bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Potential Nutraceutical Candidate Lactucin Inhibits Adipogenesis through Downregulation of JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway-Mediated Mitotic Clonal Expansion
Authors: Wang Xin , Liu Min , Cai Guo He , Chen Yan , Shi Xiao Chen , Zhang Cong Cong , Xia Bo , Xie Bao Cai , Liu Huan , Zhang Rui Xin , Lu Jun Feng , Zhu Meng Qing , Yang Shi Zhen , Chu Xin Yi , Zhang Dan Yang , Wang Yong Liang , Wu Jiang Wei
Published: January 2020

The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically worldwide in the past ~50 years. Searching for safe and effective anti-obesity strategies are urgently needed. Lactucin, a plant-derived natural small molecule, is known for anti-malaria and anti-hyperalgesia. The study is to investigate whether lactucin plays a key role in adipogenesis. To this end, in vivo male C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) were treated with 20 mg/kg/day of lactucin or vehicle by gavage for seven weeks. Compared with vehicle-treated controls, Lactucin-treated mice showed lower body mass and mass of adipose tissue. Consistently, in vitro 3T3-L1 cells were treated with 20 μM of lactucin. Compared to controls, lactucin-treated cells showed significantly less lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation and lower levels of lipid synthesis markers. Mechanistically, we showed the anti-adipogenic property of lactucin was largely limited to the early stage of adipogenesis. Lactucin-treated cells fail to undergo mitotic clonal expansion (MCE). Further studies demonstrate that lactucin-induced MCE arrests might result from reduced phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3. We then asked whether activation of JAK2/STAT3 would restore the inhibitory effect of lactucin on adipogenesis with pharmacological STAT3 activator colivelin. Our results revealed similar levels of lipid accumulation between lactucin-treated cells and controls in the presence of colivelin, indicating that inactivation of STAT3 is the limiting factor for the anti-adipogenesis of lactucin in these cells. Together, our results provide the indication that lactucin exerts an anti-adipogenesis effect, which may open new therapeutic options for obesity.
Impacts of Australian Firefighters’ On-Call Work Arrangements on the Sleep of Partners
Authors: Vincent Grace E. , Karan Simone , Paterson Jessica , Reynolds Amy C. , Dominiak Michelle , Ferguson Sally A.
Published: January 2020

On-call work arrangements are commonly utilised in the emergency services sector and are consistency associated with inadequate sleep. Despite sleep being a common shared behaviour, studies are yet to assess the impact of on-call work on the sleep of co-sleeping partners. This study aimed to investigate whether frequent 24/7 on-call work impacted the sleep and relationship happiness of firefighters’ partners. Two key research questions were investigated: (1) Does the frequency of calls impact sleep and relationship happiness? and, (2) Does the (a) sleep quantity and (b) sleep quality of partners impact perceived relationship happiness? A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire completed by partners of on-call workers (n = 66; 93% female). The questionnaire included items on (i) sleep quantity and quality, (ii) on-call sleep disturbances and, (iii) relationship happiness. Responses were analysed using logistic regression models. Higher overnight call frequency was associated with greater self-reported levels of inadequate sleep (<7 h per night; p = 0.024). Support for continuance of a firefighter’s role was less likely if the partner reported they regularly had trouble falling asleep within 30 min (p < 0.001). There were no other significant relationships between the frequency of calls or other sleep quantity or quality variables and relationship happiness. This study provides important first insights into how firefighters’ on-call work arrangements impact partners’ sleep. Future research is needed across periods of high and low call demand, using objective measures of sleep to further define the impacts of on-call work on partners’ sleep.
Pure Sn Coatings Produced by Pulse Plating from Stannate Bath
Authors: Sharma Ashutosh , Seo Hyungtak , Ahn Byungmin
Published: January 2020

We have produced pure Sn coatings from an alkaline bath plating. The plating bath was composed of sodium stannate and sodium hydroxide with sorbitol as an additive. The experiments were performed with a potentiostat/galvanostat at various current densities from 5–25 mA/cm2. The morphology of the coatings, thickness, plating rate, and microhardness were evaluated. Furthermore the wetting of the Sn coatings on a Cu substrate was also assessed by area spread ratio measurements after reflow at 250 °C. The resultant coatings were very smooth and shiny. Initially, the plating morphology was uneven and a nodular type, which further improved with increasing current density up to 15 mA/cm2. The plating rate and thickness were the maximum at a current density of 15 mA/cm2. The coatings had higher strength and solderability at 15 mA/cm2 due to the improved microstructure and plating rate.
Production, Preparation and Characterization of Microalgae-Based Biopolymer as a Potential Bioactive Film
Authors: Morales-Jiménez Mónica , Gouveia Luisa , Yáñez-Fernández Jorge , Castro-Muñoz Roberto , Barragán-Huerta Blanca
Published: January 2020

Six microalgae strains were screened according to their biomass productivity and polymer synthesis, showing biomass productivity between 0.14 and 0.68 g/(L·d) for a 21-day growth period. Extracellular biopolymers from the spent culture media of Nostoc sp. (No), Synechocystis sp. (Sy), and Porphyridium purpureum (Pp) was obtained, and the yields of the clean biopolymer were 323, 204, and 83 mg/L, respectively. The crude biopolymer was cleaned up using a solid-phase extraction technique. The emulsification index E24 values for the clean biopolymer were 77.5%, 68.8%, and 73.3% at 0.323, 0.083, and 0.204 mg/mL, respectively. The clean biopolymer of the No strain showed the highest fungal growth inhibition against Fusarium verticillioides (70.2%) and Fusarium sp. (61.4%) at 2.24 mg/mL. In general, transparent and flexible biofilms were prepared using biopolymers of No and Pp. The microstructural analysis revealed the presence of pores and cracks in the biofilms, and the average roughness Ra values are 68.6 and 86.4 nm for No and Pp, respectively, and the root mean square roughness Rq values are 86.2 and 107.2 nm for No and Pp, respectively.
An Innovative Miniature Pulsating Emulsification Device: Flow Characterization and Measurement of Emulsion Stability
Authors: Chondrou Angeliki P. , Evgenidis Sotiris P. , Kostoglou Margaritis , Karapantsios Thodoris D.
Published: January 2020

The aim of this study is the development of an emulsification device for two immiscible liquids with a total volume of approximately 3 mL. The heart of the device is a piston, with an aluminum plate fixed at its tip, which moves periodically up and down inside a rectangular cell. The plate geometry (uniform or non-uniform height) affects significantly both the emulsions stability and the size of the droplets of the prepared emulsions. Five parameters are examined during testing (surfactant type, surfactant concentration, proportion of immiscible liquids, piston stroke frequency, duration of emulsification) and all of them appear to have an important role in the resulting droplet size distribution. A macroscopic theoretical model is developed for the determination of the main hydrodynamic parameters of the innovative device. It is shown that the non-uniform height plate achieves higher shear rates when compared to the uniform height plate because of the smaller gap between the plate and the cell walls. However, the benefits of the higher shear rate are overturned by the larger effective breakage time encountered in the uniform height plate resulting from the larger surface area of its sides. The results of the emulsification experiments are analyzed using the parameter values derived by the developed model.
Evaluating the Stability of Double Emulsions—A Review of the Measurement Techniques for the Systematic Investigation of Instability Mechanisms
Authors: Leister Nico , Karbstein Heike P.
Published: January 2020

Double emulsions are very promising for various applications in pharmaceutics, cosmetics, and food. Despite lots of published research, only a few products have successfully been marketed due to immense stability problems. This review describes approaches on how to characterize the stability of double emulsions. The measurement methods are used to investigate the influence of the ingredients or the process on the stability, as well as of the environmental conditions during storage. The described techniques are applied either to double emulsions themselves or to model systems. The presented analysis methods are based on microscopy, rheology, light scattering, marker detection, and differential scanning calorimetry. Many methods for the characterization of double emulsions focus only on the release of the inner water phase or of a marker encapsulated therein. Analysis methods for a specific application rarely give information on the actual mechanism, leading to double emulsion breakage. In contrast, model systems such as simple emulsions, microfluidic emulsions, or single-drop experiments allow for a systematic investigation of diffusion and coalescence between the individual phases. They also give information on the order of magnitude in which they contribute to the failure of the overall system. This review gives an overview of various methods for the characterization of double emulsion stability, describing the underlying assumptions and the information gained. With this review, we intend to assist in the development of stable double emulsion-based products.
The Fundamental Clustering and Projection Suite (FCPS): A Dataset Collection to Test the Performance of Clustering and Data Projection Algorithms
Authors: Ultsch Alfred , Lötsch Jörn
Published: January 2020

In the context of data science, data projection and clustering are common procedures. The chosen analysis method is crucial to avoid faulty pattern recognition. It is therefore necessary to know the properties and especially the limitations of projection and clustering algorithms. This report describes a collection of datasets that are grouped together in the Fundamental Clustering and Projection Suite (FCPS). The FCPS contains 10 datasets with the names “Atom”, “Chainlink”, “EngyTime”, “Golfball”, “Hepta”, “Lsun”, “Target”, “Tetra”, “TwoDiamonds”, and “WingNut”. Common clustering methods occasionally identified non-existent clusters or assigned data points to the wrong clusters in the FCPS suite. Likewise, common data projection methods could only partially reproduce the data structure correctly on a two-dimensional plane. In conclusion, the FCPS dataset collection addresses general challenges for clustering and projection algorithms such as lack of linear separability, different or small inner class spacing, classes defined by data density rather than data spacing, no cluster structure at all, outliers, or classes that are in contact. This report describes a collection of datasets that are grouped together in the Fundamental Clustering and Projection Suite (FCPS). It is designed to address specific problems of structure discovery in high-dimensional spaces.
CFD Simulations of Single- and Twin-Screw Machines with OpenFOAM
Authors: Casari Nicola , Fadiga Ettore , Pinelli Michele , Suman Alessio , Ziviani Davide
Published: January 2020

Over the last decade, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has been increasingly applied for the design and analysis of positive displacement machines employed in vapor compression and power generation applications. Particularly, single-screw and twin-screw machines have received attention from the researchers, leading to the development and application of increasingly efficient techniques for their numerical simulation. Modeling the operation of such machines including the dynamics of the compression (or expansion) process and the deforming working chambers is particularly challenging. The relative motion of the rotors and the variation of the gaps during machine operation are a few of the major numerical challenges towards the implementation of reliable CFD models. Moreover, evaluating the thermophysical properties of real gases represents an additional challenge to be addressed. Special care must be given to defining equation of states or generating tables and computing the thermodynamic properties. Among several CFD suite available, the open-source OpenFOAM tool OpenFOAM, is regarded as a reliable and accurate software for carrying out CFD analyses. In this paper, the dynamic meshing techniques available within the software as well as new libraries implemented for expanding the functionalities of the software are presented. The simulation of both a single-screw and a twin-screw machine is described and results are discussed. Specifically, for the single-screw expander case, the geometry will be released as open-access for the entire community. Besides, the real gas modeling possibilities implemented in the software will be described and the CoolProp thermophysical library integration will be presented.
Predicting Clinical Efficacy of Vascular Disrupting Agents in Rodent Models of Primary and Secondary Liver Cancers: An Overview with Imaging-Histopathology Correlation
Authors: Liu Yewei , Wang Shuncong , Zhao Xiaohui , Feng Yuanbo , Bormans Guy , Swinnen Johan , Oyen Raymond , Huang Gang , Ni Yicheng , Li Yue
Published: January 2020

Vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) have entered clinical trials for over 15 years. As the leading VDA, combretastatin A4 phosphate (CA4P) has been evaluated in combination with chemotherapy and molecular targeting agents among patients with ovarian cancer, lung cancer and thyroid cancer, but still remains rarely explored in human liver cancers. To overcome tumor residues and regrowth after CA4P monotherapy, a novel dual targeting pan-anticancer theragnostic strategy, i.e., OncoCiDia, has been developed and shown promise previously in secondary liver tumor models. Animal model of primary liver cancer is time consuming to induce, but of value for more closely mimicking human liver cancers in terms of tumor angiogenesis, histopathological heterogeneity, cellular differentiation, tumor components, cancer progression and therapeutic response. Being increasingly adopted in VDA researches, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides imaging biomarkers to reflect in vivo tumor responses to drugs. In this article as a chapter of a doctoral thesis, we overview the construction and clinical relevance of primary and secondary liver cancer models in rodents. Target selection for CA4P therapy assisted by enhanced MRI using hepatobiliary contrast agents (CAs), and therapeutic efficacy evaluated by using MRI with a non-specific contrast agent, dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) imaging, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) are also described. We then summarize diverse responses among primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), secondary liver and pancreatic tumors to CA4P, which appeared to be related to tumor size, vascularity, and cellular differentiation. In general, imaging-histopathology correlation studies allow to conclude that CA4P tends to be more effective in secondary liver tumors and in more differentiated HCCs, but less effective in less differentiated HCCs and implanted pancreatic tumor. Notably, cirrhotic liver may be responsive to CA4P as well. All these could be instructive for future clinical trials of VDAs.
Fire Alters Soil Properties and Vegetation in a Coniferous–Broadleaf Mixed Forest in Central China
Authors: Hu Mengjun , Liu Yanchun , Wang Tiantian , Hao Yuanfeng , Li Zheng , Wan Shiqiang
Published: January 2020

Fire is the predominant natural disturbance that influences the community structure as well as ecosystem function in forests. This study was conducted to examine the soil properties, loss of aboveground biomass, and understory plant community in response to an anthropogenic fire in a coniferous (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) and broadleaf (Quercus acutissima Carruth.) mixed forest in a subtropical–temperate climatic transition zone in Central China. The results showed that soil pH, NO3−-N concentration, and microbial biomass carbon (C) increased three months after the fire; however, there were no significant differences in soil organic C, total nitrogen (N), NH4+-N concentration, or microbial biomass N between the burned and unburned observed plots. The total aboveground biomass was 39.0% lower in the burned than unburned plots four weeks after fire. Direct biomass combustion (19.15 t ha−1, including understory shrubs and litters) was lower than dead wood biomass loss (23.69 t ha−1) caused by the fire. The declining trends of tree mortality with increasing diameter at breast height for both pine and oak trees suggest that small trees are more likely to die during and after fires due to the thinner bark of small trees and tree and branch fall. In addition, burning significantly stimulated the density of shrub (160.9%) and herb (88.0%), but it also affected the richness of shrub and herb compared with that in the unburned plots two months after the fire. The rapid recovery of understory plants after fires suggest that the diversity of understory species could benefit from low-severity fires. Our findings highlight that the decomposition of dead wood and understory community recovery should be considered for offsetting C emissions after fires for further research.
New Values of Non-Wood Forest Products
Authors: Weiss Gerhard , Emery Marla R. , Corradini Giulia , Živojinović Ivana
Published: January 2020

The role of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) in industrialised country economies has declined in the past, but they are generating renewed interest as business opportunities. In a forest-based bio-economy frame, NWFPs can contribute to human nutrition, renewable materials, and cultural and experiential services, as well as create job and income opportunities in rural areas. Applying a service-dominant logic (SDL) approach to analysis of NWFPs, this article aimed to understand how new goods and services are co-created through networks of public and private actors in specific institutional, social, and cultural contexts. This focus sheds light on the experiences associated with NWFP harvest and use, revealing a fulsome suite of values and economic opportunities that include but are greater than the physical goods themselves. Turning the SDL lens on in-depth case studies from Europe and North America, we show dimensions of forest products that go beyond commercial values but are, at the same time, constituent of commercial activities. SDL provides a new view on customer relations, service provision to businesses, and policy measures for innovation support for non-wood forest products.
Cheese Whey Fermentation by Its Native Microbiota: Proteolysis and Bioactive Peptides Release with ACE-Inhibitory Activity
Authors: Mazorra-Manzano Miguel A. , Robles-Porchas Glen R. , González-Velázquez Daniel A. , Torres-Llanez María J. , Martínez-Porchas Marcel , García-Sifuentes Celia O. , González-Córdova Aarón F. , Vallejo-Córdoba Belinda
Published: January 2020

Cheese whey contains about 20% of the total milk protein and has high nutritional and technological value, as well as attractive biological properties. Whey protein represents an important source of bioactive peptides with beneficial effects on health (e.g., antioxidant, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, etc.). Microbiota in cheese whey can hydrolyze proteins and generate bioactive peptides through a fermentation process. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of temperature on the fermentation of cheese whey by its native microbiota, and the action of microbial proteolytic activity on whey proteins to release peptides with inhibitory activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Whey proteins hydrolysis occurred at all incubation temperatures evaluated (32–50 °C), with the major proteolytic effect within the range of 35–42 °C. Minor whey proteins (i.e., Lf, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and IgG) were more susceptible to degradation, while β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin showed major resistance to microbial proteolytic action. Alfa-amino groups increased from 36 to 360–456 µg Gly/mL after 120 h of fermentation. A higher lactic acid production (11.32–13.55 g/L) and lower pH (3.3–3.5) were also observed in the same temperature range (32–42 °C). In addition, ACE-inhibitory activity increased from 22% (unfermented whey) to 60–70% after 120 h of fermentation. These results suggest that the fermentation of cheese whey by its native microbiota represents an attractive process to give value to whey for the production of whey-based beverages or functional foods with potential antihypertensive properties.
Comparative Evaluation of Piper nigrum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cymbopogon citratus and Juniperus communis L. Essential Oils of Different Origin as Functional Antimicrobials in Foods
Authors: Leja Katarzyna , Majcher Małgorzata , Juzwa Wojciech , Czaczyk Katarzyna , Komosa Marcin
Published: January 2020

Essential oils can be used as preservatives in foods because of their ability to inhibit bacteria growth in low concentration, which does not influence on foods’ organoleptic properties and does not generate the resistance mechanisms in cells. The aim of that work was to compare the effectiveness of commercial oils from black pepper (Piper nigrum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and juniper (Juniperus communis L.) with oils obtained in our laboratory. The typical cultivation method was supported by the flow cytometry to detect the cells of very low physiologic and metabolic activity. Our investigation demonstrated that both types of oils can effectively inhibit the growth of saprophytic bacteria P. orientalis. The oils distilled in our laboratory had a bacteriostatic effect at a lower concentration, which is important for application in the food industry. Flow cytometry analyzes and confirmed the thesis that essential oils do not have a germicidal effect on bacteria cells.
Fabricating a Pickering Stabilizer from Okara Dietary Fibre Particulates by Conjugating with Soy Protein Isolate via Maillard Reaction
Authors: Ashaolu Tolulope Joshua , Zhao Guohua
Published: January 2020

Okara is underutilized despite its numerous values explorable in food products. In this study, okara dietary fibre (ODF) was micronized and decorated with soy protein isolate (SPI) through a Maillard reaction by dry heating at 60 °C. The resulting ODF-SPI conjugates were thermally stable, hydrophilic rather than hydrophobic, and exhibited excellent Pickering emulsion stabilization potentials as indicated in their interfacial behaviour, microstructure, droplet sizes, emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI). In addition, the conjugates’ structure–function relationships, amino acid profile, and emulsifying potentials are indicative of being employed in the formulation of emulsion-based foods or non-edible products.
Role of Gastric Electrical Stimulation in the Treatment of Gastroparesis
Authors: Shine Amal , Abell Thomas L.
Published: January 2020

Introduction: Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is a surgically implanted treatment option for drug refractory gastroparesis syndromes. Evidence supporting use of GES and the pathophysiology of gastroparesis syndromes is not widely known. We conducted a descriptive review to elucidate the pathophysiology of gastroparesis syndromes, with particular focus on gastrointestinal neuromodulation and the known mechanisms of action of GES. Methods: A descriptive review of PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library was conducted using the keywords gastric electrical stimulation, gastroparesis, nausea, vomiting, neuromodulation, gastroparesis syndromes, central nervous system, gastric pacing and electrical stimulation. Results: 1040 potentially relevant articles were identified, of which 34 were included. These studies explored various central and peripheral effects of GES, as well as its effect on quality of life, hospital stay, mortality and health-related costs. Conclusion: Although evidence supporting gastrointestinal (GI) electrical stimulation and GI neuromodulation use is not widely known, GES does seem to offer significant improvement in symptom control, quality of life and other effects to many patients. GES exerts its effects through multiple central and peripheral mechanisms and has potential to modify the natural history of disease. Future work on gastroparetic syndromes and their treatment might be better focused in terms of pathophysiologic mechanisms. Improving outcomes with specific neuromodulation therapies, like GES, may offer improvements in health for many patients with refractory upper gastrointestinal symptoms.
Psychopathological Symptoms and Loneliness in Adult Internet Users: A Contemporary Public Health Concern
Authors: Leite Ângela , Ramires Ana , Amorim Susana , e Sousa Hélder Fernando Pedrosa , Vidal Diogo Guedes , Dinis Maria Alzira Pimenta
Published: January 2020

There are different concepts that translate abusive Internet use. Almost all these concepts converge on excessive time spent online, which can trigger the emergence of problematic situations. Most of the studies reported in the literature, both nationally and internationally, focused on a young population and found negative consequences of this Internet misuse. The objective of this study consists of associating the time spent using the Internet—in years, times per week, and hours per day—with psychopathological symptoms, as well as assessing the perception of loneliness, in an adult Portuguese population. A quantitative approach, based on a survey application, was conducted in a convenience sample composed by 418 participants (64.4% female), with a mean age of 29.9 years old (SD = 9.26), ranging from 18 to 73 years. The results suggest that maladaptive patterns of Internet use found in young people seem to be replicated in the adult population. A relationship between time spent on the Internet and psychopathological symptoms, and an association between loneliness and the number of hours spent on the Internet, were also identified. In an individualized and disconnected offline world, Internet impact in individuals’ well-being results must be highlighted, since it should be understood as a public health issue. The novelty of this study lies in the target population: Portuguese Internet users over 18 years of age, for which there is no specific study on the subject, thus emphasizing the transverse nature of the problem.
Contributions of Multiple Built Environment Features to 10-Year Change in Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference in a South Australian Middle-Aged Cohort
Authors: Carroll Suzanne J. , Dale Michael J. , Taylor Anne W. , Daniel Mark
Published: January 2020

Residential areas may shape health, yet few studies are longitudinal or concurrently test relationships between multiple residential features and health. This longitudinal study concurrently assessed the contributions of multiple environmental features to 10-year change in clinically measured body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Longitudinal data for adults (18+ years of age, n = 2253) from the north-west of Adelaide, Australia were linked to built environment measures representing the physical activity and food environment (expressed for residence-based 1600 m road-network buffers) and area education. Associations were concurrently estimated using latent growth models. In models including all environmental exposure measures, area education was associated with change in BMI and WC (protective effects). Dwelling density was associated with worsening BMI and WC but also highly correlated with area education and moderately correlated with count of fast food outlets. Public open space (POS) area was associated with worsening WC. Intersection density, land use mix, greenness, and a retail food environment index were not associated with change in BMI or WC. This study found greater dwelling density and POS area exacerbated increases in BMI and WC. Greater area education was protective against worsening body size. Interventions should consider dwelling density and POS, and target areas with low SES.
The Impact of Online Health Information on Patient Health Behaviours and Making Decisions Concerning Health
Authors: Bujnowska-Fedak Maria Magdalena , Węgierek Paulina
Published: January 2020

The number of Internet users searching for health-related issues increases significantly every year. The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how the information about health and disease obtained from the Internet by patients influenced them and how different e-health services can affect the patients’ choice of the doctor. The research was based on a national survey conducted among 1000 Polish adults. The study was carried out with the use of the computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). The study showed that e-health facilities are increasingly affecting the patient’s choice of doctor. Among the highest rated factors, the possibility of setting the date of appointment online and practice’s own website were indicated. Information on health and disease obtained from the Internet influenced respondents in many areas. Almost half of health Internet users (HI-users) wanted to change their diet and increase healthy physical activity under the influence of health information obtained online. Regarding health decision making, health information obtained from the Internet caused 45% of HI-users to make an appointment to see a doctor, and 40% of them had questions concerning diagnosis and treatment. Information on health and disease obtained from the Internet undoubtedly affects patient behaviour and health decisions they make.
The Impact of Social Media on Risk Communication of Disasters—A Comparative Study Based on Sina Weibo Blogs Related to Tianjin Explosion and Typhoon Pigeon
Authors: Liu Tiezhong , Zhang Huyuan , Zhang Hubo
Published: January 2020

Social media has brought opportunities and challenges to risk communication of disasters by undermining the monopoly of traditional news media. This paper took blogs about Tianjin Explosion and Typhoon Pigeon posted through Sina Weibo as empirical objects. Moreover, the paper used the analytical method of social network to conduct a comparative study on the network structures of information disseminated among different types of disasters, with the goal of uncovering the impact of social media on different types of risk communication of disasters. The result shows a different impact of the risk communication on the two types of disasters. While the role of social media for the risk communication of natural disasters is mainly to influence information dissemination, the roles of social media for the risk communication of man-made disasters are to transmit information as well as to communicate emotions. The differences seen within the structure of social media networks are causes differences in functions. Specifically, the structure for the social media communication network on man-made disasters takes on a “core - periphery structure” which is endowed with both information communication and emotional communication functions. Also, the role of the opinion leaders for the subnet is found to be significant while the communication within small groups is kept pretty active; additionally, the slow speed of information transmission of the network could result in easily distorted information. On top of that, the network is characterized with intense vulnerability to the attacks on core nodes. In contrast, the social media network for natural disaster risk communication is not seen with an obvious “peripheral-core” structure which is a relatively pure information transmission network with relatively equal principal status. In other words, the entire network is found with stronger connectivity and relatively faster information transmission speed. Furthermore, the nodes inside the network are found to have weaker control over information transmission. In sum, the research results are helpful in improving the risk communication theory based on social relations, optimizing the communication structure of disaster information so as to change the effect of risk communication.
Monitoring Consumption of Common Illicit Drugs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by Wastewater-Cased Epidemiology
Authors: Du Peng , Liu Xin , Zhong Guangcai , Zhou Zilei , Thomes Margaret William , Lee Choon Weng , Bong Chui Wei , Zhang Xuan , Hao Fanghua , Li Xiqing , Zhang Gan , Thai Phong K.
Published: January 2020

Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia play a major role in global drug trade and abuse. Use of amphetamine-type stimulants has increased in the past decade in Malaysia. This study aimed to apply wastewater-based epidemiology for the first time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to estimate the consumption of common illicit drugs in urban population. Influent wastewater samples were collected from two wastewater treatment plants in Kuala Lumpur in the summer of 2017. Concentrations of twenty-four drug biomarkers were analyzed for estimating drug consumption. Fourteen drug residues were detected with concentrations of up to 1640 ng/L. Among the monitored illicit drugs, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) or ecstasy had the highest estimated per capita consumptions. Consumption and dose of amphetamine-type stimulants (methamphetamine and MDMA) were both an order of magnitude higher than those of opioids (heroin and codeine, methadone and tramadol). Amphetamine-type stimulants were the most prevalent drugs, replacing opioids in the drug market. The prevalence trend measured by wastewater-based epidemiology data reflected the shift to amphetamine-type stimulants as reported by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Narcotics Cooperation Center. Most of the undetected drug residues were new psychoactive substances (NPSs), suggesting a low prevalence of NPSs in the drug market.
How Can Job Crafting Be Reproduced? Examining the Trickle-Down Effect of Job Crafting from Leaders to Employees
Authors: Xin Xun , Cai Wenjing , Zhou Wenxia , Baroudi Sabrine El , Khapova Svetlana N.
Published: January 2020

This study seeks to examine how and when job crafting trickles down from leaders to followers in a team context. Drawing on social learning theory, we hypothesize that team leaders’ job resources mediate the relationship between team leaders’ job crafting and team members’ job crafting. Empowering leadership is proposed to strengthen the mediation effect, such that under a stronger (higher) empowering leadership style the relationship between team leaders’ job resources and team members’ job crafting is further strengthened, thereby positively influencing the overall mediated relationship. We tested our multilevel moderated mediation model with leader-subordinate paired data from 64 work teams in seven Chinese enterprises over two time periods. The results support our hypothesized mediated relationship; however, contrary to our prediction, we find that empowering leadership negatively moderates the relationship between team leaders’ job resources and team members’ job crafting, and weakens the mediation effect of team leaders’ job resources. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
An Appraisal of Potential for Sowing of Nasturtium officinale into Streams to Mitigate Nutrient Pollution in Eastern Scotland
Authors: Vinten Andy , Bowden-Smith Patrick
Published: January 2020

This study examines a farmer-led initiative to sow watercress (Nasturtium officinale) in field ditches. The objective was to assess the potential of this practice to mitigate summer nutrient loads in rivers. Two ditches—one seeded, the other unseeded—on a mixed-livestock farm in Eastern Scotland were monitored during the spring-summer of 2014–2016. The un-replicated trial design limited statistical analysis. However, changes in N and P concentrations along the two ditches were measured. In the watercress-seeded ditch, N retention of 0.092 g/m2/d (p < 0.001, SE = 0.020) and P retention of 0.0092 g/m2/d (p = 0.001, SE = 0.0028) occurred, while total organic C in the water increased along the ditch. Retention was close to zero for the unseeded ditch. The seeded ditch was also found to have more dry matter production and lower stream temperature. The impact of plastic covering (to increase spring temperature) on vegetation and nutrient removal was also assessed on replicate 5-m sections of the ditches. No significant impact on N and P removal was found; however, the release of C increased significantly in the plastic-covered sections. The rise in air temperature (up to > 30 °C) promoted a greater growth of opportunist species (nettle (Urtica), rush (Juncus), and grasses. These observations were used to make a simple assessment of the potential catchment scale impact of seeding watercress into first and second order streams in the nearby Lunan Water catchment. It was concluded that this could make a significant contribution to the reduction of nutrient loads.
Changes in Physical Activity, Physical Fitness and Well-Being Following a School-Based Health Promotion Program in a Norwegian Region with a Poor Public Health Profile: A Non-Randomized Controlled Study in Early Adolescents
Authors: Schmidt Sabrina K. , Reinboth Michael S. , Resaland Geir K. , Bratland-Sanda Solfrid
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in physical activity (PA), physical fitness and psychosocial well-being in early adolescents following implementation of a school-based health promotion program in secondary schools. Methods: Six municipalities in Telemark County, Norway, were recruited into intervention (6 schools) or control groups (9 schools). A total of 644 pupils participated in the study (response rate: 79%). The schools in the intervention group implemented the Active and Healthy Kids program, where the PA component consisted of (1) 120 min/week of physically active learning (PAL) and (2) 25 min/week of physical active breaks. Furthermore, both the intervention and control schools carried out 135 min/week of physical education. The primary outcome was PA. Secondary outcomes were sedentary time, physical fitness, subjective vitality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in five domains: physical health, psychological well-being, parent, peers and school. Results: There was a group x time effect on school-based PA (p < 0.05), but not total PA, as well as on physical fitness (p < 0.05) and vitality (p < 0.01). In girls, there also was a group x time effect on three out of the five domains on HRQoL (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A multi-component, school-based health-promotion program with emphasis on the use of PAL led to positive changes in school-based PA levels. Furthermore, positive changes were seen in physical fitness, vitality and HRQoL among early adolescents in a county with a poor public health profile. This might have implications for the development and promotion in schools of general health and well-being throughout adolescence.
Comparing Logistic Regression Models with Alternative Machine Learning Methods to Predict the Risk of Drug Intoxication Mortality
Authors: Choi YoungJin , Boo YooKyung
Published: January 2020

(1) Medical research has shown an increasing interest in machine learning, permitting massive multivariate data analysis. Thus, we developed drug intoxication mortality prediction models, and compared machine learning models and traditional logistic regression. (2) Categorized as drug intoxication, 8,937 samples were extracted from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008-2017). We trained, validated, and tested each model through data and compared their performance using three measures: Brier score, calibration slope, and calibration-in-the-large. (3) A chi-square test demonstrated that mortality risk statistically significantly differed according to severity, intent, toxic substance, age, and sex. The multilayer perceptron model (MLP) had the highest area under the curve (AUC), and lowest Brier score in training and validation phases, while the logistic regression model (LR) showed the highest AUC (0.827) and lowest Brier score (0.0307) in the testing phase. MLP also had the second-highest AUC (0.816) and second-lowest Brier score (0.003258) in the testing phase, demonstrating better performance than the decision-making tree model. (4) Given the complexity of choosing tuning parameters, LR proved competitive when using medical datasets, which require strict accuracy.
Requirements, Development, and Evaluation of A National Building Standard—A Swedish Case Study
Authors: Eriksson Helen , Johansson Tim , Olsson Per-Ola , Andersson Maria , Engvall Jakob , Hast Isak , Harrie Lars
Published: January 2020

The aim of this paper is to present a proposal for a national building standard in Sweden. We define requirements for the proposed standard, e.g., it should support development of 3D city models, connect to building information models (BIM) and national registers and be based on a national classification system for the urban environment. Based on these requirements we develop an Application Domain Extension (ADE) of the building model in the proposed CityGML 3.0 standard denoted CityGML Sve-Test. CityGML 3.0 includes several new features of interest, e.g., the space concept, enhanced possibilities to convert data, and to link to other standards. In our study we create test data according to CityGML Sve-Test and evaluate it against the requirements. It is shown that BIM models (in Industry Foundation Classes, IFC, format) can be converted to CityGML Sve-Test and that a classification system facilitates this conversion. The CityGML Sve-Test dataset can be used to increase the automation level in building permissions checking and a related study shows that CityGML 3.0 has capabilities to link to legal information and be a base for 3D cadastral index maps. Based on our experience, we suggest that the national building standard should conform to international standards and, if possible, include a classification system. The exchange format (GML, JSON etc.) might change, but to be based on a standardized data model ensures harmonized structures and concepts.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Different Dendrobium Species Reveals Active Ingredients-Related Genes and Pathways
Authors: Yuan Yingdan , Zhang Bo , Tang Xinggang , Zhang Jinchi , Lin Jie
Published: January 2020

Dendrobium is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, which contains many kinds of active ingredients. In recent years, many Dendrobium transcriptomes have been sequenced. Hence, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used with the gene expression profiles of active ingredients to identify the modules and genes that may associate with particular species and tissues. Three kinds of Dendrobium species and three tissues were sampled for RNA-seq to generate a high-quality, full-length transcriptome database. Based on significant changes in gene expression, we constructed co-expression networks and revealed 19 gene modules. Among them, four modules with properties correlating to active ingredients regulation and biosynthesis, and several hub genes were selected for further functional investigation. This is the first time the WGCNA method has been used to analyze Dendrobium transcriptome data. Further excavation of the gene module information will help us to further study the role and significance of key genes, key signaling pathways, and regulatory mechanisms between genes on the occurrence and development of medicinal components of Dendrobium.
Engineering Prostate Cancer from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells—New Opportunities to Develop Preclinical Tools in Prostate and Prostate Cancer Studies
Authors: Hepburn Anastasia C. , Sims C. H. Cole , Buskin Adriana , Heer Rakesh
Published: January 2020

One of the key issues hampering the development of effective treatments for prostate cancer is the lack of suitable, tractable, and patient-specific in vitro models that accurately recapitulate this disease. In this review, we address the challenges of using primary cultures and patient-derived xenografts to study prostate cancer. We describe emerging approaches using primary prostate epithelial cells and prostate organoids and their genetic manipulation for disease modelling. Furthermore, the use of human prostate-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is highlighted as a promising complimentary approach. Finally, we discuss the manipulation of iPSCs to generate ‘avatars’ for drug disease testing. Specifically, we describe how a conceptual advance through the creation of living biobanks of “genetically engineered cancers” that contain patient-specific driver mutations hold promise for personalised medicine.
Salivary MicroRNA for Diagnosis of Cancer and Systemic Diseases: A Systematic Review
Authors: Setti Giacomo , Pezzi Margherita E. , Viani Maria Vittoria , Pertinhez Thelma A. , Cassi Diana , Magnoni Cristina , Bellini Pierantonio , Musolino Antonino , Vescovi Paolo , Meleti Marco
Published: January 2020

: Background: The aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been associated with several diseases, including cancer, inflammatory, and autoimmune conditions. Interest in salivary miRNAs as non-invasive tools for the diagnosis of malignancies and systemic diseases is rapidly increasing. The present systematic review was developed for answering the question: “Are salivary microRNAs reliable biomarkers for diagnosis of cancer and systemic diseases?” Methods: The application of inclusion and exclusion criteria led to the selection of 11 papers. Critical appraisals and quality assessments of the selected studies were performed through the National Institute of Health “Study Quality Assessment Tool” and the classification of the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine. Results: Seven studies reported statistically significant correlations between one or more salivary miRNAs and the investigated disease. The critical analysis allowed us to classify only two studies (18.2%) as having “good” quality, the rest being scored as “intermediate” (8; 73%) and “poor” (1; 9%). Evidence exists that salivary miR-940 and miR-3679-5p are reliable markers for pancreatic cancer and that miR140-5p and miR301a are promising molecules for the salivary diagnosis of gastric cancer. Conclusions: Further studies, possibly avoiding the risk of bias highlighted here, are necessary to consolidate these findings and to identify new reliable salivary biomarkers.