

This study presents a mixed methods evaluation of a transdiagnostic Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) group intervention, for adults with long-term health conditions (LTHCs). It aims to assess whether group completion was associated with improved outcomes in mood, overall well-being and the extent of LTHC interference in confidence for managing daily activities. Additionally, it examines the extent to which changes were related to processes targeted by CFT. The ‘Living Well with Illness’ group consisted of eleven we [...]

by Lindsey Cundra  , Michael Saadeh  , Manasa Vallabhaneni  , Kevin Houston  , Steve D’Souza  and David A Johnson

Received: 28 April 2022;  Published: 09 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2203019

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease, is a chronic relapsing-remitting inflammatory state of the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The cause of IBD is multifactorial, encompassing factors of genetics, environment, and the host immune system, initiating a complex interplay of maladaptive host immune responses and subsequent chronic inflammation. Aberrant host immune responses are at least in part due to changes in the commensal microbiome, which can in turn affect the [...]

by Anna Blázovics  , Botond Csorba  and Andrea Ferencz

Received: 19 May 2022;  Published: 08 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203034

The most well-known phytoestrogens (flavonoids, isoflavonoids, lignans, coumestans, stilbenes, and prenylflavonoids) are isoflavonoids, which are important active ingredients in medicinal and food plants. They are highly abundant in the Fabaceae family. More than 1,000 types of isoflavonoids have been isolated from nearly 300 kinds of plants, and more are being discovered through modern analytical methods. Glycosides O and C of isoflavonoids are poorly absorbed in the intestine. They are converted by bacterial este [...]

by Chang Gu  , Hongmei Gu  , Meng Gong  and Janet Blackadar

Received: 21 April 2022;  Published: 05 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203014

Mass timber products (MTPs) are being adopted in new building constructions and remodels in the last three decades, credited to their renewable and low carbon footprint characteristics. However, there are no mass timber manufacturers currently existing in Atlantic Canada. Extended distances of transporting MTPs to this region from other Canadian provinces may sacrifice the environmental benefits of using MTPs. This study was aimed to understand, via conducting a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA), the envir [...]

by Gabriel Moss  , Gi-Ming Wang  , Bethanny Bristol  , Hasina Momotaz  , Ming Li  and Richard T. Lee

Received: 05 May 2022;  Published: 04 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203033

Reiki is a form of energy healing that has gained popularity in the United States, but there remains skepticism about its scientific validity. This study examines the ability of Reiki practitioners (RP) to detect human energy fields (HEF). Volunteer RP were asked to identify the location of a human hand under blinded conditions for a total of 20 trials. Four potential options existed for subjects (right, left, both, or neither); thus, random chance would predict a success rate of 25%. A success rate of >40% was [...]

by Mohammad Shanawar Khan  and Shohel Amin

Received: 15 May 2022;  Published: 04 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203013

This study examines the chemical compositions of eggshell powder (ESP) and lime as the soil stabilisers and compared with the compositions of cement and fly-ash to understand the optimal distribution of chemical stabilisers maximising the bearing capacity and structural integrity of subgrade soil. The different proportions of eggshell powder (ESP) (2%, 4%, 6% and 8% of total soil mass) were mixed with a fixed proportion of lime (6% of total soil mass) to analyse the optimum proportion of eggshell maximising the soi [...]

by James D Adams

Received: 01 August 2022;  Published: 04 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203032

Oral pain medicines are routinely used to treat pain and chronic pain. Recent evidence shows that many of these medicines actually increase chronic pain when used over several weeks. Patients should be encouraged to find alternative pain treatments and avoid oral medicines for pain.

by Raymond H. Baillargeon  , Marylène Charette  , François Tessier  and Kevin P. Brand

Received: 08 March 2022;  Published: 03 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203031

The current recommendations of the Canadian Paediatric Society about monitoring children’s disruptive behaviors at well-child visits call for screening if behavioral concerns are being raised by parents. But do parents’ concerns about their child’s behavior constitute a reliable means for primary care providers (PCPs) to decide either in favor or against screening? We conducted a rapid systematic review of the literature by identifying documents that cited the landmark study by Glascoe and her col [...]