bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CITRA PEREMPUAN DALAM IKLAN TELEVISI
Authors: Rachman Anita Kurnia
Published: August 2019

Abstark

Iklan memberikan informasi kepada penonton televesi untuk mengetahui berbagai informasi tentang apapun yang dibutuhkan penonton. Iklan saat ini banyak menghadirkan perempuan untuk menarik minat penonton. Perempuan memang memberiakan daya tarik tersendiri pada tayangan iklan. Hal ini memunculkaneksploitasi perempuan sebagai objek seksual berdasarkan cara berpikir stereotype (meniru), seringkali muncul dalam berbagai karya iklan televisi. Perbedaan gender memberikan budaya dalam masyarakat, yaitu sistem patriaki. Sistem ini memberikan kekuasaan pada laki-laki. Hal ini menimbulkan citra yang disebut P-5 yang melekat pada perempuan melalui iklan yang diperankan. Citra itu, yaitu citra peraduan, citra pigura, citra pilar rumah tangga, citra pergaulan, dan citra pinggan. Posisi perempuan dalam bermasyarakat memberikan andil terhadap kekerasan perempuan dalamm media massa atau media televisi. Mengupayakan peranan wanita baik di dunia pertelevisian khususnya iklan yang memberikan pendidikan tentang gender. Upaya ini perlu disosialisasikan untuk menumbuhkan rasa toleransi, sikap saling menghormati, saling memahami serta saling membantu antara laki-laki dan perempuan.
PEMUTAKHIRAN PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS PAPERLESS DI PROGRAM STUDI PENDIDIKAN BAHASA DAN SASTRA INDONESIA
Authors: Susandi Susandi Susandi
Published: August 2019

Penggunaan paperless dalam pembelajaran dapat diterapkan dari hal yang sederhana dimulai dari presensi kelas, silabus, materi, media, model, tugas, dan evaluasi pembelajaran. Kebijakan paperless hadir sebagai bentuk jawaban atas keprihatinan terhadap isu permasalahan lingkungan serta tantangan pembelajaran di era teknologi informasi. Sumber daya dosen saat ini yang mayoritas masih berusia produktif yang memiliki komitmen serta kemauan kuat dalam menguasai teknologi informasi dalam pembelajaran merupakan modal besar institusi perguruan tinggi dalam memutakhirkan pembelajaran berbasis paperlees di Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia. Mahasiswa sebagai pengguna kebijakan juga harus berperan aktif dalam menyukseskan kebijakan tersebut. Perguruan Tinggi harus memberikan dukungan penuh secara bertahap upaya pemutakhiran sarana dan prasarana pendukung seperti televisi layar datar di setiap kelas, jaringan internet nirkabel, dan gawai bagi setiap mahasiswa dan dosen. Masyarakat dan pemerintah wajib memberikan dukungan dan apresiasi kepada Perguruan Tinggi yang memiliki komitmen dalam menerapkan kebijakan paperless. Kebijakan Paperless memiliki beberapa kelebihan di antaranya, efisiensi waktu dan biaya, ramah lingkungan, dan membuat manajemen dokumentasi dalam pembelajaran di Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia menjadi lebih baik.
RELASI DAN MOTIVASI ANTAR TOKOH DALAM NOVEL SAMAN KARYA AYU UTAMI
Authors: Sumarsilah Siti
Published: August 2019

Tokoh merupakan salah satu unsur pembangun dalam novel. Tokoh menjadi bagian penting karena dari tokoh pembaca dapat memahami apa yang ingin disampaikan penulis. Novel Saman Karya Ayu Utami menceritakan tentang pergolakkan yang terjadi pada tokoh-tokohnya yang hidup pada tahun itu. Tokoh dalam Novel Saman memiliki relasi dan motivasi satu sama lain. Relasi diperlukan untuk menjaga eksistensi hubungan manusia dengan manusia yang lain. Hal itu disebabkan oleh refleksi atas eksistensi manusia sebagai pribadi. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan sosiologi sastra. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa relasi antara Laila dengan Sihar tidak menjadi relasi dalam kata “Kita”. Sebab tidak ada kebersamaan antara Laila dan Sihar. Relasi antara Wisanggeni (Saman) dengan Yasmin merupakan relasi yang didasari oleh cinta, sehingga hubungan itu berada dalam relasi "Kita" atau pertemuan yang sebenarnya. Relasi antara Wisanggeni (Saman) dengan Upi, Anson, Mak Argani, dan petani karet di kampung Sei Kumbang merupakan hubungan etis, hubungan kewajiban. Hubungan itu dimulai dari hubungan sosial yang saling mengakui masing-masing sebagai subjek dan cita-cita mereka dalam kebersamaan. Hasil penelitian ini dapat digunakan untuk mengajarkan apresiasi sastra dalam upaya menggali nilai-nilai dalam karya sastra dan bersikap kritis untuk memberikan tanggapan dan mengambil manfaat nilai-nilai dari karya sastra yang dibaca.
SISTEM KEKERABATAN MATRILINEAL DALAM ADAT MINANGKABAU PADA NOVEL SITI NURBAYA:KASIH TAK SAMPAI KARYA MARAH RUSLI
Authors: Setiawan Arif
Published: August 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan sistem kekerabatan Minangkabau dalam novel Siti Nurbaya: Kasih Tak Sampai karya Marah Rusli. Hal ini didasari oleh keberadaan garis keturunan yang dianut oleh masyarakat Minangkabau yang bersifat matrilineal, sehingga menempatkan perempuan menjadi salah satu pengambil keputusan di lingkup keluarga. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Data dalam penelitian ini berupa sekuen cerita dalam novel Siti Nurbaya: Kasih Tak Sampai karya Marah Rusli. Sumber data dalam penelitian ini adalah novel Siti Nurbaya: Kasih Tak Sampai Karya Marah Rusli yang diterbitkan pada tahun 1922 oleh angkatan Balai Pustaka dengan tebal 291 halaman. Setelah semua data terkumpul, maka dianalisis menggunakan analisis data model Milles dan Hubberman yang terdiri dari (1) reduksi data, (2) penyajian data, dan (3) penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa dalam novel Siti Nurbaya: Kasih Tak Sampai menampilkan sistem kekerabatan matrilineal yang sangat kental meliputi (1) perempuan memegang penuh peranan dalam keluarga dan (2) perempuan menjadi pengambil keputusan dalam keluarga.
Pengaruh Pendidikan Kesehatan “Sarapan Sehat” Dengan Media Video Terhadap Pengetahuan dan Sikap Siswa
Authors: Solehati Tetti
Published: August 2019

Latar belakang: Sarapan merupakan suatu hal yang penting bagi pertumbuhan dan perkembangan anak, tetapi sering diabaikan, hal ini dapat beresiko pada kesehatan anak dan prestasi belajar anak. Tujuan: Mengetahui pengaruh Pendidikan kesehatan “ Sarapan” terhadap pengatahuan dan sikap siswa sekolah dasar. Metodologi: Penelitian dilakukan di Kabupaten SDN Bojong Asih, SDN Leuwi Bandung Bandung SDN Cangkuang, SDN Pasawahan. Desain penelitian quasi eksperimen dengan rancangan pre test dan post test. Populasinya adalah seluruh siswa kelas 4- 6 berjumlah 323 orang. Sample yang digunakan total sampling. Intervensi diberikan dalam bentuk pendidikan kesehatan menggunakan video tentang sarapan sehat. Semua siswa diberikan quisioner sebelum dah setelah intervensi untuk mengukur tingkat pengetahuan dan sikap. Hasil: Hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa rata-rata tingkat pengetahuan sebelum intervensi 252 (78.0 %) memiliki pengetahuan yang baik dan meningkat menjadi 307 (95.0%) memiliki pengetahuan yang baik tentang sarapan sehat setelah intervensi. Pada variabel sikap diperoleh hasil bahw perbedaan rata-rata sikap sebelum intervensi 256 (79.3 %) memiliki sikap mendukung dan meningkat menjadi 316 (97.8%) sikap mendukung.Terdapat pengaruh intervensi terhadap pengetahuan dan sikap siswa (p=0,000). Kesimpulan: Edukasi kesehatan mempengaruhi sikap dan pengetahuan siswa tentang sarapan.  Saran: Disarankan bagi sekolah untuk menggunakan metode belajar menggunakan video dan poster dalam meningkatkan tingkat pengetahuan dan sikap siswa.
Beliefs, Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Australian Veterinary Students Regarding One Health and Zoonosis Management
Authors: Habib Ihab , Lam Wing Sze , Sodagari Hamid Reza , Irons Peter , Bruce Mieghan
Published: August 2019

This study aimed to explore the beliefs and attitudes of a group of senior veterinary students regarding One Health and to evaluate their levels of confidence in advising the general public on preventative health issues at the human–animal interface. An online survey was communicated to senior veterinary students who were in their last two years of study. The questionnaire covered beliefs and attitudes, issues concerning the animal–human interface and participants’ confidence in diagnosing zoonoses. In total, 175 students from five Australian veterinary schools/colleges completed the online survey. The majority (96%) of students considered it their duty to promote the One Health approach, but only 36% believed there were sufficient practical frameworks for Australian veterinarian graduates to promote One Health. Interestingly, 81% (142/175) of respondents believed that veterinarians were more knowledgeable than physicians in managing zoonotic cases. Of the final-year students (n = 77), only 39% and 36% were confident in their ability to diagnose zoonoses in common companion animals and production animals, respectively. However, the number of those confident to diagnose zoonoses transmitted from wildlife was notably lower (22% (17/77)). Next-generation Australian veterinarians are keen to embrace their role in interprofessional collaboration; however, training efforts are required to reassure future veterinarians on aspects of zoonoses and One Health.
Vitamin C in the Presence of Sub-Inhibitory Concentration of Aminoglycosides and Fluoroquinolones Alters Proteus mirabilis Biofilm Inhibitory Rate
Authors: Kwiecińska-Piróg Joanna , Skowron Krzysztof , Bogiel Tomasz , Białucha Agata , Przekwas Jana , Gospodarek-Komkowska Eugenia
Published: August 2019

Vitamin C has antimicrobial activity and is often used as an oral supplement accompanying antibiotic treatment in urinary tract infections (UTI). Proteus mirabilis is the third common species responsible for UTIs that are mostly treated with fluoroquinolones or aminoglycosides. Treatment of the UTI caused by P. mirabilis is problematic due to the ability to form biofilm on the urinary catheters. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of ascorbic acid in combination with antibiotics on P. mirabilis abilities to form biofilm. The susceptibility of P. mirabilis reference strain ATCC® 29906™ and four clinical strains isolated from the urine samples of patients with urinary catheter were evaluated according to EUCAST recommendations. The influence of ascorbic acid (0.4 mg × mL−1) in combination with antibiotics on biofilm formation was evaluated spectrophotometrically. Aminoglycosides at sub-inhibitory concentrations more successfully limited biofilm formation by P. mirabilis strains without ascorbic acid addition. Inhibition rate differences at the lowest concentrations of gentamicin and amikacin were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05). Ascorbic acid addition to the culture medium limited the inhibitory effect of fluoroquinolones, facilitating biofilm formation by P. mirabilis strains. The addition of ascorbic acid during aminoglycosides therapy may disturb treatment of urinary tract infections related to the presence of P. mirabilis biofilm.
Put a Bow on It: Knotted Antibiotics Take Center Stage
Authors: Tan Stephanie , Moore Gaelen , Nodwell Justin
Published: August 2019

Ribosomally-synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are a large class of natural products produced across all domains of life. The lasso peptides, a subclass of RiPPs with a lasso-like structure, are structurally and functionally unique compared to other known peptide antibiotics in that the linear peptide is literally “tied in a knot” during its post-translational maturation. This underexplored class of peptides brings chemical diversity and unique modes of action to the antibiotic space. To date, eight different lasso peptides have been shown to target three known molecular machines: RNA polymerase, the lipid II precursor in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, and the ClpC1 subunit of the Clp protease involved in protein homeostasis. Here, we discuss the current knowledge on lasso peptide biosynthesis as well as their antibiotic activity, molecular targets, and mechanisms of action.
Characterization and Antioxidant Activities of Yellow Strain Flammulina velutipes (Jinhua Mushroom) Polysaccharides and Their Effects on ROS Content in L929 Cell
Authors: Hu Yu-Ning , Sung Tzu-Jung , Chou Chun-Hsu , Liu Kai-Lun , Hsieh Liang-Po , Hsieh Chang-Wei
Published: August 2019

Yellow strain Flammulina velutipes, which is known as Jinhua mushroom in Taiwan, has become popular among customers due to its distinct texture that is utterly different from white strain F. velutipes. However, there has been little study on the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, and biological functions of yellow strain F. velutipes polysaccharides (FVYs). The specific aims of this study are to evaluate and compare the physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, and biological functions of FVYs and white strain F. velutipes polysaccharides (FVWs) in order to select the strain appropriate for cosmetic ingredient. The FVYs and FVWs were prepared by fractional precipitation (40%, 60%, and 80%). According to the results, FVY-80 showed the greatest antioxidant activities based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC50 = 2.22 mg/mL) and 2,2’ -azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical assay (IC50 = 2.04 mg/mL). None of the fractions exhibited cytotoxicity toward L929 cell under a concentration of 500 μ g/mL. FVY-80 significantly reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in L929 cell by 55.96%, as compared with the H2O2-induced L929 cell, according to the dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. In conclusion, we suggest that FVY-80 is the best source for a cosmetics ingredient.
Antioxidant and Potentially Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Anthocyanin Fractions from Pomace Obtained from Enzymatically Treated Raspberries
Authors: Szymanowska Urszula , Baraniak Barbara
Published: August 2019

Raspberry pomace was obtained from raspberries subjected to enzymatic maceration using three commercial pectinolytic preparations (Pectinex Ultra SP-L, Pectinex Yield Mash, and Ultrazym AFP-L). Phenolic compounds were extracted and anthocyanin fractions were isolated using the SPE solid phase extraction technique. In the separated anthocyanin fractions, the content of individual compounds was determined by the HPLC technique and the antioxidant activity was assessed with four complementary methods (DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity, chelating Fe(II) power, and ferric reducing power). Potential anti-inflammatory properties were also identified as the ability to inhibit the activity of lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase 2. For these enzymes, the type of inhibition was determined based on the Lineweaver–Burke plot.
Flow Velocity Field Measurement of Vertical Upward Oil–Water Two-Phase Immiscible Flow Using the Improved DPIV Algorithm Based on ICP and MLS
Authors: Han Lianfu , Cong Yao , Liu Xingbin , Fu Changfeng
Published: August 2019

Flow velocity field measurement is important for analyzing flow characteristics of oil–water two-phase immiscible flow in vertical well. Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) is an effective velocity field measurement method that has overcome single point measurement limitation of traditional instruments. However, multiphase flow velocity fields generated by DPIV are often accompanied by local false vectors caused by image mismatching, which leads to measurement results with low accuracy. In this paper, the reasons for oil–water two-phase immiscible flow image mismatching in inner diameter 125 mm vertical pipe is identified by studying the DPIV calculation process. This is mainly caused by image noise and poor window following performance that results from poor deformation performance of the interrogation window. To improve deformation performance of the interrogation window, and thus improve the accuracy of the algorithm, iterative closest point (ICP) and moving least squares (MLS) are introduced into the window deformation iterative multigrid algorithm in DPIV postprocessing algorithm. The simulation showed that the improved DPIV algorithm had good matching performance, and thus the false vector was reduced. The experimental results showed that, in light of the present investigation, on average, the improved DPIV algorithm is found to yield an accuracy improvement of ~6%; the measurement uncertainty and reproducibility of the improved DPIV algorithm were 0.149 × 10−3 m/s and 1.98%, respectively.
Experimental Investigations into Earthquake Resistance of Steel Frame Retrofitted by Low-Yield-Point Steel Energy Absorbers
Authors: Shao Jianhua , Wang Kai , Kaewunruen Sakdirat , Cai Wenhua , Wang Zhanguang
Published: August 2019

This paper is the world’s first to highlight an experimental investigation into the earthquake responses of a steel frame retrofitted by novel metallic bending energy absorbers made of low-yield-point steel with the yield strength of approximately 100 MPa. New results have been achieved by conducting comprehensive shaking table tests on a quarter-scaled model of a two-story, one-span building structure subjected to incremental intensity levels of input earthquake records. The detailed information of the specimens, material properties, monitoring sensors, and dynamic loading mechanisms has been presented. The experimental results in terms of seismic phenomena, dynamic characteristics, acceleration, inter-story drift ratios, and strain distributions are also analyzed by the data collected from a wide range of sensors. It is found that the seismic failure of the specimens depends largely on the energy absorbers, which dissipate the majority of seismic input energy in order to prevent the parent steel frame from being damaged by a severe earthquake. In addition, the retrofitted structure sufficiently satisfies the design criteria considering allowable drift limits under both frequent and rare earthquakes. This indicates the influential role of the novel low-yield-point absorber, in that the overall seismic performance of the retrofitted structure can be improved adequately for survival in high-intensity seismic fortification areas.
A Review of Text Corpus-Based Tourism Big Data Mining
Authors: Li Qin , Li Shaobo , Zhang Sen , Hu Jie , Hu Jianjun
Published: August 2019

With the massive growth of the Internet, text data has become one of the main formats of tourism big data. As an effective expression means of tourists’ opinions, text mining of such data has big potential to inspire innovations for tourism practitioners. In the past decade, a variety of text mining techniques have been proposed and applied to tourism analysis to develop tourism value analysis models, build tourism recommendation systems, create tourist profiles, and make policies for supervising tourism markets. The successes of these techniques have been further boosted by the progress of natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and deep learning. With the understanding of the complexity due to this diverse set of techniques and tourism text data sources, this work attempts to provide a detailed and up-to-date review of text mining techniques that have been, or have the potential to be, applied to modern tourism big data analysis. We summarize and discuss different text representation strategies, text-based NLP techniques for topic extraction, text classification, sentiment analysis, and text clustering in the context of tourism text mining, and their applications in tourist profiling, destination image analysis, market demand, etc. Our work also provides guidelines for constructing new tourism big data applications and outlines promising research areas in this field for incoming years.
Fast Continuous Structural Similarity Patch Based Arbitrary Style Transfer
Authors: Wu Bing , Ding Youdong , Dong Qingshuang
Published: August 2019

Style transfer is using a pair of content and style images to synthesize a stylized image which has both the structure of the content image and the style of style image. Existing optimization-based methods are limited in their performance. Some works using a feed-forward network allow arbitrary style transfer but cannot reflect the style. In this paper, we present a fast continuous structural similarity patch based arbitrary style transfer. Firstly, we introduce the structural similarity index (SSIM) to compute the similarity between all of the content and style patches for obtaining their similarity. Then a local style patch choosing procedure is applied to maximize the utilization of all style patches and make the swapped style patch continuous matching with respect to the spatial location of style at the same time. Finally, we apply an efficient trained feed-forward inverse network to obtain the final stylized image. We use more than 80,000 natural images and 120,000 style images to train that feed-forward inverse network. The results show that our method is able to transfer arbitrary style with consistency, and the result comparison stage is made to show the effectiveness and high-quality of our stylized images.
α-Tocopherol Modulates Non-Amyloidogenic Pathway and Autophagy in an In Vitro Model of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Transcriptional Study
Authors: Gugliandolo Agnese , Chiricosta Luigi , Silvestro Serena , Bramanti Placido , Mazzon Emanuela
Published: August 2019

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia worldwide. The hallmarks of AD are the extracellular amyloid plaques, which are formed by amyloid β (Aβ) aggregates derived from the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), and the intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles, which are formed by the hyperphosphorylated tau protein. The aim of this work was to study the effects of α-tocopherol in retinoic acid differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells exposed to Aβ1-42 evaluating the transcriptional profile by next-generation sequencing. We observed that α-tocopherol was able to reduce the cytotoxicity induced by Aβ treatment, as demonstrated by Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. Moreover, the transcriptomic analysis evidenced that α-tocopherol treatment upregulated genes involved in the non-amyloidogenic processing of APP, while it downregulated the amyloidogenic pathway. Moreover, α-tocopherol modulated the expression of the genes involved in autophagy and the cell cycle, which are both known to be altered in AD. The treatment with α-tocopherol was also able to reduce oxidative stress, restoring nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2) and decreasing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels, as demonstrated by immunocytochemistry.
Manual Therapy Reduces Pain Behavior and Oxidative Stress in a Murine Model of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I
Authors: Salgado Afonso S. I. , Stramosk Juliana , Ludtke Daniela D. , Kuci Ana C. C. , Salm Daiana C. , Ceci Lisandro A. , Petronilho Fabricia , Florentino Drielly , Danielski Lucineia G. , Gassenferth Aline , Souza Luana R. , Rezin Gislaine T. , Santos Adair R. S. , Mazzardo-Martins Leidiane , Reed William R. , Martins Daniel F.
Published: August 2019

Complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS-I) is a chronic painful condition. We investigated whether manual therapy (MT), in a chronic post-ischemia pain (CPIP) model, is capable of reducing pain behavior and oxidative stress. Male Swiss mice were subjected to ischemia-reperfusion (IR) to mimic CRPS-I. Animals received ankle joint mobilization 48h after the IR procedure, and response to mechanical stimuli was evaluated. For biochemical analyses, mitochondrial function as well as oxidative stress thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls, antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels were determined. IR induced mechanical hyperalgesia which was subsequently reduced by acute MT treatment. The concentrations of oxidative stress parameters were increased following IR with MT treatment preventing these increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) and carbonyls protein. IR diminished the levels of SOD and CAT activity and MT treatment prevented this decrease in CAT but not in SOD activity. IR also diminished mitochondrial complex activity, and MT treatment was ineffective in preventing this decrease. In conclusion, repeated sessions of MT resulted in antihyperalgesic effects mediated, at least partially, through the prevention of an increase of MDA and protein carbonyls levels and an improvement in the antioxidant defense system.
SLMP53-2 Restores Wild-Type-Like Function to Mutant p53 through Hsp70: Promising Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Gomes Sara , Bosco Bartolomeo , Loureiro Joana B. , Ramos Helena , Raimundo Liliana , Soares Joana , Nazareth Nair , Barcherini Valentina , Domingues Lucília , Oliveira Carla , Bisio Alessandra , Piazza Silvano , Bauer Matthias R. , Brás João P. , Almeida Maria Inês , Gomes Célia , Reis Flávio , Fersht Alan R. , Inga Alberto , Santos Maria M. M. , Saraiva Lucília
Published: August 2019

Half of human cancers harbor TP53 mutations that render p53 inactive as a tumor suppressor. In these cancers, reactivation of mutant p53 (mutp53) through restoration of wild-type-like function constitutes a valuable anticancer therapeutic strategy. In order to search for mutp53 reactivators, a small library of tryptophanol-derived oxazoloisoindolinones was synthesized and the potential of these compounds as mutp53 reactivators and anticancer agents was investigated in human tumor cells and xenograft mouse models. By analysis of their anti-proliferative effect on a panel of p53-null NCI-H1299 tumor cells ectopically expressing highly prevalent mutp53, the compound SLMP53-2 was selected based on its potential reactivation of multiple structural mutp53. In mutp53-Y220C-expressing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, SLMP53-2-induced growth inhibition was mediated by cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress response. In these cells, SLMP53-2 restored wild-type-like conformation and DNA-binding ability of mutp53-Y220C by enhancing its interaction with the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), leading to the reestablishment of p53 transcriptional activity. Additionally, SLMP53-2 displayed synergistic effect with sorafenib, the only approved therapy for advanced HCC. Notably, it exhibited potent antitumor activity in human HCC xenograft mouse models with a favorable toxicological profile. Collectively, SLMP53-2 is a new mutp53-targeting agent with promising antitumor activity, particularly against HCC.
Liquid Biopsy as Surrogate for Tissue for Molecular Profiling in Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Towards Precision Medicine
Authors: Luchini Claudio , Veronese Nicola , Nottegar Alessia , Cappelletti Vera , Daidone Maria G. , Smith Lee , Parris Christopher , Brosens Lodewijk A. A. , Caruso Maria G. , Cheng Liang , Wolfgang Christopher L. , Wood Laura D. , Milella Michele , Salvia Roberto , Scarpa Aldo
Published: August 2019

Liquid biopsy (LB) is a non-invasive approach representing a promising tool for new precision medicine strategies for cancer treatment. However, a comprehensive analysis of its reliability for pancreatic cancer (PC) is lacking. To this aim, we performed the first meta-analysis on this topic. We calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive (LR+) and negative (LR−) likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). A summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) and area under curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the overall accuracy. We finally assessed the concordance rate of all mutations detected by multi-genes panels. Fourteen eligible studies involving 369 patients were included. The overall pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.70 and 0.86, respectively. The LR+ was 3.85, the LR- was 0.34 and DOR was 15.84. The SROC curve with an AUC of 0.88 indicated a relatively high accuracy of LB for molecular characterization of PC. The concordance rate of all mutations detected by multi-genes panels was 31.9%. LB can serve as surrogate for tissue in the molecular profiling of PC, because of its relatively high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. It represents a unique opportunity to be further explored towards its introduction in clinical practice and for developing new precision medicine approaches against PC.
Hepatic Resection Following Selective Internal Radiation Therapy for Colorectal Cancer Metastases in the FOXFIRE Clinical Trial: Clinical Outcomes and Distribution of Microspheres
Authors: Winter Helen , Rassam Joseph , Virdee Pradeep S. , Goldin Rob , Pitcheshwar Priyankaa , Weaver Klara , Primrose John , Berry David P. , Wasan Harpreet S. , Sharma Ricky A.
Published: August 2019

The FOXFIRE (5-Fluorouracil, OXaliplatin and Folinic acid ± Interventional Radio-Embolisation) clinical trial combined systemic chemotherapy (OxMdG: Oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and folic acid) with Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT or radio-embolisation) using yttrium-90 resin microspheres in the first-line management for liver-dominant metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). We report clinical outcomes for patients having hepatic resection after this novel combination therapy and an exploratory analysis of histopathology. Multi-Disciplinary Teams deemed all patients inoperable before trial registration and reassessed them during protocol therapy. Proportions were compared using Chi-squared tests and survival using Cox models. FOXFIRE randomised 182 participants to chemotherapy alone and 182 to chemotherapy with SIRT. There was no statistically significant difference in the resection rate between groups: Chemotherapy alone was 18%, (n = 33); SIRT combination was 21% (n = 38) (p = 0.508). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the rate of liver surgery, nor in survival from time of resection (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.83–2.89). In the subgroup studied for histopathology, microsphere density was highest at the tumour periphery. Patients treated with SIRT plus chemotherapy displayed lower values of viable tumour in comparison to those treated with chemotherapy alone (p < 0.05). This study promotes the feasibility of hepatic resection following SIRT. Resin microspheres appear to preferentially distribute at the tumour periphery and may enhance tumour regression.
Physical Exercise Affects Adipose Tissue Profile and Prevents Arterial Thrombosis in BDNF Val66Met Mice
Authors: Sandrini Leonardo , Ieraci Alessandro , Amadio Patrizia , Zarà Marta , Mitro Nico , Lee Francis , Tremoli Elena , Barbieri Silvia
Published: August 2019

Adipose tissue accumulation is an independent and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The recent CVD European Guidelines strongly recommend regular physical exercise (PE) as a management strategy for prevention and treatment of CVD associated with metabolic disorders and obesity. Although mutations as well as common genetic variants, including the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism, are associated with increased body weight, eating and neuropsychiatric disorders, and myocardial infarction, the effect of this polymorphism on adipose tissue accumulation and regulation as well as its relation to obesity/thrombosis remains to be elucidated. Here, we showed that white adipose tissue (WAT) of humanized knock-in BDNFVal66Met (BDNFMet/Met) mice is characterized by an altered morphology and an enhanced inflammatory profile compared to wild-type BDNFVal/Val. Four weeks of voluntary PE restored the adipocyte size distribution, counteracted the inflammatory profile of adipose tissue, and prevented the prothrombotic phenotype displayed, per se, by BDNFMet/Met mice. C3H10T1/2 cells treated with the Pro-BDNFMet peptide well recapitulated the gene alterations observed in BDNFMet/Met WAT mice. In conclusion, these data indicate the strong impact of lifestyle, in particular of the beneficial effect of PE, on the management of arterial thrombosis and inflammation associated with obesity in relation to the specific BDNF Val66Met mutation.
Enhancement of the Ionic Conductivity in Electric Field-Assisted Pressureless Sintered BITIVOX Solid Electrolytes
Authors: S. Medina Midilane , G. M. Carvalho Sabrina , N. S. Muccillo Eliana , Muccillo Reginaldo
Published: August 2019

Bi4V1.8Ti0.2O11 (BITIVOX) ceramic pellets, prepared with powders obtained by a sol gel technique, were sintered either conventionally at 800 °C/8 h or by applying an AC electric voltage, limiting the electric current through the pellets. Electric voltages were applied isothermally at 700 °C and 800 °C during 5 min in the green pellet positioned in the sample holder of a dilatometer for monitoring thickness variation. The BITIVOX pellets shrank 13.6% after applying 200 V cm−1 at 800 °C and 10.4% heating to 800 °C for 8 h. Thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction of the powders were performed to evaluate the crystallization temperature and the structural phase, respectively. The electrical behavior of the sintered BITIVOX pellets was analyzed by the impedance spectroscopy technique, showing that the sample flash sintered at 800 °C/5 min had lower bulk resistivity than the sample conventionally sintered at 800 °C/8 h. The surfaces of the sintered pellets were observed in a scanning electron microscope showing similar grain sizes and pore content in all sintered samples.
The Corrosion Resistance of Aluminum–Bronze Coatings as a Function of Gas Pressure Used in the Thermal Spraying Process
Authors: Morales Alfredo , Piamba Oscar , Olaya Jhon
Published: August 2019

We report the results of the influence of acetylene and oxygen gas pressure on the corrosion resistance of bronze–aluminum coatings deposited on a naval brass substrate by means of the thermal (flame) deposition process. The coatings were characterized by means of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The corrosion tests were carried out via Tafel and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In addition, some samples were selected in order to investigate heat treatment and its effects on corrosion resistance. The results indicate that changes in the pressure and flow of the gas affects the composition, morphology, and physical properties of the coatings, and these effects have consequences for the behavior of the coatings when they are immersed in corrosion environments. The collision speed of the particles was identified as the most significant factor that influences the properties and the performance of the coating. The gas pressure modified the oxides and the porosity level, which improved the corrosion resistance.
Survival of Whitebark Pine Seedlings Grown from Direct Seeding: Implications for Regeneration and Restoration under Climate Change
Authors: Pansing Elizabeth R. , Tomback Diana F.
Published: August 2019

Whitebark pine populations are declining nearly range-wide, primarily from the exotic fungal pathogen that causes white pine blister rust (WPBR). Climate change is expected to exacerbate these declines by decreasing climatically suitable areas. Planting WPBR-resistant seedlings is a key restoration action, but it is costly, time consuming, and labor intensive. Direct seeding—sowing seeds rather than planting seedlings—may reduce costs and open remote areas to restoration; however, its efficacy remains largely unexplored. In this case study, we estimated the annual survival rates (ASR) of seedlings grown from directly sown seeds, and the effect of elevation zone and microsite type on survival. For five years we monitored 184 caches containing one or more seedlings within one study area in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Seed caches were originally stratified between subalpine forest and treeline and among three microsite types defined by a nurse object: Rocks, trees, and no object. To estimate ASR, we selected the most parsimonious model of a set using AICc. ASR was best described by elevation zone and year and ranged from 0.571 to 0.992. The odds of seedling survival were 2.62 times higher at treeline than in subalpine forest and were 4.6 to 36.2 times higher in 2016–2018 than 2014. We estimated the probability that a whitebark pine seed cache would contain one or more living seedlings six years after sowing to be 0.175 and 0.0584 for treeline and subalpine caches, respectively. We estimated that 1410 and 4229 caches ha−1 would need to be sown at treeline and in subalpine forest, respectively, to attain target restoration densities of 247 established trees ha−1. Our findings, although based on one study area, suggest that climate change may be increasing treeline regeneration, and that direct seeding may be a viable restoration option and climate change mitigation tool for whitebark pine.
Potential Effects of Climate Change on Fire Behavior, Economic Susceptibility and Suppression Costs in Mediterranean Ecosystems: Córdoba Province, Spain
Authors: Molina Juan Ramón , González-Cabán Armando , Rodríguez y Silva Francisco
Published: August 2019

The potentially large ecological, economic, and societal impacts of climate change makes it a significant problem of the 21st century. These consequences have led to tremendous development in climate change scenarios and new technologies to increase knowledge on the effect and efficiency of mitigation and adaptation measures. Large fires will occur at a higher rate than currently because of lower fuel moisture content resulting in a lower resistance to burning. This is also evidenced by more extreme fire behavior that contributes to higher economic impacts, suppression difficulties and suppression costs. The economic susceptibility concept integrates a set of economic valuation approaches for valuing timber and non-timber resources, considering the fire behavior, and as a consequence, the net value changes for each resource. Flame length increased by 4.6% to 15.69%, according to the different future climate scenarios. Climate change is expected to cause widespread changes to economic susceptibility and suppression costs because of higher flame length and fire intensity. Therefore, our outcomes show an increase in the economic susceptibility of Córdoba Province in the medium and long term (2041–2070) between 6.05% and 25.99%, respectively. In addition, we have found an increase between 65.67% and 86.73% in suppression costs in the last decade. The digital version of the economic susceptibility model using Geographic Information Systems improves its operational capabilities enhancing also its dynamism and simplicity to accept modifications and predictions revisions.
Chinese Fir Breeding in the High-Throughput Sequencing Era: Insights from SNPs
Authors: Zheng Huiquan , Hu Dehuo , Wei Ruping , Yan Shu , Wang Runhui
Published: August 2019

Knowledge on population diversity and structure is of fundamental importance for conifer breeding programs. In this study, we concentrated on the development and application of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers through a high-throughput sequencing technique termed as specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) for the economically important conifer tree species, Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata). Based on the SLAF-seq, we successfully established a high-density SNP panel consisting of 108,753 genomic SNPs from Chinese fir. This SNP panel facilitated us in gaining insight into the genetic base of the Chinese fir advance breeding population with 221 genotypes for its genetic variation, relationship and diversity, and population structure status. Overall, the present population appears to have considerable genetic variability. Most (94.15%) of the variability was attributed to the genetic differentiation of genotypes, very limited (5.85%) variation occurred on the population (sub-origin set) level. Correspondingly, low FST (0.0285–0.0990) values were seen for the sub-origin sets. When viewing the genetic structure of the population regardless of its sub-origin set feature, the present SNP data opened a new population picture where the advanced Chinese fir breeding population could be divided into four genetic sets, as evidenced by phylogenetic tree and population structure analysis results, albeit some difference in membership of the corresponding set (cluster vs. group). It also suggested that all the genetic sets were admixed clades revealing a complex relationship of the genotypes of this population. With a step wise pruning procedure, we captured a core collection (core 0.650) harboring 143 genotypes that maintains all the allele, diversity, and specific genetic structure of the whole population. This generalist core is valuable for the Chinese fir advanced breeding program and further genetic/genomic studies.
A Systematic Analysis of Real-World Energy Blockchain Initiatives
Authors: O’Donovan Peter , O’Sullivan Dominic T. J.
Published: August 2019

The application of blockchain technology to the energy sector promises to derive new operating models focused on local generation and sustainable practices, which are driven by peer-to-peer collaboration and community engagement. However, real-world energy blockchains differ from typical blockchain networks insofar as they must interoperate with grid infrastructure, adhere to energy regulations, and embody engineering principles. Naturally, these additional dimensions make real-world energy blockchains highly dependent on the participation of grid operators, engineers, and energy providers. Although much theoretical and proof-of-concept research has been published on energy blockchains, this research aims to establish a lens on real-world projects and implementations that may inform the alignment of academic and industry research agendas. This research classifies 131 real-world energy blockchain initiatives to develop an understanding of how blockchains are being applied to the energy domain, what type of failure rates can be observed from recently reported initiatives, and what level of technical and theoretical details are reported for real-world deployments. The results presented from the systematic analysis highlight that real-world energy blockchains are (a) growing exponentially year-on-year, (b) producing relatively low failure/drop-off rates (~7% since 2015), and (c) demonstrating information sharing protocols that produce content with insufficient technical and theoretical depth.
Transcriptome Analysis of Acid-Responsive Genes and Pathways Involved in Polyamine Regulation in Iron Walnut
Authors: Luo Xiaomei , Liu Juncheng
Published: August 2019

We reported changes in the co-regulated mRNA expression in iron walnut (Juglans sigillata) in response to soil pH treatments and identified mRNAs specific to acidic soil conditions. Phenotypic and physiological analyses revealed that iron walnut growth was greater for the pH 4–5 and pH 5–6 treatments than for the pH 3–4 and pH 6–7 treatments. A total of 2768 differentially expressed genes were detected and categorized into 12 clusters by Short Time-series Expression Miner (STEM). The 994 low-expression genes in cluster III and 255 high-expression genes in cluster X were classified as acid-responsive genes on the basis of the relationships between phenotype, physiology, and STEM clustering, and the two gene clusters were analyzed by a maximum likelihood (ML) evolutionary tree with the greatest log likelihood values. No prominent sub-clusters occurred in cluster III, but three occurred in cluster X. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that acid-responsive genes were related primarily to arginine biosynthesis and the arginine/proline metabolism pathway, implying that polyamine accumulation may enhance iron walnut acid stress tolerance. Overall, our results revealed 1249 potentially acid-responsive genes in iron walnut, indicating that its response to acid stress involves different pathways and activated genes.
Diagnostics and Mapping of Geoecological Situations in the Permafrost Zone of Russia
Authors: Tumel Nellie , Zotova Larisa
Published: August 2019

The diagnosis of the geoecological state of natural landscapes during the economic development of the permafrost zone should be established by assessing destructive cryogenic processes. Furthermore, the geoecological state should be considered in terms of landscape resistance to an increase in cryogenic processes. In this paper, we examine and determine lithocryogenic stability parameters, including permafrost distribution over an area, annual mean temperature, ice content (humidity), and the protective properties of the vegetation. Activation of cryogenic processes in Western Siberia was estimated in terms of the area, development rate and attenuation, natural landscape damage, and hazards to engineering and mining facility operations. The evaluation procedure and the improvement in expert numerical scores are shown. A number of approved methods are proposed for creating assessment maps at various scales using landscape indication methods, decoded satellite images, expert assessments, statistical calculations, and analysis of spatial geographical information systems. Methodical techniques for digital geocryological mapping on the basis of the landscape are presented at scales from 1:3,000,000 to 1:20,000,000. All the maps were created by the authors and can be used for a wide range of applications, including design, survey organizations, and education.
Effects of Telephone Follow-Up Intervention on %Body Fat, Inflammatory Cytokines, and Oxidative Stress in Obese Hispanic Children
Authors: Rhyu Hyun-Seung , Park Kyung-Shin
Published: August 2019

This study investigated whether 10 month telephone follow-up intervention effectively stabilizes reductions in %body fat, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress obtained from summer camp in obese Hispanic children. Fifty-six obese children (19 SUTI: summer camp and 10 months of follow-up telephone intervention, 18 SU: summer camp intervention only, and 19 CON: no intervention) completed this study. Anthropometric data and blood samples were obtained before (PRE), after 8 weeks of summer camp, and a 10month follow-up telephone intervention to measure markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Eight weeks of summer camp significantly reduced %body fat, and levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. It also elevated levels of adiponectin and total antioxidant status in SUTI and SU (p < 0.05). However, results of the 10month follow-up measurement were reverted back to PRE in SU, whereas the results for SUTI remained different to PRE (p < 0.05). Results confirm that levels of inflammation and oxidative stress are correlated to changes in %body fat, indicating that fat loss is effective in preventing and managing obesity-associated disorders. It is suggested that a telephone intervention is an effective follow-up tool for stabilizing reductions in %body fat as well as levels of inflammation and oxidative stress that were obtained from an intensive summer camp program in obese Hispanic children.