bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Population-Based Health Informatics Research to Improve Care for Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Mordi Ify R. , Guignard-Duff Magalie , Hall Christopher , New Benjamin Jaa Ming , Lang Chim C.
Published: December 2020

There are common clinical scenarios in chronic heart disease where no randomized controlled data exist to guide management, and it is likely that well-designed observational studies will have to be used to inform clinical practice. Showing the clinical applicability of this type of study design, using record linkage of population electronic health records, we have provided key observational evidence that use of renin–angiotensin-system (RAS) blockers is associated with better outcomes in patients with aortic stenosis and that metformin could be used safely as an antiglycemic drug in patients with diabetes and heart failure. Each of these pieces of underpinning research has made a major contribution to relevant international clinical practice guidelines, helped the Food and Drug Administration in their decision making and changed prescribing practice.
Development of Vocational Maturity in University Students with Disabilities to Access, Obtain an Internship and Complete University Studies
Authors: Espada-Chavarria Rosa , Moreno-Rodriguez Ricardo , Jenaro Cristina
Published: December 2020

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of university students with disabilities in Spain, as in other countries. Access to and completion of studies in higher education has been identified as a factor that improves the educational and labor inclusion of these people. However, this group of students faces difficulties in completing their studies, as they encounter problems in carrying out their internships, which is an obligatory element of many degrees. Our quantitative research study presents the results of the Generating Professional Skills (GPS) program for the development of vocational maturity based on training itineraries, carried out by the University Unit of Attention to People with Disability. The main results show an increase in vocational maturity and position tutoring as a fundamental part of the educational inclusion process, as well as a key role of the support services for those with disabilities to experience a more inclusive and quality education, thus aligning with objective 4 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. SDG. The information collected allows us to conclude that these programs increase the vocational maturity and the knowledge and competencies of students with disabilities and, therefore, are key elements for the success in accessing and obtaining internships and for the successful completion of their studies.
Q-Selector-Based Prefetching Method for DRAM/NVM Hybrid Main Memory System
Authors: Kim Jeong-Geun , Kim Shin-Dug , Yoon Su-Kyung
Published: December 2020

This research is to design a Q-selector-based prefetching method for a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM)/ Phase-change memory (PCM)hybrid main memory system for memory-intensive big data applications generating irregular memory accessing streams. Specifically, the proposed method fully exploits the advantages of two-level hybrid memory systems, constructed as DRAM devices and non-volatile memory (NVM) devices. The Q-selector-based prefetching method is based on the Q-learning method, one of the reinforcement learning algorithms, which determines a near-optimal prefetcher for an application’s current running phase. For this, our model analyzes real-time performance status to set the criteria for the Q-learning method. We evaluate the Q-selector-based prefetching method with workloads from data mining and data-intensive benchmark applications, PARSEC-3.0 and graphBIG. Our evaluation results show that the system achieves approximately 31% performance improvement and increases the hit ratio of the DRAM-cache layer by 46% on average compared to a PCM-only main memory system. In addition, it achieves better performance results compared to the state-of-the-art prefetcher, access map pattern matching (AMPM) prefetcher, by 14.3% reduction of execution time and 12.89% of better CPI enhancement.
Demonstration of a Duplex Microwave Photonic Filter and Its Reconfigurability in a Frequency Range of 0–10 GHz
Authors: Quintero-Rodríguez Leidy Johana , Warnes-Lora José Roberto , Lee Min Won , Rodríguez-Asomoza Jorge , Zaldívar-Huerta Ignacio Enrique
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we have demonstrated a duplex microwave photonic filter system. The reconfigurability of a microwave passband filter by using a birefringent optical filter has also been demonstrated experimentally. The effect of filtering normally depends on the intermodal separation of a multimode laser diode (MLD), as well as the chromatic dispersion parameter and the length of a Single Mode-Standard Fiber (SM-SF). However, in this work, the intermodal separation of the MLD is altered by an optical filter which consists of a section of birefringent optical fiber (BOF) placed between crossed polarizers. Using this filter, six passbands in the frequency range of 0–10 GHz are obtained. Our duplex Microwave Photonic Filter (MPF) system is driven by only a single optical source. Performance evaluation for the filtered passband is also given in terms of the Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR). On average, an SNR of 13.87 dB is obtained for all the passbands generated by our duplex Microwave Photonic Filter (MPF) system. For potential applications, the generated passbands may be used as radio frequency (RF) carriers to transmit analog or digital data in an optical communications system.
Infrared and Visible Image Fusion Techniques Based on Deep Learning: A Review
Authors: Sun Changqi , Zhang Cong , Xiong Naixue
Published: December 2020

Infrared and visible image fusion technologies make full use of different image features obtained by different sensors, retain complementary information of the source images during the fusion process, and use redundant information to improve the credibility of the fusion image. In recent years, many researchers have used deep learning methods (DL) to explore the field of image fusion and found that applying DL has improved the time-consuming efficiency of the model and the fusion effect. However, DL includes many branches, and there is currently no detailed investigation of deep learning methods in image fusion. In this work, this survey reports on the development of image fusion algorithms based on deep learning in recent years. Specifically, this paper first conducts a detailed investigation on the fusion method of infrared and visible images based on deep learning, compares the existing fusion algorithms qualitatively and quantitatively with the existing fusion quality indicators, and discusses various fusions. The main contribution, advantages, and disadvantages of the algorithm. Finally, the research status of infrared and visible image fusion is summarized, and future work has prospected. This research can help us realize many image fusion methods in recent years and lay the foundation for future research work.
Influence of Structural Defects on the Resistivity and Current Flow Field in Conductive Thin Layers
Authors: Pawłowski Stanisław , Plewako Jolanta , Korzeniewska Ewa
Published: December 2020

The paper presents an analysis of the influence of microcracks in textronic conductive layers on their conductive properties. The tested structures were created in the physical vacuum deposition process. The paper presents the results of computer simulations of the current flow field in thin conductive stripes with defects distributed along a line perpendicular to the stripe axis and randomly placed on its entire surface. It was found, inter alia, that a larger number of shorter collinear defects may have many times lower resistance than a small number of longer defects of the same total length (e.g., with 40 collinear cracks with a total length of 90% of the strip width, the sheet resistance is only about 3% greater compared to a track without cracks). It was found that the percolation threshold of the tested models with square proportions and randomly selected defects is close to the value of 0.5. This is consistent with the theoretical calculations for analogous discrete models with infinite sizes. It was also found that the sheet resistance of the conductive strip with randomly distributed defects clearly depends on its length when the defect concentration exceeds 20%. The simulations were carried out on the basis of the integral equation method, with the solution presented in the form of double layer potentials.
Energy-Efficient and Reliable Internet of Things for 5G: A Framework for Interference Control
Authors: Ahmed Osman Radwa , Zaki Amira I.
Published: December 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the promising paradigms that enable massive machines and devices to communicate with each other in future communication networks to promote a high level of awareness about our world and improve our daily life. IoT devices (IoTDs) communicate with an IoT base station (IoTBS) or IoT gateway (IoTG) by sharing the resources of other cellular users (CUEs). Due to the leakage of the spectral efficiency, interference exists among IoTG and base station (BS) due to CUEs and IoTDs. In this paper, a new framework is proposed called the interference control model. This proposed model aims to control the interference among IoTG and BS and is based on using the Lagrange optimization technique to reduce interference and maximize the energy efficiency and reliability of the IoT and cellular networks in fifth-generation (5G) systems. First, we formulate the multi-objective optimization problem to achieve the objective of the proposed model. Then, based on the optimization strategy, we derive the closed-form expressions of key quality-of-service (QoS) performance such as system reliability, throughput, and energy efficiency. Finally, the proposed algorithm has been evaluated and examined through different assumptions and several simulation scenarios. The obtained results validate the effectiveness and the accuracy of our proposed idea and also indicate significant improvement in the network performance of IoT and cellular networks.
Resonant Energy Carrier Base Active Charge-Balancing Algorithm
Authors: Hasan Mohammad Kamrul , Habib AKM Ahasan , Islam Shayla , Ghani Ahmad Tarmizi Abdul , Hossain Eklas
Published: December 2020

This paper presents a single LC tank base cell-to-cell active voltage balancing algorithm for Li-ion batteries in electric vehicle (EV) applications. EV batteries face challenges in accomplishing fast balancing and high balancing efficiency with low circuit and control complexity. It addresses that LC resonant tank uses an energy carrier to transfer the voltage from an excessive voltage cell to the lowest voltage cell. The method requires 2N - 4 bidirectional MOSFET switches and a single LC resonant circuit, where N is the number of cells in the battery strings. The balancing speed is improved by allowing a short balancing path for voltage transfer and guarantees a fast balancing speed between any two cells in the battery string, and power consumption is reduced by operating all switches in zero-current switching conditions. The circuit was tested for 4400 mAh Li-ion battery cells under static, cyclic, and dynamic charging/discharging conditions. Two battery cells at the voltage 3.93 V and 3.65 V were balanced after 76 min, and the balancing efficiency is 94.8%. The result of dynamic and cyclic charging/discharging conditions shows that the balancing circuit is applicable for the energy storage devices and Li-ion battery cells for EV.
Calibration Venus: An Interactive Camera Calibration Method Based on Search Algorithm and Pose Decomposition
Authors: Lei Wentai , Xu Mengdi , Hou Feifei , Jiang Wensi , Wang Chiyu , Zhao Ye , Xu Tiankun , Li Yan , Zhao Yumei , Li Wenjun
Published: December 2020

Cameras are widely used in many scenes such as robot positioning and unmanned driving, in which the camera calibration is a major task in this field. The interactive camera calibration method based on a plane board is becoming popular due to its stability and handleability. However, most methods choose suggestions subjectively from a fixed pose dataset, which is error-prone and limited for different camera models. In addition, these methods do not provide clear guidelines on how to place the board in the specified pose. This paper proposes a new interactive calibration method, named ‘Calibration Venus’, including two main parts: pose search and pose decomposition. First, a pose search algorithm based on simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is proposed to select the optimal pose in the entire pose space. Second, an intuitive and easy-to-use user guidance method is designed to decompose the optimal pose into four sub-poses: translation, each rotation along X-, Y-, Z-axes. Thereby the users could follow the guide step by step to accurately complete the placement of the calibration board. Experimental results evaluated on simulated and real datasets show that the proposed method can reduce the difficulty of calibration, and improve the accuracy of calibration, as well as provide better guidance.
Research of HRV as a Measure of Mental Workload in Human and Dual-Arm Robot Interaction
Authors: Shao Shiliang , Wang Ting , Wang Yongliang , Su Yun , Song Chunhe , Yao Chen
Published: December 2020

Robots instead of humans work in unstructured environments, expanding the scope of human work. The interactions between humans and robots are indirect through operating terminals. The mental workloads of human increase with the lack of direct perception to the real scenes. Thus, mental workload assessment is important, which could effectively avoid serious accidents caused by mental overloading. In this paper, the operating object is a dual-arm robot. The classification of operator’s mental workload is studied by using the heart rate variability (HRV) signal. First, two kinds of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are collected from six subjects who performed tasks or maintained a relaxed state. Then, HRV data is obtained from ECG signals and 20 kinds of HRV features are extracted. Last, six different classifications are used for mental workload classification. Using each subject’s HRV signal to train the model, the subject’s mental workload is classified. Average classification accuracy of 98.77% is obtained using the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) method. By using the HRV signal of five subjects for training and that of one subject for testing with the Gentle Boost (GB) method, the highest average classification accuracy (80.56%) is obtained. This study has implications for the analysis of HRV signals characteristic of mental workload in different subjects, which could improve operators’ well-being and safety in the human-robot interaction process.
Post-Fire Recovery of Vegetation and Diversity Patterns in Semiarid Pinus halepensis Mill. Habitats after Salvage Logging
Authors: Moya Daniel , Sagra Javier , Lucas-Borja Manuel Esteban , Plaza-Álvarez Pedro Antonio , González-Romero Javier , De Las Heras Jorge , Ferrandis Pablo
Published: December 2020

After wildfires, emergency actions and post-fire management are implemented to mitigate fire damage. Salvage logging is a tool often applied to burned stands, but despite being a post-fire forest management tool to restore ecosystem functions, its ecological effects remain poorly understood. In the Mediterranean Basin, where land use and land-use change are bringing about changes in drought periods and fire regimes, optimal treatments should be included in adaptive management in order to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability. In July 2012, a mid- to high-burn severity fire burned almost 7000 ha of an Aleppo pine forest (Pinus halepensis Mill.) in southeastern Spain. Five years later (late spring 2017), we designed an experimental study to monitor four stand categories on a burn severity basis (unburned mature stands, low-burn severity stands, and high-burn severity stands) and a salvage logging operation carried out 6 months after the fire in high-burn severity areas. We set 60 circular plots (15 in each treatment scenario) and 180 linear transects (3 per plot, 45 per scenario) to check the ecological facilitation of pine trees and snags (canopy size and/or perch effect). We estimated plant alpha diversity (floristic richness, abundance and dominance indices) and post-fire plant recovery (pine recruitment and adaptive traits). Fire depleted the system’s diversity, but in low-severity burning areas some basic functions remained intact (e.g., soil protection). We found that high-burn severity very negatively impacted ecosystem functions through the removal of duff and litter leaving unprotected soil. Collecting wood reduced pine regeneration and growth, which was considerable in the areas that suffered high-burn severity. The burned snags did not appear to act as perches resulting in seed dispersal. Obligate seeders were determined to be an efficient strategy for facing high-severity fires, whereas resprouters response showed no clear burn severity pattern despite being present in all the scenarios. Therefore, salvage logging did not affect the recovery of some ecosystem properties/features (such as plant total cover or litter cover), although retaining dead pines facilitated pine regeneration. Thus, leaving snags in areas affected by high-burn severity in ecosystems mainly modelled by fires is proposed. However, the ecosystem response could be widely variable and influenced by local abiotic factors, so restoration might not be as effective as in the current proposal.
Finding Ovid in Kandahar: The Radical Pastoral as Resistance to Empire in the Classic and Contemporary Worlds
Authors: Said Manija
Published: December 2020

Prevailing scholarship on pastoral literature often overlooks its political and radical dimensions, relegating the form to particular manifestations of the pastoral in Elizabethan England. World literature, however, exhibits a wider range of the pastoral in which poets contest social injustice and serve as voices of resistance against oppression. This paper explores the existence of and connection between the radical pastoral in both the East and West, as exemplified by the classical poetry of Ovid and Pashto pastoral poetry emanating from contemporary Afghanistan. It argues that, despite differences in time and space, both genres of poetry offer forceful criticisms of empire and consider pastoral values, aesthetics, and landscapes as a means of resistance against it. This paper thus examines pastoral poetics’ contribution to social commentary on empire in both imperial Rome and the imperialist present encapsulated by America’s post 9/11 political-military interventions in the Middle East.
Severity, Progress, and Related Factors of Mood Disorders in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Lee Changbae , Lee Sang Cheol , Shin Yeon Seob , Park Sangwoo , Won Ki Bum , Ann Soe Hee , Ko Eun Jae
Published: December 2020

Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, which, in turn, are risk factors for CAD. The Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) were applied for mood evaluation during hospitalization and again 3 months after discharge in 118 patients with CAD, and cardiopulmonary exercise tests were conducted in the outpatient department. Of the patients diagnosed with CAD, 40 (33.9%) had depressive moods, and 51 (43.2%) had anxious moods. A family history of CAD, low Korean activity scale index (KASI), and use of beta-blockers were independent factors causing depressive mood, while lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and low KASI score were independent factors causing anxious mood. A considerable number of patients (35.7% with depressive mood and 25.0% with anxious mood) still had emotional problems after 3 months of discharge. The change values of BDI were associated with lower LVEF and longer hospital stay, while those of BAI was associated with a longer hospital stay. Since some patients had depressive and anxious moods after three months of discharge, evaluating and treating them are essential.
The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Physical Fitness among Chinese University Students: Results of a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Ding Chen , Jiang Yumei
Published: December 2020

Over the past few decades, a gradual increase in sedentary lifestyles along with the increased consumption of a modern, hypercaloric diet has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of those classified as overweight or obese in China. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has become a key public health issue. However, it is important to be cautious when interpreting the literature as the majority of studies apply cross-sectional data to assess and subjectively compare the relationship between physical fitness and being overweight and obese. In the present study, longitudinal data were collected from 3066 students (enrolled in 2014) at a university in China at the beginning of each academic year throughout their four-year university program. The aim of this study was to analyze the various associations between BMI, explosive power, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory endurance, and a random-intercept panel model (RIPM) was separately employed on male and female participants to identify between- and within-person variations. In this way, the associations for between-person physical fitness and normal/overweight/obese weight ranges, and for within-person physical fitness and normal/overweight/obese weight ranges could be observed. The results of this study revealed that every physical fitness test chosen for evaluation (such as the standing long jump for explosive power or the distance run for cardiorespiratory endurance) was negatively related to the BMI results, irrespective of sex, with the notable exception of the flexibility results. In addition, this study showed that both males and females exhibited positively correlated results in both between-person BMI and flexibility as well as within-person BMI and flexibility. Furthermore, the relationships between and within persons of cardiorespiratory endurance, explosive power, and flexibility all showed positive correlations across both sexes. The dynamics between physical fitness and BMI identified in this study could prove useful to practitioners and researchers investigating such relationships in the future.
Understanding the Influence of Eating Patterns on Binge Drinking: A Mediation Model
Authors: Escrivá-Martínez Tamara , Galiana Laura , Herrero Rocío , Rodríguez-Arias Marta , Baños Rosa Mª
Published: December 2020

Background: Binge drinking is an important health problem, and it has been related to binge eating and fat intake in animal models, but this relationship has not been tested in humans. The first objective of this study was to analyze whether binge eating and fat intake are related to binge drinking in a youth sample. The second objective was to analyze whether binge eating and fat intake mediate the relationship between individual factors associated with binge eating and fat intake (sex, body mass index (BMI), drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, eating styles, impulsivity, and food addiction) and binge drinking. Methods: A sample of 428 undergraduate students filled out several questionnaires on binge drinking, binge eating, fat intake, drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, eating styles, food addiction, and impulsivity. Results: Results showed an excellent model fit: χ2(25) = 30.342 (p = 0.212), comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.992, root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.022 [90% CI = 0.000, 0.047]. Binge eating and fat intake were positively related to binge drinking. Furthermore, emotional eating, external eating, and food addiction showed positive and statistically significant indirect relationships with binge drinking, whereas the relationship with restrained eating was negative. Conclusions: These findings point to the need to use a broader approach in understanding and preventing binge drinking in the youth population by showing the influence of the eating pattern on this problem. This information could be helpful in preventing future behaviors and improving interventions that address health risk behaviors.
A Cross-Sectional Study of the Relationships between Work-Related Affective Feelings Expressed by Workers in Turkey
Authors: Çakıt Erman , Karwowski Waldemar , Marek Tadeusz , Jaworek Magdalena , Wrobel Grzegorz
Published: December 2020

Understanding employees’ feelings at work plays a significant role in developing practical and effective organizational and human resource management policies and practices. Furthermore, work-related emotions may have a considerable effect on workers’ health and wellbeing and affect work effectiveness and work performance. The objectives of the current study were to investigate the relationships among four work-related (WOR) affective feelings (WORAF) and to validate the WORAF questionnaire in a Turkish sample. A survey was performed including four constructs: (1) WOR feelings of happiness, (2) WOR feelings of anxiety, (3) WOR feelings of anger, and (4) WOR feelings of dejection. A total of 322 workers from various companies in Turkey completed a paper-based survey. A research model was developed, and its main components were estimated with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that dejection and anger at work play a critical role in experienced anxiety in occupational settings. Similarly, dejection, anger, and anxiety at work play a crucial role in perceived happiness at work.
Roadside Air Quality Forecasting in Shanghai with a Novel Sequence-to-Sequence Model
Authors: Wang Dongsheng , Wang Hong-Wei , Li Chao , Lu Kai-Fa , Peng Zhong-Ren , Zhao Juanhao , Fu Qingyan , Pan Jun
Published: December 2020

The establishment of an effective roadside air quality forecasting model provides important information for proper traffic management to mitigate severe pollution, and for alerting resident’s outdoor plans to minimize exposure. Current deterministic models rely on numerical simulation and the tuning of parameters, and empirical models present powerful learning ability but have not fully considered the temporal periodicity of air pollutants. In order to take the periodicity of pollutants into empirical air quality forecasting models, this study evaluates the temporal variations of air pollutants and develops a novel sequence to sequence model with weekly periodicity to forecast air quality. Two-year observation data from Shanghai roadside air quality monitoring stations are employed to support analyzing and modeling. The results conclude that the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations show obvious daily and weekly variations, and the temporal patterns are nearly consistent with the periodicity of traffic flow in Shanghai. Compared with PM2.5, the CO concentrations are more affected by traffic variation. The proposed model outperforms the baseline model in terms of accuracy, and presents a higher linear consistency in PM2.5 prediction and lower errors in CO prediction. This study could assist environmental researchers to further improve the technologies for urban air quality forecasting, and serve as tools for supporting policymakers to implement related traffic management and emission control policies.
Correlations between Basal Trace Minerals and Hormones in Middle and Long-Distance High-Level Male Runners
Authors: Alves Javier , Barrientos Gema , Toro Víctor , Grijota Francisco , Muñoz Diego , Maynar Marcos
Published: December 2020

Several essential trace minerals play an important role in the endocrine system; however, toxic trace minerals have a disruptive effect. The aim of this research was to determine basal concentrations and the possible correlations between trace minerals in plasma and several plasma hormones in runners. Sixty high-level male endurance runners (21 ± 3 years; 1.77 ± 0.05 m; 64.97 ± 7.36 kg) participated in the present study. Plasma hormones were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and plasma trace minerals were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Correlations and simple linear regression were used to assess the association between trace minerals and hormones. Plasma testosterone concentrations were inversely correlated with manganese (r = −0.543; β = −0.410; p < 0.01), selenium (r = −0.292; β = −0.024; p < 0.05), vanadium (r = −0.406; β = −1.278; p < 0.01), arsenic (r = −0.336; β = −0.142; p < 0.05), and lead (r = −0.385; β = −0.418; p < 0.01). Plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were positively correlated with arsenic (r = 0.298; β = 0.327; p < 0.05) and cesium (r = 0.305; β = 2.272; p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with vanadium (r = −0.303; β = −2.467; p < 0.05). Moreover, cortisol concentrations showed significant positive correlations with cadmium (r = 0.291; β = 209.01; p < 0.05). Finally, insulin concentrations were inversely related to vanadium (r = −0.359; β = −3.982; p < 0.05). In conclusion, endurance runners living in areas with high environmental levels of toxic minerals should check their concentrations of anabolic hormones.
Infrastructure of the Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) Based on Examples of Italy and Poland
Authors: Ogryzek Marek , Tarantino Eufemia , Rząsa Krzysztof
Published: December 2020

Binding and planned community regulations regarding INSPIRE and other documents resulting from work on INSPIRE have forced the member countries to implement new or updated regulations. The purpose of creating the spatial information infrastructure was to unify the exchange of geographical data at the national and international levels, create transparent and favorable conditions for the use of geographical data, facilitate decision-making and develop business activity, and, as a consequence, facilitate the creation of the INSPIRE geoportal by the European Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission, which aims be the central hub of the European spatial information infrastructure. Land management systems use layers from geoportals and are also a data source because their task is to develop sustainable space development. The article presents the rules for implementing EU directives in Poland and Italy at various levels of detail and examines access to data and spatial information infrastructure. A comparative analysis of geoportals was performed in terms of the functionality and availability of free data (types of data) at national and local levels in terms of verification of compliance with the Ubiquitous Public Access Context Information Model (UPA) defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 19100. National geoportals (Polish Geoportal 2 and the Italian-Geoportale Nazionale) and Municipal Spatial Information Systems from the cities of Olsztyn and Bari were compared.
Cell Sheet Comprised of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Overexpressing Stem Cell Factor Promotes Epicardium Activation and Heart Function Improvement in a Rat Model of Myocardium Infarction
Authors: Dergilev Konstantin V. , Shevchenko Evgeny K. , Tsokolaeva Zoya I. , Beloglazova Irina B. , Zubkova Ekaterina S. , Boldyreva Maria A. , Menshikov Mikhail Yu. , Ratner Elizaveta I. , Penkov Dmitry , Parfyonova Yelena V.
Published: December 2020

Cell therapy of the post-infarcted myocardium is still far from clinical use. Poor survival of transplanted cells, insufficient regeneration, and replacement of the damaged tissue limit the potential of currently available cell-based techniques. In this study, we generated a multilayered construct from adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) modified to secrete stem cell factor, SCF. In a rat model of myocardium infarction, we show that transplantation of SCF producing cell sheet induced activation of the epicardium and promoted the accumulation of c-kit positive cells in ischemic muscle. Morphometry showed the reduction of infarct size (16%) and a left ventricle expansion index (0.12) in the treatment group compared to controls (24–28%; 0.17–0.32). The ratio of viable myocardium was more than 1.5-fold higher, reaching 49% compared to the control (28%) or unmodified cell sheet group (30%). Finally, by day 30 after myocardium infarction, SCF-producing cell sheet transplantation increased left ventricle ejection fraction from 37% in the control sham-operated group to 53%. Our results suggest that, combining the genetic modification of MSCs and their assembly into a multilayered construct, we can provide prolonged pleiotropic effects to the damaged heart, induce endogenous regenerative processes, and improve cardiac function.
Developments and Prospects in Imperative Underexploited Vegetable Legumes Breeding: A Review
Authors: Dhaliwal Sandeep , Talukdar Akshay , Gautam Ashish , Sharma Pankaj , Sharma Vinay , Kaushik Prashant
Published: December 2020

Vegetable legumes are an essential source of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, along with health-promoting bioactive chemicals. The demand for the use of either fresh or processed vegetable legumes is continually expanding on account of the growing consumer awareness about their well-balanced diet. Therefore, sustaining optimum yields of vegetable legumes is extremely important. Here we seek to present d etails of prospects of underexploited vegetable legumes for food availability, accessibility, and improved livelihood utilization. So far research attention was mainly focused on pulse legumes’ performance as compared to vegetable legumes. Wild and cultivated vegetable legumes vary morphologically across diverse habitats. This could make them less known, underutilized, and underexploited, and make them a promising potential nutritional source in developing nations where malnutrition still exists. Research efforts are required to promote underexploited vegetable legumes, for improving their use to feed the ever-increasing population in the future. In view of all the above points, here we have discussed underexploited vegetable legumes with tremendous potential; namely, vegetable pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), dolichos bean (Lablab purpureus), and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), thereby covering the progress related to various aspects such as pre-breeding, molecular markers, quantitative trait locus (QTLs), genomics, and genetic engineering. Overall, this review has summarized the information related to advancements in the breeding of vegetable legumes which will ultimately help in ensuring food and nutritional security in developing nations.
Inhibition of BRD4 Reduces Neutrophil Activation and Adhesion to the Vascular Endothelium Following Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Reid Shelby , Fine Noah , Bhosle Vikrant K. , Zhou Joyce , John Rohan , Glogauer Michael , Robinson Lisa A. , Scholey James W.
Published: December 2020

Renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is associated with inflammation, including neutrophil infiltration that exacerbates the initial ischemic insult. The molecular pathways involved are poorly characterized and there is currently no treatment. We performed an in silico analysis demonstrating changes in NFκB-mediated gene expression in early renal IRI. We then evaluated NFκB-blockade with a BRD4 inhibitor on neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells in vitro, and tested BRD4 inhibition in an in vivo IRI model. BRD4 inhibition attenuated neutrophil adhesion to activated endothelial cells. In vivo, IRI led to increased expression of cytokines and adhesion molecules at 6 h post-IRI with sustained up-regulated expression to 48 h post-IRI. These effects were attenuated, in part, with BRD4 inhibition. Absolute neutrophil counts increased significantly in the bone marrow, blood, and kidney 24 h post-IRI. Activated neutrophils increased in the blood and kidney at 6 h post-IRI and remained elevated in the kidney until 48 h post-IRI. BRD4 inhibition reduced both total and activated neutrophil counts in the kidney. IRI-induced tubular injury correlated with neutrophil accumulation and was reduced by BRD4 inhibition. In summary, BRD4 inhibition has important systemic and renal effects on neutrophils, and these effects are associated with reduced renal injury.
Physiological, Biochemical, and Transcriptomic Responses of Neolamarckia cadamba to Aluminum Stress
Authors: Dai Baojia , Chen Chen , Liu Yi , Liu Lijun , Qaseem Mirza Faisal , Wang Jinxiang , Li Huiling , Wu Ai-Min
Published: December 2020

Aluminum is the most abundant metal of the Earth’s crust accounting for 7% of its mass, and release of toxic Al3+ in acid soils restricts plant growth. Neolamarckia cadamba, a fast-growing tree, only grows in tropical regions with acidic soils. In this study, N. cadamba was treated with high concentrations of aluminum under acidic condition (pH 4.5) to study its physiological, biochemical, and molecular response mechanisms against high aluminum stress. High aluminum concentration resulted in significant inhibition of root growth with time in N. cadamba. The concentration of Al3+ ions in the root tip increased significantly and the distribution of absorbed Al3+ was observed in the root tip after Al stress. Meanwhile, the concentration of Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe was significantly decreased, but P concentration increased. Aluminum stress increased activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase from micrococcus lysodeiktic (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) in the root tip, while the content of MDA was decreased. Transcriptome analysis showed 37,478 differential expression genes (DEGs) and 4096 GOs terms significantly associated with treatments. The expression of genes regulating aluminum transport and abscisic acid synthesis was significantly upregulated; however, the genes involved in auxin synthesis were downregulated. Of note, the transcripts of several key enzymes affecting lignin monomer synthesis in phenylalanine pathway were upregulated. Our results shed light on the physiological and molecular mechanisms of aluminum stress tolerance in N. cadamba.
Opening a Novel Biosynthetic Pathway to Dihydroxyacetone and Glycerol in Escherichia coli Mutants through Expression of a Gene Variant (fsaAA129S) for Fructose 6-Phosphate Aldolase
Authors: Guitart Font Emma , Sprenger Georg A.
Published: December 2020

Phosphofructokinase (PFK) plays a pivotal role in glycolysis. By deletion of the genes pfkA, pfkB (encoding the two PFK isoenzymes), and zwf (glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase) in Escherichia coli K-12, a mutant strain (GL3) with a complete block in glucose catabolism was created. Introduction of plasmid-borne copies of the fsaA wild type gene (encoding E. coli fructose 6-phosphate aldolase, FSAA) did not allow a bypass by splitting fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) into dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3P). Although FSAA enzyme activity was detected, growth on glucose was not reestablished. A mutant allele encoding for FSAA with an amino acid exchange (Ala129Ser) which showed increased catalytic efficiency for F6P, allowed growth on glucose with a µ of about 0.12 h−1. A GL3 derivative with a chromosomally integrated copy of fsaAA129S (GL4) grew with 0.05 h−1 on glucose. A mutant strain from GL4 where dhaKLM genes were deleted (GL5) excreted DHA. By deletion of the gene glpK (glycerol kinase) and overexpression of gldA (of glycerol dehydrogenase), a strain (GL7) was created which showed glycerol formation (21.8 mM; yield approximately 70% of the theoretically maximal value) as main end product when grown on glucose. A new-to-nature pathway from glucose to glycerol was created.
Association of Vitamin D Metabolism Gene Polymorphisms with Autoimmunity: Evidence in Population Genetic Studies
Authors: Ruiz-Ballesteros Adolfo I. , Meza-Meza Mónica R. , Vizmanos-Lamotte Barbara , Parra-Rojas Isela , de la Cruz-Mosso Ulises
Published: December 2020

A high prevalence of vitamin D (calcidiol) serum deficiency has been described in several autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (AR), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Vitamin D is a potent immunonutrient that through its main metabolite calcitriol, regulates the immunomodulation of macrophages, dendritic cells, T and B lymphocytes, which express the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and they produce and respond to calcitriol. Genetic association studies have shown that up to 65% of vitamin D serum variance may be explained due to genetic background. The 90% of genetic variability takes place in the form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and SNPs in genes related to vitamin D metabolism have been linked to influence the calcidiol serum levels, such as in the vitamin D binding protein (VDBP; rs2282679 GC), 25-hydroxylase (rs10751657 CYP2R1), 1α-hydroxylase (rs10877012, CYP27B1) and the vitamin D receptor (FokI (rs2228570), BsmI (rs1544410), ApaI (rs7975232), and TaqI (rs731236) VDR). Therefore, the aim of this comprehensive literature review was to discuss the current findings of functional SNPs in GC, CYP2R1, CYP27B1, and VDR associated to genetic risk, and the most common clinical features of MS, RA, and SLE.
MicroRNAs at the Crossroad of the Dichotomic Pathway Cell Death vs. Stemness in Neural Somatic and Cancer Stem Cells: Implications and Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Diana Andrea , Gaido Giuseppe , Maxia Cristina , Murtas Daniela
Published: December 2020

Stemness and apoptosis may highlight the dichotomy between regeneration and demise in the complex pathway proceeding from ontogenesis to the end of life. In the last few years, the concept has emerged that the same microRNAs (miRNAs) can be concurrently implicated in both apoptosis-related mechanisms and cell differentiation. Whether the differentiation process gives rise to the architecture of brain areas, any long-lasting perturbation of miRNA expression can be related to the occurrence of neurodevelopmental/neuropathological conditions. Moreover, as a consequence of neural stem cell (NSC) transformation to cancer stem cells (CSCs), the fine modulation of distinct miRNAs becomes necessary. This event implies controlling the expression of pro/anti-apoptotic target genes, which is crucial for the management of neural/neural crest-derived CSCs in brain tumors, neuroblastoma, and melanoma. From a translational point of view, the current progress on the emerging miRNA-based neuropathology therapeutic applications and antitumor strategies will be disclosed and their advantages and shortcomings discussed.
A Review of Energy Storage Participation for Ancillary Services in a Microgrid Environment
Authors: Kumar G V Brahmendra , Palanisamy K
Published: December 2020

This paper reviews the energy storage participation for ancillary services in a microgrid (MG) system. The MG is used as a basic empowering solution to combine renewable generators and storage systems distributed to assist several demands proficiently. However, because of unforeseen and sporadic features of renewable energy, innovative tasks rise for the consistent process of MGs. Power management in MGs that contain renewable energy sources (RES) can be improved by energy storage. The energy storage systems (ESSs) have several merits, such as supply and demand balancing, smoothing of RES power generation, enhancing power quality and reliability, and facilitating the ancillary services like voltage and frequency regulation in MG operation. The integration of ESS technology has become a solution to the challenges the power distribution networks face in achieving improved performance. By simplifying a smooth and robust energy balance within the MG, storage devices match energy generation to consumption. MG, and its multidisciplinary portrait of current MG drivers, tasks, real-world applications, and upcoming views are elucidated in this paper.
Association of Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome and Vitamin B12 Deficiency: A Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study
Authors: Urbanski Geoffrey , Chabrun Floris , Schaepelynck Baudouin , May Morgane , Loiseau Marianne , Schlumberger Esther , Delattre Estelle , Lavigne Christian , Lacombe Valentin
Published: December 2020

Descriptive and retrospective studies without control groups have suggested a possible association between primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) and vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency. This is of importance because several mucosal and neurological features are common to these two conditions and could be prevented or reversed in case of B12 deficiency. We aimed to evaluate the association between pSS and B12 deficiency. We prospectively assessed the B12 status of 490 patients hospitalized in an internal medicine department over a 15-week period. Patients with pernicious anemia were excluded. We extracted patients with pSS and paired them with controls according to age and sex, with a 1:5 ratio. Twenty-one pSS patients were paired with 105 control patients. The median age was 70 years old (51–75) and 95.2% of patients were women. The plasma B12 level was lower in pSS patients (329 (293–521) ng/L vs. 456 (341–587) ng/L, p < 0.0001). B12 deficiency was associated with pSS (42.9% among pSS patients vs. 11.4% among controls), even after adjustment for other causes of B12 deficiency (OR 6.45 (95%CI: 2.08–20.0)). In conclusion, pSS appeared to be associated with B12 deficiency, even after the exclusion of pernicious anemia. This justifies screening and treating B12 deficiency in pSS patients.
The Performance of Vascular Age in the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Ferraz-Amaro Iván , Corrales Alfonso , Quevedo-Abeledo Juan , Atienza-Mateo Belén , Prieto-Peña Diana , Blanco Ricardo , Llorca Javier , González-Gay Miguel
Published: December 2020

Background. Cardiovascular (CV) disease risk prediction models developed for use in the general population have suboptimal performance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Vascular age (VA) is a new concept that has been proposed as a measure of CV ‘relative’ risk instead of the ‘absolute’ risk that current prediction models provide. In the present study we aim to study the performance of vascular age (VA) in the assessment of CV risk in patients with RA. We additionally aimed to analyze its relation with subclinical atherosclerosis as measured through carotid plaque ultrasound. Methods. A total of 1173 non-diabetic RA patients without previous CV events were included. Disease characteristics, SCORE, VA determined on SCORE and on carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and the presence of plaque through carotid ultrasound were assessed. The interrelations of VA with SCORE, and its associations with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis were studied. Results. On average, RA patients had both a SCORE determined VA (4.7 years) and a cIMT-based VA (2.4 years) significantly higher than the chronological age. When these differences were analyzed in different age intervals, while VA based on SCORE was significantly higher compared to chronological age in all age ranges, VA determined on cIMT was significantly elevated only in RA patients younger than 60 years. The area under the curve analysis for the association of SCORE and VA with the presence of carotid plaque disclosed no differences between both parameters. VA was associated with the presence of carotid plaque after multivariable regression analysis in patients younger than 60 years old. Conclusion. VA is significantly higher than chronological age in patients with RA. The performance of VA in its relation to carotid plaque is similar to that of the SCORE.