bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKA MELALUI PENGGUNAAN ALAT PERAGA MATERI PECAHAN PADA SISWA KELAS IV SDN 6 MATARAM
Authors: Inayati Nilna
Published: March 2019

AbstrakDalam pelaksanaan pembelajaran matematika kelas IV di SD Negeri 6 Mataram, secara umum masih belum maksimal, seperti iklim belajar kurang mendukung dan pembelajaran masih berpusat pada guru. Proses pembelajaran masih didominasi oleh model pembelajaran yang kurang memberi kesempatan kepada siswa untuk belajar mandiri, tujuan pembelajaran hanya berorientasi pada pengembangan aspek kognitif pada peringkat rendah. Pada umumnya guru mengajar berdasarkan teks, tanpa memperhatikan lingkungan dan kebutuhan siswa, guru mendengar dan menstransfer ilmunya, melalui metode ceramah, guru kurang terlatih menggunakan model pembelajaran keterampilan proses. Guru kurang memiliki kemampuan untuk memilih metode pembelajaran yang tepat, guru merasa kesulitan menentukan alat peraga yang mendukung tercapainya penguasaan kompetensi yang ditargetkan sesuai standar isi.Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui penggunaan alat peraga dalam meningkatkan hasil belajar matematika siswa kelas IV SDN 6 Mataram tahun pelajaran 2017 – 2018.Subjek penelitian ini adalah kelas IV dengan jumlah siswa 40 orang.  Adapun dalam penelitian ini, peneliti akan melaksanakan dua siklus, secara skematis, siklus pembelajaran yang peneliti laksanakan dalam penelitian tindakan kelas. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dan pembahasan di atas dapat disimpulkan bahwa penggunaan alat peraga  dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar matematika pada materi pecahan sederhana di kelas IV SDN 6 Mataram. Adapun indikator penelitian ini adalah bila hasil belajar siswa 85 % berhasil mencapai nilai ³ 70.. Pada pra siklus, nilai rata-rata siswa 61,25 dengan ketuntasan klasikalnya hanya 40% dengan kategori rendah. Pada siklus I, mengalami peningkatan nilai rata-rata kelas sebesar 75,25 dengan ketuntasan klasikalnya 77,50 %, namun masih ada siswa sebanyak 22,50% yang belum tuntas. Pada siklus II, Siswa sudah menunjukkan antusias dan keaktifannya dalam belajar , hal ini nampak dari adanya peningkatan  nilai rata-rata kelas 95,75 dan ketuntasan klasikal sebesar 100% dengan kategori sangat baik.
Dying for Choice: A Nurses Role in a New Ars Moriendi to Achieve a Contemporary Good Death
Authors: Winnington Rhona , Holroyd Eleanor
Published: March 2019

In writing The socio-political debate of dying today in the United Kingdom and New Zealand: ‘letting go’ of the biomedical model of care in order to develop a contemporary Ars Moriendi, the intent was to highlight that although the right to choice and the right to die debates are presently hot topics across many Western countries, they remain contained simultaneously within and constrained by medical and legal practices.
Nutritional Management of Bariatric Surgical Patients in the Peri-Operative Setting
Authors: Sivakumar Jonathan
Published: March 2019

Bariatric surgical treatments have increased in recent history, largely due to the growing rates of obesity. In light of this, correct nutritional management of these patients peri-operatively is as crucial as ever. This articles describes the evidenced-based approach to the nutritional management of patients in the setting of bariatric surgery in order to achieve the best possible outcome post-operatively
The Detrimental Health Effects of Sugar
Authors: L Poe Kristen
Published: March 2019

We hear so often that we should avoid sugar as much as possible because it is not good for our health. It is important to understand the reasons WHY and HOW it is detrimental to our health. To begin with a definition of what sugar is, it is a carbohydrate that provides energy for our body, and is found naturally in most plants, but especially in sugar cane and sugar beets. Before sugar (sucrose) enters the bloodstream from the digestive tract, it is broken down into two simple sugars called glucose and fructose. Glucose is in every living cell, and if we don't get it from our diet, our bodies produce it [2]. Fructose is different because our bodies do not produce it in any significant amount, and there is no physiological need for it [2]. Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver in large amounts, which is usually not a problem if it is eaten in moderate amounts [2]. It will be turned into glycogen and stored in the liver until it is needed [2]. However, if the liver is overloaded with glycogen, then consuming more fructose will turn it into fat [2]. For people who are inactive and eat a Western diet, large amounts of fructose from added sugars get turned into fat in the liver [2]. When sugar is transported into the body, it stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin. Some “good” sugars are found naturally in foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains, while others “bad sugars” are added and used during processing and cooking (added sugars).
Triglyceride is Significantly Increased in Remnant Lipoproteins After Food Intake and its Association with Lipoprotein Lipase in the Plasma
Authors: Nakajima Katsuyuki , Tokita Yoshiharu , Tanaka Akira
Published: March 2019

This article introduces the characteristics of postprandial Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) remnants (remnant lipoproteins; RLP) in plasma which significantly increased after fat load as a major component of increased Triglycerides (TG) and involved in obesity and insulin resistance. It has been long believed that postprandial RLP, mainly Chylomicron (CM) remnants, increases as the result of disturbed lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity caused by insulin resistance, etc. However, based on this report, we recently proposed that elevated postprandial VLDL remnants produced by food intake, such as excessive fat and fructose, cause obesity and insulin resistance when exposed continuously [1]. VLDL remnants, but not CM remnants, is the key word of this article and VLDL remnants play a definitive role as a “bridge” between food intake and its metabolism. Here, we have explained the bridging role of VLDL remnants between the habit of food intake and its metabolism in body. Following 6 aspects between fat-rich meal intake and the increase of plasma postprandial TG and RLP are explained. (1) Why TG and RLP increase after food intake? (2) Which lipoproteins increase most after food intake? (3) What percentage of increased TG after food is comprised of RLP-TG? (4) How the increased TG is metabolized by LPL? (5) The increase of postprandial RLP is the result of obesity and insulin resistance or cause of obesity and insulin resistance? (6)Why postprandial TG is a risk of cardiovascular diseases?
MAKING SENSE OF DARWIN THROUGH LENSES OF DEWEY
Authors: Aydın Aysun
Published: March 2019

One of the most important debates in moral philosophy is about sources or foundations of human moral behavior. Different moral theories give us different explanations for human moral behavior. A considerable number of such theories argue that human moral behavior can be reduced to a set of founding principles. For these traditional accounts of morality, human conduct should be examined from a strictly foundationalist perspective. However, there is another and hardly a traditional line in which human moral behavior is a necessary by-product of and should be considered in reference to socialization. John Dewey, one of the important philosophers of this second line, defines the boundaries for this anti-foundationalist side of human morality. For him, morality does not have universal rules or sources and it is not something completely different from habit or custom. Keeping all this in mind, this study aims to employ Dewey’s ethical framework and his conception of morality to understand and evaluate current discussion in moral philosophy. The view evolutionary morality in general has some problems caused by the foundationalist attitude towards morality. It can be argued that a different reading of Darwinian evolutionary morality can help us to avoid taking human moral behavior as a direct consequence of biological determination and unpersuasive results of sociobiological account. In order to achieve this; this study reconsider the notion of altruistic behavior, which is one of the frequently revisited concepts of Darwinian evolutionary morality, in communication with Dewey’s ethical framework.
TÜRKİYE–AB İLİŞKİLERİNİN SİYASAL HALKLA İLİŞKİLER FAALİYETLERİNE YANSIMALARI: KAMUYU BİLGİLENDİRME ARACI OLARAK HÜKÜMET PROGRAMLARINDA TÜRKİYE-AB İLİŞKİLERİ
Authors: Ertürk Kazım Özkan , Şeşen Elif
Published: March 2019

Halkla ilişkilerin
temel amaçlarında biri olan hedef kitlede güven yaratmak ancak tarafların
etkileşimi ve sürekli olarak açık ve şeffaf bir şekilde bilgilendirilmesi ile
mümkündür. Siyasal iletişimde giderek sık kullanılan halkla ilişkiler
uygulamalarından biri olan kamuyu bilgilendirmenin önemli araçlarından biri
hükümet programlarıdır. Türkiye-AB ilişkilerini hükümet programlarındaki
mesajlar üzerinden betimlemeyi hedefleyen bu çalışmada toplam 32 hükümet
programı incelenmiştir. AB ile ilişkilere yönelik ifadelerin ekonomik,
kültürel, siyasal ve teknolojik olmak üzere dört alan altında yapılan içerik
çözümlemesi sonuçlarına göre programlarda verilen mesajların büyük oranda
olumlu bir dile sahip olduğu söylenebilir.
OTİZM SPEKTRUM BOZUKLUĞU VE BİLİŞSEL TEORİLER
Authors: ZIVRALI YARAR Esra
Published: March 2019

Otizm
spektrum bozukluğu (OSB), yaşam boyu süren nörogelişimsel bir bozukluktur.
OSB’nin toplumdaki yaygınlığı kayda değer derecede yüksektir ve başta genetik
olmak üzere bilişsel ve çevresel birçok faktörün OSB’nin ortaya çıkmasında
etkili olduğu bilinmektedir. Günümüzde OSB tanısı halen davranışsal belirtilerin
değerlendirilmesine dayanmaktadır. Bunun yanında, araştırmalar OSB’nin karmaşık
etiyolojik, genetik ve fenotipik örüntülere sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Tüm
bunlar göz ününde bulundurulduğunda, OSB belirtilerinin birbiriyle olan
ilişkileri kadar söz konusu belirtilerin birbirinden bağımsız olarak da
incelenmesinin önemi ortaya çıkmaktadır. Nörogelişimsel bir bozukluk olan
OSB’nin anlaşılmasında bilişsel teorilerin katkıları oldukça fazladır.
Özellikle, zihin kuramı, yürütücü işlevler disfonksiyonu ve merkezi bütünleşme,
OSB’nin davranışsal belirtilerini anlamamızda büyük katkıları olan temel
bilişsel teorilerdir. Bu makalede, OSB’yi anlamamızda büyük katkıları olan bu
üç önemli bilişsel teori ve bu teorilerin OSB semptomlarıyla ilişkileri
bakımından kendi aralarındaki örüntülere değinilmiştir.
ORGAN BAĞIŞI: BİREYLERİN KARARLARINI ETKİLEYEN PSİKOLOJİK FAKTÖRLER
Authors: YAŞIN TEKİZOĞLU Fatma
Published: March 2019

Organ
bağışı, organ nakli bekleyen hastalar için yaşamsal bir öneme sahiptir. Toplum
tarafından görünüşte desteklense de, aslında gelişmiş ülkelerde dahi organ
bağışında bulunma düzeyi oldukça düşüktür. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada bireylerin
organ bağışında bulunma kararlarını etkileyen psikolojik faktörler
incelenmiştir. İlgili alanyazın incelemeleri sonucunda, söz konusu psikolojik
faktörler bu çalışmada organ bağışını
etkileyen demografik faktörler ve
organ bağışı çalışmalarında yararlanılan
psikoloji kuramları olmak üzere iki başlıkta ele alınmıştır. Din,
bilgi düzeyi, aile ve bireysel farklılıklar organ bağışını etkileyen demografik faktörler
arasında yer almaktadır.  Organ bağışı çalışmalarında faydalanılan
sosyal psikoloji kuramlarının ise, Planlı Davranış Kuramı, Akla Dayalı Davranış
Kuramı, Transteoretik Model ve Organ Bağışı Gönüllük Modeli olduğu
gözlenmiştir. Ayrıca, alanyazın incelemeleri organ bağışına yönelik
çalışmaların daha çok sağlık alanında yapıldığını ve psikoloji çalışmalarının
çok az sayıda olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada organ bağışını
etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesi ve alanyazındaki eksikliğe dikkat çekilmesi
amaçlanmıştır.
TÜRKİYE’DE KONARGÖÇER KÜLTÜRÜ
Authors: Zafer Cem
Published: March 2019

Türkmen
veya Yörük olarak anılan göçer Türkler, göçebeliğe yeni bir bakış açısı
getirmişlerdir. Mecburi göç nedeniyle kış ve yaz olmak üzere mevsimlik göçler
yapan bu topluluklar zaman içinde Büyük Selçuklu, Türkiye Selçuklu, Osmanlı Devleti
ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti içinde barınma imkânı bulmuşlardır. Türkiye
Cumhuriyeti’ne kadar genel anlamda fetihlerle alınan yerlerin Türkleştirilmesi
için yerleşik yaşama geçirilen bu topluluklar Türkiye Cumhuriyeti ile birlikte
şehirleşme faaliyetlerinin artması ile zorunlu bir yerleşik yaşama maruz
kalmışlardır. Yerleşik yaşamı seçmeyen kabilelerin ise göçer hayatlarını
sürdürmek için kullanabilecekleri alanlar oldukça kısıtlanmıştır.

Günümüzdeki
yaşayışları incelendiğinde halen binlerce yıllık köklü bir kültürün izlerini
taşıyan göçerler, kız alıp verme faaliyetleri, bebekler için yapılan
uygulamalar, ölüler için yapılan merasimler vb. özel zaman
dilimleri/uygulamalar konusunda tam anlamıyla birer kültür mirası olma
özelliğindedirler. Ayrıca kadının toplumdaki yerinin Türk milleti açısından
aktarımı konusunda da göçerler yaşayan kanıt niteliğindedirler.
A BRIEF REVIEW ON THE EFFECTS OF VIOLENT MEDIA ON YOUTHS
Authors: TOSYALI Furkan
Published: March 2019

The main aim of this paper is to briefly review the existing body of knowledge related to youth violence and media. In this context, empirical evidences regarding the association between youth violence and media are mentioned. Also, prevalence rates related to youth media usage, risk factors, and individual differences are given in the review. Then, some preventive suggestions based on the empirical findings are proposed to reduce the positive association between youth violence and media exposure. Finally, this brief review would be a useful starting point for further studies aiming to extend existing literature regarding youth violence and media exposure.
RETRACTED: CXCL6 Promotes Renal Interstitial Fibrosis in Diabetic Nephropathy by Activating JAK/STAT3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Sun Meng-Yao , Wang Su-Juan , Li Xiao-Qin , Shen Yu-Li , Lu Jian-Rao , Tian Xin-Hui , Rahman Khalid , Zhang Li-Jun , Nian Hua , Zhang Hong
Published: March 2019

In this study the role of CXCL6 in diabetic nephropathy (DN) was investigated. It was found to be overexpression in DN patients and DN rat model. And the expression of fibrosis-related cytokines was consistent with the expression of CXCL6. High glucose significantly increased the proliferation of rat renal fibroblasts NRK-49F cell and the expression of CXCL6. Knockdown of CXCL6 ameliorated the pro-proliferation effect of high glucose and decreased the expression of fibrosis-related cytokines, while CXCL6 overexpression exhibited the opposite phenomenon. Gene set enrichment analysis, Western blot and ELISA showed that Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) and CYTOKINE_CYTOKINE_RECEPTOR_INTERACTION signaling pathways were correlative with CXCL6. This data indicates that CXCL6 may promote fibrosis-related factors to accelerate the development of DN renal interstitial fibrosis by activating JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. CXCL6 is promising to be a potential novel therapeutic target and candidate biomarker for JAK/STAT3 signaling for the treatment of DN.
Simultaneous Enhancement of Bending and Blocking Force of an Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) by the Active Use of Its Material Characteristics Change
Authors: Tamagawa Hirohisa , Okada Kazuki , Mulembo Titus , Sasaki Minoru , Naito Keishi , Nagai Gakuji , Nitta Takahiro , Yew Khai-Chun , Ikeda Kota
Published: March 2019

The exhibition of significantly large bending is a remarkable characteristic of an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC). However, its inability to generate a high enough force is a major problem in achieving a practical IPMC actuator. The simultaneous enhancement of bending and force generation is needed for broadening the potential of the IPMC actuator as a practical engineering device. Corrosive materials as a flexible electrode of the IPMC is usually not preferred, whereas a noncorrosive material such as platinum is broadly used. Here, we used silver, a corrosive metal, as an IPMC electrode intentionally. The silver electrode exhibits a reversible redox reaction upon an external electric stimulation. That silver redox reaction resulted in the material characteristics change of the IPMC, and it consequently resulted in the simultaneous enhancement of the IPMC bending curvature and blocking force generation. It was further found that the thicker silver coating anchored into the far inside of the IPMC led to the occurrence of a significant silver redox reaction and it altered the material characteristics of the IPMC, consequently turning the IPMC into a greatly deformable and high force generative one.
Ponderosa Pine Regeneration, Wildland Fuels Management, and Habitat Conservation: Identifying Trade-Offs Following Wildfire
Authors: Donovan Victoria M. , Roberts Caleb P. , Wonkka Carissa L. , Wedin David A. , Twidwell Dirac
Published: March 2019

Increasing wildfires in western North American conifer forests have led to debates surrounding the application of post-fire management practices. There is a lack of consensus on whether (and to what extent) post-fire management assists or hinders managers in achieving goals, particularly in under-studied regions like eastern ponderosa pine forests. This makes it difficult for forest managers to balance among competing interests. We contrast structural and community characteristics across unburned ponderosa pine forest, severely burned ponderosa pine forest, and severely burned ponderosa pine forest treated with post-fire management with respect to three management objectives: ponderosa pine regeneration, wildland fuels control, and habitat conservation. Ponderosa pine saplings were more abundant in treated burned sites than untreated burned sites, suggesting increases in tree regeneration following tree planting; however, natural regeneration was evident in both unburned and untreated burned sites. Wildland fuels management greatly reduced snags and coarse woody debris in treated burned sites. Understory cover measurements revealed bare ground and fine woody debris were more strongly associated with untreated burned sites, and greater levels of forbs and grass were more strongly associated with treated burned sites. Wildlife habitat was greatly reduced following post-fire treatments. There were no tree cavities in treated burned sites, whereas untreated burned sites had an average of 27 ± 7.68 cavities per hectare. Correspondingly, we found almost double the avian species richness in untreated burned sites compared to treated burned sites (22 species versus 12 species). Unburned forests and untreated burned areas had the same species richness, but hosted unique avian communities. Our results indicate conflicting outcomes with respect to management objectives, most evident in the clear costs to habitat conservation following post-fire management application.
Rogue Wave Type Solutions and Spectra of Coupled Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations
Authors: Degasperis Antonio , Lombardo Sara , Sommacal Matteo
Published: March 2019

The formation of rogue oceanic waves may be the result of different causes. Various factors (winds, currents, dispersive focussing, depth, nonlinear focussing and instability) make this subject intriguing, and yet its understanding is quite relevant to practical issues. Here, we deal only with the nonlinear character of this dynamics, which has been recognised as the main ingredient to rogue wave formation. In this perspective, the formation of rogue waves requires a non-vanishing and unstable background such as a nonlinear regular wave train with attractive self-interaction. The simplest, best known model of such dynamics is the universal nonlinear Schrödinger equation. This has proven to serve as a good approximation in various contexts and over a broad range of experimental settings. This model aims to give the slow evolution of the envelope of one monochromatic wave due to nonlinearity. Here, we naturally consider the same problem for the envelopes of two weakly resonant monochromatic waves. As for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which is integrable, we adopt an integrable model to describe the interaction of two waves. This is the system of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations (Manakov model) with self- and cross-interactions that may be both defocussing and focussing. We first discuss the linear stability properties of the background by computing the spectrum for all values of the parameters such as coupling constants and amplitudes. In particular, we relate the instability bands to properties of the spectrum and compute the gain function (or growth rate). We also relate to the stability spectrum the value of the spectral variable, which corresponds to a rogue wave solution. In contrast with the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, different types of single rogue wave exist that correspond to different values of the spectral variable even in the same spectrum. For these critical values, which are completely classified, we give the corresponding explicit expression of the rogue wave solution that follows from the well known Darboux–Dressing transformation method. Although not all systems of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations that have been derived in water wave dynamics are integrable, our investigation contributes to the understanding of new effects due to wave coupling, at least for model equations that, even if not integrable, are close enough to the model considered here. For instance, our findings lead to investigate rogue waves generated by instabilities due to self- and cross-interactions of defocusing type. An illustrative selection of two coupled rogue waves solutions is displayed.
Techniques for Classifying Seabed Morphology and Composition on a Subtropical-Temperate Continental Shelf
Authors: Linklater Michelle , Ingleton Timothy C. , Kinsela Michael A. , Morris Bradley D. , Allen Katie M. , Sutherland Michael D. , Hanslow David J.
Published: March 2019

In 2017, the New South Wales (NSW) Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) initiated a state-wide mapping program, SeaBed NSW, which systematically acquires high-resolution (2–5 m cell size) multibeam echosounder (MBES) and marine LiDAR data along more than 2000 km of the subtropical-to-temperate southeast Australian continental shelf. This program considerably expands upon existing efforts by OEH to date, which have mapped approximately 15% of NSW waters with these technologies. The delivery of high volumes of new data, together with the vast repository of existing data, highlights the need for a standardised, automated approach to classify seabed data. Here we present a methodological approach with new procedures to semi-automate the classification of high-resolution bathymetry and intensity (backscatter and reflectivity) data into a suite of data products including classifications of seabed morphology (landforms) and composition (substrates, habitats, geomorphology). These methodologies are applied to two case study areas representing newer (Wollongong, NSW) and older (South Solitary Islands, NSW) MBES datasets to assess the transferability of classification techniques across input data of varied quality. The suite of seabed classifications produced by this study provide fundamental baseline data on seabed shape, complexity, and composition which will inform regional risk assessments and provide insights into biodiversity and geodiversity.
Concurrent Drought and Temperature Stress in Rice—A Possible Result of the Predicted Climate Change: Effects on Yield Attributes, Eating Characteristics, and Health Promoting Compounds
Authors: Mukamuhirwa Alphonsine , Persson Hovmalm Helena , Bolinsson Hans , Ortiz Rodomiro , Nyamangyoku Obedi , Johansson Eva
Published: March 2019

Despite the likely increasing co-occurrence of drought and heat stress, not least in equatorial regions, due to climate change, little is known about the combinational effect of these stresses on rice productivity and quality. This study evaluated the impact of simultaneous drought and temperature stress on growth, grain yield, and quality characteristics of seven rice cultivars from Rwanda, grown in climate chambers. Two temperature ranges—23/26 °C night/day and 27/30 °C night/day—together with single or repeated drought treatments, were applied during various plant developmental stages. Plant development and yield were highly influenced by drought, while genotype impacted the quality characteristics. The combination of a high temperature with drought at the seedling and tillering stages resulted in zero panicles for all evaluated cultivars. The cultivar ‘Intsindagirabigega’ was most tolerant to drought, while ‘Zong geng’ was the most sensitive. A “stress memory” was recorded for ‘Mpembuke’ and ‘Ndamirabahinzi’, and these cultivars also had a high content of bioactive compounds, while ’Jyambere’ showed a high total protein content. Thus, climate change may severely impact rice production. The exploitation of genetic diversity to breed novel rice cultivars that combine drought and heat stress tolerance with high nutritional values is a must to maintain food security.
Relationships between Parent-Reported Parenting, Child-Perceived Parenting, and Children’s Mental Health in Taiwanese Children
Authors: Huang Ching-Yu , Hsieh Yi-Ping , Shen April Chiung-Tao , Wei Hsi-Sheng , Feng Jui-Ying , Hwa Hsiao-Lin , Feng Joyce Yen
Published: March 2019

The current study examines the relationship between parents’ and children’s reports of parenting and their effects on children’s mental health symptoms. Six hundred and sixty-six parent-child dyads in Taiwan participated in this study. The parents and the children filled out the parenting questionnaires, and the children also reported their general mental health. The results demonstrated that parental-reported and child-perceived parenting were positively correlated, but parents tended to report lower scores on authoritarian parenting and higher scores on Chinese parenting than did their children. There were also significant gender differences: The mothers reported higher authoritative parenting than did the fathers; and the boys perceived higher authoritarian and Chinese-culture specific parenting than did the girls. Moreover, the Chinese parenting had a negative effect on children’s mental health outcomes. Finally, our results showed that children’s perception of parenting had a stronger effect on children’s mental health symptoms than did parental reports on parenting, urging future research to include the children’s report when investigating the effects of parenting on children’s mental health outcomes.
What Do Adolescents Learn from a 50 Minute Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Automated External Defibrillator Education in a Rural Area: A Pre-Post Design
Authors: Tsai Ming-Fen , Wang Li-Hsiang , Lin Ming-Shyan , Chen Mei-Yen
Published: March 2019

Background: Literature indicates that patients who receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) from bystanders have a greater chance of surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). A few evaluative studies involving CPR/AED education programs for rural adolescents have been initiated. This study aimed to examine the impact of a 50 min education program that combined CPR with AED training in two rural campuses. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was used. The 50 min CPR/AED training and individual performance using a Resusci Anne manikin was implemented with seventh grade students between August and December 2018. Results: A total of 336 participants were included in this study. The findings indicated that the 50 min CPR/AED education program significantly improved participant knowledge of emergency responses (p < 0.001), correct actions at home (p < 0.01) and outside (p < 0.001) during an emergency, and willingness to perform CPR if necessary (p < 0.001). Many participants described that “I felt more confident to perform CPR/AED,” and that “It reduces my anxiety and saves the valuable rescue time.” Conclusions: The brief education program significantly improved the immediate knowledge of cardiac emergency in participants and empowered them to act as first responders when they witnessed someone experiencing a cardiac arrest. Further studies should consider the study design and explore the effectiveness of such brief programs.
A Panel Study on Lung Function and Bronchial Inflammation among Children Exposed to Ambient SO2 from an Oil Refinery
Authors: Barbone Fabio , Catelan Dolores , Pistelli Riccardo , Accetta Gabriele , Grechi Daniele , Rusconi Franca , Biggeri Annibale
Published: March 2019

To determine the acute effects on respiratory function of children exposed to sulphur dioxide (SO2), we conducted two population-based longitudinal investigations near a major oil refinery. We enrolled 233 children, age 8–14, in Sarroch (Italy). The first study entailed five monthly spirometric visits (Panel 5). In a subgroup, children positive for history of respiratory symptoms were tested weekly (20 times) with spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement (Panel 20). Baseline questionnaires and daily diaries were recorded. SO2, NO2, PM10 and O3 were measured by monitoring stations. Multiple regression models were fitted. Using a multipollutant model, we found that a 10 µg/m3 SO2 increase at lag0–2 days determined a percent variation (PV) of −3.37 (90% confidence interval, CI: −5.39; −1.30) for forced expiratory volume after one second (FEV1) in Panel 5 and a PV = −3.51 (90% CI: −4.77; −2.23) in Panel 20. We found a strong dose-response relation: 1-h SO2 peaks >200 µg/m3 at lag2 days = FEV1 PV −2.49. For FeNO, we found a PV = 38.12 (90% CI: 12.88; 69.01) for each 10 µg/m3 SO2 increase at 8-h time lag and a strong dose-response relation. Exposure to SO2 is strongly associated with reduction of lung function and an increase in airway inflammation. This new evidence of harmful effects of SO2 peaks should induce regulatory intervention.
The State of Public Health Lead Policies: Implications for Urban Health Inequities and Recommendations for Health Equity
Authors: LeBrón Alana M. W. , Torres Ivy R. , Valencia Enrique , Dominguez Miriam López , Garcia-Sanchez Deyaneira Guadalupe , Logue Michael D. , Wu Jun
Published: March 2019

Although lead has been removed from paint and gasoline sold in the U.S., lead exposures persist, with communities of color and residents in urban and low-income areas at greatest risk for exposure. The persistence of and inequities in lead exposures raise questions about the scope and implementation of policies that address lead as a public health concern. To understand the multi-level nature of lead policies, this paper and case study reviews lead policies at the national level, for the state of California, and for Santa Ana, CA, a dense urban city in Southern California. Through a community-academic partnership process, this analysis examines lead exposure pathways represented, the level of intervention (e.g., prevention, remediation), and whether policies address health inequities. Results indicate that most national and state policies focus on establishing hazardous lead exposure levels in settings and consumer products, disclosing lead hazards, and remediating lead paint. Several policies focus on mitigating exposures rather than primary prevention. The persistence of lead exposures indicates the need to identify sustainable solutions to prevent lead exposures in the first place. We close with recommendations to reduce lead exposures across the life course, consider multiple lead exposure pathways, and reduce and eliminate health inequities related to lead.
Impact of the Scale on Several Metrics Used in Geographical Object-Based Image Analysis: Does GEOBIA Mitigate the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP)?
Authors: Josselin Didier , Louvet Romain
Published: March 2019

Using two GEOBIA (Geographical Object Based Image Analysis) algorithms on a set of segmented images compared to grid partitioning at different scales, we show that statistical metrics related to both objects and sets of pixels are (more or less) subject to the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem. Subsequently, even in a same spatial partition, there may be a bias in statistics describing the objects due to some size effect of the pixel samples. For instance, pixels homogeneity based on Grey Level Cooccurrence Matrices (GLCM), Landscape Shape Index, entropy, object compacity, perimeter/area ratio are studied according to scale. The approach consists in studying the behavior of a given statistical metrics through scales and to compare the results on several image segmentations, according to different partitioning processes, from GEOBIA (Baatz & Schäpe algorithm and Self Organizing Maps) or using reference grids. We finally discuss about the relationship between GEOBIA metrics and scale. By analysing object shape and pixels composition from different metrics points of views, we show that GEOBIA does not always mitigate the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem.
Instability of Alien Chromosome Introgressions in Wheat Associated with Improper Positioning in the Nucleus
Authors: Perničková Kateřina , Koláčková Veronika , Lukaszewski Adam , Fan Chaolan , Vrána Jan , Duchoslav Martin , Jenkins Glyn , Phillips Dylan , Šamajová Olga , Sedlářová Michaela , Šamaj Jozef , Doležel Jaroslav , Kopecký David
Published: March 2019

Alien introgressions introduce beneficial alleles into existing crops and hence, are widely used in plant breeding. Generally, introgressed alien chromosomes show reduced meiotic pairing relative to the host genome, and may be eliminated over generations. Reduced pairing appears to result from a failure of some telomeres of alien chromosomes to incorporate into the leptotene bouquet at the onset of meiosis, thereby preventing chiasmate pairing. In this study, we analysed somatic nuclei of rye introgressions in wheat using 3D-FISH and found that while introgressed rye chromosomes or chromosome arms occupied discrete positions in the Rabl’s orientation similar to chromosomes of the wheat host, their telomeres frequently occupied positions away from the nuclear periphery. The frequencies of such abnormal telomere positioning were similar to the frequencies of out-of-bouquet telomere positioning at leptotene, and of pairing failure at metaphase I. This study indicates that improper positioning of alien chromosomes that leads to reduced pairing is not a strictly meiotic event but rather a consequence of a more systemic problem. Improper positioning in the nuclei probably impacts the ability of introgressed chromosomes to migrate into the telomere bouquet at the onset of meiosis, preventing synapsis and chiasma establishment, and leading to their gradual elimination over generations.
Simulation of Magnetodielectric Effect in Magnetorheological Elastomers
Authors: Isaev Danil , Semisalova Anna , Alekhina Yulia , Makarova Liudmila , Perov Nikolai
Published: March 2019

We present the results of numerical simulation of magnetodielectric effect (MDE) in magnetorheological elastomers (MRE)—the change of effective permittivity of elastomer placed under the external magnetic field. The computer model of effect is based on an assumption about the displacement of magnetic particles inside the elastic matrix under the external magnetic field and the formation of chain-like structures. Such displacement of metallic particles between the planes of capacitor leads to the change of capacity, which can be considered as a change of effective permittivity of elastomer caused by magnetic field (magnetodielectric effect). In the literature, mainly the 2D approach is used to model similar effects. In this paper, we present a new approach of magnetorheological elastomers simulation—a 3D-model of the magnetodielectric effect with ability to simulate systems of 10 5 particles. Within the framework of the model, three types of particle size distributions were simulated, which gives an advantage over previously reported approaches. Lognormal size distribution was shown to give better qualitative match of the modeling and experimental results than monosized type. The developed model resulted in a good qualitative agreement with all experimental data obtained earlier for Fe-based elastomers. The proposed model is useful to study these novel functional materials, analyze the features of magnetodielectric effect and predict the optimal composition of magnetorheological elastomers for further profound experimental study.
Treatment Strategies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma—A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Lurje Isabella , Czigany Zoltan , Bednarsch Jan , Roderburg Christoph , Isfort Peter , Neumann Ulf Peter , Lurje Georg
Published: March 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary tumor of the liver and its mortality is third among all solid tumors, behind carcinomas of the lung and the colon. Despite continuous advancements in the management of this disease, the prognosis for HCC remains inferior compared to other tumor entities. While orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and surgical resection are the only two curative treatment options, OLT remains the best treatment strategy as it not only removes the tumor but cures the underlying liver disease. As the applicability of OLT is nowadays limited by organ shortage, major liver resections—even in patients with underlying chronic liver disease—are adopted increasingly into clinical practice. Against the background of the oftentimes present chronical liver disease, locoregional therapies have also gained increasing significance. These strategies range from radiofrequency ablation and trans-arterial chemoembolization to selective internal radiation therapy and are employed in both curative and palliative intent, individually, as a bridging to transplant or in combination with liver resection. The choice of the appropriate treatment, or combination of treatments, should consider the tumor stage, the function of the remaining liver parenchyma, the future liver remnant volume and the patient’s general condition. This review aims to address the topic of multimodal treatment strategies in HCC, highlighting a multidisciplinary treatment approach to further improve outcome in these patients.
Optimizing the Use of Zebrafish Feeding Trials for the Safety Evaluation of Genetically Modified Crops
Authors: Gabriëls Isabelle J. , Vergauwen Lucia , De Boevre Marthe , Van Dongen Stefan , Blust Ronny , De Saeger Sarah , Eeckhout Mia , De Loose Marc , Knapen Dries
Published: March 2019

In Europe, the toxicological safety of genetically modified (GM) crops is routinely evaluated using rodent feeding trials, originally designed for testing oral toxicity of chemical compounds. We aimed to develop and optimize methods for advancing the use of zebrafish feeding trials for the safety evaluation of GM crops, using maize as a case study. In a first step, we evaluated the effect of different maize substitution levels. Our results demonstrate the need for preliminary testing to assess potential feed component-related effects on the overall nutritional balance. Next, since a potential effect of a GM crop should ideally be interpreted relative to the natural response variation (i.e., the range of biological values that is considered normal for a particular endpoint) in order to assess the toxicological relevance, we established natural response variation datasets for various zebrafish endpoints. We applied equivalence testing to calculate threshold equivalence limits (ELs) based on the natural response variation as a method for quantifying the range within which a GM crop and its control are considered equivalent. Finally, our results illustrate that the use of commercial control diets (CCDs) and null segregant (NS) controls (helpful for assessing potential effects of the transformation process) would be valuable additions to GM safety assessment strategies.
Bioinformatic Exploration of the Targets of Xylem Sap miRNAs in Maize under Cadmium Stress
Authors: Wang Baoxiang , Cheng Dan , Chen Ziyan , Zhang Manman , Zhang Guoqiang , Jiang Mingyi , Tan Mingpu
Published: March 2019

Cadmium (Cd) has the potential to be chronically toxic to humans through contaminated crop products. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can move systemically in plants. To investigate the roles of long-distance moving xylem miRNAs in regulating maize response to Cd stress, three xylem sap small RNA (sRNA) libraries were constructed for high-throughput sequencing to identify potential mobile miRNAs in Cd-stressed maize seedlings and their putative targets in maize transcriptomes. In total, about 199 miRNAs (20–22 nucleotides) were identified in xylem sap from maize seedlings, including 97 newly discovered miRNAs and 102 known miRNAs. Among them, 10 miRNAs showed differential expression in xylem sap after 1 h of Cd treatment. Two miRNAs target prediction tools, psRNAtarget (reporting the inhibition pattern of cleavage) and DPMIND (discovering Plant MiRNA-Target Interaction with degradome evidence), were used in combination to identify, via bioinformatics, the targets of 199 significantly expressed miRNAs in maize xylem sap. The integrative results of these two bioinformatic tools suggested that 27 xylem sap miRNAs inhibit 34 genes through cleavage with degradome evidence. Moreover, nearly 300 other genes were also the potential miRNAs cleavable targets without available degradome data support, and the majority of them were enriched in abiotic stress response, cell signaling, transcription regulation, as well as metal handling. These approaches and results not only enhanced our understanding of the Cd-responsive long-distance transported miRNAs from the view of xylem sap, but also provided novel insights for predicting the molecular genetic mechanisms mediated by miRNAs.
A Comparative Study of Biological Characteristics and Transcriptome Profiles of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Different Canine Tissues
Authors: Zhan Xiao-Shu , El-Ashram Saeed , Luo Dong-Zhang , Luo Hui-Na , Wang Bing-Yun , Chen Sheng-Feng , Bai Yin-Shan , Chen Zhi-Sheng , Liu Can-Ying , Ji Hui-Qin
Published: March 2019

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the most promising seed cells for cell therapy. Comparing the biological and transcriptome gene characteristics of MSCs from different sources provides an important basis for the screening of clinically used cells. The main purpose of this experiment was to establish methods for the isolation and culture of MSCs from five different canine sources, including adipose tissue, bone marrow, umbilical cord, amniotic membrane, and placenta, and compare biological and transcriptome characteristics of MSCs, in order to provide a basis for the clinical application of canine MSCs. MSCs were isolated from Chinese pastoral dogs, and the following experiments were performed: (1) the third, sixth, and ninth generations of cells were counted, respectively, and a growth curve was plotted to calculate the MSC population doubling time; (2) the expression of CD34 and CD44 surface markers was studied by immunofluorescence; (3) the third generation of cells were used for osteogenetic and adipogenic differentiation experiments; and (4) MSC transcriptome profiles were performed using RNA sequencing. All of the five types of MSCs showed fibroblast-like adherent growth. The cell surface expressed CD44 instead of CD34; the third-generation MSCs had the highest proliferative activity. The average population doubling time of adipose mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), placenta mesenchymal stem cells (P-MSCs), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs), and amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (AM-MSCs) were 15.8 h, 21.2 h, 26.2 h, 35 h, and 41.9 h, respectively. All five types of MSCs could be induced to differentiate into adipocytes and osteoblasts in vitro, with lipid droplets appearing after 8 days and bone formation occurring 5 days after AD-MSC induction. However, the multilineage differentiation for the remaining of MSCs was longer compared to that of the AD-MSCs. The MSC transcriptome profiles showed that AD-MSC and BM-MSCs had the highest homology, while P-MSCs were significantly different compared to the other four types of MSCs. All the isolated MSCs had the main biological characteristics of MSCs. AD-MSCs had the shortest time for proliferation, adipogenesis, and osteogenic differentiation.
Upregulated Autophagy in Calcific Aortic Valve Stenosis Confers Protection of Valvular Interstitial Cells
Authors: Carracedo Miguel , Persson Oscar , Saliba-Gustafsson Peter , Artiach Gonzalo , Ehrenborg Ewa , Eriksson Per , Franco-Cereceda Anders , Bäck Magnus
Published: March 2019

Autophagy serves as a cell survival mechanism which becomes dysregulated under pathological conditions and aging. Aortic valve thickening and calcification causing left ventricular outflow obstruction is known as calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS). CAVS is a chronic and progressive disease which increases in incidence and severity with age. Currently, no medical treatment exists for CAVS, and the role of autophagy in the disease remains largely unexplored. To further understand the role of autophagy in the progression of CAVS, we analyzed expression of key autophagy genes in healthy, thickened, and calcified valve tissue from 55 patients, and compared them with nine patients without significant CAVS, undergoing surgery for aortic regurgitation (AR). This revealed a upregulation in autophagy exclusively in the calcified tissue of CAVS patients. This difference in autophagy between CAVS and AR was explored by LC3 lipidation in valvular interstitial cells (VICs), revealing an upregulation in autophagic flux in CAVS patients. Inhibition of autophagy by bafilomycin-A1 led to a decrease in VIC survival. Finally, treatment of VICs with high phosphate led to an increase in autophagic activity. In conclusion, our data suggests that autophagy is upregulated in the calcified tissue of CAVS, serving as a compensatory and pro-survival mechanism.
Tangled String for Multi-Timescale Explanation of Changes in Stock Market
Authors: Ohsawa Yukio , Hayashi Teruaki , Yoshino Takaaki
Published: March 2019

This work addresses the question of explaining changes in the desired timescales of the stock market. Tangled string is a sequence visualization tool wherein a sequence is compared to a string and trends in the sequence are compared to the appearance of tangled pills and wires bridging the pills in the string. Here, the tangled string is extended and applied to detecting stocks that trigger changes and explaining trend changes in the market. Sequential data for 11 years from the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange regarding top-10 stocks with weekly increase rates are visualized using the tangled string. It was found that the change points obtained by the tangled string coincided well with changes in the average prices of listed stocks, and changes in the price of each stock are visualized on the string. Thus, changes in stock prices, which vary across a mixture of different timescales, could be explained in the time scale corresponding to interest in stock analysis. The tangled string was created using a data-driven innovation platform called Innovators Marketplace on Data Jackets, and is extended to satisfy data users here, so this study verifies the contribution of data market to data-driven innovation.