bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wearable Augmented Reality Application for Shoulder Rehabilitation
Authors: Condino Sara , Turini Giuseppe , Viglialoro Rosanna , Gesi Marco , Ferrari Vincenzo
Published: October 2019

Augmented reality (AR) technology is gaining popularity and scholarly interest in the rehabilitation sector because of the possibility to generate controlled, user-specific environmental and perceptual stimuli which motivate the patient, while still preserving the possibility to interact with the real environment and other subjects, including the rehabilitation specialist. The paper presents the first wearable AR application for shoulder rehabilitation, based on Microsoft HoloLens, with real-time markerless tracking of the user’s hand. Potentialities and current limits of commercial head-mounted displays (HMDs) are described for the target medical field, and details of the proposed application are reported. A serious game was designed starting from the analysis of a traditional rehabilitation exercise, taking into account HoloLens specifications to maximize user comfort during the AR rehabilitation session. The AR application implemented consistently meets the recommended target frame rate for immersive applications with HoloLens device: 60 fps. Moreover, the ergonomics and the motivational value of the proposed application were positively evaluated by a group of five rehabilitation specialists and 20 healthy subjects. Even if a larger study, including real patients, is necessary for a clinical validation of the proposed application, the results obtained encourage further investigations and the integration of additional technical features for the proposed AR application.
A Real-Time Decision Platform for the Management of Structures and Infrastructures
Authors: Merenda Massimo , Praticò Filippo Giammaria , Fedele Rosario , Carotenuto Riccardo , Della Corte Francesco Giuseppe
Published: October 2019

Natural disasters and the poor management of civil engineering structures and infrastructures require timely action and new tools such as specially designed structural health monitoring platforms. This paper proposes an innovative platform based on a network of wirelessly connected, low-power, and renewable-energy-fed sensor units. The platform is a multipurpose tool for diagnostics, maintenance, and supervision, capable of simultaneously carrying out damage detection, localization, identification, and “multiclass” and “multi-material” level quantification of different types of failures. In addition, it works as a decision support tool for emergency management and post-disaster assessment, here tailored for an Italian theme park. The platform uses innovative algorithms based on the concept of the vibro-acoustic signature of the asset monitored. The vibro-acoustic signatures of the monitored assets are gathered by the microphones and accelerometers of the platform’s sensor units. Then, almost simultaneously, they are analyzed using specifically designed wavelet-based and convolutional-neural-network-based algorithms, which are able to extract crucial information about the structural and environmental conditions of both the asset and the areas of the thematic park. In addition, the platform shows escape routes during an emergency, indicating meeting points and helping people to proceed safely along a recognizable escape route to a safe place, as demonstrated by the simulations.
Optimization of Coal Washery Tailings by Flotation Process
Authors: Shi Changliang , Cheng Gan , Wang Shengnan
Published: October 2019

Flotation tailings are by-products of coal preparation plants, which do not only occupy cultivated land but also cause pollution. The high ash content and low calorific value of tailings limit their applications. Deashing is the precondition for the reutilization of flotation tailings. However, it is more difficult to remove ash content from flotation tailings compared with raw coal. Based on the analysis of coal properties, the flotation performance of different collectors was compared in this study. Flotation flows and the mechanism of depressants were explored. The optimized flotation conditions were as follows: pulp concentration of 100 g/L, inflation rate of 0.25 m3/(m2·min), collector (C4) dosage of 300 g/t, frother dosage of 500 g/t, and revolving speed of 2200 rpm. The ash content of clean coal was also reduced by adding a depressant. The flotation performance was best when the amount of sodium hexametaphosphate (used as the depressant) was 4 kg/t; the recovery of clean coal was 71.88%, and the ash content was 10.64%.
Evaluating Short-Term Impacts of Forest Management and Microsite Conditions on Understory Vegetation in Temperate Fir-Beech Forests: Floristic, Ecological, and Trait-Based Perspective
Authors: Kermavnar Janez , Marinšek Aleksander , Eler Klemen , Kutnar Lado
Published: October 2019

Forest understory vegetation is largely influenced by disturbances and given local abiotic conditions. Our research focuses on the early response of understory vegetation to various forest management intensities in Dinaric fir-beech forests in Slovenia: (i) control, (ii) 50% cut of stand growing stock, and (iii) 100% cut of stand growing stock. Apart from identifying overstory removal effects, we were interested in fine-scale variation of understory vegetation and environmental determinants of its species composition. Vegetation was sampled within 27 karst sinkholes, which represent a dominant landform in studied forests. Within each sinkhole, five sampling plots, varying in slope aspect (centre, north, east, south, west), were established (135 in total), where pre-treatment (in 2012) and post-treatment (in 2014) floristic surveys were conducted. The sampled understory species were characterized in terms of Ellenberg’s indicator values (EIVs) and plant functional traits (plant height, seed mass, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content). Diversity metrics (species richness, total cover, Shannon index) increased in plots where the silvicultural measures were applied. Tree species richness also increased in 100% cutting. A redundancy analysis revealed that species composition was related to environmental variables, which are directly influenced by management interventions (overstory canopy cover, microclimate—maximum daily temperature, soil properties—thickness of organic soil layer) as well as by topographic factors (slope inclination and surface rockiness). EIVs for light were significantly affected by treatment intensity, whereas soil-related EIVs (moisture, reaction, nutrients) depended more on the within-sinkhole position. Canopy gaps, compared with uncut control plots, hosted a higher number of colonizing species with a higher plant height and smaller seeds, while leaf traits did not show a clear response. We found a negative correlation between pre-treatment species (functional) richness and post-treatment shifts in floristic (functional) composition. Plots with higher richness exhibited smaller changes compared with species-poor communities. Incorporating different perspectives, the results of this study offer valuable insights into patterns of understory vegetation response to forest management in fir-beech forests.
Poverty and Prosperity: Impact on Livelihood Assets of Billion Trees Afforestation Program in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan
Authors: Rauf Tariq , Khan Naveed , Shah Syed Jamal , Zada Muhammad , Malik Saqib Yaqoob , Yukun Cao , Sadique Adnan
Published: October 2019

In this study, we assessed the impact of the Billion Trees Afforestation Program (BTAP) on the livelihood of local household in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK). BTAP is the largest ban-logging afforestation program in Pakistan, which aims to conserve natural forests, promoting rural livelihoods and reducing poverty. Primary data from 360 local inhabitants were collected and analyzed using descriptive and econometric methodologies that include ordered logit model and ordinary least squares (OLS) respectively. In specific, a wealth index, household income, and five assets of sustainable livelihood have been considered to measure the impact of BTAP. We found that there is a strong and positive contribution of BTAP to the improvement of a rural community’s livelihood. Results showed that BTAP based households earn 4% more income and possess around 35% more assets. These findings suggest that BTAP has considerable effect on increase in livelihood assets. This study continues the discussion with several practical implications of this along with recommendations for future research.
Impact of Nanoclay on the pH-Responsiveness and Biodegradable Behavior of Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposite Hydrogels
Authors: Vashist Arti , Ghosal Anujit , Vashist Atul , Kaushik Ajeet , Gupta Y. K. , Nair Madhavan , Ahmad Sharif
Published: October 2019

This research work deployed free radical polymerization for the development of pH-responsive hybrid nanocomposite hydrogels (NCHs) with the formation of improved interpenetrating networks (IPN). The crosslinked biopolymeric system was composed of (chitosan (CH)/guar gum (GG)/polyol) and a nanofiller (Cloisite 30B). The study was aimed to investigate the role of Cloisite 30B as a nanofiller and linseed oil-derived polyol to induce stable interpenetrating networks in chitosan‒guar gum-based hydrogels. FT-IR analysis confirmed the formation of crosslinked networks with the formation of hydrogen bonds in the synthesized NCHs. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry revealed high thermal stability of the NCHs. The hydrolytic and soil burial degradation tests confirmed the biodegradability of the synthesized NCHs. An extraordinarily high swelling capacity in a buffer solution of pH 4.0 and 7.4 demonstrated their pH-responsive behavior. It has been demonstrated that even the minimal addition of polyol to the guar gum-based hydrogels has influenced the stability and characteristic features such as high swelling capacity owing to the formation of interpenetrating networks and the biodegradability of the hydrogels.
Erratum: The MAPKKK CgMck1 Is Required for Cell Wall Integrity, Appressorium Development, and Pathogenicity in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Genes 2018, 9, 543)
Authors: Fang Yu-Lan , Xia Li-Ming , Wang Ping , Zhu Li-Hua , Ye Jian-Ren , Huang Lin
Published: October 2019

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]
The Prevalence of Delirium in An Older Acute Surgical Population and Its Effect on Outcome
Authors: Hewitt Jonathan , Owen Stephanie , Carter Ben R. , Stechman Michael J. , Tay Hui Sian , Greig Matthew , McCormack Caroline , Pearce Lyndsay , McCarthy Kathryn , Myint Phyo K. , Moug Susan J.
Published: October 2019

Background: With an ageing population, an increasing number of older adults are admitted for assessment to acute surgical units. Older adults have specific factors that may influence outcomes, one of which is delirium (acute cognitive impairment). Objectives: To establish the prevalence of delirium on admission in an older acute surgical population and its effect on mortality. Secondary outcomes investigated include hospital readmission and length of hospital stay. Method: This observational multi-centre study investigated consecutive patients, ≥65 years, admitted to the acute surgical units of five UK hospitals during an eight-week period. On admission the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) score was performed to detect delirium. The effect of delirium on important clinical outcomes was investigated using tests of association and logistic regression models. Results: The cohort consisted of 411 patients with a mean age of 77.3 years (SD 8.1). The prevalence of admission delirium was 8.8% (95% CI 6.2–11.9%) and cognitive impairment was 70.3% (95% CI 65.6–74.7%). The delirious group were not more likely to die at 30 or 90 days (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.2 to 5.1, p = 0.67; OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.4 to 4.1. p = 0.82) or to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.4 to 2.2, p = 0.89). Length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the delirious group (median 8 vs. 5 days respectively, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Admission delirium occurs in just under 10% of older people admitted to acute surgical units, resulting in significantly longer hospital stays.
To Dwell in Grace: Physical and Spiritual Situatedness in Marilynne Robinson’s Lila
Authors: Ludwig Kathryn
Published: October 2019

This article explores Marilynne Robinson’s use of space in her 2014 novel Lila to illustrate a dynamic relationship between the religious and the secular. The titular character’s movement among a variety of physical spaces raises questions about the possibility of “dwelling” in the sense of belonging to a place or community. Characters’ earthly situatedness points to larger questions of spiritual situatedness and identity. Robinson’s novel is posited as a valuable point of reference for postsecular studies, a critical perspective through which the role of the religious in literary studies is being redefined.
Attention, Representation, and Unsettlement in Katherena Vermette’s The Break, or, Teaching and (Re)Learning the Ethics of Reading
Authors: Wallace Cynthia R.
Published: October 2019

Theories of literary ethics often emphasize either content or the structural relationship between text and reader, and they tend to bracket pedagogy. This essay advocates instead for an approach that sees literary representation and readerly attention as interanimating and that considers teaching an important aspect of an ethics of reading. To support these positions, I turn to Katherena Vermette’s 2016 novel The Break, which both represents the urgent injustice of sexualized violence against Indigenous women and girls and also metafictionally comments on the ethics of witnessing. Describing how I read with my students the novel’s insistent thematization of face-to-face encounters and practices of attention as an invitation to read with Emmanuel Levinas and Simone Weil, I explicate the text’s self-aware commentary on both the need for readers to resist self-enlargement in their encounters with others’ stories and also the danger of generalizing readerly responsibility or losing sight of the material realities the text represents. I source these challenges both in the novel and in my students’ multiple particularities as readers facing the textual other. Ultimately, the essay argues for a more careful attention to which works we bring into our theorizing of literary ethics, and which theoretical frames we bring into classroom conversations.
Calibration of NSRP Models from Extreme Value Distributions
Authors: De Luca Davide , Galasso Luciano
Published: October 2019

In this work, the authors investigated the feasibility of calibrating a model which is suitable for the generation of continuous high-resolution rainfall series, by using only data from annual maximum rainfall (AMR) series, which are usually longer than continuous high-resolution data, or they are the unique available data set for many locations. In detail, the basic version of the Neyman–Scott Rectangular Pulses (NSRP) model was considered, and numerical experiments were carried out, in order to analyze which parameters can mostly influence the extreme value frequency distributions, and whether heavy rainfall reproduction can be improved with respect to the usual calibration with continuous data. The obtained results were highly promising, as the authors found acceptable relationships among extreme value distributions and statistical properties of intensity and duration for the pulses. Moreover, the proposed procedure is flexible, and it is clearly applicable for a generic rainfall generator, in which probability distributions and shape of the pulses, and extreme value distributions can assume any mathematical expression.
Shaping EU Plastic Policies: The Role of Public Health vs. Environmental Arguments
Authors: Mederake Linda , Knoblauch Doris
Published: October 2019

Few other environmental problems have received as much public attention and criticism in recent years as plastic pollution. Accordingly, in recent years, a number of plastic policies have been adopted at the national and supranational level in the EU and worldwide. In the U.S., health risks were repeatedly raised in the decision-making process of these policies and scholars have pointed out the crucial role of these arguments for the adoption of plastic policies. Hence, this article uses a structuring qualitative content analysis to investigate the parliamentary debates of two recently adopted plastic policies in the EU—namely the EU Plastics Strategy and the Single-Use Plastics Directive—and to assess the relevance of public health and environmental arguments for the EU debate. The analysis reveals broad support for plastics regulation among Members of the European Parliament, who most often use environmental arguments to corroborate their support for the policies in question. In contrast, health concerns do not seem to be crucial for the adoption of plastic policies in the EU.
The Characteristics of Carbon, Nitrogen and Sulfur Transformation During Cattle Manure Composting—Based on Different Aeration Strategies
Authors: Wang Yue , Liu Shanjiang , Xue Wentao , Guo He , Li Xinrong , Zou Guoyuan , Zhao Tongke , Dong Hongmin
Published: October 2019

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of gaseous emission (methane—CH4, carbon dioxide—CO2, nitrous oxide—N2O, nitric oxide—NO, hydrogen sulfide—H2S and sulfur dioxide—SO2) and the conservation of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) during cattle manure composting under different aeration strategies. Three aeration strategies were set as C60, C100, and I60, representing the different combinations of aeration method (continuous—C or intermittent—I) and aeration rate (60 or 100 L·min−1·m−3). Results showed that C, N, S mass was reduced by 48.8–53.1%, 29.8–35.9% and 19.6–21.9%, respectively, after the composing process. Among the three strategies, the intermittent aeration treatment I60 obtained the highest N2O emissions, resulting in the highest N loss and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when the GHG emissions from power consumption were not considered. Within two continuous aeration treatments, lower aeration rates in C60 caused lower CO2, N2O, NO, and SO2 emissions but higher CH4 emissions than those from C100. Meanwhile, C and N losses were also lowest in the C60 treatment. H2S emission was not detected because of the more alkaline pH of the compost material. Thus, C60 can be recommended for cattle manure composting because of its nutrient conservation and mitigation of major gas and GHG emissions.
Workplace Violence in Asian Emergency Medical Services: A Pilot Study
Authors: Wang Pei-Yu , Fang Pin-Hui , Wu Chen-Long , Hsu Hsiang-Chin , Lin Chih-Hao
Published: October 2019

Workplace violence among Asian emergency medical services (EMS) has rarely been examined. A cross-sectional, mainly descriptive study using a standardized, paper-based, self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted between August and October 2018 among emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the Tainan City Fire Bureau, Taiwan. A total of 152 EMT-paramedics responded to the questionnaire survey, constituting an overall response rate of 96.2%. The participants were predominantly male (96.1%), college-educated (4-year bachelor’s degree) (49.3%), and middle-aged (35–44 years old) (63.8%). Among them, 113 (74.3%) and 75 (49.3%) participants had experienced verbal and physical assaults at work, respectively. Only 12 (7.9%) participants were familiar with relevant regulations or codes. The assaults predominantly occurred during evening shifts (16:00–24:00) and at the scene of the emergency. The most predominant violence perpetrators included patients, patients’ families, or patients’ friends. Nearly 10% of participants had experienced verbal assaults from hospital personnel. EMTs who encountered workplace violence rarely completed a paper report, filed for a lawsuit, or sought a psychiatric consultation. Fifty-eight (38.2%) and 16 (10.5%) participants were victims of frequent (at least once every 3 months) verbal and physical forms of violence, respectively; however, no statistically significant association was observed in terms of EMT gender, age, working years, education level, or the number of EMS deployments per month. The prevalence of workplace violence among Asian EMS is considerable and is comparable to that in Western countries. Strategies to prevent workplace violence should be tailored to local practice and effectively implemented.
The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Attention on Innovation Performance: Evidence from High-polluting Industries
Authors: Wang Wei , Zhao Xue-Zhou , Chen Feng-Wen , Wu Chia-Huei , Tsai Sangbing , Wang Jiangtao
Published: October 2019

High-polluting industries are important sources of pollutant emissions, and closely related to many environmental issues. High-polluting firms face the pressure to exploit technological innovation for improving their environmental operations. This paper explores the impact of corporate social responsibility and public attention on the innovation performance of high-polluting firms. Based on a sample of China’s listed firms in high-polluting industries from 2011 to 2016, we use a panel data model to investigate the associations among corporate social responsibility, public attention and innovation performance. The results show that there is a positive association between corporate social responsibility and innovation performance. There is a positive association between public attention and innovation performance as well. The pressure of regional economies can hinder innovation performance. Furthermore, in the subsample of state-owned enterprises, the association between public attention and innovation performance is more pronounced. Meanwhile, the corporate social responsibility of non-state-owned enterprises plays a stronger role for innovation performance, but its effect will be limited by the pressure of regional economies. Our results can help high-polluting firms implement the innovation strategies for obtaining more environmental benefits and achieving sustainable development.
Quality in Customer Service and Its Relationship with Satisfaction: An Innovation and Competitiveness Tool in Sport and Health Centers
Authors: Álvarez-García José , González-Vázquez Encarnación , Del Río-Rama María de la Cruz , Durán-Sánchez Amador
Published: October 2019

The objective of this research was to analyze the influence of the dimensions that enable the rating of service quality perceived by users of sport and health centers in the satisfaction they experience from the service received. In order to present the working hypothesis, a bibliographic review on the concept and dimensions of perceived service quality was carried out, as well as its relationship with satisfaction. The rating scale sports organizations (EPOD) was used as a measurement instrument. The application of a regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. As a prior step, the measurement scales were validated and an exploratory factor analysis was applied to determine the structure of the variables considered. The regression models proposed show the joint influence of the dimensions used by the users to rate perceived service quality in their satisfaction. The results enabled us to observe that the dimensions considered in the model explained 75.7% of satisfaction, with the facilities and material, together with communication and activities, having the most significant influence on satisfaction. Meanwhile, dimensions that had less impact were the monitor and the staff. It is clear that there is a strong correlation between perceived quality and satisfaction with service.
Effects of Phenolic Pollution on Interspecific Competition between Microcystis aeruginosa and Chlorella pyrenoidosa and their Photosynthetic Responses
Authors: Tan Xiao , Dai Kaiwen , Parajuli Keshab , Hang Xiaoshuai , Duan Zhipeng , Hu Yue
Published: October 2019

The demand for phenolic compounds has been increasing rapidly, which has intensified the production and usage of phenol at a commercial scale. In some polluted water bodies, phenol has become one of the typical aromatic contaminants. Such water bodies are inescapably influenced by nutrients from human activities, and also suffer from nuisance cyanobacterial blooms. While phenolic pollution threatens water safety and ecological balance, algal cells are ubiquitous and sensitive to pollutants. Therefore, effects of phenolic pollution on interspecific competition between a bloom-forming cyanobacterium and other common alga merit quantitative investigation. In this study, the effects of phenol on Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa, a bloom-forming cyanobacterium) and Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa, a ubiquitous green alga) were analyzed in mono- and co-cultures. The two species were exposed to a series of phenol treatments (0, 2, 20, and 200 μg mL−1). Population dynamics were measured by a flow cytometer and analyzed by the Lotka-Volterra model. The results showed that M. aeruginosa was more sensitive to phenol (EC50 = 80.8 ± 0.16 μg mL−1) compared to C. pyrenoidosa (EC50 = 631.4 ± 0.41 μg mL−1) in mono-cultures. M. aeruginosa won in the co-cultures when phenol was below or equal to 20 μg mL−1, while C. pyrenoidosa became the dominant species in the 200 μg mL−1 treatment. Photosynthetic activity was measured by a fluometer. Results showed phenol significantly impacted the photosynthetic activity of M. aeruginosa by inhibiting the acceptor side of its photosystem II (PSII), while such inhibition in C. pyrenoidosa was only observed in the highest phenol treatment (200 μg mL−1). This study provides a better understanding for predicting the succession of algal community structure in water bodies susceptible to phenolic contamination. Moreover, it reveals the mechanism on photosynthetic responses of these two species under phenolic stress.
Recognizing Human Daily Activity Using Social Media Sensors and Deep Learning
Authors: Gong Junfang , Li Runjia , Yao Hong , Kang Xiaojun , Li Shengwen
Published: October 2019

The human daily activity category represents individual lifestyle and pattern, such as sports and shopping, which reflect personal habits, lifestyle, and preferences and are of great value for human health and many other application fields. Currently, compared to questionnaires, social media as a sensor provides low-cost and easy-to-access data sources, providing new opportunities for obtaining human daily activity category data. However, there are still some challenges to accurately recognizing posts because existing studies ignore contextual information or word order in posts and remain unsatisfactory for capturing the activity semantics of words. To address this problem, we propose a general model for recognizing the human activity category based on deep learning. This model not only describes how to extract a sequence of higher-level word phrase representations in posts based on the deep learning sequence model but also how to integrate temporal information and external knowledge to capture the activity semantics in posts. Considering that no benchmark dataset is available in such studies, we built a dataset that was used for training and evaluating the model. The experimental results show that the proposed model significantly improves the accuracy of recognizing the human activity category compared with traditional classification methods.
Effects of Five Substances with Different Modes of Action on Cathepsin H, C and L Activities in Zebrafish Embryos
Authors: Küster Eberhard , Kalkhof Stefan , Aulhorn Silke , von Bergen Martin , Gündel Ulrike
Published: October 2019

Cathepsins have been proposed as biomarkers of chemical exposure in the zebrafish embryo model but it is unclear whether they can also be used to detect sublethal stress. The present study evaluates three cathepsin types as candidate biomarkers in zebrafish embryos. In addition to other functions, cathepsins are also involved in yolk lysosomal processes for the internal nutrition of embryos of oviparous animals until external feeding starts. The baseline enzyme activity of cathepsin types H, C and L during the embryonic development of zebrafish in the first 96 h post fertilisation was studied. Secondly, the effect of leupeptin, a known cathepsin inhibitor, and four embryotoxic xenobiotic compounds with different modes of action (phenanthrene—baseline toxicity; rotenone—an inhibitor of electron transport chain in mitochondria; DNOC (Dinitro-ortho-cresol)—an inhibitor of ATP synthesis; and tebuconazole—a sterol biosynthesis inhibitor) on in vivo cathepsin H, C and L total activities have been tested. The positive control leupeptin showed effects on cathepsin L at a 20-fold lower concentration compared to the respective LC50 (0.4 mM) of the zebrafish embryo assay (FET). The observed effects on the enzyme activity of the four other xenobiotics were not or just slightly more sensitive (factor of 1.5 to 3), but the differences did not reach statistical significance. Results of this study indicate that the analysed cathepsins are not susceptible to toxins other than the known peptide-like inhibitors. However, specific cathepsin inhibitors might be identified using the zebrafish embryo.
Spatial-Temporal Variation of Bacterial Communities in Sediments in Lake Chaohu, a Large, Shallow Eutrophic Lake in China
Authors: Zhang Lei , Cheng Yu , Gao Guang , Jiang Jiahu
Published: October 2019

Sediment bacterial communities are critical for the circulation of nutrients in lake ecosystems. However, the bacterial community function and co-occurrence models of lakes have not been studied in depth. In this study, we observed significant seasonal changes and non-significant spatial changes in the beta diversity and community structure of sediment bacteria in Lake Chaohu. Through linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), we observed that certain taxa (from phylum to genus) have consistent enrichment between seasons. The sudden appearance of a Firmicutes population in spring samples from the Zhaohe River, an estuary of Lake Chaohu, and the dominance of Firmicutes populations in other regions suggested that exogenous pollution and environmental induction strongly impacted the assembly of bacterial communities in the sediments. Several taxa that serve as intermediate centers in Co-occurrence network analysis (i.e., Pedosphaeraceae, Phycisphaeraceae, Anaerolineaceae, and Geobacteraceae) may play an important role in sediments. Furthermore, compared with previous studies of plants and animals, the results of our study suggest that various organisms, including microorganisms, are resistant to environmental changes and/or exogenous invasions, allowing them to maintain their community structure.
Optimizing Wireless Sensor Network Installations by Visibility Analysis on 3D Point Clouds
Authors: Gracchi Teresa , Gigli Giovanni , Noël François , Jaboyedoff Michel , Madiai Claudia , Casagli Nicola
Published: October 2019

In this paper, a MATLAB tool for the automatic detection of the best locations to install a wireless sensor network (WSN) is presented. The implemented code works directly on high-resolution 3D point clouds and aims to help in positioning sensors that are part of a network requiring inter-visibility, namely, a clear line of sight (LOS). Indeed, with the development of LiDAR and Structure from Motion technologies, there is an opportunity to directly use 3D point cloud data to perform visibility analyses. By doing so, many disadvantages of traditional modelling and analysis methods can be bypassed. The algorithm points out the optimal deployment of devices following mainly two criteria: inter-visibility (using a modified version of the Hidden Point Removal operator) and inter-distance. Furthermore, an option to prioritize significant areas is provided. The proposed method was first validated on an artificial 3D model, and then on a landslide 3D point cloud acquired from terrestrial laser scanning for the real positioning of an ultrawide-band WSN already installed in 2016. The comparison between collected data and data acquired by the WSN installed following traditional patterns has demonstrated its ability for the optimal deployment of a WSN requiring inter-visibility.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Vacuolar H+-ATPase Subunit H Gene Family in Crop Plants
Authors: Kang Chen , Sun Fengjie , Yan Lei , Li Rui , Bai Jianrong , Caetano-Anollés Gustavo
Published: October 2019

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) plays many important roles in cell growth and in response to stresses in plants. The V-ATPase subunit H (VHA-H) is required to form a stable and active V-ATPase. Genome-wide analyses of VHA-H genes in crops contribute significantly to a systematic understanding of their functions. A total of 22 VHA-H genes were identified from 11 plants representing major crops including cotton, rice, millet, sorghum, rapeseed, maize, wheat, soybean, barley, potato, and beet. All of these VHA-H genes shared exon-intron structures similar to those of Arabidopsis thaliana. The C-terminal domain of VHA-H was shorter and more conserved than the N-terminal domain. The VHA-H gene was effectively used as a genetic marker to infer the phylogenetic relationships among plants, which were congruent with currently accepted taxonomic groupings. The VHA-H genes from six species of crops (Gossypium raimondii, Brassica napus, Glycine max, Solanum tuberosum, Triticum aestivum, and Zea mays) showed high gene structural diversity. This resulted from the gains and losses of introns. Seven VHA-H genes in six species of crops (Gossypium raimondii, Hordeum vulgare, Solanum tuberosum, Setaria italica, Triticum aestivum, and Zea mays) contained multiple transcript isoforms arising from alternative splicing. The study of cis-acting elements of gene promoters and RNA-seq gene expression patterns confirms the role of VHA-H genes as eco-enzymes. The gene structural diversity and proteomic diversity of VHA-H genes in our crop sampling facilitate understanding of their functional diversity, including stress responses and traits important for crop improvement.
Insights into Effects/Risks of Chronic Hypergastrinemia and Lifelong PPI Treatment in Man Based on Studies of Patients with Zollinger–Ellison Syndrome
Authors: Lee Lingaku , Ramos-Alvarez Irene , Ito Tetsuhide , Jensen Robert T.
Published: October 2019

The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) over the last 30 years has rapidly increased both in the United States and worldwide. PPIs are not only very widely used both for approved indications (peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens, stress ulcer prevention), but are also one of the most frequently off-label used drugs (25–70% of total). An increasing number of patients with moderate to advanced gastroesophageal reflux disease are remaining on PPI indefinitely. Whereas numerous studies show PPIs remain effective and safe, most of these studies are <5 years of duration and little data exist for >10 years of treatment. Recently, based primarily on observational/epidemiological studies, there have been an increasing number of reports raising issues about safety and side-effects with very long-term chronic treatment. Some of these safety issues are related to the possible long-term effects of chronic hypergastrinemia, which occurs in all patients taking chronic PPIs, others are related to the hypo-/achlorhydria that frequently occurs with chronic PPI treatment, and in others the mechanisms are unclear. These issues have raised considerable controversy in large part because of lack of long-term PPI treatment data (>10–20 years). Zollinger–Ellison syndrome (ZES) is caused by ectopic secretion of gastrin from a neuroendocrine tumor resulting in severe acid hypersecretion requiring life-long antisecretory treatment with PPIs, which are the drugs of choice. Because in <30% of patients with ZES, a long-term cure is not possible, these patients have life-long hypergastrinemia and require life-long treatment with PPIs. Therefore, ZES patients have been proposed as a good model of the long-term effects of hypergastrinemia in man as well as the effects/side-effects of very long-term PPI treatment. In this article, the insights from studies on ZES into these controversial issues with pertinence to chronic PPI use in non-ZES patients is reviewed, primarily concentrating on data from the prospective long-term studies of ZES patients at NIH.
Physiological and Transcriptomic Analyses Elucidate That Exogenous Calcium Can Relieve Injuries to Potato Plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) under Weak Light
Authors: Hou Jinfeng , Li Jie , Yang Yang , Wang Zixin , Chang Bowen , Yu Xiaowei , Yuan Lingyun , Wang Chenggang , Chen Guohu , Tang Xiaoyan , Zhu Shidong
Published: October 2019

Light is one of the most important abiotic factors for most plants, which affects almost all growth and development stages. In this study, physiological indicators suggest that the application of exogenous Ca2+ improves photosynthesis and changes phytohormone levels. Under weak light, photosynthetic parameters of the net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) decreased; the antioxidation systems peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) reduced; the degrees of malondialdehyde (MDA), H2O2, and superoxide anion (O2−) free radical damage increased; while exogenous Ca2+ treatment was significantly improved. RNA-seq analysis indicated that a total of 13,640 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and 97 key DEGs related to hormone, photosynthesis, and calcium regulation were differently transcribed. Gene ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, plant hormone signal transduction, photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were significantly enriched. Additionally, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis confirmed some of the key gene functions in response to Ca2+. Overall, these results provide novel insights into the complexity of Ca2+ to relieve injuries under weak light, and they are helpful for potato cultivation under weak light stress.
Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Silica-Coated Gold Nanoparticles for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Gandhimathi Chinnasamy , Quek Ying Jie , Ezhilarasu Hariharan , Ramakrishna Seeram , Bay Boon-Huat , Srinivasan Dinesh Kumar
Published: October 2019

Multifunctional nanofibrous scaffolds for effective bone tissue engineering (BTE) application must incorporate factors to promote neovascularization and tissue regeneration. In this study, silica-coated gold nanoparticles Au(SiO2) were tested for their ability to promote differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into osteoblasts. Biocompatible poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL), PCL/silk fibroin (SF) and PCL/SF/Au(SiO2) loaded nanofibrous scaffolds were first fabricated by an electrospinning method. Electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized for fiber architecture, porosity, pore size distribution, fiber wettability and the relevant mechanical properties using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), porosimetry, determination of water contact angle, measurements by a surface analyzer and tabletop tensile-tester measurements. FESEM images of the scaffolds revealed beadless, porous, uniform fibers with diameters in the range of 164 ± 18.65 nm to 215 ± 32.12 nm and porosity of around 88–92% and pore size distribution around 1.45–2.35 µm. Following hMSCs were cultured on the composite scaffolds. Cell-scaffold interaction, morphology and proliferation of were analyzed by FESEM analysis, MTS (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium inner salt) and CMFDA (5-choromethyl fluorescein acetate) dye assays. Osteogenic differentiation of MSCs into osteogenic cells were determined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization by alizarin red S (ARS) staining and osteocalcin expression by immunofluorescence staining. The results revealed that the addition of SF and Au(SiO2) to PCL scaffolds enhanced the mechanical strength, interconnecting porous structure and surface roughness of the scaffolds. This, in turn, led to successful osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs with improved cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, mineralization and expression of pro-osteogenic cellular proteins. This provides huge support for Au(SiO2) as a suitable material in BTE.
Analysis of Heterodimeric “Mutual Synergistic Folding”-Complexes
Authors: Mentes Anikó , Magyar Csaba , Fichó Erzsébet , Simon István
Published: October 2019

Several intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are capable to adopt stable structures without interacting with a folded partner. When the folding of all interacting partners happens at the same time, coupled with the interaction in a synergistic manner, the process is called Mutual Synergistic Folding (MSF). These complexes represent a discrete subset of IDPs. Recently, we collected information on their complexes and created the MFIB (Mutual Folding Induced by Binding) database. In a previous study, we compared homodimeric MSF complexes with homodimeric and monomeric globular proteins with similar amino acid sequence lengths. We concluded that MSF homodimers, compared to globular homodimeric proteins, have a greater solvent accessible main-chain surface area on the contact surface of the subunits, which becomes buried during dimerization. The main driving force of the folding is the mutual shielding of the water-accessible backbones, but the formation of further intermolecular interactions can also be relevant. In this paper, we will report analyses of heterodimeric MSF complexes. Our results indicate that the amino acid composition of the heterodimeric MSF monomer subunits slightly diverges from globular monomer proteins, while after dimerization, the amino acid composition of the overall MSF complexes becomes more similar to overall amino acid compositions of globular complexes. We found that inter-subunit interactions are strengthened, and additionally to the shielding of the solvent accessible backbone, other factors might play an important role in the stabilization of the heterodimeric structures, likewise energy gain resulting from the interaction of the two subunits with different amino acid compositions. We suggest that the shielding of the β-sheet backbones and the formation of a buried structural core along with the general strengthening of inter-subunit interactions together could be the driving forces of MSF protein structural ordering upon dimerization.
Identification of CBF Transcription Factors in Tea Plants and a Survey of Potential CBF Target Genes under Low Temperature
Authors: Wang Pengjie , Chen Xuejin , Guo Yongchun , Zheng Yucheng , Yue Chuan , Yang Jiangfan , Ye Naixing
Published: October 2019

C-repeat binding factors (CBFs) are key signaling genes that can be rapidly induced by cold and bind to the C-repeat/dehydration-responsive motif (CRT/DRE) in the promoter region of the downstream cold-responsive (COR) genes, which play a vital role in the plant response to low temperature. However, the CBF family in tea plants has not yet been elucidated, and the possible target genes regulated by this family under low temperature are still unclear. In this study, we identified five CsCBF family genes in the tea plant genome and analyzed their phylogenetic tree, conserved domains and motifs, and cis-elements. These results indicate that CsCBF3 may be unique in the CsCBF family. This is further supported by our findings from the low-temperature treatment: all the CsCBF genes except CsCBF3 were significantly induced after treatment at 4 °C. The expression profiles of eight tea plant tissues showed that CsCBFs were mainly expressed in winter mature leaves, roots and fruits. Furthermore, 685 potential target genes were identified by transcriptome data and CRT/DRE element information. These target genes play a functional role under the low temperatures of winter through multiple pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, cell wall modification, circadian rhythm, calcium signaling, transcriptional cascade, and hormone signaling pathways. Our findings will further the understanding of the stress regulatory network of CsCBFs in tea plants.
Exploring the Binding Mechanism and Dynamics of EndoMS/NucS to Mismatched dsDNA
Authors: Zhang Yanjun , Huang Shengyou
Published: October 2019

The well-known mismatch repair (MMR) machinery, MutS/MutL, is absent in numerous Archaea and some Bacteria. Recent studies have shown that EndoMS/NucS has the ability to cleave double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) containing a mismatched base pair, which suggests a novel mismatch repair process. However, the recognition mechanism and the binding process of EndoMS/NucS in the MMR pathway remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the binding dynamics of EndoMS/NucS to mismatched dsDNA and its energy as a function of the angle between the two C-terminal domains of EndoMS/NucS, through molecular docking and extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It is found that there exists a half-open transition state corresponding to an energy barrier (at an activation angle of approximately 80 ∘ ) between the open state and the closed state, according to the energy curve. When the angle is larger than the activation angle, the C-terminal domains can move freely and tend to change to the open state (local energy minimum). Otherwise, the C-terminal domains will interact with the mismatched dsDNA directly and converge to the closed state at the global energy minimum. As such, this two-state system enables the exposed N-terminal domains of EndoMS/NucS to recognize mismatched dsDNA during the open state and then stabilize the binding of the C-terminal domains of EndoMS/NucS to the mismatched dsDNA during the closed state. We also investigate how the EndoMS/NucS recognizes and binds to mismatched dsDNA, as well as the effects of K + ions. The results provide insights into the recognition and binding mechanisms of EndoMS/NucS to mismatched dsDNA in the MMR pathway.
ALS-Associated SOD1(G93A) Decreases SERCA Pump Levels and Increases Store-Operated Ca2+ Entry in Primary Spinal Cord Astrocytes from a Transgenic Mouse Model
Authors: Norante Rosa Pia , Peggion Caterina , Rossi Daniela , Martorana Francesca , De Mario Agnese , Lia Annamaria , Massimino Maria Lina , Bertoli Alessandro
Published: October 2019

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective death of motor neurons (MNs), probably by a combination of cell- and non-cell-autonomous processes. The past decades have brought many important insights into the role of astrocytes in nervous system function and disease, including the implication in ALS pathogenesis possibly through the impairment of Ca2+-dependent astrocyte-MN cross-talk. In this respect, it has been recently proposed that altered astrocytic store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) may underlie aberrant gliotransmitter release and astrocyte-mediated neurotoxicity in ALS. These observations prompted us to a thorough investigation of SOCE in primary astrocytes from the spinal cord of the SOD1(G93A) ALS mouse model in comparison with the SOD1(WT)-expressing controls. To this purpose, we employed, for the first time in the field, genetically-encoded Ca2+ indicators, allowing the direct assessment of Ca2+ fluctuations in different cell domains. We found increased SOCE, associated with decreased expression of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase and lower ER resting Ca2+ concentration in SOD1(G93A) astrocytes compared to control cells. Such findings add novel insights into the involvement of astrocytes in ALS MN damage.