bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Response to Harvest Residue Retention: Implications for Sustainable Forest Bioenergy Production
Authors: Grodsky Steven M. , Hernandez Rebecca R. , Campbell Joshua W. , Hinson Kevin R. , Keller Oliver , Fritts Sarah R. , Homyack Jessica A. , Moorman Christopher E.
Published: January 2020

Research Highlights: Our study adds to the scant literature on the effects of forest bioenergy on ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and contributes new insights into the responses of ground beetle species and functional groups to operational harvest residue retention. We discovered that count of Harpalus pensylvanicus (DeGeer)—a habitat generalist—increased owing to clear-cut harvests but decreased due to harvest residue reductions; these observations uniquely allowed us to separate effects of additive forest disturbances to demonstrate that, contrarily to predictions, a generalist species considered to be adapted to disturbance may be negatively affected by altered habitat elements associated with disturbances from renewable energy development. Background and Objectives: Despite the potential environmental benefits of forest bioenergy, woody biomass harvests raise forest sustainability concerns for some stakeholders. Ground beetles are well established ecological indicators of forest ecosystem health and their life history characteristics are connected to habitat elements that are altered by forest harvesting. Thus, we evaluated the effects of harvest residue retention following woody biomass harvest for forest bioenergy on ground beetles in an operational field experiment. Materials and Methods: We sampled ground beetles using pitfall traps in harvest residue removal treatments representing variable woody biomass retention prescriptions, ranging from no retention to complete retention of all merchantable woody biomass. We replicated treatments in eight clear-cut stands in intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forests in North Carolina and Georgia. Results: Harvest residue retention had no effect on ground beetle richness and diversity. However, counts of H. pensylvanicus, Anisodactylus spp., and “burrower” and “fast runner” functional groups, among others, were greater in treatments with no woody biomass harvest than those with no harvest residue retention; all of these ground beetles may confer ecosystem services in forests. We suggest that H. pensylvanicus is a useful indicator species for burrowing and granivorous ground beetle response to harvest residue reductions in recently harvested stands. Lastly, we propose that retaining 15% retention of total harvest residues or more, depending on regional and operational variables, may support beneficial ground beetle populations.
Does Ozone Alter the Attractiveness of Japanese White Birch Leaves to the Leaf Beetle Agelastica coerulea via Changes in Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs): An Examination with the Y-Tube Test
Authors: Masui Noboru , Mochizuki Tomoki , Tani Akira , Matsuura Hideyuki , Agathokleous Evgenios , Watanabe Toshihiro , Koike Takayoshi
Published: January 2020

Elevated ground-level ozone (O3) reduced C-based defense chemicals; however, severe grazing damages were found in leaves grown in the low O3 condition of a free air O3-concentration enrichment (O3-FACE) system. To explain this phenomenon, this study investigates the role of BVOCs (biogenic volatile organic compounds) as signaling compounds for insect herbivores. BVOCs act as scents for herbivore insects to locate host plants, while some BVOCs show high reactivity to O3, inducing changes in the composition of BVOCs in atmospheres with elevated O3. To assess the aforementioned phenomenon, profiles of BVOCs emitted from birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica Hara) leaves were analyzed ex situ, and Y-tube insect preference tests were conducted in vitro to study the insect olfactory response. The assays were conducted in June and August or September, according to the life cycle of the adult alder leaf beetle Agelastica coerulea Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The Y-tube tests revealed that the leaf beetles were attracted to BVOCs, and O3 per se had neither an attractant nor a repellent effect. BVOCs became less attractant when mixed with highly concentrated O3 (>80 ppb). About 20% of the total BVOCs emitted were highly O3-reactive compounds, such as β-ocimene. The results suggest that BVOCs emitted from the birch leaves can be altered by elevated O3, thus potentially reducing the attractiveness of leaves to herbivorous insects searching for food.
Modeling Pinot Noir Aroma Profiles Based on Weather and Water Management Information Using Machine Learning Algorithms: A Vertical Vintage Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Fuentes Sigfredo , Tongson Eden , Torrico Damir D. , Gonzalez Viejo Claudia
Published: January 2020

Wine aroma profiles are determinant for the specific style and quality characteristics of final wines. These are dependent on the seasonality, mainly weather conditions, such as solar exposure and temperatures and water management strategies from veraison to harvest. This paper presents machine learning modeling strategies using weather and water management information from a Pinot noir vineyard from 2008 to 2016 vintages as inputs and aroma profiles from wines from the same vintages assessed using gas chromatography and chemometric analyses of wines as targets. The results showed that artificial neural network (ANN) models rendered the high accuracy in the prediction of aroma profiles (Model 1; R = 0.99) and chemometric wine parameters (Model 2; R = 0.94) with no indication of overfitting. These models could offer powerful tools to winemakers to assess the aroma profiles of wines before winemaking, which could help adjust some techniques to maintain/increase the quality of wines or wine styles that are characteristic of specific vineyards or regions. These models can be modified for different cultivars and regions by including more data from vertical vintages to implement artificial intelligence in winemaking.
Volatile Transference and Antimicrobial Activity of Cheeses Made with Ewes’ Milk Fortified with Essential Oils
Authors: Licon Carmen C. , Moro Armando , Librán Celia M. , Molina Ana M. , Zalacain Amaya , Berruga M. Isabel , Carmona Manuel
Published: January 2020

During the last decades, essential oils (EOs) have been proven to be a natural alternative to additives or pasteurization for the prevention of microbial spoilage in several food matrices. In this work, we tested the antimicrobial activity of EOs from Melissa officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, and Thymus vulgaris against three different microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, and Penicillium verrucosum. Pressed ewes’ cheese made from milk fortified with EOs (250 mg/kg) was used as a model. The carryover effect of each oil was studied by analyzing the volatile fraction of dairy samples along the cheese-making process using headspace stir bar sorptive extraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results showed that the EOs contained in T. vulgaris effectively reduced the counts of C. tyrobutyricum and inhibited completely the growth of P. verrucosum without affecting the natural flora present in the cheese. By contrast, the inhibitory effect of M. officinalis against lactic acid bacteria starter cultures rendered this oil unsuitable for this matrix.
Influence of Ternary Emulsifier Mixtures on Oxidative Stability of Nanoemulsions Based on Avocado Oil
Authors: Riquelme Natalia , Sepúlveda Camila , Arancibia Carla
Published: January 2020

The aim of this work was to study the effect of two emulsifiers (M1: SL-soy lecithin, Tw80-Tween 80 and CasCa-calcium caseinate and M2: SL-soy lecithin, Tw80-Tween 80 and SE-sucrose esters) on the oxidative stability of avocado oil-based nanoemulsions. Oil-in-water nanoemulsions were prepared using 3.6% w/w of two emulsifier mixtures, which were optimized by mixture experimental design in order to minimize particle size (PS) and polydispersity index (PdI). Then, the oxidative stability of nanoemulsions was evaluated through both an induction period and a quantification of hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARs) under accelerated storage conditions. The simplex-centroid mixture design showed that PS and PdI varied when proportions of different emulsifiers were modified, obtaining an optimized concentration for each mixture of: 85% SL, 10% Tw80 and 5%CasCa (M1) and 85% SL, 7.4% Tw80 and 7.6% SE (M2) that produced nanoemulsions with PS ~116 nm and PdI < 0.2. Nanoemulsions elaborated with M1 and M2 presented similar particle characteristics and physical stability to the control sample with Tw80. However, M1 nanoemulsions were more stable against lipid oxidation, since they showed the highest induction period and lower formation of hydroperoxides and TBARs during storage.
Population Genomics of an Anadromous Hilsa Shad Tenualosa ilisha Species across Its Diverse Migratory Habitats: Discrimination by Fine-Scale Local Adaptation
Authors: Asaduzzaman Md , Igarashi Yoji , Wahab Md Abdul , Nahiduzzaman Md , Rahman Md Jalilur , Phillips Michael J. , Huang Songqian , Asakawa Shuichi , Rahman Md Moshiur , Wong Li Lian
Published: January 2020

The migration of anadromous fish in heterogenic environments unceasingly imposes a selective pressure that results in genetic variation for local adaptation. However, discrimination of anadromous fish populations by fine-scale local adaptation is challenging because of their high rate of gene flow, highly connected divergent population, and large population size. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) have expanded the prospects of defining the weakly structured population of anadromous fish. Therefore, we used NGS-based restriction site-associated DNA (NextRAD) techniques on 300 individuals of an anadromous Hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) species, collected from nine strategic habitats, across their diverse migratory habitats, which include sea, estuary, and different freshwater rivers. The NextRAD technique successfully identified 15,453 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. Outlier tests using the FST OutFLANK and pcadapt approaches identified 74 and 449 SNPs (49 SNPs being common), respectively, as putative adaptive loci under a divergent selection process. Our results, based on the different cluster analyses of these putatively adaptive loci, suggested that local adaptation has divided the Hilsa shad population into two genetically structured clusters, in which marine and estuarine collection sites were dominated by individuals of one genetic cluster and different riverine collection sites were dominated by individuals of another genetic cluster. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the riverine populations of Hilsa shad were further subdivided into the north-western riverine (turbid freshwater) and the north-eastern riverine (clear freshwater) ecotypes. Among all of the putatively adaptive loci, only 36 loci were observed to be in the coding region, and the encoded genes might be associated with important biological functions related to the local adaptation of Hilsa shad. In summary, our study provides both neutral and adaptive contexts for the observed genetic divergence of Hilsa shad and, consequently, resolves the previous inconclusive findings on their population genetic structure across their diverse migratory habitats. Moreover, the study has clearly demonstrated that NextRAD sequencing is an innovative approach to explore how dispersal and local adaptation can shape genetic divergence of non-model anadromous fish that intersect diverse migratory habitats during their life-history stages.
Transcriptional Differences of Coding and Non-Coding Genes Related to the Absence of Melanocyte in Skins of Bama Pig
Authors: Jin Long , Zhao Lirui , Hu Silu , Long Keren , Liu Pengliang , Liu Rui , Zhou Xuan , Wang Yixin , Huang Zhiqing , Lin Xuxu , Tang Qianzi , Li Mingzhou
Published: January 2020

Skin is the body’s largest organ, and the main function of skin is to protect underlying organs from possible external damage. Melanocytes play an important role in skin pigmentation. The Bama pig has a “two-end-black” phenotype with different coat colors across skin regions, e.g., white skin (without melanocytes) and black skin (with melanocytes), which could be a model to investigate skin-related disorders, specifically loss of melanocytes. Here, we generated expression profiles of mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in Bama pig skins with different coat colors. In total, 14,900 mRNAs and 7549 lncRNAs were expressed. Overall, 2338 mRNAs/113 lncRNAs with FDR-adjusted p-value ≤ 0.05 were considered to be differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs/lncRNAs, with 1305 down-regulated mRNAs and 1033 up-regulated mRNAs in white skin with|log2(fold change)| > 1. The genes down-regulated in white skin were associated with pigmentation, melanocyte–keratinocyte interaction, and keratin, while up-regulated ones were mainly associated with cellular energy metabolisms. Furthermore, those DE lncRNAs were predicted to be implicated in pigmentation, keratin synthesis and cellular energy metabolism. In general, this study provides insight into the transcriptional difference involved in melanocyte-loss-induced keratinocyte changes and promotes the Bama pig as a biomedical model in skin research.
A Model of Hormonal Regulation of Stamen Abortion during Pre-Meiosis of Litsea cubeba
Authors: Xu Zilong , Wang Yangdong , Chen Yicun , Yin Hengfu , Wu Liwen , Zhao Yunxiao , Wang Minyan , Gao Ming
Published: January 2020

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., a popular essential oil plant, is a dioecious species with degenerative sexual organs in both male and female individuals. Yet, the mechanism of degenerative organs development in male and female flowers is poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the morphological characters of degenerative organ development by morphological and histological observations, and determined the critical stage of abortion that occurs at pre-meiosis in male and female flowers. We also conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to understand the genetic basis of stamen abortion in female flowers. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified during the staminode development in female flowers; functional enrichment analysis revealed some important biological pathways involved the regulation of stamen abortion, including plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis and monoterpenoid biosynthesis. Furthermore, 15 DEGs involved in the hormone pathways were found to regulate stamen development. By HPLC-MS/MS analysis, there were a salicylic acid (SA) content peak and the gibberellin (GA) content lowest point in the abortion processes in female flowers, suggesting a vital function of hormonal processes. Co-expression network analysis further identified several hub genes that potentially played significant roles in the stamen abortion of L. cubeba. Taken together, we proposed a model involved in plant hormones pathways underlying stamen abortion during pre-meiosis in female flowers of L. cubeba.
Large-Scale Profiling of RBP-circRNA Interactions from Public CLIP-Seq Datasets
Authors: Zhang Minzhe , Wang Tao , Xiao Guanghua , Xie Yang
Published: January 2020

Circular RNAs are a special type of RNA that has recently attracted a lot of research interest in studying its formation and function. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that bind circRNAs are important in these processes, but have been relatively less studied. CLIP-Seq technology has been invented and applied to profile RBP-RNA interactions on the genome-wide scale. While mRNAs are usually the focus of CLIP-Seq experiments, RBP-circRNA interactions could also be identified through specialized analysis of CLIP-Seq datasets. However, many technical difficulties are involved in this process, such as the usually short read length of CLIP-Seq reads. In this study, we created a pipeline called Clirc specialized for profiling circRNAs in CLIP-Seq data and analyzing the characteristics of RBP-circRNA interactions. In conclusion, to our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to investigate circRNAs and their binding partners through repurposing CLIP-Seq datasets, and we hope our work will become a valuable resource for future studies into the biogenesis and function of circRNAs.
The 2013–2018 Matese and Beneventano Seismic Sequences (Central–Southern Apennines): New Constraints on the Hypocentral Depth Determination
Authors: Trionfera Brando , Frepoli Alberto , De Luca Gaetano , De Gori Pasquale , Doglioni Carlo
Published: January 2020

The Matese and Beneventano areas coincide with the transition from the central to the southern Apennines and are characterized by both SW- and NE-dipping normal faulting seismogenic structures, responsible for the large historical earthquakes. We studied the Matese and Beneventano seismicity by means of high-precision locations of earthquakes spanning from 29 December 2013 to 4 September 2018. Events were located by using all of the available data from temporary and permanent stations in the area and a 1D computed velocity model, inverting the dataset with the Velest code. For events M > 2.8 we used P- and S-waves arrival times of the strong motion stations located in the study area. A constant value of 1.83 for Vp/Vs was computed with a modified Wadati method. The dataset consists of 2378 earthquakes, 18,715 P- and 12,295 S-wave arrival times. We computed 55 new fault plane solutions. The mechanisms show predominantly normal fault movements, with T-axis trends oriented NE–SW. Only relatively small E–W trending clusters in the eastern peripheral zones of the Apenninic belt show right-lateral strike-slip kinematics similar to that observed in the Potenza (1990–1991) and Molise (2002 and 2018) sequences. These belong to transfer zones associated with differential slab retreat of the Adriatic plate subduction beneath the Apennines. The Matese sequence (December 2013–February 2014; main shock Mw 5.0) is the most relevant part of our dataset. Hypocentral depths along the axis of the Apenninic belt are in agreement with previous seismological studies that place most of the earthquakes in the brittle upper crust. We confirm a general deepening of seismicity moving from west to the east along the Apennines. Seismicity depth is controlled by heat-flow, which is lower in the eastern side, thus causing a deeper brittle–ductile transition.
Influence of Workload on Primary Care Nurses’ Health and Burnout, Patients’ Safety, and Quality of Care: Integrative Review
Authors: Pérez-Francisco Darío Hilario , Duarte-Clíments Gonzalo , del Rosario-Melián José María , Gómez-Salgado Juan , Romero-Martín Macarena , Sánchez-Gómez María Begoña
Published: January 2020

The increase in the demand for care has not led to a proportional growth in the number of primary care nurses. This imbalance is related to the decrease in the quality of care and patient safety, and also to the impact on the health of the professional group. The objective of this study is to identify relationships between overload, illness of the nurse, professional exhaustion, quality and safety in the services; and differentiate study methods and instruments for measuring the phenomena. For this, a comprehensive and structured review of the literature following the scoping review model is performed. The studies on which this review is based allow us to recognize that the scope of this phenomenon is global. The review includes 45 studies that show that there is a high pressure of care for Primary Care nursing, who suffer many alterations of their health due to burnout syndrome and that this situation contributes to the impairment of the quality of care and patient safety. However, for future lines, new evidence is needed to determine the degree of relationship between the high pressure suffered by Primary Care nursing and the attainment of health goals for professionals and patients.
Impact of High-Density Urban Built Environment on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Case Study of Jing’an District, Shanghai
Authors: Wang Lan , Chen Rui , Sun Wenyao , Yang Xiaoming , Li Xinhu
Published: January 2020

Respiratory health is a focus of interdisciplinary studies involving urban planning and public health. Studies have noted that urban built environments have impacts on respiratory health by influencing air quality and human behavior such as physical activity. The aim of this paper was to explore the impact of urban built environments on respiratory health, taking chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as one of the typical respiratory diseases for study. A cross-sectional study was conducted including all cases (N = 1511) of death from COPD in the high-density Jing’an district of Shanghai from 2001 to 2010. Proxy variables were selected to measure modifiable features of urban built environments within this typical high-density district in Shanghai. A geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was used to explore the effects of the built environment on the mortality of COPD and the geographical variation in the effects. This study found that land use mix, building width-height ratio, frontal area density, and arterial road density were significantly correlated to the mortality of COPD in high-density urban area. By identifying built environment elements adjustable by urban planning and public policy, this study proposes corresponding environmental intervention for respiratory health.
Seed Biopriming with Salt-Tolerant Endophytic Pseudomonas geniculata-Modulated Biochemical Responses Provide Ecological Fitness in Maize (Zea mays L.) Grown in Saline Sodic Soil
Authors: Singh Shailendra , Singh Udai B. , Trivedi Mala , Sahu Pramod Kumar , Paul Surinder , Paul Diby , Saxena Anil Kumar
Published: January 2020

Under changing climate, soil salinity and sodicity is a limiting factor to crop production and are considered a threat to sustainability in agriculture. A number of attempts are being made to develop microbe-based technologies for alleviation of toxic effects of salts. However, the mechanisms of salt tolerance in agriculturally important crops are not fully understood and still require in-depth study in the backdrop of emerging concepts in biological systems. The present investigation was aimed to decipher the microbe-mediated mechanisms of salt tolerance in maize. Endophytic Pseudomonas geniculate MF-84 was isolated from maize rhizosphere and tagged with green fluorescent protein for localization in the plant system. Confocal microphotographs clearly indicate that MF-84 was localized in the epidermal cells, cortical tissues, endodermis and vascular bundles including proto-xylem, meta-xylem, phloem and bundle sheath. The role of P. geniculate MF-84 in induction and bioaccumulation of soluble sugar, proline and natural antioxidants enzymes in maize plant was investigated which lead not only to growth promotion but also provide protection from salt stress in maize. Results suggested that application of P. geniculate MF-84 reduces the uptake of Na+ and increases uptake of K+ and Ca2+ in maize roots indicative of the role of MF-84 in maintaining ionic balance/homeostasis in the plant roots under higher salt conditions. It not only helps in alleviation of toxic effects of salt but also increases plant growth along with reduction in crop losses due to salinity and sodicity.
Analysis of Cyclic Imines in Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Galicia (NW Spain) by LC-MS/MS
Authors: Moreiras Guillermo , Leão José Manuel , Gago-Martínez Ana
Published: January 2020

Cyclic imines (CIs) are being considered as emerging toxins in the European Union, and a scientific opinion has been published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in which an assessment of the risks to human health related to their consumption has been carried out. Recommendations on the EFSA opinion include the search for data occurrence of CIs in shellfish and using confirmatory methods by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which need to be developed and optimized. The aim of this work is the application of LC-MS/MS to the analysis of gymnodimines (GYMs), spirolides (SPXs), pinnatoxins (PnTXs), and pteriatoxins (PtTXs) in mussels from Galician Rias, northwest Spain, the main production area in Europe, and therefore a representative emplacement for their evaluation. Conditions were adjusted using commercially available certified reference standards of GYM-A, SPX-1, and PnTX-G and evaluated through quality control studies. The EU-Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure for determination of lipophilic marine biotoxins in molluscs by LC-MS/MS was followed, and the results obtained from the analysis of eighteen samples from three different locations that showed the presence of PnTXs and SPXs are presented and discussed. Concentrations of PnTX-G and SPX-1 ranged from 1.8 to 3.1 µg/kg and 1.2 to 6.9 µg/kg, respectively, and PnTX-A was detected in the group of samples with higher levels of PnTX-G after a solid phase extraction (SPE) step used for the concentration of extracts.
The State of School Infrastructure in the Assembly Constituencies of Rural India: Analysis of 11 Census Indicators from Pre-Primary to Higher Education
Authors: Swaminathan Akshay , Narayanan Menaka , Blossom Jeff , Venkataramanan R. , Saunik Sujata , Kim Rockli , Subramanian S. V.
Published: January 2020

In India, assembly constituencies (ACs), represented by elected officials, are the primary geopolitical units for state-level policy development. However, data on social indicators are traditionally reported and analyzed at the district level, and are rarely available for ACs. Here, we combine village-level data from the 2011 Indian Census and AC shapefiles to systematically derive AC-level estimates for the first time. We apply this methodology to describe the distribution of 11 education infrastructures—ranging from pre-primary school to senior secondary school—across rural villages in 3773 ACs. We found high variability in access to higher education infrastructures and low variability in access to lower education variables. For 40.3% (25th percentile) to 79.7% (75th percentile) of villages in an AC, the nearest government senior secondary school was >5 km away, whereas the nearest government primary school was >5 km away in just 0% (25th percentile) to 1.9% (75th percentile) of villages in an AC. The states of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Bihar showed the greatest within-state variation in access to education infrastructures. We present a novel analysis of access to education infrastructure to inform AC-level policy, and demonstrate how geospatial and Census data can be leveraged to derive AC-level estimates for any population health and development indicators collected in the Census at the village level.
A Survey of Koreans on Sleep Habits and Sleeping Symptoms Relating to Pillow Comfort and Support
Authors: Son Juhyun , Jung Sungwook , Song Haseung , Kim Jihee , Bang Seonghwan , Bahn Sangwoo
Published: January 2020

The number of people who complain of sleep disturbances is steadily increasing. An understanding of sleep-related factors is required to address sleep problems. This survey study investigated the sleep habits and sleeping symptoms relating to the comfort and support characteristics of pillows and the relationship between sleep quality and pillow design factors. The study utilized data from 332 participating Korean adults aged 20–76 years (mean age ± SD: males, 40.4 ± 15.2; females, 42.9 ± 15.4). We developed a questionnaire that evaluated sleep habits (sleep duration, bedtime, wake-up time and sleeping position); sleeping symptoms (snoring or coughing, breathing and sleepiness during waking hours) based on the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-K) questionnaire; and pillow-related factors (support, comfort, fatigue, height and shape) from existing pillow studies. The average sleep duration was 6.8 h, with more than half (52%) of participants sleeping in the supine position. The overall score for sleep quality was considered poor (4.84 points on a seven-point Likert scale), with some degree of sleepiness during waking hours (4.4 points on a seven-point Likert scale). Females went to bed earlier than males and were more likely to sleep in the lateral position compared to males. The number of toss and turn or waking events during sleep increased with age, and older individuals went to sleep earlier and woke up earlier. Among the symptoms of fatigue, pain, discomfort with changing position, snoring, coughing and breathing discomfort, participants reported their highest levels of discomfort due to sleepiness after waking, and they experienced the least head pain. Participants who used a regular-type pillow had poorer satisfaction on multiple comfort and support factors (support, comfort, height suitability, shape suitability) compared with those who used a functional-type pillow. Less head fatigue, less neck fatigue and less shoulder pain had significant effects on sleep quality. To reduce neck fatigue and shoulder pain, designers should consider the height for neck support in the lateral position. To reduce neck fatigue, it is desirable to use materials like latex or memory foam that provide neck support, which can improve sleep quality. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of sleep habits and characteristics of pillow comfort and provide practical guidelines for better pillow designs.
Survival Time of Visual Gains after Diabetic Vitrectomy and Its Relationship with Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Noor Abdah Khairiah Che Md , Tai Evelyn Li Min , Kueh Yee Cheng , Siti-Azrin Ab Hamid , Noordin Zamri , Shatriah Ismail
Published: January 2020

Vitrectomy surgery in proliferative diabetic retinopathy improves the vision-related quality of life. However, there is lack of data on the duration of maintenance of visual gains post vitrectomy. This study thus aimed to determine the survival time of visual gains and the prognostic factors of vision loss after vitrectomy surgery for complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in an ophthalmology clinic in Malaysia. We included 134 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on follow-up after vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Visual acuity was measured using the log of minimum angle of resolution (LogMar). A gain of ≥0.3 LogMar sustained on two subsequent visits was considered evidence of visual improvement post vitrectomy. Subjects were considered to have vision loss when their post-operative visual acuity subsequently dropped by ≥0.3 LogMar. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to determine the survival time of visual gains. Cox Proportional Hazard regression was used to determine the prognostic factors of vision loss. The median age of patients was 56.00 years (IQR ± 10.00). The median duration of diabetes mellitus was 14.00 years (IQR ± 10.00). Approximately 50% of patients with initial improvement post vitrectomy subsequently experienced vision loss. The survival time, i.e., the median time from surgery until the number of patients with vision loss formed half of the original cohort, was 14.63 months (95% CI: 9.95, 19.32). Ischemic heart disease was a significant prognostic factor of vision loss. Patients with underlying ischemic heart disease (adjusted HR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.18, 3.33) had a higher risk of vision loss post vitrectomy, after adjusting for other factors. Approximately half the patients with initial visual gains post vitrectomy maintained their vision for at least one year. Ischemic heart disease was a poor prognostic factor for preservation of visual gains post vitrectomy.
Assessing the Treatment of Potential Effect Modifiers Informing World Health Organisation Guidelines for Environmental Noise
Authors: Douglas Owen , Murphy Enda
Published: January 2020

Methodologies employed in the production of systematic reviews used to inform policy must be robust. In formulating the recent World Health Organisation (WHO) Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region, seven systematic reviews of evidence were commissioned to assess the relationship between environmental noise exposure and a range of health outcomes, six of which were nonauditory. Within the methodological guidance document devised for these reviews, inclusion and exclusion criteria for individual studies and existing reviews were applied in accordance with the Population-Exposure-Comparator-Outcome-Study (PECOS) framework for the evaluation of evidence. Specific criteria were defined for “populations” and source-specific “exposure”, but no criteria were defined for the treatment of potential “effect modifiers”. Furthermore, no criteria were set for the treatment of combined exposures. Employing a custom-designed assessment matrix, we assess the treatment of potential effect modifiers in the formulation of the aforementioned systematic reviews, all published in a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), titled “WHO Noise and Health Evidence Reviews”. We identify substantial methodological variation in their treatment and propose the differentiation of “moderators” and “mediators” from “confounders” as the basis for criteria development—including combined exposures—for future systematic reviews.
Social Noise Exposure in a Sample of Slovak University Students
Authors: Filova Alexandra , Jurkovicova Jana , Hirosova Katarina , Vondrova Diana , Filova Barbora , Samohyl Martin , Babjakova Jana , Stofko Juraj , Argalasova Lubica
Published: January 2020

Purpose: Social noise exposure is currently an emerging problem in adolescents and young adults. Various leisure time activities may be responsible for hearing impairment (temporary or permanent hearing threshold shift or hearing loss). The study aimed to quantify environmental noise from various sources—voluntary (social) noise (personal music players (PMPs), high-intensity noise exposure events), and road traffic noise and to detect hearing disorders in relation to individual listening to PMPs in the sample of young adults living and studying in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. Methods: The study included 1003 university students (306 men and 697 women, average age 23.1 ± 2) living in Bratislava for 4 or more years; 347 lived in the student housing facility exposed to road traffic noise (LAeq = 67.6 dB) and 656 in the control one (LAeq = 53.4 dB). Respondents completed a validated ICBEN 5-grade scale “noise annoyance questionnaire”. In the exposed group a significant source of annoyance was road traffic noise (p < 0.001), noise from entertainment facilities (p < 0.001), industrial noise (p < 0.001), and noise from neighboring flats (p = 0.003). The exposure to PMPs was objectified by the conversion of the subjective evaluation of the volume setting and duration. With the cooperation of the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)specialist, we arranged audiometric examinations on the pilot sample of 41 volunteers. Results: From the total sample of respondents, 79.2% reported the use of a PMP in the course of the last week, and the average time was 285 min. There was a significant difference in PMP use between the road traffic noise-exposed (85.6%) and the control group (75.8%) (p = 0.01). Among PMP users 30.7% exceeded the lower action value (LAV) for industry (LAeq,8h = 80 dB). On a pilot sample of volunteers (n = 41), audiometry testing was performed indicating a hearing threshold shift at higher frequencies in 22% of subjects. Conclusions: The results of the study on a sample of young healthy individuals showed the importance of exposure to social noise as well as to road traffic noise and the need for prevention and intervention.
A Pilot Biomonitoring Study of Cumulative Phthalates Exposure among Vietnamese American Nail Salon Workers
Authors: Varshavsky Julia R. , Morello-Frosch Rachel , Harwani Suhash , Snider Martin , Petropoulou Syrago-Styliani E. , Park June-Soo , Petreas Myrto , Reynolds Peggy , Nguyen Tuan , Quach Thu
Published: January 2020

Many California nail salon workers are low-income Vietnamese women of reproductive age who use nail products daily that contain androgen-disrupting phthalates, which may increase risk of male reproductive tract abnormalities during pregnancy. Yet, few studies have characterized phthalate exposures among this workforce. To characterize individual metabolites and cumulative phthalates exposure among a potentially vulnerable occupational group of nail salon workers, we collected 17 post-shift urine samples from Vietnamese workers at six San Francisco Bay Area nail salons in 2011, which were analyzed for four primary phthalate metabolites: mono-n-butyl-, mono-isobutyl-, mono(2-Ethylhexyl)-, and monoethyl phthalates (MnBP, MiBP, MEHP, and MEP, respectively; μg/L). Phthalate metabolite concentrations and a potency-weighted sum of parent compound daily intake (Σandrogen-disruptor, μg/kg/day) were compared to 203 Asian Americans from the 2011–2012 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) using Student’s t-test and Wilcoxin signed rank test. Creatinine-corrected MnBP, MiBP, MEHP (μg/g), and cumulative phthalates exposure (Σandrogen-disruptor, μg/kg/day) levels were 2.9 (p < 0.0001), 1.6 (p = 0.015), 2.6 (p < 0.0001), and 2.0 (p < 0.0001) times higher, respectively, in our nail salon worker population compared to NHANES Asian Americans. Levels exceeded the NHANES 95th or 75th percentiles among some workers. This pilot study suggests that nail salon workers are disproportionately exposed to multiple phthalates, a finding that warrants further investigation to assess their potential health significance.
Sex Disparity in Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine Related to the Age of Vaccination
Authors: Trevisan Andrea , Giuliani Alessandro , Scapellato Maria Luisa , Anticoli Simona , Carsetti Rita , Zaffina Salvatore , Brugaletta Rita , Vonesch Nicoletta , Tomao Paola , Ruggieri Anna
Published: January 2020

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the major infectious hazards for health-care workers (HCWs) because of the frequency of percutaneous exposures to blood or body fluids. For this reason, all HCWs should be vaccinated, including students in medicine and health professional degree programs. The aim of this study was to assess the immune coverage to anti-HBV vaccine and long-lasting protective titres of anti-HBs antibodies in female and male students to evaluate gender-related differences in response to HBV vaccination. Data relative to anti-HBs antibody titre, sex, age, and age at vaccination were collected and analyzed from 5291 Italian students (1812 males and 3479 females) of the graduate courses at the School of Medicine, who underwent the mandatory health surveillance of workers exposed to biological risk. The results indicated that gender affects the immune response to HBV vaccine, particularly evident in the case of females vaccinated after one year of age who exhibited a statistically significant (p = 0.0023) 1.21-fold increase in median antibody titre with respect to males. Our findings could contribute to the optimization of HBV vaccination schedules in health surveillance of HCWs.
Legionnaires’ Disease Cases at a Large Community Hospital—Common and Underdiagnosed
Authors: Spiegelman Jamie , Pedutem Theresa , Francisco Mary June
Published: January 2020

Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is a severe pneumonia with a mortality rate of about 10%. The illness remains largely underdiagnosed with outbreaks occurring with alarming incidence. In this study, we assessed the frequency of Legionnaires’ disease among pneumonia cases treated at a large community hospital over a summer season. We invited all admitted patients diagnosed with pneumonia, able to provide a urine sample for an antigen test, presenting from May to October 2018, to enroll in our study; 35 patients were tested for the presence of Legionella. Out of 33 patients tested, 9 (28%) were positive for Legionella. Three sets of the 9 Legionella cases exhibited spatiotemporal clustering indicative of LD outbreaks. Only one of the 9 Legionella UAT-positive patients presented a sporadic case of LD. The number of pneumonia cases in our community confirmed to be LD was strikingly high (28%), compared to other survey studies that report between 3.7% and 14%. These results are consistent with previous knowledge that LD is underdiagnosed and support that routine testing should be considered for all possible LD cases, particularly in the summer months. Such testing is likely to prevent further cases of community acquired LD.
Eutrophication Assessment Based on the Cloud Matter Element Model
Authors: Wang Yumin , Zhang Xian’e , Wu Yifeng
Published: January 2020

Eutrophication has become one of the most serious problems threatening the lakes/reservoirs in China over 50 years. Evaluation of eutrophication is a multi-criteria decision-making process with uncertainties. In this study, a cloud matter element (CME) model was developed in order to evaluate eutrophication level objectively and scientifically, which incorporated the randomness and fuzziness of eutrophication evaluation process. The elements belonging to each eutrophication level in the CME model were determined by means of certainty degrees through repeated simulations of cloud model with reasonable parameters of expectation Ex, entropy En, and hyper-entropy He. The weights of evaluation indicators were decided by a combination of entropy technology and analytic hierarchy process method. The neartudes of water samples to each eutrophication level of lakes/reservoirs in the CME model were generated and the eutrophication levels were determined by maximum neartude principal. The proposed CME model was applied to evaluate eutrophication levels of 24 typical lakes/reservoirs in China. The results of the CME model were compared with those of comprehensive index method, matter element model, fuzzy matter element model, and cloud model. Most of the results obtained by the CME model were consistent with the results obtained by other methods, which proved the CME model is an effective tool to evaluate eutrophication.
Loneliness, Family Communication, and School Adjustment in a Sample of Cybervictimized Adolescents
Authors: Cañas Elizabeth , Estévez Estefanía , León-Moreno Celeste , Musitu Gonzalo
Published: January 2020

The objective of this study was to compare individual, family, and social variables, such as the perception of loneliness, family communication, and school adjustment in a sample of 2399 Andalusian (Spanish) adolescents aged 12 to 18 (M = 14.63, SD = 1.91) suffering from cybervictimization (low, moderate, and high). The results show that adolescents suffering from high cybervictimization report more loneliness, more problematic communication with both parents, and worse school adjustment than the rest of the groups. Regarding gender, differences are observed in open communication with the mother and in the dimensions of school adjustment, being more favorable for girls. However, there were no significant differences between girls and boys in the loneliness variable. The interaction effects indicate, on the one hand, that female severe cybervictims present more avoidant communication with the mother than the other groups, and, on the other hand, that male cybervictims of all three groups and female severe cybervictims have lower academic competence than the group of female low cybervictims, followed by female moderate cybervictims. These data support the idea that, depending on its intensity and duration, cybervictimization affects girls and boys differently in terms of individual, family, and social variables.
Effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary Program Performed on Obese People Regarding Nutritional Habits and Metabolic Comorbidity: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Fernández-Ruiz Virginia Esperanza , Ramos-Morcillo Antonio Jesús , Solé-Agustí María , Paniagua-Urbano José Antonio , Armero-Barranco David
Published: January 2020

Obesity is an important public health problem. The combined use of different therapies performed by an interdisciplinary group can improve the management of this health issue. The main goal of this research is to determine the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary program based on healthy eating, exercise, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and health education in improving metabolic comorbidity, Body Mass Index (BMI), and nutritional habits among obese adults, at short (12 months) and long term (24 months). A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at a community care center between February 2014 and February 2016. A random sampling was done (299), total population (3262). A sample of 74 subjects diagnosed with obesity (experimental group, n = 37 and control group, n = 37) was conducted. Inclusion criteria: obese people (BMI: >30 kg/m2) with metabolic comorbidity and bad nutritional habits. Exclusion criteria: other comorbidities. A 12-month interdisciplinary program (with pre-test, 12 months and 24 months of follow-up) was applied. Intervention is based on healthy eating, exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy. The intervention had a positive effect on nutritional habits (F2;144 = 115.305; p < 0.001). The experimental group increased fruit and vegetable intake (F2;144 = 39.604, p < 0.001), as well as fortified foods (F2;144 = 10,076, p < 0.001) and reduced fats, oils, and sweets F2;144 = 24,086, p < 0.001). In the experimental group, a BMI reduction of 2.6 to 24 months was observed. At follow-up, no participant had inadequate nutritional habits, compared to 35.1% of the control group (χ22 = 33,398; p < 0.001). There was also a positive response of metabolic comorbidities in the intervention group. The interdisciplinary program improved all participants’ metabolic parameters, BMI, and nutritional habits while maintaining the long-term effects (24 months).
Prevalence of Undernutrition and Anemia among Santal Adivasi Children, Birbhum District, West Bengal, India
Authors: Stiller Caroline Katharina , Golembiewski Silvia Konstanze Ellen , Golembiewski Monika , Mondal Srikanta , Biesalski Hans-Konrad , Scherbaum Veronika
Published: January 2020

India’s Adivasi scheduled tribe population is disproportionately affected by undernutrition and anemia, thereby prevailing in the poorest wealth deciles denominated as socially and economically vulnerable. This study was designed to assess the extent of child undernutrition (conventional and composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) classification), as well as the burden of anemia in children and its independent nutrition specific and sensitive drivers, moreover to reflect the living conditions of Santal Adivasis. The research survey was conducted in 21 Santal villages, Birbhum District, West Bengal, in 2015. An overall 307 children (aged 6–39 months) and their mothers (n = 288) were assessed for their hemoglobin (Hb) levels (HemoCue Hb201+) and anthropometric indices such as height/length, weight and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Moreover, socio-demographic household characteristics were surveyed. The study confirmed Adivasi children lagging behind national average with a high prevalence of undernutrition (height-for-age z-score (HAZ) 51.9%, weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) 49.2%, weight-for-height z-score WHZ 19.0% and CIAF 61.6%) and of moderate and severe anemia (Hb < 10 g/dL, 73.3% altogether). Child’s age <24 months, low WAZ scores, morbidity (any fever, diarrhea or respiratory infection) on the checkup day or during previous week, low maternal Hb level, and lack of dietary diversification were identified as predictors for anemia, thereby warrant targeted interventions to decrease the high anemia rates assessed in the study site.