bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RIOS, PONTES E VULNERABILIDADES: o contraste social no Recife sob as óticas do Índice de Vulnerabilidade Social (IVS) e das manifestações artísticas locais
Authors: De Moura Micaella Raíssa Falcão
Published: September 2019

O surgimento do Índice de Vulnerabilidade Social (IVS) permitiu uma sinalização mais direta acerca do acesso, da ausência ou da insuficiência de determinados “ativos” nos territórios nacionais. Sabe-se, contudo, que anteriormente à elaboração de índices, as manifestações artísticas têm sido grandes responsáveis pela criação dos mais diversos retratos que possibilitam análises acerca dos contrastes da sociedade brasileira. Na Região Metropolitana do Recife (RMR), a cena musical, marcada por artistas como Chico Science & Nação Zumbi, tem historicamente trazido à tona elementos da diversidade cultural e socioeconômica da cidade. Nesse contexto, o presente artigo tem como objetivo contribuir para a popularização do conhecimento em torno do Atlas da Vulnerabilidade Social por meio da correlação das informações apontadas pelo IVS da RMR (anos de 2000 e 2010) com obras de artistas do cenário musical local. Espera-se que as reflexões desenvolvidas neste artigo estimulem trabalhos similares na esfera do desenvolvimento humano.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: IVS. Vulnerabilidade Social. Recife. RMR. Cena musical. Desenvolvimento humano.
Impulse Buying’s Antecedents and Consequences in the Context of Vietnam, an Asian Transitional Economy
Authors: Nguyen Tat Thanh , Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai , Nguyen Trong Khang
Published: September 2019

In this study, we develop and test a full model examining several antecedents and consequences of impulse buying behavior for urban consumers in Vietnam, an Asian transitional economy. The hypotheses are empirically tested using survey data obtained from consumers in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The results of structural equation modeling show support for most of our hypotheses. The findings indicate that shopping enjoyment tendency and modern self are significant predictors of impulse buying, while traditional self is not found to have an impact on this buying behavior. Impulse buying is found to be positively related to customer satisfaction, and subsequently, to customer loyalty. The research findings are discussed and implications for managers and policy makers are provided.
Organizational Learning in Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of A Public University in Vietnam
Authors: Pham Thi Bich Ngoc , Tran Quang Huy
Published: September 2019

Organizational learning has been discussed by a number of scholars. However, few of them have empirically addressed the issue in an educational context. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the limited previous research on organizational learning in higher education by examining the impact of employee participation on the organizational learning process and the relationship between the organizational learning process and performance of a public university in Vietnam. A survey of 136 employees of a public university in Hanoi, targeted at managers, lecturers and researchers having more than a 5-year working experience, was conducted in 2015. Multiple regression techniques were used to analyse the data. The study findings indicate that the organizational learning process is positively influenced by employee participation in decision-making and significantly associates with the performance of the university.
Ordbehandling som vansinne
Authors: Fredrikzon Johan
Published: September 2019

Är ordbehandling ett oskyldigt hjälpmedel för att producera mer effektiv prosa? Nedslag i det datorstödda skrivandets historia tyder på en mer komplicerad syn.
Collecting Faces
Authors: Krispinsson Charlotta
Published: September 2019

The notion of the archive has attracted attention in the aftermath of what is sometimes called “an archival turn” within the humanities – it has been discussed both as a metaphor for power and in terms of its materiality and dependency on media practices.[1] The archives structure our knowledge and determine what can be said at a certain time, as Michel Foucault famously pointed out in the late 1960s. But are there differences in kind between the use of archives by the various disciplines within the humanities, for example art historians and historians?
Freeze-Thaw Induced Gully Erosion: A Long-Term High-Resolution Analysis
Authors: Luffman Ingrid , Nandi Arpita
Published: September 2019

Gullies are significant contributors of sediment to streams in the southeastern USA. This study investigated gully erosion in the clay-rich soils of east Tennessee under a humid subtropical climate. The aims of this study were to (1) estimate long-term erosion rates for different gully geomorphic settings, (2) compare patterns of erosion for the different settings, and (3) model the response of gully erosion to freeze-thaw events. Erosion was measured weekly from June 2012 to August 2018 using 105 erosion pins distributed in gully channels, interfluves, and sidewalls. Erosion rates were estimated from average slopes of lines of best fit of pin lengths versus time. Maximum and minimum temperature was calculated daily using an on-site weather station and freeze-thaw events were identified. Gully erosion was modeled using antecedent freeze-thaw activity for the three geomorphic settings. Long-term erosion rates in channels, interfluves, and sidewalls were 2.5 mm/year, 20 mm/year, and 21 mm/year, respectively; however, week-by-week erosion was statistically different between the three settings, indicating different erosive drivers. Models of erosion with lagged freeze-thaw variables explained up to 34.8% of the variability in erosion variables; sidewall erosion was most highly related to freeze-thaw activity. Freeze-thaw in prior weeks was an important variable in all erosion models.
Physiological and Molecular Osmotic Stress Responses in Three Durum Wheat (Triticum Turgidum ssp Durum) Genotypes
Authors: Jallouli Salma , Ayadi Sawsen , Landi Simone , Capasso Giorgia , Santini Giorgia , Chamekh Zoubeir , Zouari Inés , Ben Azaiez Fatma Ezzahra , Trifa Youssef , Esposito Sergio
Published: September 2019

This study aims to investigate the activities and expression of enzymes of primary metabolism and relate these data with the growth performance of three different durum wheat genotypes (Maali; YT13; and ON66) under osmotic stress. Growth traits—including plant height, dry weight (DW) and relative water content (RWC)—were measured to classify genotypes depending on their tolerance to stress. Several enzymes were investigated: Ascorbate peroxidase (APX), Glutamine Synthetase (GS), Glutamine dehydrogenase (GDH), Glutamate synthase (GOGAT), Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), and Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase (PEPC). The expression of the cytosolic and plastidic glutamine synthetase (TaGS1 and TaGS2), high affinity nitrate transporters (TaNRT2.3) and Glutamate dehydrogenase (TaGDH) were also detected by qRT-PCR. The results indicated different growth performances among genotypes, indicating Maali and YT13 as tolerant genotypes and ON66 as a drought-susceptible variety. Data showed a decrease in PEPC and increase in APX activities under osmotic stress; a slight decrease in GS activity was observed, together with an increase in G6PDH in all genotypes; GS and NRT2 expressions changed in a similar pattern in the different genotypes. Interestingly, Maali and YT13 showed higher transcript abundance for GDH under stress compared to ON66, suggesting the implication of GDH in protective phenomena upon osmotic stress.
Method for Determining Neutral Wind Velocity Vectors Using Measurements of Internal Gravity Wave Group and Phase Velocities
Authors: Medvedev Andrey V. , Ratovsky Konstantin G. , Tolstikov Maxim V. , Vasilyev Roman V. , Artamonov Maxim F.
Published: September 2019

This study presents a new method for determining a neutral wind velocity vector. The basis of the method is measurement of the group velocities of internal gravity waves. Using the case of the Boussinesq dispersion relation, we demonstrated the ability to measure a neutral wind velocity vector using the group velocity and wave vector data. An algorithm for obtaining the group velocity vector from the wave vector spectrum is proposed. The new method was tested by comparing the obtained winter wind pattern with wind data from other sources. Testing the new method showed that it is in quantitative agreement with the Fabry–Pérot interferometer wind measurements for zonal and vertical wind velocities. The differences in meridional wind velocities are also discussed here. Of particular interest were the results related to the measurement of vertical wind velocities. We demonstrated that two independent methods gave the presence of vertical wind velocities with amplitude of ~20 m/s. Estimation of vertical wind contribution to plasma drift velocity indicated the importance of vertical wind measurements and the need to take them into account in physical and empirical models of the ionosphere and thermosphere.
HSF1 Regulates Mevalonate and Cholesterol Biosynthesis Pathways
Authors: Kang Hyeji , Oh Taerim , Bahk Young Yil , Kim Geon-Hee , Kan Sang-Yeon , Shin Dong Hoon , Kim Ji Hyung , Lim Ji-Hong
Published: September 2019

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is an essential transcription factor in cellular adaptation to various stresses such as heat, proteotoxic stress, metabolic stress, reactive oxygen species, and heavy metals. HSF1 promotes cancer development and progression, and increased HSF1 levels are frequently observed in multiple types of cancers. Increased activity in the mevalonate and cholesterol biosynthesis pathways, which are very important for cancer growth and progression, is observed in various cancers. However, the functional role of HSF1 in the mevalonate and cholesterol biosynthesis pathways has not yet been investigated. Here, we demonstrated that the activation of RAS-MAPK signaling through the overexpression of H-RasV12 increased HSF1 expression and the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. In addition, the activation of HSF1 was also found to increase cholesterol biosynthesis. Inversely, the suppression of HSF1 by the pharmacological inhibitor KRIBB11 and short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) reversed H-RasV12-induced cholesterol biosynthesis. From the standpoint of therapeutic applications for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, HSF1 inhibition was shown to sensitize the antiproliferative effects of simvastatin in HCC cells. Overall, our findings demonstrate that HSF1 is a potential target for statin-based HCC treatment.
Effect of Zirconia Polymorph on Vapor-Phase Ketonization of Propionic Acid
Authors: Ding Shuang , Zhao Jiankang , Yu Qiang
Published: September 2019

Vapor-phase ketonization of propionic acid derived from biomass was studied at 300–375 °C over ZrO2 with different zirconia polymorph. The tetragonal ZrO2 (t-ZrO2) are more active than monoclinic ZrO2 (m-ZrO2). The results of characterizations from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman suggest m-ZrO2 and t-ZrO2 are synthesized by the solvothermal method. NH3 and CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD and CO2-TPD) measurements show that there were more medium-strength Lewis acid base sites with lower coordination exposed on m-ZrO2 relative to t-ZrO2, increasing the adsorption strength of propionic acid. The in situ DRIFTS (Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy) of adsorbed propionic acid under ketonization reaction reveal that as the most abundant surface intermediates, the monodentate propionates are more active than bidentate propionates. In comparison with m-ZrO2, the t-ZrO2 surface favors monodentate adsorption over bidentate adsorption. Additionally, the adsorption strength of monodentate propionate is weaker on t-ZrO2. These differences in adsorption configuration and adsorption strength of propionic acid are affected by the zirconia structure. The higher surface concentration and weaker adsorption strength of monodentate propionates contribute to the higher ketonization rate in the steady state.
Novel Submerged Photocatalytic Membrane Reactor for Treatment of Olive Mill Wastewaters
Authors: Fraga Maria C. , Huertas Rosa M. , Crespo João G. , Pereira Vanessa J.
Published: September 2019

A new hybrid photocatalytic membrane reactor that can easily be scaled-up was designed, assembled and used to test photocatalytic membranes developed using the sol–gel technique. Extremely high removals of total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, phenolic and volatile compounds were obtained when the hybrid photocatalytic membrane reactor was used to treat olive mill wastewaters. The submerged photocatalytic membrane reactor proposed and the modified membranes represent a step forward towards the development of new advanced treatment technology able to cope with several water and wastewater contaminants.
A Critical Review of Recent Progress and Perspective in Practical Denitration Application
Authors: Liu Zhisong , Yu Feng , Ma Cunhua , Dan Jianming , Luo Jian , Dai Bin
Published: September 2019

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) represent one of the main sources of haze and pollution of the atmosphere as well as the causes of photochemical smog and acid rain. Furthermore, it poses a serious threat to human health. With the increasing emission of NOx, it is urgent to control NOx. According to the different mechanisms of NOx removal methods, this paper elaborated on the adsorption method represented by activated carbon adsorption, analyzed the oxidation method represented by Fenton oxidation, discussed the reduction method represented by selective catalytic reduction, and summarized the plasma method represented by plasma-modified catalyst to remove NOx. At the same time, the current research status and existing problems of different NOx removal technologies were revealed and the future development prospects were forecasted.
Autophagy Stimulation as a Potential Strategy Against Intestinal Fibrosis
Authors: Cosin-Roger Jesus , Canet Francisco , Macias-Ceja Dulce C. , Gisbert-Ferrándiz Laura , Ortiz-Masiá Dolores , Esplugues Juan V. , Alós Rafael , Navarro Francisco , Barrachina María D. , Calatayud Sara
Published: September 2019

We recently observed reduced autophagy in Crohn’s disease patients and an anti-inflammatory effect of autophagy stimulation in murine colitis, but both anti- and pro-fibrotic effects are associated with autophagy stimulation in different tissues, and fibrosis is a frequent complication of Crohn’s disease. Thus, we analyzed the effects of pharmacological modulation of autophagy in a murine model of intestinal fibrosis and detected that autophagy inhibition aggravates, while autophagy stimulation prevents, fibrosis. These effects are associated with changes in inflammation and in collagen degradation in primary fibroblasts. Thus, pharmacological stimulation of autophagy may be useful against intestinal fibrosis.
Strain Elastography as a Valuable Diagnosis Tool in Intermediate Cytology (Bethesda III) Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Stoian Dana , Borcan Florin , Petre Izabella , Mozos Ioana , Varcus Flore , Ivan Viviana , Cioca Andreea , Apostol Adrian , Dehelean Cristina Adriana
Published: September 2019

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is considered the gold standard in the diagnostic of thyroid nodules. Using the recommended BETHESDA reporting system, up to 20% of results are classified as intermediate cytology. As there is no consensus whether ultrasound evaluation, lobectomy or surgery is the best treatment option, intermediate cytology results are considered a grey zone of the FNA. The main aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of combined advanced ultrasound techniques in the process of diagnosis and evaluation of the intermediate cytology cases after FNA. We evaluated 54 consecutive cases with intermediate cytology on FNA, using conventional B-mode ultrasound (2B), and strain elastography, using a linear multifrequency 6–13 MHz linear probe (Hitachi Prerius Machine, Hitachi Inc, Japan). All nodules were classified with our Thyroid Imaging Report and Data System (TI-RADS) proposed model, considering: vertical appearance, with antero-posterior diameter bigger than the transvers diameter, the so called taller than wide shape, irregular borders, intranodular inhomogeneity, marked hypoecogenicity, micro calcifications, the presence of suspect lymph nodes, and increased stiffness as suspicious for malignancy. The classification outcomes were compared with the pathology results, considered the gold standard diagnosis. The prevalence of cancer was 28.8%, with 13/45 cases having a clear diagnostic of cancer. Six cases were diagnosed with borderline follicular neoplasia, a category with unclear evolution, also considered as malignant in the analysis of the imaging results. In total, 16/19 cancer cases had increased stiffness on elastography. The cancer prevalence increased with TI-RADS category, being 25% in TI-RADS 4b category and 92.8% in TI-RADS 5 category. The AUROC (Area Under Receiver Operating Curve) of elastography alone, in differentiation of malignant thyroid nodules was 74.9%; the combination of elastographic and conventional ultrasound characteristics generated an even better AUROC, of 84.5%. The combined conventional ultrasound and elastography identified thyroid cancer in cases with intermediate cytology with a sensitivity of 89.5% with a specificity of 50%. High risk thyroid nodules, identified by combined high risk conventional ultrasound characteristics and increased stiffness, on strain elastography, are highly predictive for malignancy, in the intermediate cytology cases.
Synergistic Activity of Mobile Genetic Element Defences in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Kwun Min Jung , Oggioni Marco R. , Bentley Stephen D. , Fraser Christophe , Croucher Nicholas J.
Published: September 2019

A diverse set of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) transmit between Streptococcus pneumoniae cells, but many isolates remain uninfected. The best-characterised defences against horizontal transmission of MGEs are restriction-modification systems (RMSs), of which there are two phase-variable examples in S. pneumoniae. Additionally, the transformation machinery has been proposed to limit vertical transmission of chromosomally integrated MGEs. This work describes how these mechanisms can act in concert. Experimental data demonstrate RMS phase variation occurs at a sub-maximal rate. Simulations suggest this may be optimal if MGEs are sometimes vertically inherited, as it reduces the probability that an infected cell will switch between RMS variants while the MGE is invading the population, and thereby undermine the restriction barrier. Such vertically inherited MGEs can be deleted by transformation. The lack of between-strain transformation hotspots at known prophage att sites suggests transformation cannot remove an MGE from a strain in which it is fixed. However, simulations confirmed that transformation was nevertheless effective at preventing the spread of MGEs into a previously uninfected cell population, if a recombination barrier existed between co-colonising strains. Further simulations combining these effects of phase variable RMSs and transformation found they synergistically inhibited MGEs spreading, through limiting both vertical and horizontal transmission.
HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DRB1 Variants Confer Susceptibility to Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults: Relative Predispositional Effects among Allele Groups
Authors: Zhang Minting , Lin Shuhuang , Yuan Xiaoling , Lin Ziqi , Huang Zunnan
Published: September 2019

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) was recently demonstrated to be the most frequent form of adult-onset autoimmune diabetes mellitus. Case–control studies have investigated the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1 and HLA-DRB1 polymorphisms and LADA risk, but their conclusions are inconsistent. This study aimed to more precisely explore the correlation between these HLA gene variants and LADA development. Eight databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Medline, were systematically searched for relevant studies up to September 15, 2018. We performed this retrospective study using meta-analysis and relative predispositional effect (RPE) methods. The meta-analysis results indicated that DQB1*02 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.685, pc < 0.005) and DQB1*06 (OR = 0.604, pc = 0.010) have opposite effects on susceptibility to LADA, while a significant decrease in LADA risk caused by DQB1*05 (OR = 0.764, pc = 0.100) disappeared upon Bonferroni correction. The RPE method confirmed the roles of DQB1*02 (χ² = 46.475, p < 0.001) and DQB1*06 (χ² = 17.883, p < 0.001) and further suggested protective effects of DQB1*05 (χ² = 16.496, p < 0.001). Additionally, the meta-analysis results showed that DRB1*03 (OR = 2.685, pc < 0.013), DRB1*04 (OR = 1.954, pc < 0.013), and DRB1*09 (OR = 1.346, pc < 0.013) are associated with increased LADA risk, while DRB1*12 (OR = 0.600, pc < 0.013) and DRB1*13 (OR = 0.583, pc < 0.013) carriers have a decreased risk of developing LADA. Furthermore, the RPE method revealed that DRB1*03 (χ² = 98.754, p < 0.001), DRB1*04 (χ² = 94.685, p < 0.001), DRB1*09 (χ² = 40.489, p < 0.001), DRB1*01 (χ² = 12.181, p < 0.001), DRB1*07 (χ² = 10.882, p = 0.001), and DRB1*08 (χ² = 5.000, p = 0.025) play protective roles against LADA. LADA showed a close relationship with genetic polymorphisms of HLA-DQB1 and WHLA-DRB1, which could contribute to a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and the identification of predisposing loci in the diagnosis and treatment of LADA.
Determinants of Patient Delay in Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Somali Pastoralist Setting of Ethiopia: A Matched Case-Control Study
Authors: Getnet Fentabil , Demissie Meaza , Worku Alemayehu , Gobena Tesfaye , Seyoum Berhanu , Tschopp Rea , Andersen Christopher
Published: September 2019

Background: Healthcare-seeking behavior is the basis to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in settings where most cases are diagnosed upon self-presentation to health facilities. Yet, many patients seek delayed healthcare. Thus, we aimed to identify the determinants of patient delay in diagnosis of pulmonary TB in Somali pastoralist area, Ethiopia. Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted between December 2017 and October 2018. Cases were self-presented and newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients aged ≥ 15 years who delayed > 30 days without healthcare provider consultation, and controls were patients with similar inclusion criteria but who consulted a healthcare provider within 30 days of illness; 216 cases sex-matched with 226 controls were interviewed using a pre-tested questionnaire. Hierarchical analysis was done using conditional logistic regression. Results: After multilevel analysis, pastoralism, rural residence, poor knowledge of TB symptoms and expectation of self-healing were individual-related determinants. Mild-disease and manifesting a single symptom were disease-related, and >1 h walking distance to nearest facility and care-seeking from traditional/religious healers were health system-related determinants of patient delay > 30 days [p < 0.05]. Conclusion: Expansion of TB services, mobile screening services, and arming community figures to identify and link presumptive cases can be effective strategies to improve case detection in pastoral settings.
Does Health Insurance Modify the Association Between Race and Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients with Urinary Bladder Malignancy in the U.S.?
Authors: Morales Juliana , Malles Aaron , Kimble Marrell , Rodriguez de la Vega Pura , Castro Grettel , Nieder Alan M. , Barengo Noël C.
Published: September 2019

Background: Scientific evidence on the effect of health insurance on racial disparities in urinary bladder cancer patients’ survival is scant. The objective of our study was to determine whether insurance status modifies the association between race and bladder cancer specific survival during 2007–2015. Methods: The 2015 database of the cancer surveillance program of the National Cancer Institute (n = 39,587) was used. The independent variable was race (White, Black and Asian Pacific Islanders (API)), the main outcome was cancer specific survival. Health insurance was divided into uninsured, any Medicaid and insured. An adjusted model with an interaction term for race and insurance status was computed. Unadjusted and adjusted Cox regression analysis were applied. Results: Health insurance was a statistically significant effect modifier of the association between race and survival. Whereas, API had a lower hazard of death among the patients with Medicaid insurance (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.48–0.94 compared with White patients, no differences in survival was found between Black and White urinary bladder carcinoma patients (HR 1.24; 95% CI 0.95–1.61). This may be due a lack of power. Among the insured study participants, Blacks were 1.46 times more likely than Whites to die of bladder cancer during the 5-year follow-up (95% CI 1.30–1.64). Conclusions: While race is accepted as a poor prognostic factor in the mortality from bladder cancer, insurance status can help to explain some of the survival differences across races.
The Contribution of Motor Changes to Oral Mucositis in Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lucena Nyellisonn N. N. , Damascena Lecidamia C. L. , Ribeiro Isabella L. A. , Lima-Filho Luiz M. A. , Valença Ana Maria G.
Published: September 2019

This study aimed to investigate the contribution of motor changes to oral mucositis in children and adolescents with cancer undergoing antineoplastic treatment in a referral hospital. This was an observational, cross-sectional study with 70 patients aged 2 to 19 years, diagnosed with any type of cancer and treated in a pediatric hospital cancer ward from April to September 2017. A questionnaire related to the patients’ socioeconomic and clinical conditions was used, followed by the Oral Assessment Guide and selected domains of the activity and participation section of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health tool. The data were collected by previously calibrated examiners (kappa index > 0.75) and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression (α = 5%). Children and adolescents aged 7 to 10 years were more likely to develop oral mucositis (OR: 3.62). In addition, individuals who had severe difficulty in maintaining a body position (OR: 14.45) and walking (OR: 25.42), and those diagnosed with hematologic cancers (OR: 6.40) were more likely to develop oral mucositis during antineoplastic treatment. Within the limitations of this study, it is concluded that motor changes may contribute to the occurrence of oral mucositis in pediatric cancer patients.
Subjective Health Literacy among School-Aged Children: First Evidence from Lithuania
Authors: Sukys Saulius , Trinkuniene Laima , Tilindiene Ilona
Published: September 2019

Health literacy as a set of competencies to promote and sustain health has received significant research attention, particularly in studies on adults. Improving health literacy at an early age is crucial to personal health and development, so there is a need to investigate the health literacy of school-aged children. The aims of this study were to determine the level of subjective health literacy among adolescents in Lithuania and to examine the association between health literacy, school achievement, health education in schools, and family affluence. Health literacy was assessed using a brief Health Literacy for School-Aged Children instrument on a representative sample of 2369 subjects (from the 7th to 10th grades). Overall, 12.1% of all respondents had low, 70.5% moderate, and 17.4% a high level of health literacy. School achievements were found to be a significant predictor of health literacy, as were the number of school-based health promotion events. Family affluence also predicted an increased level of health literacy. This study was the first nationally representative examination of this topic in Lithuania and it highlighted the alarming finding that less than one-fifth of adolescents had high health literacy.
Environmental Impacts of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene Toughened Wood Fiber/Polylactide Composites: A Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Qiang Tao , Chou Yaxuan , Gao Honghong
Published: September 2019

In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to investigate the environmental benefits of using styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) to modify polylactide (PLA)-based wood plastic composites (WPCs), with a process-based and input–output hybrid model. The results showed that one metric ton of the SBS-modified WPCs required 1.93 × 108 kJ of energy (Sample 2) and 46 m3 of water (Sample 4), and that it could produce 42.3 kg of solid waste (Sample 2) during its cradle-to-gate life cycle phases. The environmental impact load (EIL) and photochemistry oxidation potential (PCOP) accounted for the largest share, while the eutrophication potential (EP) took the smallest one. The total EIL index of Samples 1, 2, 3, and 4 added up to 1.942, 1.960, 1.899, and 1.838, respectively. The SBS-modified WPCs were found to be more environmentally friendly than their unmodified counterparts when they had the same or higher wood fiber (WF) content. SBS was viable to toughen the PLA-based WPCs from an environmental perspective. This cradle-to-gate LCA is likely to help optimize the manufacturing process and mitigate environmental impacts for the natural fiber-reinforced polymer biocomposites.
Spatial Distribution of Precipitation in Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin between 1961 to 2016, China
Authors: Yuan Yong , Yan Denghua , Yuan Zhe , Yin Jun , Zhao Zhongnan
Published: September 2019

The Huang-huai-hai River Basin is one of the most economically developed areas, but is also heavily impacted by drought and flood disasters. Research on the precipitation feature of the Huang-huai-hai River Basin is of great importance to the further discussion of the cause of flood disaster. Based on the selected meteorological stations of the study area from 1961–2016, the inverse distance weighting method was used to get daily precipitation grid data. Interannual variation of precipitation intensity and cover area of different precipitation classes was analyzed. The generalized extreme-value distribution method was used to analyze the spatial distribution of extreme precipitation. The results show that: (1) decrease of accumulated precipitation in light precipitation year and moderate precipitation year might be the reason why the precipitation in the whole basin decreased, but the coefficient of variation (CV) of different classes of precipitation and precipitation days does not change significantly; (2) since the cover area of precipitation > 50 mm and precipitation intensity both decreased, the extreme precipitation of the whole basin may be decreasing; (3) extreme precipitation mainly occurred in the loess plateau in the northeast of Huang-huai-hai River Basin, Dabieshan in the middle of Huang-huai-hai River Basin and other areas.
Does Corporate Governance Influence Leverage Structure in Bangladesh?
Authors: Uddin Mohammad Nazim , Khan Mohammed Shamim Uddin , Hosen Mosharrof
Published: September 2019

This paper examines the regulation of corporate governance on leverage structure decision-making in Bangladesh from 2003 to 2017. Appropriate panel methods are employed to control the problems of serial correlation, heteroskedasticity, and the cross-sectional nature of manufacturing companies. The study finds that corporate governance attributes such as board size, managerial ownership, and duality are the dominant factors for leverage decision-making. The results also indicate that control variables such as firm size and profitability have an influential role on leverage decision-making in Bangladesh. Our findings substantiate the idea that political and family connections to corporate governance structure greatly influence the leverage decision-making of corporate firms in Bangladesh.
An Automatic Method for Detection and Update of Additive Changes in Road Network with GPS Trajectory Data
Authors: Tang Jianbo , Deng Min , Huang Jincai , Liu Huimin , Chen Xueying
Published: September 2019

Ubiquitous trajectory data provides new opportunities for production and update of the road network. A number of methods have been proposed for road network construction and update based on trajectory data. However, existing methods were mainly focused on reconstruction of the existing road network, and the update of newly added roads was not given much attention. Besides, most of existing methods were designed for high sampling rate trajectory data, while the commonly available GPS trajectory data are usually low-quality data with noise, low sampling rates, and uneven spatial distributions. In this paper, we present an automatic method for detection and update of newly added roads based on the common low-quality trajectory data. First, additive changes (i.e., newly added roads) are detected using a point-to-segment matching algorithm. Then, the geometric structures of new roads are constructed based on a newly developed decomposition-combination map generation algorithm. Finally, the detected new roads are refined and combined with the original road network. Seven trajectory data were used to test the proposed method. Experiments show that the proposed method can successfully detect the additive changes and generate a road network which updates efficiently.
Ir-Catalyzed Reduction of Carbonyl Compounds Using Biogenetic Alcohols
Authors: Nishina Yuta
Published: September 2019

Biomass has gained great attention as an alternative to fuel-derived chemicals. This report concerns new catalytic systems consisting of [IrCp*Cl2]2 (Cp*: Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) for the reduction of aldehyde and biogenetic alcohols as hydrogen sources. [IrCp*Cl2]2 has been used as a transfer hydrogenation catalyst using fossil fuel-derived alcohols as hydrogen sources in the presence of a base. In contrast, our system does not require any base, and the reaction can proceed in water. Various types of biogenetic alcohols can be used as hydrogen sources, such as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and glycerol. Aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, as well as ketones, were successfully reduced to the corresponding alcohols in the present system.
Selective Cannabinoid 2 Receptor Agonists as Potential Therapeutic Drugs for the Treatment of Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis
Authors: Porter Richard Frederick , Szczesniak Anna-Maria , Toguri James Thomas , Gebremeskel Simon , Johnston Brent , Lehmann Christian , Fingerle Jürgen , Rothenhäusler Benno , Perret Camille , Rogers-Evans Mark , Kimbara Atsushi , Nettekoven Matthias , Guba Wolfgang , Grether Uwe , Ullmer Christoph , Kelly Melanie E. M.
Published: September 2019

(1) Background: The cannabinoid 2 receptor (CB2R) is a promising anti-inflammatory drug target and development of selective CB2R ligands may be useful for treating sight-threatening ocular inflammation. (2) Methods: This study examined the pharmacology of three novel chemically-diverse selective CB2R ligands: CB2R agonists, RO6871304, and RO6871085, as well as a CB2R inverse agonist, RO6851228. In silico molecular modelling and in vitro cell-based receptor assays were used to verify CB2R interactions, binding, cell signaling (ß-arrestin and cAMP) and early absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicology (ADMET) profiling of these receptor ligands. All ligands were evaluated for their efficacy to modulate leukocyte-neutrophil activity, in comparison to the reported CB2R ligand, HU910, using an in vivo mouse model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in wild-type (WT) and CB2R-/- mice. The actions of RO6871304 on neutrophil migration and adhesion were examined in vitro using isolated neutrophils from WT and CB2R-/- mice, and in vivo in WT mice with EIU using adoptive transfer of WT and CB2R-/- neutrophils, respectively. (3) Results: Molecular docking studies indicated that RO6871304 and RO6871085 bind to the orthosteric site of CB2R. Binding studies and cell signaling assays for RO6871304 and RO6871085 confirmed high-affinity binding to CB2R and selectivity for CB2R > CB1R, with both ligands acting as full agonists in cAMP and ß-arrestin assays (EC50s in low nM range). When tested in EIU, topical application of RO6871304 and RO6871085 decreased leukocyte-endothelial adhesion and this effect was antagonized by the inverse agonist, RO6851228. The CB2R agonist, RO6871304, decreased in vitro neutrophil migration of WT neutrophils but not neutrophils from CB2R-/-, and attenuated adhesion of adoptively-transferred leukocytes in EIU. (4) Conclusions: These unique ligands are potent and selective for CB2R and have good immunomodulating actions in the eye. RO6871304 and RO6871085, as well as HU910, decreased leukocyte adhesion in EIU through inhibition of resident ocular immune cells. The data generated with these three structurally-diverse and highly-selective CB2R agonists support selective targeting of CB2R for treating ocular inflammatory diseases.
Vasorelaxant Effect of Prunus mume (Siebold) Siebold & Zucc. Branch through the Endothelium-Dependent Pathway
Authors: Jo Cheolmin , Kim Bumjung , Lee Somin , Ham Inhye , Lee Kyungjin , Choi Ho-Young
Published: September 2019

Korean plum (Prunus mume (Siebold) Siebold & Zucc.) has long been used as a health food or herbal medicine in Asia. Previous studies have shown that several plants of the genus Prunus have vasodilatory and antihypertensive effects; we hypothesized that P. mume branches may have a vasorelaxant effect. In this study, we evaluated the effects and action mechanism of 70% ethanol extract of P. mume branch (PMB) on isolated rat aortic rings. Inhibitors such as NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, methylene blue, indomethacin, atropine, tetraethylammonium chloride, glibenclamide, 4-aminopyridine and BaCl2 were used to investigate the mechanism of vasodilation responsible for the vascular relaxation. PMB (2–30 μg/mL) induced vasorelaxation in the presence of vascular endothelium, and all inhibitors used in this study affected the degree of relaxation. These results suggest that the vasorelaxant effect of PMB is endothelium-dependent and affects the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway, prostacyclin pathway, muscarinic receptor pathway, and potassium channels. Our study explains that PMB may be another approach to hypertension treatment to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.
Dietary Patterns and Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Diabetes: A Summary of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Authors: Kahleova Hana , Salas-Salvadó Jordi , Rahelić Dario , Kendall Cyril WC , Rembert Emilie , Sievenpiper John L
Published: September 2019

The Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) conducted a review of existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses to explain the relationship between different dietary patterns and patient-important cardiometabolic outcomes. To update the clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy in the prevention and management of diabetes, we summarize the evidence from these evidence syntheses for the Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Portfolio, Nordic, liquid meal replacement, and vegetarian dietary patterns. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of evidence. We summarized the evidence for disease incidence outcomes and risk factor outcomes using risk ratios (RRs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), respectively. The Mediterranean diet showed a cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence (RR: 0.62; 95%CI, 0.50, 0.78), and non-significant CVD mortality (RR: 0.67; 95%CI, 0.45, 1.00) benefit. The DASH dietary pattern improved cardiometabolic risk factors (P < 0.05) and was associated with the decreased incidence of CVD (RR, 0.80; 95%CI, 0.76, 0.85). Vegetarian dietary patterns were associated with improved cardiometabolic risk factors (P < 0.05) and the reduced incidence (0.72; 95%CI: 0.61, 0.85) and mortality (RR, 0.78; 95%CI, 0.69, 0.88) of coronary heart disease. The Portfolio dietary pattern improved cardiometabolic risk factors and reduced estimated 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) risk by 13% (−1.34% (95%CI, −2.19 to −0.49)). The Nordic dietary pattern was correlated with decreased CVD (0.93 (95%CI, 0.88, 0.99)) and stroke incidence (0.87 (95%CI, 0.77, 0.97)) and, along with liquid meal replacements, improved cardiometabolic risk factors (P < 0.05). The evidence was assessed as low to moderate certainty for most dietary patterns and outcome pairs. Current evidence suggests that the Mediterranean, DASH, Portfolio, Nordic, liquid meal replacement and vegetarian dietary patterns have cardiometabolic advantages in populations inclusive of diabetes.
Beneficial Effects of Dietary Polyphenols on Gut Microbiota and Strategies to Improve Delivery Efficiency
Authors: Kumar Singh Amit , Cabral Célia , Kumar Ramesh , Ganguly Risha , Kumar Rana Harvesh , Gupta Ashutosh , Rosaria Lauro Maria , Carbone Claudia , Reis Flávio , Pandey Abhay K.
Published: September 2019

The human intestine contains an intricate ecological community of dwelling bacteria, referred as gut microbiota (GM), which plays a pivotal role in host homeostasis. Multiple factors could interfere with this delicate balance, including genetics, age, antibiotics, as well as environmental factors, particularly diet, thus causing a disruption of microbiota equilibrium (dysbiosis). Growing evidences support the involvement of GM dysbiosis in gastrointestinal (GI) and extra-intestinal cardiometabolic diseases, namely obesity and diabetes. This review firstly overviews the role of GM in health and disease, then critically reviews the evidences regarding the influence of dietary polyphenols in GM based on preclinical and clinical data, ending with strategies under development to improve efficiency of delivery. Although the precise mechanisms deserve further clarification, preclinical and clinical data suggest that dietary polyphenols present prebiotic properties and exert antimicrobial activities against pathogenic GM, having benefits in distinct disorders. Specifically, dietary polyphenols have been shown ability to modulate GM composition and function, interfering with bacterial quorum sensing, membrane permeability, as well as sensitizing bacteria to xenobiotics. In addition, can impact on gut metabolism and immunity and exert anti-inflammatory properties. In order to overcome the low bioavailability, several different approaches have been developed, aiming to improve solubility and transport of dietary polyphenols throughout the GI tract and deliver in the targeted intestinal regions. Although more research is still needed, particularly translational and clinical studies, the biotechnological progresses achieved during the last years open up good perspectives to, in a near future, be able to improve the use of dietary polyphenols modulating GM in a broad range of disorders characterized by a dysbiotic phenotype.
A Novel Framework to Aid the Development of Design Space across Multi-Unit Operation Pharmaceutical Processes—A Case Study of Panax Notoginseng Saponins Immediate Release Tablet
Authors: Sun Fei , Xu Bing , Dai Shengyun , Zhang Yi , Lin Zhaozhou , Qiao Yanjiang
Published: September 2019

The fundamental principle of Quality by Design (QbD) is that the product quality should be designed into the process through an upstream approach, rather than be tested in the downstream. The keystone of QbD is process modeling, and thus, to develop a process control strategy based on the development of design space. Multivariate statistical analysis is a very useful tool to support the implementation of QbD in pharmaceutical process development and manufacturing. Nowadays, pharmaceutical process modeling is mainly focused on one-unit operations and system modeling for the development of design space across multi-unit operations is still limited. In this study, a general procedure that gives a holistic view for understanding and controlling the process settings for the entire manufacturing process was investigated. The proposed framework was tested on the Panax Notoginseng Saponins immediate release tablet (PNS IRT) production process. The critical variables and the critical units acting on the process were identified according to the importance of explaining the variability in the multi-block partial least squares path model. This improved understanding of the process by illustrating how the properties of the raw materials, the process parameters in the wet granulation and the compaction and the intermediate properties affect the tablet properties. Furthermore, the design space was developed to compensate for the variability source from the upstream. The results demonstrated that the proposed framework was an important tool to gain understanding and control the multi-unit operation process.
Salt-Induced Damage is Alleviated by Short-Term Pre-Cold Treatment in Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)
Authors: Fan Jibiao , Xu Jilei , Zhang Weihong , Amee Maurice , Liu Dalin , Chen Liang
Published: September 2019

Excess salinity is a major environmental stress that limits growth and development of plants. Improving salt stress tolerance of plants is important in order to enhance land utilization and crop yield. Cold priming has been reported to trigger the protective processes in plants that increase their stress tolerance. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) is one of the most widely used turfgrass species around the world. However, the effect of cold priming on salt tolerance of bermudagrass is largely unknown. In the present study, wild bermudagrass was pre-treated with 4 °C for 6 h before 150 mM NaCl treatment for one week. The results showed that the cell membrane stability, ion homeostasis and photosynthesis process which are usually negatively affected by salt stress in bermudagrass were alleviated by short-term pre-cold treatment. Additionally, the gene expression profile also corresponded to the change of physiological indexes in bermudagrass. The results suggest that cold priming plays a positive role in improving salt stress tolerance of bermudagrass.
Accelerated Weathering of Polylactide-Based Composites Filled with Linseed Cake: The Influence of Time and Oil Content within the Filler
Authors: Mysiukiewicz Olga , Barczewski Mateusz , Skórczewska Katarzyna , Szulc Joanna , Kloziński Arkadiusz
Published: September 2019

This paper presents the effects of accelerated weathering on the properties of polylactide (PLA) composites filled with linseed cake. The particle-shaped waste filler with different linseed oil content (0.9–39.8 wt %) was incorporated with constant amount of 10 wt % to a polymeric matrix and subjected to accelerated weathering tests with different exposition times. The structure of the composites, their mechanical, thermal, and thermo-mechanical properties were evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy, tensile test, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry prior to and after weathering. The results of the measurements were analyzed in reference to the amount of crude oil contained in the filler. The behavior of the multiphase composite during weathering was described. It was found that the oil-rich samples during the first stage of the process showed increased resistance to hydrolytic degradation due to their relatively high crystallinity. The presence of water and elevated temperatures caused swelling of the filler and cracking of the polymeric matrix. Those discontinuities enabled the plasticizing oil to be rinsed out of the composite and thus water penetrated into the samples. As a result, the PLA-based composites containing oil-rich linseed cake were found to be more vulnerable to hydrolytic degradation in a longer time.