bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of the CSAMT Method to Pb–Zn Mineral Deposits: A Case Study in Jianshui, China
Authors: Guo Zhenwei , Hu Longyun , Liu Chunming , Cao Chuanghua , Liu Jianxin , Liu Rong
Published: November 2019

The electromagnetic (EM) method is commonly used in mineral exploration due to the method’s sensitivity to conductive targets. Controlled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) is developed from magnetotelluric (MT) method with an artificial EM source to improve the signal amplitude. It has been used for mineral exploration for many years. In this study, we performed a case study of the CSAMT application for the Eagles-Nest lead–zinc (Pb–Zn) ore deposits in Jianshui, China. The Eagles-Nest deposit is located in southwest in China in forest-covered complex terrain, making it difficult to acquire the geophysical data. Based on the previous dual-frequency induced polarization (IP) results, we designed four profiles for the CSAMT data acquisition. After data processing and inversion, we mapped the subsurface resistivity distribution. From the CSAMT results, we inferred the location of the ore body, which was verified by the drilling wells. The Pb–Zn ore body was found at a depth between 373.70 m to 407.35 m in the well.
Eggplant Germination is Promoted by Hydrogen Peroxide and Temperature in an Independent but Overlapping Manner
Authors: Dufková Hana , Berka Miroslav , Luklová Markéta , Rashotte Aaron M. , Brzobohatý Břetislav , Černý Martin
Published: November 2019

Hydrogen peroxide promotes seed germination, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are unclear. This study presents the results of eggplant (Solanum melongena) germination analyses conducted at two different temperatures and follows the effect of hydrogen peroxide treatment on seed germination and the seed proteome. Hydrogen peroxide was found to promote eggplant germination in a way not dissimilar to that of increased temperature stimuli. LC–MS profiling detected 729 protein families, 77 of which responded to a temperature increase or hydrogen peroxide treatment. These differentially abundant proteins were found to be involved in a number of processes, including protein and amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and the glyoxylate cycle. There was a very low overlap between hydrogen peroxide and temperature-responsive proteins, highlighting the differences behind the seemingly similar outcomes. Furthermore, the observed changes from the seed proteome indicate that hydrogen peroxide treatment diminished the seed endogenous hydrogen peroxide pool and that a part of manifested positive hydrogen peroxide effect might be related to altered sensitivity to abscisic acid.
The Halogen-Bond Nature in Noble Gas–Dihalogen Complexes from Scattering Experiments and Ab Initio Calculations
Authors: Nunzi Francesca , Di Erasmo Benedetta , Tarantelli Francesco , Cappelletti David , Pirani Fernando
Published: November 2019

In order to clarify the nature of the halogen bond (XB), we considered the prototype noble gas–dihalogen molecule (Ng–X2) systems, focusing on the nature, range, and strength of the interaction. We exploited data gained from molecular beam scattering experiments with the measure of interference effects to obtain a suitable formulation of the interaction potential, with the support of high-level ab initio calculations, and charge displacement analysis. The essential interaction components involved in the Ng–X2 adducts were characterized, pointing at their critical balance in the definition of the XB. Particular emphasis is devoted to the energy stability of the orientational Ng–X2 isomers, the barrier for the X2 hindered rotation, and the influence of the X2 electronic state. The present integrated study returns reliable force fields for molecular dynamic simulations in Ng–X2 complexes that can be extended to systems with increasing complexity and whose properties depend on the selective formation of XB.
Carbon Nanotubes Having Haeckelite Defects as Potential Drug Carriers. Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Torres Camila , Villarroel Ignacio , Rozas Roberto , Contreras Leonor
Published: November 2019

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are valuable drug carriers since when properly functionalized they transport drugs and anchor directly to cancerous tumors whose more acidic pH causes the drug release. Herein, we study the so-called zigzag and armchair CNTs with haeckelite defects to rank their ability to adsorb doxorubicin (DOX) by determining the DOX-CNT binding free energies using the MM/PBSA and MM/GBSA methods implemented in AMBER. Our results reveal stronger DOX-CNT interactions for encapsulation of the drug inside the nanotube compared to its adsorption onto the defective nanotube external surface. Armchair CNTs with one and two defects exhibit better results compared with those with four and fifteen defects. Each haeckelite defect consists of a pair of square and octagonal rings. DOX-CNT binding free energies are predicted to be dependent on: (i) nanotube chirality and diameter, (ii) the number of defects, (iii) nitrogen doping and (iv) the position of the encapsulated DOX inside the nanotube. Armchair (10,10) nanotubes with two haeckelite defects, doped with nitrogen, exhibit the best drug-nanotube binding free energies compared with zigzag and fully hydrogenated nanotubes and, also previously reported ones with bumpy defects. These results contribute to further understanding drug-nanotube interactions and their potential application to the design of new drug delivery systems.
Co-Adsorption of H2O, OH, and Cl on Aluminum and Intermetallic Surfaces and Its Effects on the Work Function Studied by DFT Calculations
Authors: Liu Min , Jin Ying , Pan Jinshan , Leygraf Christofer
Published: November 2019

The energetics of adsorption of H2O layers and H2O layers partially replaced with OH or Cl on an Al(111) surface and on selected surfaces of intermetallic phases, Mg2Si and Al2Cu, was studied by first-principle calculations using the density function theory (DFT). The results show that H2O molecules tended to bind to all investigated surfaces with an adsorption energy in a relatively narrow range, between –0.8 eV and –0.5 eV, at increased water coverage. This can be explained by the dominant role of networks of hydrogen bonds at higher H2O coverage. On the basis of the work function, the calculated Volta potential data suggest that both intermetallic phases became less noble than Al(111); also, the Volta potential difference was larger than 1 V when the coverage of the Cl-containing ad-layer reached one monolayer. The energetics of H2O dissociation and substitution by Cl as well as the corresponding work function of each surface were also calculated. The increase in the work function of the Al(111) surface was attributed to the oxidation effect during H2O adsorption, whereas the decrease of the work function for the Mg2Si(111)–Si surface upon H2O adsorption was explained by atomic and electronic rearrangements in the presence of H2O and Cl.
Pea Protein for Hempseed Oil Nanoemulsion Stabilization
Authors: Jarzębski Maciej , Fathordoobady Farahnaz , Guo Yigong , Xu Minghuan , Singh Anika , Kitts David D. , Kowalczewski Przemysław Łukasz , Jeżowski Paweł , Pratap Singh Anubhav
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we present the possibility of using pea protein isolates as a stabilizer for hempseed oil (HSO)-based water/oil emulsions in conjunction with lecithin as a co-surfactant. A Box-Behnken design was employed to build polynomial models for optimization of the ultrasonication process to prepare the emulsions. The stability of the system was verified by droplet size measurements using dynamic light scattering (DLS) as well as centrifugation and thermal challenge tests. The z-ave droplet diameters of optimized emulsion were 209 and 207 nm after preparation and 1 week storage, respectively. The concentration of free Linoleic acid (C18:2; n-6) was used for calculation of entrapment efficiency in prepared nanoemulsions. At optimum conditions of the process, up to 98.63% ± 1.95 of entrapment was achieved. FTIR analysis and rheological tests were also performed to evaluate the quality of oil and emulsion, and to verify the close-to-water like behavior of the prepared samples compared to the viscous nature of the original oil. Obtained results confirmed the high impact of lecithin and pea protein concentrations on the emulsion droplet size and homogeneity confirmed by microscopic imaging. The presented results are the first steps towards using hempseed oil-based emulsions as a potential food additive carrier, such as flavor. Furthermore, the good stability of the prepared nanoemulsion gives opportunities for potential use in biomedical and cosmetic applications.
Synthesis, Optical, and Geometrical Approaches of New Natural Fatty Acids’ Esters/Schiff Base Liquid Crystals
Authors: Alnoman Rua , Al-Nazawi Fares khalid , Ahmed Hoda A. , Hagar Mohamed
Published: November 2019

Schiff base liquid crystals, known as [4-(hexyloxy)phenylimino)methyl]phenyl palmitate (IA), [4-(hexyloxy)phenylimino)methyl]phenyl oleate (IIA) and [4-(hexyloxy)phenylimino)methyl]phenyl linoleate (IIIA), were synthesized from palmitic, oleic, and linoleic natural fatty acids. The prepared compounds have been investigated for their thermal and optical behavior as well as phase formation using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). Molecular structures of all studied compounds were confirmed via elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. Smectic phase is the observed mesophase for all compounds; however, their type and range depend upon the terminal alkanoate chains attached to the phenyl ring. Computational calculations, Density functional theory (DFT), energy difference of the frontier molecular orbital (FMOs), as well as the thermodynamic parameters of different molecular configurations isomers were discussed. It was found that the mesophase behavior and the geometrical characteristics were affected by the degree of unsaturation of fatty terminal chains. Furthermore, the geometrical structure of the CH=N linkage plays an important role in the thermal stability and optical transition temperature.
Evaluation of Antifungal Phenolics from Helianthus tuberosus L. Leaves against Phytophthora capsici Leonian by Chemometric Analysis
Authors: Chen Fu-Jia , Long Xiao-Hua , Li En-Zhong
Published: November 2019

Phytophthora capsici Leonian causes destructive economical losses in pepper production, and a promising source of natural fungicides- Helianthus tuberosus leaves was reported. The antifungal activities of different extracts and compounds from H. tuberosus leaves against the phytopathogen, P. capsici Leonian, were examined by chemometric analysis, including HPLC-MS/MS and multivariate data analyses. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminate analysis were applied to examine the four groups of H. tuberosus leaves samples, including crude extracts obtained by different methods, including refluxing, macerating, and refluxing under vacuum; four fractions, namely, petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (Chl), ethyl acetate (EA), and n-butanol (NB) fractions; the samples of three H. tuberosus cultivars; and the samples at three growth stages of cultivar Nan Yu. The phenolics contents were categorized based on 3,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-DiCQA), 1,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid (1,5-DiCQA), 3-O-Caffeoylquinic acid (3-CQA), and 4,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid (4,5-DiCQA), which were predominant in all the samples. Antifungal activity assay revealed that Chl and NB fractions were more active against P. capsici Leonian with lower IC50(half of maximal inhibitory concentration) values, whereas partial least squares-discriminate analysis suggested caffeoylquinic acid isomer(4-CQA), methyl-quercetin glycoside(MQG), and caffeic acid(CA) might be the main active components in H. tuberosus leaves against P. capsici Leonian. Furthermore, microscopic evaluation demonstrated structural deformities in P. capsici Leonian treated with Chl and NB fractions, indicating the antifungal effects of H. tuberosus leaves. These results imply that H. tuberosus leaves with a high concentration of phenolics might be a promising source of natural fungicides.
The Role of Nanoanalytics in the Development of Organic-Inorganic Nanohybrids—Seeing Nanomaterials as They Are
Authors: Semenova Daria , Silina Yuliya E.
Published: November 2019

The functional properties of organic-inorganic (O-I) hybrids can be easily tuned by combining system components and parameters, making this class of novel nanomaterials a crucial element in various application fields. Unfortunately, the manufacturing of organic-inorganic nanohybrids still suffers from mechanical instability and insufficient synthesis reproducibility. The control of the composition and structure of nanosurfaces themselves is a specific analytical challenge and plays an important role in the future reproducibility of hybrid nanomaterials surface properties and response. Therefore, appropriate and sufficient analytical methodologies and technical guidance for control of their synthesis, characterization and standardization of the final product quality at the nanoscale level should be established. In this review, we summarize and compare the analytical merit of the modern analytical methods, viz. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), RAMAN spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and several mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques, that is, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), single particle ICP-MS (sp-ICP-MS), laser ablation coupled ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) utilized for characterization of O-I nanohybrids. Special attention is given to laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) as a reliable nanoanalytical platform for characterization of O-I hybrid nanomaterials, their quality, design verification and validation.
Tunable Electronic Properties of Graphene/g-AlN Heterostructure: The Effect of Vacancy and Strain Engineering
Authors: Liu Xuefei , Zhang Zhaofu , Luo Zijiang , Lv Bing , Ding Zhao
Published: November 2019

The structural and electronic properties of graphene/graphene-like Aluminum Nitrides monolayer (Gr/g-AlN) heterojunction with and without vacancies are systematically investigated by first-principles calculation. The results prove that Gr/g-AlN with nitrogen-vacancy (Gr/g-AlN-VN) is energy favorable with the smallest sublayer distance and binding energy. Gr/g-AlN-VN is nonmagnetic, like that in the pristine Gr/g-AlN structure, but it is different from the situation of g-AlN-VN, where a magnetic moment of 1 μB is observed. The metallic graphene acts as an electron acceptor in the Gr/g-AlN-VN and donor in Gr/g-AlN and Gr/g-AlN-VAl contacts. Schottky barrier height Φ B , n by traditional (hybrid) functional of Gr/g-AlN, Gr/g-AlN-VAl, and Gr/g-AlN-VN are calculated as 2.35 (3.69), 2.77 (3.23), and 1.10 (0.98) eV, respectively, showing that vacancies can effectively modulate the Schottky barrier height. Additionally, the biaxial strain engineering is conducted to modulate the heterojunction contact properties. The pristine Gr/g-AlN, which is a p-type Schottky contact under strain-free condition, would transform to an n-type contact when 10% compressive strain is applied. Ohmic contact is formed under a larger tensile strain. Furthermore, 7.5% tensile strain would tune the Gr/g-AlN-VN from n-type to p-type contact. These plentiful tunable natures would provide valuable guidance in fabricating nanoelectronics devices based on Gr/g-AlN heterojunctions.
Self-Propulsion Strategies for Artificial Cell-Like Compartments
Authors: Santiago Ibon , Simmel Friedrich C.
Published: November 2019

Reconstitution of life-like properties in artificial cells is a current research frontier in synthetic biology. Mimicking metabolism, growth, and sensing are active areas of investigation; however, achieving motility and directional taxis are also challenging in the context of artificial cells. To tackle this problem, recent progress has been made that leverages the tools of active matter physics in synthetic biology. This review surveys the most significant achievements in designing motile cell-like compartments. In this context, strategies for self-propulsion are summarized, including, compartmentalization of catalytically active particles, phoretic propulsion of vesicles and emulsion droplet motion driven by Marangoni flows. This work showcases how the realization of motile protocells may impact biomedical engineering while also aiming at answering fundamental questions in locomotion of prebiotic cells.
Fat and Sugar—A Dangerous Duet. A Comparative Review on Metabolic Remodeling in Rodent Models of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Simoes Ines C.M. , Janikiewicz Justyna , Bauer Judith , Karkucinska-Wieckowska Agnieszka , Kalinowski Piotr , Dobrzyń Agnieszka , Wolski Andrzej , Pronicki Maciej , Zieniewicz Krzysztof , Dobrzyń Paweł , Krawczyk Marcin , Zischka Hans , Wieckowski Mariusz R. , Potes Yaiza
Published: November 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common disease in Western society and ranges from steatosis to steatohepatitis to end-stage liver disease such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The molecular mechanisms that are involved in the progression of steatosis to more severe liver damage in patients are not fully understood. A deeper investigation of NAFLD pathogenesis is possible due to the many different animal models developed recently. In this review, we present a comparative overview of the most common dietary NAFLD rodent models with respect to their metabolic phenotype and morphological manifestation. Moreover, we describe similarities and controversies concerning the effect of NAFLD-inducing diets on mitochondria as well as mitochondria-derived oxidative stress in the progression of NAFLD.
Decreased Bioimpedance Phase Angle in Patients with Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5
Authors: Han Byoung-Geun , Lee Jun Young , Kim Jae-Seok , Yang Jae-Won
Published: November 2019

Early detection and regular monitoring of the nutritional status of patients with diabetic chronic kidney disease (DMCKD) with reliable tools are necessary. We aimed to determine the clinical significance of the phase angle (PhA) in patients with DMCKD stage 5 not undergoing dialysis. A total of 219 patients (non-diabetic CKD stage 5 [nDMCKD5], n = 84; diabetic CKD stage 5 [DMCKD5], n = 135) were analyzed. The nDMCKD5 group had a significantly higher PhA (p = 0.001), intracellular water/body weight (p = 0.001), and albumin level (p = 0.010) than the DMCKD5 group. The DMCKD5 group experienced significantly more overhydration (p < 0.001). The PhA was positively associated with the lean tissue index (LTI) (r = 0.332; p < 0.001), hemoglobin level (r = 0.223; p = 0.010), albumin level (r = 0.524; p < 0.001), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; r = 0.204; p = 0.018) in the DMCKD5 group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the eGFR (odds ratio [OR]: 0.824, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.698–0.974); p = 0.023), LTI (OR: 0.771, 95% CI: 0.642–0.926; p = 0.005), and albumin level (OR: 0.131, 95% CI: 0.051–0.338; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with undernutrition (PhA < 4.17°) in the DMCKD5 group. Our observations suggest that the PhA could be used as a marker to reflect the nutritional status in patients with DMCKD5.
VCGIDB: A Database and Web Resource for the Genomic Islands from Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Hur YoungJae , Chalita Mauricio , Ha Sung-min , Baek Inwoo , Chun Jongsik
Published: November 2019

Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera, which is a severe, life-threatening diarrheal disease. The current seventh pandemic has not been eradicated and the outbreak is still ongoing around the world. The evolution of the pandemic-causing strain has been greatly influenced by lateral gene transfer, and the mechanisms of acquisition of pathogenicity in V. cholerae are mainly involved with genomic islands (GIs). Thus, detecting GIs and their comprehensive information is necessary to understand the continuing resurgence and newly emerging pathogenic V. cholerae strains. In this study, 798 V. cholerae strains were tested using the GI-Scanner algorithm, which was developed to detect candidate GIs and identify them in a comparative genomics approach. The algorithm predicted 435 highly possible genomic islands, and we built a database, called Vibrio cholerae Genomic Island Database (VCGIDB). This database shows advanced results that were acquired from a large genome set using phylogeny-based predictions. Moreover, VCGIDB is a highly expendable database that does not require intensive computation, which enables us to update it with a greater number of genomes using a novel genomic island prediction method. The VCGIDB website allows the user to browse the data and presents the results in a visual manner.
Therapeutic Advances in Regulating the Hepcidin/Ferroportin Axis
Authors: Hawula Zachary J. , Wallace Daniel F. , Subramaniam V. Nathan , Rishi Gautam
Published: November 2019

The interaction between hepcidin and ferroportin is the key mechanism involved in regulation of systemic iron homeostasis. This axis can be affected by multiple stimuli including plasma iron levels, inflammation and erythropoietic demand. Genetic defects or prolonged inflammatory stimuli results in dysregulation of this axis, which can lead to several disorders including hereditary hemochromatosis and anaemia of chronic disease. An imbalance in iron homeostasis is increasingly being associated with worse disease outcomes in many clinical conditions including multiple cancers and neurological disorders. Currently, there are limited treatment options for regulating iron levels in patients and thus significant efforts are being made to uncover approaches to regulate hepcidin and ferroportin expression. These approaches either target these molecules directly or regulatory steps which mediate hepcidin or ferroportin expression. This review examines the current status of hepcidin and ferroportin agonists and antagonists, as well as inducers and inhibitors of these proteins and their regulatory pathways.
Thermosensitive Nanosystems Associated with Hyperthermia for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Pereira Gomes Isabela , Aparecida Duarte Jaqueline , Chaves Maia Ana Luiza , Rubello Domenico , Townsend Danyelle M. , Branco de Barros André Luís , Leite Elaine Amaral
Published: November 2019

Conventional chemotherapy regimens have limitations due to serious adverse effects. Targeted drug delivery systems to reduce systemic toxicity are a powerful drug development platform. Encapsulation of antitumor drug(s) in thermosensitive nanocarriers is an emerging approach with a promise to improve uptake and increase therapeutic efficacy, as they can be activated by hyperthermia selectively at the tumor site. In this review, we focus on thermosensitive nanosystems associated with hyperthermia for the treatment of cancer, in preclinical and clinical use.
Repeat-Dose Toxicity Study Using the AFPL1-Conjugate Nicotine Vaccine in Male Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Oliva Reynaldo , Fraleigh Nya L. , Lewicky Jordan D. , Fariñas Mildrey , Hernández Tamara , Martel Alexandrine L. , Navarro Ingrid , Dagmar García-Rivera , Acevedo Reinaldo , Le Hoang-Thanh
Published: November 2019

Tobacco smoking is the cause of 20% of Canadian deaths per year. Nicotine vaccines present a promising alternative to traditional smoking cessation products, but to date, no vaccine has been able to move through all phases of clinical trials. We have previously demonstrated that the AFPL1-conjugate nicotine vaccine does not induce systemic or immunotoxicity in a mouse model and that a heterologous vaccination approach is more advantageous than the homologous routes to inducing mucosal and systemic anti-nicotine antibodies. The purpose of this study was to confirm the safety profile of the vaccine in a repeat-dose toxicity study. The heterologous vaccination strategy was again used, and Sprague Dawley rats were administered a dose five times greater than in our previous studies. Physiological conditions, food and water consumption, body temperature, injection site inflammation, relative weights of organs, histopathology, and blood chemistry and hematology were evaluated during the course of the vaccination period to determine the safety of the vaccine. The AFPL1-conjugate nicotine vaccine did not induce clinically relevant changes or induce symptoms that would be associated with toxicity, making it a promising candidate for future investigations.
Effect of Stabilizers on Encapsulation Efficiency and Release Behavior of Exenatide-Loaded PLGA Microsphere Prepared by the W/O/W Solvent Evaporation Method
Authors: Park Heejun , Ha Dong-Hyun , Ha Eun-Sol , Kim Jeong-Soo , Kim Min-Soo , Hwang Sung-Joo
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of various stabilizers on the encapsulation efficiency and release of exenatide-loaded PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) microspheres prepared by the water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) solvent evaporation (SE) method. It was shown that the stabilizers affected exenatide stability in aqueous solutions, at water/dichloromethane interfaces, on PLGA surfaces, or during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying procedures. Sucrose predominantly reduces instability generated during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying. Phenylalanine prevents the destabilization at the water–dichloromethane (DCM) interface through decreased adsorption. Poloxamer 188 enhances stability in aqueous solutions and prevents adsorption to PLGA. Proline and lysine decrease adsorption on PLGA surfaces. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to find the molecular interaction of additives with exenatide or PLGA. Additives used in stability assessments were then added stepwise into the inner or outer water phase of the W/O/W double emulsion, and exenatide-loaded microspheres were prepared using the solvent evaporation method. The effect of each stabilizer on the encapsulation efficiency and release behavior of microspheres correlated well with the stability assessment results, except for the negative effect of poloxamer 188. Particle size analysis using laser diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water vapor sorption analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy were also employed to characterize the prepared exenatide-loaded PLGA microsphere. This study demonstrated that an adequate formulation can be obtained by the study about the effect of stabilizers on peptide stability at the preformulation step. In addition, it can help to overcome various problems that can cause the destabilization of a peptide during the microsphere-manufacturing process and sustained drug release.
Impact of Pharmacist Involvement on Telehealth Transitional Care Management (TCM) for High Medication Risk Patients
Authors: Cole Jessica , Wilkins Nick , Moss Maeghan , Fu Danny , Carson Paige , Xiong Linda
Published: November 2019

This pilot study sought to evaluate the impact of pharmacist involvement in the preexisting telehealth transitional care management (TCM) program at Atrium Health on the quality and safety of the medication discharge process for high medication risk patients. Eligible participants were those 18 years of age or older with moderate-to-high risk for hospital readmission who were contacted by a TCM Nurse, identified as high medication risk patients, and referred to the TCM Pharmacist from September 2018 through February 2019. The TCM Pharmacist contacted patients by phone, completed a comprehensive medication review, identified medication list discrepancies (MLDs) and medication-related problems (MRPs), and made interventions or recommendations to primary care providers. Primary endpoints included the number and types of MLDs identified, number and types of MRPs identified, and the rate of unplanned 30-day hospital readmissions. Seventy-six patients were enrolled, and 78 MLDs and 108 MRPs were identified. Of the identified MRPs, 74.1% were resolved. A relative risk reduction of 36.8% was achieved for 30-day hospital readmissions for those with high medication risk contacted by the TCM Pharmacist compared to those only contacted by the TCM Nurse. Overall, TCM Pharmacists identified and resolved 80 medication-related problems, improved access to medication therapy, provided comprehensive medication counseling, and bridged gaps in care following hospital discharge.
Carborane-Containing Aromatic Polyimide Films with Ultrahigh Thermo-Oxidative Stability
Authors: Liu Fulin , Fang Guangqiang , Yang Haixia , Yang Shiyong , Zhang Xuezhong , Zhang Zhijie
Published: November 2019

Carborane-containing aromatic polyimide (CPI) films with ultrahigh thermo-oxidative stability at 700 °C have been prepared by casting poly(amic acid) (PAA) resin solution on a glass surface, followed by thermal imidization at elevated temperatures. The PAA solution was prepared by copolymerization of an aromatic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine mixture, including carborane-containing aromatic diamine in an aprotic solvent. The CPI films showed excellent thermo-oxidative stability at 700 °C due to the multilayered protection layers formed on the film surface by thermal conversion of the carborane group into boron oxides. The boron oxide layer enhanced the degradation activation energy and suppressed the direct contact of inner polymer materials with oxygen molecules in a high-temperature environment, acting as a “self-healing” skin layer on the polyimide materials. The CPI-50 film was still flexible and maintained 50% retention of mechanical strength even after thermo-oxidative aging at 700 °C/5 min. The mechanism of thermo-oxidative degradation was proposed.
Characterization of Starches Isolated from Colombian Native Potatoes and Their Application as Novel Edible Coatings for Wild Andean Blueberries (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz)
Authors: Medina-Jaramillo Carolina , Estevez-Areco Santiago , Goyanes Silvia , López-Córdoba Alex
Published: November 2019

Andean blueberry is a promissory fruit native to South America. The current work aimed to characterize starches isolated from Colombian native potatoes and to evaluate the effect of the application of starch edible coatings on the changes in the physicochemical quality parameters of the Andean blueberry during storage. Starches were isolated from three different potatoes varieties (pacha negra, mora, and alcarrosa) and characterized. Then, starch-based coatings were applied to Andean blueberries, and the changes in their quality parameters were monitored during 12 days of storage. Despite the phenotypical differences in the starch sources used, starches were similar in terms of their granule morphology, amylose content (~19%), crystallinity degree (~46%), and thermal properties. Coatings were able to reduce the gaseous exchange of the fruit, and, thus, the respiration rate of all coated blueberries was ~27% lower compared to the uncoated fruits (p < 0.05) at the end of the storage. While the application of starch coatings did not prevent water loss, all samples reached water loss of up 20%. Besides, the coated fruits showed soluble solids contents ~14% higher compared to the control one, as well as better bright and firmness. The new edible coatings can help add value to the Andean blueberry.
Effects of Solar Invasion on Earth Observation Sensors at a Moon-Based Platform
Authors: Ye Hanlin , Zheng Wei , Guo Huadong , Liu Guang , Ping Jinsong
Published: November 2019

The solar invasion to an Earth observation sensor will cause potential damage to the sensor and reduce the accuracy of the measurements. This paper investigates the effects of solar invasion on the Moon-based Earth observation sensors. Different from the space-borne platform, a Moon-based sensor can be equipped anywhere on the near-side of the Moon, and this makes it possible to reduce solar invasion effects by selecting suitable regions to equip sensors. In this paper, methods for calculating the duration of the Sun entering of the sensor’s field of view (FOV) and the solar invasion radiation at the entrance pupil of the sensor are proposed. By deducing the expressions of the proposed geometrical relationship between the Sun, Earth, and Moon-based platform, it has been found that the key parameter to the effects of solar invasion is the angle between the Sun direction and the line-of-sight vector. Based on this parameter, both the duration and radiation can be calculated. In addition, an evaluation approach based on the mean value and standard deviation has been established to compare the variation of solar invasion radiation at different positions on the lunar surface. The results show that the duration is almost the same wherever the sensor is placed in the permanent Earth-observation region. Further, by comparing the variation of solar invasion radiation at different positions on the near-side of the Moon, we suggest that equipping sensors on the mid–high latitude regions within the permanent Earth-observation region will result in less solar invasion affects.
Optimal Assimilation of Daytime SST Retrievals from SEVIRI in a Regional Ocean Prediction System
Authors: Storto Andrea , Oddo Paolo
Published: November 2019

Exploiting the potential of space-borne oceanic measurements to characterize the sub-surface structure of the ocean becomes critical in areas where deployment of in situ sensors might be difficult or expensive. Sea Surface Temperature (SST) observations potentially provide enormous amounts of information about the upper ocean variability. However, the assimilation of daytime SST retrievals, e.g., from infrared sensors into ocean prediction systems, requires a specific treatment of the diurnal cycle of skin SST, which is generally under-estimated in current ocean models due to poor vertical resolution at the air–sea interface and lack of proper parameterizations. To this end, a simple off-line bias correction scheme is proposed, where the bias predictors include, among others, the warm layer and cool skin warming/cooling deduced from a prognostic model. Furthermore, a localization procedure that limits the vertical penetration of the SST information in a hybrid variational-ensemble data assimilation system is formulated. These two novelties are implemented and assessed within a regional ocean prediction system in the Ligurian Sea for the assimilation of daytime SST data retrieved with hourly frequency from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) onboard the geostationary satellite Meteosat-10. Experiments are validated against independent measurements collected by gliders, moorings, and drifters during the Long-term Glider Missions for Environmental Characterization (LOGCMEC17) sea trial. Results suggest that the simple bias correction scheme is effective in improving both the sea surface and mixed layer accuracy, correctly thinning the mixed layer compared to the control experiment, outperforming experiments with night-only data assimilation, and improving the forecast skill scores. Localization further improves the prediction of the mixed layer depth. It is therefore recommended that sophisticated bias correction and localization procedures are adopted for fruitfully assimilating daytime SST data in operational oceanographic analysis systems.
Soil Management Practices to Mitigate Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Inform Emission Factors in Arid Irrigated Specialty Crop Systems
Authors: Zhu-Barker Xia , Easter Mark , Swan Amy , Carlson Mary , Thompson Lucas , Horwath William R. , Paustian Keith , Steenwerth Kerri L.
Published: November 2019

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from arid irrigated agricultural soil in California have been predicted to represent 8% of the state’s total GHG emissions. Although specialty crops compose the majority of the state’s crops in both economic value and land area, the portion of GHG emissions contributed by them is still highly uncertain. Current and emerging soil management practices affect the mitigation of those emissions. Herein, we review the scientific literature on the impact of soil management practices in California specialty crop systems on GHG nitrous oxide emissions. As such studies from most major specialty crop systems in California are limited, we focus on two annual and two perennial crops with the most data from the state: tomato, lettuce, wine grapes and almond. Nitrous oxide emission factors were developed and compared to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission factors, and state-wide emissions for these four crops were calculated for specific soil management practices. Dependent on crop systems and specific management practices, the emission factors developed in this study were either higher, lower or comparable to IPCC emission factors. Uncertainties caused by low gas sampling frequency in these studies were identified and discussed. These uncertainties can be remediated by robust and standardized estimates of nitrous oxide emissions from changes in soil management practices in California specialty crop systems. Promising practices to reduce nitrous oxide emissions and meet crop production goals, pertinent gaps in knowledge on this topic and limitations of this approach are discussed.
Ethnolinguistic Diversity and Education. A Successful Pairing
Authors: Caraballo Mª Ángeles , Buitrago Eva Mª
Published: November 2019

The many growing migratory flows render our societies increasingly heterogeneous. From the point of view of social welfare, achieving all the positive effects of diversity appears as a challenge for our societies. Nevertheless, while it is true that ethnolinguistic diversity involves costs and benefits, at a country level it seems that the former are greater than the latter, even more so when income inequality between ethnic groups is taken into account. In this respect, there is a vast literature at a macro level that shows that ethnolinguistic fragmentation induces lower income, which leads to the conclusion that part of the difference in income observed between countries can be attributed to their different levels of fragmentation. This paper presents primary evidence of the role of education in mitigating the adverse effects of ethnolinguistic fractionalization on the level of income. While the results show a negative association between fragmentation and income for all indices of diversity, the attainment of a certain level of education, especially secondary and tertiary, manages to reverse the sign of the marginal effect of ethnolinguistic fractionalization on income level. Since current societies are increasingly diverse, these results could have major economic policy implications.
Evaluating Pedestrians’ Safety on Urban Intersections: A Visibility Analysis
Authors: González-Gómez Keila , Castro María
Published: November 2019

Overall visibility plays a key role in the safety of pedestrians. Despite its importance, verifying the right provisioning of sufficient available sight distances among pedestrians and vulnerable road users (VRUs) is not a prevalent practice. On top of that, the pursuit for more sustainable modes of transportation has promoted the establishment of different shared mobility services which are prone to increase walking and, thus, the number of pedestrians and other VRUs in urban settings. With the intention of verifying how car-centered designs perform for non-motorized users, a 3D procedure that evaluates the visibility of pedestrians and other users is presented and applied to specific cases in Madrid, Spain. The proposed solution employs virtual trajectories of pedestrians with mobility impairments and without them, cyclists, and personal transportation device riders. Their visibility was assessed around the functional area of urban intersections, including zones where possible jaywalking practices might occur. The evaluation was performed three-dimensionally, making use of LiDAR data, GIS tools, and 3D objects. Results show the impact of street furniture location on visibility, the distinctive influence of vegetation on the lines of sight of each observer, and how design parameters that were intended to improve motorized traffic could affect VRU.
Potential Reconstruction Design of an Existing Townhouse in Washington DC for Approaching Net Zero Energy Building Goal
Authors: Kaewunruen Sakdirat , Sresakoolchai Jessada , Kerinnonta Lalida
Published: November 2019

The concept of the Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) has received more interest from researchers due to global warming concerns. This paper proposes to illustrate optional solutions to allow existing buildings to achieve NZEB goals. The aim of this study is to investigate factors that can improve existing building performance to be in line with the NZEB concept and be more sustainable. An existing townhouse in Washington, DC was chosen as the research target to study how to retrofit or reconstruct the design of a building according to the NZEB concept. The methodology of this research is modeling an existing townhouse to assess the current situation and creating optional models for improving energy efficiency of the townhouse in Revit and utilising renewable energy technology for energy supply. This residential building was modeled in three versions to compare changes in energy performance including improving thermal efficiency of building envelope, increasing thickness of the wall, and installing smart windows (switchable windows). These solutions can reduce energy and cost by approximately 8.16%, 10.16%, and 14.65%, respectively, compared to the original townhouse. Two renewable energy technologies that were considered in this research were photovoltaic and wind systems. The methods can be applied to reconstruct other existing buildings in the future.
Male and Female Motivations for Participating in a Mass Cycling Race for Amateurs. The Skoda Bike Challenge Case Study
Authors: Malchrowicz-Mośko Ewa , Młodzik Maciej , León-Guereño Patxi , Adamczewska Katarzyna
Published: November 2019

The purpose of our research was twofold: to investigate the motivations for participating in a mass cycling event for amateurs and the motivational differences between men and women in cycling. This empirical study involving 385 cyclists was conducted during the fifth edition of the Skoda Bike Challenge held in Poznań in 2018. The event forms part of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series of events organized around the world, which are sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). A diagnostic survey method with a standardized interviewing technique was used to interview cyclists. The interview questionnaire was divided according to the MPAM-R scale (Motives for Physical Activity Measure–Revised). This scale assesses people’s motives for participating in physical activities. The following motivations were examined: appearance, fitness, social, competence/challenge, and enjoyment. Descriptive statistics were used. A chi-square test was used to determine characteristics between responses. Cramer’s φ for statistically significant scores was indicated. The research results show some differences between male and female motives for competitive amateur cycling. Statistically significant differences were found between the following motives: interest/enjoyment, competence/challenge, and fitness. This is important information from the point of view of promoting cycling and for organizers of cycling events in regions wishing to promote sports tourism as a form of sustainable development. An understanding of mass cycling motivations is needed, as such knowledge can be used to encourage cycling, which has a potentially positive effect on future cyclists’ physical and mental health. Learning about cycling motivations also allows us to determine which physical and mental health functions are fulfilled by mass sporting events and how to prepare for them. The motives for participating in mass cycling events for amateurs in Europe constitute an interesting field of research. The first part of the paper presents the literature review related to cycling in the context of motivations, sporting events, tourism, event management, and sustainable development, and the second part presents the results of our empirical study.
Mottainai!—A Practice Theoretical Analysis of Japanese Consumers’ Food Waste Reduction
Authors: Sirola Noora , Sutinen Ulla-Maija , Närvänen Elina , Mesiranta Nina , Mattila Malla
Published: November 2019

This study focuses on food waste and its reduction by describing and analyzing the food waste-related everyday life of Japanese consumers through a practice theoretical lens. The research enables paying attention to the role of culture in sustainable consumer behavior, which is a largely unexplored area in previous food waste research. The methodological approach is qualitative and the empirical data of the study were generated through mobile ethnography. It combines elements from diary methods, multi-sited ethnography, and digital ethnography, producing visual and textual data of the practices that the participants of the study considered meaningful. The analysis identifies materials, meanings, and competences of the practices related to food waste reduction. These practices were interlinked with five broader food-related practices: planning, grocery shopping, cooking, eating, and handling surplus food. The findings reveal specific elements related to Japanese culture such as mottainai—a concept used to express the regret of wasting something valuable. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable consumption by emphasizing the importance of identifying and understanding how culturally linked practices may support sustainable (or unsustainable) consumption.
Study on Temporal and Spatial Variation Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Land Use Efficiency in Xi’an, China
Authors: Huang Jing , Xue Dongqian
Published: November 2019

China’s urban land use has shifted from incremental expansion to inventory eradication. The traditional extensive management mode is difficult to maintain, and the fundamental solution is to improve land use efficiency. Xi’an, the largest central city in Western China, was selected as the research area. The super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and Malmquist index method were used to measure the land use efficiency of each district and county in the city from the micro perspective, and the spatial-temporal change characteristics and main influencing factors of land use efficiency were analyzed, which not only made up for the research content of urban land use efficiency in China’s underdeveloped areas, but also pointed out the emphasis and direction for the improvement of urban land use efficiency. The results showed that: (1) The land use efficiency of Xi’an reflected the land use intensive level of the underdeveloped areas in Western China, that is, the overall intensive level was not high, the gap between the urban internal land use efficiency was large, the land use efficiency of the old urban area and the mature built-up area was relatively high, and the land use efficiency of the emerging expansion area and the edge area was relatively low. (2) Like the eastern economically developed areas, the land use efficiency of western economically underdeveloped areas was generally on the rise, while Xi’an showed the U-shaped upward evolution characteristics, and there were four types of changes in the city, that is, highly intensive, medium intensive, high–medium–low-intensive, and intensive–extensive. (3) Various cities should configure resources and optimize mechanism to improve their land use efficiency based on economic and social development. During the study period, Xi’an showed the law of evolution from the south edge area and the emerging expansion area to the main urban area. (4) The improvement of technological progress was the main contribution factor of the land use efficiency in underdeveloped areas of China, and the low-scale efficiency was the main influence factor that caused low land use efficiency. In future urban land use, efforts should be made to optimize and upgrade technology and strictly control the extensive use of land.