bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Human Interference on Zooplankton and Fungal Diversity in Poyang Lake Watershed in China
Authors: Qin Haiming , Cao Xinyi , Cui Lanyue , Lv Qian , Chen Tingtao
Published: July 2020

The Poyang water system in Jiangxi Province, China, is important for floodwater storage, diversity maintenance, and the economy of the Poyang Lake watershed. In recent years, pollution has destroyed the ecosystem and impacted human health and the related economy. The water quality of the Poyang Lake watershed and the impact of human interference must be assessed. Conventional analysis and high-throughput sequencing were used to evaluate the structure of both zooplankton and fungi in six sub-lakes of the Poyang Lake watershed under different anthropogenic influences. The sub-lakes included were Dahuchi Lake (in natural preserve, DHC), Shahu Lake (in natural reserve, SH), Nanhu Lake (out of natural preserve, NH), Zhelinhu Lake (artificial reservoir, ZLH), Sixiahu Lake (agricultural lake artificially isolated from Poyang Lake, SXH), and Qianhu Lake (urban lake, QH). The densities and biomass of the zooplankton in DHC, SH, NH were higher compared with those in SXH, ZLH and QH (p < 0.05). Zooplankton distribution of SXH was the most strongly associated with total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll a (Chl a), while QH was highly associated with pH, conductivity (Cond), and water temperature (WT). For fungal diversity, a large number of beneficial fungi, Basidiomycota (phylum level) and Massarina (genus level) were obtained from DHC (55.3% and 27.5%, respectively), SH (54.4% and 28.9%, respectively), and NH (48.6% and 1.4%, respectively), while a large number of pathogenic Chytridiomycota (at phylum level) were identified from SXH (21.0%), ZLH (5.5%), and QH (7.5%). Manmade pollutants have impacted the natural hydrology and water quality and promoted variation between the zooplankton and fungi in the six sub-lakes, reducing the relative abundance of beneficial fungi and increasing the number of pathogens in the environment, which threatens human health and economic production. Understanding the diversity among the zooplankton and fungi in the six sub-lakes of the Poyang Lake watershed may help guide future water management practices.
Phenotypic Variation in Endangered Texas Salamanders: Application of Model-Based Clustering for Identifying Species and Hybrids
Authors: Strom Donella M. , Bendik Nathan F. , Chamberlain Dee Ann , Watson Jessica A. , Meik Jesse M.
Published: July 2020

The endangered Barton Springs and Austin blind salamanders (Eurycea sosorum and E. waterlooensis, respectively) are micro-endemics to the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer and its contributing zone in Central Texas. Although vertically segregated within the aquifer system, both species are known from the same spring outflows and occasionally hybridize. We used geometric morphometrics and model-based clustering applied to a large sample of standardized salamander photographs to evaluate the potential for objective phenotypic assignment to either species, as well as putative hybrids. In addition to characterizing variation in head shape, our analyses inferred sets of clusters corresponding to ontogenetic series in both species but did not infer any distinct hybrid clusters. Eurycea sosorum and E. waterlooensis have distinctive head size to trunk length allometries, which contributed to the effective clustering of species, even at small body sizes. We also observed subtle, but significant, microgeographic variation in E. sosorum, suggesting the possibility of population substructuring, phenotypic plasticity, or undetected hybridization.
Predictive Biomarkers and Patient Outcome in Platinum-Resistant (PLD-Treated) Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Dionísio de Sousa Isabel J. , Marques Durval S. , Príncipe Catarina , Portugal Raquel V. , Canberk Sule , Prazeres Hugo , Lopes José M. , Gimba Etel R. P. , Lima Raquel T. , Soares Paula
Published: July 2020

Identification of predictive biomarkers for ovarian cancer (OC) treatment, particularly in the platinum-resistant/refractory setting, is highly relevant for clinical management. E-cadherin, vimentin, and osteopontin (OPN) are proteins associated with tumor microenvironment (TME) remodelling that play key roles in cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the staining patterns of these proteins with survival outcomes in a series of OC patients, namely in patients with platinum-resistant/refractory disease. Low E-cadherin expression and high vimentin expression in all patient groups (as well as for E-cadherin in the platinum-resistant arm) were significantly associated with longer overall survival (OS). Low cytoplasmic OPN expression (and cytoplasmic and membrane OPN in the platinum-resistant arm) were significantly associated with longer OS. In patients that responded to treatment (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) or other), low cytoplasmic OPN expression was also associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS). In the other hand, high nuclear OPN-c expression in patients that respond to treatment was associated with longer OS and longer PFS. Longer PFS was also associated with high expression of both nuclear and cytoplasm OPN-c, in platinum-resistant patients and in those that responded to PLD. Our study indicates that the expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, and OPN may have prognostic implications. Nuclear OPN-c and cytoplasm OPN expression are putative predictive markers in platinum-resistant (PLD treated) ovarian cancer patients.
Alteration of the Intra- and Inter-Lobe Connectivity of the Brain Structural Network in Normal Aging
Authors: Jao Chi-Wen , Yeh Jiann-Horng , Wu Yu-Te , Lien Li-Ming , Tsai Yuh-Feng , Chu Kuang-En , Hsiao Chen-Yu , Wang Po-Shan , Lau Chi Ieong
Published: July 2020

The morphological changes in cortical parcellated regions during aging and whether these atrophies may cause brain structural network intra- and inter-lobe connectivity alterations are subjects that have been minimally explored. In this study, a novel fractal dimension-based structural network was proposed to measure atrophy of 68 parcellated cortical regions. Alterations of structural network parameters, including intra- and inter-lobe connectivity, were detected in a middle-aged group (30–45 years old) and an elderly group (50–65 years old). The elderly group exhibited significant lateralized atrophy in the left hemisphere, and most of these fractal dimension atrophied regions were included in the regions of the “last-in, first-out” model. Globally, the elderly group had lower modularity values, smaller component size modules, and fewer bilateral association fibers. They had lower intra-lobe connectivity in the frontal and parietal lobes, but higher intra-lobe connectivity in the temporal and occipital lobes. Both groups exhibited similar inter-lobe connecting pattern. The elderly group revealed separations, sparser long association fibers, commissural fibers, and lateral inter-lobe connectivity lost effect, mainly in the right hemisphere. New wiring and reconfiguring modules may have occurred within the brain structural network to compensate for connectivity, decreasing and preventing functional loss in cerebral intra- and inter-lobe connectivity.
Hybrid Quantum-Classical Neural Network for Calculating Ground State Energies of Molecules
Authors: Xia Rongxin , Kais Sabre
Published: July 2020

We present a hybrid quantum-classical neural network that can be trained to perform electronic structure calculation and generate potential energy curves of simple molecules. The method is based on the combination of parameterized quantum circuits and measurements. With unsupervised training, the neural network can generate electronic potential energy curves based on training at certain bond lengths. To demonstrate the power of the proposed new method, we present the results of using the quantum-classical hybrid neural network to calculate ground state potential energy curves of simple molecules such as H2, LiH, and BeH2. The results are very accurate and the approach could potentially be used to generate complex molecular potential energy surfaces.
Dynamic Panel Modeling of Climate Change
Authors: Phillips Peter C. B.
Published: July 2020

We discuss some conceptual and practical issues that arise from the presence of global energy balance effects on station level adjustment mechanisms in dynamic panel regressions with climate data. The paper provides asymptotic analyses, observational data computations, and Monte Carlo simulations to assess the use of various estimation methodologies, including standard dynamic panel regression and cointegration techniques that have been used in earlier research. The findings reveal massive bias in system GMM estimation of the dynamic panel regression parameters, which arise from fixed effect heterogeneity across individual station level observations. Difference GMM and Within Group (WG) estimation have little bias and WG estimation is recommended for practical implementation of dynamic panel regression with highly disaggregated climate data. Intriguingly, from an econometric perspective and importantly for global policy analysis, it is shown that in this model despite the substantial differences between the estimates of the regression model parameters, estimates of global transient climate sensitivity (of temperature to a doubling of atmospheric CO2) are robust to the estimation method employed and to the specific nature of the trending mechanism in global temperature, radiation, and CO2.
Smart Home Forensics—Data Analysis of IoT Devices
Authors: Kim Soram , Park Myungseo , Lee Sehoon , Kim Jongsung
Published: July 2020

A smart home is a residence that provides a variety of automation services based on Internet of Things (IoT) devices equipped with sensors, cameras, and lights. These devices can be remotely controlled through controllers such as smartphones and smart speakers. In a smart home, IoT devices collect and process data related to motion, temperature, lighting control, and other factors and store more diverse and complex user data. This data can be useful in forensic investigations but it is a challenge to extract meaningful data from various smart home devices because they have different data storage methods. Therefore, data collection from different smart home devices and identification and analysis of data that can be used in digital forensics is crucial. This study focuses on how to acquire, classify, and analyze smart home data from Google Nest Hub, Samsung SmartThings, and Kasa cam for forensic purposes. We thus analyzed the smart home data collected using companion apps, Web interfaces, and APIs to identify meaningful data available for the investigation. Moreover, the paper discusses various types of smart home data and their usage as core evidence in some forensic scenarios.
Transient Pressure Analysis of a Multiple Fractured Well in a Stress-Sensitive Coal Seam Gas Reservoir
Authors: Kou Zuhao , Wang Haitao
Published: July 2020

This paper investigates the bottom-hole pressure (BHP) performance of a fractured well with multiple radial fracture wings in a coalbed methane (CBM) reservoir with consideration of stress sensitivity. The fluid flow in the matrix simultaneously considers adsorption–desorption and diffusion, whereas fluid flow in the natural fracture system and the induced fracture network obeys Darcy’s law. The continuous line-source function in the CBM reservoir associated with the discretization method is employed in the Laplace domain. With the aid of Stehfest numerical inversion technology and Gauss elimination, the transient BHP responses are determined and analyzed. It is found that the main flow regimes for the proposed model in the CBM reservoir are as follows: linear flow between adjacent radial fracture wings, pseudo-radial flow in the inner region or Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV), and radial flow in outer region (un-stimulated region). The effects of permeability modulus, radius of SRV, ratio of permeability in SRV to that in un-stimulated region, properties of radial fracture wings, storativity ratio of the un-stimulated region, inter-porosity flow parameter, and adsorption–desorption constant on the transient BHP responses are discussed. The results obtained in this study will be of great significance for the quantitative analyzing of the transient performances of the wells with multiple radial fractures in CBM reservoirs.
Investigating the Performance of a Super High-head Francis Turbine under Variable Discharge Conditions Using Numerical and Experimental Approach
Authors: Tong Zheming , Liu Hao , Ma Jianfeng , Tong Shuiguang , Zhou Ye , Chen Qiang , Li Yunzhe
Published: July 2020

A super high-head Francis turbine with a gross head of nearly 700 m was designed with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation and laboratory tests. Reduced-scale (1:3.7) physical and numerical models of the real-scale prototype were created to investigate the hydraulic performance. According to the CFD analysis, a strong rotor–stator interaction (RSI) between guide vanes and runner blades is observed as a result of the high-speed tangential flow towards runner created by the super high water head as well as the small gaps between the radial blades. At the designed best efficiency point (BEP), there is no significant flow recirculation inside the flow passage and minor loss occurs at the trailing edge of the stay vanes and guide vanes. Maximum velocity is observed at runner inlets due to flow acceleration through the narrow passages between the guide vanes. The elbow-shaped draft tube gradually decreases the flow velocity to keep the kinetic energy loss at a minimum. The laboratory test was conducted on a reduced-scale physical model to investigate the pressure pulsations and guide vane torque (GVT) under variable-discharge configurations, which are key concerns in the design of a high head turbine. Pressure sensor networks were installed at the inlet pipe, vaneless space and draft tube, respectively. The most intense pressure variation occurs at the inlet pipe and elbow at 0.04–0.2 GVOBEP and 1.5–1.8 GVOBEP with a low frequency about 0.3 times of the runner frequency, while the vibration in vaneless zone performs stable with the blade passing frequency caused by RSI. The GVT shows a declining trend and then keeps stable as GVOs increases at synchronized condition. For the misaligned conditions, the torque of adjacent guide vanes differs a lot except at the synchronous angle and maximum absolute value at least doubles than the synchronized condition.
Environmental Sustainability of the Vehicle Fleet Change in Public City Transport of Selected City in Central Europe
Authors: Konečný Vladimír , Gnap Jozef , Settey Tomáš , Petro František , Skrúcaný Tomáš , Figlus Tomasz
Published: July 2020

Diesel is the most used fuel for buses and other urban transport vehicles in European countries. This paper deals with impacts on emissions production from the operation of the urban public transport fleet after its renewal. To what extent can the renewal of the urban public transport fleet in the city of Žilina contribute to increasing environmental sustainability in the way of reducing air pollution? The vehicle fleet change has partially consisted of vehicle traction system transition-diesel buses were substituted by hybrid driven (HEV) and electric driven buses (BEV). How can the direct and indirect emissions from the operation of vehicles be calculated? These were the posed research questions. The research aimed to propose a methodology for the calculation of direct and indirect emissions. Indirect emissions values (WtT—Well-to-Tank) for different types of fuels and tractions were obtained based on regression functions. These WtT emission factors together with the existing TtW (Tank-to-Wheels) emission factors (direct emissions) can be used for the assessment of environmental impacts of specific types of vehicles concerning energy source, fuel, or powertrain and type of operation. Direct pollutants such as CO, NOx and PM were calculated with the use of simulation methodology of HBEFA (Handbook of Emission Factors for Road Transport) software. The calculated CO2 savings for the period 2019–2023 about fleet renewal in absolute terms are EUR 1.3 million tons compared to the operation of the original fleet while maintaining the same driving performance. The renewal of the vehicle fleet secured by vehicle traction transition can be a way to reduce the energy intensity and environmental impacts of public transport in Žilina.
A New Portable Energy Harvesting Device Mounted on Shoes: Performance and Impact on Wearer
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Wu Xinyu , Zhang Yu , Liu Youfu , Liu Yida , Cao Wujing , Chen Chunjie
Published: July 2020

With the rapid development of microelectronic technology, increasing wearable devices are available for us in daily lives. These wearable devices are usually powered by batteries, so the endurance of wearable devices is limited by battery capacity. Biomechanical energy harvesting (EH) is a promising approach to extend the endurance or replace batteries to power microelectronic devices. In this paper, we would first review the different types of EH devices and analyze the key technologies. Secondly, to compare the advantages and disadvantages of different EH devices, the design guidelines of the EH device is proposed. According to the design guidelines, an EH device with a weight of only 110 g is designed, which is lighter than the suspended-load backpack (38 kg) and the knee harvester (1.6 kg). Our EH device is able to convert the vibrations energy generated by the motion of lower limbs into electrical energy. Finally, to verify whether our EH device meets the design guidelines, three sets of experiment are conducted to evaluate the performance of the EH device. Experiment A is used to monitor the metabolic energy and electricity energy. According to experiment data, we calculate the COH and TCOH of EH device. The lowest COH and TCOH are 58 and 59, respectively. The TCOH of our EH device is higher than suspended-load backpack (30.7) and the knee harvester (13.6). Experiment B is used to test the adaptability of the EH device under the different conditions of terrains and walking speeds. The EH device is able to harvest energy in different terrains (up and down stair, at the treadmill with a slope of 0°, 5° and 10°) and at different speeds(4 km/h~8 km/h). The converted electrical power is up to 7.71 mW during walking at the speed of 8 km/h and is up to 5.28 mW when going up stairs. Experiment C is conducted to investigate the influence of the EH device on human motion by measuring the torque of the ankle, knee, and hip joints. When comparing the curves of torque, the EH device does not influence the biological moment of joints, indicating the EH device does not interfere with the movement. At the same time, another method to calculate the TCOH by calculating the net work done by the muscle in a gait cycle is proposed. When comparing the TCOH calculated by the metabolic energy with the TCOH calculated by the additional work done by the muscle, the results are basically the same. Meanwhile, the variation of the latter calculation result is smaller, indicating the method proposed by us is more precise.
A Novel Methodology for Evaluating the Impact of Energy Efficiency Measures on the Cabin Thermal Comfort of Electric Vehicles
Authors: Basciotti Daniele , Dvorak Dominik , Gellai Imre
Published: July 2020

Climate control systems have a largely negative effect on the energy consumption of electric vehicles and consequently on their real driving range. Improving the efficiency of climate control systems requires advanced simulation tools for an accurate evaluation of both the energy savings and thermal comfort of innovative heating and cooling solutions. In this study, the advancements beyond the state of the art consists primarily of the methodology tackling the reduction of computational costs of intensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and/or time-consuming experimental investigations and the simultaneous assessment of vehicle cabin thermal comfort and energy flows. The approach was validated against climatized chassis dyno measurements from the EU Horizon 2020 research project QUIET. Indeed, all the considered locations within the cabin were properly validated, both in steady state and transient conditions with the largest deviations at steady state below 3 °C. Additionally, the validation results show a perfect agreement for the average cabin predicted mean vote (PMV) value and a largest deviation in terms of the PMV for the other locations below 0.3. Furthermore, the applicability of the methodology is proved with the help of its application on a parametric study for which various cabin temperature setpoints and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) modes were simulated in winter operation.
Improving Thermochemical Energy Storage Dynamics Forecast with Physics-Inspired Neural Network Architecture
Authors: Praditia Timothy , Walser Thilo , Oladyshkin Sergey , Nowak Wolfgang
Published: July 2020

Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES), specifically the calcium oxide (CaO)/calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) system is a promising energy storage technology with relatively high energy density and low cost. However, the existing models available to predict the system’s internal states are computationally expensive. An accurate and real-time capable model is therefore still required to improve its operational control. In this work, we implement a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) to predict the dynamics of the TCES internal state. Our proposed framework addresses three physical aspects to build the PINN: (1) we choose a Nonlinear Autoregressive Network with Exogeneous Inputs (NARX) with deeper recurrence to address the nonlinear latency; (2) we train the network in closed-loop to capture the long-term dynamics; and (3) we incorporate physical regularisation during its training, calculated based on discretized mole and energy balance equations. To train the network, we perform numerical simulations on an ensemble of system parameters to obtain synthetic data. Even though the suggested approach provides results with the error of 3.96×10−4 which is in the same range as the result without physical regularisation, it is superior compared to conventional Artificial Neural Network (ANN) strategies because it ensures physical plausibility of the predictions, even in a highly dynamic and nonlinear problem. Consequently, the suggested PINN can be further developed for more complicated analysis of the TCES system.
Spatial Assessment of Ecosystem Services from Planted Forests in Central Vietnam
Authors: Paudyal Kiran , Samsudin Yusuf B. , Baral Himlal , Okarda Beni , Phuong Vu Tan , Paudel Shyam , Keenan Rodney J.
Published: July 2020

Globally, planted forests are increasing, providing increased resources to forest industries and ecosystem services (ES) to local and wider communities. However, assessment of the impacts of plantations on ES has been limited. Planted forests have expanded rapidly in Vietnam over the last 20 years, with much of the planting undertaken by smallholder growers using exotic Acacia and Eucalyptus species. This study aimed to test a framework to assess changes in four ES due to an increase in Acacia plantations from 2005–2015 in central Vietnam: carbon sequestration, sediment retention, water yield and habitat. Quantitative and qualitative indicators for each service were derived from the literature. Results showed that the area of planted forests in Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên-Huế Provinces increased from 130,930 hectares (ha) to 182,508 ha, mostly replacing non-forest areas (degraded lands, grasslands and agricultural lands) and poor forests. The framework demonstrated capacity to assess the effect of planted forests on wood flow, carbon stocks, sediment retention, streamflow and the extent of wildlife habitat. Apart from the wood supply and carbon sequestration, more research is required to translate biophysical indicators to benefit relevant indicators related to human welfare. The study also revealed that the area of rich forests decreased by 20% over the ten years, mostly through degradation to poorer quality natural forests. Therefore, at the landscape scale, improvement in ES due to conversion of non-forests to planted forests was offset by a reduction in some services as a result of degradation of native forest from rich to poorer condition. Assessment of changes in ES due to planted forests also needs to consider other landscape changes. These analyses can inform policymakers, forest owners and managers, environmental organizations and local communities of the benefits and impacts of planted forests and provide an improved basis for payments for ES and potential additional income for smallholder tree growers.
Changes in Treatment of Very Elderly Patients Six Weeks after Discharge from Geriatrics Department
Authors: Dipanda Mélanie , Barben Jérémy , Nuémi Gilles , Vadot Lucie , Nuss Valentine , Vovelle Jérémie , Putot Alain , Manckoundia Patrick
Published: July 2020

We assessed the prescriptions of patients hospitalized in a geriatric unit and subsequently discharged. This prospective and observational study was conducted over a two-month period in the geriatrics department (acute and rehabilitation units) of a university hospital. Patients discharged from this department were included over a two-month period. Prescriptions were analyzed at admission and discharge from the geriatrics department (DGD), and six weeks after DGD. We included 209 patients, 63% female, aged 86.8 years. The mean number of medications prescribed was significantly higher at DGD than at admission (7.8 vs. 7.1, p = 0.003). During hospitalization, 1217 prescriptions were changed (average 5.8 medications/patient): 52.8% were initiations, 39.3% were discontinuations, and 7.9% were dose adjustments. A total of 156 of the 209 patients initially enrolled completed the study. Among these patients, 81 (51.9%) had the same prescriptions six weeks after DGD. In univariate analysis, medications were changed more frequently in patients with cognitive impairment (p = 0.04) and in patients for whom the hospital report did not indicate in-hospital modifications (p = 0.007). Multivariate analysis found that six weeks after DGD, there were significantly more drug changes for patients for whom there were changes in prescription during hospitalization (p < 0.001). A total of 169 medications were changed (mean number of medications changed per patient: 1.1): 52.7% discontinuations, 34.3% initiations, and 13% dosage modifications. The drug regimens were often changed during hospitalization in the geriatrics department, and a majority of these changes were maintained six weeks after DGD. Improvements in patient adherence and hospital-general practitioner communication are necessary to promote continuity of care and to optimize patient supervision after hospital discharge.
Regional Variation of Suicide Mortality in South Korea
Authors: Choi Minjae , Lee Yo Han
Published: July 2020

South Korea’s suicide rate is the highest among the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This study seeks to verify regional variation in suicide rates in South Korea and to identify correlating factors. We used age-adjusted suicide rates for 252 administrative districts, and a Community Health Survey, national representative data, and other national representative data such as censuses were used to obtain information on socioeconomic, health related and social integration variables according to each administrative district. Regional variation in suicide rates was analyzed by using Extremal Quotient (EQ), and multiple linear regression analyses were used to investigate associations between variation in suicide rates and regional socioeconomic, public service factors and health related factors. The average suicide rate from 252 regions was 142.7 per 100,000 people. The highest region was Hongchun-gun (217.8) and the lowest was Gwachen-si (75.5). The EQ was 2.89, meaning that there is significant regional variation in suicide rates. Financial independence (β = −0.662, p < 0.001), social welfare budget (β = −0.754, p < 0.001) and divorce rates (β = 17.743, p < 0.001) were significant, along with other adjusted variables. This study suggests considering these factors in order to reduce suicide rates in South Korea.
Chromium Pollution in European Water, Sources, Health Risk, and Remediation Strategies: An Overview
Authors: Tumolo Marina , Ancona Valeria , De Paola Domenico , Losacco Daniela , Campanale Claudia , Massarelli Carmine , Uricchio Vito Felice
Published: July 2020

Chromium is a potentially toxic metal occurring in water and groundwater as a result of natural and anthropogenic sources. Microbial interaction with mafic and ultramafic rocks together with geogenic processes release Cr (VI) in natural environment by chromite oxidation. Moreover, Cr (VI) pollution is largely related to several Cr (VI) industrial applications in the field of energy production, manufacturing of metals and chemicals, and subsequent waste and wastewater management. Chromium discharge in European Union (EU) waters is subjected to nationwide recommendations, which vary depending on the type of industry and receiving water body. Once in water, chromium mainly occurs in two oxidation states Cr (III) and Cr (VI) and related ion forms depending on pH values, redox potential, and presence of natural reducing agents. Public concerns with chromium are primarily related to hexavalent compounds owing to their toxic effects on humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms. Risks for human health range from skin irritation to DNA damages and cancer development, depending on dose, exposure level, and duration. Remediation strategies commonly used for Cr (VI) removal include physico-chemical and biological methods. This work critically presents their advantages and disadvantages, suggesting a site-specific and accurate evaluation for choosing the best available recovering technology.
Topic Modeling and User Network Analysis on Twitter during World Lupus Awareness Day
Authors: Pirri Salvatore , Lorenzoni Valentina , Andreozzi Gianni , Mosca Marta , Turchetti Giuseppe
Published: July 2020

Twitter is increasingly used by individuals and organizations to broadcast their feelings and practices, providing access to samples of spontaneously expressed opinions on all sorts of themes. Social media offers an additional source of data to unlock information supporting new insights disclosures, particularly for public health purposes. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex, systemic autoimmune disease that remains a major challenge in therapeutic diagnostic and treatment management. When supporting patients with such a complex disease, sharing information through social media can play an important role in creating better healthcare services. This study explores the nature of topics posted by users and organizations on Twitter during world Lupus day to extract latent topics that occur in tweet texts and to identify what information is most commonly discussed among users. We identified online influencers and opinion leaders who discussed different topics. During this analysis, we found two different types of influencers that employed different narratives about the communities they belong to. Therefore, this study identifies hidden information for healthcare decision-makers and provides a detailed model of the implications for healthcare organizations to detect, understand, and define hidden content behind large collections of text.
Experiential Learning Program to Strengthen Self-Reflection and Critical Thinking in Freshmen Nursing Students during COVID-19: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Cheng Yi-Chuan , Huang Li-Chi , Yang Chi-Hsuan , Chang Hsing-Chi
Published: July 2020

This article focuses on the unique needs and concerns of nursing educators and nursing students in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. During social distancing, interacting with other human beings has been restricted. This would undermine the experiential learning of nursing students. Hence, it is important to develop and evaluate an experiential learning program (ELP) for nursing education. A pre-test and post-test design were used. The study was conducted in a university in Central Taiwan. A total of 103 nursing students participated in the study from February to June 2019. The study intervention was the experiential learning program (ELP), including bodily experiences and nursing activities with babies, pregnant women, and the elderly. After the intervention, the students completed the self-reflection and insight scale (SRIS) and Taiwan Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (TCTDI) as outcome measures. An independent t-test showed that there was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test in both SRIS and TCTDI (p < 0.01). The Pearson product–moment correlation analysis showed that SRIS and TCTDI were significantly positively correlated (p < 0.01). ELP has a significant impact on the self-reflection and critical thinking of first-year nursing students, which can be used as a reference for the education of nursing students. During these turbulent times, it is especially vital for faculties to provide experiential learning instead of the traditional teaching concept.
Lifestyle Medicine and Psychological Well-Being toward Health Promotion: A Cross-Sectional Study on Palermo (Southern Italy) Undergraduates
Authors: Matranga Domenica , Restivo Vincenzo , Maniscalco Laura , Bono Filippa , Pizzo Giuseppe , Lanza Giuseppe , Gaglio Valerio , Mazzucco Walter , Miceli Silvana
Published: July 2020

(1) Aim: To assess the attitude toward Lifestyle Medicine and healthy behaviours among students in the healthcare area and to demonstrate its association to psychological well-being; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study is conducted among 508 undergraduates of the University of Palermo (140 (27.6%) in the healthcare area and 368 (72.4%) in the non-healthcare area), during the academic year 2018–2019. Psychological well-being is measured through two dimensions of eudaimonia and hedonia, using the 10-item Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities-Revised (HEMA-R) scale, with answers coded on a 7-point scale. The association between demographic and modifiable behavioural risk factors for chronic diseases is assessed through crude and adjusted Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals; (3) Results: Orientation to both hedonia and eudaimonia is significantly associated to the Mediterranean diet (ORAdj = 2.28; 95% CI = (1.42–3.70)) and drinking spirits less than once a week (ORAdj = 1.89; 95% CI = (1.10–3.27)) and once a week or more (ORAdj = 6.02; 95% CI = (1.05–34.52)), while these conditions occur together less frequently for current smokers (ORAdj = 0.38; 95% CI = (0.18–0.81)). Students inclined to well-being consider healthcare professionals as models for their patients and all people in general (OR = 1.96, 95% CI = (1.28–3.00)); (4) Conclusions: The positive relation found between a virtuous lifestyle and psychological well-being suggests the construction, development and cultivation of individual skills are a means to succeed in counteracting at risk behaviours for health.
Inflammatory Biomarkers and Breast Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review of the Evidence and Future Potential for Intervention Research
Authors: Kehm Rebecca D. , McDonald Jasmine A. , Fenton Suzanne E. , Kavanaugh-Lynch Marion , Leung Karling Alice , McKenzie Katherine E. , Mandelblatt Jeanne S. , Terry Mary Beth
Published: July 2020

Measuring systemic chronic inflammatory markers in the blood may be one way of understanding the role of inflammation in breast cancer risk, and might provide an intermediate outcome marker in prevention studies. Here, we present the results of a systematic review of prospective epidemiologic studies that examined associations between systemic inflammatory biomarkers measured in blood and breast cancer risk. From 1 January 2014 to 20 April 2020, we identified 18 unique studies (from 16 publications) that examined the association of systemic inflammatory biomarkers measured in blood with breast cancer risk using prospectively collected epidemiologic data. Only one marker, C-reactive protein, was studied extensively (measured in 13 of the 16 publications), and had some evidence of a positive association with breast cancer risk. Evidence associating other inflammatory biomarkers and more comprehensive panels of markers with the development of breast cancer is limited. Future prospective evidence from expanded panels of systemic blood inflammatory biomarkers is needed to establish strong and independent links with breast cancer risk, along with mechanistic studies to understand inflammatory pathways and demonstrate how breast tissue responds to chronic inflammation. This knowledge could ultimately support the development and evaluation of mechanistically driven interventions to reduce inflammation and prevent breast cancer.
Changes in Consumers’ Food Purchase and Transport Behaviors over a Decade (2010 to 2019) Following Health and Convenience Food Trends
Authors: Cho Tae Jin , Kim Sun Ae , Kim Hye Won , Park Sun Min , Rhee Min Suk
Published: July 2020

Although consumers’ food purchase/transport have been reported as causes of food safety risks, there is a lack of empirical data that are feasible to identify persistent and emerging risky behaviors of consumers. This longitudinal trend study consists of individual consumer surveys in 2010 (n = 609) and 2019 (n = 605) to analyze changes in risky behaviors linked to food purchase/transport over a decade. Overall, the results identified purchase/transport time and purchase order as the emerging and unchanged risk factors, respectively. Consumers’ preferences into channels for purchase (large discount stores rather than small/traditional markets) and transport (using cars or delivery) implied the convenience as the noticeable trend. Whereas, unexpected increases in purchase/transport time highlighted the underestimated risks in long-term exposure of foods under inadequate temperature. Food should not be exposed to danger zones > 1–2 h, but consumers might be unaware of the risk especially for preferred channels (e.g., 77 and 36 min. are required for purchase and transport from large discount stores, respectively). In the case of unchanged risky behavior, more than half of consumers in both surveys did not follow proper purchasing orders. Our findings highlight the necessity for novel countermeasures and the improvement of current consumer guidelines against emerging and unchanged risky behaviors, respectively.
Characterization of Clostridium Perfringens Isolates Collected from Three Agricultural Biogas Plants over a One-Year Period
Authors: Derongs Lorine , Druilhe Céline , Ziebal Christine , Le Maréchal Caroline , Pourcher Anne-Marie
Published: July 2020

Digestate produced by agricultural biogas plants (BGPs) may contain pathogenic bacteria. Among them, Clostridium perfringens deserves particular attention due to its ability to grow under anaerobic conditions and persist in amended soil. The aim of this study was to examine the potential pathogenicity and the antimicrobial resistance of C. perfringens in manure and digestate collected from three agricultural biogas plants (BGPs). A total of 157 isolates (92 from manure, 65 from digestate) were screened for genes encoding seven toxins (cpa, cpb, etx, iapcpe, netB, and cpb2). The 138 cpa positive isolates were then screened for tetA(P), tetB(P), tet(M), and erm(Q) genes and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. The toxinotypes identified in both manure and digestate were type A (78.3% of the isolates), type G (16.7%), type C (3.6%), and type D (1.4%), whereas none of the isolates were type F. Moreover, half of the isolates carried the cpb2 gene. The overall prevalence of tetA(P) gene alone, tetA(P)-tetB(P) genes, and erm(Q) gene was 31.9, 34.8, and 6.5%, respectively. None of the isolates harbored the tet(M) gene. Multiple antimicrobial resistant isolates were found in samples that were collected from all the manure and digestates. Among them, 12.3% were highly resistant to some of the antibiotics tested, especially to clindamycin (MIC ≥ 16 µg/mL) and tilmicosin (MIC > 64 µg/mL). Some isolates were highly resistant to antibiotics used in human medicine, including vancomycin (MIC > 8 µg/mL) and imipenem (MIC > 64 µg/mL). These results suggest that digestate may be a carrier of the virulent and multidrug resistant C. perfringens.
A Meta-Analysis of Stressors from the Total Environment Associated with Children’s General Cognitive Ability
Authors: Nilsen Frances M. , Ruiz Jazmin D.C. , Tulve Nicolle S.
Published: July 2020

General cognitive ability, often referred to as ‘general intelligence’, comprises a variety of correlated abilities. Childhood general cognitive ability is a well-studied area of research and can be used to predict social outcomes and perceived success. Early life stage (e.g., prenatal, postnatal, toddler) exposures to stressors (i.e., chemical and non-chemical stressors from the total (built, natural, social) environment) can impact the development of childhood cognitive ability. Building from our systematic scoping review (Ruiz et al., 2016), we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate more than 100 stressors related to cognitive development. Our meta-analysis identified 23 stressors with a significant increase in their likelihood to influence childhood cognitive ability by 10% or more, and 80 stressors were observed to have a statistically significant effect on cognitive ability. Stressors most impactful to cognition during the prenatal period were related to maternal health and the mother’s ability to access information relevant to a healthy pregnancy (e.g., diet, lifestyle). Stressors most impactful to cognition during the early childhood period were dietary nutrients (infancy), quality of social interaction (toddler), and exposure to toxic substances (throughout early childhood). In conducting this analysis, we examined the relative impact of real-world exposures on cognitive development to attempt to understand the inter-relationships between exposures to both chemical and non-chemical stressors and early developmental life stages. Our findings suggest that the stressors observed to be the most influential to childhood cognitive ability are not permanent and can be broadly categorized as activities/behaviors which can be modified to improve childhood cognition. This meta-analysis supports the idea that there are complex relationships between a child’s total environment and early cognitive development.
Sleep Alterations in Female College Students with Migraines
Authors: Rodríguez-Almagro Daniel , Achalandabaso-Ochoa Alexander , Obrero-Gaitán Esteban , Osuna-Pérez María C. , Ibáñez-Vera Alfonso Javier , Lomas-Vega Rafael
Published: July 2020

Background: Many factors are thought to potentially trigger migraines, among which sleep disturbances are one of the most frequently reported. Both sleep disorders and migraines affect more women than men. This study aims to analyze sleep alterations in young adult women with migraines and how they are related to the presence, frequency, intensity, and disability of migraines in this population. Methods: Fifty-one female university students with physician-diagnosed migraines and 55 healthy female university students completed surveys assessing demographic information and frequency, intensity, and disability of migraines and sleep quality variables. Results: No differences in sleep quality were found between migraine subjects and healthy women (p = 0.815), but women with migraines presented higher daytime somnolence (p = 0.010), greater sleep disruptions (p = 0.002), and decreased sleep adequacy (p = 0.019). The presence of a migraine was significantly related to daytime somnolence (p = 0.003) and sleep disruptions (p = 0.021). Migraine-related disability was associated with sleep disruptions (p = 0.002), snoring (p = 0.016), and a decreased quantity of sleep (p = 0.040). Migraine frequency was related to sleep disturbance (p = 0.003) and snoring (p < 0.001). The intensity of migraines was associated with sleep disruptions (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Our results suggest a relationship between migraines and sleep alterations.
Ubiquitination in the ERAD Process
Authors: Lopata Anna , Kniss Andreas , Löhr Frank , Rogov Vladimir V. , Dötsch Volker
Published: July 2020

In this review, we focus on the ubiquitination process within the endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway. Approximately one third of all synthesized proteins in a cell are channeled into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen or are incorporated into the ER membrane. Since all newly synthesized proteins enter the ER in an unfolded manner, folding must occur within the ER lumen or co-translationally, rendering misfolding events a serious threat. To prevent the accumulation of misfolded protein in the ER, proteins that fail the quality control undergo retrotranslocation into the cytosol where they proceed with ubiquitination and degradation. The wide variety of misfolded targets requires on the one hand a promiscuity of the ubiquitination process and on the other hand a fast and highly processive mechanism. We present the various ERAD components involved in the ubiquitination process including the different E2 conjugating enzymes, E3 ligases, and E4 factors. The resulting K48-linked and K11-linked ubiquitin chains do not only represent a signal for degradation by the proteasome but are also recognized by the AAA+ ATPase Cdc48 and get in the process of retrotranslocation modified by enzymes bound to Cdc48. Lastly we discuss the conformations adopted in particular by K48-linked ubiquitin chains and their importance for degradation.
Stereoselectivity of Electron and Energy Transfer in the Quenching of (S/R)-Ketoprofen-(S)-Tryptophan Dyad Excited State
Authors: Ageeva Aleksandra A. , Babenko Simon V. , Magin Ilya M. , Plyusnin Victor F. , Kuznetsova Polina S. , Stepanov Alexander A. , Vasilevsky Sergey F. , Polyakov Nikolay E. , Doktorov Alexander B. , Leshina Tatyana V.
Published: July 2020

Photoinduced elementary processes in chiral linked systems, consisting of drugs and tryptophan (Trp) residues, attract considerable attention due to several aspects. First of all, these are models that allow one to trace the full and partial charge transfer underlying the binding of drugs to enzymes and receptors. On the other hand, Trp fluorescence is widely used to establish the structure and conformational mobility of proteins due to its high sensitivity to the microenvironment. Therefore, the study of mechanisms of Trp fluorescence quenching in various systems has both fundamental and practical interest. An analysis of the photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP) and Trp fluorescence quenching in (R/S)-ketoprofen-(S)-tryptophan ((S/R)-KP-(S)-Trp) dyad carried out in this work allowed us to trace the intramolecular reversible electron transfer (ET) and obtain evidence in favor of the resonance energy transfer (RET). The fraction of dyad’s singlet excited state, quenched via ET, was shown to be 7.5 times greater for the (S,S)-diastereomer than for the (R,S) analog. At the same time, the ratio of the fluorescence quantum yields shows that quenching effectiveness of (S,S)-diastereomer to be 5.4 times lower than for the (R,S) analog. It means that the main mechanism of Trp fluorescence quenching in (S/R)-KP-(S)-Trp dyad is RET.