bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Safety and Impact of a Model of Intermittent, Time-Restricted Circadian Fasting (“Ramadan Fasting”) on Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Insights from a Multicenter, Observational, Cross-Over, Pilot, Exploratory Study
Authors: Damiani Giovanni , Mahroum Naim , Pigatto Paolo Daniele Maria , Pacifico Alessia , Malagoli Piergiorgio , Tiodorovic Danica , Conic Rosalynn RZ , Amital Howard , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Watad Abdulla , Adawi Mohammad
Published: August 2019

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic-relapsing and debilitating disease, which affects the components of the folliculopilosebaceous unit and severely impacts on the perceived health-related quality of life. Among the possible treatments, dietary interventions, such as fasting, have been described to positively impact on HS. However, nothing is known about the effects of circadian, intermittent fasting, such as the Ramadan fasting. A sample of 55 HS patients (24 males (43.6%) and 31 females (56.4%), mean age 39.65 ± 8.39 years, average disease duration 14.31 ± 7.03 years) was recruited in the present study. The “Severity of International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System” (IHS4) decreased significantly from 11.00 ± 5.88 (before Ramadan) to 10.15 ± 6.45 (after Ramadan), with a mean difference of −0.85 ± 0.83 (p < 0.0001). At the univariate analyses, the improvement was associated with HS phenotype (with a prominent improvement among those with ectopic type), treatment (with the improvement being higher in patients receiving topical and systemic antibiotics compared to those treated with biologics), the “Autoinflammatory Disease Damage Index” (ADDI), and Hurley scores. At the multivariate regression analysis, only the Hurley score (regression coefficient = 0.70, p = 0.0003) was found to be an independent predictor of change in the IHS4 score after fasting. The improvement in the IHS4 score was not, however, associated with weight loss. In conclusion, the Ramadan fasting proved to be safe and effective in HS patients. Considering the small sample size and the exploratory nature of the present investigation, further studies in the field are warranted, especially longitudinal, prospective and randomized ones.
Dietary and Supplement-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Trudeau Melanie S. , Madden Robyn F. , Parnell Jill A. , Gibbard W. Ben , Shearer Jane
Published: August 2019

Previous literature has shown that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is steadily increasing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little data is currently available regarding its use, safety, and efficacy in children with ASD. Thus, the purpose of this study is to describe the use of supplement-based CAM therapies in children between the ages of 4 to 17 years with ASD. This population-based, cross-sectional study evaluated children with ASD regarding supplement use. A total of 210 participants were recruited from a variety of sources including educational and physical activity programs, and social media to complete a questionnaire. Primary caregivers provided information on current supplement based CAM use. Data evaluated the proportion of children that used supplement therapies, the types of supplements used, reasons for use, perceived safety, and demographic factors associated with use (e.g., income, parental education, severity of disorder). Seventy-five percent of children with ASD consumed supplements with multivitamins (77.8%), vitamin D (44.9%), omega 3 (42.5%), probiotics (36.5%), and magnesium (28.1%) as the most prevalent. Several supplements, such as adrenal cortex extract, where product safety has not yet been demonstrated, were also reported. A gluten free diet was the most common specialty diet followed amongst those with restrictions (14.8%). Health care professionals were the most frequent information source regarding supplements; however, 33% of parents reported not disclosing all their child’s supplements to their physician. In conclusion, the use of supplement therapies in children with ASD is endemic and highlights the need for further research concerning public health education surrounding safety and efficacy.
Therapeutic Interventions for Countering Leishmaniasis and Chagas’s Disease: From Traditional Sources to Nanotechnological Systems
Authors: Souto Eliana B. , Dias-Ferreira João , Craveiro Sara A. , Severino Patrícia , Sanchez-Lopez Elena , Garcia Maria L. , Silva Amélia M. , Souto Selma B. , Mahant Sheefali
Published: August 2019

The incidence of neglected diseases in tropical countries, such as Leishmaniasis and Chagas’s disease, is attributed to a set of biological and ecological factors associated with the socioeconomic context of developing countries and with a significant burden to health care systems. Both Leishmaniasis and Chagas’s disease are caused by different protozoa and develop diverse symptoms, which depend on the specific species infecting man. Currently available drugs to treat these disorders have limited therapeutic outcomes, frequently due to microorganisms’ drug resistance. In recent years, significant efforts have been made towards the development of innovative drug delivery systems aiming to improve bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profiles of classical drug therapy. This paper discusses the key facts of Leishmaniasis and Chagas’s disease, the currently available pharmacological therapies and the new drug delivery systems for conventional drugs.
Electrochemical Characterization of Central Action Tricyclic Drugs by Voltammetric Techniques and Density Functional Theory Calculations
Authors: Rodrigues Edson Silvio Batista , de Macêdo Isaac Yves Lopes , da Silva Lima Larissa Lesley , Thomaz Douglas Vieira , da Cunha Carlos Eduardo Peixoto , Teles de Oliveira Mayk , Ballaminut Nara , Alecrim Morgana Fernandes , Ferreira de Carvalho Murilo , Isecke Bruna Guimarães , Carneiro de Siqueira Leite Karla , Machado Fabio Bahls , Guimarães Freddy Fernandes , Menegatti Ricardo , Somerset Vernon , de Souza Gil Eric
Published: August 2019

This work details the study of the redox behavior of the drugs cyclobenzaprine (CBP), amitriptyline (AMP) and nortriptyline (NOR) through voltammetric methods and computational chemistry. Results obtained in this study show that the amine moiety of each compound is more likely to undergo oxidation at 1a at Ep1a ≈ 0.69, 0.79, 0.93 V (vs. Ag/AgCl/KClsat) for CBP, AMP and NOR, respectively. Moreover, CBP presented a second peak, 2a at Ep2a ≈ 0.98 V (vs. Ag/AgCl/KClsat) at pH 7.0. Furthermore, the electronic structure calculation results corroborate the electrochemical assays regarding the HOMO energies of the lowest energy conformers of each molecule. The mechanism for each anodic process is proposed according to electroanalytical and computational chemistry findings, which show evidence that the methods herein employed may be a valuable alternative to study the redox behavior of structurally similar drugs.
Stereoselective Anti-Cancer Activities of Ginsenoside Rg3 on Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Models
Authors: Nakhjavani Maryam , Palethorpe Helen M. , Tomita Yoko , Smith Eric , Price Timothy J. , Yool Andrea J. , Pei Jinxin V. , Townsend Amanda R. , Hardingham Jennifer E.
Published: August 2019

Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) has two epimers, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (SRg3) and 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3 (RRg3), and while Rg3 itself has been reported to have anti-cancer properties, few studies have been reported on the anti-cancer effects of the different epimers. The aim was to investigate the stereoselective effects of the Rg3 epimers on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, tested using cell-based assays for proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, migration and invasion. Molecular docking showed that Rg3 interacted with the aquaporin 1 (AQP1) water channel (binding score −9.4 kJ mol−1). The Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system was used to study the effect of Rg3 epimers on the AQP1 water permeability. The AQP1 expression in TNBC cell lines was compared with quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that only SRg3 inhibited the AQP1 water flux and inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 (100 μM), due to cell cycle arrest at G0/G1. SRg3 inhibited the chemoattractant-induced migration of MDA-MB-231. The AQP1 expression in MDA-MB-231 was higher than in HCC1143 or DU4475 cell lines. These results suggest a role for AQP1 in the proliferation and chemoattractant-induced migration of this cell line. Compared to SRg3, RRg3 had more potency and efficacy, inhibiting the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231. Rg3 has stereoselective anti-cancer effects in the AQP1 high-expressing cell line MDA-MB-231.
Physicochemical, Pharmacokinetic, and Toxicity Evaluation of Methoxy Poly(ethylene glycol)-b-Poly(d,l-Lactide) Polymeric Micelles Encapsulating Alpinumisoflavone Extracted from Unripe Cudrania tricuspidata Fruit
Authors: Jo Min Jeong , Jo Yang Hee , Lee Yu Jin , Park Chun-Woong , Kim Jin-Seok , Hong Jin Tae , Chung Youn Bok , Lee Mi Kyeong , Shin Dae Hwan
Published: August 2019

Alpinumisoflavone, a major compound in unripe Cudrania tricuspidata fruit is reported to exhibit numerous beneficial pharmacological activities, such as osteoprotective, antibacterial, estrogenic, anti-metastatic, atheroprotective, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Despite its medicinal value, alpinumisoflavone is poorly soluble in water, which makes it difficult to formulate and administer intravenously (i.v.). To overcome these limitations, we used methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(d,l-lactide) (mPEG-b-PLA) polymeric micelles to solubilize alpinumisoflavone and increase its bioavailability, and evaluated their toxicity in vivo. Alpinumisoflavone-loaded polymeric micelles were prepared using thin-film hydration method, and their physicochemical properties were characterized for drug release, particle size, drug-loading (DL, %), and encapsulation efficiency (EE, %). The in vitro drug release profile was determined and the release rate of alpinumisoflavone from mPEG-b-PLA micelles was slower than that from drug solution, and sustained. Pharmacokinetic studies showed decreased total clearance and volume of distribution of alpinumisoflavone, whereas area under the curve (AUC) and bioavailability were significantly increased by incorporation in mPEG-b-PLA micelles. In vivo toxicity assay revealed that alpinumisoflavone-loaded mPEG-b-PLA micelles had no severe toxicity. In conclusion, we prepared an intravenous (i.v.) injectable alpinumisoflavone formulation, which was solubilized using mPEG-b-PLA micelles, and determined their physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity profiles.
Sex Differences in Medicine Acceptability: A New Factor to Be Considered in Medicine Formulation
Authors: Ruiz Fabrice , Keeley Alexander , Léglise Patrick , Tuleu Catherine , Lachuer Célia , Rwabihama Jean-Paul , Bachalat Nathalie , Boulaich Imad , Abdallah Fattima , Rabus Maité , Ribemont Annie-Claude , Michelon Hugues , Wojcicki Amélie Dufaÿ , Orlu Mine , Vallet Thibault , Boudy Vincent
Published: August 2019

Palatability is a recognized driver of medicine acceptability in pediatrics but deemed less relevant in older populations due to sensory decline. Preliminary findings from an observational study implicated palatability problems with one Alzheimer’s medicine. Among 1517 observer reports combining multiple measures on medicines uses in patients aged over 64, we focused on two original formulations of memantine (Ebixa®, tablets (n = 25) and oral solution (n = 60)). Evaluations were scored with an acceptability reference framework (CAST), the rodent Brief Access Taste Aversion (BATA) model tested aversiveness. Focusing on women treated with Ebixa® (n = 54), the oral formulation sub-group was classified as “negatively accepted”, while the coated tablet was associated with the “positively accepted” cluster. In men, both formulations belonged to the “positively accepted” profile. Using BATA, the original oral solution was categorized as highly aversive/untolerated while solutions of excipients only were well tolerated. Furthermore, the number of licks was significantly lower in female than in male rats. These results revealed that medicine palatability remains important for acceptability in older populations. Moreover, converging results from humans and animal models highlighted that palatability profiles can significantly vary between the sexes. These drivers should be closely considered during drug development to enhance acceptability in this population.
Pharmacokinetics of B-Ring Unsubstituted Flavones
Authors: Ancuceanu Robert , Dinu Mihaela , Dinu-Pirvu Cristina , Anuţa Valentina , Negulescu Vlad
Published: August 2019

B-ring unsubstituted flavones (of which the most widely known are chrysin, baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A) are 2-phenylchromen-4-one molecules of which the B-ring is devoid of any hydroxy, methoxy, or other substituent. They may be found naturally in a number of herbal products used for therapeutic purposes, and several have been designed by researchers and obtained in the laboratory. They have generated interest in the scientific community for their potential use in a variety of pathologies, and understanding their pharmacokinetics is important for a grasp of their optimal use. Based on a comprehensive survey of the relevant literature, this paper examines their absorption (with deglycosylation as a preliminary step) and their fate in the body, from metabolism to excretion. Differences among species (inter-individual) and within the same species (intra-individual) variability have been examined based on the available data, and finally, knowledge gaps and directions of future research are discussed.
Chromosome Location Contributing to Ozone Tolerance in Wheat
Authors: Mashaheet Alsayed M. , Burkey Kent O. , Marshall David S.
Published: August 2019

Breeding wheat for higher grain yield can contribute to global food security and sustainable production on less land. Tropospheric ozone can injure wheat plants and subsequently reduce grain yield. Identification of ozone tolerance in the wheat genome can assist plant breeders in developing new sources of tolerant germplasm. Our objective was to use the ‘Chinese Spring’ monosomic lines to screen for ozone response and identify the chromosomic locations contributing to ozone tolerance based on foliar injury. Two methodologies, Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors and Outdoor Plant Environment Chambers, were used to expose wheat monosomic lines to varying concentrations and durations of ozone. Each wheat monosomic line in ‘Chinese Spring’ has a missing chromosome in each of the wheat subgenomes (A, B, and D). In both methodologies, we found significant and repeatable data to identify chromosome 7A as a major contributor to tolerance to ozone injury in ‘Chinese Spring’. In every experiment, the absence of chromosome 7A resulted in significant injury to wheat due to ozone. This was not the case when any other chromosome was missing.
Optimal Allocation of Energy Storage System Considering Price-Based Demand Response and Dynamic Characteristics of VRB in Wind-PV-ES Hybrid Microgrid
Authors: Gong Qingwu , Fang Jintao , Qiao Hui , Liu Dong , Tan Si , Zhang Haojie , He Haitao
Published: August 2019

Studying the influence of the demand response and dynamic characteristics of the battery energy storage on the configuration and optimal operation of battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Wind-Photovoltaic (PV)-Energy Storage (ES) hybrid microgrid. A demand response model that is based on electricity price elasticity is established based on the time-of-use price. Take the capital-operating cost and direct economic benefit of the BESS and the loss of abandoned photovoltaic and wind power as the optimization objective, an optimal configuration method that considers the dynamic characteristics of the BESS and the maximum absorption of photovoltaic and wind power is proposed while using particle swarm optimization to solve. The results show that the configuration results considering the demand side response of the microgrid BESS can obtain better economy and reduce the storage capacity requirement, and the result shows that the efficiency of BESS relates to the load of the system, the distributed generation (DG) characteristics, and the dynamic characteristics of BESS. Meanwhile, the capacity and power of the energy storage configuration increase as the DG permeability increases due to the reverse load characteristic of the wind power.
Change of Data-Driven Drug Design Trends Through Patent Analysis
Authors: Kim Jong-Hyun , Lee Yong-Gil
Published: August 2019

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most research and development (R&D)-intensive industries. This industry has tried many strategies to overcome the limitations of a business model that had a high return and high risk. In recent years, the fourth industrial revolution has affected many industries, causing them to update their traditional production and business strategies to a “data science-based” approach. This data science methodology, based on the largely increased size of the data environment, has actively changed the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, this study aimed to identify specific characteristics of data science innovation in the pharmaceutical industry through the analysis of patent data from the triadic patent databases from the United States, Japan, and Europe.
Key Points for an Ethical Evaluation of Healthcare Big Data
Authors: Leon-Sanz Pilar
Published: August 2019

Background: The article studies specific ethical issues arising from the use of big data in Life Sciences and Healthcare. Methods: Main consensus documents, other studies, and particular cases are analyzed. Results: New concepts that emerged in five key areas for the bioethical debate on big data and health are identified—the accuracy and validity of data and algorithms, questions related to transparency and confidentiality in the use of data; aspects that raise the coding or pseudonymization and the anonymization of data, and also problems derived from the possible individual or group identification; the new ways of obtaining consent for the transfer of personal data; the relationship between big data and the responsibility of professional decision; and the commitment of the Institutions and Public Administrations. Conclusions: Good practices in the management of big data related to Life Sciences and Healthcare depend on respect for the rights of individuals, the improvement that these practices can introduce in assistance to individual patients, the promotion of society’s health in general and the advancement of scientific knowledge.
Accelerating Biomanufacturing by Modeling of Continuous Bioprocessing—Piloting Case Study of Monoclonal Antibody Manufacturing
Authors: Kornecki Martin , Schmidt Axel , Lohmann Lara , Huter Maximilian , Mestmäcker Fabian , Klepzig Leon , Mouellef Mourad , Zobel-Roos Steffen , Strube Jochen
Published: August 2019

An experimental feasibility study on continuous bioprocessing in pilot-scale of 1 L/day cell supernatant, that is, about 150 g/year product (monoclonal antibody) based on CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells for model validation is performed for about six weeks including preparation, start-up, batch, and continuous steady-state operation for at least two weeks stable operation as well as final analysis of purity and yield. A mean product concentration of around 0.4 g/L at cell densities of 25 × 106 cells/mL was achieved. After perfusion cultivation with alternating tangential flow filtration (ATF), an aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) followed by ultra-/diafiltration (UF/DF) towards a final integrated counter-current chromatography (iCCC) purification with an ion exchange (IEX) and a hydrophobic interaction (HIC) column prior to lyophilization were successfully operated. In accordance to prior studies, continuous operation is stable and feasible. Efforts of broadly-qualified operation personal as well as the need for an appropriate measurement and process control strategy is shown evidently.
Pole-Zero Cancellation Method for Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) Temperature Control in Heating Process System
Authors: Xu Song , Hashimoto Seiji , Jiang Wei
Published: August 2019

With the rapid development of industrial technology, the multi-point (multi-input multi-output) heating processing systems with integrated temperature control have been increasingly needed to achieve high-quality and high-performance processing. In this paper, in response to the demand for proper transient response and to provide more accurate temperature controls, a novel pole-zero cancelation method is proposed for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) temperature control in heating process systems. In the proposed method, the temperature differences and transient characteristics of all points can be improved by compensating dead time difference and coupling effect together by matrix compensation and pole-zero cancelation with the feedforward reference model. Both simulations and experiments were carried out. The results were compared to the well-tuned conventional PI control system and PI plus decoupling compensation system to evaluate the control efficiency of the proposed method.
On the Three-Dimensional Structure of the Flow through Deterministic Lateral Displacement Devices and Its Effects on Particle Separation
Authors: Biagioni Valentina , Adrover Alessandra , Cerbelli Stefano
Published: August 2019

Experiments have shown that a suspension of particles of different dimensions pushed through a periodic lattice of micrometric obstacles can be sorted based on particle size. This label-free separation mechanism, referred to as Deterministic Lateral Displacement (DLD), has been explained hinging on the structure of the 2D solution of the Stokes flow through the patterned geometry, thus neglecting the influence of the no-slip conditions at the top and bottom walls of the channel hosting the obstacle lattice. We show that the no-slip conditions at these surfaces trigger the onset of off-plane velocity components, which impart full three-dimensional character to the flow. The impact of the 3D flow structure on particle transport is investigated by enforcing an excluded volume approach for modelling the interaction between the finite-sized particles and the solid surfaces. We find that the combined action of particle diffusion and of the off-plane velocity component causes the suspended particles to migrate towards the top and bottom walls of the channel. Preliminary results suggest that this effect makes the migration angle of the particles significantly different from that obtained by assuming a strictly two-dimensional structure for the flow of the suspending fluid.
A Modular Framework for Optimal Load Scheduling under Price-Based Demand Response Scheme in Smart Grid
Authors: Hafeez Ghulam , Islam Noor , Ali Ammar , Ahmad Salman , Usman Muhammad , Saleem Alimgeer Khurram
Published: August 2019

With the emergence of the smart grid (SG), real-time interaction is favorable for both residents and power companies in optimal load scheduling to alleviate electricity cost and peaks in demand. In this paper, a modular framework is introduced for efficient load scheduling. The proposed framework is comprised of four modules: power company module, forecaster module, home energy management controller (HEMC) module, and resident module. The forecaster module receives a demand response (DR), information (real-time pricing scheme (RTPS) and critical peak pricing scheme (CPPS)), and load from the power company module to forecast pricing signals and load. The HEMC module is based on our proposed hybrid gray wolf-modified enhanced differential evolutionary (HGWmEDE) algorithm using the output of the forecaster module to schedule the household load. Each appliance of the resident module receives the schedule from the HEMC module. In a smart home, all the appliances operate according to the schedule to reduce electricity cost and peaks in demand with the affordable waiting time. The simulation results validated that the proposed framework handled the uncertainties in load and supply and provided optimal load scheduling, which facilitates both residents and power companies.
NO2 and NH3 Sensing Characteristics of Inkjet Printing Graphene Gas Sensors
Authors: Travan Caterina , Bergmann Alexander
Published: August 2019

Graphene is a good candidate for filling the market requirements for cheap, high sensitivity, robust towards contamination, low noise, and low power consumption gas sensors, thanks to its unique properties, i.e., large surface, high mobility, and long-term stability. Inkjet printing is a cheap additive manufacturing method allowing fast, relatively precise and contactless deposition of a wide range of materials; it can be considered therefore the ideal technique for fast deposition of graphene films on thin substrates. In this paper, the sensitivity of graphene-based chemiresistor gas sensors, fabricated through inkjet printing, is investigated using different concentrations of graphene in the inks. Samples have been produced and characterized in terms of response towards humidity, nitrogen dioxide, and ammonia. The presented results highlight the importance of tuning the layer thickness and achieving good film homogeneity in order to maximize the sensitivity of the sensor.
Public Support for Sustainable Welfare Compared: Links between Attitudes towards Climate and Welfare Policies
Authors: Fritz Martin , Koch Max
Published: August 2019

The emerging concept of sustainable welfare attempts to integrate environmental sustainability and social welfare research. Oriented at a mid-term re-embedding of Western production and consumption norms into planetary limits, it suggests the development of “eco-social” policies in the rich countries. In this theoretical context, this article empirically investigates the relationships between attitudes towards welfare and climate policy in 23 countries. Using 2016 data from the European Social Survey, we explored patterns of synergy between both kinds of policies as well as effects of crowding-out, where support for one kind of policy involves refusing the other. Since previous research addressed the role of welfare states and their institutional foundations in establishing environmentally sustainable societies, we studied how attitudes towards welfare and climate policies differ according to welfare regime affiliation. Additionally, we examined how a range of socio-demographic and political factors such as class, education, income, and political position shape people’s views on welfare and climate policy goals. The results of a multiple correspondence analysis indicate that the simultaneous support of welfare and climate policies follows welfare regime lines in that this support is the highest among social-democratic countries. However, also some conservative and Mediterranean countries score high in this regard. At the individual level, people with a higher education, employees in socio-cultural professions, and voters of moderate left and green parties display the highest mutual support for welfare and climate policies.
How to Optimize Ecosystem Services Based on a Bayesian Model: A Case Study of Jinghe River Basin
Authors: Tang Chengyan , Li Jing , Zhou Zixiang , Zeng Li , Zhang Cheng , Ran Hui
Published: August 2019

Based on a Bayesian Network Model (BBN), we established an ecological service network system of the Jinghe River Basin in 2015. Our method consisted of using the distributed eco-hydrological model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model) to simulate water yield, the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model to estimate Net Primary Productivity (NPP), the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model to calculate soil erosion and the Crop Productivity (CP) model to simulate agricultural productivity to quantify the four ecosystem services. Based on the network established, the key variable subset and the visual optimal state subset, which we visualized, were analyzed and used to provide spatial optimization suggestions for the four kinds of ecosystem services studied. Our results indicate that water yield, concentrated in the middle and lower reaches of the mountain and river areas, is increasing in the Jinghe River Basin. NPP is continuously increasing and is distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the mountain areas on both sides of the river. Agricultural productivity also shows an upward trend, with areas of high productivity concentrated in the southern downstream mountain areas. On the contrary, the amount of soil erosion is declining, and the high erosion value is also declining, mainly in the upper reaches of the basin (in the Loess Hilly Area). Additionally, we found that a synergistic relationship exists between water yield, NPP and agricultural productivity, which can increase vegetation cover, leading to enhanced agricultural productivity. However, water yield can be reduced as required in order to balance the tradeoff between water yield and soil erosion. Clear regional differences exist in ecosystem services in the river basin. In the future, the two wings of the middle and lower reaches of the river basin will be the main areas of optimization, and it is likely that an optimal ecosystem services pattern can be reached.
Assessing Effectiveness of PPGIS on Protected Areas by Governance Quality: A Case Study of Community-Based Monitoring in Wu-Wei-Kang Wildlife Refuge, Taiwan
Authors: Chung Ming-Kuang , Lu Dau-Jye , Tsai Bor-Wen , Chou Kuei-Tien
Published: August 2019

Based on the criterion of governance quality, this study aimed to use the case of community-based monitoring in Taiwanese Wu-Wei-Kang Wildlife Refuge to evaluate the impact of public participation geographic information system (PPGIS) on its governance quality regarding inclusiveness, respect, competence, visions and scopes, accountability, and equity. Our research included 31 informants and 75 records (25 by in-depth interview and 50 from participant observation) collected in the field from 2009 to 2015. The results show that there are several effects attributable to the application of PPGIS in substratum elevation monitoring, including generating high quality data; strengthening monitoring processes and extending attributes of its outputs by lay knowledge; promoting stakeholders’ understanding of wetlands and their involvement in negotiations; increasing their capacity and degree to participate in refuge management; amending visions and scopes of this refuge; rearranging stakeholder divisions of labor; and assisting local communities as partners of this refuge. This study demonstrates that governance quality could provide a useful concept for evaluating PPGIS effectiveness on stakeholders’ participation, knowledge interpretation, capacity and consensus building, decision-making, and distribution of rights. Being a sole case with a qualitative approach, further case studies need to be undertaken to better understand the relationships between protected area governance quality and PPGIS.
Towards an Informal Turn in the Built Environment Education: Informality and Urban Design Pedagogy
Authors: Kamalipour Hesam , Peimani Nastaran
Published: August 2019

Informal urbanism, ranging from informal settlements to trading and transport, has become integral, but not limited, to the ways in which cities of the global South work. At stake here is the role of the built environment professions in responding to informal urbanism where a poor understanding of the complexities of informality can lead to poor design interventions. Providing a better understanding of how forms of informality work is then a key task for the built environment education, which arguably falls short in this regard. With a particular focus on urban design, we suggest that it is critical to move towards an informal turn in the built environment education to address informality and engage with the dynamics of informal urbanism. We first investigate the scope of urban design and then explore the ways in which urban design education can respond to informal urbanism in its curricula by developing an urban design program on informality as an illustration. The suggested approach can be considered as an initial step towards an informal turn in urban design education. We conclude that while urban design alone cannot solve social and economic problems, including poverty and inequality, its capacity to address the complex challenges of urbanization cannot be overlooked. Urban design education cannot remain isolated from the questions of informality anymore.
Urban System in Serbia—The Factor in the Planning of Balanced Regional Development
Authors: Živanović Zora , Tošić Branka , Nikolić Teodora , Gatarić Dragica
Published: August 2019

This paper analyzes the basic characteristics of Serbia’s urban system after World War II. The term urban system is largely determined by the use and functioning of the space in which it exists. We used the methods common in urban geography, notably the Rank-Size Rule and the Law of the Primate City with the aim of identifying the basic regularities, as the first step in an in-depth study of an under-researched topic. The research seeks to contribute to explaining the causes of the previous and current situation in the national settlement network, as a prerequisite for planning the future organization of the settlement network. Our study, conducted in Serbia, finds polarization apparent in the prominent domination of the capital city in terms of population, and this is a key feature of Serbia’s urban system. The current situation is the result of an intensive process of urbanization, but also of the establishment of new administrative boundaries after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. The study also seeks to suggest the most appropriate development model for Serbia’s urban system that could help overcome the extreme population concentration in Belgrade and create a basis for organizing an optimal system of centers. Keeping in mind that uneven regional development is determined by the features of the urban system, polycentric development is a common model for overcoming extreme polarization on a global level.
The Solutions of Non-Integer Order Burgers’ Fluid Flowing through a Round Channel with Semi Analytical Technique
Authors: Imran M. , Ching D.L.C. , Safdar Rabia , Khan Ilyas , Imran M. , Nisar K.
Published: August 2019

The solutions for velocity and stress are derived by using the methods of Laplace transformation and Modified Bessel’s equation for the rotational flow of Burgers’ fluid flowing through an unbounded round channel. Initially, supposed that the fluid is not moving with t = 0 and afterward fluid flow is because of the circular motion of the around channel with velocity Ω R t p with time positively grater than zero. At the point of complicated expressions of results, the inverse Laplace transform is alternately calculated by “Stehfest’s algorithm” and “MATHCAD” numerically. The numerically obtained solutions in the terms of the Modified Bessel’s equations of first and second kind, are satisfying all the imposed conditions of given mathematical model. The impact of the various physical and fractional parameters are also indeed and so presented by graphical demonstrations.
Possible Roles of Amphiphilic Molecules in the Origin of Biological Homochirality
Authors: Suzuki Nozomu , Itabashi Yutaka
Published: August 2019

A review. The question of homochirality is an intriguing problem in the field of chemistry, and is deeply related to the origin of life. Though amphiphiles and their supramolecular assembly have attracted less attention compared to biomacromolecules such as RNA and proteins, the lipid world hypothesis sheds new light on the origin of life. This review describes how amphiphilic molecules are possibly involved in the scenario of homochirality. Some prebiotic conditions relevant to amphiphilic molecules will also be described. It could be said that the chiral properties of amphiphilic molecules have various interesting features such as compositional information, spontaneous formation, the ability to exchange components, fission and fusion, adsorption, and permeation. This review aims to clarify the roles of amphiphiles regarding homochirality, and to determine what kinds of physical properties of amphiphilic molecules could have played a role in the scenario of homochirality.
MaxSkew and MultiSkew: Two R Packages for Detecting, Measuring and Removing Multivariate Skewness
Authors: Franceschini Cinzia , Loperfido Nicola
Published: August 2019

The R packages MaxSkew and MultiSkew measure, test and remove skewness from multivariate data using their third-order standardized moments. Skewness is measured by scalar functions of the third standardized moment matrix. Skewness is tested with either the bootstrap or under normality. Skewness is removed by appropriate linear projections. The packages might be used to recover data features, as for example clusters and outliers. They are also helpful in improving the performances of statistical methods, as for example the Hotelling’s one-sample test. The Iris dataset illustrates the usages of MaxSkew and MultiSkew.
DFT Calculations of the Structural, Mechanical, and Electronic Properties of TiV Alloy Under High Pressure
Authors: Yu Fang , Liu Yu
Published: August 2019

A calculation program based on the density functional theory (DFT) is applied to study the structural, mechanical, and electronic properties of TiV alloys with symmetric structure under high pressure. We calculate the dimensionless ratio, elastic constants, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, ductile-brittle transition, material anisotropy, and Poisson’s ratio as functions of applied pressure. Results suggest that the critical pressure of structural phase transition is 42.05 GPa for the TiV alloy, and structural phase transition occurs when the applied pressure exceeds 42.05 GPa. High pressure can improve resistance to volume change, as well as the ductility and atomic bonding, but the strongest resistances to elastic and shear deformation occur at P = 5   GPa for TiV alloy. Furthermore, the results of the density of states (DOS) indicate that the TiV alloy presents metallicity. High pressure disrupts the structural stability of the TiV alloy with symmetry, thereby inducing structural phase transition.
Development of Protein- and Peptide-Based HIV Entry Inhibitors Targeting gp120 or gp41
Authors: Pu Jing , Wang Qian , Xu Wei , Lu Lu , Jiang Shibo
Published: August 2019

Application of highly active antiretroviral drugs (ARDs) effectively reduces morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected individuals. However, the emergence of multiple drug-resistant strains has led to the increased failure of ARDs, thus calling for the development of anti-HIV drugs with targets or mechanisms of action different from those of the current ARDs. The first peptide-based HIV entry inhibitor, enfuvirtide, was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2003 for treatment of HIV/AIDS patients who have failed to respond to the current ARDs, which has stimulated the development of several series of protein- and peptide-based HIV entry inhibitors in preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we highlighted the properties and mechanisms of action for those promising protein- and peptide-based HIV entry inhibitors targeting the HIV-1 gp120 or gp41 and discussed their advantages and disadvantages, compared with the current ARDs.
Assessing Controls on the Displacement of Tracers in Gravel-Bed Rivers
Authors: Vázquez-Tarrío Daniel , Batalla Ramon J.
Published: August 2019

Particle travel length is one of the main dimensions of bedload and strongly influences river morpho-dynamics, particularly when exploring the interactions between sediment transport and channel morphology. This process has been traditionally studied by using tagged stones that allow tracking the movement experienced by individual grains during transport episodes. In this paper, we relate measured particle travel lengths to flow metrics and river channel parameters. First, we link the event-based bedload volumes to the active-layer dimensions, and the product between the average bedload rates and the duration of competent flows. We then hypothesize that travel length depends on channel width, surface grain-size, particle size, bed structure, flow strength, and duration of competent flow. The results from this approach are, subsequently, tested with a set of tracer observations from eight rivers that were available in the literature. The relationship between travel length and flow metrics was found to be statistically strong and has the potential to allow us to quantitatively assess the one-day dynamics of particles moving along streambeds. We also analyzed the influence of channel morphology and bed structure and identified morphological signatures for particle transport in gravel-bed rivers.
Impact of Pressure-Driven Demand on Background Leakage Estimation in Water Supply Networks
Authors: Adedeji Kazeem B. , Hamam Yskandar , Abu-Mahfouz Adnan M.
Published: August 2019

Increasing water demand due to urbanization creates a need to develop schemes for managing water supply networks (WSNs). In recent years, hydraulic modeling of WSNs has been used to assess the state of networks in terms of leakage analysis and pressure control. These models are based on demand-driven modeling (DDM) analysis and pressure-driven modeling (PDM) analysis. The former assumes that the nodal demand is fulfilled consistently regardless of the nodal pressure head. The latter appraises the demand as a function of the available pressure head at the nodes. In a previous paper by Adedeji et al. (2017), an algorithm was presented for background leakage detection and estimation in WSNs. The results demonstrated that the algorithm allows the detection of critical pipes and the indication of the nodes where such critical pipes are located for possible pressure control. However, such an algorithm assumes a demand-driven condition of WSNs. In this paper, a pressure-driven modeling is integrated into the developed algorithm with emphasis on its impact on the background leakage estimate. The results obtained are compared to the demand-driven analysis using two WSNs as case studies. The results presented, which consider pipe and node levels, demonstrate that the reliance of the nodal demand on the available pressure head at the node influences the magnitude of the background leakage flow. It is conceived that this investigation might be crucial for the background leakage estimation while considering WSNs operating under pressure-deficient conditions. In this paper, the solution time for both simulation scenarios is also presented.
Measuring the Quality of Economic Growth
Authors: Kuranov G. O.
Published: August 2019

With the exhaustion of extensive factors, the quality of economic growth becomes the most important criterion and a condition for the consistent furthering economic development and social progress in Russia. The diversity and multidimensional nature of the quality of growth implies the need to consider it from different perspectives: both as a result of a target development directions and as a prerequisite for current and future progress. At the same time, individual characteristics, included in the expanded concept of quality of growth as an essential element of sustainable development, are competitive, for example, inclusive development and growth dynamics. This study addresses characteristics of the quality of economic growth, mainly from its macroeconomic perspective: stability, efficiency, flexibility, progressiveness, social orientation, reducing differentiation. The author analyzed those characteristic-based indicators, and factors aimed at achieving those socio-economic goals. It is considered how these characteristics evolved at individual stages of economic development. Based on statistical calculations, it is concluded that there has been a slowdown in the quality of growth since the 2009 crisis, in contrast to the previous decade. The author indicates the factors of economic growth and improvement of its quality in the medium term, as well as the possibility of combining the requirements of inclusive growth and accelerating economic development.
Aspectos clínicos e histopatológicos de 19 casos envolvendo tumores mamários em gatas
Authors: Gomes Lianna Ghisi , Calvi Menegassi Camila , Bassinello Stocco Matias , De Cássia Martini Andresa , Moro Bassil Dower Nathalie , Monzem Samuel , Curtio Soares Luciana  Maria , Monteiro Pereira Gleicieli , Spiller Paulo Roberto , Lopes  de Souza Roberto
Published: August 2019

Objetivou-se avaliar os tumores de maior ocorrência e determinar seus possíveis fatores prognósticos, como: raça, sexo, idade, estado reprodutivo, uso de contraceptivos, número de lesões mamárias, localização e ulceração. Foram estudados 19 casos de neoformações mamárias em felinos no período entre 2013 e 2016. Os tumores mamários tiveram uma frequência de 100% em fêmeas. A idade dos animais variou entre dois e 14 anos (com média ± desvio-padrão de 9,76 ± 3,50), sendo a maior ocorrência em idosos e sem raça definida (SRD). Dos animais acometidos, 68,42% não eram castrados, evidenciando uma considerável influência hormonal. A maioria das neoplasias mamárias apresentaram características de malignidade, revelando um mau prognóstico para os indivíduos portadores.  Portanto a avaliação deste conjunto de fatores prognósticos, associados ao diagnóstico histológico remeterá o protocolo terapêutico adequado.
Espaço escolar e geografia dos afetos: paredes ou pontes atmosféricas?
Authors: Takada Moreti Nicole Mieko
Published: August 2019

A Geografia Humanista firma-se como campo autônomo da Geografia Cultural entre as décadas de 1970 e 1980, em especial, por seu discurso idealista em prol do reconhecimento da humanização da ciência. O humanismo na Geografia trouxe novas possibilidades metodológicas ao colocar o homem no centro das análises e ao possibilitar a inclusão da dimensão subjetiva, afetiva, cultural e histórica, individual e social, nas análises do campo geográfico.  Este artigo trata do espaço vivido e da percepção individual expressa por meio da afetividade. O referencial teórico utilizado buscou abordar a produção do espaço geográfico em uma perspectiva da dimensão dos afetos. Através de uma breve revisão bibliográfica e problematização objetivamos refletir sobre como os afetos podem criar barreiras ou pontes atmosféricas influenciando na percepção que diferentes sujeitos podem ter de um mesmo espaço escolar. Por muito tempo a Geografia tendeu a suprimir ou minimizar o seu envolvimento com as emoções e concluímos que ainda há muito que se avançar neste assunto. Acreditamos na relevância do tema, visto que as emoções estão intricadamente entrelaçadas ao tecido de nossas vidas.
A dimensão afetiva na experiência urbana: os sentidos do habitar na cidade contemporânea/The affective dimension in urban experience: the senses of habitat in contemporary city
Authors: Mares Rizia Mendes
Published: August 2019

No período contemporâneo, verificamos uma ênfase na difusão de imaginários urbanos, pautados em modo distintivo e fragmentário de viver a cidade tendo os muros como delimitador da sociabilidade urbana, a qual passa a realizar-se em enclaves. O que, em nosso entendimento, revela um conjunto de fatores imbuídos em uma produção prática do espaço como padrões comportamentais, relações afetivas, de valor e status social que aprofundam as desigualdades socioespaciais. Com o presente texto objetivamos refletir sobre a experiência urbana na contemporaneidade lida através das emoções e afetividade incorporadas e localizadas no contexto da vida cotidiana. Para tanto, a proposta metodológica direciona-se no sentido de tornar cognoscível as representações e simbolismos dessa experiência no espaço urbano com o uso de mapas afetivos. Uma metodologia baseada em mapas abstratos e metáforas como recursos apreensão dos afetos. O debate aqui proposto ancora-se, sobretudo, em uma revisão bibliográfica e nos indica que a experiência urbana a partir dos novos habitats, expressa a desigualdade presente na realidade brasileira e mostra-se como uma forma de enfraquecimento da experiência urbana, condição que pode ser apreensível a partir de uma metodologia que privilegie a afetividade na dinâmica socioespacial permitindo uma leitura mais subjetiva da experiência urbana.