bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fragility Fracture Prevention—Implementing a Fracture Liaison Service in a High Volume Orthopedic Hospital
Authors: Pennestrì Federico , Corbetta Sabrina , Favero Vittoria , Banfi Giuseppe
Published: December 2019

Fragility fractures pose a serious threat to patient health, quality of life, and healthcare sustainability. In order to reduce their clinical, social, and economic burden, a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) was introduced in a high volume orthopedic hospital in 2017. The purpose of this retrospective observational study is to describe the FLS protocol, introduce its preliminary outcomes, and provide an early evaluation in light of international guidelines and recommendations. All the performances suggested by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) are provided under the same institution by which a patient is admitted for surgery. Clinical indicators from patient history and administrative indicators from the hospital database have been used to estimate the spread of fragility fracture prevention and the degree of patient compliance to these programs. The research included 403 patients. Although, almost 1/3 were admitted for the second fragility fracture, only half received anti-osteoporotic treatment before it. The degree of prevention was even lower in the case of patients admitted for the first fragility fracture. The risk of being affected by a secondary fracture was seven times higher when patients did not attend any follow-up or diagnostic exam. In order to identify the main determinants of compliance with FLS and perform a cost-effectiveness analysis on a larger sample, it is fundamental to integrate data from different providers.
Designing Supportive Soundscapes for Nursing Home Residents with Dementia
Authors: Devos Paul , Aletta Francesco , Thomas Pieter , Petrovic Mirko , Vander Mynsbrugge Tara , Van de Velde Dominique , De Vriendt Patricia , Botteldooren Dick
Published: December 2019

Sound and its resulting soundscape is a major appraisal component of the living environment. Where environmental sounds (e.g., outdoor traffic sounds) are often perceived as negative, a soundscape (e.g., containing natural sounds) can also have a positive effect on health and well-being. This supportive effect of a soundscape is getting increasing attention for use in practice. This paper addresses the design of a supportive sonic environment for persons with dementia in nursing homes. Starting from a review of key mechanisms related to sonic perception, cognitive deficits and related behavior, a framework is derived for the composition of a sonic environment for persons with dementia. The proposed framework is centered around using acoustic stimuli for influencing mood, stimulating the feeling of safety and triggering a response in a person. These stimuli are intended to be deployed as added sounds in a nursing home to improve the well-being and behavior of the residents.
Microbiological Contamination of Strawberries from U-Pick Farms in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Wei Xiaohong , Hou Shuiping , Pan Xinhong , Xu Conghui , Li Juntao , Yu Hong , Chase Jennifer , Atwill Edward R. , Li Xunde , Chen Kuncai , Chen Shouyi
Published: December 2019

This study quantified the association of rodent fruit damage and the microbiological quality of irrigation water on the risk of microbiological contamination of strawberries collected from 18 U-pick farms across five different districts in the Guangzhou metropolitan region of southern China. Fifty-four composite strawberries samples, with or without evidence of rodent or avian foraging damage (i.e., bitten), along with 16 irrigation water samples, were collected during the spring of 2014 and winter of 2015 from our cohort of 18 farms. Composite strawberry samples and irrigation water were analyzed for total coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella, E. coli O157, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium. Total coliforms and E. coli were detected in 100% and ~90% of irrigation water samples, respectively. In contrast, Cryptosporidium was detected in only two water samples, while Salmonella, E. coli O157, and Giardia were not detected in any water samples. Strawberries with signs of being bitten by wildlife had significantly higher concentrations of total coliforms and E. coli, compared to strawberries with no physical evidence of rodent damage (p < 0.001). Similarly, Cryptosporidium was detected in 7/18 (39%) of bitten, 4/18 (22%) of edge, and 5/18 (28%) of central strawberry samples, respectively. Concentration of E. coli on strawberries (p < 0.001), air temperature (p = 0.025), and presence of Cryptosporidium in irrigation water (p < 0.001) were all associated with the risk of Cryptosporidium contamination on strawberries. Salmonella and Giardia were detected in <4% strawberry samples and E. coli O157 was not detected in any samples. These results indicate the potential food safety and public health risks of consuming unwashed strawberries from U-pick farms, and the need for improved rodent biosecurity of U-pick strawberry fields and enhanced microbiological quality of irrigation water used at these facilities.
Temporal and Spatial Variability of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Forest Atmosphere
Authors: Meneguzzo Francesco , Albanese Lorenzo , Bartolini Giorgio , Zabini Federica
Published: December 2019

The healing effects of the forest are increasingly being valued for their contribution to human psychological and physiological health, motivating further advances aimed at improving knowledge of relevant forest resources. Biogenic volatile organic compounds, emitted by the plants and accumulating in the forest atmosphere, are essential contributors to the healing effects of the forest, and represent the focus of this study. Using a photoionization detector, we investigated the high frequency variability, in time and space, of the concentration of total volatile organic compounds on a hilly site as well as along forest paths and long hiking trails in the Italian northern Apennines. The scale of concentration variability was found to be comparable to absolute concentration levels within time scales of less than one hour and spatial scales of several hundred meters. During daylight hours, on clear and calm days, the concentration peaked from noon to early afternoon, followed by early morning, with the lowest levels in the late afternoon. These results were related to meteorological variables including the atmospheric vertical stability profile. Moreover, preliminary evidence pointed to higher concentrations of volatile organic compounds in forests dominated by conifer trees in comparison to pure beech forests.
Perspectives on Active Transportation in a Mid-Sized Age-Friendly City: “You Stay Home”
Authors: Klicnik Irmina , Dogra Shilpa
Published: December 2019

Background: Active transportation is an affordable and accessible form of transportation that facilitates the mobility of older adults in their communities. Age-friendly cities encourage and support physical activity and social participation among older adults; however, they often do not adequately address active transportation. Our goal was to identify and understand the constraints to active transportation that older adults experience in order to inform the development of viable solutions. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with community dwelling older adults (n = 52) living in the City of Oshawa in Ontario, Canada; each focus group targeted a specific demographic to ensure a diverse range of perspectives were represented. Data were analyzed to identify themes; sub-group analyses were conducted to understand the experience of those from low socioeconomic status and culturally diverse groups. Results: Themes pertaining to environmental, individual, and task constraints, as well as their interactions, were identified. Of particular novelty, seemingly non-modifiable constraints (e.g., weather and personal health) interacted with modifiable constraints (e.g., urban design). Culturally diverse and lower socioeconomic groups had more favorable perspectives of their neighborhoods. Conclusion: While constraints to active transportation interact to exacerbate one another, there is an opportunity to minimize or remove constraints by implementing age-friendly policies and practices.
Performance Factors in Dinghy Sailing: Laser Class
Authors: Caraballo Israel , González-Montesinos José Luis , Alías Antonio
Published: December 2019

Despite the relationship between performance and anthropometric characteristics, strength, and endurance in the action of dinghy hiking, there is no equation to predict the position obtained in competition. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of anthropometric characteristics, strength, and endurance on the performance of the sailor. Twenty-nine male sailors of the Laser class were evaluated according to age, navigation experience, strength and resistance tests in a simulator, body weight, size, sitting height, Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage, trochanteric length, thigh length, tibial length, foot length, abdominal perimeter, and upper thigh perimeter. The results show that the variables were related to performance are age, navigation experience, height, and length of the thigh. The variables that are most related to performance are age and sailing experience. Seventy-six percent of the performance can be estimated using the following equation: 311.971 + (−1.089 × height) + (−1946 × age) + (−1.537 × thigh length). Performance in the Laser class will be determined by the tactics (age and sailing experience) and the morphological characteristics of the sailor (height and sitting height).
Occupational Precariousness of Nursing Staff in Catalonia’s Public and Private Nursing Homes
Authors: Fité-Serra Ana Mari , Gea-Sánchez Montserrat , Alconada-Romero Álvaro , Mateos José Tomás , Blanco-Blanco Joan , Barallat-Gimeno Eva , Roca-Llobet Judith , Muntaner Carles
Published: December 2019

Nursing staff who provide care in the nursing homes of Catalonia have more precarious work conditions, including more demanding schedules and work overload, than those in other areas of care. This situation entails two major problems: Detrimental health results for nurses who face psychosocial and physical risks and a negative impact on the care provided to patients, with a decrease in the quality of care. This study aimed to describe the precarious employment situation of nursing staff in nursing homes. We carried out a descriptive study based on the employment precariousness scale (EPRES), which was administered to a sample of 239 nurses and nursing assistants working in public and private nursing homes in Catalonia. The highest level of job insecurity occurred among nursing assistants and in privately managed nursing homes. The precariousness of the working conditions of nursing staff poses a risk both to the workers themselves and to the people they tend to. For this reason, there is a need for greater knowledge on the scale of the problem and the implementation of appropriate legislative measures to alleviate it.
Using a Mobile Phone App to Identify and Assess Remaining Stocks of In Situ Asbestos in Australian Residential Settings
Authors: Govorko Matthew , Fritschi Lin , Reid Alison
Published: December 2019

Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were used extensively throughout much of the 20th century and can still be found in many Australian homes. Therefore, we developed a mobile application (“app”), called ACM Check, which guides users through a home inspection to identify and assess certain types of in situ ACM. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the app to collect data on the type and condition of in situ asbestos in Australian residential settings. Since being released in June 2017, we have received data for 702 home inspections. Of these, 578 (82.3%) houses contained a total of 1895 in situ materials categorised as positive for asbestos by the app. The most prevalent ACMs were used for the backing board to electrical meter boxes (50% of homes), eaves and soffit linings (44.2% of homes), and fencing (28.1% of homes). While the majority of ACMs were categorised as ‘very low’ or ‘low’ priority for removal or remediation, 6.6% of all ACMs were considered to be of ‘high’ priority. Mobile apps offer a platform to help increase people’s awareness of possible health hazards found in the residential environment, such as asbestos, while also being used to collect data for public and environmental health research.
Perfluorooctanoic Acid Exposure Assessment on Common Carp Liver through Image and Ultrastructural Investigation
Authors: Manera Maurizio , Sayyaf Dezfuli Bahram , Castaldelli Giuseppe , DePasquale Joseph A. , Fano Elisa Anna , Martino Camillo , Giari Luisa
Published: December 2019

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) poses particular concern as an emerging pollutant in both surface and ground waters. Fish, as a natural inhabitant of these waters and being highly representative of vertebrates, represents an ideal animal model to assess the toxic effects of PFOA. Hereby, liver microscopic texture was comparatively evaluated in individuals of common carp subchronically exposed to PFOA using grayscale differential box counting, a fractal analysis method. Furthermore, liver cytoplasmic glycogen areas and ultrastructure were also evaluated and compared to the image analysis findings. Redundancy Analysis was performed to assess, in summary, how much the variation of fractal dimension and lacunarity was explained by the concentration of PFOA in liver, the mass of liver and the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-immunoreactive nuclei. Treatment group ordination was better determined by fractal dimension than lacunarity. Interestingly, a significant complexity increase was associated with the modification of liver microscopic texture due to PFOA exposure. This complexity increase was related to “cloudy swelling”, possibly representing a primarily adaptive strategy against PFOA challenge, rather than a slight, reversible form of degeneration as traditionally proposed. The occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum stress, unfolded protein reaction and hormetic response was proposed and discussed.
PM2.5 Pollutant in Asia—A Comparison of Metropolis Cities in Indonesia and Taiwan
Authors: Kusuma Widya Liadira , Chih-Da Wu , Yu-Ting Zeng , Hapsari Handayani Hepi , Muhamad Jaelani Lalu
Published: December 2019

Air pollution has emerged as a significant health, environmental, economic, and social problem all over the world. In this study, geospatial technologies coupled with a LUR (Land Use Regression) approach were applied to assess the spatial-temporal distribution of fine particulate (PM2.5). In-situ observations of air pollutants from ground monitoring stations from 2016–2018 were used as dependent variables, while the land-use/land cover, a NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) from a MODIS sensors, and meteorology data allocations surrounding the monitoring stations from 0.25–5 km buffer ranges were collected as spatial predictors from GIS and remote sensing databases. A linear regression method was developed for the LUR model and 10-fold cross-validation was used to assess the model robustness. The R2 model obtained was 56% for DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, and 83% for Taipei Metropolis, Taiwan. According to the results of the PM2.5 model, the essential predictors for DKI Jakarta were influenced by temperature, NDVI, humidity, and residential area, while those for the Taipei Metropolis region were influenced by PM10, NO2, SO2, UV, rainfall, spring, main road, railroad, airport, proximity to airports, mining areas, and NDVI. The validation of the results of the estimated PM2.5 distribution use 10-cross validation with indicated R2 values of 0.62 for DKI Jakarta and 0.84 for Taipei Metropolis. The results of cross-validation show the strength of the model.
Student’s Inventory of Professionalism (SIP): A Tool to Assess Attitudes towards Professional Development Based on Palliative Care Undergraduate Education
Authors: Noguera Antonio , Arantzamendi María , López-Fidalgo Jesús , Gea Alfredo , Acitores Alberto , Arbea Leire , Centeno Carlos
Published: December 2019

Introduction: Quality medical education, centered on a patient’s needs, is crucial to develop the health professionals that our society requires. Research suggests a strong contribution of palliative care education to professionalism. The aim of this study was to design and validate a self-report inventory to measure student’s professional development. Method: Sequential exploratory strategy mixed method. The inventory is built based on the themes that emerged from the analysis of four qualitative studies about nursing and medical students’ perceptions related to palliative care teaching interventions (see Ballesteros et al. 2014, Centeno et al. 2014 and 2017, Rojí et al. 2017). The structure and psychometrics of the inventory obtained is tested in two different surveys with two different groups of medical students. Inventory reliability and construct validity are tested in the first survey group. To verify the inventory structure, a confirmatory factor analysis is performed in a second survey group. Results: The inventory has 33 items and seven dimensions: a holistic approach, caring for and understanding the patient, personal growth, teamwork, decision-making, patient evaluation, and being a health care professional. Cronbach’s-alpha was 0.73–0.84 in all seven domains, ICC: 0.95. The confirmatory factor analysis comparative fit index (CFI) was 1 with a standardized root mean square Index 0.088 (SRMR) and obtained a 0.99 goodness-of-fit R-square coefficient. Conclusions: this new inventory is grounded on student’s palliative care teaching experiences and seems to be valid to assess student’s professional development.
Polish Paralympic Sports in the Opinion of Athletes and Coaches in Retrospective Studies
Authors: Sobiecka Joanna , Plinta Ryszard , Kądziołka Marta , Gawroński Wojciech , Kruszelnicki Paweł , Zwierzchowska Anna
Published: December 2019

The study aimed to identify the limitations observed in Polish Paralympic sport depending on the environment in which athletes train on a daily basis. The study included 581 persons divided into two basic groups. The first group consists of athletes (n = 324) and coaches (n = 88) appointed to the national team by associations and unions providing sports training exclusively for athletes with disabilities. The second group consisted of athletes with disabilities (n = 146) and their coaches (n = 23), who work in national sports associations working for both able-bodied and disabled people. The study used the diagnostic survey method with a questionnaire developed by Sobiecka. The difficulties indicated by the respondents referred to various aspects related to the activity in professional sport. Particularly emphasised difficulties were related to organizational and financial limitations as well as the management and coaching staff. At the same time, it was demonstrated that the environment was a differentiating factor between the studied groups of athletes and coaches.
Multiple Linear Regression-Structural Equation Modeling Based Development of the Integrated Model of Perceived Neighborhood Environment and Quality of Life of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Nanjing, China
Authors: Zhang Fan , Li Dezhi
Published: December 2019

Due to the poor functioning in daily living activities, community-dwelling older adults spend more time in their neighborhood environment. The perceived neighborhood environment is crucial to their quality of life (QoL). To explore the complex influences of perceived neighborhood environment on QoL, a questionnaire was designed to measure their perception of each factor of neighborhood environment and each domain of QoL. Based on collected data, the reliability test was applied to revise the questionnaire. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were adopted to hypothesize and test the integrated model for community-dwelling older adults. The results show that community-dwelling older adults’ perceptions of neighbor support, facilities related to physical exercise and recreation, and accessibility to facilities impact their overall QoL with diverse coefficients of 0.437, 0.312, and 0.295, respectively; neighbor support (0.207) on physical health; sidewalk condition (0.134), natural environment (0.260), and facilities related to daily life (0.165) on psychological health; and neighbor support (0.298), facilities related to daily life (0.206), and design-related safety (0.225) on social relationship. This revealed that perceptions of neighborhood environment have diverse impacts on their QoL. This study can provide targeted retrofit strategies for communities to enhance QoL of community-dwelling older adults efficiently.
The Study of the Sterilization of the Indoor Air in Hospital/Clinic Rooms by Using the Electron Wind Generator
Authors: Pastuszka Józef S. , Mucha Walter , Wlazło Agnieszka , Lis Danuta , Marchwińska-Wyrwał Ewa , Mainka Anna
Published: December 2019

(1) Background: Since exposure to airborne bacteria and fungi may be especially hazardous in hospitals and outpatient clinics, it is essential to sterilize the air in such rooms. The purpose of this study was to estimate the decrease in the concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi in the selected hospital and clinic rooms due to the work of the electron wind generator (EWG). (2) Methods: EWG is an air movement and air purification device using a sophisticated combination of electrode topology and specially designed high-voltage power supply. (3) Results: The concentration of both bacteria and fungi in the small patient’s room dropped to approximately 25% of the initial (background) concentration. In the larger patient’s room, the concentration dropped to 50% and 80% of the background concentration for bacteria and fungi, respectively. (4) Conclusions: The obtained data show that the studied sterilization process can be described by the exponential function of time. Moreover, the application of an activated carbon filter into EWG significantly decreases the concentration of ozone in the sterilized room. Sterilization by EWG significantly changes the characteristic of species and genera of airborne bacteria and shifts the main peak of the size distribution of airborne bacteria into the coarser bio-particles.
Asymmetrically Spatial Effects of Urban Scale and Agglomeration on Haze Pollution in China
Authors: Fan Qingyu , Yang Shan , Liu Shuaibin
Published: December 2019

Rapid urbanization in China not only promotes the rapid expansion of urban population and economic agglomeration, but also causes the aggravation of haze pollution. In order to better clarify the asymmetric and nonlinear effects of urban scale and agglomeration on haze pollution, this paper quantitatively evaluates the spatial spillover effects of population size and economic agglomeration on haze pollution in 342 Chinese cities from 2001 to 2016 by using exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and spatial econometric model. The results show the following: (1) During the research period, the distribution of urban scale, agglomeration, and haze pollution in China presented complex asymmetrical features, with the former two presenting a “core–periphery” distribution mode, while the latter having a tendency to spread around. In addition, under the influence of urban population size and economic agglomeration, haze pollution in Chinese cities presents significant spatial autocorrelation, with the agglomeration degrees showing a fluctuating upward trend during the study period. (2) Both urban scale and urban agglomeration have positive global spatiotemporal correlation with haze pollution. Local spatial correlation features are more obvious in China’s emerging urban agglomerations like Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and Yangtze River Delta. (3) The spatial effects of haze pollution are better evaluated by spatial Durbin model (SDM) with spatial fixed effects, obtaining a coefficient of 0.416, indicating haze in neighboring cities affected each other and had significant spillover. By decomposing the effect of urban scale and agglomeration on haze as direct and indirect effects, the direct effect of urban population size and the indirect effect of urban economic agglomeration are found to be more prominent, reflecting that significant asymmetrical characteristics exist in the spatial effects of urban size and agglomeration on urban haze. (4) Among the control variables that affect China’s rapid urbanization, the level of urban economic development has a positive effect on haze pollution, while the high-level industrial structure and improved technical level can effectively reduce haze pollution. Continuous decline of haze concentration of Chinese cities in recent years has been indicating the spatial relationships between haze and urban size and agglomeration have a decoupling trend. The findings contribute to theory by emphasizing the spillover effect and spatial heterogeneities of geographical factors, and have implications for policy makers to deal with haze pollution reasonably and effectively.
Full Separation or Full Integration? An Investigation of the Optimal Renewables Policy Employing Tradable Green Certificate Systems in Two Countries’ Electricity Markets
Authors: Sun Yanming , Zhang Lin
Published: December 2019

Tradable green certificate (TGC) systems are increasingly used to promote renewable energy generation and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we investigate the performance of the optimal renewables policy under full separation and full integration scenarios for two countries with TGCs. Our analysis suggests that under full separation, one country’s optimal renewable quota, which maximizes its own welfare, is strategically substitutional for the other country’s in a Cournot Nash equilibrium of the monopolistic market, when cross-border pollution exists. A country tends to become the “leader” in the market by using an information advantage to gain higher welfare. Using geometric illustrations we demonstrate the possibility that a potentially fully integrated electricity market under a TGC system can improve welfare for each country, when compensation between the countries is possible. From a policy point of view, this is significant in support of the demand for a convergence of national renewable policy schemes, where countries cooperate on solving cross-border environmental problems.
Calcium Signaling in ß-cell Physiology and Pathology: A Revisit
Authors: Klec Christiane , Ziomek Gabriela , Pichler Martin , Malli Roland , Graier Wolfgang F.
Published: December 2019

Pancreatic beta (β) cell dysfunction results in compromised insulin release and, thus, failed regulation of blood glucose levels. This forms the backbone of the development of diabetes mellitus (DM), a disease that affects a significant portion of the global adult population. Physiological calcium (Ca2+) signaling has been found to be vital for the proper insulin-releasing function of β-cells. Calcium dysregulation events can have a dramatic effect on the proper functioning of the pancreatic β-cells. The current review discusses the role of calcium signaling in health and disease in pancreatic β-cells and provides an in-depth look into the potential role of alterations in β-cell Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling in the development of diabetes and highlights recent work that introduced the current theories on the connection between calcium and the onset of diabetes.
CRK5 Protein Kinase Contributes to the Progression of Embryogenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Baba Abu Imran , Valkai Ildikó , Labhane Nitin M. , Koczka Lilla , Andrási Norbert , Klement Éva , Darula Zsuzsanna , Medzihradszky Katalin F. , Szabados László , Fehér Attila , Rigó Gábor , Cséplő Ágnes
Published: December 2019

The fine tuning of hormone (e.g., auxin and gibberellin) levels and hormone signaling is required for maintaining normal embryogenesis. Embryo polarity, for example, is ensured by the directional movement of auxin that is controlled by various types of auxin transporters. Here, we present pieces of evidence for the auxin-gibberellic acid (GA) hormonal crosstalk during embryo development and the regulatory role of the Arabidopsis thaliana Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase-Related Kinase 5 (AtCRK5) in this regard. It is pointed out that the embryogenesis of the Atcrk5-1 mutant is delayed in comparison to the wild type. This delay is accompanied with a decrease in the levels of GA and auxin, as well as the abundance of the polar auxin transport (PAT) proteins PIN1, PIN4, and PIN7 in the mutant embryos. We have previously showed that AtCRK5 can regulate the PIN2 and PIN3 proteins either directly by phosphorylation or indirectly affecting the GA level during the root gravitropic and hypocotyl hook bending responses. In this manuscript, we provide evidence that the AtCRK5 protein kinase can in vitro phosphorylate the hydrophilic loops of additional PIN proteins that are important for embryogenesis. We propose that AtCRK5 can govern embryo development in Arabidopsis through the fine tuning of auxin-GA level and the accumulation of certain polar auxin transport proteins.
More Than One HMG-CoA Lyase: The Classical Mitochondrial Enzyme Plus the Peroxisomal and the Cytosolic Ones
Authors: Arnedo María , Latorre-Pellicer Ana , Lucia-Campos Cristina , Gil-Salvador Marta , Antoñanzas-Peréz Rebeca , Gómez-Puertas Paulino , Bueno-Lozano Gloria , Puisac Beatriz , Pié Juan
Published: December 2019

There are three human enzymes with HMG-CoA lyase activity that are able to synthesize ketone bodies in different subcellular compartments. The mitochondrial HMG-CoA lyase was the first to be described, and catalyzes the cleavage of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA to acetoacetate and acetyl-CoA, the common final step in ketogenesis and leucine catabolism. This protein is mainly expressed in the liver and its function is metabolic, since it produces ketone bodies as energetic fuels when glucose levels are low. Another isoform is encoded by the same gene for the mitochondrial HMG-CoA lyase (HMGCL), but it is located in peroxisomes. The last HMG-CoA lyase to be described is encoded by a different gene, HMGCLL1, and is located in the cytosolic side of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Some activity assays and tissue distribution of this enzyme have shown the brain and lung as key tissues for studying its function. Although the roles of the peroxisomal and cytosolic HMG-CoA lyases remain unknown, recent studies highlight the role of ketone bodies in metabolic remodeling, homeostasis, and signaling, providing new insights into the molecular and cellular function of these enzymes.
Intraspecific Variation within the Utricularia amethystina Species Morphotypes Based on Chloroplast Genomes
Authors: Silva Saura R. , Pinheiro Daniel G. , Penha Helen A. , Płachno Bartosz J. , Michael Todd P. , Meer Elliott J. , Miranda Vitor F. O. , Varani Alessandro M.
Published: December 2019

Utricularia amethystina Salzm. ex A.St.-Hil. & Girard (Lentibulariaceae) is a highly polymorphic carnivorous plant taxonomically rearranged many times throughout history. Herein, the complete chloroplast genomes (cpDNA) of three U. amethystina morphotypes: purple-, white-, and yellow-flowered, were sequenced, compared, and putative markers for systematic, populations, and evolutionary studies were uncovered. In addition, RNA-Seq and RNA-editing analysis were employed for functional cpDNA evaluation. The cpDNA of three U. amethystina morphotypes exhibits typical quadripartite structure. Fine-grained sequence comparison revealed a high degree of intraspecific genetic variability in all morphotypes, including an exclusive inversion in the psbM and petN genes in U. amethystina yellow. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that U. amethystina morphotypes are monophyletic. Furthermore, in contrast to the terrestrial Utricularia reniformis cpDNA, the U. amethystina morphotypes retain all the plastid NAD(P)H-dehydrogenase (ndh) complex genes. This observation supports the hypothesis that the ndhs in terrestrial Utricularia were independently lost and regained, also suggesting that different habitats (aquatic and terrestrial) are not related to the absence of Utricularia ndhs gene repertoire as previously assumed. Moreover, RNA-Seq analyses recovered similar patterns, including nonsynonymous RNA-editing sites (e.g., rps14 and petB). Collectively, our results bring new insights into the chloroplast genome architecture and evolution of the photosynthesis machinery in the Lentibulariaceae.
Unexpected Racemization in the Course of the Acetalization of (+)-(S)-5-Methyl-Wieland–Miescher Ketone with 1,2-Ethanediol and TsOH under Classical Experimental Conditions
Authors: Leonelli Francesca , Piergentili Irene , Lucarelli Giulio , Migneco Luisa Maria , Marini Bettolo Rinaldo
Published: December 2019

(+)-(S) and (−)-(R)-5-methyl-Wieland-Miescher ketone (+)-1 and (−)-1, are important synthons in the diastereo and enantioselective syntheses of biological and/or pharmacological interesting compounds. A key step in these syntheses is the chemoselective C(1)O acetalization to (+)-5 and (−)-5, respectively. Various procedures for this transformation have been described in the literature. Among them, the classical procedure based on the use of 1,2-ethanediol and TsOH in refluxing benzene in the presence of a Dean-Stark apparatus. Within our work on bioactive natural products, it occurred to us to observe the partial racemization of (+)-5 in the course of the acetalization of (+)-1 by means of the latter methodology. Aiming to investigate this drawback, which, to our best knowledge, has no precedents in the literature, we acetalized with 1,2-ethanediol and TsOH in refluxing benzene and in the presence of a Dean–Stark apparatus under various experimental conditions, enantiomerically pure (+)-1. It was found that the extent of racemization depends on the TsOH/(+)-1 and 1,2-ethanediol/(+)-1 ratios. Mechanism hypotheses for this partial and unexpected racemization are provided.
Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus) Iridovirus Infection Leads to Apoptotic Cell Death through Mitochondrial Damage, Caspases Activation, and Expression of Apoptotic-Related Genes
Authors: Li Yiqun , Jiang Nan , Fan Yuding , Zhou Yong , Liu Wenzhi , Xue Mingyang , Meng Yan , Zeng Lingbing
Published: December 2019

Chinese giant salamander iridovirus (GSIV) is the causative pathogen of Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) iridovirosis, leading to severe infectious disease and huge economic losses. However, the infection mechanism by GSIV is far from clear. In this study, a Chinese giant salamander muscle (GSM) cell line is used to investigate the mechanism of cell death during GSIV infection. Microscopy observation and DNA ladder analysis revealed that DNA fragmentation happens during GSIV infection. Flow cytometry analysis showed that apoptotic cells in GSIV-infected cells were significantly higher than that in control cells. Caspase 8, 9, and 3 were activated in GSIV-infected cells compared with the uninfected cells. Consistently, mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) was significantly reduced, and cytochrome c was released into cytosol during GSIV infection. p53 expression increased at an early stage of GSIV infection and then slightly decreased late in infection. Furthermore, mRNA expression levels of pro-apoptotic genes participating in the extrinsic and intrinsic pathway were significantly up-regulated during GSIV infection, while those of anti-apoptotic genes were restrained in early infection and then rose in late infection. These results collectively indicate that GSIV induces GSM apoptotic cell death involving mitochondrial damage, caspases activation, p53 expression, and pro-apoptotic molecules up-regulation.
Distance-To-Mean Continuous Conditional Random Fields: Case Study in Traffic Congestion
Authors: Purbarani Sumarsih C. , Sanabila Hadaiq R. , Wibisono Ari , Alfiany Noverina , Wisesa Hanif A. , Jatmiko Wisnu
Published: December 2019

Traffic prediction techniques are classified as having parametric, non-parametric, and a combination of parametric and non-parametric characteristics. The extreme learning machine (ELM) is a non-parametric technique that is commonly used to enhance traffic prediction problems. In this study, a modified probability approach, continuous conditional random fields (CCRF), is proposed and implemented with the ELM and then utilized to assess highway traffic data. The modification is conducted to improve the performance of non-parametric techniques, in this case, the ELM method. This proposed method is then called the distance-to-mean continuous conditional random fields (DM-CCRF). The experimental results show that the proposed technique suppresses the prediction error of the prediction model compared to the standard CCRF. The comparison between ELM as a baseline regressor, the standard CCRF, and the modified CCRF is displayed. The performance evaluation of the techniques is obtained by analyzing their mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values. DM-CCRF is able to suppress the prediction model error to ~ 17.047 % , which is twice as good as that of the standard CCRF method. Based on the attributes of the dataset, the DM-CCRF method is better for the prediction of highway traffic than the standard CCRF method and the baseline regressor.
Container Terminal Logistics Generalized Computing Architecture and Green Initiative Computational Pattern Performance Evaluation
Authors: Song Guanggang , Li Bin , He Yuqing
Published: December 2019

Container terminals are the typical representatives of complex supply chain logistics hubs with multiple compound attributes and multiple coupling constraints, and their operations are provided with the strong characteristics of dynamicity, nonlinearity, coupling, and complexity (DNCC). From the perspective of computational logistics, we propose the container terminal logistics generalized computing architecture (CTL-GCA) by the migration, integration, and fusion of the abstract hierarchy, design philosophy, execution mechanism, and automatic principles of computer organization, computing architecture, and operating system. The CTL-GCA is supposed to provide the problem-oriented exploration and exploitation elementary frameworks for the abstraction, automation, and analysis of green production at container terminals. The CTL-GCA is intended to construct, evaluate, and improve the solution to planning, scheduling, and decision at container terminals, which all are nondeterministic polynomial hard problems. Subsequently, the logistics generalized computational pattern recognition and performance evaluation of a practical container terminal service case study is launched by the qualitative and quantitative approach from the sustainable perspective of green production. The case study demonstrates the application, utilization, exploitation, and exploration of CTL-GCA preliminarily, and finds the unsustainable patterns of production at the container terminal. From the above, we can draw the following conclusions. For one thing, the CTL-GCA makes a definition of the abstract and automatic running architecture of logistics generalized computation for container terminals (LGC-CT), which provides an original framework for the design and implementation of control and decision mechanism and algorithm. For another, the CTL-GCA can help us to investigate the roots of DNCC thoroughly, and then the CTL-GCA makes for conducting the efficient and sustainable running pattern recognition of LGC-CT. It is supposed to provide a favorable guidance and supplement to define, design, and implement the agile, efficient, sustainable, and robust task scheduling and resource allocation for container terminals by computational logistics whether in the strategy level or the tactical one.
Oviposition-Induced Volatiles Affect Electrophysiological and Behavioral Responses of Egg Parasitoids
Authors: Milonas Panagiotis G , Anastasaki Eirini , Partsinevelos Georgios
Published: December 2019

In response to an attack by herbivores, plants emit a variety of compounds that may act as semiochemicals. Oviposition-induced volatiles (OIPVs) have been shown to mediate interactions between plants and natural enemies. Here, we investigated the role of OIPVs by Tuta absoluta towards two egg parasitoids, Trichogramma cordubense and T. achaeae. We collected headspace volatiles from tomato plants at 24, 48, and 72 h after oviposition by T. absoluta females and tested the antennographic response of Trichogramma parasitoids to them by means of gas chromatography- electro-antennographical detection (GC-EAD). The response of the parasitoids was also tested in behavioral experiments using a Y-tube olfactometer. Oviposition by T. absoluta females induced qualitative and quantitative changes in the volatiles emitted by tomato plants. Antennae of Trichogramma parasitoids responded to several of the induced volatiles in GC-EAD. T. cordubense females were attracted to tomato plants with T. absoluta eggs 24 h after oviposition. The elucidation of the behavior of egg parasitoids towards OIPVs enhances the development of sustainable management strategies either by selecting species that exploit OIPVs or by manipulating their foraging behavior by utilizing specific OIPVs that are used by parasitoids as a host location.
A Review of Interactions between Insect Biological Control Agents and Semiochemicals
Authors: Sharma Anamika , Sandhi Ramandeep Kaur , Reddy Gadi V. P.
Published: December 2019

Biological control agents and semiochemicals have become essential parts of the integrated pest management of insect pests over recent years, as the incorporation of semiochemicals with natural enemies and entomopathogenic microbials has gained significance. The potential of insect pheromones to attract natural enemies has mainly been established under laboratory conditions, while semiochemicals from plants have been used to attract and retain natural enemies in field conditions using strategies such as trap crops and the push–pull mechanism. The best-known semiochemicals are those used for parasitoids–insect pest–plant host systems. Semiochemicals can also aid in the successful dispersal of entomopathogenic microbials. The use of semiochemicals to disseminate microbial pathogens is still at the initial stage, especially for bacterial and viral entomopathogens. Future studies should focus on the integration of semiochemicals into management strategies for insects, for which several semiochemical compounds have already been studied. More effective formulations of microbial agents, such as granular formulations of entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs), along with bio-degradable trap materials, could improve this strategy. Furthermore, more studies to evaluate species-specific tactics may be needed, especially where more than one key pest is present.
Influence of Crack Size on Stress Evaluation of Ferromagnetic Low Alloy Steel with Metal Magnetic Memory Technology
Authors: Liu Bin , Fu Peng , Li Ruifeng , He Peng , Dong Shiyun
Published: December 2019

Based on the magneto-mechanical effect, the influence of crack size on stress evaluated with metal magnetic memory (MMM) technology was discussed in this paper. Based on equivalent theory, the regular rectangular grooves, with different widths and depths, were precut in the surface of an experimental sample for simulating surface crack, and a three dimensional electrically controlled displacement system was used to collect the Hp(y) signal of the sample under different stresses, and the fracture morphology was observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the influence of detection line on Hp(y) signal can be ignored; as stress increases, the Hp(y) signal turns counterclockwise around zero-crossing point and its mutation, corresponding to the location of groove, becomes distinct gradually. When groove depth is constant, the magnetic intensity gradient changes in the form of quadratic polynomial as groove width increases, and when the groove width is the same, the magnetic intensity gradient is a linear function of groove depth. When stress reaches the yield strength of the material, the magnetic intensity gradient decreases gradually as stress increases further, and the orientation of magnetic domain is seen as the main reason for that result. At last, the experimental results are discussed based on the piezomagnetic effect and leakage magnetic field theory of finite depth slit model, and the change of magnetic domain orientation is considered to be the main reason.
Aluminum/Carbon Composites Materials Fabricated by the Powder Metallurgy Process
Authors: Veillère Amélie , Kurita Hiroki , Kawasaki Akira , Lu Yongfeng , Heintz Jean-Marc , Silvain Jean-François
Published: December 2019

Aluminum matrix composites reinforced with carbon fibers or diamond particles have been fabricated by a powder metallurgy process and characterized for thermal management applications. Al/C composite is a nonreactive system (absence of chemical reaction between the metallic matrix and the ceramic reinforcement) due to the presence of an alumina layer on the surface of the aluminum powder particles. In order to achieve fully dense materials and to enhance the thermo-mechanical properties of the Al/C composite materials, a semi-liquid method has been carried out with the addition of a small amount of Al-Si alloys in the Al matrix. Thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion were enhanced as compared with Al/C composites without Al-Si alloys and the experimental values were close to the ones predicted by analytical models.
Biocarbon Meets Carbon—Humic Acid/Graphite Electrodes Formed by Mechanochemistry
Authors: Liu Lianlian , Solin Niclas , Inganäs Olle
Published: December 2019

Humic acid (HA) is a biopolymer formed from degraded plants, making it a ubiquitous, renewable, sustainable, and low cost source of biocarbon materials. HA contains abundant functional groups, such as carboxyl-, phenolic/alcoholic hydroxyl-, ketone-, and quinone/hydroquinone (Q/QH2)-groups. The presence of Q/QH2 groups makes HA redox active and, accordingly, HA is a candidate material for energy storage. However, as HA is an electronic insulator, it is essential to combine it with conductive materials in order to enable fabrication of HA electrodes. One of the lowest cost types of conductive materials that can be considered is carbon-based conductors such as graphite. Herein, we develop a facile method allowing the biocarbon to meet carbon; HA (in the form of a sodium salt) is mixed with graphite by a solvent-free mechanochemical method involving ball milling. Few-layer graphene sheets are formed and the HA/graphite mixtures can be used to fabricate HA/graphite hybrid material electrodes. These electrodes exhibit a conductivity of up to 160 S·m−1 and a discharge capacity as large as 20 mAhg−1. Our study demonstrates a novel methodology enabling scalable fabrication of low cost and sustainable organic electrodes for application as supercapacitors.