bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adolescents’ Peer Friendship and Anxiety and Depression among First-Generation Immigrant BAME Families in the UK
Authors: Du Juan , Field Andy P.
Published: June 2020

There is equivocal evidence on how being a child in a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) immigrant family affects internalizing symptoms such as anxiety. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between peer friendships and anxiety/depression symptoms in BAME immigrant adolescents (IA) and white native adolescents (WNA). Method: Sixty-two adolescents from the UK (IA = 26, WNA = 36, mean age = 14 years) were assessed on close friendship, social competence, social anxiety, and depression. Immigrant family parents (n = 23) were also assessed on cultural orientation. There were no significant differences in anxiety and depression between groups. Bayes factors supported the conclusion that the groups did not differ. However, IA and WNA groups had different patterns of associations between close friendship/social competence and anxiety and depression symptoms. Close friendships were more strongly associated with lower anxiety/depression in IAs than WNAs, and social competence was more strongly associated with lower anxiety/depression in WNAs than IAs. Moderation analyses indicated that the relationship between close friendship and social and separation anxiety was significantly moderated by ethnic group, as was the relationship between social competence and generalized anxiety. The findings suggest that social and separation anxiety are more strongly associated with close friendships for BAME immigrant children than for non-immigrant adolescents. As such, activities that help BAME immigrant children to foster close relationships may have positive effects on their well-being.
Viticulture in the Laetanian Region (Spain) during the Roman Period: Predictive Modelling and Geomatic Analysis
Authors: Stubert Lisa , Martín i Oliveras Antoni , Märker Michael , Schernthanner Harald , Vogel Sebastian
Published: June 2020

Geographic information system (GIS)-based predictive modelling is widely used in archaeology to identify suitable zones for ancient settlement locations and determine underlying factors of their distribution. In this study, we developed predictive models on Roman viticulture in the Laetanian Region (Hispania Citerior-Tarraconensis), using the location of 82 ancient wine-pressing facilities or torcularia as response variables and 15 topographical and 6 socio-economic cost distance datasets as predictor variables. Several predictor variable subsets were selected either by expert knowledge of similar studies or by using a semi-automatization algorithm based on statistical distribution metrics of the input data. The latter aims at simplifying modelling and minimizing the necessity of a priori knowledge. Both approaches predicted the distribution of archeological sites sufficiently well. However, the best prediction performance was obtained by an expert knowledge model utilizing a predictor variable combination based on recommendations on viticulture by Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella, the prominent ancient Roman agronomist. The results indicate that the accessibility of a location and its connectivity to trade routes and distribution centres, determined by terrain steepness, was decisive for the settlement of viticultural facilities. With the knowledge gained, the ancient cultivated area and number of wine-pressing facilities needed for processing the vineyard yields were extrapolated for the entire study region.
State of the Art of Geodiversity, Geoconservation, and Geotourism in Costa Rica
Authors: Quesada-Román Adolfo , Pérez-Umaña Dennis
Published: June 2020

Over the last decades, Costa Rica became established as a world-leading ecotourism destination due to its environmental policies and environmental awareness. The country is located in a dynamic region where the combination of tectonics and volcanism, and tropical climate and vegetation have molded its landscapes. Our aim is to carry out a review of the geodiversity, geoconservation, and geotourism status in Costa Rica. We analyzed different geomorphic environments (volcanic, coastal, karstic, glacial, and fluvial), prospecting the importance of environmental policies and the Conservation Areas National System for the promotion of national geoheritage through geotourism. Our results are critical for the promotion of geosciences to the wider public throughout geotourism and conservation decision-makers. In dynamic, geomorphic, tropical, and developing countries with strong anthropic pressures over their geo- and biodiversity, geoheritage studies might be a priority for increasing their revenues through geotourism and reducing the pressure on their natural resources.
Apparent Disparities in Hospital Admission and Biologic Use in the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease between 2014–2018 in Some Black and Ethnic Minority (BEM) Populations in England
Authors: Farrukh Affifa , Mayberry John
Published: June 2020

Discrimination in delivery of care to patients with inflammatory bowel disease has been reported in the UK with regards to the South Asian population. This paper explores whether it is also true for Afro-Caribbean and Eastern European migrant workers. Treatment was investigated in NHS trusts, which served substantial migrant and minority communities, through Freedom of Information requests for data on use of biologics or hospital admissions over a five year period. In Bristol, Nottingham, Derby and Burton, Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust in Harlow, Essex and Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in South London Afro-Caribbean patients were treated significantly less often than White British patients. Eastern European migrant workers, were admitted significantly less often in Croydon, and the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in Essex. However, there was no evidence of barriers to access for these communities in Wye Valley Trust, University Hospitals of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust or Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn. In North West Anglia both South Asian and Eastern European patients were significantly less likely to be admitted to hospital than members of the White British community. It is incumbent on all gastroenterologists to consider their own clinical practice and encourage their hospital units to adopt effective policies which remove discriminatory barriers to good quality care.
Challenges for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), from Waterlogged and Weathered Stone Materials to Conservation Strategies: An Overview
Authors: Ricca Michela , La Russa Mauro Francesco
Published: June 2020

Despite the growing attention to Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) in Europe and worldwide, the efforts in wholly enjoying underwater archaeological assets and sites are still remarkable; hence, the need for innovative research and solutions that are suitable for raising knowledge on the subject. In this way, this paper wants to be a review for highlighting all of the developments, potentials, and results achieved in the last decade to reach a good protection of UCHs related to the study of stone materials, degradation processes, and the new methods for protection/consolidation directly in situ. The present work is focused on the analysis of the main results obtained from several studies conducted to date, providing additional guidelines for operators in the UCH sector (i.e., restorers, archaeologists, conservation scientists, geologists, etc.). Such guidelines will be a very useful key factor in enhancing knowledge, management, protection, and promotion of underwater sites. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the state of the art on both consolidated techniques for studying materials coming from seawater and innovations in the field of protection and consolidation of UCH against biofouling, the main cause of damage in underwater environments.
Making Space for Heritage: Collaboration, Sustainability, and Education in a Creole Community Archaeology Museum in Northern Belize
Authors: Harrison-Buck Eleanor , Clarke-Vivier Sara
Published: June 2020

Working with local partners, we developed an archaeology museum in the Creole community of Crooked Tree in the Maya lowlands of northern Belize. This community museum presents the deep history of human–environment interaction in the lower Belize River Watershed, which includes a wealth of ancient Maya sites and, as the birthplace of Creole culture, a rich repository of historical archaeology and oral history. The Creole are descendants of Europeans and enslaved Africans brought to Belize—a former British colony—for logging in the colonial period. Belizean history in schools focuses heavily on the ancient Maya, which is well documented archaeologically, but Creole history and culture remain largely undocumented and make up only a small component of the social studies curriculum. The development of a community archaeology museum in Crooked Tree aims to address this blind spot. We discuss how cultural sustainability, collaborative partnerships, and the role of education have shaped this heritage-oriented project. Working with local teachers, we produced exhibit content that augments the national social studies curriculum. Archaeology and museum education offer object-based learning geared for school-age children and provide a powerful means of promoting cultural vitality, and a more inclusive consideration of Belizean history and cultural heritage practices and perspectives.
Early Feminizing Genitoplasty in Girls with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)—Analysis of Unified Surgical Management
Authors: Kudela Grzegorz , Gawlik Aneta , Koszutski Tomasz
Published: June 2020

Aim: To analyze a single-centre experience in feminizing genitoplasty in virilized girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Methods: Review of medical records of all 46, XX CAH patients undergoing single stage feminizing genitoplasty between 2003 and 2018 was performed. Results: A total of 31 girls aged from 4 months to 10 years were included in the study. The majority (n = 26/31, 84%) were operated before 2 years of age (median 8 months). External virilization was rated as Prader 3 (n = 7/31), Prader 4 (n = 21/31) and Prader 5 (n = 3/31). The urethrovaginal confluence location was low in 19 and high in 12 girls with a percentage distribution similar in Prader 4 and 5 (p > 0.05) but significantly different in Prader 3 (p = 0.017). The follow-up ranged from 12 months to 15 years. All parents assessed the cosmetic result as satisfactory. Perioperative complications occurred in two patients and included rectal injury (n = 1/31) and prolonged bleeding (n = 1/31). Three patients developed late complications including labial atheromas (n = 2/31) and vaginal stricture requiring surgical dilatation (n = 1/31). Low confluence did not decrease the risk of complications. Conclusions: Early feminizing genitoplasty in girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, irrespective of virilization severity, gives satisfactory cosmetic results and is characterized by low and acceptable surgical risk. Nevertheless, the most important determinant of the effectiveness of such management would be future patients’ satisfaction.
COVID-19 Emergence and Social and Health Determinants in Colorado: A Rapid Spatial Analysis
Authors: Ramírez Ivan J. , Lee Jieun
Published: June 2020

The aim of this rapid analysis was to investigate the spatial patterns of COVID-19 emergence across counties in Colorado. In the U.S. West, Colorado has the second highest number of cases and deaths, second only to California. Colorado is also reporting, like other states, that communities of color and low-income persons are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Using GIS and correlation analysis, this study explored COVID-19 incidence and deaths from March 14 to April 8, 2020, with social determinants and chronic conditions. Preliminary results demonstrate that COVID-19 incidence intensified in mountain communities west of Denver and along the Urban Front Range, and evolved into new centers of risk in eastern Colorado. Overall, the greatest increase in COVID-19 incidence was in northern Colorado, i.e., Weld County, which reported the highest rates in the Urban Front Range. Social and health determinants associated with higher COVID-19-related deaths were population density and asthma, indicative of urban areas, and poverty and unemployment, suggestive of rural areas. Furthermore, a spatial overlap of high rates of chronic diseases with high rates of COVID-19 may suggest a broader syndemic health burden, where comorbidities intersect with inequality of social determinants of health.
Review of Initiatives and Methodologies to Reduce CO2 Emissions and Climate Change Effects in Ports
Authors: Azarkamand Sahar , Wooldridge Chris , Darbra R. M.
Published: June 2020

Ports are important infrastructures for economic growth and development. Among the most significant environmental aspects of ports that contribute to the issue of climate change are those due to carbon dioxide emissions generated by port activities. Given the importance of this topic, this paper gathers initiatives and methodologies that have been undertaken to calculate and reduce CO2 emissions and climate change effects in ports. After studying these methodologies, their strengths and opportunities for further enhancement have been analyzed. The results show that, in recent years, several ports have started to calculate their carbon footprint and report it. However, in some of the cases, not all the sources of GHG gases that are occurring actually in ports are taken into account, such as emissions from waste treatment operations and employees’ commuting. On other occasions, scopes are not defined following standard guidelines. Furthermore, each authority or operator uses its own method to calculate CO2 emissions, which makes the comparison of results difficult. For these reasons, this paper suggests the need for creating a standardized tool to calculate carbon footprint in ports, which will make it possible to establish a benchmark and a potential comparison of results among ports.
Tibial Nerve Block: Supramalleolar or Retromalleolar Approach? A Randomized Trial in 110 Participants
Authors: Benimeli-Fenollar María , Montiel-Company José M. , Almerich-Silla José M. , Cibrián Rosa , Macián-Romero Cecili
Published: June 2020

Of the five nerves that innervate the foot, the one in which anesthetic blocking presents the greatest difficulty is the tibial nerve. The aim of this clinical trial was to establish a protocol for two tibial nerve block anesthetic techniques to later compare the anesthetic efficiency of retromalleolar blocking and supramalleolar blocking in order to ascertain whether the supramalleolar approach achieved a higher effective blocking rate. A total of 110 tibial nerve blocks were performed. Location of the injection site was based on a prior ultrasound assessment of the tibial nerve. The block administered was 3 mL of 2% mepivacaine. The two anesthetic techniques under study provided very similar clinical results. The tibial nerve success rate was 81.8% for the retromalleolar technique and 78.2% for the supramalleolar technique. No significant differences in absolute latency time (p = 0.287), percentage of effective nerve blocks (p = 0.634), anesthetic block duration (p = 0.895), or pain level during puncture (p = 0.847) were found between the two techniques. The greater ease in locating the tibial nerve at the retromalleolar approach could suggest that this is the technique of choice for tibial nerve blocking, especially in the case of professionals new to the field. The supramalleolar technique could be worth considering for those more experienced professionals.
Exercise-Induced Circulating Irisin Level Is Correlated with Improved Cardiac Function in Rats
Authors: Seo Dae Yun , Bae Jun Hyun , Kim Tae Nyun , Kwak Hyo-Bum , Kha Pham Trong , Han Jin
Published: June 2020

Irisin, a recently identified myokine, plays an important physiological role in modulating energy homeostasis. However, the role of irisin in cardiac function during exercise has not been evaluated. In this study, we investigated the effect of exercise on irisin, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and cardiac function during 12 weeks of exercise in rats. Eight-week-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into two groups (n = 9 per group): sedentary control (CON) and exercise (EXE) groups. The EXE group was trained on a motorized treadmill at 20 m/min, for 60 min/day, five times/week for 12 weeks. The EXE group showed a decrease in abdominal visceral fat (p < 0.05), epididymal fat (p < 0.01), and total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.05) and an increase in irisin levels (p < 0.01). Irisin negatively correlated with abdominal visceral (p < 0.05) and epididymal fat (p < 0.05) and positively correlated with the ejection fraction (p < 0.05), fractional shortening (p < 0.05), and cardiac output (p < 0.05). In conclusion, exercise decreases the abdominal visceral and epididymal fat and TC levels, possibly caused by elevated irisin levels, thus improving the cardiac function. This suggests that exercise-induced circulating irisin levels correlate with improved cardiac function in rats.
Quality of Life of People with Severe Mental Health Problems: Testing an Interactive Model
Authors: Geerts Karen , Bongers Ilja , Buitenweg David , van Nieuwenhuizen Chijs
Published: June 2020

Improvement of subjective quality of life (QoL) is seen as an important treatment outcome in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to test the theoretical model of Cummins, which includes a homeostatic management system. According to this model, objective variables are almost irrelevant to general well-being, while the feeling of having an influence on one’s circumstances (perceived deficit) is related to subjective QoL. The variables of the Cummins model were operationalised based on the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile, a structured interview to assess the subjective QoL of people with severe mental health problems. The Cummins model was tested using structural equation modelling and a mediator model between Objective QoL, Subjective QoL and Perceived Deficit. Subjective QoL and General Well-Being were significantly related and having a meaningful perspective in life was related to General Well-Being. Contrary to the Cummins model, both Objective QoL and Perceived Deficit had a significant relation to Subjective QoL and Perceived Deficit was a partial mediator between Objective QoL and Subjective QoL. Cummins’ theoretical model was partially confirmed. The current study suggests that meaningful (treatment) evaluation of subjective QoL can only be performed if objective QoL, General Well-Being and subjective evaluation (Perceived Deficit and Framework) are taken into account.
Sociodemographic Predictors of Health Risk Perception, Attitude and Behavior Practices Associated with Health-Emergency Disaster Risk Management for Biological Hazards: The Case of COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong, SAR China
Authors: Chan Emily Ying Yang , Huang Zhe , Lo Eugene Siu Kai , Hung Kevin Kei Ching , Wong Eliza Lai Yi , Wong Samuel Yeung Shan
Published: June 2020

In addition to top-down Health-Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM) efforts, bottom-up individual and household measures are crucial for prevention and emergency response of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). There is limited scientific evidence of the knowledge, perception, attitude and behavior patterns of the urban population. A computerized randomized digital dialing, cross-sectional, population landline-based telephone survey was conducted from 22 March to 1 April 2020 in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Data were collected for socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and risk perception, and various self-reported Health-EDRM behavior patterns associated with COVID-19. The final study sample was 765. Although the respondents thought that individuals (68.6%) had similar responsibilities as government (67.5%) in infection control, less than 50% had sufficient health risk management knowledge to safeguard health and well-being. Among the examined Health-EDRM measures, significant differences were found between attitude and practice in regards to washing hands with soap, ordering takeaways, wearing masks, avoidance of visiting public places or using public transport, and travel avoidance to COVID-19-confirmed regions. Logistic regression indicated that the elderly were less likely to worry about infection with COVID-19. Compared to personal and household hygiene practices, lower compliance was found for public social distancing.
Assessment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Carrier Status by Determining SMN1 Copy Number Using Dried Blood Spots
Authors: Wijaya Yogik Onky Silvana , Purevsuren Jamiyan , Harahap Nur Imma Fatimah , Niba Emma Tabe Eko , Bouike Yoshihiro , Nurputra Dian Kesumapramudya , Rochmah Mawaddah Ar , Thursina Cempaka , Hapsara Sunartini , Yamaguchi Seiji , Nishio Hisahide , Shinohara Masakazu
Published: June 2020

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common neuromuscular disease with autosomal recessive inheritance. The disease gene, SMN1, is homozygously deleted in 95% of SMA patients. Although SMA has been an incurable disease, treatment in infancy with newly developed drugs has dramatically improved the disease severity. Thus, there is a strong rationale for newborn and carrier screening for SMA, although implementing SMA carrier screening in the general population is controversial. We previously developed a simple, accurate newborn SMA screening system to detect homozygous SMN1 deletions using dried blood spots (DBS) on filter paper. Here, we modified our previous system to detect the heterozygous deletions of SMN1, which indicates SMA carrier status. The system involves a calibrator-normalized relative quantification method using quantitative nested PCR technology. Our system clearly separated the DBS samples with one SMN1 copy (carrier status with a heterozygous deletion of SMN1) from the DBS samples with two SMN1 copies (non-carrier status with no deletion of SMN1). We also analyzed DBS samples from SMA families, confirmed SMA in the affected children, and determined the carrier status of their parents based on the SMN1 copy number. In conclusion, our system will provide essential information for risk assessment and genetic counseling, at least for SMA families.
A Visit with Dr. Louis Woolf, Recognizing His 100th Birthday and His Contributions to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Phenylketonuria
Authors: Howell R. Rodney , Sinclair Graham
Published: June 2020

One of the most dramatic discoveries in metabolic disease research was that of Ashbørn Følling, who in 1934, published his research outlining unusual biochemical findings in a set of siblings with severe developmental delay [...]
Forecasting Net Income Estimate and Stock Price Using Text Mining from Economic Reports
Authors: Suzuki Masahiro , Sakaji Hiroki , Izumi Kiyoshi , Matsushima Hiroyasu , Ishikawa Yasushi
Published: June 2020

This paper proposes and analyzes a methodology of forecasting movements of the analysts’ net income estimates and those of stock prices. We achieve this by applying natural language processing and neural networks in the context of analyst reports. In the pre-experiment, we applied our method to extract opinion sentences from the analyst report while classifying the remaining parts as non-opinion sentences. Then, we performed two additional experiments. First, we employed our proposed method for forecasting the movements of analysts’ net income estimates by inputting the opinion and non-opinion sentences into separate neural networks. Besides the reports, we inputted the trend of the net income estimate to the networks. Second, we employed our proposed method for forecasting the movements of stock prices. Consequently, we found differences between security firms, which depend on whether analysts’ net income estimates tend to be forecasted by opinions or facts in the context of analyst reports. Furthermore, the trend of the net income estimate was found to be effective for the forecast as well as an analyst report. However, in experiments of forecasting movements of stock prices, the difference between opinion sentences and non-opinion sentences was not effective.
A Method of Personalized Driving Decision for Smart Car Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Wang Xinpeng , Wu Chaozhong , Xue Jie , Chen Zhijun
Published: June 2020

To date, automatic driving technology has become a hotspot in academia. It is necessary to provide a personalization of automatic driving decision for each passenger. The purpose of this paper is to propose a self-learning method for personalized driving decisions. First, collect and analyze driving data from different drivers to set learning goals. Then, Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient algorithm is utilized to design a driving decision system. Furthermore, personalized factors are introduced for some observed parameters to build a personalized driving decision model. Finally, compare the proposed method with classic Deep Reinforcement Learning algorithms. The results show that the performance of the personalized driving decision model is better than the classic algorithms, and it is similar to the manual driving situation. Therefore, the proposed model can effectively learn the human-like personalized driving decisions of different drivers for structured road. Based on this model, the smart car can accomplish personalized driving.
Remote Eye-Tracking for Cognitive Telerehabilitation and Interactive School Tasks in Times of COVID-19
Authors: Iannizzotto Giancarlo , Nucita Andrea , Fabio Rosa Angela , Caprì Tindara , Lo Bello Lucia
Published: June 2020

In the attempt to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 lockdown, most countries have recently authorized and promoted the adoption of e-learning and remote teaching technologies, often with the support of teleconferencing platforms. Unfortunately, not all students can benefit from the adoption of such a surrogate of their usual school. We were asked to devise a way to allow a community of children affected by the Rett genetic syndrome, and thus unable to communicate verbally, in writing or by gestures, to actively participate in remote rehabilitation and special education sessions by exploiting eye-gaze tracking. As not all subjects can access commercial eye-tracking devices, we investigated new ways to facilitate the access to eye gaze-based interaction for this specific case. The adopted communication platform is a videoconferencing software, so all we had at our disposal was a live video stream of the child. As a solution to the problem, we developed a software (named SWYG) that only runs at the “operator” side of the communication, at the side of the videoconferencing software, and does not require to install other software in the child’s computer. The preliminary results obtained are very promising and the software is ready to be deployed on a larger base. While this paper is being written, several children are finally able to communicate with their caregivers from home, without relying on expensive and cumbersome devices.
Machine Learning for Identifying Medication-Associated Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Abdullah Sheikh S. , Rostamzadeh Neda , Sedig Kamran , Lizotte Daniel J. , Garg Amit X. , McArthur Eric
Published: June 2020

One of the prominent problems in clinical medicine is medication-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Avoiding this problem can prevent patient harm and reduce healthcare expenditures. Several researches have been conducted to identify AKI-associated medications using statistical, data mining, and machine learning techniques. However, these studies are limited to assessing the impact of known nephrotoxic medications and do not comprehensively explore the relationship between medication combinations and AKI. In this paper, we present a population-based retrospective cohort study that employs automated data analysis techniques to identify medications and medication combinations that are associated with a higher risk of AKI. By integrating multivariable logistic regression, frequent itemset mining, and stratified analysis, this study is designed to explore the complex relationships between medications and AKI in such a way that has never been attempted before. Through an analysis of prescription records of one million older patients stored in the healthcare administrative dataset at ICES (an independent, non-profit, world-leading research organization that uses population-based health and social data to produce knowledge on a broad range of healthcare issues), we identified 55 AKI-associated medications among 595 distinct medications and 78 AKI-associated medication combinations among 7748 frequent medication combinations. In addition, through a stratified analysis, we identified 37 cases where a particular medication was associated with increasing the risk of AKI when used with another medication. We have shown that our results are consistent with previous studies through consultation with a nephrologist and an electronic literature search. This research demonstrates how automated analysis techniques can be used to accomplish data-driven tasks using massive clinical datasets.
Control of Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Trialeurodes vaporariorum, with Electron Beam and X-Ray Radiation of Fresh Strawberies for Export
Authors: Cho Sun-Ran , Shin Soeun , Ahn Hyeonmo , Koo Hyun-Na , Kim Yuri , Kim Gil-Hah
Published: June 2020

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch) is one of the representative fresh agricultural products exported overseas from South Korea. The greenhouse whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Trialeurodes vaporariorum, is an economically important insect pest of commercial strawberries in South Korea. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of electron beam and X-ray on the development and reproduction of T. vaporariorum. To determine the radiation dose as a quarantine treatment for strawberry, T. vaporariorum were placed at the top, middle, and bottom location in boxes filled with strawberry fruits and irradiated. Eggs were completely inhibited from hatching at 50 Gy, and adult emergence of 3rd nymphs was completely suppressed at 150 Gy in both electron beam and X-ray. Some adults spawning occurred at 100 Gy. However, F1 hatchability was completely suppressed. The results suggest that T. vaporariorum was the most radiotolerant to both of ionization energy at the nymph stage. The dosimetry results showed that the penetrating power of ionizing radiation in boxes filled with strawberry fruits was the lowest at the bottom location. A treatment dose of 150 Gy is adaptable as a quarantine treatment to T. vaporariorum nymph in strawberry fruit. Our results indicate that ionizing radiation could be recommendable as a phytosanitary treatment for quarantine.
Physicochemical and Bacteriological Quality of Public Swimming Pools in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana
Authors: Mustapha Umar Farouk , Abobi Seth Mensah , Quarcoo Gerard
Published: June 2020

The study focused on the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of public swimming pools in the Tamale Metropolis. Physicochemical properties such as pH, temperature, and conductivity, and bacteria counts—including total coliform, faecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus, and total heterotrophic bacteria—were analyzed for their conformity with required health standards. The results obtained were analyzed using Student t test and compared with World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for safe recreational and drinking water. The highest and the lowest temperatures were recorded in April (32.53 °C) and February (28.16 °C), respectively. The lowest and the highest mean pH values were 4.04 and 6.13, which were below acceptable standards. The conductivity level varied from 469.1563 µS cm−1 to 928.1563 µS cm−1. While the pH did not conform to acceptable standards, temperature and conductivity were within the EPA and/or the WHO acceptable limits. The total coliform (TC) expressed in colony-forming units per 100 mL ranged from 0 to 397 (cfu/100 mL), faecal coliform (FC) 0 to196 cfu/100 mL, E. coli 0 to 52 cfu/100 mL, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) 8 to 27 cfu/100 mL, and Total Heterotrophic Bacteria (THB) 44 to 197 (cfu/mL). TC, FC, E. coli, S. aureus, and THB counts in most of the samples complied with the bacteriological standards. However, the bacterial loads increased and exceeded the WHO and/or EPA standards as the number of bathers increased. Besides, there were positive correlations between physicochemical parameters such as temperature, pH, and bacterial loads. Most parameters studied met the acceptable standards of recreational water stipulated by the WHO and EPA. However, the presence of pathogenic organisms in the recreational waters at any point in time should be treated as a public health concern, and hence a call for routine monitoring and inspection of public swimming pools in the Tamale Metropolis.
Breast Tumor Classification Using an Ensemble Machine Learning Method
Authors: Assiri Adel S. , Nazir Saima , Velastin Sergio A.
Published: June 2020

Breast cancer is the most common cause of death for women worldwide. Thus, the ability of artificial intelligence systems to detect possible breast cancer is very important. In this paper, an ensemble classification mechanism is proposed based on a majority voting mechanism. First, the performance of different state-of-the-art machine learning classification algorithms were evaluated for the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Dataset (WBCD). The three best classifiers were then selected based on their F3 score. F3 score is used to emphasize the importance of false negatives (recall) in breast cancer classification. Then, these three classifiers, simple logistic regression learning, support vector machine learning with stochastic gradient descent optimization and multilayer perceptron network, are used for ensemble classification using a voting mechanism. We also evaluated the performance of hard and soft voting mechanism. For hard voting, majority-based voting mechanism was used and for soft voting we used average of probabilities, product of probabilities, maximum of probabilities and minimum of probabilities-based voting methods. The hard voting (majority-based voting) mechanism shows better performance with 99.42%, as compared to the state-of-the-art algorithm for WBCD.
Detection and Confirmation of Multiple Human Targets Using Pixel-Wise Code Aperture Measurements
Authors: Kwan Chiman , Gribben David , Rangamani Akshay , Tran Trac , Zhang Jack , Etienne-Cummings Ralph
Published: June 2020

Compressive video measurements can save bandwidth and data storage. However, conventional approaches to target detection require the compressive measurements to be reconstructed before any detectors are applied. This is not only time consuming but also may lose information in the reconstruction process. In this paper, we summarized the application of a recent approach to vehicle detection and classification directly in the compressive measurement domain to human targets. The raw videos were collected using a pixel-wise code exposure (PCE) camera, which condensed multiple frames into one frame. A combination of two deep learning-based algorithms (you only look once (YOLO) and residual network (ResNet)) was used for detection and confirmation. Optical and mid-wave infrared (MWIR) videos from a well-known database (SENSIAC) were used in our experiments. Extensive experiments demonstrated that the proposed framework was feasible for target detection up to 1500 m, but target confirmation needs more research.
Influence of ApoE Genotype and Clock T3111C Interaction with Cardiovascular Risk Factors on the Progression to Alzheimer’s Disease in Subjective Cognitive Decline and Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients
Authors: Bessi Valentina , Balestrini Juri , Bagnoli Silvia , Mazzeo Salvatore , Giacomucci Giulia , Padiglioni Sonia , Piaceri Irene , Carraro Marco , Ferrari Camilla , Bracco Laura , Sorbi Sandro , Nacmias Benedetta
Published: June 2020

Background: Some genes could interact with cardiovascular risk factors in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. We aimed to evaluate the interaction between ApoE ε4 status, Clock T3111C and Per2 C111G polymorphisms with cardiovascular profile in Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Methods: We included 68 patients who underwent clinical evaluation; neuropsychological assessment; ApoE, Clock and Per2 genotyping at baseline; and neuropsychological follow-up every 12–24 months for a mean of 13 years. We considered subjects who developed AD and non-converters. Results: Clock T3111C was detected in 47% of cases, Per2 C111G in 19% of cases. ApoE ε4 carriers presented higher risk of heart disease; Clock C-carriers were more frequently smokers than non C-carriers. During the follow-up, 17 patients progressed to AD. Age at baseline, ApoE ε 4 and dyslipidemia increased the risk of conversion to AD. ApoE ε4 carriers with history of dyslipidemia showed higher risk to convert to AD compared to ApoE ε4− groups and ApoE ε4+ without dyslipidemia patients. Clock C-carriers with history of blood hypertension had a higher risk of conversion to AD. Conclusions: ApoE and Clock T3111C seem to interact with cardiovascular risk factors in SCD and MCI patients influencing the progression to AD.
Contemporary Issues in Business and Economics in Vietnam and Other Asian Emerging Markets
Authors: Chang Chia-Lin , Vo Duc Hong
Published: June 2020

This Special Issue publishes high quality papers on contemporary issues in business and economics in Vietnam and other Asian emerging markets. These papers were accepted and presented at the 2019 Vietnam’s Business and Economics Research Conference (VBER2019) organized by Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam in July 2019. Emerging issues in business and economics from Vietnam and other emerging markets in the Asian region have been addressed from various angles, from economics, finance, and statistics to management science. Five out of the 14 studies in this book were conducted to investigate various issues in relation to the Asian region such as the exchange rate regime in Asia, financial inclusion, and financial development and income inequality in Asian emerging markets. Seven studies were conducted in response to emerging business and economic issues in Vietnam such as fiscal decentralization, urbanization, foreign direct investment, and corporate financial distress. Other papers even considered various relevant aspects from the United States and Europe to the Asian region including double taxation treaties and agricultural shocks to the oil price. The findings from these papers are useful for practitioners, policymakers, and academics.
Wearable Technologies and Smart Clothes in the Fashion Business: Some Issues Concerning Cybersecurity and Data Protection
Authors: Ziccardi Giovanni
Published: June 2020

Wearable devices and smart clothes give rise to pivotal technological and legal issues in the fashion business. The cybersecurity attention in the digital society, and the advent of General Data Protection Regulation No. 2016/679 (GDPR) in the European, and global, legal framework, implied the need to evaluate which norms and aspects of the European Regulation could apply to wearable devices, which are becoming more and more invasive. Wearable devices are, first of all (and from a data protection point of view), intrusive tools that can put users’ personal (and intimate) data at risk. In particular, we will discuss the aspects of the spread of an accountability “culture” (also) in the fashion business, the need for correct management policy of data breaches, the rights of transparency for users/customers who are using wearable devices and smart clothes, and respect for the dignity and nondiscrimination of the individual during the data collection and processing. These are, all, fundamental points: the protection of the individual’s data in the digital landscape is, in fact, strictly connected to the protection of his/her fundamental rights in the modern digital society.
First Evidence of the Presence of Anatoxin-A in Sea Figs Associated with Human Food Poisonings in France
Authors: Biré Ronel , Bertin Thomas , Dom Inès , Hort Vincent , Schmitt Corinne , Diogène Jorge , Lemée Rodolphe , De Haro Luc , Nicolas Marina
Published: June 2020

From January 2011 to March 2018, 26 patients aged from 20 to 80 years old reported being sick in France after eating sea figs of the genus Microcosmus. The patients had symptoms evoking a cerebellar syndrome: blurred or double vision, ataxia and dizziness, asthenia, headache, muscle cramps, paresthesia and digestive disorders (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). Three of the 18 food poisoning events recorded by the Poison Control Center in Marseille and involving four patients were further investigated as the meal leftovers were collected and analyzed. A previous study ruled out the presence of the regulated lipophilic marine toxins after high-resolution mass spectrometry, but further analyses were required to look for hydrophilic cyanotoxins. The sea fig leftovers from food poisoning case Numbers 1 (January 2011), 6 (December 2012) and 17 (March 2018) of this published case series were analyzed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled to low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry to investigate the presence of hydrophilic cyanotoxins. The sea fig samples showed anatoxin-a (ATX-a) concentrations ranging from 193.7 to 1240.2 µg/kg. The sea fig control sample analyzed was also contaminated with ATX-a but in a much smaller concentration (22.5 µg/kg). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of human food poisoning involving ATX-a as the possible causative toxin where the cyanotoxin could be unequivocally identified.
Characterization of the Hydrolysis Kinetics of Fucosylated Glycosaminoglycan in Mild Acid and Structures of the Resulting Oligosaccharides
Authors: Liu Xixi , Zhang Zhexian , Mao Hui , Wang Pin , Zuo Zhichuang , Gao Li , Shi Xiang , Yin Ronghua , Gao Na , Zhao Jinhua
Published: June 2020

Mild acid hydrolysis is a common method for the structure analysis of fucosylated glycosaminoglycan (FG). In this work, the effects of acid hydrolysis on the structure of FG from S. variegatus (SvFG) and the reaction characteristic were systemically studied. The degree of defucosylation (DF) and molecular weights (Mw) of partial fucosylated glycosaminoglycans (pFs) were monitored by 1H NMR and size-exclusion chromatography, respectively. The kinetic plots of DF, degree of desulfation (DS) from fucose branches, and degree of hydrolysis (DH) of the backbone are exponentially increased with time, indicating that acid hydrolysis of SvFG followed a first-order kinetics. The kinetic rate constants kDF, kDS, and kDH were determined to be 0.0223 h-1, 0.0041 h-1, and 0.0005 h-1, respectively. The structure of the released sulfated fucose branches (FucS) from SvFG and HfFG (FG from H. fuscopunctata) was characterized by 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy, suggesting the presence of six types of fucose: α/β Fuc2S4S, Fuc3S4S, Fuc3S, Fuc4S, Fuc2S, and Fuc. The Fuc3S4S was more susceptible to acid than Fuc2S4S, and that the sulfate ester in position of O-2 and O-3 than in O-4 of fucose. The structure characteristic of pF18 indicated the cleavage of backbone glycosidic bonds. The APTT prolonged activity reduced with the decrease of the DF and Mw of the pFs, and became insignificant when its DF was 87% with Mw of 3.5 kDa.
Antimycobacterial Activity of Laurinterol and Aplysin from Laurencia johnstonii
Authors: García-Davis Sara , Leal-López Karla , Molina-Torres Carmen A. , Vera-Cabrera Lucio , Díaz-Marrero Ana R. , Fernández José J. , Carranza-Rosales Pilar , Viveros-Valdez Ezequiel
Published: June 2020

Marine environments represent a great opportunity for the discovery of compounds with a wide spectrum of bioactive properties. Due to their large variety and functions derived from natural selection, marine natural products may allow the identification of novel drugs based not only on newly discovered bioactive metabolites but also on already known compounds not yet thoroughly investigated. Since drug resistance has caused an increase in infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria, the re-evaluation of known bioactive metabolites has been suggested as a good approach to addressing this problem. In this sense, this study presents an evaluation of the in vitro effect of laurinterol and aplysin, two brominated sesquiterpenes isolated from Laurencia johnstonii, against nine M. tuberculosis strains and six nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Laurinterol exhibited good antimycobacterial activity, especially against nontuberculous mycobacteria, being remarkable its effect against Mycobacterium abscessus, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values lower than those of the reference drug imipenem. This study provides further evidence for the antimycobacterial activity of some sesquiterpenes from L. johnstonii, which can be considered interesting lead compounds for the discovery of novel molecules to treat NTM infections.
Ameliorative Effects of Peptides from the Oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis) Protein Hydrolysates against UVB-Induced Skin Photodamage in Mice
Authors: Peng Zhilan , Chen Beibei , Zheng Qinsheng , Zhu Guoping , Cao Wenhong , Qin Xiaoming , Zhang Chaohua
Published: June 2020

Chronic exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation is a major cause for skin photoaging. UVB induces damage to skin mainly by oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen degradation. This paper investigated the photo-protective effects of peptides from oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis) protein hydrolysates (OPs) by topical application on the skin of UVB-irradiated mice. Results from mass spectrometry showed that OPs consisted of peptides with a molecular weight range of 302.17–2936.43 Da. In vivo study demonstrated that topical application of OPs on the skin significantly alleviated moisture loss, epidermal hyperplasia, as well as degradation of collagen and elastin fibers caused by chronic UVB irradiation. In this study, OPs treatment promoted antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GPH-Px) activities, while decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the skin. In addition, OPs treatment significantly decreased inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) content, and inhibited inflammation related (iNOS, COX-2) protein expression in the skin. Via inhibiting metalloproteinase 1(MMP1) expression, OPs treatment markedly decreased the degradation of collagen and elastin fibers as well as recovered the altered arrangement of extracellular matrix network in the dermis of skin. Our study demonstrated for the first time that OPs protected against UVB induced skin photodamage by virtue of its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as regulating the abnormal expression of MMP-1. The possible molecular mechanism underlying OPs anti-photoaging is possibly related to downregulating of the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway, while promoting TGF-β production in the skin.