bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ProtParCon: A Framework for Processing Molecular Data and Identifying Parallel and Convergent Amino Acid Replacements
Authors: Yuan Fei , Nguyen Hoa , Graur Dan
Published: February 2019

Studying parallel and convergent amino acid replacements in protein evolution is frequently used to assess adaptive evolution at the molecular level. Identifying parallel and convergent replacements involves multiple steps and computational routines, such as multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic tree inference, ancestral state reconstruction, topology tests, and simulation of sequence evolution. Here, we present ProtParCon, a Python 3 package that provides a common interface for users to process molecular data and identify parallel and convergent amino acid replacements in orthologous protein sequences. By integrating several widely used programs for computational biology, ProtParCon implements general functions for handling multiple sequence alignment, ancestral-state reconstruction, maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree inference, and sequence simulation. ProtParCon also contains a built-in pipeline that automates all these sequential steps, and enables quick identification of observed and expected parallel and convergent amino acid replacements under different evolutionary assumptions. The most up-to-date version of ProtParCon, including scripts containing user tutorials, the full API reference and documentation are publicly and freely available under an open source MIT License via GitHub. The latest stable release is also available on PyPI (the Python Package Index).
The Predictive Factors of Responsiveness to Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy for Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Authors: Hashimoto Atsushi , Sugawa Takashi , Iwakura Narika , Uemura Risa , Sawada Akinari , Otani Koji , Taira Koichi , Hosomi Shuhei , Nagami Yasuaki , Tanaka Fumio , Kamata Noriko , Yamagami Hirokazu , Tanigawa Tetsuya , Watanabe Toshio , Fujiwara Yasuhiro
Published: February 2019

Approximately half of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) respond clinically and histologically to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Although recent guidelines suggest that PPI-responders and non-responders were included in EoE, it is important to investigate the predictive factors of PPI- responsiveness. This study aimed to determine the rate of PPI- responders and compare the characteristics of PPI-responders and non-responders. Fifty-nine patients with esophageal eosinophilia received PPI therapy for eight weeks, and its efficacy was assessed. PPI- responsiveness was diagnosed based on the relief in symptoms and reduction of intraepithelial eosinophilic infiltration to <15 per high-power field (hpf) after PPI therapy. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with PPI-responders. Of the 59 patients, 41 (69.5%) were diagnosed with PPI-responders. The rate of gastrointestinal (GI) screening in the indications for endoscopy was significantly higher in patients with PPI- responders than in those with non-responders. On multivariate analysis, GI screening and presence of reflux esophagitis was associated with an increased odds ratio (OR) of PPI-responders, but presence of rings with a decreased OR of PPI-responders. Presence of reflux esophagitis and absence of rings on endoscopy especially during GI screening might be significant predictive factors for PPI response in patients with EoE.
Creating a Collaborative Platform for the Development of Community Interventions to Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases
Authors: del Busto Sebastian , Galindo Inés , Hernandez Juan Jesús , Camarelles Francisco , Nieto Esther , Caballero Águeda , Sandín Vázquez María
Published: February 2019

Chronic diseases, also known as non-communicable diseases (NCD) are one of the most important public health problems of our time. Many of these diseases can be reduced by achieving healthy lifestyles. Community interventions are very useful in reducing these types of diseases since they have a direct impact over daily conditions and are adjustable to the complex situations that they carry. This article describes the process of the creation of a collaborative platform for the design and implementation of community interventions to prevent NCDs. This platform includes six non-governmental organizations who have aligned their prevention and health promotion objectives to develop joint community interventions. The intervention levels approach, based on the socio-ecological model has been the basic model to structure the working groups of the platform. Dealing with institutional differences, complexity and variability of contexts, defining the roles and responsibilities and managing the resources are key elements to have in mind to achieve good relations and functional partnerships to design and implement effective community interventions at different levels. Institutional recognition, support and planning based on local priorities are also key elements for these kinds of platforms to be successful, sustainable and, therefore, have an impact on people’s health.
Double Burden of Rural Migration in Canada? Considering the Social Determinants of Health Related to Immigrant Settlement Outside the Cosmopolis
Authors: Patel Asiya , Dean Jennifer , Edge Sara , Wilson Kathi , Ghassemi Effat
Published: February 2019

There is a large and growing body of research acknowledging the existence of health disparities between foreign-born and native-born populations in many high immigrant-receiving countries. Significant attention has been paid to the role of physical and social environments in the changing health status of immigrants over time. However, very limited attention has been given to these issues within the context of rural geographies, despite global evidence that immigrants are increasingly settling outside of traditional gateway cities and into rural communities. This paper presents the results of a scoping review aimed at assessing the state of knowledge on the health impacts of immigrant migration into rural communities in Canada. Guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping protocol, we conduct a review of academic literature in Canada related to rural migration. A total of 25 articles met inclusion criteria which included access to the social determinants of health. Findings identified a paucity of research directly connecting rural settlement to health but the literature did emphasize five distinct social determinants of health for rural residing immigrants: social inclusion, culturally-appropriate services, gender, employment, and housing. This paper concludes with an identification of research gaps and opportunities for future research into whether rural-residing immigrants face a double burden with respect to health inequity.
Benefits of Advanced Practice Nursing for Its Expansion in the Spanish Context
Authors: Sánchez-Gómez María Begoña , Ramos-Santana Sara , Gómez-Salgado Juan , Sánchez-Nicolás Francisca , Moreno-Garriga Carlos , Duarte-Clíments Gonzalo
Published: February 2019

The objective of this study is to describe the impact of the Advanced Practice Nurse role on the clinical practice and patient benefit, as well as to provide reasons for its implementation and expansion in Spain. Through the scoping review method, this study has been carried out according to five thematic blocks: life quality, cost-effectiveness, health results, satisfaction, and accessibility. The critical appraisal was performed with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool and the level of evidence and strength of recommendation have been analysed following the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) system. The results show that it is possible to formally implement advanced practice nursing in the Spanish context. The analysis of the Spanish regulatory framework reveals that the generalisation of the Case Manager Nurse is the starting point for the development of advanced practice nursing in Spain. This implementation would have a positive impact on patients in terms of health results, satisfaction, and life quality, given that the advanced practice nurse performs a more effective follow-up of chronic patients with a better control of risk factors, symptoms and health outcomes, and an earlier detection of complications. Considering these results, regional governments should promote the role of the Advanced Practice Nurse to contribute to its expansion.
Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Air-Conditioning Systems in Hospitals, Farms, and Residences
Authors: Li Yaying , Liao Hongkai , Yao Huaiying
Published: February 2019

High-throughput quantitative PCR combined with Illumina sequencing and network analysis were used to characterize the antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) profiles in air-conditioning filters from different environments. In total, 177 ARGs comprising 10 ARG types were determined. The detectable numbers and the relative abundance of ARGs in hospitals and farms were significantly higher than those in city and village residences. Compared to hospitals, farms had a higher level of tetracycline, multidrug, integrase, and macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin (MLS) B resistance genes but a lower level of beta-lactam resistance genes. The bl3_cpha gene was the most abundant resistance gene subtype in hospital samples with an abundance of 2.01 × 10−4 copies/16S rRNA, while a level of only 5.08 × 10−12 copies/16S rRNA was observed in farm samples. There was no significant difference in bacterial diversity among the hospitals, farms, and residences, and Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum. Network analysis revealed that Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were possible hosts of the beta-lactam, MLSB, aminoglycoside, multidrug, sulfonamide, and tetracycline resistance genes. The results demonstrate that ARGs exist in indoor environments and that farms and hospitals are important sources. This study provides a useful reference for understanding the distribution patterns and risk management of ARGs in indoor environments.
Intergenerational Educational Pathways and Self-Rated Health in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: Results of the German KiGGS Cohort
Authors: Waldhauer Julia , Kuntz Benjamin , Mauz Elvira , Lampert Thomas
Published: February 2019

Health differences in social mobility are often analysed by income differences or different occupational positions. However, in early adulthood many young people still have very diffuse income situations and are not always fully integrated into the labour market despite many having finished school. This article focusses on the link between intergenerational educational pathways and self-rated health (SRH) among young adults considering their SRH in adolescence. The data source used is the German KiGGS cohort study. The analysis sample comprises 2175 young people at baseline (t0: 2003–2006 age 14–17) and first follow-up (t1: 2009–2012 age 19–24). Combining parent’s and young people’s highest school degree, the data can trace patterns of intergenerational educational pathways (constant high level of education, upward mobility, downward mobility, constant low level of education). Young people’s SRH was recorded at t0 and t1. During adolescence and young adulthood, participants were less likely to report poor SRH if they had a constant high intergenerational education or if they were upwardly mobile. The differences were particularly striking among young adults: average marginal effects (AME) for poor SRH showed much higher risk among downwardly mobile compared to peers with an intergenerational constant high education (AME: 0.175 [0.099; 0.251]), while the upwardly mobile had a significantly lower risk for less than good SRH than peers with an intergenerational constant low level of education (AME: −0.058 [−0.113; −0.004]). In the context of great societal demands and personal developmental needs, educational differences in health tend to increase in young adulthood. Public Health should pay more attention to educational and health inequalities in young adulthood.
Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Farmers Associated with Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure in a Rural Village of Northwest México
Authors: Serrano-Medina Aracely , Ugalde-Lizárraga Angel , Bojorquez-Cuevas Michelle Stephanie , Garnica-Ruiz Jatniel , González-Corral Martín Alexis , García-Ledezma Arnold , Pineda-García Gisela , Cornejo-Bravo José Manuel
Published: February 2019

This study aims to determine the degree of acetylcholinesterase inhibition and neurological symptoms for each of the psychiatric disorders diagnosed in the farm workers of a rural population in the state of Baja California, Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 140 agricultural workers (exposed participants). The study was run using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Diagnostic Test (MINI), a pre-established questionnaire to diagnose the mental state of each agricultural worker. Analysis of enzymatic activity was carried out using the modified Ellman method. The results showed that, among agricultural workers with slightly inhibited enzymatic activity, 25% met the criteria for the diagnosis of major depression with suicidal attitudes, 23.9% with inhibited enzymatic activity showed generalized anxiety, 23.5% showed combined depression–anxiety, and 22% met the criteria for major depression and no psychiatric diagnosis disorder. These results suggest the need for the development of effective public-health strategies to inform farm workers about integrated pesticide management in order to prevent serious health complications.
Comparative Study of Complexes of Rare Earths and Actinides with 2,6-Bis(1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine
Authors: Kovács Attila , Apostolidis Christos , Walter Olaf
Published: February 2019

Complexes of group III metals (rare earth and actinides) with 2,6-bis(5,6-dipropyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine (BTP) have been investigated by computational (DFT) and, in limited cases, by experimental (FT-IR, X-ray) techniques with the goal of determining the characteristics of metal–ligand interactions. The DFT calculations using the M062X exchange-correlation functional revealed that metal–ligand distances correlate with the ionic radii of the metals, in agreement with available X-ray diffraction results on the Sc, Y, La, U, and Pu complexes. A related blue-shift trend could be observed in seven characteristic bands in the IR spectra associated with metal–ligand vibrations. The computations uncovered considerable charge transfer interactions, particularly in the actinide complexes, as important covalent contributions to the metal–ligand bonding. The covalent character of the metal–ligand bonds decreases in the actinides, from U to Cm.
Differentiating Rhinitis in the Paediatric Population by Giving Focus on Medical History and Clinical Examination
Authors: Doulaptsi Maria , Aoi Noriaki , Kawauchi Hideyuki , Milioni Athanasia , Karatzanis Alexander , Prokopakis Emmanuel
Published: February 2019

Chronic rhinitis is defined as an inflammation of the nasal epithelium, and is characterized by the presence of two or more specific nasal symptoms including obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and/or itching for at least 12 weeks. In childhood, this clinical entity is very common and carries a significant socioeconomic burden. The impact on the physical, social, and psychological well-being of family cannot be underestimated. Rhinitis is an umbrella term which includes different phenotypes of rhinitis with distinct underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. In most cases the diagnosis of rhinitis is rather straightforward; however, sometimes when based on clinical symptomatology, characterization may be challenging. Herein, we provide guidance for getting all the data needed for the differential diagnosis of rhinitis based on medical history and clinical examination.
Influence of Diet Enriched with Cocoa Bean Extracts on Physiological Indices of Laboratory Rats
Authors: Żyżelewicz Dorota , Bojczuk Małgorzata , Budryn Grażyna , Jurgoński Adam , Zduńczyk Zenon , Juśkiewicz Jerzy , Oracz Joanna
Published: February 2019

Cocoa bean is a rich source of polyphenols, mainly flavonoids which have a wide range of biological properties. The aim of the study was to determine the physiological indices of laboratory rats as a response to diets containing water extracts of raw or roasted cocoa beans of Forastero variety, as well as purified monomeric flavan-3-ols fraction isolated from them. The influence of these extracts on selected parameters was studied during 4 weeks feeding. The samples of rats feces were collected throughout the experiment and after its completion, biological samples (intestines content, blood, and organs) were retrieved individually from each rat and subjected to analyses. The observed changes in the gastrointestinal tract functioning indices and metabolism indicators, determined throughout the study and after its completion, confirm to some extent the biological activity of polyphenol extracts of cocoa beans. The differences in the results obtained for the analyzed parameters of the gastrointestinal tract revealed that the cocoa bean extracts differently affected the physicochemical properties of rats’ intestines. The results indicate the beneficial effects of the applied nutrition treatment on the activity of cecal enzymes and the content of volatile fatty acids in the gut.
Prediction Models to Control Aging Time in Red Wine
Authors: Astray Gonzalo , Mejuto Juan , Martínez-Martínez Víctor , Nevares Ignacio , Alamo-Sanza Maria , Simal-Gandara Jesus
Published: February 2019

A combination of physical-chemical analysis has been used to monitor the aging of red wines from D.O. Toro (Spain). The changes in the chemical composition of wines that occur over the aging time can be used to distinguish between wine samples collected after one, four, seven and ten months of aging. Different computational models were used to develop a good authenticity tool to certify wines. In this research, different models have been developed: Artificial Neural Network models (ANNs), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) models. The results obtained for the ANN model developed with sigmoidal function in the output neuron and the RF model permit us to determine the aging time, with an average absolute percentage deviation below 1%, so it can be concluded that these two models have demonstrated their capacity to predict the age of wine.
A Molecular Electron Density Theory Study of the Chemoselectivity, Regioselectivity, and Diastereofacial Selectivity in the Synthesis of an Anticancer Spiroisoxazoline derived from α-Santonin
Authors: Domingo Luis R. , Ríos-Gutiérrez Mar , Acharjee Nivedita
Published: February 2019

The [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction of an α-santonin derivative, which has an exocyclic C–C double bond, with p-bromophenyl nitrile oxide yielding only one spiroisoxazoline, has been studied within the molecular electron density theory (MEDT) at the MPWB1K/6-311G(d,p) computational level. Analysis of the conceptual density functional theory (CDFT) reactivity indices and the global electron density transfer (GEDT) account for the non-polar character of this zwitterionic-type 32CA reaction, which presents an activation enthalpy of 13.3 kcal·mol−1. This 32CA reaction takes place with total ortho regioselectivity and syn diastereofacial selectivity involving the exocyclic C–C double bond, which is in complete agreement with the experimental outcomes. While the C–C bond formation involving the β-conjugated carbon of α-santonin derivative is more favorable than the C–O one, which is responsible for the ortho regioselectivity, the favorable electronic interactions taking place between the oxygen of the nitrile oxide and two axial hydrogen atoms of the α-santonin derivative are responsible for the syn diastereofacial selectivity.
New Insights about CuO Nanoparticles from Inelastic Neutron Scattering
Authors: Spencer Elinor C. , Kolesnikov Alexander I. , Woodfield Brian F. , Ross Nancy L.
Published: February 2019

Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) spectroscopy has provided a unique insight into the magnetodymanics of nanoscale copper (II) oxide (CuO). We present evidence for the propagation of magnons in the directions of the ordering vectors of both the commensurate and helically modulated incommensurate antiferromagnetic phases of CuO. The temperature dependency of the magnon spin-wave intensity (in the accessible energy-range of the experiment) conforms to the Bose population of states at low temperatures (T ≤ 100 K), as expected for bosons, then intensity significantly increases, with maximum at about 225 K (close to TN), and decreases at higher temperatures. The obtained results can be related to gradual softening of the dispersion curves of magnon spin-waves and decreasing the spin gap with temperature approaching TN on heating, and slow dissipation of the short-range dynamic spin correlations at higher temperatures. However, the intensity of the magnon signal was found to be particle size dependent, and increases with decreasing particle size. This “reverse size effect” is believed to be related to either creation of single-domain particles at the nanoscale, or “superferromagnetism effect” and the formation of collective particle states.
Three-Step Thermal Drawing for Rapid Prototyping of Highly Customizable Microneedles for Vascular Tissue Insertion
Authors: Lee KangJu , Park Seung Hyun , Lee JiYong , Ryu Suho , Joo Chulmin , Ryu WonHyoung
Published: February 2019

Microneedles (MNs) have been extensively developed over the last two decades, and highly efficient drug delivery was demonstrated with their minimal invasiveness via a transdermal route. Recently, MNs have not only been applied to the skin but also to other tissues such as blood vessels, scleral tissue, and corneal tissue. In addition, the objective of the MN application has been diversified, ranging from drug delivery to wound closure and biosensing. However, since most MN fabrication methods are expensive and time-consuming, they are inappropriate to prototype MNs for various tissues that have different and complex anatomies. Although several drawing-based techniques have been introduced for rapid MN production, they fabricated MNs with limited shapes, such as thin MNs with wide bases. In this study, we propose a three-step thermal drawing for rapid, prototyping MNs that can have a variety of shapes and can be fabricated on curved surfaces. Based on the temperature control of polymer bridge formation during thermal drawing, the body profile and aspect ratios of MNs were conveniently controlled, and the effect of temperature control on the body profile of MNs was explained. Thermally drawn MNs with different shapes were fabricated both on flat and curved surfaces, and they were characterized in terms of their mechanical properties and insertion into vascular tissue to find an optimal shape for vascular tissue insertion.
Understanding the Effects of In-Service Temperature and Functional Fluid on the Ageing of Silicone Rubber
Authors: Kashi Sima , De Souza Mandy , Al-Assafi Salwan , Varley Russell
Published: February 2019

With an organic/inorganic hybrid nature, silicone elastomers are amongst the most versatile engineering materials, exploited in a wide range of applications either as end-products or in manufacturing processes. In many industrial machines, silicone components are exposed to in-service conditions, such as high or low temperatures, contact with functional fluids, mechanical loading, and deformations, which can adversely affect these components and reduce their lifespan, leading to machine failure in turn. The present study investigates the behaviour of a silicone component of a manufacturing equipment and the variations in the part’s properties due to in-service conditions (temperature, exposure to heat transfer fluid, and mechanical deformation) to develop a monitoring tool. An experimental design was employed to study the main and the interaction effects of temperature (22 °C, 180 °C), medium (air, synthetic heat transfer fluid), and strain (0%, 200%) on the silicone component’s properties. Results showed that while the chemistry of the component remains intact, its thermal and in particular mechanical properties are largely influenced by the in-service conditions. Consequently, leading to a physical rather than a chemical failure of the component and limiting its service life. Statistical analysis revealed that high temperature and the exposure to the heat transfer fluid have the most sever effects. Moreover, these two manufacturing parameters were found to have a significant interaction with one another, whose effect cannot not be neglected.
Climate Data Records from Meteosat First Generation Part II: Retrieval of the In-Flight Visible Spectral Response
Authors: Quast Ralf , Giering Ralf , Govaerts Yves , Rüthrich Frank , Roebeling Rob
Published: February 2019

How can the in-flight spectral response functions of a series of decades-old broad band radiometers in Space be retrieved post-flight? This question is the key to developing Climate Data Records from the Meteosat Visible and Infrared Imager on board the Meteosat First Generation (MFG) of geostationary satellites, which acquired Earth radiance images in the Visible (VIS) broad band from 1977 to 2017. This article presents a new metrologically sound method for retrieving the VIS spectral response from matchups of pseudo-invariant calibration site (PICS) pixels with datasets of simulated top-of-atmosphere spectral radiance used as reference. Calibration sites include bright desert, open ocean and deep convective cloud targets. The absolute instrument spectral response function is decomposed into generalised Bernstein basis polynomials and a degradation function that is based on plain physical considerations and able to represent typical chromatic ageing characteristics. Retrieval uncertainties are specified in terms of an error covariance matrix, which is projected from model parameter space into the spectral response function domain and range. The retrieval method considers target type-specific biases due to errors in, e.g., the selection of PICS target pixels and the spectral radiance simulation explicitly. It has been tested with artificial and well-comprehended observational data from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager on-board Meteosat Second Generation and has retrieved meaningful results for all MFG satellites apart from Meteosat-1, which was not available for analysis.
A Multi-Scale Filtering Building Index for Building Extraction in Very High-Resolution Satellite Imagery
Authors: Bi Qi , Qin Kun , Zhang Han , Zhang Ye , Li Zhili , Xu Kai
Published: February 2019

Building extraction plays a significant role in many high-resolution remote sensing image applications. Many current building extraction methods need training samples while it is common knowledge that different samples often lead to different generalization ability. Morphological building index (MBI), representing morphological features of building regions in an index form, can effectively extract building regions especially in Chinese urban regions without any training samples and has drawn much attention. However, some problems like the heavy computation cost of multi-scale and multi-direction morphological operations still exist. In this paper, a multi-scale filtering building index (MFBI) is proposed in the hope of overcoming these drawbacks and dealing with the increasing noise in very high-resolution remote sensing image. The profile of multi-scale average filtering is averaged and normalized to generate this index. Moreover, to fully utilize the relatively little spectral information in very high-resolution remote sensing image, two scenarios to generate the multi-channel multi-scale filtering index (MMFBI) are proposed. While no high-resolution remote sensing image building extraction dataset is open to the public now and the current very high-resolution remote sensing image building extraction datasets usually contain samples from the Northern American or European regions, we offer a very high-resolution remote sensing image building extraction datasets in which the samples contain multiple building styles from multiple Chinese regions. The proposed MFBI and MMFBI outperform MBI and the currently used object based segmentation method on the dataset, with a high recall and F-score. Meanwhile, the computation time of MFBI and MBI is compared on three large-scale very high-resolution satellite image and the sensitivity analysis demonstrates the robustness of the proposed method.
From the Efficiency of Nature to Parametric Design. A Holistic Approach for Sustainable Building Renovation in Seismic Regions
Authors: D’Urso Sebastiano , Cicero Bruno
Published: February 2019

Cities are growing dramatically. At the same time, we are witnessing the obsolescence of the existing building stock due to its low performance in terms of structural stability, energy efficiency and, last but not least, beauty. Especially in Italy, a highly seismic country, most of the buildings erected between the 1950s and the 1980s are not only earthquake-prone but also aesthetically unpleasant. In this perspective, the urgency of improving the existing building stock in terms of seismic vulnerability opens up the opportunity to also work on its architectural image. This article draws from the assumption that the search for beauty represents an important and often neglected dimension of the search for sustainability. In particular, the presented study suggests and combines the use of parametric design and the structural shape of steel exoskeletons to renovate a typical earthquake-prone apartment block from the 1960s in Italy. The results show that the proposed parametric approach can provide and select different effective renovation solutions.
Temporal Downscaling of IDF Curves Applied to Future Performance of Local Stormwater Measures
Authors: Kristvik Erle , Johannessen Birgitte Gisvold , Muthanna Tone Merete
Published: February 2019

Low-impact development (LID) structures are combined with traditional measures to manage stormwater and cope with increased runoff rates originating from heavy urbanization and climate change. As the use of LIDs for climate adaptation increases, practitioners need more knowledge on LID performance in future climates for successful planning and implementation. In this study, temporal downscaling of regional climate projections for three cities in Norway is performed, using the concept of scale invariance to downscale the distribution of extreme precipitation from daily to sub-daily timescales. From this, local-scale intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves for future precipitation were obtained. Using climate projections of daily temporal resolution as input to water balance models and the obtained IDF relationships as input to event-based models allowed for assessing the retention capacity, peak flow reduction potential and pollution control of three different types of LIDs: green roofs, bioretention cells, and detention basins. The downscaling resulted in large local variations in presumed increase of both precipitation amount and intensity, contradicting current design recommendations in Norway. Countrywide, a decrease in the overall LID performance was found, although some positive effects of temperature rises were detected. The study illustrated the importance of evapotranspiration- and infiltration-based processes in future stormwater management and how coupling of LID structures in series can significantly reduce required detention volumes.
The Contributions of Personality Traits and Emotional Intelligence to Intrapreneurial Self-Capital: Key Resources for Sustainability and Sustainable Development
Authors: Di Fabio Annamaria , Saklofske Donald H.
Published: February 2019

In the innovative research area of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development, Intrapreneurial Self-Capital (ISC) constitutes a promising core of resources to face the challenges of the 21st century. This article presents two studies supporting the contribution of trait emotional intelligence to ISC beyond that explained by the three most quoted personality trait models. The Intrapreneurial Self-Capital Scale (ISCS), Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF), Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ), Mini International Personality Item Pool Scale (Mini-IPIP), HEXACO-60, and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised Short Form (EPQ-RS) were administered to 210 first and second year university students (Study 1) and 206 university students in the last three years of undergraduate university studies (Study 2). Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that Emotional Intelligence (EI) explained additional variance in ISC beyond that accounted for each of the three personality trait models for both samples. These results should encourage future research within a positive primary prevention perspective in the framework of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development.
Spatial Distribution of Global Cultivated Land and Its Variation between 2000 and 2010, from Both Agro-Ecological and Geopolitical Perspectives
Authors: Cao Min , Zhu Yanhui , Lü Guonian , Chen Min , Qiao Weifeng
Published: February 2019

Food security requires a thorough understanding of the spatial characteristics of cultivated land changes on a global scale. In particular, the spatial heterogeneity of global cultivated land changes needs to be evaluated with high spatial resolution data. This study aims to analyse the spatial distribution of global cultivated land and the characteristics of its variation, by using GlobeLand30 data for 2000 and 2010 with a 30-m spatial resolution. The cultivated land percentage and rate of cultivated land use change are calculated based on 18 agro-ecological zones (AEZs), 32 geopolitical and socioeconomic regions, and 283 world regions. The results show that (1) more cultivated land is located in regions under a temperate climate and moderate moisture conditions; (2) the percentage of cultivated land is related to the gross domestic product (GDP) and population, while increases and decreases in cultivated land are related to the rural population, policy encouragement, urbanization, and economic development; and (3) the percentage of cultivated land and rate of land use change within an AEZ vary greatly due to the different socioeconomic conditions, and the values within a geopolitical area also vary, due to different natural conditions.
Integrated Management Approach Towards Sustainability: An Egyptian Business Case Study
Authors: Vitale Gianluca , Cupertino Sebastiano , Rinaldi Loredana , Riccaboni Angelo
Published: February 2019

Several studies have focused mainly on the following approach to tackle sustainable development issues at the management level: single sustainability managerial tools adoption (e.g., sustainable balance scorecard) and the “overlap” process between traditional management practices and sustainability-oriented ones. Conversely, integration as an “alignment” process between different sustainability management practices represents a research field, which is currently underinvestigated. Filling this gap, the purpose of the present study is to deepen and find empirical evidence on how sustainability management accounting, control, and reporting systems can be integrated through an alignment process. To this aim, we focused our analysis on a Mediterranean holding company, which is a well-known sustainable corporate practitioner to foster sustainable development in a socioeconomic and environmental problematic context. Therefore, we developed a single business case study analyzing an Egyptian firm to give practical evidence on the role of management accounting, control, and reporting practices in addressing sustainability issues. The analysis shows that the aligning process of different management practices involves a plurality of business aspects to manage, among them cultural and organizational ones. Despite its complexity, such a process is fundamental to pursue medium–long-term goals, ensuring sustainable firm growth and social wellbeing.
Asian Schistosomiasis: Current Status and Prospects for Control Leading to Elimination
Authors: Gordon Catherine A. , Kurscheid Johanna , Williams Gail M. , Clements Archie C. A. , Li Yuesheng , Zhou Xiao-Nong , Utzinger Jürg , McManus Donald P. , Gray Darren J.
Published: February 2019

Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease caused by helminth parasites of the genus Schistosoma. Worldwide, an estimated 250 million people are infected with these parasites with the majority of cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Within Asia, three species of Schistosoma cause disease. Schistosoma japonicum is the most prevalent, followed by S. mekongi and S. malayensis. All three species are zoonotic, which causes concern for their control, as successful elimination not only requires management of the human definitive host, but also the animal reservoir hosts. With regard to Asian schistosomiasis, most of the published research has focused on S. japonicum with comparatively little attention paid to S. mekongi and even less focus on S. malayensis. In this review, we examine the three Asian schistosomes and their current status in their endemic countries: Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, and Thailand (S. mekongi); Malaysia (S. malayensis); and Indonesia, People’s Republic of China, and the Philippines (S. japonicum). Prospects for control that could potentially lead to elimination are highlighted as these can inform researchers and disease control managers in other schistosomiasis-endemic areas, particularly in Africa and the Americas.
Mechanics of Fluid-Conveying Microtubes: Coupled Buckling and Post-Buckling
Authors: Farajpour Ali , Farokhi Hamed , Ghayesh Mergen H.
Published: February 2019

This paper investigates the coupled mechanics of a fluid-conveying microtube embedded inside an elastic medium and subject to a pretension. The fluid-structure interaction model of the microsystem is developed based on Lagrange’s equations for the open system of a clamped-clamped microtube. A continuation model is used to examine the nonlinear mechanics of this microsystem prior to and beyond losing stability; the growth and the response in the supercritical regime is analysed. It is shown that the microtube stays stable prior to losing stability at the so-called critical flow velocity; beyond that point, the amplitude of the buckled microsystem grows with the velocity of the flowing fluid. The effects of different system parameters such as the linear and nonlinear stiffness coefficients of the elastic medium as well as the length-scale parameter and the slenderness ratio of the microtube on the critical speeds and the post-buckling behaviour are analysed.
Modelling of Soil Erosion and Accumulation in an Agricultural Landscape—A Comparison of Selected Approaches Applied at the Small Stream Basin Level in the Czech Republic
Authors: Jakubínský Jiří , Pechanec Vilém , Procházka Jan , Cudlín Pavel
Published: February 2019

This article deals with the modelling of erosion and accumulation processes in the contemporary cultural landscape of Central Europe. The area of interest is the headwater part of the small stream catchment—the Kopaninský Stream in central Czech Republic. It is an agricultural and forest–agricultural landscape with a relatively rugged topography and riverbed slope, which makes the terrain very vulnerable to water erosion. The main aim of this article is to compare the results of four selected soil erosion and sediment delivery models, which are currently widely used to quantitate the soil erosion and sediment accumulation rates, respectively. The models WaTEM/SEDEM, USPED, InVEST and TerrSet work on several different algorithms. The model outputs are compared in terms of the total volume of eroded and accumulated sediment within the catchment per time unit, and further according to the spatial distribution of sites susceptible to soil loss or sediment accumulation. Although each model is based partly on a specific calculation algorithm and has different data pre-processing requirements, we have achieved relatively comparable results in calculating the average annual soil loss and accumulation. However, each model is distinct in identifying the spatial distribution of specific locations prone to soil loss or accumulation processes.
Political Borders, Epistemological Boundaries, and Contested Knowledges: Constructing Dams and Narratives in the Mekong River Basin
Authors: Fox Coleen A. , Sneddon Christopher S.
Published: February 2019

The Mekong River Basin of mainland Southeast Asia is confronting a series of intertwined social, political, and biophysical crises. The ongoing construction of major hydroelectric dams on the river’s main channel and tributary systems—particularly in the basin’s lower and more populated reaches—is leading to significant socioecological changes. Multiple scientific studies have suggested that proceeding with the planned dam construction will disrupt the region’s incredibly productive fisheries and threaten the livelihoods of millions of basin residents. These effects will almost certainly be exacerbated by global and regional climate change. Yet increased understanding of the adverse consequences of dams for the Mekong’s hydrological and ecological processes is having minimal impact on decision-making around hydropower development. While local communities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and certain scientists draw on this knowledge to oppose or question accelerated dam building, state officials and hydropower developers have turned to the expertise of engineering and technological assessments in order to justify dam construction. Drawing on work in political geography, political ecology, and science and technology studies (STS), we ask two primary questions. First, why does engineering/technological knowledge retain so much legitimacy and authority in the face of mounting scientific knowledge about ecological change? Secondly, how are narratives of progress deployed and co-produced in the contested epistemologies of large dams as development? We conclude with some examples of how contestations over dams seem to be shifting epistemological boundaries in meaningful ways, creating new spaces for knowledge production and transfer. To answer these questions, we focus on three contested dams that are at various stages of construction in the basin: the nearly complete Xayaburi Dam, the under-construction Don Sahong Dam, and the planned Pak Beng Dam. The research advances understandings of the politics of contested knowledges as they become manifest in the conceptualization and governance of large dams in transboundary basins.
A retrospective audit of antibiotic prescriptions in a Lebanese Hospital
Authors: Ibrahim Mohamad , Bazzi Zeinab
Published: February 2019

Despite the frequent alarms that have been published about the adverse effects of antibiotic use and misuse, physicians prescribe to patients approximately fifty percent of unnecessary antimicrobials. In an attempt to decrease the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and increase awareness, a team approach is required to address this prescribing phenomenon in a feasible manner.

A retrospective study was done at a one-hundred-forty-bed hospital with a representative sample size of 368 patients. Patient data was collected and analyzed by a stewardship team. The overall antibiotic inappropriate rate was 45.8%, which is relatively high and consistent with the findings of other studies mentioned in the literature.

This study aimed to provide baseline epidemiological data on the use of antibiotics in a Lebanese hospital and has revealed several notable patterns of antibiotic prescribing practices among Lebanese physicians such as the use of antimicrobial drugs example penicillin was consistently high. Strong correlations were identified between the type of attending physician and antibiotic appropriateness. These findings will be important in constructing an antimicrobial stewardship program to reduce antibiotic misuse.
Prospective surveillance of hospital associated infections epidemiology in a haematology-oncology department
Authors: Bouafia Nabiha , Ammar Asma , Ezzi Olfa , Ben Chiekh Asma , Mahjoub Mohamed , Bannour Wadiaa , Helali Radhia , Achour Bechir , Ben Salah Arwa , Dalel Ben Slimene , Khelif Abderrahim , Njah Mansour
Published: February 2019

In haematology-oncology, intensified procedures have been associated with higher risk of healthcare associated infections (HAIs).This study aimed to estimate the incidence and to identify risk factors of HAIs in a haematology-oncology unit in a Tunisian university hospital. We conducted a prospective study, during 06 months from Mars through September 2016 in the department of hematology- oncology in a tertiary teaching hospital in Tunisia. Patients, admitted for ≥48 h, were followed until hospital discharge. The (CDC) criteria for site-specific infections were used to define HAIs. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors of HAIs. P
Poor practices of medical and health sciences students for the prevention of hepatitis B viral infections in Ethiopia
Authors: Regassa Belay Tafa , Fiseha Genene
Published: February 2019

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus is a serious global public health problem and health professionals, especially medical and health sciences students are at risk of acquiring infection through occupational exposure. Hence, this study was aimed at assessing medical and health sciences students’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards HBV transmission and prevention.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March, 2017 among 190 medical and health sciences students. Study participants were selected using random sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Out of 190 distributed questionnaires, all were returned with a response rate of 100%. Majority of the students, 107(56.3%), were in the age group 20 – 24 years. Almost all the respondents had good knowledge about hepatitis B Virus transmission, treatment and prevention. Majorities, 179 (94.2%), of students had good attitudes towards the importance of standard precautions, vaccine and post exposure prophylaxis for HBV prevention. However, the study participants had poor practices towards the prevention of Hepatitis B infections where 164 (86.3%) of the students had not vaccinated against and screened for the virus and 111 (58.4%) of them were not practicing of the standard precautions.

This study indicates that participants had good knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis B virus prevention. However, they had experienced poor practicing while giving healthcare services.

Key Words: Poor practices, Prevention, Hepatitis B viral infection, medical and health sciences students
Low-budget 3D-printed equipment for continuous flow reactions
Authors: Neumaier Jochen M , Madani Amiera , Klein Thomas , Ziegler Thomas
Published: February 2019

This article describes the development and manufacturing of lab equipment, which is needed for the use in flow chemistry. We developed a rack of four syringe pumps controlled by one Arduino computer, which can be manufactured with a commonly available 3D printer and readily available parts. Also, we printed various flow reactor cells, which are fully customizable for each individual reaction. With this equipment we performed some multistep glycosylation reactions, where multiple 3D-printed flow reactors were used in series.