bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Labour Contracting Systems and African Migrant Networks in Foggia, Apulia, Southern Italy
Authors: Melossi Emilia Helen
Published: March 2020

This study is based on personal experiences and impressions gathered over the course of three consecutive summers while volunteering for a number of organizations in two different regions in Southern Italy: Castel Volturno (Campania) and Foggia (Puglia). The analysis focuses on the Italian labour contracting system known as “caporalato”, its historical presence in the agricultural sector in Southern Italy and recent resurfacings of the system tied to the availability of African migrant labour. The study, based on direct volunteer fieldwork experience, attempts to identify the nexus between the emergence of African migrant networks alongside the exploitative labour contracting system and the manner in which the two are linked. Furthermore, the study considers the role of Radio Ghetto, operating in the shantytown of Borgo Mezzanone (Foggia) in the summer of 2017, as an example of resistance.
Living a Feminist Life
Authors: Cousens Emily
Published: March 2020

Book Review of Sara Ahmed's Living a Feminist Life
The Entropy Function for Non Polynomial Problems and Its Applications for Turing Machines
Authors: Santana Lima Matheus
Published: March 2020

We present a general process for the halting problem, valid regardless of the time and space computational complexity of the decision problem. It can be interpreted as the maximization of entropy for the utility function of a given Shannon-Kolmogorov-Bernoulli process. Applications to non-polynomials problems are given. The new interpretation of information rate proposed in this work is a method that models the solution space boundaries of any decision problem (and non polynomial problems in general) as a communication channel by means of Information Theory. We described a sort method that order objects using the intrinsic information content distribution for the elements of a constrained solution space - modeled as messages transmitted through any communication systems. The limits of the search space are defined by the Kolmogorov-Chaitin complexity of the sequences encoded as Shannon-Bernoulli strings. We conclude with a discussion about the implications for general decision problems in Turing machines.
The Representation of Modern Government in W. H. Auden’s Poem “The Unkown Citizen”
Authors: Christinawati Christinawati , Pandin Moses
Published: March 2020

This study aims to identify modern bureaucratic government phenomenon expressed in W.H. Auden’s poem “The Unknown Citizen” (UC). This phenomenon will be revealed through the use of figures of speech, symbols and imagery in the poem. This poem is chosen as the object of the study since phenomenon happened in the poem represents people’s life and government practice in the modern era. Government, in the poem, seems to be very dominant. Its bureaucratic apparatus is powerful. Through its sophisticated technology, the bureau of statistics is able to detect the citizen’s identity. But, ironically, it could have not identified UC’s name as he lived in the world. He, then, was honored by the state by being erected the marble monument. The poem is analyzed by applying phenomenological criticism. The analysis finds that the representation of modern government is expressed through symbols emphasized by dramatic irony and supported by the use of internal sensation imagery. UC is the allegory of the average person with his bravery he sacrifices for the country. The state ought to give him an honor. In this poem Auden, actually, wants to write a parody for establishing monuments in some countries to honor the struggles of their soldiers who died in the World War I. Those monuments are really tombs since the function of a monument is a state’s thanksgiving for their sacrifice.
Identification of Metabolite and Lipid Profile in a Segregating Peach Population Associated with Mealiness in Peach
Authors: Lillo-Carmona Victoria , Espinoza Alonso , Rothkegel Karin , Rubilar Miguel , Nilo-Poyanco Ricardo , Pedreschi Romina , Campos-Vargas Reinaldo , Meneses Claudio
Published: March 2020

Peach is the third most important temperate fruit crop considering fruit production and harvested area in the world. Exporting peaches represents a challenge due to the long-distance export markets. This requires fruit to be placed in cold storage for a long time, which can induce a physiological disorder known as chilling injury (CI). The main symptom of CI is mealiness which is perceived as non-juicy fruit by consumers. The purpose of this work was to identify and compare the metabolic and lipid profile between two siblings from a contrasting population for juice content, at harvest and after 30 days at 0°C. A total of 119 metabolites and 189 lipids were identified, which showed significant differences of abundance including mainly in amino acids, sugars and lipids. Our results indicate that some of the top metabolites and lipids could be used as biomarkers associated with mealiness at harvest and after cold storage.
Simulation-based Understanding of the Critical Resolved Shear Stress Relevance for the Fatigue Performance of Metallic Materials
Authors: Mlikota Marijo , Schmauder Siegfried
Published: March 2020

The paper introduces a valuable new description of fatigue strength in relation to material properties and thus a new perspective on the overall understanding of the fatigue process. Namely, a relation between the endurance limits and the accompanying values of the critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) for various metallic materials has been discovered by means of a multiscale approach for fatigue simulation. Based on the uniqueness of the relation, there is a strong indication that it is feasible to relate the endurance limit to the CRSS, and not to the ultimate strength as often done in the past.
Tramesan Elicits Durum Wheat Defence Against the Septoria Leaf Blotch Complex
Authors: Scala VALERIA , Pietricola Chiara , farina valentina , beccaccioli marzia , zjalic slaven , quaranta fabrizio , fornara mauro , zaccaria marco , momeni babak , reverberi massimo , iori angela
Published: March 2020

The Septoria Leaf Blotch Complex (SLBC), caused by the two ascomycetes Zymoseptoria tritici and Parastagonospora nodorum, can reduce global yearly yield of wheat by up to 50%. In the last decade in Italy, SLBC incidence has increased; notably, durum wheat has proven to be more susceptible than common wheat. Field fungicide treatment can efficiently control these pathogens, but it leads to the emergence of resistant strains and adversely affects human and animal health, and the environment. Our previous studies indicated that active compounds produced by Trametes versicolor can restrict the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi and the biosynthesis of their secondary metabolites (e.g. mycotoxins). Specifically, we identified Tramesan: a 23 KDa -heteropolysaccharide secreted by T. versicolor that acts as a pro-antioxidant molecule in animal cells, fungi, and plants. Foliar-spraying of Tramesan (3.3 µM) in SLBC-susceptible varieties of durum significantly diminished symptoms of Stagonospora Nodorum Blotch (SNB) and Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB) by 75% and 65%, respectively. Tests were conducted under controlled conditions as well as in field. We show that Tramesan elicits wheat defence against SNB and STB augmenting the synthesis of defence-related hormones, notably JA and SA, that in turn switch on the expression of markers of defence (PR1, PR4 inter alia). In field experiments, yield of durum wheat plants treated with Tramesan was similar to that of untreated ones. The results suggest the use of Tramesan for protecting durum wheat against SLBC.
MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV Infections in Animals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Studies
Authors: Bonilla-Aldana D. Katterine , Cardona-Trujillo María C. , García-Barco Alejandra , Holguin-Rivera Yeimer , Cortes-Bonilla Isabella , Bedoya-Arias Hugo A. , Patiño-Cadavid Leidy Jhoana , Paniz-Mondolfi Alberto , Zambrano Lysien I. , Dhama Kuldeep , Sah Ranjit , Rodriguez-Morales Alfonso J.
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Coronaviruses are zoonotic viruses that include human epidemic pathogens such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus (MERS-CoV), and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS-CoV), among others (e.g., COVID-19, the recently emerging coronavirus disease). The role of animals as potential reservoirs for such pathogens remains an unanswered question. No systematic reviews have been published on this topic to date. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review with meta-analysis, using three databases to assess MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV infection in animals and its diagnosis by serological and molecular tests. We performed a random-effects model meta-analysis to calculate the pooled prevalences and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Results: 6,493articles were retrieved (1960-2019). After screening by abstract/title, 50articles were selected for full-text assessment. Of them, 42 were finally included for qualitative and quantitative analyses. From a total of 34 studies (n=20,896 animals), the pool prevalence by RT-PCR for MERS-CoV was 7.2% (95%CI 5.6-8.7%), with 97.3% occurring in camels, in which pool prevalence was 10.3% (95%CI 8.3-12.3). Qatar was the country with the highest MERS-CoV RT-PCR pool prevalence, 32.6% (95%CI 4.8-60.4%). From 5 studies and 2,618 animals, for SARS-CoV, the RT-PCR pool prevalence was 2.3% (95%CI 1.3-3.3). Of those, 38.35% were reported on bats, in which the pool prevalence was 14.1% (95%CI0.0-44.6%). Discussion: A considerable proportion of infected animals tested positive, particularly by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), an essential condition that highlights the relevance of individual animals as reservoirs of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. In this meta-analysis, camels and bats were found to be positive by RT-PCR in over 10% of the cases for both; thus, suggesting their relevance in the maintenance of wild zoonotic transmission.
The Effects of High-Rise Buildings Arrangement on Pedestrian-Level Wind Comfort in Tehran District 22
Authors: Mostafavi Arash , Alborzi Fariba
Published: March 2020

High-Rise buildings with their particular features can affects on surrounding environment and makes new microclimates. In the windy conditions, the spaces that are between building blocks changes to passages and affects on the wind velocity, intensity and it’s other parameters.The importance of this effect is different in each level of building height. The Pedestrian-Level is the lowest and one of important areas. Markets, playgrounds and pedestrian access had located in this area and any unwanted microclimate changes like high velocity and turbulence in this level can makes discomfort and dangerous condition for residents. So this research tries to consider the pedestrian- level wind comfort in some High-Rise building complexes arrangement that had located in Tehran district 22 with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling and reaching to a suitable arrangement pattern. It had collected the required data through field study and librarian databases and then compared them with standard guidelines and analyzed them by comparative comparison method. As a result a linear arrangement that placed crossover to wind direction for providing wind comfort and preventing wind danger is been suggested in this region.
Residues in Transmembrane Segments of the P2X4 Receptor Contribute to Channel Function and Ethanol Sensitivity
Authors: Popova Maya , Rodriguez Larry , Trudell James R. , Nguyen Sylvia , Bloomfield Michael , Davies Daryl L. , Asatryan Liana
Published: March 2020

Mouse models of alcohol use disorder (AUD) revealed a subtype of purinergic receptors (P2X4Rs) as a promising target for AUD drug development. We have previously demonstrated that residues at the transmembrane (TM)-ectodomain interface and within TM1 segment contribute to the formation of an ethanol action pocket in P2X4Rs. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that there are more residues in TM segments, which are important for ethanol sensitivity of P2X4Rs. Using site-directed mutagenesis and two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology in Xenopus oocytes, we found that arginine at position 33 (R33) in the TM1 segment plays a role in ethanol sensitivity of P2X4Rs. Molecular models in both closed and open states provided evidence for interactions between R33 and aspartic acid at position 354 (D354) of the neighboring TM2 segment. Further work with mixtures of wild-type (WT) and reciprocal single (R33D:WT, D354R:WT) and double (R33D-D354R:WT) mutants confirmed the importance of this interaction for ethanol sensitivity, ivermectin action and channel function. Additionally, our findings suggest that valine at TM1 position 49 plays a role in P2X4R function by providing flexibility during channel opening. Collectively, these findings identified new activity sites, and suggest the importance of TM1-TM2 interaction for channel function and ethanol sensitivity of P2X4Rs.
Anxiety Level vis-à-vis Breakfast Habits of The Students
Authors: Alferez Jeff S. , Moneva Jerald C.
Published: March 2020

Breakfast as the most significant meal of the day is needed for the students to take before going to school. However, some students are skipping their breakfast and their body responses to this eating behavior remain unclear. This study examined students’ anxiety levels in school as a response after taking and not taking breakfast before going to school. Students are examined and there are students who eat breakfast and students who do not eat breakfast before going to school. Then, each student is given a test that measures their school anxiety level in the morning. Using weighted mean, students who eat breakfast got an overall weighted mean of which is interpreted as a disagreement of being anxious in school. On the other hand, Students who did not eat their breakfast got an overall weighted mean of which is also interpreted to disagree with being anxious. Also, it was found out that both students who eat breakfast and who don’t eat breakfast got midlevel of anxiety. Then, the ANOVA analysis resulted in a significance which is higher than the alpha. Therefore, there is no significant association between the anxiety level of the students who take breakfast and who do not take breakfast. In addition, students both taking breakfast or not taking breakfast do have a normal level of anxiety and breakfast can’t give any effects to their anxiety level at all.
Fit to Dance Survey: Elements of Lifestyle and Injury Incidence in Chinese Dancers
Authors: Dang Yanan , Koutedakis Yiannis , Wyon Matthew
Published: March 2020

The Fit to Dance survey has been conducted using primarily Western participants and has provided foundation data for other studies. The purpose of the current study was to replicate the Fit to Dance 2 survey focusing on features of health and injuries in pre-professional and professional
Chinese dancers of different genres. The survey was translated into Chinese with several new and modified questions. The survey was posted online for a 3-month period. A total of 1,040 individuals (82.8% female) completed the questionnaire, including 871 dance students (83.7%) and 169 professional
dancers (16.3%), with focus in Chinese folk dance (44.4%), Chinese classical dance (25.6%), ballet (10.2%), and contemporary dance (9.8%). Compared to the Fit to Dance 2 survey, alcohol consumption (29% vs 82%; p<0.01) and smoking (13% vs 21%; p<0.05) were significantly less in Chinese
dancers, but a higher percentage reported using weight-reducing eating plans (57% vs 23%; p<0.01) or having psychological issues with food (27% vs 24%; p<0.05). Reported injuries in a 12-month period prior to data collection were significantly lower in Chinese dancers (49% vs 80%; p<0.01).
The type of injury (muscle and joint/ligament) and perceived cause of injury (fatigue, overwork, and reoccurrence of an old injury) were the same in both the current and previous survey. Mean injury rate ranged from 4.9 injuries/dancer (contemporary) to 3.4 injuries/dancer (Chinese folk dance),
which is comparable to previously reported data on Western dance populations. This report provides the first comprehensive data on the health and injury incidence of Chinese dancers.
Pengaruh Etika Bisnis Terhadap Produktivitas Kerja Karyawan (Studi di KSPPS BTM Sang Surya Pamekasan)
Authors: Jannah Khairul , Handayani Erwin Yuli
Published: March 2020

Istilah et ika dalam bahasa Indonesia sebenarnya berasal dari  bahasa Yunani: ethos, yang berarti kebiasaan atau watak. Etika juga berasal dari bahasa Perancis: etiquette atau dalam bahasa  Indonesia dengan kata etiket yang berarti juga kebiasaan  atau cara bergaul, berperilaku yang baik. Etika bisnis adalah aturan-aturan yang menegaskan suatu bisnis boleh bertindak dan tidak boleh bertindak, dimana aturan-aturan tersebut dapat bersumber dari aturan tertulis maupun aturan yang tidak tertulis. Penelit ian ini merupakan penelit ian penjelasan (explanatory research) yang akan membuktikan hubungan kasual antara variabel bebas (independen variabel), yaitu variabel etika bisnis yang diprosikan denga norma sopan santun, norma hukum, dan norma moral dengan variable terikat (dependen variabel) yaitu prodiktifitas kerja karyawan. Produktifitas adalah perbandingan antara keluaran/output dan masukan/input. Produktifitas kerja merupakan sikap mental, yang selalu mencari perbaikkanterhadap apa yang telah ada. Suatu keyakinan bahwa seseorang dapat melakukan pekerjaan lebih baik hari ini dari pada hari kemarin dan hari esok lebih baik dari hari ini. Secara normat if etika bisnis menciptakan hubungan yang erat antar perusahaan baik pimpinan maupun karyawan membentuk kerjasama yang adil dan sehat serta membangun kerjasama yang erat.
Identification of prognostic and bone metastatic alternative splicing signatures in bladder cancer
Authors: Huang Runzhi , Zhang Jiayao , Wang Tianjing , Jia Jingyi , Song Dianwen , Yan Penghui , Yin Huabin , Hu Peng , Zhu Xiaolong , Huang Zongqiang , Meng Tong , Zhang Jie
Published: March 2020

Background ： Bladder cancer, originating from the epithelium of the urinary bladder, was the second most common malignancy in the urinary system with a high metastasis rate and poor post-metastasis prognosis. Alternative splicing events (ASEs) were regarded as important markers of tumor progression and prognosis, however, their roles in bladder cancer bone metastasis haven’t been recognized. Methods ： In order to explore the mechanism of ASEs in bladder cancer bone metastasis, we downloaded the RNA sequencing data and ASEs data of 412 samples of primary BLCAs from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and TCGASpliceSeq databases. The Cox regression analysis was used to identify overall survival-related ASEs (OS-SEs), then, based on the OS-SEs screened by Lasso regression, we constructed the predict model. Finally, univariate and multivariate independent prognostic analysis were performed to prove it as an independent prognostic factor. Results ： In this study, a predict model of OS in BLCA was constructed and the Area Under Curve of the model was 0.581. Its risk score was also proved to be an independent predictor with the good accuracy (P < 0.001). Among identified 390 SFs, Junction plakoglobin (JUP) was significantly correlated with overall survival and bone metastasis. In co-expression analysis, the co-expression pathway of ITGB4 was the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis ganglio series. Conclusions ： We speculated that JUP regulating the ITGB4 might play a key role in bone metastasis of bladder cancer through the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis ganglio series pathway (R = 0.220, P < 0.001), which was also related to prognosis.
Preconditioning with rHMGB1 ameliorates lung ischemia–reperfusion injury through inhibiting alveolar macrophages pyroptosis via Keap1/Nrf-2/HO-1 signal pathway
Authors: Fei Lin , Jingyuan Xiao , Fangte Liang , Huijun Dai , Liu Ye , Ren Jing , Jinyuan Lin , Pan Linghui
Published: March 2020

Background Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a common and complex pathophysiological process that can lead to poor patient outcomes. Inflammasome-dependent macrophage pyroptosis contributes to organ damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). Oxidative stress reaction and antioxidant enzymes also play an important role in LIRI. This experiment was conducted to investigate whether preconditioning with rHMGB1 could ameliorate LIRI and explore the mechanisms of its protective effect in a lung I/R mice model. Methods Adult male mice were anesthetized and the left hilus pulmonis was clamped for 60 min, followed by 120 min of reperfusion. rHMGB1 was performed by intraperitoneal injection at 2 h before anesthesia. Brusatol (Nrf-2 antagonist) was given intraperitoneally every other day for a total of five times before surgery. Measurements of pathohistological lung tissue damage, pulmonary wet/dry (W/D) ratios, inflammatory mediators were performed to assess the extent of lung injury after I/R. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) pyroptosis were evaluated by LDH release, caspase-1 expression in flow cytometry, GSDMD expression in immunofluorescent staining. Measurement of the products of oxidative Stress (ROS, MDA, 15-F2t-Isoprostane) and the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GSH-PX, CAT) were performed. Results Preconditioning with rHMGB1 significantly ameliorated I/R-induced lung injury through measuring the morphology, wet/dry weight ratio, the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, NF-κB, HMGB1 in lung tissue. rHMGB1 preconditioning remarkably alleviated AMs pyroptosis induced by lung I/R. rHMGB1 preconditioning significantly reduced oxidative stress and restored the activity of antioxidative enzymes. In addition, rHMGB1 preconditioning mediated the activity of Keap1/Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway in LIRI. Furthermore, inhibiting Keap1/Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway through brusatol administration could aggravate lung tissue damage and inflammatory response after lung I/R. Also, brusatol administration could suppresse the antioxidant and anti-pyroptosis effects of rHMGB1 preconditioning in LIRI. Conclusions rHMGB1 preconditioning protects against LIRI through suppressing AMs pyroptosis. The mechanism is partially explained by inhibiting oxidative stress and improving the activity of antioxidative enzymes via Keap1/Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway.
Targeting the MALAT1-miR-206-GLS axis enhances the apoptotic effects of gastric cancer cells by mild hyperthermia treatments
Authors: Shi Huijuan , Li Kejun , Feng Jinxin , Liu Gaojie , Feng Yanlin , Zhang Xiangliang
Published: March 2020

Background: To explore the molecular mechanisms and modulatory effects of long non-coding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in the hyperthermia-induced gastric cancer cell death. Methods: Combined qRT-PCR and GLS activity detection of glutamine metabolism, we demonstrate the difference of expression of MALAT1 and miR-206 in normal or cancer tissue/ several cell lines and the roles of two in regulation of glutamine, respectively. The relation of MALAT1 and miR-206 was research by bioinformatical analysis and luciferase report. In addition, the molecular regulation between apoptotic effects and MALAT1-miR-206-GLS axis in gastric cancer after mild hyperthermia treatments were discovered by western blotting, luciferase report, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), GLS activity detection of glutamine metabolism and cell viability test. Results: MALAT1 positively associated with GC by promoting glutamine metabolism under short time hyperthermia treatment, it involved in an adaptive reaction, an increased glutamine metabolism rate which could be further overridden by long time hyperthermia exposures. miR-206 could inhibit glutamine metabolism of GC and target 3’UTR of GLS which has oncogenic functions in GC directly. In addition, miR-206-suppresed glutamine metabolism was through direct targeting GLS. LncRNA MALAT1 inhibited miR-206 expression in GC by sponging it as a competing endogenous RNA. In summary, MALAT1-promoted glutamine metabolism was through the miR-206-GLS axis. Furthermore, we demonstrated effective approaches from the MALAT1-miR-206 axis for enhancing the mild hyperthermia-induced cancer death under a short time. Conclusions: Taken together, the MALAT1-miR-206-glutamine metabolism axis is a new strategy for enhancing the selectivity of hyperthermia treatments specific to GC cells
Analysis of Emergency Department Visits for All Reasons by Adults with Depression in the United States
Authors: Hill Tyler , Jiang Yun , Friese Christopher , Darbes Lynae , Blazes Christopher K. , Zhang Xingyu
Published: March 2020

Background : We aimed to characterize Emergency Department (ED) utilization and outcomes of patients with depression seeking emergency care for all reasons. Methods : Using 2014–2016 ED data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, we investigated demographics, ED resource utilization, clinical characteristics, and disposition of patients with depression versus those without depression. Results : Approximately 10,626,184 (11.4%) out of 92,899,685 annual ED visits were by patients with depression. ED patients with depression were mostly non-Hispanic White (74.0%) and were less likely to be male than patients without depression (aOR: 0.56; [95%] CI: 0.56–0.56). ED patients with depression were more likely to be admitted to the hospital (aOR: 1.56; CI: 1.55–1.56) and intensive care unit (ICU) (aOR: 1.28; CI: 1.27–1.28) than patients without depression. Among ED patients with depression, males were more likely than females to be seeking emergency care for psychiatric reasons (aOR: 2.04; CI: 2.03–2.05) and to present with overdose/poisoning (aOR: 1.35; CI: 1.34–1.36). Conclusions : We described the unique demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical characteristics of ED patients with depression, using the most comprehensive, nationally representative study to date. We revealed notable gender disparities in rates and reasons for admissions. The higher hospital and ICU admission rates of ED patients with depression suggests this population requires a higher level of emergency care, for reasons that remain poorly understood.
Changes in 3-month mineral and bone disorder patterns were associated with all-cause mortality in prevalent hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Kato Chihiro , Fujii Naohiko , Miyakoshi Chisato , Asada Shinji , Onishi Yoshihiro , Fukuma Shingo , Takanobu Nomura , Michihito Wada , Fukagawa Masafumi , Fukuhara Shunichi , Akizawa Tadao
Published: March 2020

Background. There is limited evidence on the association between short-term changes in mineral and bone disorder parameters and survival in maintenance hemodialysis patients. Methods. We investigated the association between changing patterns of phosphorus, calcium and intact parathyroid hormone levels and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Each parameter was divided into three categories (low [L], middle [M] and high [H]), and the changing patterns between two consecutive visits at 3-month intervals were categorized into nine groups (e.g., L-L and M-H). The middle category was defined as 4.0-7.0 mg/dL for phosphorous, 8.5-9.5 mg/dL for calcium and 200-500 pg/mL for intact parathyroid hormone. Adjusted incidence rates and rate ratios were analyzed by weighted Poisson regression models accounting for time-dependent exposures. Results. For phosphorus, shifts from low/high to middle category (L-M/H-M) were associated with a lower mortality compared with the L-L and H-H groups, whereas shifts from middle to low/high category (M-L/M-H) were associated with a higher mortality compared with the M-M group. For calcium, shifts from low/middle to high category (L-H/M-H) were associated with a higher mortality compared with the L-L and M-M groups, whereas shifts from high to middle category (H-M) were associated with a lower mortality compared with the H-H group. For intact parathyroid hormone, shifts from low to middle category (L-M) were associated with a lower mortality compared with the L-L group. Conclusions. Changes in the 3-month patterns of phosphorus and calcium toward the middle category were associated with lower mortality. Our study also suggests the importance of avoiding hypercalcemia.
Generation and validation of a highly sensitive bioluminescent HIV-1 reporter vector that simplifies measurement of virus release
Authors: Kirui James , Freed Eric
Published: March 2020

Background The continued persistence of HIV-1 as a public health concern due to the lack of a cure calls for the development of new tools for studying replication of the virus. Here, we used NanoLuc, a small and extremely bright luciferase protein, to develop an HIV-1 bioluminescent reporter virus that simplifies functional measurement of virus particle production. Results The reporter virus encodes a Gag protein containing NanoLuc inserted between the matrix (MA) and capsid (CA) domains of Gag, thereby generating virus particles that package high levels of the NanoLuc reporter. We observe that inserting the NanoLuc protein within HIV-1 Gag has minimal impact on Gag expression and virus particle release. We show that the reporter virus recapitulates inhibition of HIV-1 particle release by Gag mutations, the restriction factor tetherin, and the small-molecule inhibitor amphotericin-B methyl ester. Conclusion These results demonstrate that this vector will provide a simple and rapid tool for functional studies of virus particle assembly and release and high-throughput screening for cellular factors and small-molecules that promote or inhibit HIV-1 particle production.
New Jersey Farm Soil Copper Levels Resulting from Copper Fungicide Applications
Authors: Melendez Meredith V. , Heckman Joseph R. , Murphy Stephanie , D’Amico Frank
Published: March 2020

Vegetable growers have expressed concerns regarding the accumulation of copper in soil where copper-based fungicides are used and have requested guidance for copper pesticide applications. Elevated soil copper levels have the potential to become toxic to sensitive crops and impact soil health. In response, total and available soil copper levels were surveyed using soil analysis of samples from 15 New Jersey farms representing organic and conventional production methods. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was grown in the sampled soil in a greenhouse trial and evaluated for signs of copper toxicity. We found that all 15 farms were using copper fungicide preventative sprays during the previous 2 years. The soil copper levels of these farms were higher in copper-applied soils than the corresponding noncopper-applied soil. Soil copper levels were not near or in excess of established clean-up limits at any of the locations. Greenhouse-grown lettuce in the sampled soils was not negatively impacted by the copper levels. Due to the increase in the total and soluble soil copper levels, growers should use best management practices to prevent the accumulation of excessive amounts of copper in the soil over time.
Management and modelling of the industrial enterprise’s crisis situations
Authors: Rayevnyeva Olena , Brovko Olha , Filip Stanislav , Aksonova Iryna , Derykhovska Viktoriia
Published: March 2020

In conditions of national economy’s unstable development, the primary task of the enterprise internal management is to timely assess and predict the effects of external fluctuations on the state of the enterprise and to develop effective management decisions. The article aims to develop the methodological approach, which, based on a set of models for recognizing an artificial crisis or localizing a natural crisis, allows the crisis management of an enterprise considering its resource capabilities and stage of the life cycle as the interaction of system-forming spheres of life, namely production, financial, and labor. The practical value of the approach consists in developing a system of econometric and cognitive modeling models that allows developing a set of managerial decisions that are adaptive to external and internal fluctuations for localizing a natural crisis or recognizing an artificial crisis. The methodological approach was implemented at Ukrainian industrial enterprises. As the results of the study, several different scenarios of solutions for crisis management of the enterprise were obtained.
Performance evaluation of combined ultraviolet-ultrasonic technologies in removal of sulfonamide and tetracycline resistant Escherichia coli from domestic effluents
Authors: Rebecca Annisha Owassa Dza , Li Zifu , Zhou Xiaoqin , Madgil Don Stenay Ngomah , Donde Oscar Omondi
Published: March 2020

Proper treatment of wastewater is key to the achievement of sustainable environmental management. The use of ultraviolet radiation and ultrasound have continued to be considered as some of the best sustainable practices in wastewater purification. However, despite the suitability of the two emerging techniques in sustainably increasing the purification efficiencies of wastewater, their application has not been fully understood, especially in eliminating faecal pathogenic microorganisms. Moreover, their combined potential in the elimination of Escherichia coli resistant genes from wastewater has not been adequately explored. This study was designed to evaluate the potential of individual and combined/integrated ultraviolet radiation and ultrasonic technologies in the removal of antibiotic-resistant E. coli from domestic effluents. There was a statistical difference in the mean log units of sulfonamide resistant E. coli between the different ultraviolet radiation and ultrasonic dosages (P < 0.05), showing that ultraviolet radiation technology was more effective in the removal of both sulfonamide and tetracycline resistant E. coli from the wastewater. However, the integrated ultraviolet radiation-ultrasonic technique was highly efficient and is recommended in the removal of antibiotic resistant E. coli from wastewater. Nonetheless, further studies also need to be performed to further evaluate the disinfection effectiveness on a different bacteria species under continuous operation.
RISK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN THE ORGANIZATIONS OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AS A TOOL FOR INCREASING BUSINESS REVENUE
Authors: Panfilova Elena Evgenevna , Malkin Igor Igorevich
Published: March 2020

Methods and approaches to assessing the risks of implementing projects implemented in the construction industry are discussed in the article. The key elements of the risk management information system are identified, which allow increasing business profitability through controlling procedures, development of risk register sheets, modeling and use of specialized software.
The Anti-osteoporosis Effects of Natto on Bone Mineral Density in Perimenopausal Women
Authors: Liu Yuan , He Yuan , He Baorong , Kong Lingbo
Published: March 2020

Objective and Aims:

This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis
for prospective studies to investigate the improvement effects of natto on bone mineral density
(BMD) in perimenopausal women.

Methods:

PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane database searched upto February 2019. This study
was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines10 for systematic reviews. The protocol of the
review was registered in the PROSPERO registry (CRD42019133183).

Results:

The review identified 3 unique prospective studies comprising 1658 non-overlapping participants.
Meta-analysis showed that natto could significantly improve lumbar bone mineral density
(BMD) (P=0.002, WMD=0.26; 95% CI:0.09-0.43) in cohort studies. However, the randomized
controlled study showed no statistical difference between the two (P=0.31, WMD=0.05; 95% CI:-
0.05-0.15). In addition, natto significantly improved the BMD of the femoral neck in a cohort
study and randomized control study (P=0.03, WMD=0.42). 95% CI:0.05-0.79, I2= 72%); (P<
0.0001, WMD=0.16; 95% CI:0.08-0.24), respectively. However, all studies demonstrated that
natto has no improvement effects on a hip joint (BMD). In that, the cohort study showed no statistical
significance between the natto intake group and the control group (P=0.21, WMD=0.10). 95%
CI:-0.06-0.25, I2= 18%) and the randomized controlled study also showed no statistical significance
between the natto intake group and the control group (P=0.09, WMD=-0.06). 95% CI:-0.13-
0.01).

Conclusion:

Through our current systematic review and meta-analyize of these prosepctive studies
of natto's anti-osteoporostic effecs on BMD, we found that the dietary intake of natto demonstrated
a improving effects on the BMD of the femoral neck, but has no effects on the hip joint. Such interesting
results may be related to the differences between anatomical structure between various
tissues. Besides that, the results of the RCT study and cohort study on the lumbar spine were not
the same, which may be related to the fact that participants in the RCT study were Caucasian and
participants in the cohort study were Asian. Therefore, more large-sample and high-quality RCT
studies are needed to further clarify the improvement effect of natto on osteoporosis.
Antioxidant Proteins’ Identification Based on Support Vector Machine
Authors: Xu Yuanke , Wen Yaping , Han Guosheng
Published: March 2020

Background:

Evidence have increasingly indicated that for human disease, cell
metabolism are deeply associated with proteins. Structural mutations and dysregulations of these
proteins contribute to the development of the complex disease. Free radicals are unstable molecules
that seek for electrons from the surrounding atoms for stability. Once a free radical binds to an
atom in the body, a chain reaction occurs, which causes damage to cells and DNA. An antioxidant
protein is a substance that protects cells from free radical damage. Accurate identification of
antioxidant proteins is important for understanding their role in delaying aging and preventing and
treating related diseases. Therefore, computational methods to identify antioxidant proteins have
become an effective prior-pinpointing approach to experimental verification.

Methods:

In this study, support vector machines was used to identify antioxidant proteins, using
amino acid compositions and 9-gap dipeptide compositions as feature extraction, and feature
reduction by Principal Component Analysis.

Results:

The prediction accuracy Acc of this experiment reached 98.38%, the recall rate Sn of the
positive sample was found to be 99.27%, the recall rate Sp of the negative sample reached 97.54%,
and the MCC value was 0.9678. To evaluate our proposed method, the predictive performance of
20 antioxidant proteins from the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI) was
studied. As a result, 20 antioxidant proteins were correctly predicted by our method. Experimental
results demonstrate that the performance of our method is better than the state-of-the-art methods
for identification of antioxidant proteins.

Conclusion:

We collected experimental protein data from Uniport, including 253 antioxidant
proteins and 1552 non-antioxidant proteins. The optimal feature extraction used in this paper is
composed of amino acid composition and 9-gap dipeptide. The protein is identified by support
vector machine, and the model evaluation index is obtained based on 5-fold cross-validation.
Compared with the existing classification model, it is further explained that the SVM recognition
model constructed in this paper is helpful for the recognition of antioxidized proteins.
Gene Therapy Approaches in an Autoimmune Demyelinating Disease: Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Islam Md. Asiful , Kundu Shoumik , Hassan Rosline
Published: March 2020

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune demyelinating disease of the
Central Nervous System (CNS). It is a multifactorial disease which develops in an immune-mediated
way under the influences of both genetic and environmental factors. Demyelination is observed in the
brain and spinal cord leading to neuro-axonal damage in patients with MS. Due to the infiltration of
different immune cells such as T-cells, B-cells, monocytes and macrophages, focal lesions are observed
in MS. Currently available medications treating MS are mainly based on two strategies; i) to
ease specific symptoms or ii) to reduce disease progression. However, these medications tend to induce
different adverse effects with limited therapeutic efficacy due to the protective function of the
blood-brain barrier. Therefore, researchers have been working for the last four decades to discover
better solutions by introducing gene therapy approaches in treating MS generally by following three
strategies, i) prevention of specific symptoms, ii) halt or reverse disease progression and iii) heal CNS
damage by promoting remyelination and axonal repair. In last two decades, there have been some remarkable
successes of gene therapy approaches on the experimental mice model of MS - experimental
autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) which suggests that it is not far that the gene therapy approaches
would start in human subjects ensuring the highest levels of safety and efficacy. In this review, we
summarised the gene therapy approaches attempted in different animal models towards treating MS.
Working conditions and interventions of health extension workers in the rural areas of South-Western Ethiopia
Authors: Abetu Gudina Yadeta , Amanu Adamu
Published: March 2020

This study examined the working conditions and interventions of health extension workers in the two selected rural kebeles found in Sarbo District, South-Western Ethiopia. The qualitative research approach utilized owing to the nature of the study in which four health extension workers interviewed in-depth and key informant interviews used as methods. Data were analyzed and interpreted by using qualitative methods of data analysis with triangulation in the thematic method. The study indicated that low payment, poor transportations, unsafe working conditions, and less supportive top management were among the issues that impede interventions and working conditions of health extension workers in the study areas. Furthermore, it further leads to poor delivery of primary health care services. This calls for the designing of effective interventions to improve rural health care services by creating favorable working conditions for rural health extension workers.
NOTAS SOBRE O PROCESSO DE INCLUSÃO/ EXCLUSÃO DE UMA PROFESSORA TRANSEXUAL
Authors: Ferreira Dias Alfrancio , Pessoa de Carvalho Maria Eulina , Araujo de Oliveira Danilo
Published: March 2020

O propósito deste texto, influenciado pelas perspectivas pós-estruturalista e póscrítica,é refletir sobre o processo formativo e a atuação profissional de umabprofessora transexual, a partir das políticas e práticas de regulação e subjetivação corporal e de gênero presentes no campo da educação. Utilizou-se uma abordagem qualitativa, através da realização de entrevista narrativa, em que Lohanna expõe suas experiências de violências e sofrimentos, conquistas e lutas como estudante e professora. Suas narrativas indicam que as esestabilizações que pessoas transexuais provocam, ainda com grandes danos para elas, contêm possibilidades de desconstrução e desaprendizagem das regulações de gênero; e propõem o imperativo ético das instituições educativas transformarem suas práticas violentas e excludentes.
O diálogo entre a física quântica e a psicologia analítica
Authors: Adamo Cristiane
Published: March 2020

Este trabalho propõe uma análise reflexiva sobre o possível diálogo entre as mais divulgadas teorias da física quântica e a teoria da psicologia analítica. Por meio do estudo e reflexão sobre cada um dos conceitos, fez-se um paralelo, relacionando pontos em comum e diferenças encontradas entre as teorias. Para aprofundar o assunto, realizou-se uma revisão de literatura e o estudo aprofundado das obras de Jung. A física quântica ilustrou a explicação sobre a mudança de paradigma dos modelos científicos que influenciaram uma nova visão e entendimento do ser humano, do mundo e de suas relações e interações. Existem semelhanças entre algumas descobertas realizadas nos estudos da física quântica e nos fenômenos descritos pela teoria da psicologia analítica, similaridades entre as conclusões que ambas as ciências chegaram sobre a dinâmica do mundo, a importância do ser humano e a teia de emaranhamento e interconexões existentes entre todas as coisas. O diálogo entre os conceitos contribuiu para explicações e reflexões de pontos essenciais no processo de transformação que a consciência e a psique podem proporcionar.
Assessment of the Frequency of Online Searches for Symptoms Before Diagnosis: Analysis of Archival Data
Authors: Hochberg Irit , Allon Raviv , Yom-Tov Elad
Published: March 2020

Background

Surveys suggest that a large proportion of people use the internet to search for information on medical symptoms they experience and that around one-third of the people in the United States self-diagnose using online information. However, surveys are known to be biased, and the true rates at which people search for information on their medical symptoms before receiving a formal medical diagnosis are unknown.

Objective

This study aimed to estimate the rate at which people search for information on their medical symptoms before receiving a formal medical diagnosis by a health professional.

Methods

We collected queries made on a general-purpose internet search engine by people in the United States who self-identified their diagnosis from 1 of 20 medical conditions. We focused on conditions that have evident symptoms and are neither screened systematically nor a part of usual medical care. Thus, they are generally diagnosed after the investigation of specific symptoms. We evaluated how many of these people queried for symptoms associated with their medical condition before their formal diagnosis. In addition, we used a survey questionnaire to assess the familiarity of laypeople with the symptoms associated with these conditions.

Results

On average, 15.49% (1792/12,367, SD 8.4%) of people queried about symptoms associated with their medical condition before receiving a medical diagnosis. A longer duration between the first query for a symptom and the corresponding diagnosis was correlated with an increased likelihood of people querying about those symptoms (rho=0.6; P=.005); similarly, unfamiliarity with the association between a condition and its symptom was correlated with an increased likelihood of people querying about those symptoms (rho=−0.47; P=.08). In addition, worrying symptoms were 14% more likely to be queried about.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that there is large variability in the percentage of people who query the internet for their symptoms before a formal medical diagnosis is made. This finding has important implications for systems that attempt to screen for medical conditions.