bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automated Nociceptive Withdrawal Reflex Measurements Reveal Normal Reflex Thresholds and Augmented Pain Ratings in Patients with Fibromyalgia
Authors: Ydrefors Johannes , Karlsson Tomas , Wentzel Olausson Ulrika , Ghafouri Bijar , Johansson Ann-Charlotte , Olausson Håkan , Gerdle Björn , Nagi Saad S.
Published: June 2020

The nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) is used to probe spinal cord excitability in chronic pain states. Here, we used an automated and unbiased procedure for determining the NWR threshold and compared the reflex thresholds and corresponding pain ratings in a well-characterized cohort of fibromyalgia (n = 29) and matched healthy controls (n = 21). Surface electrical stimuli were delivered to the foot in a stepwise incremental and decremental manner. The surface electromyographic activity was recorded from the ipsilateral tibialis anterior muscle. Fibromyalgia patients reported significantly higher scores for psychological distress and pain-related disability and a significantly lower score for perceived state of health compared to the matched controls. The subjective pain ratings were significantly higher in patients. The NWR thresholds were similar to the controls. In the patients, but not in controls, the NWR thresholds and subjective pain ratings were significantly correlated. Our results showed an increased subjective pain sensitivity in fibromyalgia, but we found no evidence for spinal sensitization based on the reflex measures.
Left Ventricular Geometry and Replacement Fibrosis Detected by cMRI Are Associated with Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Cojan-Minzat Bianca Olivia , Zlibut Alexandru , Muresan Ioana Danuta , Cionca Carmen , Horvat Dalma , Kiss Eva , Revnic Radu , Florea Mira , Ciortea Razvan , Agoston-Coldea Lucia
Published: June 2020

To investigate the relationship between left ventricular (LV) long-axis strain (LAS) and LV sphericity index (LVSI) and outcomes in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and myocardial replacement fibrosis confirmed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), we conducted a prospective study on 178 patients (48 ± 14.4 years; 25.2% women) with first NIDCM diagnosis. The evaluation protocol included ECG monitoring, echocardiography and cMRI. LAS and LVSI were cMRI-determined. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were defined as a composite outcome including heart failure (HF), ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). After a median follow-up of 17 months, patients with LGE+ had increased risk of MACEs. Kaplan-Meier curves showed significantly higher rate of MACEs in patients with LGE+ (p < 0.001), increased LVSI (p < 0.01) and decreased LAS (p < 0.001). In Cox analysis, LAS (HR = 1.32, 95%CI (1.54–9.14), p = 0.001), LVSI [HR = 1.17, 95%CI (1.45–7.19), p < 0.01] and LGE+ (HR = 1.77, 95%CI (2.79–12.51), p < 0.0001) were independent predictors for MACEs. In a 4-point risk scoring system based on LV ejection fraction (LVEF) < 30%, LGE+, LAS > −7.8% and LVSI > 0.48%, patients with 3 and 4 points had a significantly higher risk for MACEs. LAS and LVSI are independent predictors of MACEs and provide incremental value beyond LVEF and LGE+ in patients with NIDCM and myocardial fibrosis.
Low-Volume Nodal Metastasis in Endometrial Cancer: Risk Factors and Prognostic Significance
Authors: García Pineda Virginia , Hernández Gutiérrez Alicia , Gracia Segovia Myriam , Siegrist Ridruejo Jaime , Diestro Tejeda María Dolores , Zapardiel Ignacio
Published: June 2020

Objective: To evaluate the oncological outcomes of patients with low-volume metastasis compared to those with macrometastasis and negative nodes in endometrial cancer. Methods: A single institutional retrospective study was carried out, which included all patients with endometrial cancer who underwent surgical treatment between January 2007 and December 2016. We analyzed the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of all patients after sentinel node biopsy and full nodal surgical staging according to their final pathological nodal status, focusing on the impact of the size of nodal metastasis. Results: A total of 270 patients were operated on during the study period; among them, 230 (85.2%) patients underwent nodal staging. On final pathology, 196 (85.2%) patients had negative lymph nodes; low-volume metastasis (LVM) was present in 14 (6.1%) patients: 6 (2.6%) patients had isolated tumor cells (ITCs) and 8 (3.5%) patients presented just micrometastasis; additionally, 20 (8.7%) patients presented macrometastasis. After a median (range) follow-up of 60 (0–146) months, patients with macrometastasis showed a significantly worse PFS compared to LVM and node-negative patients (61.1% vs. 71.4% vs. 83.2%, respectively; p = 0.018), and similar results were obtained for 5-year OS (50% vs. 78.6% vs. 81.5%, respectively; p < 0.001). Half of the patients presenting LVM did not receive adjuvant treatment. Moreover, LVM had a moderate nonsignificant decrease in 5-year PFS compared to node-negative patients. Conclusions: Patients with endometrial cancer and low-volume nodal metastasis demonstrated a better prognosis than those presenting macrometastasis. Low-volume metastasis did not show worse oncological outcomes than node-negative patients, although there was a slight decrease in progression-free survival.
Alginate-Derived Elicitors Enhance β-Glucan Content and Antioxidant Activities in Culinary and Medicinal Mushroom, Sparassis latifolia
Authors: Kim Yong-Woon , Wu Yuanzheng , Choi Moon-Hee , Shin Hyun-Jae , Li Jishun
Published: June 2020

This study aimed to investigate the elicitation effects of alginate oligosaccharides extracted from brown algae (Sargassum species) on β-glucan production in cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis latifolia). Sodium alginate was refined from Sargassum fulvellum, S. fusiforme, and S. horneri, and characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), resulting mannuronic acid to guluronic acid (M/G) rationes from 0.64 to 1.38. Three oligosaccharide fractions, ethanol fraction (EF), solid fraction (SF), and liquid fraction (LF), were prepared by acid hydrolysis and analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with a pulsed amperometric detector (HPAEC-PAD). The samples of S. fusiforme resulted in the highest hydrolysate in SF and the lowest in LF, which was consistent with its highest M/G ratio. The SF of S. fusiforme and LF of S. horneri were chosen for elicitation on S. latifolia, yielding the highest β-glucan contents of 56.01 ± 3.45% and 59.74 ± 4.49% in the stalk, respectively. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activities (2,2’-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging and Superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity) of aqueous extracts of S. latifolia were greatly stimulated by alginate elicitation. These results demonstrate that alginate oligosaccharides extracted from brown algae may be useful as an elicitor to enhance the nutritional value of mushrooms.
Antifungal Resistance Regarding Malassezia pachydermatis: Where Are We Now?
Authors: Peano Andrea , Johnson Elizabeth , Chiavassa Elisa , Tizzani Paolo , Guillot Jacques , Pasquetti Mario
Published: June 2020

Malassezia pachydermatis is a yeast inhabiting the skin and ear canals in healthy dogs. In the presence of various predisposing conditions it can cause otitis and dermatitis, which are treated with multiple antifungal agents, mainly azole derivatives. This manuscript aims to review the available evidence regarding the occurrence of resistance phenomena in this organism. Various findings support the capacity of M. pachydermatis for developing resistance. These include some reports of treatment failure in dogs, the reduced antifungal activity found against yeast isolates sampled from dogs with exposure to antifungal drugs and strains exposed to antifungal agents in vitro, and the description of resistance mechanisms. At the same time, the data reviewed may suggest that the development of resistance is a rare eventuality in canine practice. For example, only three publications describe confirmed cases of treatment failure due to antifungal resistance, and most claims of resistance made by past studies are based on interpretive breakpoints that lack sound support from the clinical perspective. However, it is possible that resistant cases are underreported in literature, perhaps due to the difficulty of obtaining a laboratory confirmation given that a standard procedure for susceptibility testing of M. pachydermatis is still unavailable. These considerations highlight the need for maintaining surveillance for the possible emergence of clinically relevant resistance, hopefully through a shared strategy put in place by the scientific community.
Preparation and Characterization of Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) Membranes for Biogas Upgrading
Authors: Kujawski Wojciech , Li Guoqiang , Van der Bruggen Bart , Pedišius Nerijus , Tonkonogij Jurij , Tonkonogovas Andrius , Stankevičius Arūnas , Šereika Justas , Jullok Nora , Kujawa Joanna
Published: June 2020

Asymmetric polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) membranes were fabricated by a non-solvent induced phase inversion method. Glycerin and silica nanoparticles were added into the polymer solution to investigate their effects on the material properties and gas separation performance of prepared membranes. The morphology and structure of PPSU membranes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the surface roughness of the selective layer was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the surface free energy was calculated based on the contact angle measurements by using various solvents. The gas separation performance of PPSU membranes was estimated by measuring the permeability of CO2 and CH4. The addition of glycerin as a nonsolvent into the polymer solution changed the cross-section structure from finger-like structure into sponge-like structure due to the delayed liquid-liquid demixing process, which was confirmed by SEM analysis. The incorporation of silica nanoparticles into PPSU membranes slightly increased the hydrophilicity, which was confirmed by water contact angle results. PPSU membrane fabricated from the polymer solution containing 10 wt.% glycerin showed the best CO2/CH4 selectivity of 3.86 and the CO2 permeability of 1044.01 Barrer. Mixed matrix PPSU membrane containing 0.1 wt.% silica nanoparticles showed the CO2/CH4 selectivity of 3.16 and the CO2 permeability of 1202.77 Barrer.
Identification of Stress States in Compressed Masonry Walls Using a Non-Destructive Technique (NDT)
Authors: Jasiński Radosław
Published: June 2020

The structure safety can be assessed, but only indirectly, by identifying material properties, geometry of structures, and values of loads. The complete and comprehensive assessment can be done only after determining internal forces acting inside structures. Ultrasonic extensometry using an acoustoelastic effect (AE) is among the most common non-destructive techniques (NDT) of determining true stresses in structures. Theoretical bases of the method were described in the mid 20th century. They were founded on the correlation between ultrasonic waves and the value and direction of stresses. This method is commonly used to determine stresses mainly in homogeneous materials without any inherent internal defects. This method is rarely applied to porous or composite materials, such as concrete or rock due to a high dispersion of results. Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), characterized by high homogeneity and porosity, is the popular material in the construction sector, used to produce masonry units. The discussed tests involved the acoustoelastic effect to determine stresses in the masonry wall made of AAC. This paper presents a widely theoretical background for the AE method, and then describes the author’s own research on AAC divided into two stages. At first, the empirical relationships between compressive stress and velocity of longitudinal ultrasonic wave, including humidity, were determined. In stage II, nine masonry walls were tested in axial compression. Mean compressive stresses in the masonry wall determined with the proposed method were found to produce a satisfactory confidence level up to ca. 50% of failure stresses. Results were significantly understated for stresses of the order of 75% of failure stresses.
Crossover from Ferroelectric to Relaxor Behavior in Ba1−xCaxTiO3 (x = 0.17) System
Authors: Palaimiene Edita , Macutkevic Jan , Banys Juras , Winiarski Antoni , Gruszka Irena , Koperski Janusz , Molak Andrzej
Published: June 2020

The dielectric properties of Ba1−xCaxTiO3 (x = 0.17) ceramics were studied in a wide frequency range of 20 Hz–53 GHz. Diffused ferroelectric phase transition was revealed close to 339 K in the dielectric properties of ceramics. The behaviour of distributions of relaxation times in vicinity of the ferroelectric phase transition temperature is also typical for order-disorder ferroelectric phase transition. However, at lower temperatures (below 200 K), the most probable relaxation increased according to the Arrhenius law. At lower temperatures the maximum of the imaginary part of dielectric permittivity versus temperature strongly shifted to higher temperatures when the frequency increased (from 125 K at 1.21 kHz to 300 K at 33 GHz). This behaviour was attributed to the dynamics of Ti ions. The origin of the crossover from ferroelectric to relaxor behaviour of Ba1−xCaxTiO3 (x = 0.17) ceramics is discussed in the paper.
Effect of Vitamin K3 Inhibiting the Function of NorA Efflux Pump and Its Gene Expression on Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Tintino Saulo R. , Souza Veruska C. A. de , Silva Julia M. A. da , Oliveira-Tintino Cícera Datiane de M. , Pereira Pedro S. , Leal-Balbino Tereza C. , Pereira-Neves Antonio , Siqueira-Junior José P. , da Costa José G. M. , Rodrigues Fabíola F. G. , Menezes Irwin R. A. , da Hora Gabriel C. A. , Lima Maria C. P. , Coutinho Henrique D. M. , Balbino Valdir Q.
Published: June 2020

Resistance to antibiotics has made diseases that previously healed easily become more difficult to treat. Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of hospital-acquired infections and multi-drug resistant. NorA efflux pump, present in bacteria S. aureus, is synthesized by the expression of the norA gene. Menadione, also known as vitamin K3, is one of the synthetic forms of vitamin K. Therefore, the aim of this study is to verify the menadione effect on efflux inhibition through NorA pump gene expression inhibition and assess the effects of menadione in bacterial membrane. The effect of menadione as an efflux pump inhibitor (EPI) was evaluated by the microdilution method, fluorimetry, electron microscopy, and by RT-qPCR to evaluate gene expression. In the molecular docking, association with menadione induces increased fluorescence intensity. Menadione was observed (100% of the clusters) interacting with residues ILE12, ILE15, PHE16, ILE19, PHE47, GLN51, ALA105, and MET109 from NorA. The results showed the norA gene had its expression significantly diminished in the presence of menadione. The simulation showed that several menadione molecules were able to go through the bilayer and allow the entry of water molecules into the hydrophobic regions of the bilayer. When present within membranes, menadione may have caused membrane structural changes resulting in a decline of the signaling pathways involved in norA expression. Menadione demonstrated to be an efflux pump inhibitor with dual mechanism: affecting the efflux pump by direct interaction with protein NorA and indirectly inhibiting the norA gene expression, possibly by affecting regulators present in the membrane altered by menadione.
Purification of Aqueous Media by Biochars: Feedstock Type Effect on Silver Nanoparticles Removal
Authors: Tomczyk Agnieszka , Szewczuk-Karpisz Katarzyna , Sokołowska Zofia , Kercheva Milena , Dimitrov Emil
Published: June 2020

Due to the harmful effects of nanoparticles in the environment, their effective removal from aqueous media is of great importance. This paper described the research on the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) sorption on biochars obtained from different feedstock types. The sorbents were produced through pyrolysis (double-barrel method) of the vineyard (BV), paulownia tree (BP), and tobacco (BT). BV exhibited the highest specific surface area, porosity, value of variable surface charge, and content of surface acidic functional groups among the used biochars. The pseudo-second order model best described the obtained adsorption kinetics, whereas the Freundlich model accounted for the registered adsorption data. The Ag-NPs removal was highly efficient in the case of BV, especially in the nanoparticle concentration range 50–500 mg/L. Thus, this biochar can be considered as an ecofriendly, effective, low-cost organic adsorbent, potentially used in the aqueous media purification.
Validation of the 2H-SNIF NMR and IRMS Methods for Vinegar and Vinegar Analysis: An International Collaborative Study
Authors: Camin Federica , Simoni Marco , Hermann Armin , Thomas Freddy , Perini Matteo
Published: June 2020

This paper presents the results of a collaborative study involving seven laboratories and concerning two samples of wine vinegar, one of apple vinegar and four of balsamic vinegar. The aim of the study was to define standard deviations of repeatability (sr) and reproducibility (sR) for vinegar and balsamic vinegar stable isotope ratios of H (D/H), C (δ13C) and O (δ18O), in order to establish them as fully recognized official standards. Acetic acid was extracted and subjected to (D/H)CH3 and δ13C analysis. δ18O analysis was performed on whole samples. The grape must solution remained after distillation of balsamic vinegar was fermented and the resulting ethanol was subjected to (D/H)I, (D/H)II, R and δ13C analysis. The sr and sR were 0.6 ppm and 1.1 ppm for (D/H)CH3, 0.14‰ and 0.25‰ for δ13C of acetic acid, 0.1‰ and 0.17‰ for δ18O of water, 0.19 ppm and 0.64 ppm for ethanol (D/H)I, 1.14 and 1.31 ppm for (D/H)II, 0.09 and 0.11‰ for δ13C of ethanol. These data are in line with those in the literature or reported in corresponding official methods, and sr and sR of balsamic vinegar are in line with those of vinegar and must.
Functional and Mass Spectrometric Evaluation of an Anti-Tick Antigen Based on the P0 Peptide Conjugated to Bm86 Protein
Authors: Rodríguez Mallón Alina , Javier González Luis , Encinosa Guzmán Pedro Enrique , Bechara Gervasio Henrique , Sanches Gustavo Seron , Pousa Satomy , Cabrera Gleysin , Cabrales Ania , Garay Hilda , Mejías Raúl , López Álvarez José Raúl , Bello Soto Yamil , Almeida Fabiola , Guirola Osmany , Rodríguez Fernández Rafmary , Fuentes Castillo Alier , Méndez Luis , Jiménez Samanta , Licea-Navarro Alexei , Portela Madelón , Durán Rosario , Estrada Mario Pablo
Published: June 2020

A synthetic 20 amino acid peptide of the ribosomal protein P0 from ticks, when conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin from Megathura crenulata and used as an immunogen against Rhipicephalus microplus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. species, has shown efficacies of around 90%. There is also experimental evidence of a high efficacy of this conjugate against Amblyomma mixtum and Ixodes ricinus species, which suggest that this antigen could be a good broad-spectrum anti-tick vaccine candidate. In this study, the P0 peptide (pP0) was chemically conjugated to Bm86 as a carrier protein. SDS-PAGE analysis of this conjugate demonstrated that it is highly heterogeneous in size, carrying from 1 to 18 molecules of pP0 per molecule of Bm86. Forty-nine out of the 54 lysine residues and the N-terminal end of Bm86 were found partially linked to pP0 by using LC-MS/MS analysis and the combination of four different softwares. Several post-translational modifications of Bm86 protein were also identified by mass spectrometry. High immunogenicity and efficacy were achieved when dogs and cattle were vaccinated with the pP0–Bm86 conjugate and challenged with R. sanguineus s.l. and R. microplus, respectively. These results encourage the development of this antigen with promising possibilities as an anti-tick vaccine.
Preliminary Virtual Screening Studies to Identify GRP78 Inhibitors Which May Interfere with SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Palmeira Andreia , Sousa Emília , Köseler Aylin , Sabirli Ramazan , Gören Tarık , Türkçüer İbrahim , Kurt Özgür , Pinto Madalena , Vasconcelos M.
Published: June 2020

SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein was predicted by molecular docking to bind the host cell surface GRP78, which was suggested as a putative good molecular target to inhibit Covid-19. We aimed to confirm that GRP78 gene expression was increased in blood of SARS-CoV-2 (+) versus SARS-CoV-2 (−) pneumonia patients. In addition, we aimed to identify drugs that could be repurposed to inhibit GRP78, thus with potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Gene expression studies were performed in 10 SARS-CoV-2 (−) and 24 SARS-CoV-2 (+) pneumonia patients. A structure-based virtual screen was performed with 10,761 small molecules retrieved from DrugBank, using the GRP78 nucleotide binding domain and substrate binding domain as molecular targets. Results indicated that GRP78 mRNA levels were approximately four times higher in the blood of SARS-CoV-2 (+) versus SARS-CoV-2 (−) pneumonia patients, further suggesting that GRP78 might be a good molecular target to treat Covid-19. In addition, a total of 409 compounds were identified with potential as GRP78 inhibitors. In conclusion, we found preliminary evidence that further proposes GRP78 as a possible molecular target to treat Covid-19 and that many clinically approved drugs bind GRP78 as an off-target effect. We suggest that further work should be urgently carried out to confirm if GRP78 is indeed a good molecular target and if some of those drugs have potential to be repurposed for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity.
GmNMHC5, A Neoteric Positive Transcription Factor of Flowering and Maturity in Soybean
Authors: Wang Wenting , Wang Zhili , Hou Wensheng , Chen Li , Jiang Bingjun , Liu Wei , Feng Yongjun , Wu Cunxiang
Published: June 2020

The soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important oil and food crop. Its growth and development is regulated by complex genetic networks, and there are still many genes with unknown functions in regulation pathways. In this study, GmNMHC5, a member of the MADS-box protein family, was found to promote flowering and maturity in the soybean. Gene expression profiling in transgenic plants confirmed that the 35S:GmNMHC5 T3 generation had early flowering and precocity. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit GmNMHC5 and found that late flowering and maturity occurred in Gmnmhc5 lines with stable inheritance. Remarkably, in the 35S:GmNMHC5 plants, the expression of flowering inhibitors GmFT1a and GmFT4 was inhibited. In addition, overexpression of GmNMHC5 in ft-10 (a late flowering Arabidopsis thaliana mutant lacking Flowering Locus T (FT) function) rescued the extremely late-flowering phenotype of the mutant A. thaliana. These results suggest that GmNMHC5 is a positive transcription factor of flowering and maturity in the soybean, which has a close relationship with FT homologs in the flowering regulation pathway. This discovery provides new ideas for the improvement of the flowering regulation network, and can also provide guidance for future breeding work.
A Genomic and Transcriptomic Overview of MATE, ABC, and MFS Transporters in Citrus sinensis Interaction with Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri
Authors: Julião Maria H. M. , Silva Saura R. , Ferro Jesus A. , Varani Alessandro M.
Published: June 2020

The multi-antimicrobial extrusion (MATE), ATP-binding cassette (ABC), and major facilitator superfamily (MFS) are the main plant transporters families, playing an essential role in the membrane-trafficking network and plant-defense mechanism. The citrus canker type A (CC), is a devastating disease caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac), affecting all citrus species. In this work, we performed an in silico analysis of genes and transcripts from MATE, ABC, and MFS families to infer the role of membrane transporters in Citrus-Xac interaction. Using as reference, the available Citrus sinensis genome and the citrus reference transcriptome from CitrusKB database, 67 MATE, 91 MFS, and 143 ABC genes and 82 MATE, 139 MFS, and 226 ABC transcripts were identified and classified into subfamilies. Duplications, alternative-splicing, and potentially non-transcribed transporters’ genes were revealed. Interestingly, MATE I and ABC G subfamilies appear differently regulated during Xac infection. Furthermore, Citrus spp. showing distinct levels of CC susceptibility exhibited different sets of transporters transcripts, supporting dissimilar molecular patterns of membrane transporters in Citrus-Xac interaction. According to our findings, 4 MATE, 10 ABC, and 3 MFS are potentially related to plant-defense mechanisms. Overall, this work provides an extensive analysis of MATE, ABC, and MFS transporters’ in Citrus-Xac interaction, bringing new insights on membrane transporters in plant-pathogen interactions.
Abandoned Mine Tailings Affecting Riverbed Sediments in the Cartagena–La Union District, Mediterranean Coastal Area (Spain)
Authors: Martín-Crespo Tomás , Gómez-Ortiz David , Martín-Velázquez Silvia , Martínez-Pagán Pedro , de Ignacio-San José Cristina , Lillo Javier , Faz Ángel
Published: June 2020

This study presents the results of the geoenvironmental characterization of La Matildes riverbed, affected by mine tailings in the Cartagena–La Unión district, Murcia (southeast Spain). Soils and riverbeds in this area are highly polluted. Two Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) profiles were carried out to obtain information about the thickness of the deposits and their internal structure. For the mine tailings deposits of La Murla, a tributary of the El Miedo riverbed, the geophysical method imaged two different units: the upper one characterized by low resistivity values and 5–8 m thickness, correlated with the mine tailings deposits; and the lower more resistive unit corresponding to the Paleozoic metasediments bedrock. The ERI profile transverse to the Las Matildes dry riverbed revealed the existence of three different units. The uppermost one has the lowest resistivity values and corresponds to the tailings deposits discharged to the riverbeds. An intermediate unit, with intermediate resistivity values, corresponds to the riverbed sediments before the mining operations. The lower unit is more resistive and corresponds to the bedrock. Significant amounts of pyrite, sphalerite, and galena were found both in tailings and riverbed sediments. The geochemical composition of borehole samples from the riverbed materials shows significantly high contents of As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn being released to the environment. Mining works have modified the natural landscape near La Unión town. Surface extraction in three open-pit mines have changed the summits of Sierra de Cartagena–La Unión. Rock and metallurgical wastes have altered the drainage pattern and buried the headwaters of ephemeral channels. The environmental hazards require remediation to minimize the environmental impact on the Mar Menor coastal lagoon, one of the most touristic areas in SE Spain.
Exploiting Earth Observation Data to Impute Groundwater Level Measurements with an Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Evans Steven , Williams Gustavious P. , Jones Norman L. , Ames Daniel P. , Nelson E. James
Published: June 2020

Groundwater resources are expensive to develop and use; they are difficult to monitor and data collected from monitoring wells are often sporadic, often only available at irregular, infrequent, or brief intervals. Groundwater managers require an accurate understanding of historic groundwater storage trends to effectively manage groundwater resources, however, most if not all well records contain periods of missing data. To understand long-term trends, these missing data need to be imputed before trend analysis. We present a method to impute missing data at single wells, by exploiting data generated from Earth observations that are available globally. We use two soil moisture models, the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) model and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC) soil moisture model to impute the missing data. Our imputation method uses a machine learning technique called Extreme Learning Machine (ELM). Our implementation uses 11 input data-streams, all based on Earth observation data. We train and apply the model one well at a time. We selected ELM because it is a single hidden layer feedforward model that can be trained quickly on minimal data. We tested the ELM method using data from monitoring wells in the Cedar Valley and Beryl-Enterprise areas in southwest Utah, USA. We compute error estimates for the imputed data and show that ELM-computed estimates were more accurate than Kriging estimates. This ELM-based data imputation method can be used to impute missing data at wells. These complete time series can be used improve the accuracy of aquifer groundwater elevation maps in areas where in-situ well measurements are sparse, resulting in more accurate spatial estimates of the groundwater surface. The data we use are available globally from 1950 to the present, so this method can be used anywhere in the world.
Machine Learning for Tree Species Classification Using Sentinel-2 Spectral Information, Crown Texture, and Environmental Variables
Authors: Lim Joongbin , Kim Kyoung-Min , Kim Eun-Hee , Jin Ri
Published: June 2020

The most recent forest-type map of the Korean Peninsula was produced in 1910. That of South Korea alone was produced since 1972; however, the forest type information of North Korea, which is an inaccessible region, is not known due to the separation after the Korean War. In this study, we developed a model to classify the five dominant tree species in North Korea (Korean red pine, Korean pine, Japanese larch, needle fir, and Oak) using satellite data and machine-learning techniques. The model was applied to the Gwangneung Forest area in South Korea; the Mt. Baekdu area of China, which borders North Korea; and to Goseong-gun, at the border of South Korea and North Korea, to evaluate the model’s applicability to North Korea. Eighty-three percent accuracy was achieved in the classification of the Gwangneung Forest area. In classifying forest types in the Mt. Baekdu area and Goseong-gun, even higher accuracies of 91% and 90% were achieved, respectively. These results confirm the model’s regional applicability. To expand the model for application to North Korea, a new model was developed by integrating training data from the three study areas. The integrated model’s classification of forest types in Goseong-gun (South Korea) was relatively accurate (80%); thus, the model was utilized to produce a map of the predicted dominant tree species in Goseong-gun (North Korea).
Characterization of Low-Cost Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensors for IoT Networks
Authors: Placidi Pisana , Gasperini Laura , Grassi Alessandro , Cecconi Manuela , Scorzoni Andrea
Published: June 2020

The rapid development and wide application of the IoT (Internet of Things) has pushed toward the improvement of current practices in greenhouse technology and agriculture in general, through automation and informatization. The experimental and accurate determination of soil moisture is a matter of great importance in different scientific fields, such as agronomy, soil physics, geology, hydraulics, and soil mechanics. This paper focuses on the experimental characterization of a commercial low-cost “capacitive” coplanar soil moisture sensor that can be housed in distributed nodes for IoT applications. It is shown that at least for a well-defined type of soil with a constant solid matter to volume ratio, this type of capacitive sensor yields a reliable relationship between output voltage and gravimetric water content.
In-Situ Measurement of Fresh Produce Respiration Using a Modular Sensor-Based System
Authors: Keshri Nandita , Truppel Ingo , Herppich Werner B. , Geyer Martin , Weltzien Cornelia , Mahajan Pramod V.
Published: June 2020

In situ, continuous and real-time monitoring of respiration (R) and respiratory quotient (RQ) are crucial for identifying the optimal conditions for the long-term storage of fresh produce. This study reports the application of a gas sensor (RMS88) and a modular respirometer for in situ real-time monitoring of gas concentrations and respiration rates of strawberries during storage in a lab-scale controlled atmosphere chamber (190 L) and of Pinova apples in a commercial storage facility (170 t). The RMS88 consisted of wireless O2 (0% to 25%) and CO2 sensors (0% to 0.5% and 0% to 5%). The modular respirometer (3.3 L for strawberries and 7.4 L for apples) consisted of a leak-proof arrangement with a water-containing base plate and a glass jar on top. Gas concentrations were continuously recorded by the RMS88 at regular intervals of 1 min for strawberries and 5 min for apples and, in real-time, transferred to a terminal program to calculate respiration rates ( R O 2 and R CO 2 ) and RQ. Respiration measurement was done in cycles of flushing and measurement period. A respiration measurement cycle with a measurement period of 2 h up to 3 h was shown to be useful for strawberries under air at 10 °C. The start of anaerobic respiration of strawberries due to low O2 concentration (1%) could be recorded in real-time. R O 2 and R CO 2 of Pinova apples were recorded every 5 min during storage and mean values of 1.6 and 2.7 mL kg−1 h−1, respectively, were obtained when controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions (2% O2, 1.3% CO2 and 2 °C) were established. The modular respirometer was found to be useful for in situ real-time monitoring of respiration rate during storage of fresh produce and offers great potential to be incorporated into RQ-based dynamic CA storage system.
A Low-Cost, Disposable and Portable Inkjet-Printed Biochip for the Developing World
Authors: Joshi Kushal , Velasco Vanessa , Esfandyarpour Rahim
Published: June 2020

Electrowetting on dielectric-based digital microfluidic platforms (EWOD-DMF) have a potential to impact point-of-care diagnostics. Conventionally, EWOD-DMF platforms are manufactured in cleanrooms by expert technicians using costly and time consuming micro-nanofabrication processes such as optical lithography, depositions and etching. However, such high-end microfabrication facilities are extremely challenging to establish in resource-poor and low-income countries, due to their high capital investment and operating costs. This makes the fabrication of EWOD-DMF platforms extremely challenging in low-income countries, where such platforms are most needed for many applications such as point-of-care testing applications. To address this challenge, we present a low-cost and simple fabrication procedure for EWOD-DMF electrode arrays, which can be performed anywhere with a commercial office inkjet printer without the need of expensive cleanroom facilities. We demonstrate the utility of our platform to move and mix droplets of different reagents and physiologically conductive buffers, thereby showing its capability to potentially perform a variety of biochemical assays. By combining our low-cost, inkjet-printed EWOD-DMF platform with smartphone imaging technology and a compact control system for droplet manipulation, we also demonstrate a portable and hand-held device which can be programmed to potentially perform a variety of biochemical assays.
Performance Assessment of Thermal Infrared Cameras of Different Resolutions to Estimate Tree Water Status from Two Cherry Cultivars: An Alternative to Midday Stem Water Potential and Stomatal Conductance
Authors: Carrasco-Benavides Marcos , Antunez-Quilobrán Javiera , Baffico-Hernández Antonella , Ávila-Sánchez Carlos , Ortega-Farías Samuel , Espinoza Sergio , Gajardo John , Mora Marco , Fuentes Sigfredo
Published: June 2020

The midday stem water potential (Ψs) and stomatal conductance (gs) have been traditionally used to monitor the water status of cherry trees (Prunus avium L.). Due to the complexity of direct measurement, the use of infrared thermography has been proposed as an alternative. This study compares Ψs and gs against crop water stress indexes (CWSI) calculated from thermal infrared (TIR) data from high-resolution (HR) and low-resolution (LR) cameras for two cherry tree cultivars: ‘Regina’ and ‘Sweetheart’. For this purpose, a water stress–recovery cycle experiment was carried out at the post-harvest period in a commercial drip-irrigated cherry tree orchard under three irrigation treatments based on Ψs levels. The water status of trees was measured weekly using Ψs, gs, and compared to CWSIs, computed from both thermal cameras. Results showed that the accuracy in the estimation of CWSIs was not statistically significant when comparing both cameras for the representation of Ψs and gs in both cultivars. The performance of all evaluated physiological indicators presented similar trends for both cultivars, and the averaged differences between CWSI’s from both cameras were 11 ± 0.27%. However, these CWSI’s were not able to detect differences among irrigation treatments as compared to Ψs and gs.
Recommendation of Workplaces in a Coworking Building: A Cyber-Physical Approach Supported by a Context-Aware Multi-Agent System
Authors: Gomes Luis , Almeida Carlos , Vale Zita
Published: June 2020

Recommender systems are able to suggest the most suitable items to a given user, taking into account the user’s and item`s data. Currently, these systems are offered almost everywhere in the online world, such as in e-commerce websites, newsletters, or video platforms. To improve recommendations, the user’s context should be considered to provide more accurate algorithms able to achieve higher payoffs. In this paper, we propose a pre-filtering recommendation system that considers the context of a coworking building and suggests the best workplaces to a user. A cyber-physical context-aware multi-agent system is used to monitor the building and feed the pre-filtering process using fuzzy logic. Recommendations are made by a multi-armed bandit algorithm, using ϵ -greedy and upper confidence bound methods. The paper presents the main results of simulations for one, two, three, and five years to illustrate the use of the proposed system.
Secular Trends in the Achievement of Physical Activity Guidelines: Indicator of Sustainability of Healthy Lifestyle in Czech Adolescents
Authors: Mitáš Josef , Frömel Karel , Valach Petr , Suchomel Aleš , Vorlíček Michal , Groffik Dorota
Published: June 2020

(1) Background: The increasing socio-economic and educational demands on adolescents should be reflected in their lifestyles accordingly. The aim of the study was therefore to identify the trends in the achievement of physical activity (PA) guidelines by Czech adolescents through objective and subjective PA monitoring. (2) Methods: The research was carried out between 2010 and 2017 and involved 49 secondary schools, 2 higher vocational schools, and 8 universities in the Czech Republic. In total, the projects involved 1129 girls and 779 boys. PA monitoring was performed by Yamax SW-700 pedometers and IPAQ-long questionnaires. (3) Results: The results according to the average number of steps/day confirm a decrease in the amount of PA in boys and girls and in the achievement of the recommended 11,000 steps/day. However, the estimates of meeting the recommended weekly PA expressed as MET-min/week based on the IPAQ-long questionnaire are not so convincing about the decrease. (4) Conclusions: The combination of objective monitoring of weekly PA using wearables and subjective estimates of weekly PA using a questionnaire regarding the ease of application, appears to be a sufficient indicator of the status of and trend in PA and thus the sustainability of a healthy lifestyle in youths.
KPIs Reporting and Financial Performance in the Transition to Mandatory Disclosure: The Case of Italy
Authors: Loprevite Salvatore , Raucci Domenico , Rupo Daniela
Published: June 2020

European companies of public interest requested to comply with the Directive 2014/95/EU on Non-Financial Information (NFI) are allowed to fulfil the regulatory obligation following the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, which constitute at present the most widely spread framework for sustainability reporting. Given such prevalence, this paper examines the level of disclosure on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and its relationship with financial performance over the period 2016–2018 for Italian-listed companies adopting GRI guidelines to convey NFI under the Decree 254/2016. The research applies content analysis of the annual and sustainability reports to measure the disclosure index on KPIs, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to estimate the financial performance. A Tobit-regression model explores the nexus between financial performance and companies’ disclosure. Findings show a decrease in the disclosure levels in the early adoption of mandatory NFI and a significant association with the financial performance of the sampled companies. The study, assuming a comprehensive view of the financial indicators, improves our knowledge of the relationship between sustainability disclosure and financial performance and adds to the literature on the evolution of NFI in the transition from voluntary to mandatory regime.
Differential Growth Characteristics of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Kidney Cells of Human and Bovine Origin
Authors: Földes Katalin , Aligholipour Farzani Touraj , Ergünay Koray , Ozkul Aykut
Published: June 2020

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) causes a lethal tick-borne zoonotic disease with severe clinical manifestation in humans but does not produce symptomatic disease in wild or domestic animals. The factors contributing to differential outcomes of infection between species are not yet understood. Since CCHFV is known to have tropism to kidney tissue and cattle play an important role as an amplifying host for CCHFV, in this study, we assessed in vitro cell susceptibility to CCHFV infection in immortalized and primary kidney and adrenal gland cell lines of human and bovine origin. Based on our indirect fluorescent focus assay (IFFA), we suggest a cell-to-cell CCHF viral spread process in bovine kidney cells but not in human cells. Over the course of seven days post-infection (dpi), infected bovine kidney cells are found in restricted islet-like areas. In contrast, three dpi infected human kidney or adrenal cells were noted in areas distant from one another yet progressed to up to 100% infection of the monolayer. Pronounced CCHFV replication, measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) of both intra- and extracellular viral RNA, was documented only in human kidney cells, supporting restrictive infection in cells of bovine origin. To further investigate the differences, lactate dehydrogenase activity and cytopathic effects were measured at different time points in all mentioned cells. In vitro assays indicated that CCHFV infection affects human and bovine kidney cells differently, where human cell lines seem to be markedly permissive. This is the initial reporting of CCHFV susceptibility and replication patterns in bovine cells and the first report to compare human and animal cell permissiveness in vitro. Further investigations will help to understand the impact of different cell types of various origins on the virus–host interaction.
Analysing Irrigation Farmers’ Preferences for Local Governance Using a Discrete Choice Experiment in India and Pakistan
Authors: Burton Michael , Cooper Bethany , Crase Lin
Published: June 2020

This paper reports the results of an investigation into the preferences of irrigation farmers for different payment apparatus for irrigation fees. We also report the results of a study that queried farmers’ preferred model for water governance at a local level. The results and analysis thus make an important contribution to the debate about how participatory irrigation might operate more effectively, especially in India and Pakistan. The rationale for this study is that aligning the payment mechanisms and local water governance more closely with farmer preferences is likely to reduce the barriers to accepting participatory irrigation and the requirement to pay water charges. To the knowledge of the authors, no other study has specifically addressed this issue by seeking direct feedback from farmers.
Assessing the Fish Stock Status in Lake Trichonis: A Hydroacoustic Approach
Authors: Perivolioti Triantafyllia-Maria , Frouzova Jaroslava , Tušer Michal , Bobori Dimitra
Published: June 2020

Fish stock monitoring is an important element for the sustainable management of inland water resources. A scarcity of data and the lack of systematic monitoring for Lake Trichonis precludes an up-to-date assessment. To assess the current status of pelagic fish stock, a hydroacousting survey was conducted for the first time in Lake Trichonis, Greece. In October 2019, the lake was acoustically surveyed with two, horizontally and vertically mounted, 120 kHz transducers during day and night. A decreasing gradient in pelagic fish density from the western to the eastern shores of the lake was observed. Fish density was significantly higher in the intermediate layers of the water column, in the eastern region, compared to the western region. The lake appears to host primarily communities of small-sized fish (TL: 0–5 cm), whereas larger fish (TL: 5–50 cm) are a small minority of the total fish stock. The overall average estimated fish length was approximately 2.4 cm. The adoption of routine inland fish stock monitoring through hydroacoustic methods could be a promising step in the effort to improve the understanding of unique inland water ecosystems with minimum impact on endemic species, as well as to mitigate human impact and achieve long-term sustainable management.
Publisher’s Note on World and Sustainability
Authors: Lin Shu-Kun
Published: June 2020

MDPI provides conferencing services based on our sciforum [...]
The World after COVID
Authors: Bergman Manfred Max
Published: June 2020

Oh, wonder! [...]
PECULIARITIES OF USING SOCIOLOGICAL INTERVIEWS IN CARRYING OUT FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS IN THE FIELD OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Authors: Holova I.
Published: June 2020

The article provides materials regarding the peculiarities of the use of opinion polls in conducting forensic examinations in the field of intellectual property.

It should be noted that when conducting research in order to answer the question about the possibility of misleading consumers, and the presence of reports on conducted sociological surveys in the case materials, it is advisable for experts to analyze the following factors:

– compliance with the target audience, which was studied during a sociological survey, the target audience of the objects of study;

– the correctness of the data and information used in the sociological survey;

– the conformity of the questions submitted to the sociological survey with its goals and the questions of examination.